According to Italian shipbroker Banchero Costa recently released data, in the first quarter of 2023, the global seaborne coal trade shipments totaled 0.3108 billion tons, a year-on-year increase of 20.5 percent.
In January-March 2023, global seaborne coal shipments increased by 20.5 per cent to 0.3108 billion tonnes, up from 0.258 billion tonnes in the same period in 2022, up from 0.2709 billion tonnes loaded in the first quarter of 2021 and 0.292 billion tonnes loaded in the first quarter of 2020, and only slightly below the pre-epidemic 2019 first quarter loading of 0.3123 billion tonnes.
from the perspective of coal exporting countries, in the first quarter, Indonesia exported 0.1065 billion tons of coal, an increase of 61.3 percent over the same period last year; Russia exported 44.5 million tons of coal, an increase of 23.8 percent; and US coal exports increased by 28.8 percent. Australia's coal exports fell 5.0 per cent to 80.7 million tonnes.
From the major coal importing countries and regions, from January to March this year, China's seaborne coal imports reached 77.9 million tons, a sharp increase of 101.4; India's coal imports rose 14.9 percent year-on-year to 47.7 million tons; Japan's coal imports were 44.5 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 0.9 percent; during the same period, South Korea and EU countries' coal imports also maintained growth.
the first quarter of 2023, the growth trend of coal imports worldwide and from the EU continues unabated. The report reads, "Global coal trade has indeed picked up pace in recent months and is now well back to pre-neo-crown levels. From January to March 2023, total global seaborne coal loadings increased by 20.5 per cent year-on-year to 0.3108 billion tonnes (excluding coastal shipments), admittedly up from a fairly low 0.258 billion tonnes for the same period in 2022. From January to March 2023, Indonesia's exports increased by 61.3 per cent, while those from Australia fell by 5 per cent, those from Russia rose by 23.8 per cent to 44.5 million tonnes and those from the US rose by 8.8 per cent. From January to March 2023, China's seaborne coal imports increased by 101.4 per cent year-on-year to 77.9 million tonnes, while India's imports increased by 14.9 per cent year-on-year to 47.7 million tonnes and Japan's imports increased by 0.9 per cent year-on-year to 44.5 million tonnes".
According to Banchero Costa, "The EU is now the world's fifth largest importer of seaborne coal, after China, India, Japan and South Korea. In 2022, the EU will account for 9.8 percent of global seaborne coal shipments. Seaborne coal imports to the EU in 2022 increased by 33.8 to 0.1165 billion tonnes. The year-on-year growth of 30.1 per cent in 2021 was equally strong, when the total was 87.1 million tonnes. In direct response to the threat of reduced Russian gas supplies, Europe accelerated coal imports last year, reversing a long-term trend of reducing coal use. Previous years have shown a negative growth trend, with European coal imports falling 32.9 per cent year-on-year in 2020, 18.3 per cent year-on-year in 2019 and 7.6 per cent year-on-year in 2018, as European countries gradually abandon coal as an energy source and embrace natural gas and renewable energy".
the first three months of 2023, the EU's coal imports rose a further 15.1 per cent year-on-year to 28.4 million tonnes, again hitting the highest level since 30.3 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2019. In terms of the source of shipments, Europe was and still is heavily dependent on Russia. In 2021, up to 44% of the EU's seaborne coal imports will come from Russia. In 2022, due to the war in Ukraine, this percentage drops to 18%. In the first quarter of 2023, the proportion fell further to 3.6 per cent. Coal imports from Russia to the EU in 2022 fell 45.7 per cent year-on-year to 20.9 million tonnes, dropping Russia to the EU's third-largest supplier.
The most important supplier to Europe 2022 is the United States, accounting for 20.5 percent of European imports. In 2022, production increased by 83.0 to 23.9 million tons. The second largest supplier to Europe is Australia, which accounts for 19.7 per cent of EU imports in 2022. In 2022, imports from Australia increased by 42.3 per cent year-on-year to 20.9 million tonnes. In fourth place is Colombia, accounting for 14.3 per cent of European coal imports. In fifth place is South Africa, which accounts for 12.1 per cent of European coal imports. "
in the first quarter of 2023, the share of U.S. exports surged further to 26.2 percent. From January to March 2023, the EU imported 7.4 million tons of tin from the United States, an increase of 74.2 percent year-on-year, up from 300000 tons in the first quarter of 2022. Imports from Australia in the first quarter of 2023 rose 97.6 per cent year-on-year to 6.6 million tonnes.
Source: Shipping Industry