Platts proposes to discontinue US coking coal brand prices

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, is proposing to discontinue five weekly price assessments for US hard coking coal brands Blue Creek No. 7, Blue Creek No. 4, Beckley, Windber and Buchanan, effective Jan. 2, 2024.

Platts has observed limited spot trade data specific to the US coking coal brands.

Industry feedback has indicated a preference for referencing global spot coking coal benchmarks to determine brand prices.

This feedback indicates FOB trade in US low-volatile hard coking coal typically applying Platts Low Vol Hard Coking Coal FOB US East Coast (AAWWR00), and Premium Low Vol HCC FOB Australia (PLVHA00) and Premium Low Vol HCC CFR China (PLVHC00) in pricing terms.

Platts is also proposing to launch a PLV FOB US netback to provide a reference for US export trade into Asia.

The proposed daily price would calculate the netback from India to the US East Coast. US met coal exports to India have grown over the past few years, and India has become one of the largest importers of seaborne met coal. More details are available in a subscriber note available here: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/our-methodology/subscriber-notes/090123-platts-proposes-to-launch-daily-plv-coking-coal-fob-us-netback-calculation

The following coking coal brands would be affected by the proposed discontinuation:

Met Coal Blue Creek No. 7 FOB Mobile $/mt Wkly (MCAPB04)

Met Coal Blue Creek No. 7 FOB Mobile $/mt MAvg (MCAPB03)

Met Coal Blue Creek No. 4 FOB Mobile $/mt Wkly (MCAPC04)

Met Coal Blue Creek No. 4 FOB Mobile $/mt MAvg (MCAPC03)

Met Coal Beckley FOB USEC $/mt Wkly (MCAPD04)

Met Coal Beckley FOB USEC $/mt MAvg (MCAPD03)

Met Coal Windber FOB USEC $/mt Wkly (MCAPE04)

Met Coal Windber FOB USEC $/mt MAvg (MCAPE03)

Met Coal Buchanan FOB USEC $/mt Wkly (MCAPF04)

Met Coal Buchanan FOB USEC $/mt MAvg (MCAPF03)

Platts US hard coking coal brand assessments are found in the US Metallurgical Coal Relativities table, on STL 1065.

The prices are published in Steel Markets Daily, Coal Trader International, Coal Trader and can be accessed via Platts Dimensions Pro.

Platts is inviting feedback on this proposal by Sept. 29. to cokingcoal@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing.

Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.