Sulphur and Sulphuric acid
Overview
The global sulphur market has gone through fundamental changes in buying patterns, trade routes and pricing over the past few years. Fixed price contracts and formula-based indexation have become the dominant ways in which supplies are bought and sold around the world, which makes accurate price assessments and detailed analysis key to any sulphur market participants.
The global sulphuric acid industry has seen structural change in recent years and new capacities will continue to challenge the balance in the years to come. While demand will be driven by fertilizers — predominantly the increased production of phosphate and ammonium sulphates — the market will continue to be exposed to short-term supply shocks, especially from the metals sector.
Rising demand for battery materials such as nickel and cobalt (due to growing electric vehicle production) will in turn bolster demand for sulphur and sulphuric acid, increase competition for supply and impact pricing.
Our extensive market coverage includes formed sulphur (both granular and prilled), crushed lump sulphur, molten/liquid sulphur and sulphuric acid. Argus has decades of experience covering these markets, and incorporate our multi-commodity market expertise in key areas including phosphates and metals to provide the full market narrative.
Argus support market participants with:
- Price assessments (daily and weekly for sulphur, weekly for sulphuric acid), proprietary data and market commentary assessments
- Short and medium to long-term forecasting, modelling and analysis of sulphur and sulphuric acid prices, supply, demand, trade and projects
- Bespoke consulting project support
Latest sulphur and sulphuric acid news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global sulphur and sulphuric acid industry.
Abu Dhabi's Adnoc raises July sulphur price by $140/t
Abu Dhabi's Adnoc raises July sulphur price by $140/t
London, 1 July (Argus) — Abu Dhabi's state-owned Adnoc has set its July sulphur official selling price (OSP) for the Indian subcontinent at $1,000/t fob Ruwais, up by $140/t from its June OSP. This is the highest level so far for the OSP, according to Argus records, $180-200/t above the previous record reached in June-August 2008, when the OSP hit $800-820/t fob. Adnoc's July OSP implies a delivered price of $1,105-1,108/t cfr India, with the freight cost for a 40,000-45,000t shipment to the east coast of India last assessed at $105-108/t on 25 June. Additional costs such as insurance premiums on top of higher bunker costs could elevate delivered price levels further. By Maria Mosquera Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia’s Dyno Nobel sells Phosphate Hill plant
Australia’s Dyno Nobel sells Phosphate Hill plant
Sydney, 1 July (Argus) — Australian explosives producer Dyno Nobel has sold its 769,000 t/yr Phosphate Hill plant to Australian energy and resources firm Mayfair for A$1 (0.69¢), with support from federal and state government loans, the company said on 1 July. Phosphate Hill is Australia's only MAP/DAP production plant and has recently faced issues with sulphuric acid supply , as well as rail disruptions on the Mount Isa line , which transports product to the Port of Townsville. The sale agreement was signed on 30 June. Dyno Nobel likely sold Phosphate Hill for a nominal A$1 as part of its plan to divest from the fertilizer sector, with the plant facing ongoing operational and cost pressures . The Australian federal and Queensland state governments have provided a A$160mn loan to support operations at Phosphate Hill, the Ministry for Industry and Innovation said. The loan will help Mayfair to upgrade the facility and includes assistance to manage higher sulphur costs following the US-Iran war. Australia imports 99pc of its sulphur from Canada, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Argus -assessed sulphur at $1,150/t fob Vancouver on 25 June, up by 136pc from 26 February. Production at Phosphate Hill fell by 9pc on the year to 272,800t in the financial half year to 31 March 2026. MAP/DAP exports from the Port of Townsville were flat on the year at 116,700t in the same period, trade data from ABS show. Exports in January-April dropped by nearly 100pc on the year to 43t. Australian agribusiness Ridley held a supply agreement for all MAP/DAP output from Phosphate Hill through Incitec Pivot Fertilizers before the sale and plans to renegotiate this deal with Mayfair . Ridley did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication. Argus last assessed MAP/DAP at $883-933/t fob Townsville on 25 June. Dyno Nobel reported net emissions of 446,062t CO2 equivalent to scope 1 emissions from Phosphate Hill in the financial year ending 30 June 2025, after surrendering 26,089 Safeguard Mechanism Credits. By Susannah Cornford Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
QatarEnergy raises July sulphur price
QatarEnergy raises July sulphur price
London, 30 June (Argus) — State-owned QatarEnergy Marketing has raised its July Qatar Sulphur Price (QSP) by $85/t to $890/t fob Ras Laffan/Mesaieed from $805/t fob in June. Freight rates as of 25 June were $125-140/t for a 30,000-35,000t shipment to Chinese ports. This implies a delivered cost of $1,015-1,030/t cfr, with additional insurance premiums raising prices further on a delivered basis. Vessel traffic through the strait of Hormuz has recovered in June, with more than 800,000t from previously loaded Middle East sulphur shipments crossing the strait, according to Argus estimates, and the majority under earlier sales or contracts. This has eased the most extreme stock shortages among major consumers, but the market remains very short due to delivery delays and production outages. Spot availability is limited to 2-3 Middle East shipments in trader hands. The number of LNG vessels holding positions near Ras Laffan have spurred optimism that QE could be preparing for a production ramp-up at the terminal following drone attacks and damage to the production facility. By Maria Mosquera Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
More sulphur vessels leave the Mideast Gulf
More sulphur vessels leave the Mideast Gulf
London, 25 June (Argus) — More vessels carrying sulphur have left the Mideast Gulf, switching on their AIS tracking at the Fujairah bunkering hub after successfully transiting the strait of Hormuz. From a peak of around 1mn t of sulphur built up in floating storage in the Gulf by late April owing to the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz, around 300,000-400,000t remains loaded on vessels in the region. Most of this product is tied up under earlier commitments, and while at least two shipments are being offered on a spot basis, spot availability remains limited. One spot shipment is understood to be from a vessel that has already transited Hormuz, while another is yet to pass through the strait. The 56,600dwt Poly Odyssey is due to deliver to south China under contract The 50,100dwt Xing Qiang 1 is due to deliver to Indonesia under earlier commitments The 40,000dwt Warrior will deliver to Jorf Lasfar, Morocco, under regular contracts The 36,800dwt Lady Anastasia will deliver to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania The 39,300dwt Western Doncaster will deliver to southern Africa under an existing agreement These shipments follow several vessels that exited the strait in the past 10 days . Seven vessels had crossed from the UAE to primarily Morocco during May-early June and from Saudi Arabia towards Singapore, with at least one of the two sold to Indonesia rather than China, despite earlier tracking information pointing to China . By Maria Mosquera Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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