Australia: Coal exports decline 18% m-o-m in Jul’26 after three-month growth streak

• Hay Point records sharpest decline among key ports
• Weipa, Mackay shipments rise, limiting overall correction

Coal shipments through major Australian export ports fell 18.3% m-o-m to 7.27 million tonnes (mnt) in July 2026, from 8.90 mnt in June, halting the growth streak recorded over the previous three months. The decline was mainly driven by lower shipments from Hay Point and Abbot Point, which outweighed gains from Weipa and Mackay.

Port-wise export performance

• Hay Point: Shipments declined 37.9% m-o-m to 2.57 mnt from 4.14 mnt, recording the steepest absolute decline among the assessed ports. The sharp correction indicates significantly lower cargo throughput during July.
• Abbot Point: Shipments fell 8.4% m-o-m to 2.84 mnt from 3.10 mnt as lower loading activity and softer cargo movement weighed on volumes following the strong 18.8% increase recorded in June.
• Weipa: Shipments increased 8% m-o-m to 1.49 mnt from 1.38 mnt, extending the growth recorded in June. The increase offset weaker volumes at the larger Queensland coal terminals and indicates comparatively resilient cargo movement at the port.
• Mackay: Shipments increased 32.1% m-o-m to 0.37 mnt from 0.28 mnt, recording the strongest percentage growth among the four ports. However, its relatively small contribution means the increase had limited impact on the overall decline in Australian shipments.

Outlook

Australian coal shipments may remain uneven through August as buying patterns across Asian markets diverge. Stronger procurement from China, Japan, and South Korea may provide support, while weaker Indian thermal coal imports could limit demand for some Australian cargoes.

For metallurgical coal, steady global steel demand is expected to provide a relatively supportive backdrop, although balanced supply-demand fundamentals may limit significant upside in export volumes.