中文
India will continue to hold its status as the primary coking coal export destination in the foreseeable future, said industry body India Steel Association (ISA).
ISA acknowledged the challenges posed by escalating coking coal prices, particularly their adverse impact on the domestic steel industry. Coking coal serves as a vital raw material for steel production through the blast furnace method.
The Indian steel sector is actively exploring sustainable avenues for coking coal utilization by leveraging various technological solutions. ISA's President Dilip Oommen emphasized that while efforts are underway, achieving this transition is a long-term endeavor.
Addressing the ISA Coking Coal Summit in the national capital, Oommen said India is poised to remain the preeminent destination for coking coal exports in the near future, driven by a substantial surge in domestic steel demand. Furthermore, China is increasingly relying on its own resources for coking coal.
Indian steel manufacturers have already made plans for expanding capacities in the blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) pathway. Currently, the BF-BOF route accounts for 46% of steel production in India, while the electric arc furnace (EAF) represents 22%, and the induction furnace (IF) utilizing thermal coal constitutes 32% of the production.
India stands as the largest importer of metallurgical coal, which includes pulverised coal injection (PCI). The annual import volumes can reach 70-75 million tonnes, with major suppliers from countries such as Australia, the United States, Canada, and Mozambique.
Alok Sahay, secretary general of ISA, emphasized the critical importance of a partnership between coking coal miners and the steel industry, noting that transparent and rationalized price discovery processes are imperative for the sector's sustainability.
(Writing by Alex Guo Editing by Harry Huo)
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