US coal exports may surge 60% in 2018 – analyst

US seaborne thermal coal exports could surge 60% this year amid a shortfall in global supply and healthy import demand, the director of consultancy Perret Associates told Montel. Guillaume Perret estimated the country’s coal exports could rise from 36.7m tonnes in 2017 to 58m tonnes this year and 60m tonnes in 2019. Citing a “structural […]

US coal exports surge over year-ago period on strong Indian demand in Q1

U.S. coal exports rose 14.8% in the first quarter compared to the prior-year period, driven by sharply increased demand from India. India bought 5.7 million tonnes of coal from the U.S. in the first quarter, up 76.3% compared to the same period a year ago, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis. Brazil, Croatia, […]

US coal exports continued gains in May

US coal shipments abroad totaled 9.65mn short tons (8.75mn metric tonnes) in May, up by 33.2pc from a year earlier. That represented the 19th straight month of year-over-year gains. May exports were down from April’s five-year high, but still represented the second-highest export level in nearly five years. The last time exports were as high, […]

US coal still in demand overseas because of high seaborne prices

In the US export market this week, a CFR deal for Northern Appalachia coal, basis 6,900 kcal/kg, for August loading was heard at a price greater than $110/mt. NAPP coal continues to price into India as a result of relatively high coal prices, as well as ongoing uncertainty around the country’s proposed ban on certain […]

Illinois basin coal: Export support continues

Coal prices in the Illinois basin followed international markets higher as sellers preferred to export coal than to take lower prices in domestic sales. Prompt quarter 11,500 Btu/lb 5lb SO²/mmBtu coal climbed by 25¢/short ton to $39.35/st fob barge. Prices for third quarter deliveries of 11,800 Btu/lb 4.5lb SO2/mmBtu and 11,000 Btu/lb 6lb SO2/mmBtu coals […]

Exports give US rail coal volume a boost

US rail coal shipments have defied expectations and have remained steady, bolstered by unexpected strength in coal exports. “The export coal is doing better than we thought or anyone else thought,” CSX chief executive James Foote said on 7 June. “And it looks like it will be stronger throughout the second half of the year […]

April US coal exports surge to highest monthly total since 2013

US coal exports totaled 10.1 million mt in April, the highest monthly total since March 2013, according to new US Census data. The monthly total was up 17.7% from March and 53.3% higher than the year-ago month. Driven by strong seaborne prices, end-users are increasingly choosing to source metallurgical and thermal coal from the US. […]

US coal exports reach 5-year high

US coal exports climbed to a five-year high in April on trade with relatively new customers. Shipments rose to just under 11.1mn short tons (10.1mn metric tonnes) from 7.24mn st a year earlier, according to US Census Bureau data released today. The last time exports were higher was in March 2013, when they totaled 13.6mn […]

Hampton Roads coal exports inch back from recent highs

Coal exports out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, retreated from April’s four-year high last month but remained higher than 2017 levels. Terminals at the port handled 3.75mn short tons (3.4mn metric tonnes) of coal for export in May, the latest data from the Virginia Maritime Association show. That was down from 4.26mn st in April, but […]

Why shipping coal to Asia makes ecological sense

It may seem counterintuitive, but building the proposed coal-exporting shipping terminal, Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview facility, can reduce global greenhouse gases by making U.S. coal readily available to Asia. The state Department of Ecology’s final environmental impact statement for the Millennium coal export facility validates this point. Unfortunately, the details were buried in the appendices, where […]