EU-28 Steel Scrap Exports Hit Fresh Record

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The EU member countries exported 21.8 million tons of steel scrap to countries outside the region in 2019. According to most recent figures published by Eurostat, the yearly exports were valued at €6.0bn. The steel scrap exports, by volume, from the region hit a new record, surpassing the record set in 2018 of 21.7 million tonnes, valued at €6.4bn.

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Turkey continued to remain as the primary consumer of European steel scrap in 2019. The Turkish imports totalled 12 million tonnes, accounting for over 55% of the total exports out of the region. However, the EU-28 exports to Turkey registered marginal decline from 12.1 million tonnes in 2018. The steel scrap shipments from the UK and Belgium to Turkey witnessed year-on-year declines by 15% and 29% respectively.

The provisional Eurostat figures point to significant increase in deliveries to Egypt, India and Bangladesh. The export volumes to Egypt surged higher from 1.6 million tonnes in 2018 to around 2 million tonnes in 2019. The country emerged as the second largest dest9ination market for European ferrous scrap shipments. The imports by India recorded an increase of nearly 330,000 tonnes from around 1.9 million tonnes imported in 2018.