According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in May 2023 decreased 2.6 percent from April to total 2,104,486 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 15.6 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in May totaled $3.06 billion, compared to $3.24 billion in April and $3.79 billion in May 2022.
Top sources for US steel imports in May include: Canada, with 569,502 mt; Mexico, with 256,271 mt; Brazil, with 217,110 mt; South Korea, with 198,969 mt; and Germany, with 93,364 mt.
By product group, semi-finished imports totaled 393,781 mt in May, up from 389,655 mt in April but up from 354,939 mt in May 2022. Flat product imports totaled 863,452 mt in May, up from 676,733 mt in April but down from 942,591 in May 2022. Long product imports totaled 356,065 mt in May, down from 461,253 mt in April and 608,352 mt in May 2022. Pipe and tube imports totaled 411,859 mt in May, down from 543,468 mt in April but down from 479,999 mt in May 2022.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in May 2023 was estimated at 21 percent, compared to 23 percent in April and 22 percent year-to-date.