US Steel Imports Take a 13.5 Percent Plunge in February

US: Steel imports in the US decreased 13.5 percent from January to February 2023, totalling 2,048,269 mt and valued at $2.79 billion, according to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce. This is a 4.1 percent decrease when compared to February 2022, where steel imports were valued at $3.10 billion.

In February, the top sources for US steel imports were Canada (487,989 mt), Mexico (346,622 mt), Brazil (320,051 mt), South Korea (204,493 mt) and Germany (72,040 mt).

In February, imports of flat products amounted to 656,041 metric tons - a decrease from the 790,167 metric tons imported in January and 801,007 metric tons in February 2022. Long product imports totalled 374,079 mt in February - down from 420,702 mt seen in January and 439,739 mt registered in February 2022.

Meanwhile, imports of pipe and tube came to 471,394 mt last month - lower than the 536,945 metric tons seen in January but greater than the 348,109 mt recorded in February of 2022. Finally, semi-finished product imports were tallied at 474,877 metric tonnes - down from 538,275 mt imported in January but up on the figures for 446,605 mt observed in February 2022.

In February 2023, US steel imports made up an estimated 22 percent of the market, down from 24 percent in January and 23 percent year-to-date.