The volume of polyethylene traded globally expanded strongly from 2013 through 2019 but then slowed and, in 2021 and 2022, contracted.
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Trends in PVC Global Trade
The volume of uncompounded PVC traded globally has stayed remarkably constant over the last several years, but there have been profound changes in imports and exports on a regional level.
Continue readingTrends in EDC and VCM Global Trade
Global trade volume for both EDC and VCM trended upward from 2018 through 2020 but then diverged, with profound changes in regional, and country, imports and exports over the period.
Continue readingCaustic Soda Global Trade 2018-2022: Steady Volume; Huge Increase in Asia-Pacific Exports.
The volume of caustic soda in aqueous solution traded globally has ranged narrowly between 20.2 and 21.4 million tons per year from 2018 to 2022. During that period Asia-Pacific exports to other regions increased 270%, particularly impacting exports out of North America and the Middle East.
Continue readingChina’s Commodity Polymer Trade February 2023 YTD
China’s imports through February 2023 of polyethylene, China’s largest commodity polymer import, showed no change versus February 2022 YTD. Imports of polypropylene posted a moderate increase. On the export side, however, China shipped substantially more of each major commodity polymer than in the same period in 2022.
Continue readingTrends in Polyethylene Exports and Imports by Region from 2018 to 2022
Much higher exports out of North America and flat exports out of the Middle East were evident from a comparison of regional exports from 2018 through 2022. On the import side, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America saw steady growth in imports.
Continue readingTrends in Global Trade in Liquefied Propane Gas
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.
Continue readingChina’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 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.
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