Newcastle Port Corp website showed, the world’s largest coal export terminal, surged to 2.02 million tonnes in the week to September 22, from 1.6 million tonnes for the week to September 8.

Coal exports from Australia’s Newcastle port surged 25 per cent from the previous week, port data showed, a sign of robust regional demand despite weaker index prices.

A total of 29 vessels were queuing up to load 2,623,790 tonnes of coal, compared with 19 ships the previous week. The number of vessels arriving during the week also rose by five to 22 ships.

Traders said the growth in exports was a sign of robust demand in Asia, where utilities in Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines have launched tenders in recent weeks to secure additional coal supplies amid supply tightness.

Thermal coal prices in Australia, a benchmark for Asia, have shed over $29 since the start of the month to around $163 a tonne, largely due to falling oil and gas prices.

Xstrata Plc , the world’s largest exporter of thermal coal, BHP Billiton Ltd and Rio Tinto Group are among mining companies that ship coal through Newcastle.

Stockpile at the Carrington and Kooragang loading terminals at the port were little changed at 1.21 million tonnes.

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