[Ferro-Alloys.com] Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported that the U.S. imported a total of 1,505,000 net tons of steel in February 2020, including 1,344,000 net tons of finished steel (down 52.2% and 18.4%, respectively, vs. January final data). Through the first two months of 2020, total and finished steel imports are 4,655,000 and 2,992,000 net tons, down 21.3% and 28.7%, respectively, vs. the same period in 2019. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2020 would be 27.9 and 18.0 million NT, unchanged and down 14.7%, respectively, vs. 2019. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 15% in February and is estimated at 16% over the first two months of 2020.

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in February compared to January are heavy structural shapes (up 57%) and tin plate (up 15%). A product with a significant year-to-date increase vs. the same period in 2019 was mechanical tubing (up 12%).

In February the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (158,000 net tons, down 13% from January final), Turkey (73,000 net tons, up 44%), Japan (69,000 net tons, down 9%), Germany (52,000 net tons, up 7%) and Brazil (37,000 net tons, down 58%). For the first two months of 2020, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (340,000 net tons, down 38% vs. the same period in 2019), Japan (146,000 net tons, down 37%), Brazil (126,000 net tons, down 16%), Turkey (124,000 net tons, up 23%) and Germany (100,000 net tons, down 54%).  (AISI)