Methanol
Overview
The global methanol industry has suffered in recent years. First COVID-19, then the Russia-Ukraine conflict, followed by global inflation, stagnation and downward revised GDP forecasts. It is hoped 2022/2023 will be the performance valley for the sector, looking toward an improved—but still slowed—outlook. The huge China methanol appetite has slowed. The MTO sector sees minimal growth ahead. The rest of the world will have to generate increased demand, but with much of this sector tied to GDP performance, the outlook here too is reserved. New capacity continues to define the landscape, with several new units expected in the coming months.
Pricing is spiking in Q4’23 due to a myriad of methanol production outages around the world. Production will return and prices weaken some. However, the outlook is for the olefins and olefin derivative sectors to finally end their respective down cycles. Olefin/derivative prices are expected to improve, driving higher MTO methanol affordability values. The rest of the methanol industry is expected to follow China’s MTO methanol price strength.
Argus’ experts will help you determine what trends to track and how to stay competitive in today’s ever-changing global markets.
Latest methanol news
PureCycle, IPL launch food-grade containers
PureCycle, IPL launch food-grade containers
Houston, 12 August (Argus) — US recycler PureCycle Technologies has partnered with global packaging producer IPL Schoeller to launch SnapPack Square EVO, a range of clear, food-contact polypropylene (PP) containers with recycled content. The new product expands IPL Schoeller's portfolio of tamper-evident packaging and incorporates 20pc PureCycle PureFive recycled PP in each container. The containers will be available in multiple sizes and formats, offering brand owners a ready-made solution to meet New Jersey recycled-content requirements. PureCycle's PureFive resin is produced using the company's patented dissolution recycling process. The resin has been recognized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as qualifying recycled content under the state's Recycled Content Law and is certified by the Association of Plastic Recyclers for post-consumer recycled content, the company said. New Jersey's Recycled Content Law, signed in 2022, requires manufacturers of certain packaging sold in the state to use minimum levels of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content to increase demand for recycled materials. Most rigid plastic containers must contain at least 10pc PCR from 2024. Food-contact rigid plastic containers, which received a five-year exemption, must contain at least 20pc PCR from January 2027, rising to 30pc in 2030, 40pc in 2033 and 50pc in 2036. The commercialization of SnapPack Square EVO gives brand owners access to packaging that already contains compliant recycled content, removing the need to develop and qualify custom packaging solutions. Qualification of new food-contact packaging can take one to two years because of testing requirements related to performance, contamination and regulatory compliance, making the January 2027 deadline challenging for some companies, PureCycle said. PureCycle identified New Jersey's January 2027 requirement for food-contact rigid plastic packaging as a key demand driver for recycled polypropylene during its second-quarter earnings call, as brand owners increasingly seek compliant sources of post-consumer recycled resin ahead of the mandate. The SnapPack Square EVO container line is expected to be available to brand owners in autumn 2026. By Dona Davis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US extends but narrows Jones Act waiver
US extends but narrows Jones Act waiver
New York, 10 August (Argus) — President Donald Trump's administration said it will continue to waive domestic shipping requirements under the Jones Act for another 90 days, albeit with stronger oversight than the previous waiver. The waiver, first enacted 17 March, will now require the Department of Defense to consult with the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) on the availability of Jones Act vessels prior to an individual shipping voyage before determining whether the waiver can be applied, a White House official told Argus . This marks a shift from the waiver's current iteration, valid through 16 August, that relies on the vessel operator or charterer documenting their reasoning. As of 7 August, MARAD data show that around half of the reasons given for the 212 documented Jones Act waiver voyages simply cite the shipment's coverage under the waiver, while only 19 entries mention Jones Act vessels not being available. The new waiver still covers most products that were covered previously, such as diesel, gasoline, crude, soybean oil and fertilizers, but coal and coal-derived products are no longer allowed, according to the official. US-based shipping groups expressed strong opposition to a waiver extension, particularly under the existing blanket waiver authority used since March. "The government can respond to a genuine emergency without turning an exceptional waiver into a standing invitation for foreign operators to enter routine domestic commerce," former US federal maritime commissioner William Doyle said in an op-ed in the Washington Examiner on 10 August. The Trump administration issued the waiver of the Jones Act — which allowed foreign flagged and owned vessels to carry US-to-US shipments in place of US-flagged, US-owned and US-crewed vessels — on 17 March on national security grounds under section 501a and later extended it by 90 days. But some of the voyages conducted under the waiver have been criticized by the domestic maritime industry as not serving any national security purpose . The waiver was issued to ensure US airfields and military installations are properly supplied with fuel, but has otherwise been highly popular with US refiners. Republican lawmakers urged Trump in July to restore the Jones Act, calling the waiver "a loophole exploited by adversarial countries to erode America's maritime dominance". By Charlotte Bawol Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Brazil Embraer's 1H deliveries rise by 20pc
Brazil Embraer's 1H deliveries rise by 20pc
Sao Paulo, 10 August (Argus) — Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer said it delivered 109 aircraft in the first half of the year, up from 91 in the same period in 2025. The first half deliveries represent about 42pc of the 240-255 aircraft Embraer expects to deliver this year, eight percentage points above the five-year average of 34pc for deliveries by this time of year, Embraer said. Embraer delivered 74 executive aircraft in the first half — generally smaller, customized aircraft — up from 61 a year before. It expects to deliver 160-170 executive aircraft this year. It also delivered 30 commercial aircraft in January-June, up from 26 a year prior. It expects to deliver 80-85 of that kind of aircraft in 2026. Embraer delivered five defense aircraft in the half, up from four a year before. The firm did not disclose a defense forecast for the year. In the second quarter alone, Embraer delivered 65 aircraft, a 7pc rise from 61 in April-June 2025 and the highest for a second quarter in 16 years. Order backlogs Embraer's second-quarter order backlogs reached $34.5bn, a 16pc hike from a year before, with increases in all aircraft segments. The commercial aircraft backlog reached $15.1bn, 15pc higher than in second quarter of 2025, driven by an order for 15 E195-E2 aircraft from US-based Azorra, Ebraer said. Azorra's order pushed Embraer's E2 aircraft orders past the milestone of 500 orders. Embraer's executive aviation backlog stood at $7.8bn, a 5pc increase from a year before. That was bostered by the "achievement of triple certification for the new Praetor 600E and Praetor 500E models" from industry regulators in Brazil, Europe and the US, the firm said. The defense aircraft backlog totaled $6.1bn, a 42pc hike from a year before, thanks to a "landmark agreement" with the UAE comprising 10 firm orders and 10 purchase options for the C-390 Millenium aircraft. That is the largest international order from a single country for this multi-mission aircraft and marks its entry into the Middle East market, Embraer said. Embraer's second-quarter services and support backlog also rose by 12pc to $5.5bn. The firm announced a long-term support agreement with Canadian Jazz Aviation during the period as well a new agreement with the Brazilian Air Force's KC-390 Millennium fleet, covering both aircraft in operation and future deliveries. The firm's second-quarter revenues hit almost $2.24bn, up from around $1.45bn a year before. First-half revenues reached $3.68bn, a 26pc hike from $2.92bn a year beforee. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Rhine oil traffic stops as water still dropping: Update
Rhine oil traffic stops as water still dropping: Update
Updates throughout Hamburg, 10 August (Argus) — Barge traffic along the River Rhine has largely come to a standstill, disrupting oil product supply in western Germany, barge operators said. Several terminals on the Lower Rhine will be cut off from barge traffic towards the end of the week. The gauge at the key Kaub bottleneck reached a new record low over the weekend, at 17cm. The federal waterways and shipping administration expects it to fall to as little as 4cm by 14 August, making Kaub practically impassable. Historically low levels have already slashed the number of barges able to pass Kaub, and the loads they can carry without running aground. A German shipowner said last week when levels had reached 23cm that a vessel with a maximum capacity of 1,200t can only carry 180t, and that the voyage to Karlsruhe from the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub now takes five days instead of two. Specialised vessels, which are wider and longer but draw less water, can carry a maximum of 700t. The federal waterways and shipping administration also said the water level in Cologne stood at just under 60cm today. Most inland vessel fleets require water levels of around 1m to reach the loading terminals at Cologne Molenkopf, Cologne-Niehl, Godorf and Wesseling, shipping companies said. This threshold was breached at the end of July, and water levels are forecast to fall further to as low as 40cm by mid-month. Loading terminals in western Germany, including Neuss, Duisburg and nearby Bendorf, may also become inaccessible during the week ending 14 August, shipowners said. German policymakers have introduced emergency measures to ease growing logistical constraints along the river. The federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony and Saarland have temporarily lifted restrictions on truck traffic on Sundays and public holidays. But it remains unclear whether the oil product sector will benefit from these steps. Replacing a fully loaded barge carrying 2,400t of diesel would require almost 89 road tankers, each with a capacity of 32m³. Fuel traders also report that their tanker fleets are already running above normal utilisation levels because of longer hauls to more competitively priced loading terminals. Product availability in western Germany, especially for road fuels, has tightened in recent weeks, traders said. Many traders that usually buy at tank farms along the Rhine are diverting to the Miro consortium's 310,000 b/d Karlsruhe refinery in southwestern Germany. But supply in southern Germany has also fallen after a leak at a mild hydrocracker at the Bayernoil consortium's 207,000 b/d Vohburg-Neustadt refinery prompted two local suppliers to pull supply from the spot market on 7 August. The restrictions are likely to last a week. By Natalie Müller and Johannes Guhlke Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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Iran War: Impact on the Methanol Industry
Methanol prices fall as Hormuz shipping resumes and Iran’s supply loss eases. Argus’ Dave McCaskill assesses market recovery and demand trends.
Methanol Market Outlook, Iran‑US Agreement & Pricing
Episode 21
