By Tyler Godwin

July 1, 2020 - Coal exports from the Ridley Terminal in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, jumped to a seven-year high 1.16 million mt in May, according to data from the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

This total, which combines metallurgical and thermal coal, was up 52.5% from 761,104 mt in April, and the highest level since 1.19 million mt was exported in March 2013. It was also up 83.1% from the year-ago month and up 129% from the five-year average for May.

The 4.5 million mt exported in the first five months of the year was up 36.4% from the same period a year ago and marked the highest level through May in over nine years.

Met coal exports from the terminal were at an eight-month high of 645,550 mt in May, up 131.5% from April and 39.1% higher than the year-ago month.

Since January 1, met exports were at 2.4 million mt, up 1.6% from a year ago and the highest since 3.49 million mt in 2013.

Thermal coal exports were at 515,337 mt in May, up 6.9% from April and 203.5% higher than the year-ago month. It was the third-highest monthly total in the last nine years, only behind 537,493 mt in March and 524,067 mt in June 2012.

Year-to-date thermal exports were at 1.87 million mt, up 99.5% from a year ago and the most through the first five months in over nine years.

The terminal, the closest major North American coal export terminal to Asia, is served by Canadian National railroad. In January, Ridley Terminals signed a seven-year deal with Teck Resources to increase its contracted capacity from 3 million mt to 6 million mt, starting in 2021, with an option for Teck to extend up to 9 million mt.