There's still life in coal
Recent falls in the price of coal were due to increasing supply rather than declining demand
International coal prices have fallen sharply over recent months. The spot free on board (FOB) price of coal shipped from Australia's Newcastle export terminal stood at $72.50/t on 13 June 2019, 40pc below a peak of $120/t reached in July 2018. By the end of last year 30 countries had joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a group committed to moving from coal power generation to clean energy. At Perret Associates we expect to see a global surplus of 24m tonnes of thermal coal in 2019, set out in our latest Long Term Steam Coal Forecast. This compares with a deficit of 25mn tonnes at one stage in 2018. Overall, we anticipate that total steam coal imports will fall by 13mn tonnes in 2019 to
Also in this section
19 March 2026
The regional crisis highlights the undervalued role of fixed pipelines in the age of tanker flexibility
18 March 2026
Rising LNG exports and AI-driven power demand have raised concerns that US gas prices could climb sharply, but analysts say abundant shale supply and continued productivity gains should keep Henry Hub within a range that preserves the competitiveness of US LNG
18 March 2026
Risks of shortages in oil products may cause world leaders to panic and make mistakes instead of letting the market do what it does best
17 March 2026
The crisis in the Middle East has put LNG’s ability to offer security and flexibility under uncomfortable scrutiny






