Ukraine increased imports of coal and anthracite coal (HS code 2701) by 9.9%, or 1.719 million tonnes, in January-November 2018 year-over-year, to 19.095 million tonnes. Coal shipments over the period under review were estimated at $2.693 billion, which was 10.8% more than in January-November 2017 ($2.431 billion), Ukraine’s State Fiscal Service said.
In particular, coal bought from the Russian Federation (61.91% of all imports) was estimated at $1.667 billion, from the United States (29.94%) at $806.349 million, Canada (4.78%) at $128.608 million, and other countries (3.37%) at $90.865 million.
In addition, Ukraine in January-November 2018 exported 63,617 tonnes of coal and anthracite to the tune of $8.627 million, including to Russia ($4.597 million), Slovakia ($3.201 million), Moldova ($0.715 million), and other countries ($0.114 million).
As reported, Ukraine plans in 2018 to increase import of steam coal by 11.3% compared to 2017, to 5.669 million tonnes.
In particular, it plans to buy 4.882 million tonnes of coal from Russia (a rise of 29.6% from 2017), 664,000 tonnes from the United States (a rise of 47.7%), and 123,000 tonnes from South Africa (a fall of 83.8%).
In 2011, Ukraine’s coal and anthracite imports totaled $2.761 billion and exports $775.109 million, in 2012: $2.637 billion and $609.392 million, respectively. These indicators in 2013 were $1.974 billion and $737.009 million, respectively, in 2014: $1.773 billion and $521.017 million, in 2015: $1.632 billion and $53.651 million, in 2016: $1.467 billion and $44.762 million, and in 2017: $2.744 billion and $105.494 million, respectively.
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
The area under New Year trees (spruces, pines, firs) of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine exceeds 5,000 hectares, Viktor Melnychenko, the director general of state enterprise Forestry Innovation Analytical Center, has said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine. “The New Year campaign has already started – wholesale buyers are starting to buy Christmas trees from about the beginning of December. Prices have not changed much from year to year – the wholesale price is UAH 60-70 per running meter”, he said.
According to Melnychenko, the sellers later pass unused trees to zoos for animal feed, while used ones are processed for fuel.
He also noted that Forestry Innovation Analytical Center has developed an application for Android software – yalynka.info – to verify the legality of a Christmas tree origin. The application can be installed for free from Google Play Market. It allows checking the Christmas tree on the individual number on the label (plastic screed) and the self-adhesive label. The tag and the label deteriorate when removed and, accordingly, cannot be used again.
As reported, state forestry enterprises plan to sell about 500,000 Christmas trees this year.
Initial registration of electric vehicles (new and used) in Ukraine in January-November 2018 almost doubled compared to the same period of 2017, to 4,812 units, the Ukrautoprom association has reported. At the same time, the share of imported used cars, as in the previous year, was 84%. As reported, in the first half of this year, the growth in the electric vehicle market was 50% compared to the same period last year, and in January-October already 89% (the share of used cars on it is 85%).
According to the association, 598 electric vehicles passed primary registration in Ukraine in November, which is 2.4 times more than in the same month of 2017, but 80% of them were imported cars with mileage.
The most popular electric car in the Ukrainian market (344 units) remains Nissan Leaf, BMW i3 cars rank second with the registration of 41 cars, and Tesla Model S ranked third with 34 cars.
Renault Zoe ranked fourth position with 28 vehicles, while the fifth position belonged to Fiat 500e, which was chosen by 24 customers.
Canada’s Bombardier Transportation, the manufacturer of railway solutions, is ready to take part in a tender to supply electric locomotives for JSC Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan has written on his Facebook page. “Everyone is waiting for the tender of Ukrzaliznytsia, in which not only Alstom, but also Bombardier and Chinese companies are ready to take part. Given the complete deterioration of Ukrainian locomotives, there is no place to delay further,” he said, summing up his visit to France last week.
Earlier in Ukrzaliznytsia said that Alstom and CRRC, Siemens and Skoda showed their interest in this project.
As reported, in November, the International locomotive building conglomerate Skoda Transportation opened the first official representative office in Ukraine in Dnipro.
GE Transportation and Kriukov Car Building Works in early June 2018 signed an agreement to localize the production of 30 TE33A Evolution series locomotives. Ukrzaliznytsia received the first diesel locomotives at the end of 2018.
The framework agreement between Ukrzaliznytsia and GE, signed early 2018, provides for 15 year partnership in upgrade and modernization of traction fleet, the first stage of which is supply of 30 new diesel TE33AC locomotives to Ukrzaliznytsia in leasing with 10% localization level.
