South Africa’s RBCT says 2017 coal exports at record high

RICHARDS BAY, South Africa, Jan 26 (Reuters) – South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) said on Friday 2017 coal exports surged to a record high of 76.47 million tonnes from 72.6 million tonnes in 2016, despite port closures during poor weather.

RBCT, Africa’s largest coal export facility, said it aimed to export at least 77 million tonnes this year.

“We have lost 38 days in 2017 to weather which actually caused a queue at some point at the coal terminal,” said Nosipho Siwisa-Damasane, RBCT chairwoman.

Asia took the bulk of the coal exports, with a share of 81.6 percent of all exports in 2017 versus 75 percent in 2016.

(Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; writing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; editing by Mark Potter)