Med thermal coal holds firm amid bearish mood, vessel quarantines

摘要

London—Mediterranean thermal coal markets bucked the allpervading bearish trend with a switch to domestic consumption expected due to the coronavirus outbreak, sources said Friday. “There is a great uncertainty due to the pandemic, there is a good chance end-users might be willing to postpone or go domestic as governments can take action anytime on vessel quarantines,” a Mediterranean-based trader said. Travel bans have been implemented for shipping crews between EU member states in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. The European Community Shipowners’ Association and the European Transport Workers’ Federation have pressed EU transport ministers to avoid “a total collapse of seaborne trade to and from the EU” and have urged the EU to ease travel bans and cultivate clear guidelines on docking in ports.