Bulk exports up by 11,5%
SA's bulk export volumes rose by 11.5% year-on-year (y/y) in February to 11.9-million tons (Mt) after dropping by 12.7% y/y in January to 11.8Mt according to figures released by Transnet National Ports Authority
Bulk exports rose by only 4.8% in 2012 after a 6.8% gain in 2011 and a 9.0% jump in 2010. The change in the first two months of 2013 reflected a 2.0% y/y decline.
Bulk exports were up 9.2% y/y in the first nine months of last year before industrial action in the mining sector curtailed exports.
Exports out of Richards Bay‚ which are mostly coal‚ fell by 4.4% y/y in February to 6.7Mt after rising by 5.2% last year to 80Mt.
Exports out of Saldanha‚ which are mostly iron ore‚ soared by 64.6% y/y to 4.2Mt after increasing by 4.6% last year to 55.7Mt‚ while exports out of all other ports dropped by 12.0% y/y in February to 929‚319 tons after gaining 3.4% last year to 12.6Mt.