China has stepped up customs checks for coal imports, leading to lengthy processing delays at ports, four sources familiar with the matter said, as the country seeks to bolster the domestic coal industry.
China is curbing coal arrivals through import quotas and quality restrictions on downstream users, such as utilities, following record imports for the first five months of the year.
As a result, imports can take up to 90 days to clear from roughly 30 days previously, two traders said on condition of anonymity.
Three coal traders said the backlog meant fewer import tenders from clients – mostly utilities in eastern and southern China.
