Vietnam seeks to import more coal from Australia to avert power shortage

Viet · Apr 2, 2022

1 minute read

Storm clouds can be seen above a coal ship as it sails near Lady Elliot Island located north-east of the town of Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia, June 9, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray

HANOI, April 1 (Reuters) - Vietnam is seeking to import more coal from Australia to ease a shortage of the fossil fuel for electricity production, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said on Friday.

The ministry has asked the Australian embassy in Hanoi to arrange a meeting with Australian suppliers to sign new contracts, aiming to have the additional coal delivered from later this month, it said after a meeting between minister Nguyen Hong Dien and Australian ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie.

Vietnam's state-run utility EVN on Wednesday warned of electricity shortages from next month due to tight coal supplies, adding that several of its coal-fired power plants had to cut their run rates. read more

Vietnam turned from a net coal exporter to a net importer nearly a decade ago and has been importing the fuel mainly from Indonesia and Australia.

Vietnam's coal imports from Australia totalled 15.6 million tonnes last year, accounting for 43% of its total coal imports, according to government customs data.