The Ukrainian Energy Ministry has expanded the list of prohibited exports. So like thermal coal, oil and natural gas, coking coal can no longer be exported from the country. This decision was taken to ensure the demand for the heating season, especially the accumulation of sufficient fuel reserves for thermal power generation; Ukraine's national standards allow the use of coking coal in mixtures in thermal power plants, thermal power plants and boiler rooms.
Since the ban on Russian coal in Europe, EU countries have been in a state of coal shortage, especially Poland, which has taken the lead in banning Russian coal, has recently been struggling with energy issues. Although Ukraine has banned coal exports, Ukrainian President Zelens has recently Ki said in a speech that Ukrainian authorities will study the urgent delivery of 100,000 tons of thermal coal to Poland to help it cope with the energy crisis. Zelensky said: "I have instructed the cabinet to develop a feasible plan for the immediate emergency delivery of 100,000 tons of thermal coal to Poland. We have enough for our own use and we can help our brothers prepare for this winter." .
Not only the EU, but other countries are also facing tight coal supplies this year. On September 14, the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development (MIID) of Kazakhstan adopted Order No. 514 on restricting the export of coal from the country by road - in order to achieve the goal of the 2022-2023 heating season, Temporary bans on coal resale to neighbouring countries in border regions are aimed at preventing coal shortages during a period of strong population and utility sector demand. There was no concern about coal shortages in Kazakhstan before, but this year's heating season has seen coal supply problems as exporting coal from Kazakhstan has become lucrative against the backdrop of Western sanctions against Russian coal and is now the country's first choice for coal companies It is export, and 50%-78% of coal is exported. From March to June 2022, Kazakhstan's coal supply to the EU increased by 2.7 times from about 150,000 tons/month to as high as 400,000 tons/month. This has led to a shortage of domestic coal in Kazakhstan, in northern Kazakhstan where residents are aggressively snapping up coal, with trucks lining up for miles outside coal depots.
When commenting on the energy situation, SUEK CEO Maxim Basov emphasized that European sanctions on Russian coal will exacerbate the growing global energy crisis, and now the EU has become a region where energy prices are too high, not only hurting It affects the economy and consumers in Europe, and also affects people in other parts of the world. Global demand for coal and LNG continued to grow even before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the EU’s decision to phase out Russian energy imports will only exacerbate the situation. And the burden on the market is doubled. All of this creates additional demand equivalent to nearly 20% of global energy trade. Energy shortages in Europe are also hitting energy markets in developing countries, which cannot compete with Europe for energy supplies due to high costs. And those effects are now being felt gradually, and with the arrival of cold weather, the situation may get worse. (Source: WeChat public account "Fengkuang Coal Logistics" ID: mtwl888 Author: Today Think Tank Liu Lei)
