Imports of nearly all grades of polyethylene, polypropylene, styrenic polymers, PVC and PET were up sharply versus 2023, many grades setting new records. Brazil’s imports of fabricated plastic products also surged to new highs.
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Latin America’s Commodity Polymer Trade in 2024
Latin America’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by sizable exports of HDPE, polypropylene homopolymer (PP) and uncompounded PVC (PVCU). Latin America was a growth import market for each of the commodity polymers, noting especially both large volumes and large percentage increases on linear/ethylene-alpha-olefin-copolymers (LL/EAOC), HDPE, PP, and PVCU. This series of blogs quantifies imports and exports of the major commodity polymers – LDPE, LL/EAOC, HDPE, EVA, PP, PRC, polystyrene and PVCU – allowing comparisons across the polymers for the geographic regions of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Continue readingUS Plastic Product Imports Most Likely to be Impacted by the 10% Tariff on China
On February 4, 2025, the US imposed a 10% tariff on imports of all products from China, which included polymers and fabricated plastic products. US imports of polymers from China are small but there are large imports of fabricated plastic products. China countered with tariffs on imports from US of LNG and other products, but not on the large volumes of polymer shipped to China from the US.
Continue readingLNG Trade Between the US and China
As of February 4th, 2025, the US imposed a 10% tariff on all imports from China. Part of China’s response was to levy a 15% tariff on LNG imports from the US, to go into effect February 10th. In 2024, China reported 4.3 million tons of LNG imports from US; the US reported 6.0 million tons of exports to China, a difference of 1.7 million tons.
Continue readingNorth America’s Commodity Polymer Trade in 2024
North America’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by large volume exports of polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC, and relatively small imports. This series of blogs quantifies imports and exports in 2024 of the major commodity polymers – LDPE, linear/ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers (LL/EAOC), HDPE, EVA, PP, propylene copolymers (PRC), polystyrene, and PVC – allowing comparisons across the polymers for the geographic regions of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
Continue readingChina’s Trade in Commodity Polymers Has Shifted by 20 million Tons from 2020 to 2024: Imports Have Dropped by 10 million tons; Exports Have Risen by 10 Million Tons.
The changes in China’s trade in polyethylene, polypropylene, styrenic polymers, PVC and PET have profoundly impacted trade flows for both exporting and importing countries.
Continue readingUS Dockworkers Strike Would have Impacted Large Volumes of PE and PVC Polymer Exports
The strike begun at midnight, September 30th, by the International Longshoreman’s Association, and ended a few days later, had the potential to disrupt US polymer exports, particularly of polyethylene and PVC, particularly large volumes of which are shipped out of Houston-Galveston, Texas.
Continue readingTrends in US Exports of LNG, Liquefied Propane, Ethane, and Butane
Through July, 2024, the United States exported 53.1 million tons of LNG, up 2% from the same period in the prior year. The US also exported large volumes of other gases, some of which are produced during natural gas processing: 28.5 million tons of liquefied propane gas, up 10%, 5.8 million tons of liquefied ethane, down 3%, and 4.8 million tons of liquefied butane gas, down 2%.The US Energy Information Agency says that five new LNG export projects are under construction in the US, with shipments from two projects lilkely to begin at the end of 2024.
Continue readingMajor Trends in China’s Polymer Trade August 2024 YTD: Low Polyolefin Imports; Growing Polymer Exports; Record Shipments of Plastic Products
A slow economy, weak domestic demand and the availability of new capacity are reflected in China’s polymer trade. Through August, China imported 15.9 million tons of commodity polymers, unchanged from the same period last year and substantially lower than in earlier periods; exported growing volumes, with 9.9 million tons shipped through August, up 27%; and, shipped a record 12.5 million tons of identifiable plastic products, up 17%. Commodity polymers include polyolefins, styrenics, vinyl polymers and PET.
Continue readingIran’s Petrochemical Exports Expand in the First Half of 2024.
Methanol, polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE) and mono-ethylene glycol were Iran’s leading petrochemical exports (excluding liquefied gases) in the first half of 2024. Shipments of each were up versus the same period in 2023, mainly on increased exports to China.
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