# Acetic acid: Movement

Heated tankers through the Malacca Strait to India

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/movement/

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 m
exports $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 | – |

 UN Comtrade 2024, reported by each country (exports by exporters, imports by importers), all partners. Some countries (for example Russia and Iran) do not report, so their shares are missing. HS codes can be broader than the tile: check the code before reading a share as the whole market.

#### 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. |  |  |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/trading/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/acetic_acid/links/index.md)