China imported 6.41 million  tonnes of coking coal in August, up by 5 percent from July and up 37 percent from a year earlier, according to Chinese customs data. January-August imports rose by 25 percent from a year earlier to 38.6 million tonnes, with imports from Russia increasing by 81 percent to 12.4 million tonnes.

Russian shipments of 1.9 million tonnes in August were up by 60 percent from a year earlier as Chinese buyer favoured discounted Russian coal. But they were down by 5 percent on the previous month as some shipments were affected by rail issues. US imports rose by 67 percent from the previous month to 505,330 tonnes, while Indonesian imports increased by 52pc to 240,500 tonnes.

Arrivals from Mongolia in August hit the highest level in almost two years, increasing by 4 percent from a month earlier and more than double from the previous year to 2.87 million tonnes. Supplies of Mongolian coal have been steadily increasing despite a resurgence in Covid-19 cases at the China-Mongolia border. The number of coal trucks crossing the border at the Ganqimaodu customs point was at 656 on 21 September.

Australian imports resurfaced in August at 87,004 tonnes as some stranded cargoes were released into Chinese ports, although the unofficial ban on fresh Australian coal remains in place.