Russian Coal Exports: 177.2 Million Tonnes Exported With the EU and China the Two Biggest Markets

According to the shipbroker, “the Russian Federation is the third largest exporter of coal in the world, after Australia and Indonesia. In 2021, Russia accounted for 15.2% of global seaborne coal shipments. Russia’s seaborne coal exports in the 12 months of 2021 increased by +9.6% y-o-y to 177.2 mln tonnes. This was a significantly rebound from a -6.5% y-o-y decline in 2020 caused by Covid lockdowns in Europe and elsewhere. Previous years also saw a positive trend, with Russian coal exports increasing by +5.1% y-o-y in 2019 and by +7.9% y-o-y in 2018”.
“China and the European Union remain head to head as the top destinations for coal from Russia, accounting for 22.8% and 21.9% respectively of Russia’s total coal exports in 2021. Coal shipments from Russia to the EU increased by +26.8% y-o-y to 38.8 mln t in 2021, from 30.6 mln tonnes in 2020. Shipments from Russia to China increased by +23.1% y-o-y to 40.5 mln tonnes in 2021, from 32.9 mln tonnes in 2020. Shipments from Russia to South Korea declined by -8.2% y-o-y to 17.4 mln tonnes in 2021. To Japan they also declined by -0.9% y-o-y to 16.6 mln tonnes in 2021. Exports of Russian coal are quite evenly distributed between the country’s European and Far Eastern ports. In 2021, some 88.2 mln tonnes of coal (49.8% of the total) were loaded from Russia’s Far East coast ports. This included 33.4 mln tonnes from Vostochnyy, 21.1 mln t Vanino, 13.4 mln t Nakhodka, 9.3 mln t Shakhtyorsk, 4.1 mln t Vladivostok, 3.4 mln t Podyapolskoye, 2.7 mln t Posyet. From Russia’s Far East ports, some 33.2 mln tonnes were shipped to China, 16.5 mln tonnes to Japan, 13.9 mln tonnes to South Korea, 11.3 mln tonnes to Taiwan, 3.8 mln tonnes to Vietnam”, Banchero Costa said.
The shipbroker added that “out of the total shipments from Russia’s Far East, 42.0 mln tonnes were shipped on Handymax or Handysize, and 35.0 mln tonnes on Panamaxes. From Russia’s Baltic Sea ports, some 52.6 mln tonnes of coal were exported in 2021 (29.7% of Russia’s total). Of these, 43.4 mln tonnes were loaded in Ust-Luga, 6.0 mln tonnes were from Gogland, 2.4 mln tonnes from Vysotsk. From Russia’s Baltic Sea ports, 31.3 mln tonnes were shipped to Europe, 8.1 mln tonnes to the Americas, 6.3 mln tonnes to Asia, 6.2 mln tonnes to Africa. From the Baltic Sea, some 11.0 mln tonnes were shipped in Handymaxes or Handysizes, 35.7 mln tonnes in Panamaxes, 5.5 mln tonnes in Capesizes”.
“About 20.4 mln tonnes were exported in 2021 from Russia’s Black Sea ports (11.5% of the total). This included 6.3 mln tonnes from Novorossiysk, and 13.9 mln tonnes from Taman. From the Black Sea, 7.8 mln tonnes were shipped to Europe, 10.2 mln tonnes to Asia, including 4.0 mln tonnes to China and 2.7 mln tonnes to South Korea. From the Black Sea, 7.4 mln tonnes were shipped on Handymax or Handysize, and 4.2 mln tonnes on Panamaxes, and 8.7 mln tonnes on Capesizes, Banchero Costa concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide