Annual Report 2010 - Verein der Kohlenimporteure eV

2008
Mt 2)
2009
Mt 2)
2010
Mt 2)
Appalachian¹ ) 355 326 313
Interior 137 130 135
Western 576 527 534
Total 1,068 983 982
East of the Mississippi 448 416 409
West of the Mississippi 620 567 573
Total 1,068 983 982
¹ )
2)
LB-T18 Source: US EIA
The US government wants to better exploit the country’s
coal potential by employing modern technology as a
way to reduce US dependency on oil imports. Indeed,
coal-to-liquids (CTL) projects are under consideration.
The sharp decline in natural gas prices has however put
a damper on expectations, although President Obama
points to coal as the country’s most important energy
resource. The plan to modernise the energy sector
foresees investments in a CCS programme. More than
10 GW of new coal-fired power plants are being built,
that could increase coal consumption by 10-12 Mtpa.
at power plants, representing a 34% increase compared
with the long-term average.
Stricter environmental regulations (e.g. the banning of
mountaintop mining) and new legislation concerning
water and other approval requirements could hinder any
expansion of production. Yet exports could increase in
the medium term because a number of old coal-fired
power stations will be shut down due to the EPA’s
proposal to introduce strict mercury and dust emission
limits. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
estimates that about 1,200 American coal-fired power
plants are affected by such environmental regulations.
assumed in 2011.
Infrastructure
The USA’s infrastructure of railways and ports is well
years due to the somewhat monopolistic position of
the private railways with their networks in the coal-
deliveries of about 10 Mt, were handled via American
seaports in 2010. There are technical reasons related to
customs which account for the discrepancy between
shipments and export volumes. The capacity of river
barges and transhipment equipment could cause a
bottleneck for further export growth. While investments
to date were mainly in new port capacities on the East
Coast, plans are now being made on the West Coast for
future coal export growth to Asia.
Utilisation Port Capacity USA
2008
(Actual)
Mt
2009
(Actual)
Mt
2010
(Actual)
Mt
Port Terminal
Hampton Roads Lamberts Point
DTA
KM Pier IX
16.06
8.77
8.54
24.79 } 29.05 }
Baltimore Chesapeake 1.92
} 5.75 } 12.44
CNX Marine
(Consol)
7.78
Mobile 7.51 7.09 8.82
Lower River IMT (2/3 KM)
United (Electrocoal) 7.96 } IC Marine Terminal
4.27 } 8.49 }
Total 58.54 41.90 58.80
LB-T20 Source: McCloskey
Exports/Imports
The USA is strongly oriented to Europe for its coal
exports and in 2010 managed to increase its total
3 Mt. Seaborne exports increased by about 20 Mt to
almost 64 Mt in 2010. Overland exports to Canada grew
again, by 3 Mt to 10 Mt.
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