US: Coal Exports Up 39% Y-o-Y in Sep’17

According to the US custom data, the country’s coal exports have rose 39% on the year to 10.78 MnT in Sep’17, compared with 7.73 MnT in Sep’16. Monthly export was however down by 5% compared with 11.39 MnT in Aug’17.

US coal exports have been surging this year under the presidency of Trump government and is on the verge of crossing the export total of 95 MnT coal achieved in CY16.

Exports during Jan’17-Sep’17 has already reached 92.67 MnT, with an increase of 35% compared with 68.4 MnT coal exported during Jan’16-Sep’16.

Grade-wise Coal Exports:
Coking coal was the highest exported coal grade during the month whose shipments increased 5% M-o-M to 4.93 MnT in Sep’17. Non-coking coal exports have also increased 5% on the month to 2.44 MnT.

Pet coke exports fell 25% M-o-M to 2.63 MnT in Sep’17 compared with 3.49 MnT in Aug’17. While Met coke and Anthracite coal exports were recorded at 0.08 MnT and 0.06 MnT respectively.

Source: US Customs
Quantity in MnT

Major Coal Importers:
Japan overtook India to become the largest coal importer from the US in Sep’17. Japanese coal imports rose 170% M-o-M to 1.27 MnT, which were also 95% higher on the year compared with 0.65 MnT in Sep’16.

Indian Coal import from the US fell 36% on the month to 1.12 MnT in Sep’17, but remained 18% high on the year compared with 0.95 MnT in Sep’16. Despite the monthly fall in imports, India still remained the largest receiver of US coal in CY17 (till Sep).

South Korea was the third-largest coal importer, with imports of 0.85 MnT in Sep’17. The country’s total coal imports of 7.57 MnT during Jan’17-Sep’17 has already crossed the import total of 4.45 MnT coal recorded in CY16.

Brazil, Netherlands, Canada and Mexico were among the other major coal receivers during the month.

Source: US Customs | Quantity in MnT