U.S. exports of thermal coal to Asia and Africa surged in the first half of 2024, helping to drive overall U.S. coal exports (thermal and metallurgical) to 53 million short tons (MMst) from 49 MMst in the first half of 2023. Exports of thermal coal from the United States to Asia increased by 19% (2.3 MMst) in the first half of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023.
The increase was driven mainly by greater deliveries to India and China. India accounted for 57% of these exports to Asia in 2023 and continued to receive large amounts of U.S. thermal coal in the first half of 2024, led by industrial customers in the brickmaking sector.
Chinese power companies accounted for most of the rest of the increase. Thermal coal is generally burned to generate steam for the production of electricity, while metallurgical coal is a raw material used to generate coke, a key ingredient in making steel. Asia has received more U.S. thermal coal than any other region since 2017, when it overtook Europe, which previously had been the top destination in every year since 2009.
