Refining catalysts: Movement

How catalyst powder travels from the US Gulf to Asia

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 381519

World exports $5.17 bn 85 reporting exporters · about 347k t Largest exporter United States 27% of world exports Largest importer Germany 13.5% of world imports India imports $184.8 m
exports $13.8 m #7 importer · #25 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 381519: 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 381519: largest exporters

Country	Share	Value (US$)	Tonnes
United States	27%	$1.40 bn	95k
Germany	14.4%	$742.8 m	29k
China	11.8%	$609.7 m	100k
North Macedonia	7.5%	$388.4 m	7,916
Japan	6.3%	$327.9 m	16k
Italy	5.1%	$263.1 m	3,347
Poland	5%	$257.5 m	6,360
Netherlands	4.6%	$238.5 m	11k

HS 381519: largest importers

Country	Share	Value (US$)	Tonnes
Germany	13.5%	$660.8 m	20k
China	12.7%	$621.2 m	22k
United States	8.4%	$409.4 m	30k
South Korea	6.4%	$314.8 m	27k
Canada	4.6%	$222.4 m	28k
Singapore	4.4%	$214.3 m	5,876
India	3.8%	$184.8 m	18k
Saudi Arabia	3%	$146.0 m	5,416

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	high: production is concentrated in the US, Netherlands, Germany and China, so most refineries outside those countries import (indicative)
How it moves	Dry powder in bulk bags, hopper trucks and containers for FCC; drums or bags of extrudates for hydroprocessing; not hazardous for most grades
Routes and chokepoints	US Gulf Coast and Rotterdam to Asia, the Middle East and Latin America by container.
India	India imports most refining catalysts. HS 381519: India imported $185 million (3.8% of world imports, rank 7) and exported $14 million (0.3% of world exports, rank 25) (UN Comtrade 2024).
Handling in transit	Fresh FCC catalyst is not dangerous goods; presulphided and spent hydroprocessing catalysts can self-heat (UN3190 or UN2881 class 4.2 depending on grade).