Coal Trade Prospects in Selected Countries in Eat and Southeast Asia Around the Year 2000

Abstract

Countries in East and Southeast Asia feel the need of resorting back to coal as a major source of energy. Most of the projected requirements would have to be imported from outside the region which would entail a tremendous amount by the year 2000. But economies of scale in ocean shipping exist and substantial reduction of cost can be achieved using bigger vessels. This paper looks into the possibility that economies of scale could justify construction of one or more transshipment depots in the region at which large loads from the supply sources are broken up and re-distributed in small vessels to small consumers.