The strike begun at midnight, September 30th, by the International Longshoreman’s Association, has the potential to disrupt US polymer exports, particularly of polyethylene and PVC, particularly large volumes of which are shipped out of Houston-Galveston, Texas.
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Trends 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.
Continue readingPetrochemical Trade – Turkey Aims to Accelerate Free Trade Negotiations with the GCC, Potentially Impacting 1.8 Million Tons of Polyolefin Imports – International Trader Publications
Turkey imported 668,000 tons of polyethylene and 1.1 million tons of polypropylene from the GCC in 2023. The duty rate was 6.5% on virtually all grades.
Continue readingChina’s Exports of All the Commodity Polymers Set New Records in March 2024
The simultaneous jump to new highs in March of China’s exports of polyethylene, polypropylene, styrenic polymers, PVC and PET was unprecedented. A rebound in polymer shipments after the holiday in February was expected and evident historically but new polymer capacity was also indicated, particularly in polypropylene.
Continue readingTrends in China’s Polyolefin Polymer Trade Through February 2924
Polyethylene polymer import and export volumes were higher versus February YTD 2023, but at depressed prices. Imports of polypropylene were down sharply; low-priced export volumes climbed.
Continue readingTrends in China’s Trade in Commodity Polymers in 2023
China’s imports of commodity polymers as a total of all grades of PE, PP, styrenics, PVC and PET, declined for the third year in a row, a loss of nearly 10 million tons of volume over the 2020-2023 period. Exports of the combined total climbed for the third year in a row, increasing by nearly 7 million tons. Shipments of manufactured products identifiable as plastic showed a small gain of 0.7 million tons in 2023, rising to 16.7 million tons.
Continue readingExpansion in Iran’s Exports of Liquefied Gases and Chemicals
Iran is a major exporter of liquefied gases and chemicals and the country’s shipments of these products have risen dramatically over the last five years.
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.
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