Coal stocks at China's four major Bohai Sea ports totaled 19.95 million mt on March 9, down 459,000 mt or 2.2% week on week, Qinhuangdao Port said Monday.

Coal stocks at Qinhuangdao Port edged up 0.8% week on week to 7.15 million mt on Sunday, while stocks at Tianjin Port rose 5.5% to 2.29 million mt. But stocks at Jingtang Port dropped 6.7% to 4.85 million mt, and inventories at Caofeidian Port dropped 4.9% to 5.66 million mt.

The number of vessels queuing at the four ports totaled 110 on Sunday, up from 88 a week ago, Qinhuangdao Port said.

Meanwhile, coal stocks at southern China's Fangcheng Port, a key facility for imports of Australian and South African thermal coal, stood at 4.1 million mt on Sunday, down from 4.4 million mt a week ago, a port source said Monday.

But the source added that due to an expected rise in inbound coal cargoes this month, there may a jump in coal stocks at the port.