Heavy plate imports into Europe limited despite higher domestic prices

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Prices for commodity-grade (S235) 8-40mm heavy plate imports into Europe were steady week-on-week, sources told Steel First on Wednesday November 13.

It is very difficult to sell imports in both Northern and Southern Europe at the moment, a Northern European trader told Steel First.

Steel First’s price assessment for heavy plate imported into Northern Europe was unchanged week-on-week at €450-460 ($603-617) per tonne cfr, on Wednesday November.

The price of plate imported into Southern Europe was assessed this week at €420-430 ($563-577) per tonne cfr, also unchanged week-on-week.

The majority of plate imports into Europe have recently come from India, China and Brazil, sources said.

Plate exports from China rose in price for the first time in four weeks on the back of the recent recovery in China’s domestic steel market. 

Export prices from China rose $10-15 according to Steel First’s price assessment this week.