SA coal port's record output

Exports from South Africa's Richards Bay Coal Terminal, the world's largest single facility for the fuel, were a record high in 2013.

The terminal shipped 70.2million metric tons last year compared with 68.3million tons 12 months earlier, it stated last week. It also received 70.42 million tons by rail, 2.8% more than in 2012, it said.

"In 2013 RBCT has, for the first time, received and exported more than 70 million tons of coal," it said.

South Africa is the seventh-biggest producer of the fuel globally, according to the World Coal Association's website. Eskom uses the fossil fuel to meet about 85% of its power generation needs. South Africa exports coal to Europe, China and India.