American Coal: Morocco Becomes the World’s Second Destination by the End of August

Morocco Ranks Second Among U.S. Thermal Coal Destinations

Morocco has climbed to the second position among U.S. thermal coal destinations during the week ending Sunday, August 23. According to maritime tracking data published on Tuesday, August 25, American ports recorded shipments totaling 343,345 tons destined for the Kingdom.

This volume represents 31.8% of the 1.08 million tons of thermal coal shipped during that period.

India leads the chart with 436,323 tons, while South Korea received 82,139 tons. China, Egypt, Romania, and Spain round out the list of primary destinations recorded during this week.

Surge in U.S. Thermal Coal Exports

The increase in shipments is notably pronounced on an international scale.

U.S. maritime coal exports reached 2.10 million tons in one week, marking a 37% rise. Within this total, thermal coal accounts for about 1.08 million tons, reflecting an astounding 104% increase in just one week.

Conversely, metallurgical coal saw a more modest increase of only 2%, totaling 1.03 million tons.

This disparity indicates that coal intended for energy production primarily fueled the acceleration in U.S. exports observed at the end of August.

Baltimore Dominates Coal Loading

Among American ports, Baltimore remains the key loading point for thermal coal.

The port shipped 589,600 tons, maintaining its top position for the sixth consecutive week.

Following Baltimore are Plaquemines with 156,343 tons, the southern Louisiana port with 111,565 tons, Long Beach with 82,139 tons, Hampton Roads with 75,437 tons, and Greater Baton Rouge with 63,406 tons.

However, available data does not clarify which American port loaded the 343,345 tons intended for Morocco.

The same caution applies to the suppliers. Reported shipments include Core Natural Resources with 345,162 tons, trader Glencore with 75,437 tons, and SunCoke Energy with 72,577 tons. None of these volumes are directly attributed to the shipments bound for the Kingdom.

U.S. Coal Prices Hover Around $90 per Ton in Baltimore

Prices observed in the American market remain high.

On August 25, Platts assessed the price of coal with a calorific value of 6,900 kilocalories per kilogram loaded in Baltimore at $90.10 per ton, approximately 834 dirhams per ton at the port of shipment.

This benchmark has remained stable during the trading session, fluctuating between $89.25 and $90.10 since August 6.

In New Orleans, the price for 6,000 kilocalories coal rose by 80 cents to $85.50 per ton, roughly 791 dirhams.

However, these prices do not allow for an accurate calculation of the value of the shipments meant for Morocco. The departure port, exact coal quality, and contractual terms of these volumes are not specified.

Decrease in Moroccan Imports in Q1

The resurgence in activity observed at the end of August comes after a period of declining U.S. coal exports to Morocco.

In the first quarter of 2026, the United States shipped 1,443,003 short tons of steam coal to the Kingdom, nearly 1.3 million metric tons.

This volume represented a 26.5% decrease year-on-year, with an average value of $80.42 per short ton, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The significant increase recorded during the week of August 23 could reflect a temporary recovery in flow, although one week’s data is insufficient to determine an annual trend.

Why U.S. Coal Interests Morocco

Moroccan cement and brick factories are among the sectors likely to utilize imported thermal coal.

The EIA had notably explained that the North African demand observed in 2024 was driven by industrialists seeking the high calorific value of U.S. coal to boost the efficiency of their furnaces.

Coal remains in use in certain industrial processes despite ongoing efforts to gradually reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Moroccan Destination, But No Confirmed Delivery Yet

One point deserves emphasis: the 343,345 tons recorded correspond to a declared destination from the United States.

The available data does not specify the identity of the Moroccan buyer, the unloading port, or the final use of the shipments.

Thus, these may not necessarily be tons that have already been discharged in Morocco.

This nuance is important for interpreting the figures: the rankings primarily indicate that the Kingdom was among the major destinations for U.S. thermal coal shipments during the considered week.