The volume of liquefied propane gas traded globally has expanded each year from 2015, with the exception of the pandemic year 2020. Exports from North America increased each year and have far exceeded exports from the Middle East.
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China’s Imports of Polyethylene Picked up in August, 2022; Reduced Volumes YTD Changed Trade Flows Globally
After several slow months China’s imports of ethylene polymers in August 2022 were up by 140,000 tons from July. The 12% fall off in imports YTD, to 10.5 million tons, led to increased exports by Asia-Pacific exporters to Western and Eastern Europe and Africa.
Continue readingWestern Europe’s Polyethylene Imports in 2021 Projected to Nearly Equal 2019 Pre-Pandemic Levels; Polypropylene Imports, to Exceed Those Levels
Imports of PE and PP from Eastern Europe increased in both 2020 and 2021. Large volumes of polymer were imported from the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, North America and other regions, despite widely discussed logistics issues.
Continue readingPropylene Polymer Imports into Eastern Europe Up by 1 Million tons From 2015
Imports of polypropylene, propylene copolymers and polyisobutylene into the geographic region of Eastern Europe increased from 3.3 million tons in 2015 to 4.3 million tons projected for 2021.
Continue readingThe Volume of LNG Traded Globally Expanded by Over 100 million tons from 2012-2020
Volume went from 233 million tons in 2012 to 338 million tons in 2020, with further gains projected for 2021.
Continue readingUS Exports of PVC Were Down 17% Through July; Further Declines Expected
The shutdown of several PVC facilities by Shintech, Westlake and Formosa Plastics due to Hurricane Ida will impact US exports, which were already down substantially from last year as of July.
Continue readingHDPE Global Trade Volume Was Down 8% in the First Half of 2021; Trade in Linear Polymer was off 3%.
These regional trends were the same for both polymers: lower imports into Western and Eastern Europe and, with the biggest impact on global trade volumes, Asia-Pacific; increased imports into the smaller markets of Africa and Latin America; reduced exports from North America; mixed trends for Middle East exports; higher exports from Asia-Pacific.
Continue reading2.2 Million Tons of Ethylene Trade Was Added Globally From 2010 – 2019, but was Followed in 2020 by a Sharp Contraction.
The volume of ethylene traded globally rose from 5.8 million tons in 2010 to a high of 8 million tons in 2019, then slowed to 7.4 million tons in 2020 because of the pandemic. Regional trade flows shifted dramatically during that period.
Continue readingThe Volume of RPE Traded Globally Fell by 45% from 2016 to 2020, Dropping from 5.1 to 2.8 Million Tons
Key trends included: a dramatic drop in trade within the Asia-Pacific region; much lower imports into Asia-Pacific from other regions: much higher imports into Eastern Europe.
Continue readingChina’s Imports of Ethylene Polymers Were up 11% in 2020, to 21.3 M Tons, Although Volume Slowed in the Fourth Quarter
Imports of HDPE were 9.1 million tons in 2020, up 14% from the prior year; linear polymer as EAOC, 6.7 million tons, up 17%; LDPE, 3.4 million tons, down 1%; and EVA, 1.0 million tons, down 3%. Much higher volumes from North America and Eastern Europe and little growth in supplies from the Middle East were striking trends.
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