According to the estimate of the Australian Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE), the world's largest exporter of metallurgical coal Australia's metallurgical coal exports in 2012 are forecast to increase by 14 percent to 151 million mt as mines in Queensland recover from flood-related disruptions in 2011. Exports in 2013 are forecast to increase further by six percent to 160 million mt.
According to BREE, in 2012 US metallurgical coal exports are forecast to decrease by 20 percent relative to 2011 to total 51 million mt. Exports are forecast to decline by a further 10 percent in 2013 to total 46 million mt. The decline in US metallurgical coal exports is partly a result of a decline in import demand in Europe and from the idling of a number of coal mines in response to lower prices.
According to the report, world trade of metallurgical coal is projected to increase by five percent to reach 271 million mt in 2012. World metallurgical trade is forecast to increase by a further four percent to 279 million mt in 2013 supported by import growth in China and India.