Steel: Movement

Why Turkey imports slabs to feed its rolling mills

What this tab covers How it flows between countries: the largest bilateral trade routes drawn on a world map, 2024 UN Comtrade export and import values with the top exporters and importers by share, plus shipping routes, chokepoints and trade restrictions.

Semi-finished steel (HS 7207) imports were worth $26.7 billion in 2024 (Comtrade). Brazil led exports with 20.1%, then China (15.5%), Malaysia and Indonesia. Turkey (15.8%) and the US (9.0%) were the top importers, feeding rolling mills without blast furnaces. Pig iron (HS 7201) is smaller and lopsided. Brazil supplied 45.1% of exports, and the US took 44.2% of $5.0 billion in imports, largely for electric furnaces. The US raised steel tariffs to 50% in June 2025. Turkey also took 29% of US ferrous scrap exports by tonnage.

Main trade routes, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows

Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Largest bilateral flows (width = value) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, reported exports by the top four exporters of each traded form to their partners (US$). Bubbles: shares of reported world exports and imports for the main traded form. Hover a line or circle for values.

Semi-finished steel · HS 7207

World exports 2024 $19.2 bn sum of 40 reporting countries World imports 2024 $26.7 bn sum of 40 reporting countries Top exporters, share of value Brazil 20.1% China 15.5% Malaysia 10.3% Indonesia 10.2% Japan 7.4% Germany 4.9% Top importers, share of value Turkey 15.8% United States 9% Indonesia 7.1% Taiwan (Other Asia, nes) 6.2% Italy 6% Thailand 4%

Pig iron · HS 7201

World exports 2024 $3.67 bn sum of 40 reporting countries World imports 2024 $4.98 bn sum of 40 reporting countries Top exporters, share of value Brazil 45.1% Ukraine 13.7% Indonesia 8.4% South Africa 6.8% Qatar 6.2% France 3% Top importers, share of value United States 44.2% Turkey 12.1% Italy 11.4% China 8.9% Germany 2.5% Spain 2.3% UN Comtrade, reporter declarations to the world, US$. Exports and imports are reported separately, so totals differ. Re-exporting hubs (Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE) can appear large.