First ship with coal alternative to coal from Donbas to arrive to Ukraine around Aug 21 – minister

17:51, 04.08.2016 1 min read

A first ship with anthracite would arrive to Ukraine on August 20 or August 21, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk has said.

"A first small tanker with 130,000 tonnes would arrive on August 20 or August 21. Then one tanker after another would arrive," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

The minister did not disclose other details of supplies, referring to the commercial conditions of the contract. He said that Ukraine was able to buy coal thanks to establishing an indicative price of coal of UAH 1,370 per tonne from the beginning of August.

Nasalyk said that another way of settling the problem is the switch of power plants' units to gas coal. Gas coal production on the Ukrainian government-controlled territory is enough to cover the needs.

He said that it is impossible to fully stop buying anthracite made in Donbas.