The floods that have swept through Australia since December have severely affected its coal production industry, hindering both mining and transport. With Australia responsible for close to 30% of global coal exports, the knock-on effect on global coal prices has been substantial, particularly for metallurgical coal.

Spot prices climbed to $383 a tonne free on board Australia by the end of January this year, and are expected to pass $400 soon. They hovered between $200 and $250 a tonne for much