Vietnam shipped abroad 4.8 million tons of coal worth 138 million U.S. dollars in the first 2 months of this year, a year-on-year increases of 22.9 percent and 12.8 percent respectively, according to a local trade agency on Friday.

Vietnam has planned to ship abroad some 20 million tons of coal of different kinds this year, said the Trade Information Center under the Trade Ministry.

Coal items either with high export value and limited domestic demand or with abundant sources will be exported mainly to China, Japan, South Korea and Europe in 2007.

Recently, the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment has asked the government to reduce coal exports in the 2006-2010 period to ensure supplies for local energy-thirsty industries.

Last year, Vietnam exported roughly 29.8 million tons of coal valued at 927 million dollars to over 20 countries and regions, including China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Brazil and the European Union, respectively, up 65.6 percent and 38.5 percent, according to the country's General Statistics Office.