According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in March 2018 increased 34.3 percent from February (census data) to total 3,018,581 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 2.7 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in March totaled $2.79 billion, compared to $2.22 billion in February and $2.46 billion in March 2017.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the finished steel import market share was an estimated 26 percent in March and 25 percent year-to-date.
Top sources for US steel imports in March include: Canada, with 585,801 mt; Brazil, with 445,646 mt; Mexico, with 318,730 mt; Korea, with 287,667 mt; and Russia, with 263,985 mt.
Major steel products imported in March include blooms, billets and slab at a combined 750,924 mt; OCTG, at 275,030 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 253,793 mt; HRC, at 223,087 mt; CRC, at 196,519 mt; and plates in coils, at 135,484 mt.