UK based Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau reported that International trade of ferrous scrap, which fell by 4% YoY in 2005 to 90 million tonnes, saw steady trade in 2006 and estimated only a very small fall of around 1% for 2006 in full.

The major exporters with their 2006 totals and year on year changes were

Country Volume Change

In million tonnes

The major importers with their 2006 totals and year on year changes were

Country Volume Changes

 (In million tonnes)

The report further added that Russian fall in 2006 was partially due to a harsher than normal winter but is also due to increasing domestic production by both BOF & EAF routes as reflected in Severstal's recent acquisition of 1.1 million tonnes per year scrap merchant Vtorchermet. Russian EAF production increased by 1.5 million tonnes in 2006. Its Demand from increasing EAF capacity is likely to place a strain on world scrap supplies until emerging economies begin to generate significant scrap of their own.

Available figures for 2007 show increases in exports from USA up by 44% YoY, Russia up by 18% YoY, Germany up by 25% YoY and France up by 9% YoY, Japan down by 6% YoY and the UK down by 19% YoY recorded falling exports.

Available figures for 2007 show increases in imports by Italy up by 6%YoY, South Korea up by 17% YoY and Germany up by 27% YoY. Falling imports are shown by Turkey down by 3% YoY, Spain down by 24% YoY and China down by 57% YoY.

Steelguru, September 22, 2007