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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

World coal trade in 1980. [1970; 1976 to 1980; exports or imports by country]

Journal Article · · World Coal; (United States)
OSTI ID:5834142

World international trade in coal (anthracite and bituminous) in 1980 totaled 252,405,000 metric tons, according to preliminary and estimated data, showing a 7.5 percent gain over the 231,273,000 tons traded in 1979. Seven major coal exporting countries, each supplying over 10,000,000 tons to client countries in 1980, accounted for 93.9 percent of the total world trade. The largest part of world coal exports in 1980 showed a greater dispersion as more of the coal trade shifted to the United States, Canada, and South Africa. Although some of the shift in the distribution can be attributed to the loss of coal deliveries from Poland, most of the redistribution reflects the underlying growth trend of non-metallurgical coal demand and the assumption of a larger role in the world coal trade by the United States, South Africa, Australia, and Canada. The potential for additional growth in interntional trade is undiminished and the demand for the immediate future will most likely outpace the supply. In 1980, 22 countries imported more than 2,000,000 tons of coal each during the year. Japan maintained its first-ranking position, followed by France, Italy, and Canada. The skyrocketing demand for non-metallurgical coal in 1980 brought to light glaring deficiencies in the supply system, particularly in the port loading capacities of the leading coal exporting countries. In the United States, uncoordinated arrivals of coal by rail and contracted ocean shipping snarled traffic geared to sophisticated shipping of specific blends of metallurgical coal for highly discriminating markets. At some periods during the year, port congestion was such that well over 100 ships waited 50 days or more for berthing space at Hampton Roads, Virginia, the United State's main coal exporting facility.

OSTI ID:
5834142
Journal Information:
World Coal; (United States), Journal Name: World Coal; (United States) Vol. 7:7; ISSN WOCOD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English