- April coal exports fall on weak Asian demand
- Some ports post strong growth despite overall export decline
Australia’s non-coking coal exports declined by 4.1% in April 2025 to 16.08 million tonnes (mnt) compared to 16.77 mnt in March. Despite this m-o-m drop, export volumes were up 2.9% y-o-y from April 2024, when they stood at 15.63 mnt.
Reduced demand from key Asian markets
The decline in exports can largely be attributed to reduced demand across several key Asian markets. Shipments to Vietnam, for instance, saw a notable drop of 12.3% from March, falling to 1.31 mnt.
Likewise, exports to China decreased by 10.9%, amounting to 5.31 mnt. Other significant markets also registered declines, including South Korea (down 22.1% to 0.91 mnt), Taiwan (down 12.5% to 1.52 mnt), and Malaysia (down 11.7% to 0.48 mnt). Japan, while experiencing a smaller drop of 0.5%, saw its exports fall to 4.57 mnt.
Export performance of ports
The performance of Australia’s coal export terminals was mixed, with some ports showing significant declines while others reported notable gains. Newcastle Port, one of the largest export terminals, saw a decrease of 7.2% in April, handling 11.57 mnt.
Gladstone Port also reported a considerable decline of 21%, with exports falling to 1.07 mnt. Abbot Point, another major export hub, experienced the largest drop, down 25.4% to 1.29 mnt.
On the other hand, several terminals showed substantial growth in coal shipments. Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) saw a remarkable 100% increase in exports, handling 1.24 mnt. Port Kembla also experienced a significant rise, with exports increasing by 38.9% to 0.34 mnt.
Additionally, Brisbane Port saw the most notable growth, with shipments increasing by 58.9%, totalling 0.58 mnt.
While reduced demand from key Asian markets underscores global coal market volatility, strong performance at certain terminals highlights resilience.
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