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27 May, 2026
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China’s double coal exit: less imports, more by land

China’s coal burn at the six major coastal power groups hit a seasonal high of 0.8Mt/day last week, while Guangdong’s power load reached…

… a record 166GW yesterday (~40–50% of EU27’s typical May peak demand) amid a southern heatwave.

Yet Jan-Apr’26 coal imports edged down just -2% YoY to 150Mt, with the weakness concentrated in seaborne coal, down -14% YoY to 100Mt. Meanwhile, Mongolian imports surged +61% YoY to nearly 40Mt, lifting landborne share to a record 38%.

Faster border clearance for rail and road imports points to a structural, rather than cyclical, erosion in China’s seaborne coal demand.

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