Richards Bay Coal Terminal, the world’s second-biggest coal export port, said shipments last month dropped 10% from a year earlier after bad weather closed the facility for four days.
The South African port shipped about 5,06-million tons of coal, compared with 5,65- million tons a year earlier, Richards Bay Coal said yesterday.
The figures reflect shipments for the full month. It earlier released shipment figures of 4,68- million tons to March 30.
The terminal shipped 6,19-million tons in February and 3,98-million tons in January, the lowest in at least five years, after rail accidents disrupted supplies to the port.
The coal terminal — which has the capacity to export 72million tons annually — is owned by SA’s biggest coal exporters.
Coal exported from the Richards Bay terminal sold for $54,15 a ton on March 30, according to the McCloskey Group, which runs coal conferences and publications.