The ban started in mid-February while a recent court decision in the Cesar department locality effectively prolonged it.
“The court ruled that the measures taken thus far to reduce noise pollution are not sufficient; one of these measures being an order to build a controversial 2km wall of noise barriers along a portion of the track,” Macquarie Wealth Management noted in a commodities report.
“We have calculated that the suspension would remove about 12mt of potential export volume in 2015, if it was implemented all year. Tuesday’s decision provided some support to European thermal coal prices.”
The Fenoco line is used by Colombian coal producers Drummond, Prodeco and CNR which have collectively provided around 55% of the nation’s exportable coal over the last two years.
