According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in December 2023 increased 2.5 percent from November to total 1,889,995 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 10.0 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in December totaled $2.29 billion, compared to $2.21 billion in November and $3.76 billion in December 2022.
Top sources for US steel imports in December include: Canada, with 488,714 mt; Brazil, with 303,902 mt; Mexico, with 264,340 mt; South Korea, with 243,735 mt; and Germany, with 95,731 mt.
By product group, semi-finished imports totaled 413,908 mt in December, down from 468,417 mt in November but up from 293,093 mt in December 2022. Flat product imports totaled 751,172 mt in December, up from 686,427 mt in November and 729,677 mt in December 2022. Long product imports totaled 314,728 mt in December, down from 349,718 mt in November and 346,368 mt in December 2022. Pipe and tube imports totaled 337,900 mt in December, up from 272,279 mt in November but down from 566,449 mt in December 2022.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in December 2023 was estimated at 20 percent, compared to 19 percent in November and 21 percent for full-year 2023.