# Polyurethanes (MDI, TDI, polyols): Movement

Isocyanates travel; phosgene and amines never do

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polyurethanes/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 390950
 World exports $7.11 bn 108 reporting exporters · about 1.75 m t Largest exporter Germany 21.6% of world exports Largest importer China 10% of world imports India imports $336.0 m
exports $82.0 m #5 importer · #16 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 390950: 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 390950: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Germany** | 21.6% | $1.54 bn | 320k |
| **China** | 13.5% | $962.4 m | 411k |
| **United States** | 12% | $852.1 m | 153k |
| **Italy** | 8.2% | $580.8 m | 157k |
| **Belgium** | 4.5% | $319.6 m | 66k |
| **South Korea** | 4.4% | $312.6 m | 73k |
| **Netherlands** | 4.3% | $306.3 m | 76k |
| **Spain** | 4.2% | $301.3 m | 71k |

#### HS 390950: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 10% | $666.0 m | 147k |
| **United States** | 7.9% | $526.2 m | – |
| **Germany** | 7.1% | $473.5 m | 109k |
| **Italy** | 5.1% | $340.3 m | 77k |
| **India** | 5.1% | $336.0 m | 135k |
| **Mexico** | 4.3% | $283.0 m | 66k |
| **Canada** | 3.4% | $225.4 m | 40k |
| **France** | 3.4% | $223.8 m | – |

#### HS 390720: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Lebanon** | 93.4% | $607k | – |
| **Guyana** | 4.2% | $27k | 2.65 |
| **Togo** | 1.9% | $13k | 5.06 |
| **Trinidad and Tobago** | 0.3% | $1,920 | – |
| **Yemen** | 0.2% | $1,301 | 20.0 |

#### HS 390720: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Algeria** | 83.9% | $107.4 m | 63k |
| **Lebanon** | 10.3% | $13.1 m | 7,607 |
| **Iraq** | 2.1% | $2.73 m | 2,043 |
| **Togo** | 1.2% | $1.57 m | 2,011 |
| **Trinidad and Tobago** | 1.2% | $1.56 m | 848 |
| **Guyana** | 0.7% | $868k | 460 |
| **Yemen** | 0.3% | $374k | 410 |
| **Cabo Verde** | 0.2% | $255k | 159 |

 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** | not published; MDI and TDI are widely traded because only about 20 sites make them, while polyols are traded regionally (indicative) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | MDI and TDI move as liquids in drums, IBCs, ISO tanks and small parcel tankers, kept dry and within a temperature band (pure MDI must be shipped chilled or molten). Phosgene and amines are never shipped; they are made and consumed on site. |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | China, Korea and Singapore to India and Southeast Asia; Saudi Arabia to India through the Strait of Hormuz; Europe to the Middle East and Africa. |  |  |
| **India** | India's polyether polyol imports were about 500 kt in 2024; 2025 origins were China about 40%, Singapore 14%, Saudi Arabia 13%, Thailand 11% and Korea 9% (PU Daily, 2025). MDI is entirely imported (indicative). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | TDI is UN2078, class 6.1 (toxic). Monomeric MDI is often shipped as UN2489 class 6.1 or as non-regulated polymeric MDI, depending on form (indicative). Moisture reacts with isocyanates to release CO2 and can burst containers. |  |  |

## Other sections

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