CChina’s iron ore imports so far in 2026 have risen compared to last year. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Panchero Costa said: “2025 was another positive year for global seaborne iron ore trade. From January to December 2025, global iron ore shipments increased +3.5% y/y to 1,732.0 million tons, based on ship tracking data from AXS Marine. 2026 started strong, with export volumes up +3.8% y/y in the period from January to May. Exports from Australia in January-May 2026 rose +3.8% year-on-year to 386.1 million tonnes. From Brazil, exports rose +3.7% y/y in January-May 2026 to 149.2 million tons – a decline of 10.6% y/y to 21.3 million tons. India saw a +0.8% YoY increase in January-May 2026 to 12.9 million tons. Norway’s exports rebounded by +11.6% year-on-year to 9.1 million tons.
Source: Banchero Costa
According to Panchero Costa, “Demand remains primarily driven by mainland China, which accounts for 75% of imports. Iron ore imports to China increased by +7.1% y/y in January-May 2026 to 528.0 million tons. Imports to Japan decreased by -5.1% y/y to 37.5 million tons. Volumes to South Korea increased by +4.3% y/y to 30.9 million tons. To the European Union, imports decreased by -2.3% year-on-year to 29.1 million tons. In Vietnam, volumes increased by +8.3% year-on-year to 10.9 million tons. Imports to Malaysia rose by +6.9% year-on-year to 10.8 million tons. In Oman, volumes decreased by -34.0% year-on-year to 3.7 million tons. -51.1% on an annual basis to 2.2 million tons to Bahrain -62.8% on an annual basis to 1.8 million tons. Mainland China is the largest importer of iron ore in the world.
The shipbroker added, “China accounted for 75.3% of global iron ore imports in January-May 2026. Imports to China increased +4.1% year-on-year in January-December 2024 to 1,250.4 million tons. They also increased +1.5% year-on-year in January-December 2025 to 1,714.7 million tons, a new all-time record. As is Already mentioned, in January-May 2026, imports to China increased +7.1% year-on-year to 528.0 million tons. The vast majority (70%) of iron ore volumes imported into China in January-May 2026 were loaded on CAPS aircraft (130,000-220,000 DWT), with a further 21% carried on VLCCs (over 220,000 tons). static), while only 3% were transported on post-Panamax vessels, 2% on Panamax vessels, and 4% on Supramax vessels The main iron ore import terminals in mainland China are: Caofidian (66.7 million tons unloaded in January-May 2026), Tangshan/Jingtang (51.3 million tons), Lanshan (45.6 million tons), Ningbo/Zhoushan (43.6 million tons), Tianjin (36.5 million tons), Lianyungang (29.0 million tons), Dongjiakou (28.5 million tons), Rizhao (28.4 million tons), Huanghua (23.9 million tons), Fangcheng (23.0 million tons), Zhanjiang (22.6 million tons).”
Source: Banchero Costa
“In terms of sources of China’s iron ore imports, Australia remains the top exporting country by a wide margin, with a 62.4% share in January-May 2026. Iron ore imports from Australia to China in January-May 2026 increased by +4.3% year-on-year to an all-time high of 329.5 million tonnes, from 316.0 million tonnes in January-May 2025. For iron shipments to China, the port Headland (195.4 million tons in January-May 2026) Brazil remains in second place with a share of 20.8% in January-May 2026. Imports to China from Brazil rose +10.3% year-on-year in January-May 2026 to 109.7 million tons, from 99.5 million tons in January-May 2025. Slightly lower than 109.8 million tons. tons in January-May 2024. The largest port in Brazil for shipments to China was Ponta da Madeira (38.5 million tons in January-May 2026), and volumes from South Africa to China fell by -4.9% year-on-year to 13.7 million tons in January-May 2026. Volumes from India fell by -1.1% year-on-year to 12.0, concluded Panchero Costa “From Peru, volumes rose +28.0% year-on-year to 11.1 million tons,” he said. From Canada, there was an increase of +30.5% year-on-year to 8.4 million tons.”
Nikos Rousanoglou, Global Hellenic Shipping News
