[Ferro-Alloys.com]Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,510,000 net tons (NT) of steel in March 2024, including 2,001,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (up 1.6% and 14.7%, respectively, vs. February 2024). Total and finished steel imports are both unchanged year-to-date vs. 2023. Over the 12-month period April 2023 to March 2024, total and finished steel imports are down 5.7% and 10.7%, respectively, vs. the prior 12-month period. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 23% in March and is estimated at 22% over the first three months of 2024.

 

Key steel products with a significant import increase in March compared to February are line pipe (up 118%), plates in coils (up 70%), hot rolled sheets (up 40%), mechanical tubing (up 23%) and sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 21%). Products with a significant increase in imports over the 12-month period April 2023 to March 2024 compared to the previous 12-month period include cut lengths plates (up 22%) and ingots, billets and slabs (16%).

 

In March, the largest suppliers were Canada (597,000 NT, up 11% vs. February), Brazil (392,000 NT, down 23%), South Korea (349,000 NT, up 88%), Mexico (287,000 NT, down 12%) and Japan (109,000 NT, up 47%). Over the 12-month period April 2023 to March 2024, the largest suppliers were Canada (6,855,000 NT, down 1% compared to the previous twelve months), Brazil (4,103,000 NT, up 47%), Mexico (3,920,000 NT, down 22%), South Korea (2,816,000 NT, up 6%) and Japan (1,179,000 NT, down 8%). AISI