Sulphur imports to South Africa in the first five months of 2026 have dropped by 68pc, with only about 56,300t imported compared with 174,183t in the same period in 2025.
The decline was driven by the sudden halt and then return of Middle East cargoes, which typically account for the vast majority of South Africa's sulphur imports. In January-May 2025, imports included 62,600t from Kuwait, 40,000t from Oman, 38,500t from Saudi Arabia and 31,500t from the UAE.
Only one Middle East sulphur cargo was delivered into South Africa in the same period this year — about 55,000t in February — as imports from all key Gulf producers have been absent since 27 February, when the US-Iran conflict started.
South Africa's domestic sulphur market has also faced competition from the Copperbelt mining sector. Following the outbreak of the conflict, mining companies moved quickly to secure sulphur supplies, often paying premium prices for material from the US Gulf Coast, Vancouver, the Black Sea and other export regions.
South African consumers linked to the chemicals, fertilizer, paper and pulp sectors in comparison have been forced to reduce operating rates at a time of limited sulphur availability.
Higher logistics costs have added to the strain. Following diesel price increases in March and April, trucking rates for a round trip between Richards Bay and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), before returning to Durban, peaked at about $1,000/t. Trucking freight costs from Richards Bay to Kolwezi in the DRC rose to about $600/t, reducing the route's competitiveness compared with backhaul options through Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Supply tightness was particularly evident in April when no sulphur warehouse stock in Richards Bay was available, as the amounts were already committed to downstream buyers.
As of June, several sulphur cargoes have been able to discharge into Richards Bay but sulphur availability outside of committed volumes still remains tight.
Sulphuric acid shortages add further pressures
Major South African fertilizer and sulphuric acid producer Foskor shut down operations in March on the back of sulphur shortages, preventing margins for fertilizer sales.
Foskor typically supplies the local sulphuric acid market in South Africa as well as exporting volumes to the Copperbelt.
South Africa's oil refiner Sasol — which also produces sulphur and sulphuric acid — was rocked with an unplanned immediate shutdown at one of its facilities in March, preventing any sulphuric acid production, and is understood to be in maintenance until August, further tightening regional acid availability.
