# Monoethylene glycol: Movement

Why it is one of the most traded petrochemicals

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/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 290531
 World exports $7.38 bn 86 reporting exporters · about 12.9 m t Largest exporter Saudi Arabia 37.7% of world exports Largest importer China 46.1% of world imports India imports $589.7 m
exports $38.2 m #2 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 290531: 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 290531: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Saudi Arabia** | 37.7% | $2.78 bn | 6.02 m |
| **United States** | 23.7% | $1.75 bn | 3.34 m |
| **Kuwait** | 11.8% | $873.9 m | 1.28 m |
| **Canada** | 10.6% | $782.1 m | 870k |
| **Belgium** | 4.4% | $328.5 m | 458k |
| **Singapore** | 3.7% | $275.8 m | – |
| **Malaysia** | 2% | $145.9 m | 301k |
| **South Korea** | 1.6% | $117.7 m | 229k |

#### HS 290531: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 46.1% | $3.49 bn | 6.55 m |
| **India** | 7.8% | $589.7 m | – |
| **Türkiye** | 7% | $528.9 m | – |
| **United States** | 3.7% | $283.5 m | – |
| **Indonesia** | 3.1% | $236.5 m | – |
| **South Korea** | 3% | $230.8 m | – |
| **Germany** | 2.6% | $200.1 m | 315k |
| **Mexico** | 2.4% | $182.5 m | 371k |

 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 40% of output crosses borders (indicative: about 14-15 Mt traded versus about 35 Mt output) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | Bulk liquid in chemical tankers and ISO tanks; non-hazardous for transport, so it moves easily and is one of the most traded petrochemicals. |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | Gulf to China and India through the Strait of Hormuz; US Gulf to Asia and Europe; Singapore and Taiwan to China. |  |  |
| **India** | India imports MEG mainly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore (indicative); HS 290531 values not retrieved. |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Not regulated as dangerous goods for sea transport in most cases (indicative); harmful if swallowed. |  |  |

## Other sections

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