China and South Korea are early reporting countries with trade data currently available for April 2025. From January to April, China exported 1.0 million tons of polypropylene (all grades), up 17%; Korea shipped 1.2 million tons, down 9%.
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The Middle East’s ABS, SAN, Polyacetal, Polycarbonate, PMMA, and PET Trade in 2024: Key Trends and Regional Shifts
The Middle East’s largest volume engineering polymer exports were polycarbonates, PET, and ABS. The largest imports were PET and polycarbonates.
Continue readingGlobal Trade in Recyclable Polyethylene Slowed in 2023 and 2024
Global trade in recyclable PE contracted slightly in 2024, to 2.9 million tons, off 1% from 2023. This followed a 3% decline in 2023 versus 2022. Turkey was the world’s largest importer of recyclable PE; imports picked up in 2024 as the average price fell.
Continue readingTrends in Polyethylene Global Trade
The volume of polyethylene traded globally expanded strongly from 2013 through 2019 but then slowed and, in 2021 and 2022, contracted.
Continue readingChina’s LNG Imports were Down 21% May 2022 YTD from May 2021 YTD. Imports from US and Other Sources Fell Sharply; Qatar, Russia and Trinidad-Tobago Supplied Higher Volumes
Weak economic activity over the last several months was evident from the drop by over 3 million tons, 21%, in China’s imports of LNG through May, to 26.6 million tons.
Continue readingImpressive Surge in US Exports of Polyethylene in March, 2022
The United States exported 966,000 tons of ethylene polymers in March, 2022, an increase of 160,000 tons over February. Shipments of every PE grade were up in March. Further increases are likely with startup of new capacity.
Continue readingNew High on LNG Exports from the United States in November, 2020, China a Factor
US exports slowed during the second quarter of 2020, hovered at a low around 2 million tons per month from June through August, then climbed sharply, to over 6 million tons in November.
Continue readingKorea’s Polymer Trade in 2018
Korea exported 10 million tons of commodity polymers in 2018, up 4% from the prior year, imported 900,000 tons of commodity polymers, up 15%, plus an additional 150,000 tons of recycle polymers, up 141%.
Continue readingOverview of Brazil’s Commodity Polymer Trade July 2018 YTD
Brazil’s exports of commodity polymers trended downward through most of the first seven months of 2018. Imports were moderately higher; imports of fabricated plastic products rose strongly.
Surge in US Exports of LNG to Latin America, Asia, Middle East and Europe
The United States exported nearly 7 million tons of liquefied natural gas through June 2017, versus minor volumes in the same period in 2016. Shipments were global, with large volumes to all regions except Africa. As US exports to Western Europe and Latin America increased, shipments from the Middle East and Africa to those regions dropped.