US Coal Exports Exhibit Modest Decline M-o-M in Aug’18

US Coal exports continued its slow downfall on the month, as it totaled 12.01 MnT in Aug’18. As per the data provided by customs, coal export from the country in Aug’18 has fell 2% M-o-M from 12.25 MnT in Jul’18.

US coal exports have not seen much change in absolute terms, marked slightly above the 12 MnT mark in each of the past 4-months. However, exports during Sep’18 stood lowest in the 4-month period.

Apart from Japan, all the major coal receivers of US coal have seen their imports falling on the monthly basis in Aug’18.

Nevertheless, US coal exports carried on its rise on the year-on-year basis in Sep’18, recording 5% growth from the levels attained in Aug’17.

Total coal exports from the country in the first 8 months of CY18 (Jan’18-Aug’18) have reached 97.86 MnT, up 20% Y-o-Y from 81.88 MnT in Jan’17-Aug’17 period.

Grade-wise Coal Exports:
Coking coal exports from the country had witness the only monthly increase among the major coal grades. Exports grew 19% M-o-M to 5.13 MnT in Aug’18, which was also the highest total since Apr’18.

Non-coking coal exports decreased 10% M-o-M to 3.28 MnT in Aug’18 against 3.66 MnT in Jul’18.

Pet coke exports had fallen to its lowest monthly total for the CY18, marked at 2.84 MnT in Sep’18.

Source: US Customs
Quantity in MnT

Major Coal Importers:
Japan overtook India to become the highest coal importer from the US in Aug’18, who had also witness the only monthly growth in imports among the top 6-major coal receivers.

Japanese coal imports increased 28% M-o-M to 1.33 MnT in Aug’18, which had surged 183% on the year from 0.47 MnT in Aug’17.

Indian coal imports from the US dropped 8% M-o-M to 1.1 MnT in Aug’18, which was also 37% lower on the year from 1.75 MnT in Aug’17.

Mexico was the third-largest coal receiver with imports of 0.83 MnT during the month.

Source: US Customs | Quantity in MnT