According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in March 2019 decreased 7.0 percent from February to total 2,049,987 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 32.2 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in March totaled $1.98 billion, compared to $2.00 billion in February and $2.79 billion in March 2018.
Top sources for US steel imports in March include: Canada, with 368,941 mt; Mexico, with 268,237 mt; Russia, with 222,805 mt; Korea, with 157,648 mt; and Taiwan, with 100,956 mt.
Major steel products imported in March include blooms, billets and slab at a combined 360,091 mt; OCTG, at 218,410 mt; line pipe, at 182,459 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 166,721 mt; HRC, at 124,921 mt; and CRC, at 118,510 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in March 2019 was estimated at 19 percent, compared to 20 percent in February, and 21 percent year-to-date.