After weeks of firm pricing, the Dimethyl Carbonate market in the Netherlands finally softened in early July as freight pressures eased and Chinese exports picked up. While demand from battery makers stayed steady, improved logistics and lower upstream costs allowed traders to lower their offers. Buyers, previously hesitant, are cautiously returning to the market. The mood has shifted from tense to cautiously optimistic, with gradual declines expected through August.
The Dutch Dimethyl Carbonate market finally began to cool in the first half of July 2025 after weeks of stubborn stability. Traders, feeling the pinch from rising inventories and easing freight costs, started adjusting their offers downward, ending a six-week run of firm sentiment. While prices of Dimethyl Carbonate had held up through early July despite global headwinds, that resilience began to crack as shipping schedules normalized slightly, and Chinese suppliers became more flexible with their terms.
For much of June and early July, Rotterdam’s key terminals were under significant strain. Ship delays, staffing shortages, equipment breakdowns, and strikes combined to cause chaos on the docks. Barges waited days to load or unload, and inland transport was further snarled by ongoing construction on the Betuwe railway corridor. As a result, even though demand from Dutch electrolyte manufacturers remained steady, the flow of Dimethyl Carbonate remained restricted, supporting higher prices longer than expected.
But the tide began to turn as the Chinese Dimethyl Carbonate producers, facing softening domestic demand and weaker pricing for battery materials, continued to export in large volumes. These fresh cargoes began landing in Europe just as upstream cost pressures began to ease. Shipping costs, too, showed signs of relief, with some major carriers rerouting services or dropping congested calls altogether. Warehouse space in Rotterdam slowly opened again, and traders began moving products more freely inland.
For Dimethyl Carbonate buyers in the Netherlands, this shift brought welcome relief. Many held off on spot purchases in June, hoping for a correction, and are now cautiously returning to the market. Still, the appetite remains selective. Most large battery-chemical producers are focused on fulfilling their existing contracts and are only topping up stocks as needed.
Looking ahead, the ChemAnalyst database anticipates that the gradual easing of Dimethyl Carbonate prices is likely to continue through August due to summer holidays. With much of Europe heading into summer holidays in August, activity in the Dimethyl Carbonate market is expected to slow further. Many downstream buyers, especially in the battery and coatings sectors, usually start operating at reduced capacity, easing short-term demand. This seasonal lull could add to the softening trend already underway. Further, the rail line upgrades are due to wrap up by late summer, which should restore smoother inland logistics. If freight rates continue to decline and upstream costs remain steady, Dimethyl Carbonate prices are foreseen to soften further in the coming weeks.
