SUBSCRIBER NOTE: Platts proposes publishing US coking coal quality penalties and premia

Platts proposes to begin publishing penalties and premia differentials for US low-vol hard coking coal, expanding on the existing publication of quality differentials basis Premium Low-Vol FOB Australia. The proposed differentials would reflect price adjustments from a base specification for coke strength after reaction and sulfur, ash, and moisture in specified ranges. The penalty and premia values would be assessed as a percentage of the prevailing total price assessed daily for US low-vol HCC, which will take into account observed HCC trades and value in use for users producing metallurgical coke for a typical blast furnace. The differentials are proposed to be published in Platts Metals Alert and SBB Steel Markets Daily, and Coal Trader International starting May 12. Platts invites industry feedback and questions on the proposal by April 18, 2014, to be addressed to Hector Forster, hector.forster@platts.com; with a copy to cokingcoal@platts.com and pricegroup@platts.com.