Global Energy Monitor

Maps

What do the colored dots mean?

The colors indicate the status category:

  • Operating: The terminal has been formally commissioned; commercial operation is underway.
  • Construction: Site preparation and equipment installation are underway.
  • Proposed: Proposed projects that have been described in corporate or government plans or media releases, and/or that are actively moving forward in seeking governmental approvals, land rights, or financing.
  • Permitted: Projects that have received governmental approvals, land rights, and/or financing.
  • Cancelled: A project cancellation announcement has been made, or no progress has been observed for at least four years.
  • Shelved: A project has been officially delayed, or no progress has been observed for at least two years.
  • Retired: The terminal has been decommissioned.
  • Mothballed: The terminal is disused.
Can I change the status categories the map is showing?

Yes, go to the legend (bottom right corner of the map) and click in the box next to a color.

How can I view other coal infrastructure?

The map provides the option to view coal terminals in conjunction with Global Energy Monitor’s coal infrastructure data, including the Global Coal Plant Tracker, Global Coal Mine Tracker, and Global Steel Plant Tracker.

When was the map data published?

The datasets underlying each project were last updated:

  • Coal terminals: Dec 2022
  • Coal plants: July 2022
  • Coal mines: July 2022
  • Steel plants: March 2022
What do the numbers in the circles mean?

The numbers tell the number of coal plants, coal mines, or steel plants at each location. To find information on each phase, click on the number, then select one of the colored dots.

I’ve zoomed in, but don’t see a coal terminal. Why?

If a project is still in the pre-operational phases (proposed, permitted, or construction), there may be no sign of activity. In other cases, only approximate location information could be found. Finally, satellite photos in some geographies are updated infrequently, so recent activity is not shown.

How accurate are locations?

Each coal terminal is marked “exact” or “approximate.” In the case of exact coordinates, locations are either specifically identified on a mapping service such as Google Maps, Open Street Maps, or gathered from company or government documentation. If the location of a coal terminal or proposal is not known, Global Energy Monitor identifies the most accurate location possible based on available information.

How do I find out if a location is exact or approximate?

To find out the coordinates of a location and whether a location is exact or approximate, click on the location dot, select the wiki page, and look under “Project Details.”

Coverage

Does the tracker include all coal terminals in each country?

The tracker provides information on coal terminals with capacities of 1 million tonnes or more. The tracker includes every coal terminal at this capacity threshold of any status, including operating, proposed, permitted, under construction, shelved, cancelled, mothballed, or retired. Future updates will include smaller terminals and increase global coverage.

How do you define capacity?

Capacity is measured in million tonnes, and refers to the collective nameplate capacity of the coal terminal.

Improving the Tracker

What if I find an error or a missing project?

Please fill out an Error Reporting form.

Credits

Who built this tool?

The tracker was designed and produced by Global Energy Monitor. The following people participated in coal terminal research: Jelena Babajeva, Sophia Bauer, Flora Champenois, Ariane Desrosiers, Isaac Gallogly, Russell Gray, Yedan Li, Christine Shearer, Ryan Driskell Tate, and Mingxin Zhang.

How do I cite this data?

Please refer to the Download Data page for citation guidance.