US thermal and metallurgical coal exports totaled about 4.6 million mt in October, down 6.1% from the previous month, US Census data released Dec. 4 said.

From the year-ago month, exports declined 21.5%, the smallest year on year decline in four months. Over 10 months, exports were about 49.9 million mt, down 30.2% year on year.

Of the October exports, 67.7% were met, leaving 32.2% thermal.

Bituminous shipments totaled nearly 1.4 million mt and subbituminous were 76,677 mt, a four-month low.

From the previous month, bituminous shipments declined 1.9%, and from the year-ago month they declined 29.5%. Through October, bituminous exports totaled 15.6 million mt, down 36.1% from the year-ago period.

Subbituminous shipments declined 68.5% from September and dropped 79.1% year on year. Through 10 months, they totaled nearly 3.6 million mt, down 36.8% from the year-ago period.

The top importers for US bituminous coal in October were India, with 566,521 mt, up 2.3%% from the year-ago month; the Dominican Republic, with 188,214 mt, up 209%% from last year; and Japan, with 180,353 mt, down 46.6% compared to the year-ago month.

Japan was the only importer of subbituminous coal in October, compared to none imported in the year-ago month.

Met exports totaled about 3.1 million mt in October, down 3.6% from September and down 10.9% year on year.

Through October, met shipments were 31.1 million mt, down 26% year on year.

The top importers were Brazil, with 491,199 mt, down 29.4% from the year-ago month; Canada, with 385,207 mt, down 8.4%%; and India, with 373,834 mt, up 58.9% year on year.

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