GLOBAL Global seaborne coal trade rose 5.7% in 2021, importers say Global seaborne coal trade rose by 5.7% last year, driven by rising demand from steelmakers for coking coal and its products as economies began to recover from the coronavirus crisis, Germany’s VDKi coal importers lobby group said. Imports and exports of hard coal across the globe stood at 1.180 billion tonnes in 2021, up from 1.116 billion in 2020, the Verein der Kohlenimporteure (VDKi) estimated. Trade in coking coal rose by 6% to 903 million tonnes while that of steam coal for power
24 | CCAI Monthly Newslette January 2022
stations was up 4.9% at 277 million tones. Strong demand came out of Asia, with notable growth rates in smaller economies such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, adding to China and India’s overriding hunger for imported energy. Among exporters, Russia and the United States exceeded export volumes of pre-pandemic 2019. Only 17% of hard coal consumed globally is traded internationally. In Germany, Europe’s biggest importer, shipments in 2022 could rise by 7.7% to 42 million tonnes after rising by 24.5% last year, VDKi noted.
