The global seaborne ethane market is experiencing a significant concentration, with the United States emerging as the dominant exporter and China as the primary importer. In July, China's ethane imports constituted approximately 74% of the global total, reaching around 560,000 barrels per day (kbd) out of a total of 760 kbd. This figure was slightly lower than June's peak of 76%, which represented the highest monthly share recorded in Vortexa's dataset spanning from 2016 to 2026.
On the supply side, the United States loaded nearly 99% of all seaborne ethane exports between January and July, averaging about 670 kbd. This trend, while not new, indicates a deepening concentration in the global ethane supply chain.
For freight forwarders and logistics professionals, this concentration means that ethane shipping routes are highly predictable, primarily flowing from the US Gulf Coast to various Chinese ports. This could lead to specialized vessel requirements and potentially impact freight rates for very large ethane carriers (VLECs) on this specific trade lane. Any disruptions in US production or Chinese demand could have a disproportionate impact on the global market due to this lack of diversification in both supply and demand.