Methanol export from Russia

Main article: Russian Foreign Trade

Chronicle

2022: Export growth by 14% to 2.1 million tonnes

At the end of 2022, Russia supplied almost 2.1 million tons of methanol abroad, which is 14% more than a year ago. Such data were released on January 23, 2023.

Sources of Kommersant attribute the growth in methanol exports amid sanctions to the fact that the export ban was introduced only in October 2022, and at the end of the year, supplies increased due to the high performance of the first three quarters.

The main shipping destinations were Finland (about 860 thousand tons) and Belarus (more than 835 thousand tons). At the same time, only about 165 thousand tons of methanol passed through points in the Far East. In this situation, only two companies managed to increase exports - Shchekinoazot (almost 1.1 million tons) and Metafrax (about 470 thousand tons). The largest exporter in 2022 was Shchekinoazot.

Methanol exports from Russia increased by 14% despite sanctions

President of the National Automobile Union (NAS) Anton Sharapin in November 2022 proposed to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to expand the Russian market for methanol by lifting the ban on the production of non-freezing liquid based on it (annual production volumes - about 400 thousand tons). In his letter, the head of the NAS indicated that this would support domestic methanol producers, as well as increase federal budget revenues by removing this sphere from the shadows. But market participants doubt the reality of this option, given that methanol vapors are poisonous and can harm the health of drivers.

In 2022, Russian companies planned to actively increase methanol production. However, already in March there were problems with its sale, since most of the export methanol is supplied to Europe. Formally, ethanol did not fall under sanctions, but it was shipped through foreign ports, the main one in Finland, and the capacity of the port in Ust-Luga for transshipment of methanol is limited.^[1]

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