Thermal coal imports surged 18 percent at the country's top 12 major ports to 55.90 million tonnes in the first seven months of the current fiscal, amid government efforts to boost domestic output, led by state-owned Coal India Ltd. These ports had handled 47.23 MT of coal during the April to October period of the last fiscal, 2014-15. Imports of coking coal, used mainly for steel-making, also jumped 6.3 percent to 19.38 MT, as per the latest data with the Indian Ports Authority.