Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

MTBE: Movement

From the US Gulf to Mexico by product tanker

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 290919

World exports $10.6 bn 58 reporting exporters · about 10.7 m t Largest exporter United States 30.9% of world exports Largest importer Singapore 17.1% of world imports India imports $57.8 m
exports $363.9 m #22 importer · #6 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 290919: 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 290919: largest exporters

CountryShareValue (US$)Tonnes
United States30.9%$3.27 bn3.35 m
China21.6%$2.28 bn2.49 m
Saudi Arabia12.5%$1.32 bn1.37 m
Netherlands9.9%$1.04 bn981k
France6.1%$641.8 m628k
India3.4%$363.9 m387k
Germany3.4%$356.0 m304k
Singapore2.7%$284.7 m333k

HS 290919: largest importers

CountryShareValue (US$)Tonnes
Singapore17.1%$1.73 bn2.02 m
Mexico15.4%$1.55 bn1.52 m
Japan15.4%$1.55 bn1.38 m
Netherlands8%$801.9 m782k
Malaysia7.7%$777.9 m–
Oman4.4%$444.6 m526k
Italy3.3%$335.6 m228k
Chile3.2%$321.6 m325k
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

MeasureFigure
Share tradednot published; trade is regular across the Atlantic and in Asia via Singapore (Energy Aspects)
How it movesLiquid in clean product tankers like petrol components; also via pipeline and barges in the US Gulf and ARA.
Routes and chokepointsUS Gulf to Mexico and Latin America; Middle East to Europe (via Suez) and Asia; China and Southeast Asia via Singapore.
IndiaIndia makes MTBE in refinery units and is not a major trader; trade data for HS 290919 (which lumps MTBE with other ethers) not verified.
Handling in transitUN2398 methyl tert-butyl ether, Class 3 flammable liquid, Packing Group II.