TURKEY DATA: Aug petcoke imports drop 38% on month amid weak demand: TUIK

Petcoke deliveries to Turkey totaled 289,962 metric tons in August, down 38% from July and almost 23% down on the year, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute published Oct. 1.

The monthly volume was the lowest since imports of 269,826 tons were recorded in February.

The month-on-month decrease in imports was due to a fall in spot demand for petcoke from Turkish cement buyers, while increased utilization of thermal coal was another factor behind the fall in petcoke volumes, according to market participants.

In August, Turkey imported 2.7 MMt of thermal coal, with Russia accounting for 55.6%, or 1.5 MMt, of the total, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data.

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, assessed the weekly CIF Turkey 5.5% sulfur petcoke price at an average of $89.69/t in August. The price was last assessed at $85/mt on Sept. 25, down $3/t on the week.

In contrast, Platts assessed weekly CIF Med 6,000 kcal/kg NAR Russian origin thermal coal price at an average of $102.22/t in Aug. The price was last assessed at $106/t on Sept. 27.

Over the January-August period, petcoke imports totaled 2.2 MMt, an increase from 1.6 MMt in the same period of 2023, with significant increases across all supply origins.

The US remained the leading supplier of petcoke to Turkey in August, accounting for 65% of the total at 189,633 tons, down 37.0% on the month but up 31.5% on the year.

After a substantial rise in petcoke imports from Venezuela in July, supplies from the South American country fell by 55% on the month to 38,398 tons in August. Year-ago volumes were negligible.

Russia delivered 10,753 tons to Turkey in August, down 69% on the month and 79% on the year, and the lowest volume since April.

Meanwhile, Spanish supplies rose to 51,142 tons in August, up from 49,244 tons in July and up 10% compared to 2023.