Vietnam's coal imports (including those of foreign-invested enterprises) in September continued the downtrend for the fourth consecutive month, hitting a two-year low, preliminary customs data showed.

The country imported 3.96 million tonnes of coal in September, falling 0.33% from 3.97 million tonnes in the same month last year and down 7.87% from 4.3 million tonnes a month ago, data showed.

Indonesia was the top supplier in the month, delivering 1.85 million tonnes, edging up 0.29% from a year earlier but down 0.92% on the month.

Vietnam imported 1.47 million tonnes of coal from Australia, jumping 51.77% on the year and 34.78% month on month.

Russia delivered 421,000 tonnes of coal to Vietnam, down 12.96% on the year and 27.5% on the month, while imports from Laos stood at 38,600 tonnes, plunging 48.72% from the year before and 82.74% from a month earlier.

The data revealed that Vietnam's coal import value in September amounted to $457 million, gaining 3.76% year on year and 21.35% month on month.

In the first nine months this year, Vietnam's coal imports reached 50.56 million tonnes of coal, climbing 1.18% from a year ago. Total import value came in at $5.17 billion, falling 16.15% on the year, data showed.