Ukraine decreased flat steel exports in December compared with the previous month, according to national customs data.
Total volume delivered amounted to 182,490 tonnes, up by 40% on-month and four-fold on December 2022, Kallanish notes. In monetary terms, flat product exports increased by 25.7% on-month and over three-fold on-year to $95.84 million.
In full-year 2023, exports were 1.2 million tonnes, down by 26.4% on-year. The value of flats exports amounted to $782.3m, down 42.2%.
12-month uncoated hot rolled coil exports reached 941,910t for $582.6m. In December alone, the country shipped 158,000t, up by 45.2% on-month, at a value of $81m, more by 34.8%.
It shipped 200,200t of cold rolled coil in January-December, up 42% on-month, with income at $132m, up 28%. In December alone it shipped 19,120t, up by 30% on-month.
The largest consumers of Ukrainian HRC in January-December were Poland with a 41.7% share, Bulgaria with 18.6% and Portugal with 7.3%. Those three countries also together consumed about 60% of CRC. The main buyers of Ukrainian coated flats were Poland (74.6%) and Romania (20%).
December longs exports meanwhile increased by 15.3% on-month and 59.4% on-year to 51,140t. Revenue from exports was higher by 18.7% on-month and 51.4% on-year at $36.5m. In January-December, Ukraine exported 523,840t, down 31.4% on-year. Revenue amounted to $395m, down 45%.
12-month exports of hot-rolled bars and bars in coil were up 19.7% on-month to 209,970t for $131.4m. In December alone, 21,970t were shipped, an increase of 54.4% on-month. Revenue was $12.87m, up 56.3% on-month.
The largest consumers of Ukrainian hot-rolled bars in January-December were Romania with a 37.5% share and Poland with 32.2%. Poland and Germany combined consumed about 60% of Ukrainian wire. Among the main buyers of other bars and bars were Moldova (24.1%) and Iraq (22.8%).
In 2023, Ukrainian steelmakers produced 6.23mt of steel, down 0.6% on-year. Pig iron output was also less by 6.1% to 6.23mt, but rolled products increased by 0.4% to 5.37mt (see Kallanish passim).
Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria
