The coal trade surplus and merchant seafarers in British-Norwegian relations during the First World War

During the First World War, more than 800 Norwegian ships were sunk by hostile action, with a loss of about 2,100 seafarers. The Norwegian merchant fleet was extremely important for Norway's economy and for securing the import of vital goods. In addition, Britain and her allies needed goods carried in Norwegian merchant ships, such as coal shipped across the Channel to France. This article examines the relationship between Britain and Norway during the war, concentrating on the roles of two important resources, coal and maritime labour. The first part of the article outlines the wartime Anglo-Norwegian relationship. Negotiations around the so-called ‘coal trade surplus’, and how the surplus was allocated, are analysed in the second section. The coal trade surplus derived from British coal exports to Norway and was transferred from the British to the Norwegian Government in 1919. The British Ministry of Shipping, in recognition of the efforts of Norwegian seafarers, demanded that part of the surplus should be allocated to their well-being and to a memorial for the Norwegian merchant seafarers who had perished during the war.

The Role of Coal in the International Energy Trade

Review of the second edition of the book by Lars Schernikau. Economics of the International Coal Trade: Why Coal Continues to Power the World. Springer, 2016. 497 p.

An Alternative View to the Global Coal Trade: Complex Network Approach

The role of energy for the developmental process of nations is a known fact due to being crucial input for any phase of production of goods and services. That’s the reason why countries that are rich in energy resources also have strategic power in terms of the international trade of these resources. On the other hand, it becomes important to provide energy security for countries that are resource-poor. Although green energy has become preferred one, fossil fuel energy keeps its place as one of the most used energy resources. That's why in this study it is aimed to determine major providers and users of coal as a type of fossil fuel energy resources. It is vital to investigate the structure of global coal trade structure to determine the weaknesses and strength of supply and use of coal. Network approach provides a holistic view to the system analyzed and presents more realistic (high-degree) indicators to analyze it. In this study, global trade network of coal is analyzed from 2000 to 2017 via network analysis. Changing structure and evolution of global coal trade has been revealed via some topological parameters which are specific to complex networks such as density, clustering, assortativity/disassortativity, centrality and degree distribution.

Ukrainian rebels gain leverage from illicit coal sales

Subject Coal exports from eastern Ukraine. Significance Ukraine's rebel regions began exporting coal eastwards to Russia after Kyiv imposed a ban on trade with them in March. Now coal exports are being routed via Russia and Belarus to EU member states, although Poland has promised to stop buying illicit coal after the Ukrainian government complained. Impacts The loss of the coal trade is reducing Kyiv's economic and hence political leverage over the DNR and LNR. Kyiv's trade embargo has backfired and created economic difficulties for Ukraine. Enriched by the coal trade, the DNR and LNR are likely to become more independent from both Ukraine and Russia.