|
Vietnam to import 15 million tonnes coal per year by 2015
Vietnam will need to import 3 million to 15 million tonnes of coal a year by 2015, rising to 21 million to 40 million annually by 2020, as new coal fired power plants are built.
A trade ministry official said that Southeast Asian country, which is the world’s top anthracite exporter, will gradually cut coal exports to 3 to 5 million tonnes per year, predominantly for metallurgy.
The shift from net exporter to importer comes as Vietnam grapple with a growing power shortfall that has brought chronic blackouts and is widely cited as one of the biggest barriers to foreign investment.
Mr Tran Xuan Hoa CEO of state mining firm Vinacomin at a coal conference showed that nine coal power plants were being built in Vietnam and another two dozen thermal plants were planned, most to become operational by 2015.
Mr Le Duong Quang vice minister of industry and trade said that Vinacomin or Vietnam National Coal Mineral Industries Holding Corp Ltd, is expected to export 18 million tonnes of coal this year after shipping 24.3 million tonnes in 2009.
Coal imports would start in 2011 for two alumina projects, he told Reuters without elaborating. In June, a Vinacomin official told a conference in Indonesia that coal imports were seen between 600,000 tonnes and 6 million tonnes in 2014-15. The reason for the difference was unclear.
Vietnam Business
|
