US coking coal exports rose by 4.9pc on the year and 18.1pc on the month to 4.3mn t in May, driven by increases in shipments to India, Brazil and China.

Exports to India totalled 897,717t in May, up by 27.6pc on the year as stronger demand for finished steel from Europe drove Indian steel exports up to their highest in 13 months in April, boosting coking coal demand.

US suppliers shipped 340,731t to China, up by 20.48pc on the year and 7.6pc on the month. No tariffs on coal imports, efficient customs clearance and relatively weak global demand are boosting China’s coal imports.

US shipments to Brazil increased at a slower pace by 5pc on the year to 595,123t.

Shipments to Japan fell by 32.5pc on the year to 450,685t, reflecting continued weak demand from the manufacturing and construction sectors.

Coking coal imports from the US to the EU rose by 5.8pc on the year to 1.1mn t, as imports have compensated for lower coal output in the only coal-producing countries in the EU, Poland and Czech Republic.

Canadian exports rose by 23.4pc year on year to 2.9mn t in May. Exports to China and South Korea jumped by 51.9pc and 14.2pc to 795,132t and 342,439t, respectively, while shipments to Japan were up by 7.2pc to 699,885t.

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