Russian railways transported 15.68 million tonnes of export coal in August 2026, up 4.95% year on year but down 4.97% from the previous month, marking a second consecutive monthly decline, data from Metals & Mining Intelligence showed.

Thermal coal accounted for 70% of the total shipments. August thermal coal shipments for export reached 11.25 million tonnes, up 2.07% year on year but down 6.04% month on month.

Coking coal shipments totaled 2.89 million tonnes, up 2.05% year on year and down 3.25% from a month earlier, while anthracite volumes stood at 1.55 million tonnes, up 41.45% year on year and flat month on month.

Nearly 60% of August export coal was shipped to Far East ports, with volumes reaching 9.32 million tonnes, up 8.22% year on year but down 4.27% from July, accounting for 59% of the total.

Baltic ports remained the second-largest destination with a 24% share. August shipments to Baltic ports totaled 3.72 million tonnes, up 38.05% year on year and 24.46% month on month.

Shipments to southern ports continued their sharp decline in August, falling 86.26% year on year and 87.16% from the previous month, amid heightened shipping risks in the Black Sea region.

Within Far East destinations, 2.76 million tonnes were shipped to Vostochny port, up 9.06% year on year but down 2.85% month on month, representing 30% of total Far East shipments and 18% of Russia's overall rail coal shipments.

During January-August 2026, Russian railways transported 130 million tonnes of export coal, up 6.90% year on year. Thermal coal shipments reached 89.46 million tonnes, up 2.69%; coking coal totaled 25.79 million tonnes, up 19.84%; and anthracite stood at 10.73 million tonnes, up 16.39%. About 60% of the coal was shipped to Far East ports during the period.