Rising U.S. Thermal Coal Shipments to Africa, Asia Help Lift Overall Coal Exports

September 6, 2024--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Although thermal coal used for power generation has declined significantly in the U.S. due to many coal-fired power plant closures, thermal coal exports from the U.S. to other parts of the world are picking up. Specifically, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) notes that in the first half of this year, thermal coal exports to Asia rose 19%, or 2.3 million short tons (MMst), compared with the same period of 2023. At the same time, thermal coal exports to Africa increased 60%, rising from 3.3 MMst in the first half of 2023 to 5.3 MMst in the first half of 2024. The increase in exports to these regions helped boost the U.S.' overall coal exports (both thermal and metallurgical) from 49 MMst in the first half of 2023 to 53 MMst in the first half of 2024. Companies featured: Alliance Resource Partners LP (NASDAQ:ARLP), a href="https://www.consolenergy.com/" target="_blank">CONSOL Energy Incorporated (NYSE:CEIX)