US exports 2.5 million mt fuel-grade petcoke in May; four-month low: Census

US fuel-grade petcoke exports totaled 2.5 million mt in May, down 8% from April and declining 6.4% from the year-ago month, US Census data showed July 14.

Monthly exports were at a four-month low, and over five months, they totaled 12.4 million mt, down 21.3% year on year.

Calcined petcoke exports, totaling 313,645 mt in May, reached an 18-month high. Through May, calcined shipments totaled 1.4 million mt, up 17.2% from the year-ago month.

Over five months, combined exports were approximately 13.7 million mt, down 18.6% from the year-ago period.

China was the largest importer in May, taking 513,320 mt, up 46.5% year on year. Through May, China imported 2.8 million mt, up 67.5% from the 2020 period.

Mexico followed, importing 335,393, flat from the year-ago month. The country imported nearly 1.9 million st over five months, up 24.8% year on year.

Exports to Japan totaled 293,131 mt, up 5.9% from the year-ago month, and through May, imports totaled 1.3 million mt, down 18.4% from the year-ago period.

Fuel-grade exports through the New Orleans Census District totaled 734,989 in May, down 22.7% from the year-ago month. Through the Port Arthur district, fuel-grade petcoke exports totaled 553,684 mt, down 13.9% year on year. Houston/Galveston exports totaled 451,003 mt, down 25.1% from the year-ago month.