Abstract: The invention relates to a coal dewatering system, method and apparatus. The dewatering system includes a preheater vessel (82) having a chamber (101) for heating coal, an inlet (84) to permit the passage of coal into the chamber (101), and an outlet (86) for permitting the passage of coal from the chamber (101). The dewatering vessel also includes a heating mechanism (98) associated with the preheater vessel (82) to heat coal contained in the chamber (101) and a non-return valve (92) to substantially prevent heated coal removed from the preheater chamber (101) via the outlet (86) from re-entering the preheater vessel (82) via the outlet (86). The dewatering system further includes a dewatering unit (60) adapted to receive the heated coal from the outlet (86) via the non-return valve (92) and to thereby dewater the coal.