Coal exports from the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, or DBCT, in Australia's Queensland fell 16% from June's 12-month high of 6.42 million mt, to 5.40 million mt in July, a source close to the terminal said Thursday.
The exports also fell below the 2016 monthly average of 5.55 million mt and is the lowest volume seen since April 2016, when 4.77 million mt was shipped, according to data from North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation.
The 2016 monthly average coal exports from for Dalrymple Bay, which is located within Hay Point port in central Queensland, were lagging behind the 2015 monthly average of 5.78 million mt, the data showed.
The July figure shows the facility operating at an annualized rate of 63.75 million mt/year during the month, which is 21.25 million mt lower than its 85 million mt/year nameplate capacity.
For the January-July period, the terminal was seen operating at an annualized rate of 66.81 million mt/year.
Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Glencore, Peabody Energy and Rio Tinto are among the coal producers that ship cargoes via DBCT.
The breakdown of how much coal is thermal and metallurgical is not readily available, but the source said in July around 18% was thermal coal.
The volumes sent to the various export destinations is expected to be available later this month.
China, Japan and South Korea are the top three recipients of coal shipped via DBCT. For fiscal year 2015-16 (July-June), shipments to China totalled 13.94 million mt, Japan received 14.70 million mt and exports to South Korea were 11.22 million mt, statistics from the port showed.
There were two ships loading at the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal as on Thursday, with 14 ships at anchor, DBCT Management said.
The vessel queue stood at 17 in a report dated July 29.
All of DBCT's capacity is currently contracted to coal producers located in the Bowen Basin coalfields in Queensland, according to DBCT management.
