China’s latest big coal haul includes record Russian purchases

China’s massive coal imports last month included record purchases from Russia and Mongolia and a significant increase in cargoes from Australia, according to the latest Chinese customs data.

Shipments in March totaled 41.2-million tons, trailing only the record 43.6 million set in January 2020, which included cargoes held over from the previous year to avoid breaching Beijing’s annual cap on shipments. The government has made energy security a priority as its economy reopens and demand for its mainstay fuel increases.