Published: August 10, 2021 |

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The U.S. exported a combined total of 7.11 million mt thermal and metallurgical coal in June, the highest monthly level since June 2019, according to Census Bureau data released Aug. 5.

Thermal coal accounted for 3.25 million mt and met coal 3.86 million mt of U.S. coal exported in June, a year on year increase of 78.7 percent and 65.2 percent, respectively.

Metallurgical Coal Exports Rise

U.S. metallurgical coal exports climbed to a five-month high in June at 3.86 million mt, up 14.3 percent on the month and 65.2 percent on the year. Through June, the port at Norfolk, Virginia, originated the most U.S. met coal exports at 11.74 million mt, up 3.9 percent on the year. Mobile, Alabama, originated the second-highest volume of U.S. met coal exports for the same period, 4.1 million mt, up 13.4 percent on the year.

From January through June, the bulk of U.S. met coal was exported to China. U.S. met coal volumes headed for China increased ninefold from the year-ago period to 4.42 million mt in 2021. After China, the next highest volume of U.S. met coal was exported to Brazil at 2.84 million mt, a 2.6 percent decrease from the same period last year.

Thermal Coal Exports

In June, most U.S. thermal coal exports originated at the port of Baltimore at 1.04 million mt, the highest level for the corresponding month in over 9.5 years. New Orleans exported 922,108 mt of thermal coal in June, a three-year high for the corresponding month.

Since the start of 2021 through June, the lion’s share of U.S. thermal coal was headed to India at 7.22 million mt, up 89.9 percent from the year-ago period. The second-highest volume of U.S. thermal coal was bound for South Korea at 2.16 million mt, down 23.9 percent on the year.

In June, 521,833 mt of thermal coal was destined for Japan, a 9.5-year high for the corresponding month and more than triple the year-ago month.

Source: Platts

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