Prominent trends year to date included lower Middle East exports to Asia-Pacific but a shift to higher volumes to Western Europe; increased imports into Western Europe also from Eastern Europe and Latin America; a strong upward trend in imports into China from April through July. Global trade in methanol totaled 14.5 million tons July 2014 year to date, down 7% from the prior year based on reporting countries. The Middle East exported nearly 5 million tons, down 15%, a 19% decline in volumes to Asia-Pacific, to 4.4 million tons, slightly offset by a 27% rise in shipments to Western Europe, to nearly 400,000 tons.

Western Europe’s trade was highlighted by expanded intra-regional trade, higher imports from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, but lower volumes from Africa.

Although methanol imports into China through July were down 30%, to 2.3 million tons, import volumes rose strongly from April through July, reaching 633,000 tons in that month as the average import price slid to $342 per ton. China’s exports declined as imports rose, although volume YTD was up 44%, to 532,000 tons.

From: ITP’s World Trade Surveys – providing a continuously updated view of current trade flows between countries and regions for specific products.