Fourth quarter PCI demand swells

摘要

In tandem with a recovering global steel market, tightness is emerging for second-tier material such as PCI (Pulverised Coal Injection) in India and the Atlantic Basin. The recent rise in hard metallurgical coal prices, driven by Chinese and Indian buying, has been matched by an uptick in demand for PCI material as steel producers restart blast furnaces and look to optimize output. While PCI cannot replace met coal, it is used as an injection fuel to reduce coke consumption.