Turkish steel exports increased 8.7% to 16.2 million tonnes in January-November, Kallanish learns from a statement by the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association (CIB). 

Turkish steel exporters have taken advantage of the demand surplus that occurred following reductions in China's capacity and exports and increased focus on its domestic market, CIB's chairman Namik Ekinci comments.

The monthly increases in exports since the beginning of the year is giving hope to Turkish steel industry representatives for the end of the year and the first quarter of 2018, says the association.

The total value of Turkish steel imports for the first eleven months grew 26.6% to $10.3 billion. In November alone, Turkish steel exports increased 20.3% on-year to 1.5mt after having resumed year-on-year growth in October. Their total value surged 46.7% to $1.1 billion.

The European Union (EU) was Turkey's top steel export destination this year through November. Eleven-month shipments to the EU grew by 56% to 5mt. The Middle East ranked next with 3.7mt of intake for the period and was followed by North America (2.1mt) and North Africa (1.4mt). January-November exports to Far East countries surged 560% to 1.2mt, while shipments to Central and South America grew by 35% to 1.1mt.

The highest increases in export volumes for the reviewed period were registered to Singapore, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong and Canada. The steepest declines were registered to the UAE, Egypt, the US, Iraq and Oman.

Shipments to the Far East gained momentum as Chinese suppliers reduced expots to the region, Ekinci notes. Exports to Singapore soared to 500,000t from 11,700t supplied a year earlier, and shipments to Hong Kong jumped to 283,000t from just 2,300t, same base.

Rebar remain Turkey's most exported product, with 5.2mt shipped in January-November. Hot-rolled flat steel followed with 2.2mt of shipments. Next were welded pipes with 1.8mt, profiles with 1.3mt, and wire rod with 1.2mt exported in the reviewed period.