Global trade in ethylene and propylene monomer fluctuated over the five-year period, with a sharp downturn in 2020.

Ethylene monomer trade climbed from 7.1 million tons in 2016 to 8 million tons in 2018 and 2019, before dropping to 7.2 million tons in 2020.

Propylene monomer trade was steady at 8 million tons in 2016 and 2017. Volume slumped to 7.7 million tons in 2018, rebounded in 2019 to a high for the period of 8.3 million tons, then dropped again, to 7.3 million tons.

Because most monomer is used domestically, global trade in these products is not indicative of global demand.

From International Trader Publications’ Ethylene World Trade Report and Propylene World Trade Report, continuously updated analysis of world trade based on statistics from the 100 countries in ITP’s database.