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日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily May 30, 2025 (Fri)

China’s major bulk cargo imports plummet this year

0530_1-graph

　Dry bulk cargo movements to and from China have been changing this year. According to British firm ・・・続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80Dry+%3Cb%3Ebulk+cargo%3C%2Fb%3E+movements+to+and+from+China+have+been+changing+this+year.+According+to+British+firm+Clarksons+Research%2C+imports+for+China+continued+to+grow+in+almost+all+major+categories+in+2024+and+%E2%80%9Cexpanded+to+record+levels%2C%E2%80%9D+increasing+by+6%25+from+the+previous+year+to+2.3+billion+tons.+However%2C+starting+in+2025%2C+the+three+major+%3Cb%3Ebulk+cargo%3C%2Fb%3Ees+of+iron+ore%2C+coal+and+grains+all+started+to+decline+due+to+rising+inventories+and+sluggish+demand+for+raw+materials.+Grains+in+particular+saw+a+large+decline%2C+down+40%25+compared+to+the+same+period+last+year.+On+the+other+hand%2C+imports+of+bauxite+continue+to+grow%2C+and+exports+of+steel+products+are+also+showing+positive+growth.+There+are+a+number+of+positive+and+negative+factors+affecting+cargo+movements+in+China%2C+which+determines+the+dry+bulk+market.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+trend+in+dry+cargo+movements+departing+and+arriving+in+China+since+2022+is+as+shown+in+the+graph.+In+2024%2C+China%E2%80%99s+imports+and+exports+accounted+for+approximately+40%25+of+the+world%E2%80%99s+total+dry+cargo+movements%2C+leading+the+expansion+of+trade.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+increase+in+cargo+movements+to+China+in+the+same+year+was+driven+by+robust+demand+across+the+country%E2%80%99s+industrial+sector.+In+addition%2C+imports+of+iron+ore+and+coal+in+particular+increased+due+to+inventory+buildup+in+response+to+softening+commodity+prices+and+production+restrictions+imposed+by+safety+inspections+at+mines.+All+major+commodities+maintained+growth+except+for+grains%2C+which+turned+to+a+decline+in+the+fourth+quarter+%28October-December%29.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Then%2C+in+2025%2C+imports+of+all+three+major+%3Cb%3Ebulk+cargo%3C%2Fb%3Ees+turned+negative%2C+against+the+backdrop+of+growing+uncertainty+about+the+future+of+the+global+economy+due+to+U.S.+tariff+policies.+Imports+of+iron+ore%2C+coal+and+grains+combined+in+the+January-April+period+of+this+year+were+down+10%25+compared+to+the+same+period+last+year%2C+and+are+expected+to+be+down+4%25+for+the+full+year+of+2025.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Clarksons+Research+points+out+that+the+decline+would+be+%E2%80%9Cbroadly+similar+to+the+2%25+decline+in+2015+and+the+5%25+decline+in+2022%2C+when+China%E2%80%99s+economic+downturn+was+most+pronounced.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Iron+ore+imports+fell+by+6%25.+However%2C+China%E2%80%99s+iron+ore+port+inventories+have+fallen+significantly+since+their+most+recent+peak+last+year%2C+and+imports+have+been+recovering+since+April.+Normally%2C+imports+are+expected+to+increase+in+the+future+as+inventory+levels+increase%2C+but+there+are+reports+that+large+steel+mills+are+planning+to+close%2C+which+could+put+a+strain+on+import+demand.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80China+is+the+world%E2%80%99s+largest+importer+of+iron+ore%2C+and+a+slowdown+in+cargo+movements+to+China+will+be+a+negative+factor+for+the+dry+bulk+market%2C+including+Capesize+bulkers.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Coal+imports+also+fell+by+5%25.+The+reasons+behind+this+include+the+fact+that+domestic+coal+production+is+on+a+recovery+trend%2C+increasing+by+2%25+in+the+January-April+period%2C+the+increase+in+land+imports+from+Mongolia+and+other+countries%2C+and+the+fact+that+power+generation+at+domestic+coal-fired+power+plants+itself+was+sluggish+and+fell+by+5%25.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Grain+imports+fell+especially+sharply%2C+down+40%25.+This+is+mainly+due+to+the+domestic+harvest+increasing+to+a+record+level+in+2024-2025%2C+leading+to+increased+inventories.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80On+the+other+hand%2C+bauxite+imports+continue+to+grow+strongly%2C+increasing+by+34%25+in+total+in+the+January-April+period.+Clarksons+Research+says%2C+%E2%80%9CImports+are+expected+to+hit+record+levels+again+in+2025%2C+driven+by+a+surge+in+Guinea%E2%80%99s+exports.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+Guinea%2C+%E2%80%9CSimandou%2C%E2%80%9C+one+of+the+world%E2%80%99s+largest+iron+ore+mines%2C+is+scheduled+to+start+operations+later+this+year%2C+which+is+expected+to+increase+iron+ore+shipments+to+China.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Additionally%2C+exports+from+China+for+steel+products+increased+by+5+million+tons+in+the+January-April+period+compared+to+the+same+period+last+year%2C+maintaining+positive+growth.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Clarksons+Research+concluded+that%2C+for+dry+bulk+trade+to+and+from+China+in+2025%2C+%E2%80%9Cimports+of+iron+ore+and+coal+will+face+some+headwinds+following+the+strong+performance+of+the+previous+year%2C+but+there+are+several+bright+spots+%28such+as+continued+growth+in+bauxite+imports+and+steel+exports%29+and+factors+to+watch.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Dai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