Global Seaborne Coal Shipments Edge Up as Indian Inflows Decline
Worldwide seaborne coal trade posted a modest increase during the first eight months of 2026, even as total import volumes into India fell.
Global seaborne coal trade registered a mild expansion across the first eight months of 2026, supported by modest gains in international vessel liftings despite a pullback in overall intake from key buyers such as India.
According to the latest weekly market assessment from shipbroker Banchero Costa, utilizing vessel tracking figures from AXS Marine, global seaborne coal loadings reached 866.8 million tonnes between January and August 2026. The figure marks a 1.7 percent increase compared to the corresponding period a year earlier, excluding domestic cabotage traffic.
The increase in total ocean-going volumes occurred alongside a net reduction in Indian discharge activity. Although India has curtailed its cumulative coal purchases across the year to date, deliveries sourced from Russia bucked the downward trend and recorded growth.
The changing volume distribution illustrates the ongoing adjustments across major dry bulk routes, as shifting supplier selections and fluctuating import appetites influence trade flows across the international coal market.
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