Ukraine increased imports of coal from Canada
In January 2017, Ukrainian companies imported $48.2 million CAD ($36.2 million USD) in Canadian coking coal, as told to Interfax-Ukraine News Agency by Canada’s ambassador to Ukraine, Roman Waschuk.
He noted that the province of British Columbia has significant reserves and production capability of coking coal, so the amount sent to Ukraine can be increased if needed.
In answer to a question about which companies are importing the coal to Ukraine, the ambassador named ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, but suggested that there are other large Ukrainian metallurgic companies involved as well.
Waschuk also said that imports of Canadian coal to Ukraine in 2016 totaled $146 million CAD ($109.6 million USD).
According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, 841,900 tons of coal valued at $94.37 million was imported from Canada, while the total amount of bituminous coal imported to Ukraine was 14,150,000 tons at a cost of $1,414,550,000. The main suppliers were Russia, which exported 9.87 million tons at a cost of $860.07 million, and the United States, which exported 1.8 million tons at a cost of $211.01 million. Canada was third on the list.
Australia exported 724,800 tons of bituminous coal to Ukraine at a cost of $79.13 million, Kazakhstan exported 551,300 tons for $75.6 million, and Poland sent 349,000 tons at a cost of $40.58 million.
At the same time, Ukraine last year exported 336,200 tons of bituminous coal for a total of $33.96 million; this was sent mainly to Slovakia ($26.41 million) and Russia ($7.48 million).