TURKEY DATA: March petcoke imports rise 10% on month amid slight increase in demand, says TUIK

Petcoke deliveries to Turkey totaled 339,720 mt in March, up 10.3% from February but down 23.7% year on year, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute.

The month-over-month increase in imports was due to a rise in spot demand for petcoke from Turkish cement buyers amid seasonal requirements, while decreased utilization of thermal coal was another factor behind the rise in petcoke volumes, according to market participants.

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, assessed the weekly CIF Turkey 5.5% sulfur petcoke price at an average of $109.50/mt in March. The price was last assessed at $94/mt on May 7, down $3/mt on the week.

In contrast, Platts assessed weekly CIF Med 6,000 kcal/kg NAR Russian origin thermal coal price at an average of $86.12/mt in March. The price was last assessed at $85/mt on May 2.

Over the January-March period, petcoke imports totaled 1.1 million mt, an increase from 994,523 mt in the same period of 2024, with significant increases across all supply origins.

The US remained the leading supplier of petcoke to Turkey in March, accounting for 80% of the total at 271,157 mt, up 58.4% month over month but down 16.9% year over year.

After a substantial drop in petcoke imports from Venezuela in February, supplies from the country rose by 57.5% month over month to 13,500 mt in March, but were down 85.3% year over year.

Russia delivered 31,563 mt to Turkey in March, down 38.7% month over month but up 319.6% year over year.

Meanwhile, Spain's supplies significantly decreased to 23,500 mt in March, down from 76,978 mt in February and down 6% compared to 2024.