Global coal shipments fall 7% w-o-w amid broad-based weakness

• Australia, Indonesia lead downturn on operational, demand constraints
• Colombia bucks trend; smoother port operations, restocking lift exports

Global seaborne coal shipments declined 7.4% w-o-w to 16.56 million tonnes (mnt) in the week ended 17 April 2026, from 17.89 mnt a week earlier, according to BigMint data. The drop was led by lower exports from Australia, Indonesia, and South Africa due to operational disruptions, softer demand, and logistics constraints, while Colombia offered partial support with a sharp rebound.

Country-wise trends

Port & shipper-wise trends

Pacific flows remain subdued

Australian shipments fell to 6.48 mnt amid maintenance, minor weather disruptions, and high inventories weighing on demand. Newcastle (2.50 mnt), Gladstone (1.33 mnt) and DBCT (1.17 mnt) led exports, with Japan (1.36 mnt), China (1.15 mnt), and Taiwan (1.00 mnt) as key destinations. Glencore (0.92 mnt), BHP (0.71 mnt) and Yancoal (0.42 mnt) supported supply.

Indonesian shipments declined to 5.82 mnt on softer Chinese buying and firm domestic pricing. Taboneo led with 1.29 mnt, while India (1.98 mnt), Vietnam (0.87 mnt) and China (0.87 mnt) were key buyers.

Canadian shipments eased to 0.55 mnt amid vessel tightness and inland constraints. Roberts Bank (0.31 mnt) and Vancouver (0.17 mnt) led, with South Korea (0.47 mnt) as the key destination.

Atlantic flows show mixed movement

South African shipments fell to 0.83 mnt due to rail bottlenecks and constraints at the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), with India (0.16 mnt) as the main destination.

US shipments held at 1.43 mnt, though weak demand and high freight costs weighed on competitiveness. Norfolk (0.59 mnt) and Mobile (0.28 mnt) led, with India (0.29 mnt) and Brazil (0.25 mnt) as key buyers.

Colombian shipments jumped to 1.45 mnt on improved port operations and restocking demand, supported by LNG disruptions. Puerto Nuevo (0.90 mnt) and Puerto Bolivar (0.52 mnt) led, with the Netherlands (0.36 mnt) as the key destination. Carbosan (0.93 mnt) and Cerrejon Mines (0.52 mnt) supported supply.

Coal freights to India show mixed trend

Freights to India strengthened in the Pacific on tighter tonnage and steady enquiries. However, the Atlantic remained subdued due to oversupply of vessels and weak cargo demand, keeping overall sentiment mixed.

Outlook

Coal shipments are expected to remain mixed. Australian exports may recover post-maintenance, while Indonesian volumes could stay largely stable. Atlantic flows are likely to remain uneven amid demand weakness and logistical constraints, with freight markets continuing to show regional divergence.