Vinyl chloride monomer: Movement
Pressurised gas carriers from Northeast Asia to India
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 290321
World exports $2.34 bn 21 reporting exporters · about 2.92 m t Largest exporter United States 40% of world exports Largest importer China 19.1% of world imports India imports $351.6 mexports $301 #2 importer · #19 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 290321: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 290321: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 40% | $938.3 m | 1.32 m |
| Japan | 21.8% | $512.1 m | 943k |
| Belgium | 13% | $305.1 m | – |
| Netherlands | 6% | $140.9 m | – |
| South Korea | 5.7% | $133.6 m | 225k |
| Germany | 4.6% | $108.1 m | 157k |
| China | 3.7% | $87.6 m | 155k |
| France | 2.5% | $58.0 m | 94k |
HS 290321: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 19.1% | $449.9 m | 771k |
| India | 14.9% | $351.6 m | 510k |
| Colombia | 12.9% | $303.5 m | 472k |
| France | 10.2% | $239.6 m | 315k |
| Canada | 9.2% | $216.8 m | 234k |
| Netherlands | 5.8% | $136.5 m | 181k |
| Portugal | 5.3% | $123.8 m | 169k |
| United Kingdom | 4.7% | $110.0 m | 151k |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | about 10% of VCM output (indicative); much more chlorine-and-ethylene value moves as PVC resin and EDC | ||
| How it moves | Liquefied under pressure or semi-refrigerated in LPG-type gas carriers; EDC moves as a liquid in chemical tankers, which is easier and cheaper | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | NE Asia to India via the Malacca Strait; US Gulf to Asia via Panama or the Cape; Middle East to India. | ||
| India | India imports VCM for plants without ethylene and 2.5 Mt of suspension PVC a year (2025, derived from 1.17 Mt from China = 47%); VCM import data not retrieved here. | ||
| Handling in transit | UN1086 (vinyl chloride, stabilised), class 2.1 flammable gas; carcinogen. |