September US Fe exports down on Turkey, east Asia

US ferrous scrap exports dipped in September on lower volumes to Turkey and east Asia relative to a year earlier.

Total exports moved down by 12pc to 1.12mn t for the month, according to US Commerce Department data. Year-to-date exports edged down by 2pc to 11.7mn t.

Containerized/bulk

Decreases in bulk ferrous shipments outweighed higher container shipments compared to September 2018.

Bulk ferrous volumes declined by 28pc to 581,000t in September from a year ago as shipments to Turkish and Asian consumers dropped.

Turkish bulk tonnages fell by 20pc to 278,939t on a lack of shipments from the Gulf coast. South Korean volumes fell by 95pc to 6,700t, while Vietnam-bound shipments decreased by 98pc to 1,800t.

Still, containerized exports increased on the year, with total volumes up by 10pc to 355,000t.

Malaysia and South Korea had significantly higher containerized volumes in September, with Malaysian tons up to 65,000t from 18,000t, and South Korea up to 27,000t from 3,000t in September a year prior.

Shipments to Taiwan accounted for 27pc of total containerized exports at 97,000t.

East coast

East coast ferrous exports inched up by 3pc to 490,000t from a year earlier, led by higher volumes to Turkey.

Turkish volumes from the Atlantic seaboard rose by 10pc to 279,000t, while Egyptian volumes climbed by 18pc to 45,000t.

Greece received 33,000t after importing none in September 2018. Malaysian imports increased from 13,000t to 38,000t.

Pakistan also had higher imports from the US east coast, with volumes ticking up by 75pc to 30,000t.

These gains offset lower exports to other markets, including India and Peru. Indian shipments slipped by 37pc to 23,000t, and Peru imported no US east coast ferrous material compared to 32,000t a year ago.

Year-to-date east coast shipments declined by 2pc to 5.1mn t.

West coast

Exports from the US west coast dropped by 21pc to 380,000t in September after leading trade destinations South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam saw volumes decline from a year earlier.

The month marked the lowest amount of exports from the west coast since December 2016.

Exports to Bangladesh totaled 166,000t, up from 32,000t a year prior. Malaysian volumes rose to 17,000t, from 4,000t, and Indonesia-bound shipments increased to 11,000t from almost 3,000t in September 2018.

Still, fewer cargoes to east Asian destinations pressured west coast totals in September. Taiwanese imports fell by 22pc to 85,000t, while Vietnam levels dropped by 80pc to 32,000t. South Korean tonnages slid down by 76pc to 29,000t.

Year-to-date levels for west coast inched down by 4pc to 4.61mn t.

North American trade

Ferrous exports to Canada and Mexico decreased by 63pc at 200,000t.

Mexican volumes rose by 97pc to 170,000t, while Canadian shipments edged down by 18pc to 30,000t.