從大西洋和太平洋市場的走勢來看，在過去兩年中，大西洋市場繼續(xù)萎縮，有利于太平洋市場。這是受中國(部分也是印度)需求進一步增長、澳大利亞和印尼供應增長的影響。南非和俄羅斯也越來越多地將大西洋的石油供應轉(zhuǎn)移到太平洋盆地。目前全球超過40%的煤炭需求來自中國，國內(nèi)供需的微小變化可能對國際市場產(chǎn)生重大影響。日本仍然是世界上最大的煤炭進口國，大約有185.6噸，其次是韓國、99.6噸和臺灣66.1噸。直到最近還是凈出口國的中國，自2009年以來一直是主要的凈進口國。澳大利亞有271噸，是主要的煤炭出口國(占世界市場的32%)，其次是印度尼西亞有215噸，俄羅斯有92噸。根據(jù)初步估計，2009年海運煤炭市場幾乎停滯不前。海運焦煤貿(mào)易的下降幾乎得到了高蒸汽煤貿(mào)易的補償。然而，需求進一步轉(zhuǎn)向太平洋地區(qū)。雖然世界經(jīng)濟仍然受到危機的影響，但太平洋地區(qū)的蒸汽煤貿(mào)易進一步增長。煤炭市場的這種積極發(fā)展要歸功于中國日益增長的作用，這進一步增加了其需求，同時停止了出口。2009年，中國是煤炭凈進口國，與前一年相比，煤炭需求出現(xiàn)了約100噸的波動。如果沒有中國需求的凈增長，世界煤炭價格很可能已經(jīng)崩潰。隨著煤炭需求的增長，中國彌補了歐洲、日本和南美焦煤需求的下降以及歐洲和日本蒸汽煤需求的下降。中國煤炭貿(mào)易對世界煤炭市場(除了焦炭)的影響僅在一年之內(nèi)就達到100噸左右。進口增加了76.4噸，出口減少了23.4噸。澳大利亞和印度尼西亞是最能利用這種情況的兩個出口國。此外，俄羅斯、南非和越南也增加了對中國的出口。蒸汽煤(見表2)在2008年末和2009年初價格快速下跌后，價格受到中國需求的支撐，在今年剩余時間內(nèi)保持在歷史高位，同時出現(xiàn)短期波動。美國和歐洲的蒸汽煤需求下降對大西洋的價格產(chǎn)生了不可避免的影響，使太平洋的價格下降到低于太平洋的水平。雖然冬天相當冷，但天然氣相對便宜和豐富，這導致了非常高的蒸汽煤庫存。經(jīng)合組織國家的工業(yè)用電需求繼續(xù)保持在低水平。太平洋市場增加了21噸，印度尼西亞(+ 13噸)、俄羅斯(+ 12噸)和澳大利亞(+ 10噸)是主要的出口國。中國減少了20噸的出口量。b)大西洋市場供應整個大西洋市場減少了12噸。哥倫比亞減少了6噸的出口量，美國減少了5噸，委內(nèi)瑞拉減少了2噸。焦煤供應(見表3)海運焦煤市場減少了‐12公噸。加拿大(‐4公噸)、美國(‐4公噸)和中國(‐3公噸)出現(xiàn)了較大降幅。4所示。價格演變(見表1)a)動力煤價格b)煉焦煤和焦炭價格煉焦煤價格趨于上漲，一方面是由于中國的巨大需求，另一方面也是由于全球鋼鐵行業(yè)復蘇緩慢。5. 運費率散貨船的運費率一直很不穩(wěn)定。

WORLD MARKET Looking at movements on the Atlantic and Pacific markets over the last two years, the Atlantic market continued to shrink in favour of the Pacific market.  This was influenced by further growth in demand from China, partially also India, with growth in supply from Australia and Indonesia. South Africa and Russia are also increasingly diverting supplies from the Atlantic to the Pacific basin. Over 40% of global demand for coal currently comes from China, and small changes in the internal supply and demand can have a major impact on international markets. Japan continued to remain the world’s largest coal importer with approximately 185.6 Mt, followed by Korea, 99.6 Mt and Taiwan 66.1 Mt. China, that was until recently a net exporter, was a major net importer since 2009.   Australia, with 271 Mt, was the main exporter of coal (with a 32% share of the world market), followed by Indonesia with 215 Mt and Russia with 92 Mt.     Based on first estimates, the seaborne world coal market almost stagnated in 2009. The drop in seaborne coking coal trade was almost compensated by a higher steam coal trade.   Demand nevertheless shifted further towards the Pacific. Although the world economy still suffered from the crisis, steam coal trade in the Pacific increased further. This positive development of the coal market has to be attributed to the growing role of China, which is further increasing its demand, whilst stopping exports. China was a net coal importer in 2009, with a swing in demand compared to the previous year of about 100 Mt. World prices would likely have collapsed without this net increase in demand from China.CHINESE COAL TRADE With its increased coal demand, China compensated the declining coking coal demand from Europe, Japan and South America and the declining steam coal demand from Europe and Japan.The impact of Chinese coal trade on the World coal market (except coke) was of some 100 Mt within one year only. Imports increased by 76.4 Mt and export decreased by 23.4 Mt. The two exporters who took most advantage of this situation were Australia and Indonesia. But also Russia, South Africa and Vietnam were able to increase exports to China.1. STEAM COAL (see Table 2) After the rapid fall in prices in late 2008 and the beginning of 2009, prices were supported by Chinese demand and remained relatively high by historic levels for the remainder of the year whilst showing short term volatility. Decreasing steam coal demand in the USA and Europe had an inevitable effect on Atlantic prices which decreased to below levels in the Pacific. Although the winter was rather cold, gas was relatively cheap and abundant which resulted in extremely high steam coal stocks. Industrial electricity demand in the OECD countries continued to stay low. b) Pacific Market The Pacific market increased by 21 Mt with Indonesia (+ 13 Mt), Russia (+ 12 Mt) and Australia (+ 10 Mt) being the major exporters. China decreased exports by 20 Mt.b) Atlantic Market supply The total Atlantic market shrunk by 12 Mt. Columbia decreased exports by 6 Mt, the USA by 5 Mt and Venezuela by 2 Mt.  2. COKING COAL SUPPLY (see Table 3) The seaborne coking coal market dropped by ‐12 Mt. Major decreases were observed in Canada (‐4 Mt), the USA (‐4 Mt) and China (‐3 Mt).  4. PRICE EVOLUTION (see Table 1) a) Steam Coal Prices b) Coking Coal and Coke Prices Coking coal prices are tending to rise, on the one hand due to a heavy demand from China but also due to the slowly recovering steel industry worldwide. 5. FREIGHT RATES Freight rates for bulk carriers have been highly volatile.