June exports from the three coal piers at Hampton Roads on the US East Coast declined for the month but are still tracking above last year's numbers on a year-to-date basis, according to figures released Wednesday by the Virginia Maritime Association.
Coal exports totaled 3,955,000 short tons for the month, a 10.8% drop compared with May and a 20.1% decline from June 2012, according to the association.
Year to date, coal exports total 26,764,677 st, a 2.1% increase compared with the first six months of 2012.
However, experts say coal exports are likely to taper off for the remainder of the year, as term deals struck in the first half of 2012 -- when natural gas prices dipped to all-time lows and warm winter weather boosted utility stockpiles -- expire.
While the US exported a record 126 million st in 2012, of which roughly half was thermal coal, the US Energy Information Administration said Tuesday it expects the US will export 112 million st in 2013, an 11.1% decline from the prior year.
Norfolk Southern's Lambert's Point terminal, in Norfolk, Virginia, exported 1,662,153 st in June, a 4.5% decline from May and a 4.8% decline from the same month a year ago, according to the association.
For the year, coal exports from the terminal total 10,873,379 st, a 5.7% increase compared with the first six months of 2012.
Newport News, Virginia-based Dominion Terminal Associates, which is owned by Arch Coal, Peabody Energy and Alpha Natural Resources, exported 1,442,199 st in June, a 4% increase from May but a 12.9% decrease from June 2012.
Year to date, DTA has exported 8,489,135 st, an 11% increase compared with the same period last year.
Pier IX, also in Newport News and owned by Kinder Morgan, exported 850,648 st in June, a 35% decrease from May and a 45.1% decline from June 2012.
For the year, coal exports from Pier IX total 7,402,163 st, a 10.7% decrease from the first six months of 2012.
