Ukraine cut imports of metallurgical coke by 9.9% year on year in the first quarter of 2026

In January–March 2026, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises reduced imports of coke and semi-coke, under Ukrainian customs code UKTZED 2704, by 9.9% compared with the same period in 2025, to 191.42 thousand tonnes.

This is shown by GMK Center’s calculations based on data from the State Customs Service.

Almost the entire volume of supplies during the period came from Polish products: 188.27 thousand tonnes, up 3.7% year on year. Another 2.05 thousand tonnes were imported from the Czech Republic, down 33.4% year on year. Spending on raw material imports over the three months decreased by 1.5% year on year to $66.98 million.

In March, coke imports to Ukraine rose by 21% year on year and 25.6% month on month, to 68.31 thousand tonnes, while import spending increased by 32.5% year on year and 26.7% month on month, to $24.23 million.

Between 2013 and 2024, coking coal production in Ukraine fell by 74%, while coke production declined by almost 85%. Most mines and coke plants remained in territories not controlled by Ukraine: 64% of the total.

According to GMK Center’s estimates, to maintain production at the current level — namely, up to 6.5 million tonnes of steel produced by the converter and open-hearth methods, and 1.3 million tonnes of merchant pig iron — Ukraine needs 3.2 million tonnes of coke per year, of which up to 20% was imported in 2024.

In early April 2025, the first vessel carrying coking coal from the United States, chartered by the Metinvest Group, arrived in Ukraine. The bulk carrier delivered 80 thousand tonnes of raw material from United Coal Company, which is part of the group. Metinvest planned to carry out similar import deliveries every month.