South African miners have significantly boosted thermal coal exports to Israel following Colombia’s total ban on coal shipments to the country in August, according to data from Kpler, LSEG and DBX Commodities.
Both Colombia and South Africa have been vocal critics of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, but the Colombian export ban enacted after accusing Israel of killing tens of thousands, including children created a supply gap that South African producers have stepped in to fill.
The data showed that Colombian coal exports to Israel fell to zero in the three months to November, while South African shipments rose 87% to 474,000 metric tonnes on an annual basis during the same period. South Africa is now projected to supply around 55% of Israel’s seaborne coal in 2025, the largest share since 2017.
Despite its criticism of Israel, South Africa has continued to export electricity-grade coal, a move critics say contradicts its political stance. Since 2023, more than a dozen South African exporters have supplied coal to Israel, and all cargoes imported by Israel since September have come from South Africa.
Colombia’s absence has also allowed a minor resurgence of Russian coal shipments, though Russian supplies accounted for just one cargo of 55,000 tonnes, representing less than 3% of Israel’s coal market in 2025.
Israel’s state-run electric utility has announced plans to phase out coal by 2027, switching primarily to natural gas, although coal remains a critical backup for emergency power needs.
