August 6, 2018 - US coal exports totaled 9.2 million mt in June, up 5.1% from May and up 38.6% from the year-ago month, according to US Census data out Friday.

Relatively high seaborne prices for both metallurgical and thermal coal, in addition to a possible ban on petcoke in India, have opened the door for US exports.

Through June, US coal exports total 52.7 million mt, up 31.7% compared with the same period last year, while exports on an annualized basis would total 105.4 million mt, the highest total since 2012.

Met coal exports in June totaled 4.97 million mt, down 1.7% from the prior month, but up 28.1% from the year-ago month.

Top met coal export destinations in June were India, at 711,185 mt compared with 301,485 mt in the year-ago month; Brazil, at 528,492 mt compared with 372,321 mt; and the Netherlands, at 491,080 mt compared with 164,041 mt.

For the year, top met coal export destinations are Brazil, at 3.97 million mt compared with 3.07 million mt in the year-ago period; India, at 3.69 million mt compared with 1.53 million mt; and Japan, at 2.73 million mt compared with 2.5 million mt.

Year-to-date, met coal exports total 28.9 million mt, up 24.2% from the year-ago period. On an annualized basis, met coal exports for the full-year would total 57.7 million mt, highest since 2013. 

Bituminous Coal Exports

Bituminous coal exports in June totaled 3.58 million mt, up 17.9% from May and up 94.6% from last year. Year-to-date, bituminous coal exports total 20.1 million mt, and would total 40.2 million mt on an annualized basis, highest since 2012.

Top bituminous coal export destinations in June were India, at 980,225 mt compared with 276,327 mt last year; Japan, at 338,673 mt compared with 144,059 mt; and Mexico, at 277,865 mt compared with 32,979 mt.

For the year, the top bituminous coal export destinations are India, at 5.37 million mt compared with 2.26 million mt in the year-ago period; the Netherlands, at 2.1 million mt compared with 2.89 million mt; and Egypt, at 1.78 million mt compared with 214,198 mt.

Subbituminous coal exports totaled 612,148 mt in June, down 2.9% from last month and down 30.6% from the year-ago month. YTD subbit coal exports total 3.56 million mt, down 4.4% from the year-ago period, while exports on an annualized basis would total 7.1 million mt, highest since 2013.

The top importer of US subbituminous coal in April was South Korea, at 467,263 mt compared with 421,355 mt last year, followed by Mexico, at 181,570 mt compared with 226,179 mt last year.

For the year, the top subbituminous coal exports destinations are South Korea, at 2.26 million mt compared with 1.65 million mt in the year-ago period; Mexico, at 1.03 million mt compared with 1.15 million mt; and China, at 161,973 mt compared with 156,359 mt.