South African mining companies have significantly increased shipments of thermal coal to Israel despite their government’s diplomatic opposition, filling a supply gap created by Colombia’s export.

South African mining companies have significantly increased shipments of thermal coal to Israel despite South Africa’s hardline diplomatic stance against the Israeli government.

The surge follows Colombia’s full halt of coal exports to Israel, creating a gap in a market previously dominated by Colombian coal, Reuters reported, citing shipping and customs data from Kpler, LSEG, DBX Commodities, and the South African Revenue Service.

Colombia’s coal ban and Gaza fallout

In August 2024, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that his government was “officially” halting coal exports to Israel, citing the use of Colombian coal in weapons deployed during Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

“Colombian coal is used to make bombs to kill Palestinian children,” Petro said at the time in a post on X, defending the decision as a response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

However, the initial announcement did not immediately stop all shipments due to legal loopholes that allowed some deliveries to continue under existing contracts.

July 2025 decree closes legal loopholes

The Colombian government later moved to close those gaps, fully banning the export of thermal coal to Israel through a formal presidential decree enacted in July 2025.

Under the order, Petro said Colombia would not export “a single ton” of coal to Israel as long as violence in Gaza continued. He also instructed the Colombian navy to intercept any vessel attempting to ship Colombian coal to Israel.

Why Colombia’s ban matters

Coal is Colombia’s second most valuable export after oil. In 2023, it shipped nearly $447 million worth of coal to Israel, accounting for 5% of total exports and nearly half of Israel’s coal imports.

By August 2024, roughly 41% of its coal imports originated from Colombia, with Glencore and US-based Drummond as the main suppliers.

South Africa steps in as exports surge

As Colombian exports fell to zero in the three months ended November, South Africa stepped in to fill much of the shortfall.

South African coal exports to Israel rose 87% year on year to 474,000 metric tonnes during that period, with nearly 170,000 tonnes expected to be shipped this month, according to shipping data.

The increase pushed Israel’s total coal imports up 20% to 667,442 tonnes in the three months to October, the highest level for any three-month period since February 2017, based on official South African customs figures.

Diplomatic stance versus trade flows

Like Colombia, South Africa has been a vocal critic of Israel, accusing the country of genocide at the International Court of Justice, a claim rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Nevertheless, unlike Colombia, South Africa has continued exporting coal, highlighting a notable divergence between its diplomatic position and commercial activity.

While South Africa’s Trade Minister, Parks Tau, has previously cautioned that sanctions on Israel could invite legal challenges under World Trade Organization rules, Colombia, also a WTO member, has reportedly faced no formal challenge following its coal export ban.

Trade, law and future supply

With Russia’s influence in the global coal trade declining, Israel has been seeking alternative suppliers, as the country’s coal imports from Russia have fallen sharply to less than 3% so far this year.

Colombia’s refusal to export coal, despite external pressures, has left a significant gap in the market. Key Colombian producers, including Glencore (Anglo-Swiss) and Drummond (US-based), had previously shipped at least seven vessels carrying a total of 795,387 tons of coal to Israel but were forced to scale back shipments following mounting government pressure.

Industry data indicate that South Africa has stepped into this role, capitalising on the opportunity to expand exports amid domestic economic challenges, even as Israel plans to phase out coal as a primary source of energy by 2027.

Since 2023, more than a dozen South Africa-based exporters have supplied electricity-grade coal to Israel, with all shipments since September originating from South Africa, despite public protests against the exports.

Coal shipments from South Africa to Israel are projected to reach their highest levels since 2017 in 2025, with the country’s share of Israel’s seaborne coal imports expected to rise to 55%, more than triple its share in 2024. (Business Insider Africa)