US coal exports top 2 million mt as India leads thermal surge: CAS

US seaborne coal exports hit 2.10 million metric tons in the week ended Aug. 23, up 37% from the prior week, according to Aug. 25 data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea.

Thermal coal shipments surged 104% week over week to 1.08 million mt, while met coal exports climbed 2% to 1.03 million mt.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed FOB Baltimore 6,900 kcal/kg NAR coal at $90.10/mt Aug. 25, unchanged from the previous session. The assessment has held within an $89.25-$90.10/mt range since Aug. 6, with marginal movement over the period, according to Platts data.

FOB New Orleans 6,000 kcal/kg NAR was assessed at $85.50/mt Aug. 25, up 80 cents from its previous Platts assessment, its highest level since Aug. 6.

India led US thermal destinations with 436,323 mt, up 174% from the prior week. Morocco followed at 343,345 mt. South Korea, at 82,139 mt, rounded out the top three. Other destinations included China at 68,767 mt, Egypt at 63,406 mt, Romania at 47,302 mt, and Spain at 37,208 mt.

Meanwhile, Canada, Honduras, the UK, Guatemala, and the Netherlands, which were all active the previous week, recorded no thermal shipments in the latest period.

The Port of Baltimore was the primary loading port for thermal coal shipments for a sixth consecutive week at 589,600 mt, ahead of Plaquemines at 156,343 mt, the Port of South Louisiana at 111,565 mt, Long Beach at 82,139 mt, Hampton Roads at 75,437, and Greater Baton Rouge at 63,406 mt.

Undisclosed companies remained the largest thermal coal shipper at 585,314 mt, followed by Core Natural Resources at 345,162 mt, and Glencore at 75,437 mt. Suncoke Energy shipped the remaining 72,577 mt.

India was also the top destination for US met coal for a second consecutive week at 421,999 mt, up 51% week over week, followed by Brazil at 215,766 mt, and Turkey at 87,876 mt. Other destinations included China at 87,273 mt, Indonesia at 80,177, Ukraine at 78,195 mt, and Egypt at 54,766 mt.

Hampton Roads, Virginia, was the top met coal loading port at 631,051 mt, followed by Mobile, Alabama, at 314,834 mt, and Baltimore at 80,177 mt, with the ranking unchanged from the prior week. Toledo recorded no met shipments in the latest week.