Steel imports in the US are expected to rise enough in 2022 to keep pressure on domestic prices that reached record levels in 2021, but these shipments will not necessarily represent an import surge, according to industry analysts.
John Anton, director of pricing and purchasing at IHS Markit, said the steel import numbers next year may appear as a spike, but this is mainly because imports since 2018 have been abnormally low due to tariffs, the coronavirus pandemic and logistics issues.
"I would see imports maybe getting back to 2015-2017 levels but do not see them surging," Anton said in a recent interview with S&P Global Platts.
Imports of certain steel products such as hot-rolled coil already increased in the later months of 2021 because high US prices have made lower-priced imports more attractive despite tariffs, Anton added.
US HRC imports reached 458,994 mt in October, the only month in 2021 where shipments of the product exceeded 400,000 mt, according to US Census Bureau data.
