Australia's non-coking coal exports fall in Sep'24

• Shipments to Asia drop except for Vietnam
  
  
• Only Abbot Point records surge in exports
  
  

Australia's non-coking coal shipments fell 13% m-o-m to 16.57 million tonnes (mnt) in September 2024 from 19.05 mnt in August 2024. However, y-o-y, exports increased by 2.9% compared to 16.10 mnt in September 2023. Cumulatively, shipments for January-September 2024 were at 148.28 mnt, an increase of 2.4% from 144.79 mnt during the same period in 2023.

Asian markets see significant declines

Australia's non-coking coal exports to key Asian markets saw sharp drops in September. Shipments to Japan, the largest importer, fell 23% to 5.96 mnt from 7.79 mnt in August. China, another major destination, experienced a 10% m-o-m decrease, with volumes dropping to 5.62 mnt. Taiwan showcased a similar trend, with exports down by 23% m-o-m to 1.38 mnt. India also saw a 20% m-o-m drop, importing only 0.24 mnt of Australian coal. These declines reflect weaker demand across major industrial hubs, which have been impacted by slowing economic activity.

On the other hand, Vietnam bucked the trend, with a notable 16.2% increase in coal imports to 0.63 mnt from 0.54 mnt in August 2024. However, other Southeast Asian nations, such as Thailand and Malaysia, saw significant declines. Thailand, in particular, plunged by around 50% to 0.28 mnt amid market fluctuations and reduced power generation demand. Malaysia also saw a steep drop of 27.8%, importing just 0.39 mnt in September 2024.

Abbot Point stands out in port-wise exports

Among the key ports, Newcastle registered a 15% m-o-m decrease, shipping 11.69 mnt. Gladstone and Brisbane also saw significant declines, with shipments falling by 23.4% and 56.9%, respectively. Abbot Point was the standout, with a 17.9% increase in exports to 1.93 mnt.