Ferrous Scrap Shipping from Osaka Declines for Second Straight Year

Ferrous scrap shipping volume from quay around Osaka decreased by 22% to 182,184 tonnes in 2008 from the previous year, which represented the year-to-year decrease for 2 years in a row and dropped below 200,000 tonnes since 2004, according to the group of scrap dealers around Osaka.

The shipping volume of heavy scrap decreased by 24% to 43,550 tonnes, including 5,462 tonnes of stainless scrap and 1,000 tonnes of sheet steel in 2008 from a year ago.

The export price for H2 grade risos over 70,000 yen per tonne until July 2008 when the supply and demand tightened. But the price plunged down in August and in October worldwide. Japanese export to South Korea and China was lower level. The price of scraps except heavy also plunged down and shipping volume from Osaka decreased by 21% to 138,634 tonnes in 2008 from a year earlier when the dealers in China stopped importing due to decreased demand.

The shipping volume increased by 24% to 21,943 tonnes in December 2008, which became over 20,000 tonnes for the first time since April. Heavy scrap increased by 383% to 13,850 tonnes, including 1,000 tonnes of sheet steel, which became over 10,000 tonnes for the first time in 18 months while the other grade scraps decreased by 44% to 8,363 tonnes, which became less than 10,000 tonnes for 2 months in a row.