# Argon: Movement

Mostly local, with a trickle across the Canadian border

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/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 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 m
exports $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 | – |

 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** | 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. |  |  |

## Other sections

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