Key Points
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South Africa increased coal exports to Israel by 87 percent after Colombia imposed a full export ban.
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All Israeli coal imports since September came from South Africa, according to shipping data.
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Israel plans to end coal use as a major power source by 2027, shifting to natural gas.
South African mining companies have sharply increased coal shipments to Israel after Colombia halted exports of the fuel earlier this year.
Data from Kpler, LSEG and DBX Commodities show that South Africa has filled much of the supply gap left by Colombia, which imposed a full ban on coal exports to Israel in August.
Colombia’s decision followed strong criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The South American country accused Israel of killing tens of thousands of civilians, including children. Israel has rejected the accusation.
South Africa has also taken a hard political stance. It has accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, a claim Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied.
Despite that position, South African coal shipments to Israel have surged.
Shipments Surge to Multi-Year Highs
Colombian coal exports to Israel fell to zero in the three months ending in November, according to Kpler data. The drop followed Bogotá’s move to extend the ban and block deliveries under long-term contracts.
At the same time, South Africa increased exports by 87 percent year on year to 474,000 metric tons over the same period. The country is also set to ship nearly 170,000 tons this month alone.
Official data from the South African Revenue Service show that coal exports to Israel climbed 20 percent to 667,442 tons in the three months to October. That figure marks the highest three-month total since February 2017.
Patrick Bond, director at the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Social Change, described the trend as contradictory.
“Four words explain this profound hypocrisy. Talk left. Walk right,” Bond said.
South Africa Becomes Israel’s Main Supplier
More than a dozen South Africa-based coal exporters have supplied electricity-grade coal to Israel since 2023, according to Bond.
Kpler data show that all coal cargoes imported by Israel since September came from South Africa.
South Africa’s mines ministry did not respond to questions on the surge in exports. Trade Minister Parks Tau has previously warned that formal sanctions against Israel could expose South Africa to legal challenges under World Trade Organization rules.
Colombia, which is also a WTO member, has not faced a challenge since enforcing its ban.
Market Share Shifts Rapidly
South Africa has steadily increased coal shipments to Israel over the past four years. Kpler projects that South Africa’s coal exports in 2025 will reach their highest level since 2017.
Its share of Israel’s seaborne coal market is expected to rise to 55 percent this year. That figure more than triples its share from 2024.
Colombia would still account for about 42 percent of Israel’s total coal imports this year, estimated at two million tons, based on earlier contract volumes.
Russia, which supplied nearly a quarter of Israel’s coal in 2024, has sharply reduced shipments. It has sent just one cargo of about 55,000 tons this year, representing less than 3 percent of the market.
Colombia Redirects Supply Elsewhere
DBX Commodities CEO Alexandre Claude expects Colombia’s coal exports to Israel to remain near zero in the short to medium term.
“Colombia will redirect slightly more coal to other buyers,” Claude said. “The country already has a diversified customer base.”
Israel Plans Exit From Coal
Israel’s energy and economy ministries did not respond to requests for comment.
However, a senior official at the state-owned Israel Electric Company said the country plans to phase out coal as a major power source by 2027.
“The era of coal is finished in Israel,” the official said. “We will rely on natural gas as our main energy source. Coal will serve only as a backup during emergencies.”
