US coal exports out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, rose from year-earlier levels for the first time in seven months in October.

Terminals at the port loaded 3.19mn short tons (st) (2.89mn metric tonnes) of coal last month, compared with 3.01mn st in October 2024, according to estimates released by the Virginia Maritime Association on Tuesday. Coal export loadings at Hampton Roads also were the highest since March’s 4.12mn st.

Two of the coal terminals at the port — Norfolk Southern’s Lamberts Point and Kinder Morgan’s Pier IX — loaded more coal last month than they had a year earlier. Coal loadings at Dominion Terminal Associates (DTA), which is co-owned by Alpha Metallurgical Resources and Core Natural Resources, fell from year-prior levels for the sixth straight month.

Port loadings were not significantly affected by the 11-12 day shutdown of CSX’s Peninsula subdivision. The subdivision is the only route to DTA and Pier IX and was closed from 25 October to 5 November, but Alpha said on 6 November that DTA was loading coal previously stockpiled at the terminal. Some shippers, including Alpha, also could have moved coal to other export terminals if the shutdown had persisted.

Coal export loadings at Hampton Roads in October likely were more affected by the timing of vessel arrivals and by seaborne market conditions. Virginia Maritime Association data show 41 coal vessels arrived in September and only 32 departed that month, while in October 39 coal vessels arrived and 43 set sail.

On the other hand, export metallurgical and thermal coal prices continued to lag year-earlier levels. The monthly averages for US high volatile type A and type B coking coals and the midpoint of the high-low range for 6,000 kcal/kg thermal coal were $149.09/t fob, $139.09/t fob and $101.71/t fob, respectively, last month, compared with $188.26/t, $178.48/t and $110.28/t in October 2024.

So far in November, US metallurgical coal prices are modestly lower than they were in October, while thermal coal export prices are slightly higher but still below 2024 levels.

Central Appalachian coal producers are producing less coal than they did in the final months of 2024. A number of mine owners in the region cut output targets earlier this year because of production costs, lower export sales prices and uncertainties in seaborne markets. Core on 6 November cut its coking coal outlook to 7.4mn-7.8mn st from a previous projection of 7.5mn-8mn st. Ramaco Resources and Alpha also reduced their metallurgical coal sales expectations earlier this year.

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