エキスパートへのお問い合わせ
これらの最新情報の配信はいつでも停止できます。お客様の個人情報は、当社のプライバシーポリシーに従い管理されます。
Generic Hero BannerGeneric Hero Banner
Latest market news

Vietnam's January coal imports hit 7-month high

  • : Coal
  • 26/03/05

Vietnam's coal imports in January hit a seven-month high as utilities restocked ahead of the peak summer demand following government directive to ensure stable power supply.

Vietnam imported 6.2mn t of coal in January, up by 23.8pc on the year and 27.2pc from December, according to preliminary customs data. This was the highest volume imported since June 2025. The country's customs data does not differentiate between coking coal and thermal coal.

Australia accounted for 37pc of Vietnamese coal imports in January at 2.33mn t, up from 1.72mn t in 2025. Supplies from Indonesia reached 2.26mn t in January, accounting for around 36pc of the imports. This was up slightly from 2mn t in January 2025. Vietnam also imported around 617,000t of coal from Russia in January up from 472,000t a year before.

The increase in January reverses two straight months of declines in November and December 2025. Vietnam's demand for coal-fired generation weakened during the period because of rains, which boosted hydropower generation.

Vietnam's coal-fired power generation reached 13.4TWh in January, up by 7.8pc on the year and accounting for 48.1pc of the country's power output that month, according to the country's National Power System (EVN) data.

The rise in coal-fired generation followed an increase in the country's industrial production in January. Industrial production rose by 21.5pc on the year in January, driven by higher manufacturing activity, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO). This was the third straight month of industrial production growth, the data show.

International coal prices remained weak in January, which could have supported imports. The average price of Indonesian GAR 4,200 kcal/kg coal for Supramax vessels was at $46.70/t fob Kalimantan in January, down from $49.21/t fob Kalimantan the same period a year before. Australian high-ash NAR 5,500 kcal/kg coal averaged $73.49/t fob Newcastle January, down from $80.79/t fob Newcastle in January 2025.

Prioritising energy security

On 18 January, Vietnam issued a directive to prioritise adequate power supply and speed up power capacity and grid development. The directive included tasks and solutions to ensure power supply for utility Vietnam Electricity and state-owned coal producer Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries (Vinacomin).

The country expects power demand to increase this year, in line with projected economic growth of at least 10pc in 2026. It expects annual power demand to rise to 350-368TWh in 2026, according to the country's national power system operating plan.

By Nadhir Mokhtar

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

26/03/06

US says it can not pay tariff refunds quickly

US says it can not pay tariff refunds quickly

Washington, 6 March (Argus) — President Donald Trump's administration said it is unable to comply with a recent court order to begin refunding $166bn in tariffs the US Supreme Court has struck down, and that setting up systems to handle mass refund requests will probably take 45 days. The administration is making "all possible efforts" to install automated systems that can issue refunds to more than 330,000 importers that made 53mn customs entries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a top customs official said. But making immediate changes is not possible because doing so could clash with other deadlines and divert staff away from "imminent threats" to national security and the economy, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official said. "CBP has never been ordered to, nor has it attempted to, process a volume of refunds anywhere near the volume of total entries and Entry Summary lines on which IEEPA duties have been deposited," CBP trade programs executive director Brandon Lord wrote in a declaration filed in federal court on Friday. The administration's stated difficulty in paying the ordered refunds could offer legal ammunition to states that have filed a lawsuit to block new 10pc tariffs that Trump imposed last month. The administration successfully avoided a court-ordered freeze on its IEEPA tariffs last year by pledging to pay refunds if they were struck down. But the expectation of weeks of delay in paying out refunds could test the patience of federal judges hearing the latest tariff lawsuit. The US Court of International Trade on 4 March ordered CBP to strip out IEEPA tariffs owed on "any and all" imported goods, with a focus on taking out the tariffs during "liquidation" — the calculation of final duties — on all customs entries. The Trump administration earlier this week already conceded it will pay interest on refunds it is require to make, which economists expect will result in billions of dollars of additional payments paid back to importers. Lord, in his declaration, said CBP is "not able" to comply with court order earlier this because its systems were already set up to automatically liquidate more than 300,000 custom entries every week. Halting liquidation and offering refunds would require CBP staff to spend 4mn hours to manually input refunds, he said, whereas the automated system still being developed would "streamline and consolidate refunds and interest payments" for the affected 330,000 importers. Under the planned automated system, refunds would not occur automatically. Lord said importers would have to file a "declaration" with a list of entries on which IEEPA duties were paid, after which CBP would validate the declaration "as soon as practicable". The system would then finalize the entries and pay out refunds electronically. But Lord identified a potential obstacle, which is that just 21,000 of the 330,000 importers paying IEEPA tariffs have taken steps to receive refunds electronically. Federal judge Richard Eaton, who is hearing all tariff refund cases in the US Court of International Trade, has yet to respond to CBP's declaration. The court could order additional requirements to handle the tariff refunds. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US sheds 92,000 jobs in Feb, jobless rate ticks up

26/03/06
26/03/06

US sheds 92,000 jobs in Feb, jobless rate ticks up

Houston, 6 March (Argus) — The US unexpectedly lost 92,000 jobs in February while revisions pulled December data into negative territory, evidence the labor market continues to weaken amid policy uncertainty and geopolitical strife. Analaysts were expecting about 60,000 job gains, according to a survey from Trading Economics, so Friday's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report of a drop comes is seen as a shock. January's data was revised downward by 4,000 jobs to 126,000 while December's was revised by 65,000, pushing that month to a 17,000 job loss. The US economy has been buffeted by President Donald Trump's heavy-handed use of tariffs to extract trade and diplomatic concessions, partial government shutdowns and sticky inflation that keeps lower-earning households from spending. Companies have generally been reluctant to hire amid the ongoing uncertainty and the latest war in the Middle East is only fueling energy inflation and policy uncertainty. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.4pc last month from 4.3pc, but remains at historically low levels. Average hourly earnings rose by 3.8pc in February from a year earlier, compared with 3.7pc in the prior month. Heath care jobs, a leader in recent months, fell by 28,000 in February, affected by strikes at some hospitals systems, following gains of 77,000 in January. Physician offices lost 37,000 jobs, also mainly on the strikes. Federal government jobs fell by 10,000 last month and are down by 330,000 since reaching a peak in October 2024. Manufacturing lost 12,000 jobs last month, with auto manufacturing down by 1,600. Jobs in manufacturing, which Trump has pledged to revive with his use of tariffs, are down by 98,000 since February 2025 and are at their lowest levels in four years. Construction lost 11,000 last month. Mining lost 2,000. Transportation and warehousing lost 11,000 jobs, even as air transport was up by 5,000. Financial activities gained 10,000 jobs after losing 30,000 the prior month. Leisure and hospitality lost 27,000 after losses of 12,000 the prior month. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Bangladesh buys premium price LNG on Middle East war

26/03/06
26/03/06

Bangladesh buys premium price LNG on Middle East war

Singapore, 6 March (Argus) — Bangladesh has secured two prompt spot LNG cargoes at above $20/mn Btu, as the country looks set to face an LNG supply shortage due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. The country purchased a cargo for delivery over 15-16 March at $28.28/mn Btu from Gunvor, as well as a 18-19 March delivery cargo at $23.08/mn Btu from Vitol, likely on 4 March. Both cargoes were likely secured through a tender that the country issued earlier this week and closed on 4 March. These two cargoes are likely the country's third and fourth spot purchases arriving this year. Bangladesh was last in the spot market late last year, securing a cargo for 4-5 January delivery at $10.37/mn Btu from TotalEnergies, and a 9-10 January delivery cargo from South Korean trading firm Posco at $9.99/mn Btu. The purchases come on the back of news that other Asian importers may have also snapped up spot LNG supplies, also above $20/mn Btu in recent days. A major importer in India may have bought a March cargo at around $22/mn Btu, with at least two importers in northeast Asia also having potentially purchased prompt cargoes at above $25/mn Btu, traders said. The South Asian country is among a handful of nations most exposed to state-owned QatarEnergy's (QE) declaration of force majeure following the halt of production of LNG and associated products to its "affected" buyers on 4 March. Bangladesh imported just 973,160t of LNG in 2025, a whopping 74.9pc of which originated from Qatar, according to Global Trade Tracker data. Should the conflict in the Middle East carry on for a prolonged period, Bangladesh may need to turn to alternative fuel sources to try and plug the gap, traders said. But authorities have not issued any formal directions to utilities to import more coal, an official with a utility said. The new government is evaluating the situation following the disruption to LNG supplies and its impact on the country, the official added. Bangladesh power utilities are regular buyers of seaborne coal, with state-owned Coal Power Generation Company recently awarding a term supply tender to a trader for mid-calorific value coal for its 1.2GW Matarbari power plant. The country imported about 16.66mn t of thermal coal in 2025, up from 11.79mn t a year earlier, according to data from analytics firm Kpler. Coal-fired generation capacity accounts for nearly 27pc of the country's installed generation capacity, according to data from Bangladesh Power Development Board. By Rou Urn Lee and Saurabh Chaturvedi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

India mulls mandate to raise imported coal generation

26/03/05
26/03/05

India mulls mandate to raise imported coal generation

Singapore, 5 March (Argus) — India is considering issuing its emergency coal import directive to imported coal-based power plants to boost generation and to plan fuel procurement to meet peak summer demand, at a time of elevated seaborne prices owing to the US-Iran conflict. The country's power ministry is evaluating a proposal to invoke Section 11 of its Electricity Act, which empowers the government to direct imported coal-fired utilities to increase generation. No final decision has been taken but discussions have gathered pace, in view of the peak demand season and an increase in imported coal prices, two government officials and a private utility with the knowledge of the matter told Argus . A similar directive expired on 30 June 2025, after remaining operational for over three years . International coal prices have increased following the disruptions to Qatar LNG supplies, after Iranian strikes in retaliation to attacks by the US and Israel. The disruption to LNG supplies pushed up the price of coal, especially that of supplies from South Africa and Australia, while also raising pricing sentiments in the Indonesian market where supply remained tight on delays in government approval of 2026 production quotas. Prices have increased as markets such as Taiwan look to boost coal inventories to plan for any potential shortfall in LNG supplies. Argus last assessed Indonesian GAR 5,000 kcal/kg coal at $69.60/t fob Kalimantan on 27 February, hitting its highest level since early January 2025. The Indonesian GAR 4,200 kcal/kg market for Supramaxes was assessed at $54.31/t fob Kalimantan on 27 February, the highest level since June 2024. The South African and Australian NAR 5,500 kcal/kg prices eased slightly in the previous week, after hitting the highest level since December 2024 at $89.69/t fob RBCT and $86.65/t fob Newcastle, respectively, on 20 February. An increase in freight rates, given the conflict in the Middle East, has raised delivered prices. Power shortages The discussions around reviving the emergency rules come as India's Central Electricity Authority — the technical arm of the power ministry — estimated power shortages of 10-12GW when demand peaks in the summer, according to one of its projection scenarios. The country is experiencing an early onset of summer conditions with temperatures set to rise in several parts of the country in the coming days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). India could experience a hotter-than-normal summer this year, the department said. This could raise air conditioning demand, and overall power consumption. A fresh directive is expected to push imported coal-fired plants to raise generation, officials said. India has more than 18.7GW of imported coal-fired capacity, accounting for nearly 9pc of India's coal-based generation capacity and 4pc of overall power capacity. But much of this capacity operates at low utilisation rates because the long-term power sale pacts do not fully provide for passthrough of higher fuel costs. Authorities can allow some passthrough and permit utilities to sell surplus power on exchanges and offer other operational concessions under Section 11 of India's Electricity Act. The potential issuance of the directive could be a pre-emptive step rather than a response to any immediate fuel shortages. The situation in May 2022 was different — India was facing a sharp increase in summer power demand that exacerbated inventory drawdown at utilities, and domestic coal supplies could not meet the sharp increase. International coal prices rose sharply in 2022, following the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the government needed the directive to push imported-coal utilities to ramp up generation, an official at a utility said. But India is sitting on a record coal stockpile this time, following higher domestic output growth and weaker demand. Combined stocks at power plants, coal producers, in transit and ports and stockyards, are estimated at well under 200mn t. Most incremental generation requirements could be met by domestic coal-based plants, which meets the bulk of India's power needs. Coal-power accounted for about 86pc of overall generation in January. The government is also pushing imported coal-fired utilities to explore use of domestic coal, one government officials said, adding that the overall goal is to have stable power supplies for the summer. India imported 160.15mn t of thermal coal in 2025, down by 3pc, or 5.2mn t, from a year earlier, according to data from shipbroker Interocean. Out of the total thermal coal imports in 2025, power utilities might have imported around 50mn t, according to industry estimates. By Saurabh Chaturvedi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Green groups challenge Montana mine plan

26/03/04
26/03/04

Green groups challenge Montana mine plan

Houston, 4 March (Argus) — Environmental groups are suing President Donald Trump's administration over approval of the amended mining plan for Signal Peak Energy's Bull Mountains coal mine in Montana. The groups argue that members of the Interior Department bypassed required environmental review processes in the name of a "spurious energy emergency". The Montana Environmental Information Center, Center for Biological Diversity and Wildearth Guardians filed a suit on 3 March in the US District Court for the District of Montana. They claim Interior and the agency's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) violated the Administrative Procedures Act and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when OSMRE last year approved Signal Peak's plan to resume work on additional land in the Bull Mountains mining complex. Interior approved the changes to the Bull Mountains mining footprint under an alternative path to NEPA compliance that it implemented last year after Trump declared the US to be in an energy emergency. In doing so, OSMRE did not prepare a draft environmental impact statement for Signal Peak's plan or accept any public input beyond comments submitted during the scoping stage of the plan's review. The environmental groups took issue with Trump's energy emergency declaration. They also argued that the Bull Mountains project was not urgent and that prior studies had flagged risks to groundwater, ranching operations and wildlife. They also noted that most coal from the mine is exported, which they say undermines the rationale that the mining plan amendment addresses a domestic energy shortfall. Signal Peak said the lawsuit continues long-standing opposition to the amended mining plans and said the mine's operation is productive and safe. Interior had approved previously approved amended mining plans that included acreage in the plan being challenged by the environmental groups, but Signal Peak was forced to stop working on those areas in 2023 after a federal court vacated OSMRE's environmental review. The company said that OSMRE's approval provided production continuity and a more direct route to other coal reserves at the mining complex that would make moving longwall equipment to other mine sections easier and less costly. Interior did not respond to a request for comment. By Angelina Contreras Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Argus International Coal Forward Curves

Independent market valuation tool to support investment and trading decisions for international coal markets.

Argus Coal Daily International

Single source of trusted price assessments, indexes, global market intelligence and in-depth data analytics.

Argus Seaborne Coal Outlook

Independent analysis, trusted price forecasts, and data analytics to help you make optimum decisions.
Generic Hero Banner

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more