Oil and natural gas transportation disruptions: Many Asian countries turn to coal for "emergency" relief

On March 27, People’s Finance News reported that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues to be obstructed, increasing the uncertainty of energy supply for some Asian countries that heavily rely on oil and natural gas imports. Recently, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia have introduced measures to increase coal usage and production. In South Korea, the government has recently decided to strictly implement restrictions on public sector vehicle license plate numbers and has called for the private sector to actively participate as well. Additionally, the South Korean government announced the cancellation of the limit on coal-fired power generation, which was previously set at 80% of installed capacity. Furthermore, to alleviate short-term energy supply pressure, countries such as Thailand and Vietnam are currently intensifying efforts to develop their domestic coal power generation to reduce dependence on imported energy. The Indonesian government has recently decided to modify the coal production quota for 2026, planning to increase coal output and considering that the produced coal will be prioritized for domestic use rather than export. (CCTV Finance)