MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall polyethylene (PE) imports to the Ukrainian market dropped in the first nine months of 2021 by 4% year on year to 196,600 tonnes. Imports of all PE grades decreased, with few exceptions, according to MRC's DataScope report.
Last month's PE imports to Ukraine were 25,500 tonnes versus 25,900 tonnes in August, local companies reduced their purchasing of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Thus, overall PE imports reached 196,600 tonnes in January-September 2021, compared to 204,200 tonnes a year earlier. Imports of all PE grades decreased, except for ethylene copolymers, with HDPE accounting for the greatest reduction in shipments.
The supply structure by PE grades looked the following way over the stated period.
Last month's HDPE imports fell to 7,300 tonnes from 8,000 tonnes, shipments of polyethylene for extrusion blow moulding (EBM) decreased. Overall HDPE imports totalled 62,700 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021 versus 73,400 tonnes a year earlier.
September LDPE imports were 7,300 tonnes versus 8,300 tonnes a month earlier, Ukrainian companies faced limited purchases of PE in Azerbaijan and Russia. Overall LDPE imports reached 59,700 tonnes in January-September 2021, down by 2% year on year.
Last month's imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were 8,700 tonnes, compared to 7,300 tonnes in August, shipments of film grade LLDPE from Saudi Arabia increased. However, overall LLDPE imports were 59,500 tonnes in January-September 2021, which equalled the last year's figure.
Imports of other PE grades, including ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA), totalled 14,700 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 10,600 tonnes a year earlier.
MRC