China’s coal imports from top supplier Indonesia fell 31% year-on-year in July, as softer domestic demand and declining seaborne prices rendered Indonesian coal less profitable, according to Chinese customs data cited by Reuters.
Imports from Indonesia totaled 13.18 million metric tons last month, down from 19.24 million tons in July 2024. Over the first seven months of 2025, shipments from Indonesia declined 15% year-on-year to 104.16 million tons.
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“A decline in Indonesian export volumes corresponded with softer demand for thermal imports in both China and India, which drove seaborne prices below the per-ton cost of production for a large share of Indonesia's coal miners,” LSEG analysts said in a note.
They added that unprofitable coal capacity tends to be reduced more quickly in Indonesia than in other major exporting nations, as fixed costs make up a smaller share of total production expenses.
China’s overall coal imports also fell 23% in July, as strong domestic output continued to curb the need for foreign supply.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
