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Issue No. 30

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Volume III

August 9, 1988

406

A recent report in one
of the Japanese Trade
Magazines stated there are
fears there will be a world
coal supply shortage near
the end of this year.

“Several reasons were
given for the predicted
shortage. Imports from
South Africa will reduce
in relation to the magni-
tude of the problems of
apartheid in that country.
A number of unprofitable
coal mines in the Euro-
pean countries will close,

- decreasing their produc-

tion, while at the same
time increasing their need
for imports.

Coal exports from Po-
land will be limited to

- about 30 million M/T per

year. Coal production will
slow down in Australia
due to some streamlining
programs, and the world
demand for coal will be on
the rise as steel makers
and power utilities step up
production.

The reality of this pre-
diction is already being
evidenced by the fact that
coal from Colombia was
totally sold out at the be-
ginning of this year. There
has been a sharp rise in
exports to Japan since last
october.

The effect of this is that
surplus stocks in Canada
and Australia have run
out. Australia has been
plagued with frequent
labor disputes and strikes
as workers protest against
the streamlining programs
proposed by management.

These work stoppages
rapidly reduced the stock-
piles at both the mine sites
and the port stockyards. It
has become difficult to
secure cargoes, especially
thermal coal.

Coal imports from
South Africa have conti-
nued to decline because
of the intensified econo-
mic sanctions placed on
South Africa. This has led
to an increase in imports
from other sources to
cover the reduced portion.

Yet another one of the
problems besieging the
coal market is the abnor-
mally high temperatures
and water famine in the
southern states. This has
caused a sharp decline in
the water level of the
Mississippi River.

Affected states include
Indiana, Ohio, and Michi-
gan. The low water levels

have greatly affected the
coal traffic in and out of
those states.

In 1987 a total of
15,700,000 S/T of coal

was exported from the
U.S. Gulf coast area. Ap-
proximately one-half was
shipped from New Or-
leans, at the mouth of the

Shane Campbell rings the winner's bell to finish first for
the T.R. Fire Department. Campbell's tub was the winner

Mississippi. The other
half was shipped from
Mobile Port at the mouth
of the Tombigbee River,
which is also suffering

over the long weekend.

Blue ribbon 88

by Nancy Perkins

The Blue Ribbon 88
Horticultural and Craft
Fair will be held for the
third year in conjunction
with Fall Fair Days.

This is an event that has
been growing each year
and will continue to grow
as long as the residents
come out and participate.

This is your chance to
show off those crafts you
have been working on, or
perhaps those big toma-
toes or potatoes you have
been growing in the back
yard. Maybe you want to
show off your fantastic

chili recipe, and don’t for-
get those beautiful flowers
in your garden.

There are three basic
categories for both adults
and children. They in-
clude home _ cooking,
handicrafts, and horticul-
tural, including both
flowers and vegetables.

Everyone can pick up
their entry forms at the
Library or the Com-
munity Centre front desk.
All entries must be
dropped off between 10
a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thurs-
day, August 18, in rooms
4 and 5 of the Commu-

nity Centre. In order to
have a chance to win that
blue ribbon, entries must
be in on Thursday.
Judging will be done on
Thursday night.

The displays will be
open to the public on
Friday, August 19, from
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
Saturday from 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. On Friday night
there will be the chili
bake off, with judging at 7
p.m. Now don’t forget to
get your entries in, and
never think your work
isn’t good enough,. It just
may win a Blue Ribbon.

f

from low waters. Much of _ barges have been forced to
shipped cease passage of the Mis-

this cargo is

abroad, as well as to in-

land destinations.
Presently, nearly 3,000

of the Moberly Lake Bathtub Races held at Moberly Lake

Inside

| World coal shortages feared

_ by Nancy Perkins

sissippi. In some cases,
they hve been stranded on
the banks.

As well as causing seri-
ous problems for the local
electricity companies who
depend on coal for power,
exports to Europe, Asia
and Japan have been re-
duced.

The Mississippi is not
the only waterway af-
fected. The South West
Pass which handles large
carriers is also affected
with a lowering of its
water level to 40 feet from
its normal 46 foot level.

This problem of coal

shortages due to shipping _

problems has gradually
begun to have an impact
on the coal supply posi-
tion in the eastern region,
where the U.S. and over-
seas customers have to
rely on the coal supply.

As in the case of 1984, if
the current situation con-
tinues, the coal demand at
home and abroad will
concentrate on the eastern
region. It is feared this
will result in a steep rise in
coal prices.

Because of these pro-
blems, American expor-
ters are calling on their
Japanese customers to
shift their loading sche-
dules from the Gulf coast
to the east coast, as they
feel the coal shortage will
worsen.

Accordingly, European
countries who rely on the
eastern region for most of
their imports have already
started importing from

Australia. Another reason

for this swing is because
Continued on page 10

Northeast Cable
Page 2
Council notes
Page6
Sports news
Pages7,8&9

The weather this week

Tuesday: Sunny and warm,
near 9° with a high of 23°,
Wednesday and Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Low near
7° with highs near TS
Precipitation: Last week we received 1.3 mm of rain.
Warmest Day: August 3 at 26.8°

Coldest Day: August 7 at 3.4°

.scattered clouds. Lows