Turkey's October bituminous thermal coal imports increased 1.3% year on year and 17.9% from September to a 10-month high of 2.96 million mt on rising shipments from Russia and Colombia, according to data from the Turkish statistical Institute (TUIK) published Wednesday.
Imports over the January-October period were 10.2% higher on-year at 24.4 million mt.
Colombia remained the largest shipper of thermal coal to Turkey in October at 1.42 million mt, a three-month high, although Russia was not far behind at 1.37 million mt, which was the highest monthly volume from the country since S&P Global Platts records began in January 2013.
Thermal coal imports from Iran climbed to 39,068 mt, from nothing in September, while imports from South Africa slipped 16% from the previous month to a four-month low.
According to the data, Turkey's total purchases in October for imported thermal coal were $213.46 million, up from the previous month's $162.66 million. This was equivalent to a monthly average price of $72.16/mt, rising from September's $64.82/mt.
Platts assessed the October monthly average of its CIF Turkey 6,000 kcal/kg NAR 90-day price at $84.75/mt, gaining $16.75 on-month.
Meanwhile, Turkey's total coking coal imports in October were 514,658 mt, rising 14% on the year and up 80% from the previous month, according to the TUIK data.
The country's anthracite imports for the month were 69,679 mt, more than tripling from September's 22,510 mt.
