China: Huaneng launches 25th seaborne coal tender to sustain import push

• • Utilities increase imports ahead of post-monsoon demand

• • Higher-grade cargoes remain preferred over low-CV coal

Mysteel Global: China Huaneng Group, a state-owned power producer, has called its 25th seaborne thermal coal tender of 2026, seeking 21 cargoes totalling 1.31 million tonnes (mnt) for delivery across its coastal power plants, with bids due by 11:00 a.m. Beijing time on 13 July.

The new tender — issued just four days after the previous round closed on 6 July — covers calorific values from 3,000 kcal/kg to 5,500 kcal/kg NAR, with supply origins spanning Indonesia, Russia, Australia, and Malaysia, according to Huaneng’s fuel procurement platform. Delivery is split between CFR port basis and delivered-to-plant terms.

The pace of Huaneng’s tender schedule has quickened markedly since late June. The utility’s 22nd tender, which closed on 22 June for 854,000 tonnes (t) across 13 cargoes, was followed by the 23rd round (which was heavily weighted toward low-calorific-value Indonesian coal) and then by the 24th tender, which sought 1.36 mnt across 20 cargoes and closed on 6 July.

Results from the 24th tender showed a roughly even split, with 10 cargoes awarded and 10 cancelled, according to the platform. The awarded cargoes were concentrated in mid-to-high calorific value coal — 4,500-5,500 kcal/kg NAR — while several low-CV cargoes were scrapped, a pattern consistent with prior rounds where utilities have favoured higher-grade imports over discounted low-CV material.

In terms of prices in its previous tender, Huaneng bought two cargoes for its Haimen power plant, located in South China’s Guangdong province, priced at RMB 526.7/tonne ($77.7/t) for 3,700 kcal/kg NAR and RMB 824/t for 5,500 kcal/kg NAR. One cancelled cargo for 3,800 kcal/kg NAR had the lowest bid at RMB 550/t, according to sources.

The 25th tender appears to reinforce the power producer’s preference for mid-to-high calorific coal. Among the notable additions are two 60,000-t cargoes for Changxing power plant in Zhejiang province — one at 4,700 kcal/kg and another at 5,500 kcal/kg, both with a relatively loose 1.2% sulphur cap — and four cargoes totalling 280,000 t for the Haimen power plant, including one 5,500 kcal/kg NAR cargo.

Chinese utilities are ramping up coal imports, anticipating growing demand after the rainy season ends this month and temperatures climb. The fact that Huaneng is seeking more high-CV cargoes this round suggests the company sees value in blending imported higher-grade coal with domestic supplies, Mysteel Global suggests.

Note: This article has been published in accordance with a content exchange agreement between Mysteel Global and BigMint.