The US EIA stated in a latest update yesterday that in 2022, 84.8 million short tons (MMst) of coal were exported from the United States, relatively unchanged from the 85.1 MMst exported in 2021. Steam coal accounted for 45% of all U.S. coal exports in 2022; metallurgical coal accounted for 55%. Steam coal, also known as thermal coal, is used by coal-fired power plants for electricity generation and by consumers to heat their homes or businesses. Metallurgical coal is used to produce steel, so demand for metallurgical coal closely follows demand for steel. Demand for U.S. metallurgical coal is typically more consistent than demand for steam coal. In 2022, the five countries that received the most U.S. coal exports were India, the Netherlands, Japan, Brazil, and South Korea. India imported the most U.S. coal for the sixth consecutive year, at 15.5 MMst. Of that total, 55%, or 8.4 MMst, was metallurgical coal.
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