On Feb 21, SteelOrbis reported ex-US high volume premium A grade coking coal prices at $163-166/mt FOB US East coast while high volume B grade coking coal prices were heard at $142-145/mt FOB US East coast.
For the week ended, March 24 prices for ex-US high volume A grade coking coal prices fell $5/mt to $158-161/mt while high volume B grade coking coal prices were heard dropping by $3/mt to $139-142/mt FOB US East coast. These prices translate to approximately $168-171/mt CFR Rotterdam for high volume A grade and $149-152/mt CFR Rotterdam for high volume B grade.
In comparison to Australian origin premium hard coking coal at approximately $150/mt FOB Australia or $160/mt CFR Rotterdam on March 24, the $8-11/mt higher pricing on ex-US A grade coking coal continues. According to sources, the premium pricing on US coal is as a result of higher quality and shorter delivery timeframes.
According to sources, due to tropical cyclone Debbie’s effect in Australia, ports, mining sites and rail transportation are presently closed. This may give the US coking coal market an opportunity to further increase the premium over Australian origin met coal to its European markets. Additionally, as Australian coking coal prices are being heard up $2-5/mt already, US prices are expected to increase in tandem. Though active offers are expected to resume once the coking coal assessment is made after business resumes in Australia, the business interruption is expected to buoy the coking coal market for the next several weeks at the minimum.
Long-term US domestic coking coal contracts will be under negotiations in April.