However, sanctions imposed on Russia last year due to its invasion of Ukraine shook Germany's energy supply, causing a return to and increase in the use of coal. In 2020, it announced it would stop burning the climate killer, gradually phasing out its coal-fired plants by 2038. Germany says it wants to be carbon neutral by 2045. Shipments arriving from South Africa and Colombia saw significant increases, standing at 3.9 million tons (278%) and 7.2 million tons (210%), respectively, according to the VDKI.

In second place came the US, with 9.4 million tons, a 32% increase from the year before. However, Russian supplies stood at 13 million tons, which is a 37% decline from the year before. Russia remained the top supplier of coal, despite sanctions imposed by the European Union in August banning the import of Russian coal to bloc members. The country imported 44.4 million tons of coal in 2022, the Association of Coal Importers (VDKI) said in an evaluation covered by the German newspaper Bild on Saturday. Germany increased its coal import by 8% last year, as it tried to cope with a shortage in the country's energy supply after Berlin stopped relying on Russian oil and gas due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Rss importer