世界市場的一些數(shù)據(jù)是初步的。然而，所描述的一般趨勢是正確的。2008年伊始，全球硬煤市場處于極度緊張狀態(tài)。世界海運煤炭市場萎縮了6百萬。與2007年第一季度相比。這不是需求的問題，而是供應(yīng)不足的問題。1。動力煤(見表2)a)太平洋市場供應(yīng)2008年第一季度供方供應(yīng)疲軟。Australia 不能 增加 其 動力 煤 exports, Indonesia 未能 實現(xiàn) 其 第 一季度 的 出口 目標(biāo) , 因為 沉重 的 rainfalls.越南停止向中國非法出口煤炭。這筆交易的金額估計為6-8百萬美元。t / a。在需求方面，日本和韓國的煤炭需求高于2007年。亞洲的供需平衡非常緊張，推高了全球的價格。b)大西洋市場供給大西洋供給面也較弱。南非、波蘭和委內(nèi)瑞拉減少了煤炭出口——哥倫比亞、美國和俄羅斯通過增加出口來平衡供應(yīng)。歐洲的需求面較弱，煤炭需求量也低于2007年。2。焦煤供應(yīng)(見表3)焦煤供應(yīng)進入極度短缺狀態(tài)。澳大利亞的生產(chǎn)受到了大規(guī)模洪災(zāi)、港口配額和鐵路建設(shè)延誤的嚴(yán)重影響。澳大利亞的出口量減少了3百萬。而不是增長。烏克蘭和印度對來自世界市場的更多焦煤需求強勁。美國和加拿大出口了更多的焦煤，但出口不足，以平衡市場。全球鋼鐵需求也居高不下。3.價格演變(見表1)a)動力煤價格南非動力煤(6000 kcal/kg NAR)的到岸價ARA現(xiàn)貨價格在今年第一季度出現(xiàn)了爆炸性增長。從2007年8月開始，出現(xiàn)了急劇增長。以總熱量(7000千卡/公斤)計算。動力煤部門和出口基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施的低投資活動導(dǎo)致了煤炭供應(yīng)鏈許多部分的瓶頸，這種瓶頸將在2008/2009年繼續(xù)存在。這幾年市場很不穩(wěn)定。6月底，價格攀升至每噸145歐元。b)焦煤和焦炭價格半軟焦煤和PCI-coal的價格將以同樣的速度上漲，當(dāng)然會比動力煤的價格高得多。焦炭價格(含灰分12.5%)接近中國離岸價600美元/噸的歷史最高水平。3所示。運價運價也處于極高的水平。盡管散貨船數(shù)量大幅增加，而且?guī)缀鯖]有報廢，但貨運價格仍然居高不下。每噸運輸距離的增加、滯期費的增加以及燃料價格的上漲都推高了運費。運費的波動越來越大。例如，理查茲灣基準(zhǔn)運費從6月初的64美元/噸降至6月底的35美元/噸。

WORLD MARKET Some figures are preliminary. Nevertheless, the general tendencies described are correct. The world  market for hard coal started the year 2008 under extreme tensions.  World Market Coal The world seaborne coal market shrank by 6 Mio. t compared with the first quarter 2007. This was not  a matter of demand but of lacking supply.  1. Steam Coal (see table 2)  a) Pacific Market supply The supply side was weak in the first quarter of 2008. Australia could not increase its steam coal exports, Indonesia failed to achieve its export targets for the first quarter because of heavy rainfalls.  Vietnam stopped the illegal export of coal to China. The amount of this trade is estimated at 6-8 Mio.  t/a.  On the demand side, Japan and South Korea were demanding more coal than in 2007. The supply /  demand balance is very tight in Asia and is pushing up the prices worldwide. b) Atlantic Market supply The Atlantic supply side is also weak. South Africa, Poland and Venezuela exported less coal - Colombia, the USA and Russia balanced the supply side by increasing their exports.  The demand side in Europe is weak and less coal is being demanded than in 2007.  2. Coking coal supply (see Table 3)  Coking coal supply went to a situation of extreme shortage. Australian production was heavily affected by massive flooding, port quotas and delayed rail improvements.  The Australian exports decreased by 3 Mio. t in the first quarter instead of increasing. Ukraine and  India were showing strong demand for additional coking coal from the world market. The USA and  Canada exported more coking coal but exported not enough, to bring the market in balance.  The worldwide steel demand also stays high. 3. Price evolution (see Table 1)  a) Steam Coal Prices The cif ARA spot price for South African steam coal (6000 kcal/kg NAR) exploded in the first quarter  of the year. From August 2007 onwards, a steep increase occurred. In terms of tce (7000 kcal/kg).The low investment activities in the steam coal sector as well as in exports infrastructure has led to  bottlenecks in many parts of the coal supply chain, which will continue in 2008/2009. We had to expect a very volatile market in these years. End of June the price climbed to 145 €/tce.  b) Coking Coal and Coke Prices Semi-soft coking coal and PCI-coal prices will rise at the same rate and will of course be much higher priced than steam coal.  Coke prices (12.5% ash content) are close to new record levels close to 600 US$/t fob China. 3. Freight rates The freight rates are also at extremely high levels. Despite big increases in the bulk-carrier fleet and  nearly no scrapping, the prices for freight remained high. Longer distances per ton, demurrage situations and higher fuel-prices pushed the freight rates up.  The volatility of the freight rates is growing. For example the benchmark freight rate Richards Bay  decreased from 64 US$/t beginning June to 35 US$/t end of June.