Bituminous coal exports from the United States: data, top buyers and prices
The United States exported $12.92 billion of bituminous coal in 2024 (76.84 million tonnes). That makes it the 3rd largest exporter of this product worldwide, out of 79 countries. That is 11% less than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2022, at $17.48 billion.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Exports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12.92B | 76.84M t |
| 2023 | $14.43B | 71.64M t |
| 2022 | $17.48B | 74.28M t |
| 2021 | $10.12B | 67.04M t |
| 2020 | $6.87B | 56.45M t |
| 2019 | $11.53B | 92.35M t |
| 2018 | $12.35B | 94.68M t |
| 2017 | $9.89B | 85.22M t |
Where the United States exports bituminous coal to
Most of it went to Japan (13%), China (13%), Brazil (11%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 37%. Among the main buyer markets, Morocco grew fastest (+56% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | $1.68B | 13% |
| China | $1.63B | 13% |
| Brazil | $1.46B | 11% |
| Germany | $885.7M | 6.9% |
| India | $821.8M | 6.4% |
| South Korea | $616.2M | 4.8% |
| Turkey | $534.3M | 4.1% |
| Morocco | $487.9M | 3.8% |
| Canada | $483.6M | 3.7% |
| Netherlands | $450.0M | 3.5% |
Average export price per kg
The average declared value was about $0.17 per kg, 21% above the world average of $0.14. This usually points to higher-grade or processed goods.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Bituminous coal imports to the United States
The United States imported $394.1 million of bituminous coal in 2024 (1.97 million tonnes). The largest suppliers were Canada (47%), Colombia (42%), United Kingdom (6%).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | $183.4M | 47% |
| Colombia | $164.2M | 42% |
| United Kingdom | $23.7M | 6% |
| Ireland | $13.2M | 3.3% |
| South Africa | $7.0M | 1.8% |
| Mozambique | $2.4M | 0.6% |
| Netherlands | $30K | 0% |
| Turkey | $2K | 0% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United States?
The shipment records behind United States bituminous coal exports (HS 2701.12): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 2701.12: Coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated.
Common questions
What is the value of bituminous coal exported by the United States?
The United States exported bituminous coal worth $12.92 billion in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 76.84 million tonnes. That ranks it 3rd of 79 countries worldwide, with 11% of world exports. The value was down 11% on 2023.
Which countries buy bituminous coal from the United States?
Japan was the largest buyer with 13% of the value ($1.68 billion), followed by China (13%) and Brazil (11%). The top three together account for 37%, out of 58 buyer countries in total. Morocco grew fastest among the top ten, up 56% on the year.
What is the average export price of bituminous coal per kg?
The average declared export value was about $0.17 per kg in 2024, 21% above the world average of $0.14 per kg. The figure blends every grade shipped, so it works as a reference point rather than a quote.
How have exports of bituminous coal from the United States changed since 2017?
Exports went from $9.89 billion in 2017 to $12.92 billion in 2024, an increase of 31%. The peak was 2022 at $17.48 billion. Over 8 years the average was $11.95 billion a year.
Does the United States also import bituminous coal?
Yes. The United States imported $394.1 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly from Canada, Colombia and the United Kingdom. On balance the United States is a net exporter of this product, by about $12.52 billion a year.
What is the HS code for bituminous coal?
The HS code for bituminous coal is subheading 2701.12. It sits in HS chapter 27 (mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 2701 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for the United States. Tell us your product to see it live.
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