Coal imports through India's 12 state-run ports in March increased by 14.93% year on year (YoY), hitting a record high, showed the latest data from the Indian Ports Association.

The imports amounted to 18.89 million tonnes last month, hiking 19.49% month on month (MoM).

Thermal coal imports at these ports were 12.91 million tonnes in March, rising 13.22% YoY and 40.17% MoM. Coking coal imports came in at 5.97 million tonnes, growing 18.81% YoY yet falling 9.4% MoM.

Paradip port in East India received the most thermal coal among all these ports in March at 5.56 million tonnes, up 15.15% YoY and 37.15% MoM.

Kolkata port imported the most coking coal in the same month at 2.08 million tonnes, surging 74.9% YoY and increasing 12.72% MoM.

Coal imports at the 12 ports totaled 196 million tonnes during the April-March period, gaining 4.9% YoY. Of this, thermal coal imports rose 1.67% YoY to 130 million tonnes, while coking coal imports grew 11.87% YoY to 66.25 million tonnes.

India's 12 state-owned ports are Kolkata, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Ennore, Chennai, V.O. Chidambaranar, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mormugao, Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), and Kandla.