Sustainable and specialty fertilizers
Overview
The importance of sustainable and specialty fertilizer markets has grown as producers diversify their product ranges and end users seek more efficient fertilizer compositions. These developments have been further impacted by the drive towards sustainability, which has accelerated interest in these markets.
Argus market experts have many years of experience in these sectors, incorporating price reporting, cost calculations, fundamentals analysis and forecasting.
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Latest sustainable and specialty fertilizers news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global sustainable and specialty fertilizers markets
Iran says 200 ships sought Hormuz permits since June
Iran says 200 ships sought Hormuz permits since June
Dubai, 14 July (Argus) — More than 200 non-Iranian vessels co-ordinated with Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) to transit the strait of Hormuz in the three weeks after Tehran and Washington signed their memorandum of understanding (MoU) last month, the authority said on Tuesday. The PGSA was formed as part of Tehran's push to tighten control over shipping in and around the critical strait of Hormuz after the start of the US-Israel war with Iran in late February. Tehran has required vessels seeking to transit the strait to apply in advance for a permit from the PGSA. In many cases, this also involved paying a fee to the authority. This fee was waived for 60 days as part of the MoU signed on 18 June, which was intended to lay the groundwork for reopening the strait to commercial shipping, ending the fighting and starting talks towards a final peace deal. But tensions over control and administration of the strait resurfaced last week as Iran and the US began exchanging fire. Iran declared the strait closed again over the weekend of 11-12 July, and US president Donald Trump announced on Monday that Washington would reimpose a naval blockade on Iran. "Prior to the recent provocations by US forces in the region that led to the closure of the strait, more than 200 non-Iranian vessels co-ordinated with the PGSA during the three weeks following the signing of the memorandum of understanding," the authority said. A breakdown published by the PGSA showed that 41pc of vessels applying for permits were "oil tankers". Bulk carriers accounted for 27pc, container ships 18pc and LNG carriers 2pc. The PGSA said 53pc of vessels submitting requests were travelling eastbound through the strait to exit the Mideast Gulf, while the remaining 47pc were westbound and entering the Gulf. Of the eastbound vessels, 21pc were destined for China, 20pc for India and 29pc for elsewhere in Asia-Pacific. Another 22pc were travelling to destinations in the wider Middle East region, including ports in Oman, Saudi Red Sea ports and the UAE port of Fujairah. Of the westbound vessels, 21pc originated in India, 19pc in China and 20pc from other Asian countries. The PGSA said 24pc of vessels entering the Mideast Gulf through the strait originated from ports "within the region". The PGSA said 79pc of vessels that co-ordinated with it before transiting the strait also took out insurance cover from the authority. It said 14pc of vessels that had applied were still awaiting permits. It has taken the PGSA an average of 50 hours to issue permits, the authority said. Rival routes Ship transits through the strait of Hormuz have collapsed since the weekend to levels not seen since the early days of the war. At the heart of the latest flare-up is a dispute between Tehran and Washington over the management of the strait. The broadly worded MoU signed last month called for Iran to "make arrangements… for the safe passage of commercial vessels". Tehran interpreted that clause as giving it total control over which vessels can use the waterway and which route they should take. The US has rejected that interpretation. Iran has prescribed a northern route through the strait along the Iranian coastline, arguing that other routes remain unsafe because naval mines have yet to be cleared. But the US has promoted a southern route through the strait along the Omani coastline. Washington has said 380mn bl of crude exited the Mideast Gulf, and more than 800 ships passed through the strait via this route, between 18 June and 10 July — roughly the same period covered by the PGSA data. By Nader Itayim Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Annaba phosphate port expansion to accelerate: Update
Annaba phosphate port expansion to accelerate: Update
Adds the current maximum cargo size in paragraph 3, adds Bled El Hadba rock export availability in paragraph 7, updates Djebel Onk details in paragraph 8 London, 14 July (Argus) — Additional workers and equipment will be deployed this month and next to Algeria's Annaba phosphate port expansion project, aiming for completion by the first quarter of 2027, Algeria's works and infrastructure ministry said. The project's workforce will double and Annaba "will be reinforced with additional machinery and equipment... to accelerate the pace of work and guarantee the project's delivery within the scheduled deadlines", the ministry said, according to Algerian state-controlled media. The project centres on building a deepwater quay that can handle 80,000t ships to strengthen "the logistical competitiveness" of Algerian phosphate rock and fertilizer exports. Algeria's phosphate rock producer and Sonarem subsidiary Somiphos currently loads shipments of up to 55,000t. The port expansion is part of Algeria's Integrated Phosphate Project (IPP), a partnership between state-owned energy company Sonatrach and state-owned mining firm Sonarem. The IPP includes the development of phosphate deposits in Bled El Hadba and a phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid and ammonia facility in Oued Keberit, Souk Ahras province. The IPP "is scheduled to enter production during the first quarter of 2027, coinciding with the completion of the Annaba port expansion project and its readiness to export its initial phosphate shipments", the government said last month. The IPP Souk Ahras phosphoric acid production facility will have a capacity of 900,000 t/yr of P2O5, with potential phosphate rock demand of around 3mn t/yr, according to Argus analysts. The Bled El Hadba mine will supply the Oued Keberit facilities and is already in operation and building up stocks, Argus understands. Somiphos said it will market some of the phosphate rock from Bled El Hadba for export before the phosphoric acid production in Oued Keberit comes on line. Somiphos also expects to complete a 1mn t/yr expansion at its Djebel Onk mine by July 2027. It is aiming for its production to reach 1.8mn t over 2026. After this expansion is complete, Somiphos will likely supply phosphate rock to Indonesia, under an agreement for up to 1mn t/yr signed with state-owned fertilizer group Pupuk Indonesia in January . By Adebiyi Olusolape and Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Tampa 3Q liquid sulphur price hits record $705/lt
Tampa 3Q liquid sulphur price hits record $705/lt
London, 13 July (Argus) — Third-quarter contract prices for molten sulphur deliveries into Tampa, Florida, have been settled at a record high of $705/long tonne (lt) delivered, up by $50/lt from the $655/lt settled for the prior quarter. The 8pc rise sets a new record after the second-quarter agreement had already surpassed the previous peak from 2008. Spot export shipments have capitalised on the lack of sulphur flows out of the Middle East, with prices well above the contract level. The latest assessment for spot exports from US Gulf refineries stood at $1,100-1,150/t fob on 9 July. US Gulf shipments reached unusual markets during the second quarter, including north Africa for fertiliser production and east Africa for copper belt consumers, as Middle East export flows dwindled. The moderate contract range is thought to reflect affordability concerns for the downstream fertiliser market, where phosphate fertiliser demand has weakened because of high prices. This is part of a wider global trend, as higher costs have driven discounts for domestic sulphur consumers in many regions to secure fertiliser production. Additionally, some sulphur producers in the US Gulf lack infrastructure to export solid sulphur, leaving them dependent on domestic liquid sulphur consumers and concerned about potential demand destruction causing storage tanks to fill at production sites. By Maria Mosquera Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Algeria to accelerate Annaba phosphate port expansion
Algeria to accelerate Annaba phosphate port expansion
London, 13 July (Argus) — Additional workers and equipment will be deployed this month and next to Algeria's Annaba phosphate port expansion project, aiming for completion by the first quarter of 2027, Algeria's works and infrastructure ministry said. The project's workforce will be doubled and Annaba "will be reinforced with additional machinery and equipment... to accelerate the pace of work and guarantee the project's delivery within the scheduled deadlines", the ministry said, according to Algerian state-controlled media. The project centres on building a deepwater quay that can handle 80,000t-capacity ships, to strengthen "the logistical competitiveness" of Algerian phosphate rock and fertiliser exports. The port expansion is part of Algeria's Integrated Phosphate Project (IPP), which is a partnership between state-owned energy company Sonatrach and state-owned mining firm Sonarem. The IPP includes the development of phosphate deposits in Bled El Hadba and a phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid and ammonia facility in Oued Keberit, Souk Ahras province. The IPP "is scheduled to enter production during the first quarter of 2027, coinciding with the completion of the Annaba port expansion project and its readiness to export its initial phosphate shipments", the Algerian government said last month. The IPP Souk Ahras phosphoric acid production facility will have a capacity of 900,000 t/yr of P2O5, with a potential phosphate rock demand of around 3mn t/yr, according to Argus analysts. The Bled El Hadba mine will supply the Souk Ahras facilities and is already in operation and building up stocks, Argus understands. Algerian phosphate rock producer and Sonarem-subsidiary Somiphos expects to complete a 1mn t/yr expansion at its Djebel Onk mine by mid-2027. Its current phosphate rock capacity is around 1.5mn t/yr, according to Argus analysts. After this expansion is complete, Somiphos will likely supply phosphate rock to Indonesia, under an agreement for up to 1mn t/yr signed with state-owned fertilizer group Pupuk Indonesia in January . By Adebiyi Olusolape and Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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