Argon: Movement
Mostly local, with a trickle across the Canadian border
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 280421
World exports $362.0 m 99 reporting exporters · about 642k t Largest exporter Germany 12.9% of world exports Largest importer France 10.2% of world imports India imports $6.20 mexports $1.76 m #17 importer · #35 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 280421: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 280421: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 12.9% | $46.8 m | 100k |
| Netherlands | 8.2% | $29.7 m | – |
| Belgium | 8.2% | $29.7 m | 72k |
| United States | 7.3% | $26.5 m | 45k |
| Canada | 6.6% | $24.0 m | 112k |
| China | 5.8% | $20.9 m | 89k |
| Czechia | 4.2% | $15.3 m | – |
| Singapore | 3.9% | $14.2 m | – |
HS 280421: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 10.2% | $41.1 m | – |
| Italy | 9.9% | $40.1 m | – |
| United States | 6.5% | $26.2 m | 39k |
| United Kingdom | 4.6% | $18.6 m | – |
| Indonesia | 4.3% | $17.2 m | 41k |
| Poland | 4.2% | $17.1 m | 33k |
| Mexico | 3.9% | $15.8 m | 20k |
| Singapore | 3.1% | $12.7 m | – |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | small; US exports were about 5% of sales in 2025 (60 of 1,100 million m3, USGS) | ||
| How it moves | Liquid argon at -186 C in cryogenic road tankers and ISO containers; cylinders. Higher value per tonne than oxygen, so it travels farther. | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | Cross-border liquid trucking (Canada-US, within Europe); ISO containers by sea within Asia. | ||
| India | India imports some liquid argon (CIF pricing in assessments); HS 280421 trade values not retrieved. | ||
| Handling in transit | UN1006 (compressed, class 2.2); UN1951 (refrigerated liquid). Heavier than air; collects in pits and causes asphyxiation. |