Coal exports from the Port of Baltimore have surged back after a complete halt earlier this year caused by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which blocked the port’s main shipping channel. The port, the second-largest coal export hub in the US, had a strong recovery after the channel partially reopened on May 21 and fully restored by June 10. April saw a dramatic decline, with only 63,658 short tons exported compared to 2.3 million short tons in the same month in 2023. However, shipments rebounded quickly, hitting a record 2.9 million short tons in June as terminals worked through a backlog. Despite a slight dip in July, exports still exceeded the five-year average. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects strong coal export performance for the rest of 2024, potentially matching or surpassing the 20 million short tons recorded in 2021 and 2022. The Port of Baltimore had set a five-year high with 28 million short tons in 2023.
