Russia: Steel billets exports rise 15%, y-o-y, in CY'21 on active ex-Chinese buying

Russia, the world's largest billets exporter, recorded a 15.3% y-o-y growth in its overseas sales of the material in CY'21. The export volumes stood at 14.9 million tonnes (mnt) in the period under review as compared to 12.9 mnt seen in CY'20, as per customs data maintained with SteelMint.

Meanwhile, in Dec'21, steel billets exports from Russia rose sharply by 169% m-o-m to 1.36 mnt as against 0.51 mnt in Nov'21.

Mexico leading importer

Mexico, surpassing Taiwan, emerged as the largest importer of steel billets from Russia at 3.29 mnt in CY'21, increasing by a whopping 108% y-o-y as against 1.58 mnt in CY'20.

Taiwan acquired the second position among the top importers' list with 2.45 mnt in CY'21 followed by Belgium and Turkey with 2.43 mnt and 1.65 mn t, respectively.

Russia's billets exports to Taiwan, however, witnessed a y-o-y fall of 36% while those to Belgium and Turkey were up sharply by 143% and 75%, respectively in the period under review.

Price trends

The yearly average of SteelMint's assessment of Russia billets export (130*130mm, 3SP) prices increased sharply to $610/t FOB Black Sea in CY'21 from $395/t FOB levels in CY'20.