South Africa significantly boosted thermal coal exports to Israel, following Colombia's total ban on shipments of the power-generation fuel to the country in August.

Colombia's coal exports to Israel fell to zero in the three months ending in November, following its decision to block long-term supply agreements. In contrast, South Africa's coal exports to Israel surged by 87%, reaching 474,000 tonnes in the same period. South Africa is also on track to ship nearly 170,000 tonnes to Israel this month, Reuters reported, citing shipping data from multiple sources.

Israel's coal imports from South Africa rose 20% to 667,442 tonnes in the three months to October, the highest for any three-month period since February 2017, according to official data from the South African Revenue Service.

South African exporters have been shipping electricity-grade coal to Israel since 2023, with all cargoes imported by Israel since September coming from South Africa, Kpler data revealed.

Despite South Africa's increased shipments, Colombia still accounted for 42% of Israel's coal imports, with its coal exports expected to remain near zero in the short to mid-term, according to DBX Commodities CEO Alexandre Claude. South Africa's share of Israel's seaborne coal market, however, is set to more than triple from 2024 levels, reaching 55% in 2025.

Although South Africa's increased exports reflect a shift in the market, the future of coal in Israel is uncertain. A senior official at Israel Electric Co stated that the country plans to stop using coal as a major power source by 2027, transitioning to natural gas as the primary energy source, with coal reserved for emergency use.