US ferrous scrap exports fall in September

US ferrous scrap export volumes in September fell from a year earlier as lower containerized and land shipments from Mexico offset increased bulk export volumes.

• US scrap exports in September totaled 1.07mn metric tonnes (t), down by 30pc from the same month last year and off by 5pc from the prior month, according to customs data.
• Total export volumes across the third quarter increased by 15pc to 3.8mn t, led by Turkey, Egypt and Bangladesh.
• Egypt remained active in the bulk market for a third month, with the nation importing the most scrap since the first half of 2022.
• Bulk scrap export volumes in September totaled 639,300t, up by 6pc from the same month last year but down by 37pc after a multi-year surge in August drive by Turkey.
• US exports to Turkey — the top consumer of east coast-origin scrap — rose 64pc to 340,700t but were down 38pc from the prior month.
• Cross border land shipments fell on the year by 36pc to 105,400t in September as shipments to Mexico fell by 43pc and volumes to Canada fell by 19pc.
• Containerized exports fell to a 7-month low and totaled 325,600t in September, down by 8pc from the prior year and 14pc from the previous month, driven by weaker volumes to Taiwan, India and Bangladesh.
• Taiwan remained the largest outlet for US containerized shipments in September at 83,800t, down 14pc from the same month last year and off by 16pc from the prior month as a summertime slump in domestic steel demand extended.
• Pakistan remained the second largest destination for containerized scrap exports at 64,600t, up 17pc from the prior year and 31pc higher than the previous month, despite persistent reports of financing challenges, while Thailand climbed to the third largest destination after shipments there jumped to an 11-month high of 49,600t.
• Containerized shipments to India fell to an 8-month low as the seasonal monsoon period and weaker domestic steel markets weighed on the nation's scrap demand.

By Brad MacAulay