The global coal trade is growing at an astonishing rate: from 921 million t in 2008, trade reached an estimated 1.3 billion t in 2013, most of it seaborne. Many nations participate in this trade with Australia, Colombia, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and the US being the principal suppliers, while China, German}', the UK, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey are the largest consumers. Trade is split between thermal and metallurgical coal at a ratio of about 75.4% thermal in 2008 and 76.4% thermal in 2013. At spot prices in place at the end of 2013, the value of coal trade is well over US$100 billion/year.
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