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Coal Suppliers: Australia, Indonesia, Russia and the Other Exporters
Coal is traded in huge volumes for power stations and steel mills. A handful of exporters supply buyers in China, India, Japan and South Korea.
The exporters
OEC trade data for 2024 shows world exports of coal (thermal and coking) of about USD 177 billion. Australia had 34.7 percent of the trade, Indonesia 19.4, Russia 12.6, the United States 10.0, Mongolia 4.7 and South Africa 4.4.
The buyers
China (22.2 percent of world imports), India (18.4), Japan (15.1), South Korea (8.6), Chinese Taipei (5.0) and Malaysia (3.0) were the largest importers. Asia dominates the demand, and Europe buys in smaller and changing volumes.
Thermal and coking coal
Thermal coal is burned for power and industry. Coking coal is turned into coke for steel making and is usually worth more. Buyers compare the energy content (kcal per kg), the ash, the sulphur, the moisture and the size. A contract names the grade and the inspection company that samples the cargo at loading.
Where coal is loaded
Indonesian coal comes from Kalimantan and Sumatra, often by river barge to anchorages where it is transferred into ships with floating cranes. Australian coal leaves from Newcastle and the Queensland ports. South African coal is shipped from Richards Bay; see the Shipfixing guide to South Africa coal shipping.
Ships
Coal moves on Supramax, Panamax and Capesize ships, depending on the cargo and the port. Smaller ports with limited draft take smaller ships with their own cranes.
On Comdity
Open the coal page for active sell offers and buy requests, or post a listing. Read FOB vs CFR vs CIF and how to find commodity suppliers.
Quality and pricing terms
Coal is priced by its energy content, so a cargo is described by its calorific value on a stated basis, for example gross as received or net as received, and by its ash and sulphur. A buyer who compares offers must compare them on the same basis. Many contracts adjust the price up or down if the delivered quality is better or worse than the specification.
What to check before you buy
Ask for the specification and a recent analysis, the loading method, whether the coal is loaded at a port berth or transferred at an anchorage, and the inspection company. Check the laws of the importing country on the sulphur and ash of the coal, which can limit what a power station is allowed to burn, and plan the delivery term and the ship size around the draft of the discharge port.
The largest exporting and importing countries (2024)
| Top exporting countries | Share of world trade |
|---|---|
| Australia | 34.7% |
| Indonesia | 19.4% |
| Russia | 12.6% |
| United States | 10% |
| Mongolia | 4.7% |
| South Africa | 4.4% |
| Canada | 4.2% |
| Colombia | 3.9% |
| Top importing countries | Share of world trade |
|---|---|
| China | 22.2% |
| India | 18.4% |
| Japan | 15.1% |
| South Korea | 8.6% |
| Chinese Taipei | 5% |
| Malaysia | 3% |
| Vietnam | 2.8% |
| Turkey | 2.7% |
Source: OEC (BACI/CEPII), 2024, customs codes 2701. The figures count trade by every mode of transport, not only by sea.
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