【Needle Coke】Monthly Import Data Analysis

1. Overview of Import Data

Source: General Administration of Customs

In October 2023, the import volume of petroleum-based needle coke was 7,700 tons, an increase of 5,800 tons compared to the previous month, with a growth rate of 305.26%, and the Graphitized petroleum coke for your reference. From January to October 2023, the cumulative import volume of petroleum-based needle coke was 62,600 tons, a decrease of 27,300 tons compared to the same period last year, representing a decline of 30.37%.

Source: General Administration of Customs

In October 2023, the import volume of coal-based needle coke was 4,400 tons, a decrease of 1,700 tons compared to the previous month, with a decline of 27.87%. From January to October 2023, the cumulative import volume of coal-based needle coke was 62,200 tons, a decrease of 1,000 tons compared to the same period last year, representing a decline of 1.58%.

2. Influencing Factors

The total import volume of needle coke in October increased significantly by 51.25%, mainly due to the decrease in domestic production load, with a decrease of 15.57%.

3. Import Structure

3.1 Production and Sales Countries

In October 2023, the import volume of needle coke, according to the country of production and sales, was led by the United States, with an import quantity of 7,466.75 tons, accounting for 61.83%. Next is South Korea, with an import volume of 3,998 tons, accounting for 33.10%. The import volume from the United Kingdom was only 2 tons, with a significant year-on-year decline.

3.2 Registration Location

In October 2023, the import volume of needle coke, according to the registration location, was dominated by five provinces: Shandong, Shanghai, Jilin, Tianjin, and Beijing. The combined import volume of these five provinces was 11,269.84 tons, accounting for 90.22%, with a year-on-year growth of 163.52%.

4. Trend Prediction

In November, the expected import volume of needle coke in China is around 10,500 tons, a month-on-month decrease of about 13%. The main judgment is based on the current limited domestic supply pressure, low operation of downstream graphite electrodes due to terminal demand and winter environmental policies, leading to an overall decrease in demand. It is recommended to pay attention to the recovery of downstream demand in the near term.  If you have any inquries of carbon products, feel free to contact us.