The seamless pipe market in the UAE has witnessed a slight upturn in buying activity. However, traders are still reluctant to keep huge seamless pipe stocks and people are buying only to maintain sufficient supplies for a one-month period. Nevertheless, foreign seamless pipe suppliers have adopted different price policies. Within the past month, quotations of Chinese pipes have decreased by a maximum of $20/mt, offers of German material have declined by a maximum of $10/mt, while prices of seamless pipes from Italy have gone down by $20-30/mt. Over the same period, prices for Ukrainian material have moved up by $75-80/mt and quotations of Romanian seamless pipes have increased by $40-45/mt in the hope of sparking a revival in the market. Foreign suppliers of seamless pipes may try to follow the upward policy expecting a seasonal rebound of demand in the coming period, though the market is not sufficiently active yet.
Most offers of seamless pipes of 2"-8" grade B made to ASTM/API from the majority of Chinese mills are being given to the local UAE market at $500-550/mt CFR.
Quotations of Ukrainian seamless pipes, 2"-6" Sch 40 grade B made to ASTM/API, are at $890-920/mt CFR, while 8"-10" pipes are at $920-950/mt CFR.
Seamless pipes from Romania (ArcelorMittal) of 3"-10" grade B made to ASTM/API are quoted at about $1,090-1,115/mt CFR.
Quotations from Germany and France (V&M) for seamless pipes of 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM/API are at about $1,050-1,100/mt CFR.
Offers of seamless pipes from Italy (Tenaris Dalmine) of grade B made to ASTM/API are being given to the UAE at $1,220-1,280/mt CFR.