Displaying items by tag: Import
US cement shipments fall in first nine months of 2023
21 December 2023US: Shipments of cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico fell by 2.5% year-on-year to 80.7Mt in the first nine months of 2023 from 82.8Mt in the same period in 2022, according to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Shipments fell in most states with the exception of Texas and Pennsylvania. The USGS estimated that, in September 2023, 98% of all blended cement shipments were of Portland Limestone Cement. Turkey was the biggest exporter of cement to the country during the reporting period at 6.3Mt followed by Canada, Vietnam, Greece and Mexico.
Mineral Products Association welcomes UK cement carbon border adjustment mechanism plan
19 December 2023UK: The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has welcomed government plans for the implementation of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism for cement by 2027. The association urged the government to develop policy and business models for carbon capture, use and storage, including supporting a domestic carbon neutral and negative products sector.
MPA executive director for energy and climate change Diana Casey said “We cannot take our supply of cement for granted and neither can we put ourselves at risk of unstable international trading markets. That is why today’s commitment to a UK CBAM is so important. Levelling the carbon cost between domestic production and imports will help the UK attract the investment required to decarbonise and ensure our long-term security of supply. The Government’s commitment to bring in the UK CBAM by 2027 is very welcome, and ideally it should be introduced in 2026 to align with the EU scheme. This is the only way to prevent any detrimental impact of the EU CBAM on UK industry.” She added “As well as a CBAM on cement, the MPA would be interested in exploring a CBAM on lime. However, the challenge for the lime sector is ensuring that lime exports can compete in international markets.”
Kenya: East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) has announced plans to build a new clinker plant in Kajaido. The Nation newspaper has reported that it will cost US$200m to build. EAPCC plans to use local pozzolana, along with limestone and coral transported from Kenya’s Coast Province, in cement production at the plant. The producer says that it will clarify the timeframes of the project in 2024.
Vietnam raises 10-month exports to Australia
28 November 2023Vietnam/Australia: Vietnam exported 412,000t of cement to Australia during the first 10 months of 2023. Việt Nam News has reported that this is more than double the 10-month 2022 figure of 157,000t. The total value of the shipments also more than doubled year-on-year, to US$20.5m from US$8.37m.
South Korea/Egypt: The South Korean government’s 72% ‘anti-dumping duty’ on imports of white cement from Egypt entered force on 17 November 2023. Yonhap English News has reported that the measure will remain in force for four months, until 17 March 2023.
Egypt exported 9240t of white cement to South Korea in 2022, up by a factor of nine from 2021 levels.
Zimbabwe government allows licence-free import of up to 5t of cement
16 November 2023Zimbabwe: The government has enacted new rules according to which companies and individuals may import up to 100 50kg bags of bagged cement without an import licence. The Chronicle newspaper has reported that the measure aims to alleviate an on-going shortage. The government previously indicated that it would ease restrictions on cement imports for the first time since 2021 after prices doubled year-on-year on 7 November 2023.
Ukraine suspends anti-dumping duty on Moldovan cement
09 October 2023Moldova: The Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation has announced that Ukraine will cancel an existing anti-dumping duty on imports of Moldovan cement until 31 December 2023. Ukraine announced the move following constructive discussions held during a meeting of the co-chairs of the Moldovan-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation held in Odesa, according to Interfax-Ukraine.
Moldovan Minister of Economic Development and Digitalisation Vadim Humene insisted that Ukraine cancel the anti-dumping duty so that Moldova did not have to ‘initiate trade defence processes’ regarding products that Moldova imports from Ukraine.
In addition to the temporary removal of the anti-dumping duty, the two countries expressed their readiness to help remove barriers to trade and simplify border controls to optimise the flow of goods, review environmental duties and ensure transparent, uniform application of legislation by both countries.
EU: The EU launched the transitional phase of its carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) on 1 October 2023. Parties that import cement - and five other commodities - into the EU must now show the embodied CO2 emissions of their products.
The transition comes ahead of the full implementation of the CBAM in January 2026. At this point, those importing cement into the region will have to pay for the embodied CO2 of their products in order for them to enter the EU Common Market. Producers within the EU already pay for a proportion of emissions under the auspices of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
The intention of the CBAM is to reduce the risk of 'carbon leakage' as the costs of making cement rise in the EU due to changes in the ETS. While cement producers, as heavy CO2 emitters, are currently shielded from the full cost of their emissions, the number of free allowances they receive is set to fall substantially by 2026. At the same time, the cost of emitting a tonne of CO2 under the ETS, currently Euro80-90/t on the open market, is widely expected to rise.
Democratic Republic of Congo government bans cement imports
02 October 2023Democratic Republic of Congo: The government banned new imports of cement into the country on 30 September 2023. Local press has reported that the measure aims to protect local cement production and to move the country away from its dependence on imports.
Kongo-Central provincial government spokesperson Anne-Marie Tsasa said “Despite this ban, the circulation and sale of said products is noted in Kongo-Central province. The services working at the borders are invited to fight against this fraudulent practice.”
Egyptian white cement attracts new South Korean anti-dumping duties
21 September 2023South Korea/Egypt: The South Korean government plans to implement a 72% import duty on white cement from Egypt. Yonhap News has reported that the Korea Trade Commission (KTC) recommended the duty as an anti-dumping measure, following its investigation into the impacts of Egyptian imports on the South Korean white cement industry. This consists of Union Corporation’s 200,000t/yr Chongju white cement plant in North Chungcheong.
South Korea consumed 100,000t of white cement in 2022. Egyptian white cement commanded a 10% (10,000t) market share. The domestic cement industry complained to the KTC against Royal El Minya Cement and Albatros International Cement Trading in March 2023. An additional probe will now follow to assess the correct rate for the duty.