Tanzania’s coal exports jump seven-fold amid European demand

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Tanzania’s coal exports surged seven-fold to $223.8 million in the year to March 2023, compared to $31.9 million in the previous year, according to the Bank of Tanzania. The rise in earnings came as buyers looked for new sources of thermal coal following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Tanzania had previously sold coal only to its East African neighbors, but with the increase in demand, it aimed to export 700,000 tonnes last year, double the 2021 figure. The government doubled the issuance of coal export permits to over 10,000, the minerals minister said in a recent budget speech.