Australia coal supply set to surge on high prices

Coal exports from Australia could be on the cusp of a stronger than expected rebound given the ongoing strength in benchmark hard coking coal and Newcastle thermal coal prices. Elevated prices and significant cashflow generation has swayed a number of producers in Australia to re-assess mine production plans and fast-track expansion projects, re-invest in largely brownfield/underground mine extensions previously planned to close in the next couple of years and re-open closed mines. This comes in addition to a number of greenfield projects recently commissioned and nearing completion which continued to progress counter-cyclically during 2016. In this insight we take a closer look at the metallurgical and thermal coal supply expansions and extensions underway and being proposed in Australia.