TRANSHIPMENT specialist, Shi.E.L.D. Services, believes there growth in demand in Vietnam for coal, heightening that nation’s importance as a transhipment hib.
This follows a reported “108%” rise in coal imports in that nation from January to July this year.
Speaking ahead of the Emerging Asian Coal Markets conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Corrado Cuccurullo, CEO of Shi.E.L.D said given the draught restrictions in many of the ports in Vietnam, there would be strong demand for experienced transhipper operators.
“We see great opportunities in Việt Nam as manufacturing and industrial economy continues to grow, demand for coal for power stations will continue to increase,” Mr Cuccurullo said.
“We have successfully managed extremely complex logistic projects and handled a full range of dry bulk materials – coal, bauxite, iron-ore, sulphur to name a few in Indonesia and around the world, overcoming logistic restrictions and creating value for our clients.”
For the first seven months of the year 23 million tonnes of coal worth US$2.17bn were imported into Vietnam, according to the country’s General Department of Customs and reported in the media.
Coal imported during the first seven months of the year exceeded the amount imported during all of 2018 by about 57,000 tonnes, according to the General Department of Customs information.
In the first half of the year the largest coal suppliers to Vietnam were reported to be Indonesia, China, Australia and Russia.
