It also represents a month-on-month drop of 16.2% and, according to data analysis from Platts, August 2013 exports were the lowest since September 2011, excluding the traditionally lower months of May and January.

The terminal reported that the majority of exports, being 36% or 1.89Mt, were shipped to east Asia, which includes China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan among others.

The second-largest destination in August was south Asia with 27% of exports.

South Asia, which includes India and Pakistan, was the main export destination In July and is leading the year-to-date data, receiving 36% of RBCT exports.

RBCT said the exports were shipped in 31 Cape size vessels, seven Panamax ships and eight Handysize cargoes.

Supply wasn’t a problem, however, with South African state-controlled operator Transnet Freight Rail railing an all-time high of 6.89Mt of coal in 866 trains during August.

It is a 10% increase both from July and from August 2012.

RBCT said in a statement on Monday that the figure was a record for the rail company.

“It is clearly evident that the initiatives undertaken by TFR to improve the coal line efficiencies are yielding positive results,” RBCT said.

So far this year, TFR has delivered 46.7Mt of coal to RBCT.

RBCT showed in its data that the increase in deliveries combined with the decrease in shipments resulted in stocks at the terminal totaling 4.7Mt by the end of August, a 49.6% increase from July.