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Ice AOA ammonia contract volumes pass 26,500t

  • Spanish Market: Fertilizers
  • 11/12/24

The Ice Ammonia Outright — Argus Ammonia (AOA) northwest Europe cfr future contract has surpassed 25,000t traded, reaching 26,500t on 9 December.

The Ice AOA futures contract was launched on 16 January 2023 and settles against a calendar-month average of the daily Argus northwest Europe cfr duty free price.

The contract's block trade minimum threshold is five lots. One lot is the equivalent of 100t. Since the contract launched, all trades have gone through FIS brokers and cleared through Ice.

"Ammonia's role in the energy transition highlights its potential as a cornerstone of low-carbon energy solutions, and we are optimistic about the bright future for this product," FIS ammonia and fertilizer broker Kieran Walsh said.

Ammonia is gaining traction as a potential method of decarbonising energy sectors, by producing it using renewable energy sources or through carbon capture and storage techniques.

It can potentially be used directly as a fuel source in the marine sector, for co-firing in power generation or as a hydrogen carrier.

More than 3mn t of physical ammonia has been imported into northwest Europe so far in 2024, according to Argus line-up data.

Europe as a whole accounts for about a fifth of global ammonia imports, or about 4mn-5mn t/yr.


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13/06/25

Egyptian urea production halted on Israel attacks

Egyptian urea production halted on Israel attacks

London, 13 June (Argus) — All Egyptian urea plants have stopped production today because of a drop in natural gas flows from Israel, with suppliers withdrawing urea offers. Greek independent Energean has suspended production from its Karish gas field offshore Israel in line with an Israeli government order after the country carried out air and missile strikes against Iran in the early hours of Friday local time. Production at Israel's two other offshore gas fields — Leviathan and Tamar — may also have been affected. Operator Chevron declined to comment, beyond stating that its employees and facilities were safe. One source told Argus that output at Leviathan has been suspended. Leviathan has a production capacity of 1.2bn ft³/d (12.36bn m³/yr), while Tamar's production capacity is 1.1bn ft³/d. Both fields supply gas to Egypt. Egypt has bought at least 140 LNG cargoes for delivery across the rest of this year and next year. But limited import infrastructure and capacity will likely keep urea production outlook uncertain in the near term. Production will be vulnerable to further fluctuations, because of the geopolitical situation in the region. At least five Egyptian urea plants with a combined capacity of around 3.29mn t/yr stopped production on 17 May, following initial reductions a week earlier. Operating rates at the country's urea plants are estimated at 70-80pc of capacity since 9 June. By Dana Hjeij Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Indonesia seeks stronger potash trade with Belarus


12/06/25
12/06/25

Indonesia seeks stronger potash trade with Belarus

London, 12 June (Argus) — Indonesia is looking to improve trade flows of potash with Belarus after a meeting last week between Indonesian foreign minister Sugiono and the Belarusian ambassador to Jakarta. Sugiono intends to enhance "co-operation in potash" with Belarus to support the Indonesian government's goal of "achieving national food security", the foreign ministry said in an official statement. Belarus is one of the world's largest exporters of potash fertilizer. State-owned producer Belaruskali exported more than 10mn t of potash last year. Indonesia is the largest importer of potash in southeast Asia and applies most of the fertilizer to the country's large palm oil plantations. Indonesia sourced almost a fifth of its total MOP imports from Belarus last year. Indonesia imported 245,000t of MOP from Belarus last year, in addition to roughly 406,000t of MOP from Uzbekistan, the majority of which is likely to be from Belarus, GTT data show. In the first four months of this year, MOP imports from Belarus and Uzbekistan totalled about 331,000t. Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto has outlined food security as a core objective of his government. Since coming to power in October, his administration has introduced plans to increase agricultural output by converting some of the country's swamplands into rice fields. By Aidan Hall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU adopts new Russia, Belarus tariffs


12/06/25
12/06/25

EU adopts new Russia, Belarus tariffs

Brussels, 12 June (Argus) — The EU has now formally adopted new tariffs on remaining Russian and Belarus agricultural products, as well as on a range of fertilizers. The regulation, implementing the tariffs, enters into force on 1 July. EU officials estimate the new agricultural tariffs cover up to 15pc of Russian agricultural exports to the EU in 2023. The EU would, from 1 July, place an additional 50pc tariff customs duty based on value on over 145 CN codes. Goods covered include animal, dairy, live trees and other plants, coffee and meat as well as various animal fats and plant oils, including palm and palm kernel oil. The implementation of tariffs is to take place over three years for nitrogen-based and compound fertilisers. The new tariffs add an additional €40/t on imports of most nitrogen fertilizers — including urea, amsul, AN, CAN, and UAN — from Russia and Belarus, beginning on 1 July. They also add €45/t to the import of DAP, MAP, NPKs, NP and some other grades. The new tariffs are additional to already-existing import tariffs to the EU. For most grades from Russia these import tariffs are set at 6.5pc. From 2026 until 2028 the rates increase to reach levels of €315/t and €430/t respectively for the two product groups. The legal text also foresees immediate application of the highest rates, if cumulative imports exceed 2.7mn t in 2025-2026, 1.8mn t in 2026-2027, or 0.9mn t in 2027-2028. The European Parliament adopted the additional tariffs last month. Like EU states, parliament confirmed the commission's legal proposal, leaving unchanged the rates and phase-in period of tariffs proposed by the commission at the end of January. By Dafydd ab Iago EU proposed import tariffs for Russia and Belarus ( €/t *) Urea, Amsul, AN, CAN, UAN NPKs, DAP, MAP, NP Jul 25-Jun 26 40 45 Jul 26-Jun 27 60 70 Jul 27-Jun 28 80 95 From Jul 28 315 430 *All tariffs on top of 6.5pc import duty. Levels are applicable for a total of 2.7mn t in 2025-26, 1.8mn t in 2026-27, and 0.9mn t in 2027-28. Once the quota has been reached, levels jump to the level from July 28 — EU Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

India’s RCF receives DAP offer, NFL issues DAP tenders


12/06/25
12/06/25

India’s RCF receives DAP offer, NFL issues DAP tenders

London, 12 June (Argus) — Indian fertilizer importer RCF received one offer at $781/t cfr under its tender to buy 50,000t of DAP, which closed today, and fellow importer NFL will close tenders to buy DAP on 13 and 16 June. Trading firm Indagro submitted the only offer in RCF's tender. RCF had sought offers for black, brown or white DAP for shipment from the load port by 10 July and delivery to the east coast of India from its memorandum of understanding (MOU) suppliers. Indagro also submitted an offer at $779.90/t cfr in Indian importer Hurl's tender to buy DAP, which closed on Wednesday, alongside fellow trading firm Hexagon, which offered at $774.93/t cfr. NFL seeks DAP in tenders NFL is seeking offers for 25,000-50,000t of black, brown or neutral-coloured DAP in a tender closing on Friday. It wants the cargo to ship from the load port by 30 June for delivery to India's west coast. Offers are to be valid until 18 June. It has also issued a tender to buy 25,000-50,000t of DAP, closing on 16 June. It wants the cargo to ship from the load port by 31 July, also for delivery to India's west coast. Offers are to be valid until 20 June. Both tenders are open to NFL's MOU suppliers. The cargoes in both tenders are to be priced for payment at sight. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Japan to import more ammonia from 2027


12/06/25
12/06/25

Japan to import more ammonia from 2027

Singapore, 12 June (Argus) — Japan is expected to import an additional 100,000-150,000t of grey ammonia from 2027, following the closure of domestic ammonia producer and petrochemicals company Ube Chemicals. Ube will idle its 330,000 t/yr ammonia plant in Japan by March 2028, citing declining profitability of its downstream caprolactam and nylon polymer production business. Japan's total ammonia consumption is around 1mn t/yr, with domestic production fulfilling 800,000-900,000 t/yr of this. Imports typically amount to around 200,000 t/yr, but these have declined slightly this year to around 140,000-150,000 t/yr owing to poor downstream fundamentals in the chemicals industry. The closure of Ube's ammonia plant in 2027-28 means Japan will likely need to increase its ammonia imports to fulfil the shortfall, with the additional supply potentially coming from southeast Asia or China. Ube accounts for around 40pc of Japanese domestic ammonia production. Japan's remaining three ammonia producers are Mitsui Chemicals, Resonac and Nissan Chemicals, which have ammonia production capacities of 314,000 t/yr, 120,000 t/yr and 100,000 t/yr, respectively, accounting for 35pc, 13pc and 11pc of domestic production. Ammonia is mainly used in Japan to produce petrochemicals, automotive-grade AdBlue urea or other urea derivatives, fertilizers and nitric acid. Japan's semiconductor industries also use ammonia, although they only require around 5,000 t/yr. By Dinise Chng Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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