Asturias sits at a pivotal point in a shifting energy and geopolitical landscape that intensified after the Ukraine conflict began more than a year and a half ago. In response to military actions, the European Union announced an embargo on Russian coal imports, a move that disrupted a long-standing flow that fed El Musel port in Gijón. To fill the gap created by this ban and to satisfy a rebounding demand for solid fuels, major coal exporters such as Australia, Indonesia, and South Africa increased shipments to Europe. The result was a dramatic reshaping of the region’s trade patterns, with Asturian ports acting as large-scale hubs where diverse cargo arrived before being reloaded onto massive vessels bound for various destinations. This shift left a region historically defined by mining with far less domestic production but a forceful presence in global energy logistics.
Latest figures from the Asturian Economic and Industrial Research Association (Sadei) show a striking surge in Asturian coal sales in the first half of the year. Sales rose by nearly 500 percent compared with the first six months of 2022, reaching €431.5 million in revenue versus €72.1 million previously. Coal, coke, and briquettes—biofuel cylinders or bricks—accounted for a modest 2.3 percent of the region’s exports in the prior year; today they contribute about 13 percent. In this context, they have emerged as the third-largest export category behind zinc and iron-and-steel products within Asturias’ foreign trade framework, while the latter two categories declined by almost 20 percent and 17 percent respectively. The shift marks a clear reorientation of the region’s export mix in a stagnant broader environment.
The first-half balance reveals a remarkable rise in coal-related imports into Asturian bunkers from several regions. South Africa logged an extraordinary increase, rising more than 2,000 percent from €7 million to €153 million. Vietnam and Japan followed with gains of 991 percent and 541 percent, while Egypt, South Korea, India, and Indonesia also posted double-digit growth, underscoring a broad-based demand recovery for energy and climate-resilient fuels. In terms of overall trade volume, Australia remained the top trading partner for Asturias in the broader goods market, valued at €374.5 million—an increase of about 31 percent from the prior year. Germany ranked second with €221.8 million, up roughly 31 percent as well.
The story does not stop with higher imports. Several destinations saw marked increases in Asturian shipments compared with the previous year. Indonesia rose from €925,000 to €17.7 million, a surge of more than 1,800 percent. Croatia, Morocco, Finland, and India also reported notable improvements, signaling a wider geographic dispersion of Asturian exports. In absolute terms, the principal buyers of all Asturian goods remained Germany, Italy, and France, reflecting enduring ties with major European economies even as the export mix shifted toward energy-related products.
These elevated figures are partly explained by a revaluation of coal on the international market last year. Sadei’s data focus on the economic value of goods rather than their physical quantities, which helps explain why the apparent value of coal export flows surged even if volume did not rise proportionally. The overall export record for Asturias through June stands at €3.321 billion, signaling strong momentum despite broader headwinds. In this context, while the geographic location of production shapes the balance of trade, coal’s role in Asturias has centered on storage and logistical capacity rather than direct value addition within the region itself.