North America coal short-term outlook September 2024

With winter still a ways away, coal demand stands still for September. High winter gas prices point to a likely increased coal displacement in coming months, but stockpiles don't seem to want to come down. Days of average burn remain stable despite stockpiles of around 130 Mst. Could this be a new normal for inventories? Logistical issues plague the month, as large vessels are only partially loaded in Curtis Bay, Mobile faces higher loading times due to Hurricane Helene, and inland water traffic increases in the Mississippi under low water levels. View our full commentary and analysis in the report downloads section of the August outlook.