Norfolk Southern saw the largest year-over-year increase in coal shipment volumes in 2017 of the four major US railroads, in large part because of consistent demand from a robust seaborne metallurgical coal market, according to the companies.
NS this week reported year-end coal volumes of 973,911 carloads, an increase of 16.6%, or about 138,000 carloads, compared with 2016.
International met coal demand drew a surge of shipments from Central Appalachian mines to the NS-served and -operated Lamberts Point Coal Terminal, in Norfolk, Virginia.
Through the end of November, the terminal's coal loadings were 59% higher year on year at more than 13.5 million st. Volumes for December have not been reported.
Eastern counterpart CSX saw the lowest year-over-year increase in coal volumes of the US majors, according to figures it released. CSX shipped 801,195 coal carloads, up 4.6%, or about 35,300 carloads, compared with 2016.
CSX officials expected coal counts to be hampered this year after losing a domestic utility contract to NS. However, domestic declines were offset by international demand for Northern Appalachian coal in the met and thermal coal markets that brought volumes to the CSX-owned Curtis Bay Coal Pier and the CNX Marine Terminal in Baltimore, Maryland.
In the West, Powder River Basin shipments increased for BNSF and Union Pacific on higher natural gas prices and an uptick in exports into Asia.
BNSF, the largest US coal shipper, saw volumes increase 6.5% year on year, or almost 117,000 carloads, to 1.92 million carloads. UP's coal volumes climbed 6.3%, or 69,300 carloads, to 1.17 million carloads.
