US ethylene exports in H1 jump 98% on year: USITC

Houston — US ethylene exports in the first half of 2020 were nearly 98% higher than in the same period in 2019 as Enterprise Products Partners' new joint venture export terminal along the Houston Ship Channel ramped up outflows, showed latest data from the US International Trade Commission, or USITC, released Aug. 6.

The US shipped out 236,698 mt of ethylene in the January-June period, up from 119,675 mt in the year-ago period. The new terminal, the second in the US, exported its first cargo in January.

Monthly USITC data showed that June outflows rose 206% at 85,130 mt from 27,815 mt in May.

China overtook Taiwan as the top recipient in June, having received 40,359 mt, up 374% from 8,508 mt in May. Taiwan came in second with 25,626 mt of US ethylene imported, and Indonesia at third with 11,759 mt, overtaking Belgium in June.