Japan opted for drop in LNG imports last month and more thermal coal use as IEA notes net-zero mockery
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports fell 2.6 percent last month and thermal coal shipments jumped by over 27 percent as the International Energy Agency issued a timely report saying global coal-power’s sharp rebound is taking it to a new record in 2021, threatening net-zero carbon-dioxide reduction goals.
Japanese LNG imports soar by over 21 percent as stock rebuild continues after high winter usage
Japan’s liquefied natural gas imports soared by more than 21 percent last month, backed by a doubling of US supplies and more cargoes from Asia and Russia as stocks were rebuilt after the high winter season usage.
Japanese LNG imports plunge by 19 percent but US cargoes rise while fall in coal deliveries is less
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports plunged by almost 19 percent last month and deliveries of thermal coal dropped by only half as much while US LNG deliveries to Japan rose, tripling from a year ago.
Japanese contracted spot LNG cargo prices plunged to record low of $2.20 per MMBtu during May
Japanese contracted spot LNG cargo prices for May fell to a record low of $2.20 per million British thermal compared with $5.40 per MMBtu in May 2019 amid the current over-supply and the commercial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Japanese LNG imports decline again as cargoes from Middle East drop and thermal coal increases
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports declined again last month while prices were 13.5 percent lower than a year ago as Australian cargoes increased and Middle East shipments fell.
Japan's LNG and coal imports drop 20 percent but US and Russian LNG cargo numbers rise
Japanese liquefied natural gas and thermal coal imports dropped by around 20 percent in August because of the summer holiday, with even Australian and spot shipments falling while US and Russian LNG shipments grew.
Japanese LNG imports drop for seventh month out of eight as nation cuts monthly cargo bill
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports dropped for the seventh month out of the past eight as the nation received fewer cargoes from traditional suppliers in the Middle East and Asia, though Australian deliveries were higher.
Shipments of LNG to Japan fell 6.3 percent in June to 5.20 million tonnes compared with 5.54MT in June 2018, according to preliminary figures from the Ministry of Finance.
Cargo deliveries to Japan had dropped 13.1 percent in May to 5.56MT versus 6.40MT in May 2018.
The cost of the June 2019 cargoes came to 274.17Bln yen ($2.54Bln), 11.7 percent less than a year ago when the cargoes cost 310.66Bln yen (2.88Bln).
For balance of payments purposes, Japan has been trying for several years to bring LNG import costs under control.
Imports of the fuel had edged 0.3 percent higher in April 2019 to 5.62MT from 5.60MT in April 2018 after dropping for the previous five straight months.
The April 2019 rise in LNG deliveries to Japan had been the first since October 2018 when 6.53MT was received, a 6.5 rise on the previous October.
Even during the peak winter months from November 2018 through February 2019, imports dropped as the Japanese followed fuel-saving measures and the government encouraged a drop in costly LNG imports, with coal-fired power often filling the gap.
Imports of thermal coal, a competitor to LNG, also declined by 1.7 percent in June to 8.07MT.
Seven of Japan's nuclear power plants, which numbered 54 on line before the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster, were operating in June and July.
The Ministry’s data for June showed a year-on-year plunge in imports from the Middle East for a third successive month.
The June 2019 shipments from countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman totaled 951,000 tonnes in June, down 33.2 percent from June 2018, though higher than the 793,000 tonnes received in May 2019.
The last time monthly shipments from the Middle East dropped under the 1MT level on a regular basis was in 2005.
Asian LNG cargo deliveries fell 8.1 percent to 1.33MT from nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Brunei.
The still small US volumes rose to 273,000 tonnes in June from 130,000 tonnes in May 2019 and 180,000 tonnes in June 2018.
Monthly Russian shipments from the Sakhalin Island plant in the Far East amounted to 404,000 tonnes, a decline of 22.6 percent versus the same month in 2018.
The balance of imports came from Australia, African nations and the spot market. They amounted to 2.24MT in June, more than the 1.95MT delivered in June 2018, though less than the 2.73MT imported in May 2019.
Japanese LNG imports had declined by 0.9 percent in 2018. The 2018 imports amounted to 82.85MT versus 83.63MT received in 2017.
Japan’s 2018 import bill was 20.8 percent higher than in 2017 at 4,730Bln yen ($43.14Bln). The Japanese had paid 19.3 percent more in 2017 compared with the previous year with an LNG bill of 3,915Bln yen ($35.58Bln).
Japanese LNG imports to drop further if nation keeps policy target of 30 nuclear plant restarts
Japan has been returning to nuclear power and now has nine units operating with a total electricity generation capacity of 8.7 gigawatts and a US report has forecast that imported LNG supplies for Japanese gas-fired power plants would likely decline in 2019.
Japanese monthly LNG imports fall as cargo costs soar and nation opts for more thermal coal
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports dropped 6 percent last month as cargo costs continued to rise and shipments from Australia and the spot market were favoured over Asian and Middle East volumes.
