Acetic acid: Movement
Heated tankers through the Malacca Strait to India
What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 291521
World exports $1.49 bn 84 reporting exporters · about 3.04 m t Largest exporter China 27.2% of world exports Largest importer India 26.5% of world imports India imports $514.4 mexports $14.4 m #1 importer · #11 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 291521: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 291521: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 27.2% | $406.6 m | 1.16 m |
| United States | 25.7% | $384.0 m | 808k |
| Malaysia | 12.7% | $190.3 m | 466k |
| Belgium | 9.9% | $147.5 m | – |
| Singapore | 7.4% | $110.9 m | 290k |
| South Korea | 5.6% | $83.0 m | 149k |
| Germany | 2% | $30.5 m | 22k |
| Saudi Arabia | 1.6% | $24.5 m | 50k |
HS 291521: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 26.5% | $514.4 m | – |
| Germany | 11.3% | $218.9 m | 372k |
| Belgium | 9% | $173.6 m | – |
| Mexico | 6.4% | $123.2 m | 280k |
| Japan | 5.2% | $101.0 m | 215k |
| Brazil | 4.5% | $86.3 m | 141k |
| Türkiye | 3.4% | $66.8 m | – |
| Singapore | 3.3% | $64.1 m | – |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | not published; Asian trade is significant because China, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia export and India imports (indicative) | ||
| How it moves | Glacial acetic acid moves in stainless steel or coated chemical tankers and ISO tanks; it freezes at 16.6 C, so tanks need heating in winter. | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | East China to India and Southeast Asia; US Gulf to Latin America and Europe; Singapore and Malaysia to South Asia. Malacca Strait is the main lane. | ||
| India | India's trade figures for HS 291521 were not verified. The 2026 episode showed India's exposure: Chinese cargoes arriving after the April spike created an inventory glut and cut domestic prices by a third within a month (ALCHEMPro). | ||
| Handling in transit | UN2789 acetic acid glacial (over 80%), Class 8 corrosive with subsidiary Class 3 flammable, Packing Group II. |