# Fatty acids: Movement

Half of all fatty acids cross a border

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_acids/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 382311
 World exports $1.43 bn 71 reporting exporters · about 884k t Largest exporter Indonesia 47.3% of world exports Largest importer China 19% of world imports India imports $57.1 m
exports $4.36 m #8 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 382311: 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 382311: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Indonesia** | 47.3% | $673.9 m | 660k |
| **Malaysia** | 29% | $413.1 m | – |
| **Netherlands** | 7.1% | $101.4 m | 67k |
| **Germany** | 3.1% | $44.8 m | 28k |
| **Sweden** | 3% | $42.5 m | 30k |
| **China** | 2.7% | $38.6 m | 33k |
| **United States** | 2.5% | $35.8 m | 21k |
| **Italy** | 2.3% | $32.5 m | 22k |

#### HS 382311: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 19% | $260.8 m | 244k |
| **Netherlands** | 8.1% | $111.6 m | 86k |
| **Germany** | 7.1% | $97.0 m | 67k |
| **Malaysia** | 6.2% | $85.2 m | 252k |
| **Türkiye** | 6.2% | $85.1 m | 65k |
| **South Korea** | 5.9% | $81.2 m | 75k |
| **United States** | 5.8% | $79.5 m | 62k |
| **India** | 4.2% | $57.1 m | 51k |

#### HS 382319: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Indonesia** | 42.7% | $2.93 bn | 3.24 m |
| **Malaysia** | 22.6% | $1.55 bn | – |
| **Netherlands** | 9.1% | $625.9 m | 462k |
| **India** | 4.2% | $290.3 m | 183k |
| **Germany** | 3.3% | $228.9 m | 147k |
| **Belgium** | 3.3% | $228.1 m | 157k |
| **Spain** | 2.3% | $158.0 m | 104k |
| **Argentina** | 1.4% | $97.4 m | 207k |

#### HS 382319: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 20% | $1.77 bn | 1.91 m |
| **Netherlands** | 14.1% | $1.24 bn | 1.12 m |
| **Malaysia** | 10.4% | $915.9 m | 970k |
| **Italy** | 6.5% | $577.8 m | 578k |
| **India** | 6.3% | $557.6 m | 567k |
| **United States** | 4.9% | $434.9 m | 325k |
| **Germany** | 4.5% | $398.5 m | 303k |
| **Spain** | 4.5% | $393.6 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** | about 50% (derived: about 6 Mt of HS 382311 and 382319 exports in UN Comtrade 2024 against 11.7 Mt demand) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | Flaked or beaded solids in bags (stearic), liquids in heated bulk tankers, ISO tanks and flexibags. Made where the oil is, then shipped to users. |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | Indonesia and Malaysia to China, Europe (via Rotterdam), India, the US and Japan; Malacca Strait is the main chokepoint. |  |  |
| **India** | India imported 567 kt of industrial fatty acids (HS 382319, $558 million) and 51 kt of stearic acid (HS 382311, $57 million) in 2024, and exported 183 kt ($290 million) of HS 382319 (UN Comtrade 2024). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Most fatty acids are not dangerous goods; bulk liquid cargoes fall under MARPOL Annex II as noxious liquid substances (indicative). |  |  |

## Other sections

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