# Small-molecule APIs: Movement

How API drums move from Chinese ports to Indian plants

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/apis/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 2941
 World exports $10.0 bn 92 reporting exporters · about 131k t Largest exporter China 43.1% of world exports Largest importer India 18.9% of world imports India imports $1.94 bn
exports $1.06 bn #1 importer · #2 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 2941: 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 2941: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 43.1% | $4.31 bn | 87k |
| **India** | 10.6% | $1.06 bn | 14k |
| **Switzerland** | 8.6% | $856.6 m | 562 |
| **Italy** | 8.4% | $843.4 m | 3,648 |
| **United States** | 7.4% | $736.5 m | 2,575 |
| **Spain** | 4.1% | $408.2 m | 8,633 |
| **Belgium** | 2.5% | $251.2 m | 980 |
| **Denmark** | 1.8% | $183.5 m | 282 |

#### HS 2941: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **India** | 18.9% | $1.94 bn | – |
| **Italy** | 12% | $1.23 bn | 7,266 |
| **United States** | 7% | $715.7 m | 11k |
| **China** | 6.4% | $656.0 m | 913 |
| **France** | 4.2% | $425.6 m | 2,301 |
| **Brazil** | 3.7% | $383.4 m | 7,592 |
| **Germany** | 3.3% | $335.5 m | 1,633 |
| **Spain** | 2.9% | $292.6 m | 3,710 |

#### HS 2942: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **India** | 71.3% | $1.25 bn | 29k |
| **United States** | 6.3% | $109.7 m | 12k |
| **Italy** | 3.6% | $63.5 m | 2,061 |
| **France** | 2.8% | $48.6 m | 6,374 |
| **China** | 2.1% | $37.2 m | 5,849 |
| **Denmark** | 1.4% | $24.8 m | 990 |
| **Germany** | 1.2% | $21.6 m | 386 |
| **Singapore** | 1.1% | $19.0 m | 111 |

#### HS 2942: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **India** | 34.6% | $371.4 m | 13k |
| **United States** | 8.6% | $92.7 m | 7,446 |
| **Italy** | 4% | $42.6 m | 2,196 |
| **Japan** | 3% | $32.5 m | 18k |
| **China** | 2.9% | $31.6 m | 1,220 |
| **Canada** | 2.8% | $30.0 m | 4,473 |
| **South Korea** | 2.8% | $29.7 m | 622 |
| **Saudi Arabia** | 2.6% | $27.4 m | 2,020 |

#### HS 2933: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Switzerland** | 36.4% | $33.3 bn | – |
| **Ireland** | 18.2% | $16.7 bn | 4,840 |
| **China** | 12.4% | $11.3 bn | 1.88 m |
| **India** | 5.8% | $5.31 bn | 113k |
| **Germany** | 3.7% | $3.41 bn | 131k |
| **France** | 3.5% | $3.16 bn | 34k |
| **Spain** | 3.3% | $3.03 bn | 50k |
| **United States** | 2.5% | $2.30 bn | 122k |

#### HS 2933: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Slovenia** | 21.5% | $20.2 bn | 33k |
| **United States** | 13.3% | $12.4 bn | 272k |
| **Germany** | 12.8% | $12.0 bn | – |
| **Italy** | 9.5% | $8.87 bn | 187k |
| **Ireland** | 4.6% | $4.34 bn | 5,913 |
| **Brazil** | 4% | $3.72 bn | 240k |
| **United Kingdom** | 3% | $2.85 bn | – |
| **China** | 2.9% | $2.72 bn | 222k |

 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** | high: most API is made in India, China and Europe and used elsewhere (indicative) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | Powder in fibre drums or double polyethylene-lined drums of 25-50 kg, shipped by sea container or air for high-value APIs; cold chain for some |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | China to India (Shanghai, Ningbo to Nhava Sheva, Chennai, Visakhapatnam); India and China to US and EU. HS 2941, 2942, 2933. |  |  |
| **India** | Bulk drug and intermediates imports Rs 37,722 crore in 2023-24, over 70% from China (official data via ORF); April-May 2024 imports $1.44 billion, up 13% (Pharmexcil via India Seatrade News). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Most APIs are not dangerous goods; toxic ones ship as UN2811 (toxic solid, class 6.1) and some as UN3077 (class 9). Controlled substances need import and export permits. |  |  |

## Other sections

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