Turkey tops the list of the largest steel importers through Ukrainian ports

In 2020, Italy dropped down to the 2nd position in the rank of the largest importers of metal products through Ukrainian ports

In 2020, Turkey ranked 1st among the largest metal products importers through Ukrainian seaports. Ukrainian steelmakers shipped 2.3 million tons of metal through sea harbors to Turkey, 41.2% up from 2019, according to the data presented in the joint study by Stark Shipping and Ukrainian Shipping Magazine.

In total, Ukraine exports metals to 59 countries all over the world. Five leading countries import 54.6% of the total volume of metal products of all types.

“In 2020, there was a significant leap in Turkey’s ranking as a rolled products importer, even despite the increased import duties,” the study reads.

Italy, the leader in 2019, reduced imports by 14% in 2020, loosing the 1st position to Turkey. In 2020, many of the country’s steelmaking companies were idle due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, China was ranked 4th with a record volume of metal products imports from Ukraine — 1.45 million tons against 152 thousand tons in 2019.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, many companies have been able to take advantage of the active recovery of Chinese economy and increase their shipments of ore, thus resuming sales of metal products in that market,” the study reads further.

Shipments to Qatar grew significantly: 169.2 thousand tons against 10.3 thousand tons in 2019.

Shipments to Indonesia also grew significantly. The country was ranked 9th with imports of 407.7 thousand tons against 164.7 thousand tons in 2019. The main companies shipping metal products to Indonesia are ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (79%) and Metinvest (21%).

In 2020, Metinvest resumed shipments to the Dominican Republic — 204.8 thousand tons.

In 2020, AMKR entered a new market, Gabon, having shipped 2.1 thousand tons of metal products. The Company also resumed shipments to Guinea — 5.9 thousand tons.

Byelorussian Steel Works also opened up a new direction, Sudan, having shipped 20,998 tons of billets to the country.

Top 25 countries importing metal products through Ukrainian ports (all types of metal, excluding container shipments and Danube ports)

As reported earlier, in 2020 transshipment of ferrous metals for exports through Ukrainian seaports increased by 6.6% to 15.03 million tons against 2019.