US weekly coal loadings average 54.3 trains/d, first increase in six weeks: STB

Houston — Weekly US coal loadings averaged 54.3 trains/day in the week ended May 29, up 3.6 trains from the previous week, Surface Transportation Boards data showed June 5.

It was the first weekly increase in six weeks.

Loadings were down 33 trains/d from the same week a year ago.

Loadings averaged 69.5 trains/d over the 22 weeks of 2020.

Only loadings from the Powder River Basin and the Illinois Basin rose from the previous week.

PRB loadings increased 4.8 trains/d from last week to 36.2 trains/d, the most daily loadings since the week that ended April 2. Loadings declined 14.8 trains/d from the same week a year ago. For the 22 weeks of 2020, loadings averaged 39 trains/d

IB loadings averaged 3.4 trains/d, up 1 train/d from the prior week, but down 3.2 trains/d from year-ago levels. Over the 22 weeks of 2020, IB loadings averaged 4.1 trains/d.

Northern Appalachian loadings averaged 3.5 trains/d in the most recent week, the fewest loadings since July 7. Loadings dipped 0.9 train/d from the week prior, while NAPP loadings fell 7.3 trains/d from the same period a year ago. Loadings averaged 8.2 trains/d so far in 2020.

Loadings in the Central Appalachian basin averaged 7.4 trains/day, the lowest level since S&P Global Platts began collecting data in 2014. Loadings were down 1.6 trains/d from the prior week and 10.4 trains/d from the same week a year ago. So far in 2020, CAPP loadings averaged 12.3 trains/d.

In other basins, loadings averaged 3.8 trains/d, down 0.9 train/d from the previous week and 2.9 trains/day from the same week a year ago. Loadings through the 22 weeks of 2020 averaged 5.9 trains/d.