But the move is unlikely to translate into more activity through Port Kembla very soon, as major Illawarra coal producer South32 doesn't have plans to sell coal to China.

South32 told the Mercury its primary export markets were South East Asia, India and Europe.

Read more: Arrested in Helensburgh, man now faces bestiality material charges

While it had sold coal to Chinese companies before the freeze commenced in 2020, it did not have any plans in place to do so now.

South32 sells much of its output to BlueScope steel in Port Kembla.

Peabody Energy, which operates the Metropolitan Colliery at Helensburgh, also sells most of its coal to clients in India, Japan and Europe.

Wollongong Resources (Wollongong Coal) delivers all of its coking coal to parent company Jindal Steel and Power in India.

Tahmoor mine operator SIMEC told the Mercury it had not previously been affected by the China ban, but would now be looking to "maximise market opportunities where possible".

China's state planner has allowed three central government-backed utilities and its top steelmaker to resume coal imports from Australia, the first such move since Beijing imposed an unofficial ban on coal trade with Canberra in 2020.

The partial easing of the coal import ban comes after the Australian and Chinese foreign ministers met last month seeking to reset the frosty diplomatic relations between the two nations.

China imposed restrictions on Australian commodities including coal and wine just over two years ago after relations between Beijing and Canberra turned sour over several political and public health matters.

Australia used to be the second largest coal supplier to China before the ban, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of China's coal imports or more than 70 million tonnes of supply.

China's most-active coking coal futures delivery closed down 2.32 per cent earlier on Wednesday in anticipation of increasing supply from Australia.