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India, Turkey drive US April met coal exports

  • Market: Coking coal
  • 11/06/25

US coking coal exports picked up slightly on the year in April despite lower Atlantic consumption, driven by buyers in India and Turkey.

Suppliers in the country shipped 3.28mn t of coking coal in the month, according to data from GlobalTradeTracker, a 4pc increase from April 2024.

India took 600,000t from the US in April, 62pc more than the year before, while exports to Turkey jumped by 275pc to 289,000t.

Participants in the US market shifted their attention to India when China placed tariffs on US coals in February. Suppliers shipped no new tonnes to China in the month, with two diverting cargoes to other countries, according to port logs and data from vessel tracking service Kpler.

A US east coast supplier found a buyer for the diverted tonnes in South Korea, while a ship carrying coal from Alabama changed its destination to Japan.

US coking coal exports to Poland were the highest since 2010 and the fourth-largest in history, probably as a result of lost domestic production by Polish coking coal and met coke producer Jastrzebska Spolka Weglowa (JSW) earlier this year. The European country took 267,000t from the US, a 368pc increase from the year before. Although Polish importers took fewer seaborne tonnes in total in April, Chinese sanctions on US coking coal drove Canadian suppliers to China and pushed US high-volatile prices down, making US imports more attractive. Canada exported 178,000t to Poland in April 2024 and sent no cargoes in the same month this year.

The US sent 1.23mn t to the EU in April, a 10pc drop from the year before. Importers in the Netherlands took 26pc less at 408,000t. Suppliers sent significantly less to Austria, with exports falling by 73pc to 74,000t.

Suppliers shipped no new tonnes to China in the month, with two diverting cargoes to other countries, according to port logs and data from Kpler. A US east coast supplier found a buyer for the diverted tonnes in South Korea, while a ship carrying coal from Alabama changed its destination to Japan.

By Austin Barnes

US coking coal exports Apr 2025'000t
CountryApr 2025Apr 2024%±y-o-y
World3,2813,1454
India60037062
Brazil440448-2
Netherlands408549-26
Turkey28977275
Poland26757368
Italy20111476
Japan182235-23
Malaysia1510N/A
Canada117158-26
Vietnam1020N/A
— GTT
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11/07/25

Workers extend strike at Australian coal mine

Workers extend strike at Australian coal mine

Sydney, 11 July (Argus) — Unionised workers have extended a strike at US producer Peabody Energy's Metropolitan coal mine in New South Wales, Australia, halting production until 17:30 AEST (07:30 GMT) on 11 July. Workers launched the day-long stoppage late on 10 July, extending the previous 24-hour strike , the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) told Argus on 11 July. Metropolitan has faced significant labour disruptions since 18 June, when Peabody locked workers out of the mixed thermal, hard coking and pulverised coal injection (PCI) mine, without pay, over an ongoing employment dispute. The company's lock-out ended late on 9 July. The MEU and Peabody are negotiating a new enterprise agreement, but remain at odds over multiple issues, including the use of contractors. Both have engaged in Fair Work Commission-led mediation three times — most recently on 8 July — since the dispute began, but have no further meetings scheduled. Metropolitan Coal remains fully committed to ongoing good faith negotiations with the union, a Peabody spokesperson told Argus on 10 July. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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News

Workers strike at Australian coal mine: Correction

10/07/25
News
10/07/25

Workers strike at Australian coal mine: Correction

Corrects mine lock-out start date in paragraph 3 Sydney, 10 July (Argus) — Mining and Energy Union (MEU) workers at US producer Peabody Energy's Metropolitan mine in New South Wales are striking over an ongoing pay dispute, halting production until 5pm AEST (7am GMT) on 10 July. MEU launched a five-hour stoppage at 5pm on 9 July, before extending it to 12 hours. The unionised workers launched another 12-hour strike early on 10 July, the union told Argus on the same day. Peabody locked miners out of the mixed thermal, hard coking, and pulverised coal injection (PCI) mine from 18 June until 5:30pm on 9 July, without pay, over an increasingly acrimonious employment negotiation. MEU and Peabody negotiators are at odds over the use of contractors at Metropolitan, among other issues. They met for Fair Work Commission-led mediation during the lock-out on 8 July. Metropolitan Coal remains fully committed to ongoing good faith negotiations with the union, a Peabody spokesperson told Argus on 10 July. The MEU's latest strike comes a day after unionised workers at global producer Glencore's 20mn t/yr Ulan thermal coal mine launched a day-long strike, targeting some underground operations at the complex. The Ulan strike is set to end on 10 July. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

US' Peabody extends coal mine lock-out: Correction

10/07/25
News
10/07/25

US' Peabody extends coal mine lock-out: Correction

Corrects mine lock-out start date in paragraph 3 Sydney, 10 July (Argus) — US coal producer Peabody Energy has extended a lock-out of workers at its Australian Metropolitan mine until late on 9 July, because of a continuing dispute with the Mining and Energy Union (MEU). MEU workers will remain barred from entering the mixed thermal, pulverised coal injection (PCI), and hard coking coal mine — which produced 1.8mn t of coal in 2024 — without pay until 9 July, the union and company confirmed on 7 July. Peabody's lock-out began on 18 June and was scheduled to end on 6 July . The company ended the action early on 3 July, but then reintroduced and extended it late on 4 July because of partial work bans. The MEU can launch an unlimited number of work stoppages and limited work bans at Metropolitan, based on a 7 June strike authorisation. The MEU and Peabody remain at odds over the use of contractors at the mine, among other issues. The two groups are scheduled to engage in a Fair Work Commission (FWC) mediation on 8 July. They have already had two FWC mediations over the dispute, said Peabody's vice-president of underground operations Mike Carter on 7 July. Peabody has also met with employees more than 10 times, he added. Metropolitan Coal remains fully committed to ongoing good faith negotiations with its workers, a Peabody spokesperson said on 7 July. MEU workers will rally outside the site early on 8 July, joined by other labour unions. The labour dispute at Metropolitan follows a series of strikes at Peabody Energy's 12mn t/yr Wilpinjong thermal coal mine in February, over a different contract negotiation. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Canadian met coal displaces US in May

09/07/25
News
09/07/25

Canadian met coal displaces US in May

London, 9 July (Argus) — Canadian coking coal mining firms offered lower-priced cargoes into India in May — seeking a new market to offset a sharp drop in Chinese demand — taking Indian buyers away from US coking coal in the month. Canada shipped 330,000t of coking coal to India in May, a 38pc increase from a year ago and a 104pc jump from April, Global Trade Tracker (GTT) data show. Chinese buyers have imported far less coking coal in January-May , slashing their imports from Mongolia in particular. But the slide in Canadian imports has been a more recent development. Canada's exports to China fell by 29pc in May to 837,000t. Traders have attributed a wave of low-priced Canadian offers to the decline in China's seaborne imports. Canadian mining firms have increasingly relied on the Chinese steel industry, as demand from Canada's traditional north Asian buyers — Japan, Korea and Taiwan — has weakened and Australian coal exited China in 2020 . Canada's suppliers shipped 32pc less coking coal to Japan on the year in May at 404,000t, extending a two-year decline in its exports to the country. US suppliers shipped half as much coking coal to India on the year in May at 449,000t. US coking coal exports dropped by 14pc, with weak interest in Brazil and Japan also weighing on the country's market. Buyers in Europe helped offset some of the year-on-year decline in US exports, taking 41pc more on the year at 1.1mn t. US suppliers also found renewed interest from Indonesian coke producers, sending 144,000t to the country, an 89pc jump from the year before. Indonesian coke-making capacity hit new heights late last year, bringing record US shipments to the country from November to February, but that new demand largely died out in March and April, when coke prices hit historic lows worldwide and cokeries found cheaper coking coal elsewhere. The Argus metallurgical coke 65 CSR fob Indonesia assessment dropped by $23.10/t from January to the start of March and several producers started cutting production. The Indonesian coke assessment fell to $191.50/t last week, the lowest price since Argus started assessing the product in November 2023. US coking coal suppliers say they are expected to sell to the country at a discount to low-volatile cfr China prices, meaning many producers are making sales at a loss. Indonesian buyers were also attracted to lower offers from Canada, with Canadian suppliers shipping a record 268,000t to the country. Canada exported 79,000t of coking coal to Indonesia in April with no prior exports to the country, according to GTT data. By Austin Barnes Canada coking coal exports May 2025 '000t Destination May 2025 May 2024 ±%y-o-y World 2,711 2,610 4 China 837 1,172 -29 Japan 404 595 -32 South Korea 344 331 4 India 330 240 38 Indonesia 268 0 N/A — GTT US coking coal exports May 2025 '000t Destination May 2025 May 2024 ±%y-o-y World 3,538 4,123 -14 India 449 916 -51 Netherlands 440 72 511 Brazil 370 576 -36 Japan 296 491 -40 South Korea 227 0 N/A Turkey 222 241 -8 Canada 199 266 -25 Indonesia 144 76 89 — GTT Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Australia's Gladstone port coal exports drop in FY25

08/07/25
News
08/07/25

Australia's Gladstone port coal exports drop in FY25

Sydney, 8 July (Argus) — Coal shipments out of Australia's Gladstone Port — which mainly supports coking coal mines in the northeastern state of Queensland — fell by 2.5pc on the year to 64mn t for the July 2024-June 2025 financial year. The decline was due to a mix of domestic operational and weather challenges, and subdued global steel production. Coal producers in the region faced multiple mine, rail, and port disruptions over 2024-25, beginning less than a month into the financial year. Rail operator Aurizon — which manages the lines linking Queensland's mines to Gladstone Port — closed its 100mn t/yr Blackwater and 30mn t/yr Moura lines for two weeks over July-August 2024. Gladstone Port faced its own challenges later in the year. The LNG and coal hub handled [multiple work stoppages in December]( https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2640101), during tense labour negotiations between the port's management and five worker unions. Coal and LNG exports from Gladstone fell by 9.3pc and 2pc, respectively, that month . Challenges around the port continued into 2025. Global natural resources company Glencore's Oaky Creek mine along Aurizon's Blackwater line has been shut since late-April 2025 due to a water leak from a storage facility. Another mine, US-Australian producer Coronado's Curragh mine, faced cash availability challenges for much of the year. Australian producer Whitehaven Coal, which ships coal out of a number of Queensland ports, including Gladstone, also reported reduced coal sales in January-March because of wet weather. Coal financing issues in Queensland — and the rest of Australia — will likely persist in 2025-26. Australian producer Bowen Coking Coal, which produces both thermal and coking coal at its flagship Burton mine complex, said on 3 July that it may soon need to halt or reduce production at the site, if it is unable to raise capital. The company was suspended from the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) a few days later and remains suspended. Chinese purchases of Gladstone coal also fell in the 2024-25 financial year as the country's crude steel output waned. China-based steelmakers cut production by 1.7pc on the year in January-May 2025, data from China's National Bureau of Statistic show. Accordingly, China's coal buying from Gladstone also fell 5.2pc on the year, port data showed. Demand for Gladstone coal was largely supported by Vietnamese and Taiwanese buying in 2024-25 (see table) — a trend which is expected to continue over the coming years. Vietnam-based steelmakers bought 4mn t of Gladstone coal over the fiscal year, up from 2.7mn t in 2023-24. The country's coal imports — which include both thermal and coking coal — rose to a 23-month high in May, Vietnamese customs data show. Vietnamese demand for Australian coking coal is expected to remain elevated in 2025-26, pushing up Queensland coal exports , the state government said in June. The state also expects buying from India to rise though coal shipments to the south Asian country fell by 11pc on the year for the 2024-25 financial year to 11.8mn t. By Avinash Govind Gladstone coal exports (July-June financial years) t 2024-25 2023-24 Change (%) Vietnam 4,012,532 2,706,506 48 Taiwan 3,939,110 2,956,583 33 Japan 18,063,450 18,464,123 -2.2 India 11,784,331 13,167,414 -11 China 10,201,030 10,759,961 -5.2 Total 64,291,396 65,961,612 -2.5 * Total includes other countries Source: Gladstone Ports Corporation (GPC) Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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