Coking Coal Consumption Trends (2015–2025): Key Visualizations

• 02.12.2025

The decade-long evolution of coking coal consumption from 2015 to 2025 reveals a market undergoing profound structural transformation. The report’s visualizations highlight how demand is increasingly concentrated in emerging Asian economies, while mature industrial regions experience progressive stagnation or decline.

China, the world’s largest consumer, has largely entered a phase of stability. Its coking coal use fluctuates within a narrow range—approximately 355 to 370 million tonnes—and recent years show a plateau rather than further expansion. This reflects both a maturing steel sector and the impact of broader economic adjustments, including weaker construction activity.

In contrast, India stands out as the fastest-growing major consumer. Its sustained rise in coking coal demand mirrors rapid steel industry expansion, urban development, and infrastructural growth. India’s reliance on imported high-grade metallurgical coal reinforces its strategic importance in global trade flows.

The Southeast Asian region emerges as another strong growth hub. Over the past decade, rising industrial output and new steelmaking capacity have sharply increased consumption, positioning the region as a key driver of incremental demand.

Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea show trends of mild decline or stability. Their steel industries remain significant but operate with limited growth potential, constrained by demographic factors, high operational efficiency, and the slow but ongoing integration of alternative low-carbon technologies.

The visual data concludes with a clear message: between 2015 and 2025, global coking coal consumption becomes increasingly shaped by Asia’s emerging economies, while developed nations’ share continues to diminish. This regional rebalancing underscores a structural shift that will define the future trajectory of metallurgical coal markets well beyond 2025.