After slowing throughout the first quarter, China’s imports of LNG picked up in both April and May.
China’s Imports in May 2018 at Record Levels for Polyethylene and Ethylene-alpha-Olefins Copolymers
After easing in April, imports of LDPE plus HDPE and also ethylene-alpha-olefins copolymers, rebounded to back to the record levels set in March.
Global Trade in Polypropylene was 29 Million Tons in 2017
Based on statistics from 75 countries, polypropylene homopolymer trade was 19.7 million tons of the 29 million ton total, up 4%; propylene copolymers trade was 9.6 million tons, also up 4%.
Global Trade in Ethylene-alpha-Olefins Copolymers was 7.5 Million Tons in 2017
Ethylene-alpha-olefins copolymers are a new product designation by the World Customs Organization as of 2017 that has been assigned a unique Harmonized System code number. Trade in 2017 visible from statistics of more than 70 countries totaled 7.5 million tons.
59 Million Tons of Ethylene Polymers Were Traded in 2017
The total of all ethylene polymers imported and exported in 2017 was 59 million tons, up 7% from 2016, based on statistics from over 70 countries.
North America’s Exports of Polyethylene in 2017
North America exported 4.8 million tons of ethylene polymers to destinations outside the region in 2017, down 7%. Shipments to Europe and Latin America generally declined across polymer grades but exports to Asia-Pacific were higher.
Western Europe’s Polyethylene Trade in 2017
Western Europe imported 4.3 million tons of ethylene polymers in 2017 from all outside sources, up 4% from the prior year, and exported to destinations outside the region slightly less than it had imported, 4.2 million tons, up 7%.
China’ Imports of Polyethylene in 2017
China is the world’s largest polyethylene importer, with a volume in 2017 of 13.5 million tons, up 18%. Continue reading
Chemical Products from US that China has Targeted for Additional Tariffs
In addition to polyethylene, mainly in the form of conventional high pressure polymer, China has proposed tariffs on a number of other chemical and related products. The largest volumes potentially impacted include liquefied propane gas, PVC and EDC.
China’s Proposed Tariffs on PE Would Affect Relatively Small Volumes of US Exports
The volume of US exports of polyethylene that could potentially be exposed to punitive tariffs totaled 229,000 tons in 2017. Conventional high pressure low density polyethylene was 155,000 tons of that total. Continue reading