Global seaborne coal loadings rose modestly in the first eight months of 2026, reaching 866.8 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 1.7 per cent, according to a weekly market note published by reports on 15 September. The tally excludes domestic cabotage movements and is compiled from vessel-tracking data supplied by Banchero Costa & C S.p.A.
The Jan–Aug 2026 figure offers a snapshot of seaborne coal trade through the northern hemisphere spring and summer and will be read closely by bulk shipping operators and commodity traders. Because the assessment is based on vessel movements rather than port declarations, it captures cargo liftings that feed into the international seaborne supply chain while excluding coastal trades within single countries.
That methodological choice matters. Excluding cabotage removes domestic short-haul voyages from the total, narrowing the dataset to flows that cross national borders and thus more directly affect demand for ocean-going bulk carriers. The underlying vessel-tracking approach also means the series is responsive to shifts in routing and chartering patterns that manifest at sea.
A 1.7 per cent rise is a measured increase rather than a surge, but for an industry that budgets tonnage, laytime and chartering decisions months in advance it still carries weight. Incremental growth in loadings can translate into tighter availability for particular vessel sizes or in certain trading corridors, especially if the gain is concentrated on a subset of exporters or importers.
Shipowners and charterers will examine the full-year outcome to determine whether the upward movement persists into the final quarter of 2026. For now, the Jan–Aug series provides an evidence point for those tracking coal demand recovery, supply adjustments and seasonal cargo flows.
Sources published the figure in its report titled “Banchero Costa Weekly Market Report, Week 37 2026.” The original data are credited to Banchero Costa & C S.p.A and reflect the company’s vessel-tracking compilation for the period.
The reported total does not identify cargo types, origin–destination pairs or vessel classes, so it does not by itself indicate which trades or ship sizes account for the change. Stakeholders seeking a finer breakdown will need additional releases or more granular proprietary datasets to parse where the incremental loadings occurred.
Method and scope
The headline number covers January to August 2026 and expressly excludes cabotage, focusing on movements that cross international boundaries. Banchero Costa’s use of vessel-tracking data means the series is built from observed ship activity rather than port reports, which can differ in timing and coverage.
That approach improves near-real-time visibility of seaborne movements but also depends on the accuracy of tracking feeds and the assumptions used to classify liftings. The reports note cites Banchero Costa as the source for the vessel-tracking compilation.
Market implications
A modest year-on-year increase in seaborne coal liftings will be factored into bulk market sentiment, commercial planning and fleet deployment decisions. If the trend endures through the remainder of 2026, owners and operators may adjust capacity and itinerary planning to reflect the higher cross-border cargo volumes indicated by the Jan–Aug series.
For now the 866.8 million tonnes figure stands as the latest published tally covering the first eight months of the year; market participants will watch subsequent releases to see whether the modest rise proves transient or persistent.