U.S. coal imports fell month on month in May, though thermal coal volumes rose sharply from a year earlier, with no coking coal shipments recorded during the month.

The country imported 229,300 tonnes of coal in May, up 30.78% year on year but down 12.81% from the previous month, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Import value stood at $35.55 million on a CFR basis, up 27.79% year on year but down 15.40% month on month. The average import price was $155.07/t, down $4.73/t from April.

For the January-May period, total U.S. coal imports reached 1.15 million tonnes, up 16.92% year on year. Import value totaled $179 million, up 15.55% from a year earlier, with an average price of $155.41/t.

By coal type, thermal coal imports in May stood at 229,300 tonnes, up 52.01% year on year but down 3.04% from the prior month. Thermal coal import value was $35.55 million, up 51.57% year on year and up 1.59% month on month. No coking coal was imported in May.

By origin, Colombia remained the largest supplier in May, providing 182,700 tonnes, up 39.64% year on year but down 20.13% from April, accounting for 79.67% of total imports, down from 86.97% in the previous month.

The U.S. imported 37,900 tonnes from Peru in May, compared with zero in both the prior month and the same period last year. Imports from Canada totaled 8,650 tonnes, down 69.95% year on year and 74.70% month on month. Imports from Indonesia were less than 85 tonnes.