Saudi Arabia exported 10.6 million tons of polyethylene (all grades, partly estimated) in 2024, up 2% from 2023. The UAE shipped 3.8 million tons, up 11%. (UAE does not publish statistics; data is visible from trading partners). Key to the expansions were regional shifts.

Saudi Arabia exported polymer to every world region. The largest volume, 6.0 million tons, was to Asia-Pacific, but this was down from 6.2 million tons in 2023. Saudi Arabia offset the decline by shipping significantly higher volumes to numerous markets in Africa and also more polymer to Western Europe and Eastern Europe, noting, especially, Poland. Most of Saudi Arabia’s exports to the Middle East are to UAE, which are likely re-exported.

Exports out of UAE are not directly published, but are visible as imports into trading partners, as country of origin ‘UAE’. Asia-Pacific accounted for 90% of the total, with China and India, by far the major markets. Smaller volume shipments to Africa also were up; exports to Western and Eastern Europe fell slightly.

From International Trader Publications’ World Trade Analyses, continuously updated analyses of global trade in all grades of polyethylene.