China April imports of most petrochemicals post yr-on-yr growth
Viola Pan
26-May-2015
SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China’s import volumes of most petrochemicals in April increased on a year-on-year basis, with benzene posting a triple-digit growth, official data showed on Tuesday.
Out of the 45 major chemicals being tracked by ICIS in China, 28 recorded higher import volumes while 17 posted declines, based on China Customs data. (Please see table below)
Benzene imports surged more than four folds to 187,577 tonnes, while imports of petrochemical feedstock naphtha more than tripled to 443,065 tonnes, the data showed.
A closed arbitrage window between the US and Asia last month saw most of South Korean benzene cargoes delivered into China, market sources said.
Dioctyl phthalate (DOP) posted the biggest increase in import volume in April to 22,687 tonnes from 1,641 tonnes in the same period last year.
Traders took advantage of lower prices of imported material last month, said a source from the DOP market.
Among chemicals that showed double-digit declines in import volumes are ethyl acetate (etac) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA).
Etac volumes slumped 64% year on year to 11 tonnes in April, while PTA imports fell 57% to 38,777 tonnes, according to China Customs data.
Butyl glycol ether imports in April, meanwhile, declined 50% to 6,371 tonnes, the data showed.
|
2015-Apr |
Import |
Export | ||||
|
Product |
Import (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
Export (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
|
Naphtha |
443,065 |
255% |
-10% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Ethylene |
143,497 |
-9% |
31% |
3 |
80% |
6115% |
|
Propylene |
228,562 |
-10% |
-17% |
6 |
1443% |
– |
|
Butadiene |
28,925 |
74% |
-25% |
25 |
– |
– |
|
HDPE |
452,353 |
20% |
-24% |
12,103 |
-29% |
-32% |
|
LDPE |
197,233 |
21% |
-13% |
4,374 |
-15% |
5% |
|
LLDPE |
244,293 |
14% |
-22% |
4,602 |
33% |
-36% |
|
PP |
415,634 |
4% |
-27% |
26,272 |
164% |
24% |
|
PVC |
62,163 |
-1% |
-35% |
87,675 |
3% |
-31% |
|
EPS |
6,630 |
33% |
82% |
23,712 |
21% |
-2% |
|
Benzene |
187,577 |
358% |
-5% |
3 |
-100% |
-100% |
|
Toluene |
65,409 |
-50% |
-28% |
35 |
-85% |
-61% |
|
PX |
1,040,088 |
31% |
-1% |
20 |
-100% |
-100% |
|
SM |
331,935 |
19% |
2% |
0 |
-100% |
– |
|
PTA |
38,777 |
-57% |
-39% |
55,593 |
36% |
46% |
|
MEG |
784,025 |
8% |
12% |
182 |
-5% |
5% |
|
ACN |
28,757 |
-44% |
-42% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Caprolactam |
29,456 |
20% |
32% |
5 |
425% |
-48% |
|
Phenol |
13,834 |
49% |
-36% |
3,197 |
-65% |
7% |
|
Methanol |
511,995 |
43% |
23% |
36,696 |
-48% |
33% |
|
Acetone |
28,135 |
-40% |
0% |
54 |
67% |
1061% |
|
BPA |
52,462 |
167% |
-18% |
0 |
-75% |
-97% |
|
IPA |
6,791 |
118% |
-16% |
1,404 |
628% |
-64% |
|
MEK |
150 |
24% |
-2% |
8,725 |
-17% |
-10% |
|
Base oil |
219,392 |
-22% |
-17% |
695 |
-33% |
-64% |
|
MMA |
16,942 |
-13% |
-12% |
2,468 |
-5% |
4% |
|
PMMA |
18,659 |
1% |
12% |
1,034 |
24% |
1% |
|
GAA |
5,840 |
15% |
27% |
3,433 |
-56% |
-14% |
|
Butyl-A |
3,354 |
42% |
4% |
2,704 |
-65% |
-8% |
|
2EHA |
2,505 |
-15% |
-12% |
704 |
3% |
-11% |
|
2-EH |
18,892 |
68% |
7% |
2,605 |
-59% |
909% |
|
NBA |
25,029 |
19% |
-24% |
2,020 |
692% |
5043% |
|
PA |
3,582 |
-24% |
-68% |
6 |
-93% |
-78% |
|
DOP |
22,687 |
1283% |
-3% |
392 |
-67% |
-45% |
|
Polysilicon |
10,897 |
37% |
6% |
770 |
435% |
348% |
|
Alkylbenzene |
2,585 |
-32% |
9% |
17,082 |
48% |
40% |
|
Anionic surfactants |
5,841 |
5% |
27% |
16,110 |
43% |
3% |
|
Butyl glycol ether |
6,371 |
-50% |
-17% |
195 |
154% |
-47% |
|
MIBK |
3,708 |
20% |
-39% |
497 |
1035460% |
19279% |
|
Ethyl acetate |
11 |
-64% |
-59% |
44,944 |
239% |
21% |
|
TiO2 |
20,281 |
7% |
42% |
43,589 |
-17% |
-7% |
|
Epoxy Resins |
18,976 |
-7% |
-19% |
6,006 |
-13% |
14% |
|
MA |
25 |
-9% |
-47% |
5,388 |
47% |
1% |
|
ECH |
3,289 |
194% |
-28% |
219 |
175% |
2544% |
|
PET |
15,562 |
-9% |
1% |
187,816 |
-17% |
2% |
Source: China Customs
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