US thermal coal exports hit one-year high in March: Census

Thermal coal exports rose to a one-year high of 3.4 million mt in March amid disrupted global trade flows after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US Census Bureau data showed May 5.

The volume was 19.4% higher than the previous month but 9.8% lower than the year-ago month.

On a year-to-date basis, thermal exports were 32.9% higher in the latest month. Of the thermal exports in March, 3 million mt were bituminous, up 25.1% on the month but 12% lower on the year. Subbituminous shipments accounted for 420,795 mt of that volume, down 10.5% on the month but 13.3% higher on the year.

The CIF Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp monthly average coal price was $320.27/mt in March, up 61.8% on the month and 363% on the year.

Metallurgical coal shipments dropped 11.6% on the month to 3.2 million mt in March, up 4.2% on the year. Year-to-date met coal exports were 6.4% higher than the year-ago period. The US low-volatile met coal price averaged $508.91/mt in March, up 40% on the month and 246.5% on the year.

Combined met and thermal exports were 6.6 million mt, up 2.1% on the month but 3.5% lower on the year. Year-to-date combined coal exports were 17.4% higher than the 2021 period.

Petcoke exports

Non-calcined petcoke exports totaled 2.8 million mt in March, down 2.4% on the month but 7.6% higher on the year. Year-to-date fuel-grade petcoke exports were 8.1 million mt, up 11.9% from the 2021 period.

Calcined petcoke exports were 314,985 mt, up 35% on the month and 7.3% on the year. Year-to-date calcined petcoke exports were 6% higher than the same period in 2021.

Combined fuel-grade and calcined petcoke exports were 3.1 million mt, flat on the month but 7.6% higher on the year. Year-to-date combined calcined and non-calcined petcoke exports were 8.9 million mt, up 11.4% higher year on year.