US Coal Exports Down 9% M-o-M in Oct’19

US coal exports have exhibited a fall during Oct’19, driven by a reduced demand for coking coal.

Data provided by customs indicate that exports from the country dropped 9% on the month to 9.2 MnT in Oct’19 as against 10.13 MnT in Sep’19. Besides, coal volume was marked also 26% lower on the year from 12.46 MnT noted in Oct’18.

Apparently, steel capacity cuts and lower mine output lowered coking coal shipments to Europe and Asia-Pacific which had fell 20% M-o-M to 3.48 MnT in Oct’19.

On the other hand, US pet coke exports had increased 8% M-o-M to 3.28 MnT, while non-coking coal shipments were marked 4% higher on the month at 1.94 MnT in Oct’19.

Source: US customs
Quantity in MnT

During the first 10 months of CY19 (Jan-Oct’19), US coal exports have reached 103.55 MnT, down 15% Y-o-Y from 121.83 MnT noted in Jan-Oct’18 period.

Major Coal Importers:

India remained the largest coal buyers from the US, with imports of 1.34 MnT coal in Oct’19. Coal volume had increased 9% M-o-M from 1.23 MnT in Sep’19, which were also marked 23% higher on the year from 1.09 MnT in Oct’18.

Incidentally, India was among the major importers to have witness growth in monthly coal intake . Notably, coal imports from other chief buyers-Japan, South Korea, and Canada had fell in Oct’19.

Japanese coal imports from the US was down 9% M-o-M to 0.96 MnT in Oct’19 which was also noted 45% lower on the year from 1.74 MnT noted in Oct’18.

Canada emerged as the third-largest receiver, with imports of 0.76 MnT coal in Oct’19. However, the coal receipt had decreased 20% M-o-M from 0.95 MnT in Sep’19, besides, falling 12% Y-o-Y from 0.86 MnT in Oct’18.