Coal exports out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, climbed by 35pc from year-earlier levels in March, despite downward pressure in some coal markets.

The port’s terminals handled 3.87mn short tons (3.51mn metric tonnes) of coal during the month, up from 2.94mn st in March 2023, according to the Virginia Maritime Association. March’s volumes were the highest since August 2018, when 4.29mn st of coal was loaded for export out of Hampton Roads.

The increase came even as metallurgical and thermal coal prices continued to lag year earlier levels. Coking coal still was profitable to export, with Argus‘ high-volatile type A coking coal assessment averaging $237/t fob Hampton Roads in March. But that was down from $311.74/t in March 2023 and markets were more challenging for thermal coal production. The average for the mid-point of the high-low range for prompt two-month shipments of 6,000 kcal/kg thermal coal out of Hampton Roads dropped to $102.68/metric tonne fob in March from $129.77/t a year earlier.

All three of the Hampton Roads terminals handled more coal in March than they had in the year-earlier month.

NS’ Lamberts Point terminal loaded an estimated 1.66mn st of coal, up by 31pc from March 2023. At the same time, exports at Dominion Terminal Associates, which is co-owned by Alpha Metallurgical Resources and Arch Resources, increased by 29pc to 1.42mn st, and Kinder Morgan’s Pier IX handled 786,488st of coal in March, up by nearly 38pc from a year earlier.

Increased shipments out of Hampton Roads may extend through at least April and May after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge resulted in the Port of Baltimore, Maryland closing on 26 March and prompted shippers to redirect coal volumes to alternative terminals.

The Baltimore port closing was too late in March to have had much effect, if any, on March Hampton Roads exports. Eastern railroad Norfolk Southern (NS) said on 3 April that its first diverted shipment from Baltimore was “successfully transported” that day.

CSX has not said when it first moved volumes from Baltimore.

The Virginia Maritime Association did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

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