https://sourzi.com/blog Sourzi trade intelligence on US–China chemicals, tariffs, port logistics, and supplier diligence. Written from Shanghai Pudong with twenty years of factory-floor experience. en-us Sourzi sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi) Tue, 05 May 2026 05:44:00 GMT Astro 5 + custom Sourzi RSS endpoint https://sourzi.com/favicon.svg https://sourzi.com https://sourzi.com/blog/mdi-507-percent-anti-dumping-vanillin-wanhua-chemical-march-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/mdi-507-percent-anti-dumping-vanillin-wanhua-chemical-march-2026 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Commerce's final affirmative AD determination on Chinese MDI lands Wanhua Chemical with margins up to 507%, while vanillin from China faces 520–551% preliminary duties. With 727 active AD/CVD orders and a petition pipeline accelerating, Sydney importers need to recalculate landed costs now. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-section-301-excess-capacity-forced-labor-chemical-tariff-risk-march-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-section-301-excess-capacity-forced-labor-chemical-tariff-risk-march-2026 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT USTR opened twin Section 301 investigations on 11 to 13 March 2026, one into structural excess capacity across 16 countries and one into forced labour practices across 58 countries. Public comments are due 15 April, hearings 28 April. Here is what chemical importers of MDI, TDI and specialty intermediates need to do now. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-april-4-2025-rare-earth-controls-one-year-later-sourcing-march-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-april-4-2025-rare-earth-controls-one-year-later-sourcing-march-2026 Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT One year after MOFCOM Announcement No. 18, China's April 2025 rare earth export controls remain fully active. Samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium still need licences. Here is the sourcing playbook for US catalyst, magnet and specialty metal buyers in 2026. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/us-imports-china-308-billion-2025-supply-chain-diversification-vietnam-thailand-february-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/us-imports-china-308-billion-2025-supply-chain-diversification-vietnam-thailand-february-2026 Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT US imports from China fell to $308B in 2025, the lowest since 2009 and 42% below 2018. Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia absorbed the overflow. Here is how chemical importers should rebuild their sourcing matrix in 2026. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/section-122-10-percent-tariff-chemical-exemptions-february-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/section-122-10-percent-tariff-chemical-exemptions-february-2026 Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT Trump's February 20 EO invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act for a 150 day 10% global tariff. Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy and critical minerals caught major exemptions. Here's the full exempt list and the landed cost maths. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ieepa-tariff-refunds-175-billion-cbp-claims-chemical-importers-february-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/ieepa-tariff-refunds-175-billion-cbp-claims-chemical-importers-february-2026 Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT CBP stopped collecting IEEPA duties on February 24, 2026. Around 330,000 businesses overpaid. If you're a chemical importer who paid 20 percentage points of IEEPA duties since February 4, 2025, here's the step-by-step refund claim. Finance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/scotus-ieepa-tariffs-killed-learning-resources-february-20-2026-ruling https://sourzi.com/blog/scotus-ieepa-tariffs-killed-learning-resources-february-20-2026-ruling Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT On February 20, 2026, SCOTUS ruled 6-3 that IEEPA does not authorise presidential tariffs. The 10% fentanyl and 10% reciprocal tariffs on Chinese chemicals are gone effective February 24. Here's what changes for your entries this week. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-supplier-quality-audit-2026-factory-verification-raw-material-january https://sourzi.com/blog/china-supplier-quality-audit-2026-factory-verification-raw-material-january Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT QIMA's 2025 data shows US inspection demand in China fell 18% while Vietnam jumped 30% and Thailand 44%. Here's how to audit a Chinese chemical factory that's quietly losing customers and cutting corners. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ieepa-tariff-scotus-learning-resources-challenge-chemical-importer-january-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/ieepa-tariff-scotus-learning-resources-challenge-chemical-importer-january-2026 Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump is headed for SCOTUS review in 2026. $166 billion has been collected from 330,000+ businesses on IEEPA-authorised tariffs. If SCOTUS rules IEEPA does not authorise tariffs, $175 billion in refunds opens. Here's how chemical importers should model the scenarios. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-silver-export-controls-chemical-catalysts-alternative-sourcing-january-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-silver-export-controls-chemical-catalysts-alternative-sourcing-january-2026 Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT MOFCOM's silver export control package took effect January 1, 2026. Silver feeds chemical catalysts, electronic paste, photovoltaic cells, brazing alloys, and antimicrobial compounds. Here's the affected process map plus a Mexico, Peru, and Poland alternative sourcing matrix for US chemical importers. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-2025-trade-surplus-1-19-trillion-gacc-us-imports-drop-january-2026 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-2025-trade-surplus-1-19-trillion-gacc-us-imports-drop-january-2026 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT GACC's January 14, 2026 release of full-year 2025 data showed China's trade surplus at $1.189 trillion, the first country ever to cross $1T. US imports fell to $308B, the lowest since 2009. Here's what the capacity reallocation means for US chemical importers placing 2026 orders. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/2026-china-chemical-import-playbook-tariff-tsca-imdg-december-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/2026-china-chemical-import-playbook-tariff-tsca-imdg-december-2025 Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT A year-end 2026 planning playbook for US chemical importers: tariff stacks reaching 27 to 45 percent on most HS codes, IMDG 42-24 mandatory from January 1, TSCA PFAS reporting windows, Section 301 exclusion expiries, and five risk scenarios you need modelled before Q1 ends. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-la-spot-below-2500-2026-chemical-freight-contracts-december-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-la-spot-below-2500-2026-chemical-freight-contracts-december-2025 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT Late December 2025: Drewry WCI is at USD 2,213 per FEU, Shanghai to USWC spot sits at USD 2,474. The global fleet grew 16 per cent in two years with 9 million TEU of newbuilds scheduled for 2026. Carriers pushed GRIs on 1 December and couldn't make them stick. Here's how to negotiate chemical freight contracts at the bottom of the cycle and lock in 2026 rates that hold. Finance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/freight-rates-two-year-low-cma-cgm-suez-one-trillion-surplus-december-2025-cornerstone https://sourzi.com/blog/freight-rates-two-year-low-cma-cgm-suez-one-trillion-surplus-december-2025-cornerstone Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT Drewry WCI at $2,213/FEU, CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin back through Suez, and a $1.08T China trade surplus through November. Here's what the December 2025 numbers mean for your chemical landed costs in Q1 2026. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-trade-surplus-one-trillion-gacc-asean-pivot-december-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-trade-surplus-one-trillion-gacc-asean-pivot-december-2025 Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT GACC November data pushed China's January to November 2025 trade surplus to USD 1.08 trillion, up 22.1 per cent year on year. US bound exports are down 28 per cent, ASEAN is up 13 per cent, Africa 26 per cent, EU 8 per cent. For Australian chemical importers, this is the clearest signal yet that Chinese supplier priorities have fundamentally shifted. Here's what that means for your 2026 sourcing decisions. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/cma-cgm-benjamin-franklin-suez-chemical-freight-2026-outlook https://sourzi.com/blog/cma-cgm-benjamin-franklin-suez-chemical-freight-2026-outlook Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT Late December 2025 saw CMA CGM's 17,859 TEU Benjamin Franklin complete the first mega-ship transit of the Suez Canal since the Houthi crisis began. The Suez Canal Authority logged 229 vessel transits in October, the highest since the crisis, but most major carriers are still routing via Cape of Good Hope. Here's what that split market means for your 2026 chemical freight budget and your IMDG hazmat routing. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-pfas-reporting-de-minimis-0-1-percent-tsca-section-8-november-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-pfas-reporting-de-minimis-0-1-percent-tsca-section-8-november-2025 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT On 10 November 2025 the EPA proposed amendments to TSCA Section 8(a)(7) that introduce a 0.1 per cent de minimis threshold for PFAS in mixtures and exempt most imported articles. Here's what the $786 to $843 million compliance saving looks like for an Australian importer moving fluoropolymers, surfactants, and coated articles into the US market. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-chemical-import-enforcement-expansion-tsca-pesticide-crackdown-november-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-chemical-import-enforcement-expansion-tsca-pesticide-crackdown-november-2025 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT EPA's December 2025 enforcement expansion targets illegal pesticide and chemical smuggling from Chinese manufacturers. $4.3M in TSCA penalties across 115 actions since January. Here's what the CDR, PMN and import-certification exposure looks like for US chemical importers. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-october-rare-earth-suspension-april-controls-active-november-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-october-rare-earth-suspension-april-controls-active-november-2025 Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT MOFCOM suspended the October 9 rare earth controls for 12 months, but kept the April 4 Announcement No. 18 heavy rare earths locked. Here's the element-by-element matrix, the licence process still in force, and which chemical formulations stay constrained through 2026. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/busan-deal-tariff-reduction-april-controls-still-active-november-2025-cornerstone https://sourzi.com/blog/busan-deal-tariff-reduction-april-controls-still-active-november-2025-cornerstone Fri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT November 2025 cornerstone: the Trump-Xi Busan truce, the November 10 fentanyl tariff cut from 20% to 10%, the twelve-month suspension of the October 9 rare earth package, the critical fact that MOFCOM Announcement No. 18 (April 4) stays live, and EPA's expanded import enforcement. Complete 2026 sourcing budget model for Sydney chemical importers. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/busan-tariff-cuts-live-november-10-fob-cif-recalculation-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/busan-tariff-cuts-live-november-10-fob-cif-recalculation-2025 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT The Busan tariff cuts went live November 10, dropping the IEEPA base to roughly 20%. Here's the exact FOB and CIF recalculation workflow to run with your Chinese chemical suppliers this week, with worked examples on MDI, TDI and caustic soda cargoes. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/trump-xi-busan-apec-seven-outcomes-q1-2026-chemical-orders https://sourzi.com/blog/trump-xi-busan-apec-seven-outcomes-q1-2026-chemical-orders Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT Seven concrete outcomes from the Trump-Xi Busan meeting on October 30, and how each one reshapes the Q1 2026 ordering calendar for US chemical importers sourcing from Wanhua, Sinopec and the Yangtze River Delta cluster. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-phase-one-compliance-investigation-section-301-exclusions-october-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-phase-one-compliance-investigation-section-301-exclusions-october-2025 Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT USTR initiated a Section 301 investigation on October 27 into China's compliance with the 2020 Phase One agreement. 178 product categories enjoy Section 301 exclusions, many covering chemical inputs. Here's the exposure and the playbook. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-rare-earth-weaponisation-port-fees-phase-one-october-2025-cornerstone https://sourzi.com/blog/china-rare-earth-weaponisation-port-fees-phase-one-october-2025-cornerstone Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT October 2025 cornerstone: MOFCOM's six-announcement rare earth package (holmium, erbium, thulium, europium, ytterbium added), China's first FDPR-style 0.1% de minimis rule, USTR's $50 per net ton port fees, and the October 27 Phase One Section 301 investigation. Complete tariff stack, worked landed cost maths, and Sydney importer playbook. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-port-fees-chinese-built-vessels-cosco-chemical-shipping-october-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-port-fees-chinese-built-vessels-cosco-chemical-shipping-october-2025 Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT USTR's Section 301 port fees took effect October 14, charging Chinese-owned vessels $50 per net tonne and Chinese-built non-Chinese-operated ships $18 per net tonne or $120 per container. Here's how the cost cascades into your chemical freight invoice. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-october-9-rare-earth-fdpr-chemical-catalysts-magnets-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-october-9-rare-earth-fdpr-chemical-catalysts-magnets-2025 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT MOFCOM's six October 9 announcements added holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium to the control list and introduced China's first FDPR-style rule with a 0.1% de minimis threshold. Here's what changes for US chemical importers. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/trump-sectoral-tariffs-kitchen-cabinets-furniture-mdi-chemical-september-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/trump-sectoral-tariffs-kitchen-cabinets-furniture-mdi-chemical-september-2025 Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT Trump's September 30 proclamation hit kitchen cabinets, vanities and upholstered furniture with 25% tariffs rising to 50% in January. The MDI anti-dumping case on Wanhua signals the same sectoral playbook is coming for chemical importers. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/mofcom-three-defense-companies-dual-use-supplier-parent-company-check-september-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/mofcom-three-defense-companies-dual-use-supplier-parent-company-check-september-2025 Fri, 26 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT On 25 September 2025, MOFCOM added Huntington Ingalls, Planate Management Group and Global Dimensions to China's Dual-Use Export Control List. For US chemical importers, the risk is suppliers in China with defence-adjacent corporate parents. Here is the step-by-step corporate structure check you need before your next purchase order. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/container-rates-crashing-q4-chemical-freight-contract-september-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/container-rates-crashing-q4-chemical-freight-contract-september-2025 Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT Container rates peaked mid-2025 at $4,716 per FEU and began collapsing in September. By November, Shanghai to USWC spot had fallen to $1,950-$2,650 per FEU. The global container fleet expanded 10 percent in 2024 to 31 million TEUs, and carriers are responding with aggressive blank sailings. Here is why Q4 is your contracting window. Finance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-tsca-rewrite-imdg-42-24-dg-surcharge-september-2025-cornerstone https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-tsca-rewrite-imdg-42-24-dg-surcharge-september-2025-cornerstone Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT September 2025 cornerstone: EPA's proposed TSCA Section 6 rewrite, IMDG Amendment 42-24 mandatory from January 2026, Hapag-Lloyd's reinstated $250/container DG surcharge, and the September 30 furniture tariff wave. Landed cost maths, HS code tables, and action items for Sydney importers moving chemicals ex-China. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-tsca-section-6-risk-evaluation-proposed-rule-september-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/epa-tsca-section-6-risk-evaluation-proposed-rule-september-2025 Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT EPA's September 2025 proposed amendments to the TSCA Section 6 Risk Evaluation Framework Rule would shift from chemical-wide to use-specific evaluations. Comment period closed 7 November. Since January, EPA has pursued 115 TSCA enforcement actions and assessed around $4.3 million in penalties. Here is what it means for importers sourcing chemicals from China. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/imdg-42-24-dangerous-goods-compliance-checklist-chemical-importers-august-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/imdg-42-24-dangerous-goods-compliance-checklist-chemical-importers-august-2025 Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT IMO Resolution MSC.556(108) locks in IMDG 42-24 on 1 January 2026. Over 300 changes hit chemical importers: new UN numbers for sodium-ion batteries, deleted Special Provision 925, on-deck stowage for lithium, plus a $250/container DG surcharge from Hapag-Lloyd. Here is the checklist you need before your next booking. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-factory-verification-audit-supplier-shutdowns-august-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-factory-verification-audit-supplier-shutdowns-august-2025 Fri, 22 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT US audit demand in China fell 18% YoY in Q1 2026 per QIMA, April PMI sat at 49.0 with export orders at 44.7, and smaller chemical intermediary factories across Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu are consolidating or closing. Here is how to run a factory verification audit that catches the risk in time. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/mofcom-twelve-us-companies-dual-use-removed-chemical-importers-august-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/mofcom-twelve-us-companies-dual-use-removed-chemical-importers-august-2025 Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT MOFCOM dropped 12 US entities from its Dual-Use Export Control List on 12 August as a goodwill gesture. But the April 4 rare-earth licence regime is fully in force and processing is running weeks to months. Here is what that means for chemical and raw material importers. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/trump-china-tariff-truce-extension-august-11-landed-costs-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/trump-china-tariff-truce-extension-august-11-landed-costs-2025 Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT The August 11 Executive Order extended the Geneva truce another 90 days to November 10, removed 12 US companies from China's Dual-Use list, and let reciprocal tariffs on non-China origins resume August 7. But Section 301 and the April 4 rare earth controls stayed. Here's the full stacked-duty picture for chemical raw material landed costs into late 2025. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/august-11-executive-order-china-chemical-landed-costs-recalculation-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/august-11-executive-order-china-chemical-landed-costs-recalculation-2025 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT The 11 August executive order formally extended the reduced 10% reciprocal duty another 90 days. Here is a step-by-step landed cost recalculation for China-origin chemical imports under the current stacked rate architecture. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/stockholm-tariff-truce-extension-chemical-procurement-july-30-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/stockholm-tariff-truce-extension-chemical-procurement-july-30-2025 Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT Stockholm talks on 28-29 July extended the China tariff truce another 90 days to ~10 November 2025. Chemical importers still face a stacked ~55% effective rate. Here is how to rebuild your Q4 procurement plan around it. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/drewry-wci-4716-feu-chemical-freight-contract-negotiation-july-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/drewry-wci-4716-feu-chemical-freight-contract-negotiation-july-2025 Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT Drewry WCI spiked 12% in a week to $4,716 per FEU, SCFI is at 3,184, and traders are whispering about $20,000 Asia-Europe prints. Here's the contract negotiation playbook for chemical importers this month. Finance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/houthis-magic-seas-panama-canal-all-clear-chemical-shipping-july-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/houthis-magic-seas-panama-canal-all-clear-chemical-shipping-july-2025 Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT July 6 Magic Seas sinking shattered the May ceasefire, Panama Canal restored full 50-foot draft, and Stockholm talks on 28-29 July extended the tariff truce another 90 days. The route economics for China to Australia chemical shipping just fundamentally changed. Here's the decision matrix. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/panama-canal-all-clear-gatun-lake-2025-east-coast-chemical-routing https://sourzi.com/blog/panama-canal-all-clear-gatun-lake-2025-east-coast-chemical-routing Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT Gatun Lake is back at 86.6 ft, full 50-ft draft is restored, and FY2025 transits hit 13,404. Here's the East Coast routing math for chemical importers choosing between Panama, Suez alternatives, and trans-Pacific plus rail. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/houthis-magic-seas-sinking-july-6-red-sea-ceasefire-broken-weekly https://sourzi.com/blog/houthis-magic-seas-sinking-july-6-red-sea-ceasefire-broken-weekly Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT The Magic Seas went to the bottom on 6 July 2025, ending the May ceasefire. Here's what it costs a US chemical importer to route via Cape of Good Hope versus paying the war-risk premium through Bab el-Mandeb. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/section-232-steel-aluminum-50-percent-june-2025-chemical-equipment https://sourzi.com/blog/section-232-steel-aluminum-50-percent-june-2025-chemical-equipment Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT The June 4 Section 232 hike doubled steel and aluminum duties to 50%, and June throughput at Port of LA smashed 117-year records. Here's how it moves chemical equipment and metal-substrate raw material landed costs for Australian importers sourcing through US supply chains. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/geneva-truce-90-day-tariff-reduction-chemical-procurement-may-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/geneva-truce-90-day-tariff-reduction-chemical-procurement-may-2025 Sun, 18 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT On 12 May the Geneva talks delivered a 90-day tariff truce that takes the effective stack from roughly 145 per cent down to around 30 per cent. De minimis for Chinese goods ended on 2 May. The Houthi ceasefire on 6 May hints at Red Sea normalisation. Here is the procurement playbook for the window. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/liberation-day-145-percent-tariffs-seven-rare-earths-april-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/liberation-day-145-percent-tariffs-seven-rare-earths-april-2025 Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT From 2 April to 10 April the effective US duty on Chinese-origin goods walked from a baseline stack to 145 per cent peak. At the same time MOFCOM put seven medium and heavy rare earths on licence. Here is the landed-cost maths and the five-move playbook. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/fentanyl-tariff-doubled-20-percent-gacc-314-billion-march-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/fentanyl-tariff-doubled-20-percent-gacc-314-billion-march-2025 Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT Executive Order 14228 doubled the IEEPA fentanyl tariff from 10 to 20 per cent on March 4, GACC logged a front-loaded February, and every open PO now needs a fresh landed-cost model. Here is what a Sydney importer should do this week. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ieepa-fentanyl-tariff-china-tungsten-tellurium-bismuth-february-2025 https://sourzi.com/blog/ieepa-fentanyl-tariff-china-tungsten-tellurium-bismuth-february-2025 Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT Executive Order 14195 imposed a 10 per cent ad valorem IEEPA duty on every Chinese-origin import effective 4 February. Inside the same 24 hours, MOFCOM Announcement No. 10 added tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum, and indium to the export licence regime. Here's what that stack actually does to your landed cost and your Q2 supply book. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/us-ports-249-million-teus-january-2025-ieepa-front-loading https://sourzi.com/blog/us-ports-249-million-teus-january-2025-ieepa-front-loading Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT January 2025 container imports broke the all-time monthly record at 2.49 million TEUs as buyers raced to beat the 4 February IEEPA fentanyl tariff. Wells Fargo clocked a 20 to 25 per cent invoice spike on Chinese supplier quotes inside a fortnight. Here's the front-loading maths on chemical pre-shipment inventory, and how to run the ROI call on every tonne still sitting at Ningbo. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/eu-38-percent-tariffs-chinese-evs-shared-chemical-inputs-june-2024 https://sourzi.com/blog/eu-38-percent-tariffs-chinese-evs-shared-chemical-inputs-june-2024 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT Brussels dropped provisional anti-dumping duties of 17 to 38 per cent on Chinese electric vehicles on 12 June, and Beijing opened retaliation files on EU dairy, pork, and spirits within 72 hours. The collateral damage for US chemical importers runs through shared Chinese production lines, and the price and capacity squeeze starts the moment the 4 July duties bite. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-section-301-tariffs-battery-chemical-materials-may-2024 https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-section-301-tariffs-battery-chemical-materials-may-2024 Wed, 15 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT The USTR announced Section 301 tariff increases on 14 May that push EV duties to 100%, lithium batteries to 25%, solar cells to 50%, and medical syringes to 50% effective 1 August. Here's what's moving, what's not, and what it does to your chemical and battery-material landed costs line by line. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-march-2024-gacc-exports-up-74-us-chemical-volumes-falling https://sourzi.com/blog/china-march-2024-gacc-exports-up-74-us-chemical-volumes-falling Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT China's General Administration of Customs reported March 2024 exports up 7.4% year-on-year, but the US-bound chemical numbers tell a different story. Here's why Chinese factories are redirecting volume to Europe and ASEAN, what it means for your supplier relationships, and how to read the divergence in your next sourcing decision. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/baltimore-francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse-east-coast-chemicals-march-2024 https://sourzi.com/blog/baltimore-francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse-east-coast-chemicals-march-2024 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT The Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 0128 on 26 March and the Port of Baltimore is now fully closed to vessel traffic. Here's what it's doing to your fertiliser, bulk chemical, and ro-ro chemical cargo, what rerouting to Norfolk and Philadelphia really costs, and what to do this week. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/chinese-new-year-2024-factory-shutdown-red-sea-compound-delay-february https://sourzi.com/blog/chinese-new-year-2024-factory-shutdown-red-sea-compound-delay-february Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT This is the first Chinese New Year in four years that has collided with a live global shipping crisis. Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong factories closed 7 to 18 February while Red Sea rerouting kept piling on transit days. Combined lead times have stretched to 8 to 10 weeks. Here is what it means for your Q2. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ninety-percent-container-ships-avoid-red-sea-chemical-importers-january-2024 https://sourzi.com/blog/ninety-percent-container-ships-avoid-red-sea-chemical-importers-january-2024 Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT Three weeks into 2024 and more than nine in ten container ships have abandoned the Suez route. The Drewry index has more than doubled, war-risk premiums have spiked, and chemical importers are rewriting Q1 landed cost models on the fly. Here is the current state of play and the numbers you need. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/maersk-msc-cma-cgm-red-sea-suspension-cape-good-hope-december-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/maersk-msc-cma-cgm-red-sea-suspension-cape-good-hope-december-2023 Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT The world's four largest container lines have pulled out of Bab el-Mandeb inside a single week, rerouting Asia to Europe and Asia to US East Coast cargo around the Cape of Good Hope. Here is what it does to your transit times, your freight bill, and your IMDG insurance for Q1 2024. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-xi-apec-woodside-section-301-chemical-tariffs-november-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-xi-apec-woodside-section-301-chemical-tariffs-november-2023 Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT The November 15-16 2023 Biden-Xi summit at Filoli Estate in Woodside, California produced a restored military-to-military hotline, fentanyl precursor cooperation, and an AI safety dialogue. It did not produce any Section 301 tariff relief. Here is what the Woodside agreement really means for US chemical importers still paying 25% on List 3 and List 4A HS lines out of China. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/hamas-houthi-red-sea-chemical-freight-october-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/hamas-houthi-red-sea-chemical-freight-october-2023 Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT Following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the first Houthi missile and drone strikes at Red Sea shipping from October 19, war-risk insurance premiums on Bab el-Mandeb transits are spiking and chemical importers routing through Suez have started contingency planning for a Cape of Good Hope diversion. Here is what that realistically adds to your IMDG landed cost and how to decide when to pull the trigger. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-graphite-export-controls-battery-anode-september-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-graphite-export-controls-battery-anode-september-2023 Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT On September 21 2023, MOFCOM and GACC gazetted export licence requirements for natural flake graphite, spherical graphite, and high-purity synthetic graphite effective December 1. With China producing 65% of natural and around 90% of synthetic graphite globally, every battery anode buyer, carbon brush OEM, and refractory importer has a ninety-day window to lock in coverage. Here is how to work that window. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/panama-canal-restrictions-tightened-chemical-tanker-delays-august-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/panama-canal-restrictions-tightened-chemical-tanker-delays-august-2023 Mon, 14 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT The Panama Canal Authority cut daily transits from 36 to 24 through November 2023 and dropped draft limits to 44 feet, shaving 20 to 40% off chemical tanker payloads. Queues above 130 vessels and demurrage at $2,000 to $4,000 per day are now a weekly occurrence. Here is how the Gatun Lake drought is reshaping chemical flows, the routing alternatives, and the landed cost arithmetic you need before year end. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-gallium-germanium-export-ban-led-chemicals-july-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-gallium-germanium-export-ban-led-chemicals-july-2023 Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT China's Ministry of Commerce announced gallium and germanium export controls on 3 July 2023, effective 1 August, requiring a licence for every outbound shipment. China supplies roughly 80% of world gallium and 60% of world germanium. LED precursors, fibre-optic glass, solar cells, and specialty coatings are all in the blast zone. Here is the licence timeline, the alternative-source maths, and the landed cost repricing you need this quarter. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/blinken-beijing-visit-section-301-chemical-exclusions-june-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/blinken-beijing-visit-section-301-chemical-exclusions-june-2023 Mon, 19 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT Secretary Blinken landed in Beijing on 18 June 2023 for the first US State Department visit in five years, and USTR followed by extending 352 Section 301 exclusions through 31 December 2023. Several chemical intermediates made the list. Here is how to read the extension schedule against your HS codes, the duty arithmetic on adipic acid and citric acid, and the filing windows that matter before year end. Tariffs & Trade sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/g7-hiroshima-de-risk-not-decouple-chemical-sourcing-may-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/g7-hiroshima-de-risk-not-decouple-chemical-sourcing-may-2023 Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT The G7 Hiroshima communique swapped "decoupling" for "de-risking" and put specific chemical and precursor categories on the coordination agenda. Here's what that language shift actually means for your China-dependent raw material portfolio and your sourcing plan through 2024. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-march-2023-gacc-export-record-raw-material-pricing https://sourzi.com/blog/china-march-2023-gacc-export-record-raw-material-pricing Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT GACC released March 2023 trade figures showing exports at $315.6B and a 14.8% year-on-year jump, the strongest month since reopening. Here's what the record print actually means for your FOB negotiations and supplier leverage on mid-year chemical orders. Sourcing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/panama-canal-drought-gatun-lake-chemical-shipping-march-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/panama-canal-drought-gatun-lake-chemical-shipping-march-2023 Wed, 15 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT Gatun Lake levels have dropped far enough that the Panama Canal Authority is restricting vessel drafts, and chemical tankers are bearing the brunt. Here's what the drought is doing to your landed cost, your transit time, and your routing choices for the rest of 2023. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/chinese-spy-balloon-february-4-chemical-imports-tsca-pmn https://sourzi.com/blog/chinese-spy-balloon-february-4-chemical-imports-tsca-pmn Thu, 16 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT An F-22 put a missile into a Chinese surveillance balloon off South Carolina on 4 February, Blinken binned his Beijing trip, and inside a week CBP and EPA were quietly slow-walking Chinese-origin chemical entries. Here's what's happening to TSCA Section 5 PMN timelines, how import clearances are lengthening, and how to rebuild your landed cost and lead-time model for this new friction. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-reopened-january-2023-covid-wave-chemical-production https://sourzi.com/blog/china-reopened-january-2023-covid-wave-chemical-production Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT GACC's 13 January release showed FY2022 exports up 7 per cent to USD 3.59 trillion, but December alone dropped 9.9 per cent. That gap is the COVID wave hitting Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang chemical hubs. Here's how to read the data, model your February landed costs, and replan Q1 orders against a production base that's still suppressed. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-ended-zero-covid-december-7-chemical-factory-restarts-q1-2023 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-ended-zero-covid-december-7-chemical-factory-restarts-q1-2023 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT Beijing ripped up the zero-COVID playbook overnight on 7 December, and within a fortnight Jiangsu and Shandong chemical parks were running on 40 to 60 per cent crews. Here's the brutal maths on what that does to your Q1 2023 landed cost and delivery windows, and how you plan orders through a reopening that actually collapses production before it recovers it. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-zero-covid-protests-factory-operational-continuity-november-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-zero-covid-protests-factory-operational-continuity-november-2022 Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT Protests swept Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Ürümqi in late November 2022 after a deadly fire in Xinjiang on 24 November, and Foxconn Zhengzhou's worker riot earlier in the month had already shut a major production line. Chinese chemical factories are alternating between open and closed week by week. Here is the stress-test framework, the second-source playbook, and the Vietnam, Malaysia, and India routing maths you need before year end. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/semiconductor-export-controls-chemical-precursors-october-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/semiconductor-export-controls-chemical-precursors-october-2022 Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT On 7 October 2022 the Bureau of Industry and Security published sweeping export controls on advanced semiconductor technology to China. Buried in the rule are restrictions and downstream effects on photoresists, CMP slurries, high-purity solvents, wet etchants, and specialty electronic gases including NF3 and WF6. Chemical importers exposed to semiconductor-adjacent product lines need to read the fine print now. Regulation & Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/fmc-carrier-surcharge-audit-demurrage-detention-september-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/fmc-carrier-surcharge-audit-demurrage-detention-september-2022 Thu, 15 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT The Federal Maritime Commission opened a wave of carrier investigations through September 2022 under the Ocean Shipping Reform Act signed 16 June. Detention, demurrage, chassis fees, peak season surcharges, and GRIs are all under scrutiny. Here is how to audit every invoice from 2021 and 2022, recover wrongful charges, and file a formal charge complaint under 46 CFR 545.5. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/pelosi-taiwan-strait-crisis-chemical-supply-chain-august-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/pelosi-taiwan-strait-crisis-chemical-supply-chain-august-2022 Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT Speaker Pelosi landed in Taipei on 2 August 2022 and within 48 hours the PLA had cordoned off six live-fire zones around Taiwan. The Taiwan Strait carries roughly half the world's container tonnage. Here is what the crisis did to chemical lanes, Kaohsiung traffic, war-risk premiums, and prepayment terms, plus the contingency plan you should have drafted already. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/container-freight-rates-crashing-long-term-contract-july-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/container-freight-rates-crashing-long-term-contract-july-2022 Fri, 15 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT The Drewry World Container Index is down more than 40% from its September 2021 peak. Spot Shanghai to LA has crashed to roughly USD 7,000 per FEU from north of USD 12,000. But shippers who signed 12 to 24 month contracts in late 2021 are paying two to three times spot. Here's how to renegotiate, walk away, or plan your 2023 tender. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-enforcement-cbp-detentions-chemical-imports-june-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-enforcement-cbp-detentions-chemical-imports-june-2022 Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT UFLPA enforcement began 21 June 2022 with CBP operational guidance released 13 June. Early detentions are hitting polysilicon, cotton-derived chemicals, and any Xinjiang-nexus raw materials. Here's the enforcement picture on day one, the high-risk commodity list, and what chain-of-custody evidence actually satisfies CBP. Regulation & Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-reopening-chemical-backlog-restart-orders-may-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-reopening-chemical-backlog-restart-orders-may-2022 Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT Shanghai's gradual reopening kicked off in mid-May 2022 but the accumulated chemical backlog is eight weeks deep. Drayage rates are running 2 to 3 times normal, carriers are blanking Shanghai sailings and shifting to Ningbo-Zhoushan, and your PO book is about to get chaotic. Here's the restart playbook. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-full-lockdown-factory-verification-guide-april-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-full-lockdown-factory-verification-guide-april-2022 Fri, 15 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT Shanghai's full-city lockdown began 1 April 2022 and more than 470 vessels are waiting in East China. Factories in Pudong, Minhang, and Songjiang have been dark for two weeks. Here's how to verify whether your Chinese chemical supplier is actually running, and who to call when WeChat goes silent. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-lockdown-yangshan-port-chemical-shipments-march-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/shanghai-lockdown-yangshan-port-chemical-shipments-march-2022 Wed, 30 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT Shanghai began a phased lockdown on 28 March 2022 with Pudong going first and Puxi to follow. Yangshan and Waigaoqiao terminals are operating but trucking access is collapsing. Here is what the lockdown does to your Q2 chemical shipments and how to protect them. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/russia-ukraine-neon-argon-krypton-ammonia-chemical-shortage-february-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/russia-ukraine-neon-argon-krypton-ammonia-chemical-shortage-february-2022 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMT Russian forces entered Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Within 48 hours, global semiconductor-grade neon supply, the world's largest ammonia export flow, and critical palladium and noble gas streams are all in crisis. Here is what this means for chemical importers right now. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-cbp-detention-due-diligence-checklist-january-2022 https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-cbp-detention-due-diligence-checklist-january-2022 Mon, 17 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT The UFLPA takes effect 21 June 2022. This is the practical due diligence checklist for chemical importers: tier-by-tier supplier mapping, forensic testing options, a CBP evidence bundle, alternative sourcing timeline, and the costs you are looking at if you skip the work. Regulation & Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-signed-into-law-chemical-importers-compliance-december-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-signed-into-law-chemical-importers-compliance-december-2021 Fri, 24 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT President Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law on 23 December 2021. It takes effect on 21 June 2022 with a rebuttable presumption that anything touching Xinjiang is made with forced labour. Here is the compliance playbook for chemical importers, step by step. Regulation & Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-senate-passage-chinese-chemical-raw-materials-november-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/uflpa-senate-passage-chinese-chemical-raw-materials-november-2021 Sat, 20 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT The UFLPA passed the US Senate unanimously on July 14, 2021, and the companion House bill is moving in November. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that any goods with a Xinjiang nexus are made with forced labour. PVC, polysilicon-linked chemistries, chlor-alkali feedstocks and coal-derived chemicals are all in scope. Here is what chemical importers need to do now. Regulation & Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/socal-port-congestion-chemical-orders-october-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/socal-port-congestion-chemical-orders-october-2021 Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT Mid-October 2021 saw more than 100 container ships at anchor off Los Angeles and Long Beach, the White House announce 24/7 operations, and terminals threaten dwell fees on lingering containers. Here is the practical guide for chemical importers: pull forward, divert to Oakland, Tacoma, Prince Rupert or the Gulf, renegotiate Incoterms, and cap your demurrage exposure. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-power-rationing-chemical-factories-september-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-power-rationing-chemical-factories-september-2021 Wed, 15 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT September 2021 saw dual-control energy policy enforcement cut industrial electricity across 20+ Chinese provinces. Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong chemical parks stopped production for days or weeks. Urea, PVC, caustic soda, magnesium, silicon metal and yellow phosphorus prices spiked. Here is how to verify your supplier is actually running. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/los-angeles-port-congestion-china-chemical-lead-times-august-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/los-angeles-port-congestion-china-chemical-lead-times-august-2021 Mon, 16 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT August 2021 saw more than 40 container vessels at anchor in San Pedro Bay, wait times of 10 to 14 days before berthing, and chemical cargo stuck in the yard. Combined with Yangshan, Ningbo, and the Yantian backlog, door-to-door lead times from China blew out past 12 weeks. Here is the real cost breakdown. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/container-freight-rates-8796-per-feu-july-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/container-freight-rates-8796-per-feu-july-2021 Thu, 15 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT The Drewry WCI hit $8,796 per 40-foot container in mid-July 2021, an all-time high. Shanghai to Los Angeles rates are 5x pre-pandemic levels. Chemical importers on DDP are getting crushed and FOB buyers with their own forwarders aren't escaping either. Here's the real landed cost impact and how to respond. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-supply-chain-review-critical-minerals-chemicals-june-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-supply-chain-review-critical-minerals-chemicals-june-2021 Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT The White House released its 250-page 100-day supply chain review on 8 June 2021, covering semiconductors, batteries, critical minerals, and pharmaceuticals. Rare earths, lithium, cobalt, nickel, and APIs flagged as catastrophic China dependencies. Here's what it actually means for chemical importers and why short-term relief isn't coming. Regulation & Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/g7-infrastructure-build-back-better-raw-material-prices-may-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/g7-infrastructure-build-back-better-raw-material-prices-may-2021 Mon, 17 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT The G7 B3W ($40T Build Back Better World) counter to China's Belt and Road is being teed up for the June Cornwall summit. Combined with Biden's $2.3 trillion US infrastructure plan, it's already moving steel, cement chemicals, battery chemicals, and specialty metals pricing. Here's how it lands on your FOB quotes. Markets & Pricing sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-phase-one-58-percent-section-301-chemicals-april-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/ustr-phase-one-58-percent-section-301-chemicals-april-2021 Thu, 15 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT USTR's mid-April 2021 interim report confirmed China at 58% of its Phase One manufacturing purchase commitments. For chemical importers hoping for Section 301 tariff relief on HTS Chapter 29 and 39 codes, that number is the nail in the coffin through 2022. Here's what to do now. Tariffs & Trade Policy sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/ever-given-suez-canal-landed-cost-chemical-importers https://sourzi.com/blog/ever-given-suez-canal-landed-cost-chemical-importers Thu, 25 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT MV Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal on March 23, 2021. Six days of blockage, 369 vessels queued, and an estimated $9.6 billion per day in disrupted trade. Here is what that actually means for chemical importers sourcing from China, broken down to per-container and per-MT costs. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/texas-freeze-force-majeure-chemical-imports-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/texas-freeze-force-majeure-chemical-imports-2021 Wed, 17 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT Winter Storm Uri knocked out a significant share of US Gulf Coast chemical production in February 2021. MDI, TDI, HDPE, and polypropylene buyers are already scrambling. Here is what happened, which facilities declared force majeure, and how to move fast with Chinese alternative suppliers. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-china-tariffs-section-301-strategic-patience-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-china-tariffs-section-301-strategic-patience-2021 Thu, 21 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT Biden was inaugurated January 20, 2021, and his team immediately confirmed that all Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods would stay in place pending a comprehensive review. For chemical importers, this meant modelling tariff costs as permanent, not temporary. Trade Policy sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-november-exports-2020-section-301-2021 https://sourzi.com/blog/china-november-exports-2020-section-301-2021 Wed, 16 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT GACC's November 2020 data showed Chinese exports hitting $268.07B, up 21.1% YoY and a monthly record. For US chemical importers, the data confirmed full factory recovery and signaled a difficult pricing environment in 2021. Market Data sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-rcep-smic-chemical-supply-chain-november-2020 https://sourzi.com/blog/biden-rcep-smic-chemical-supply-chain-november-2020 Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT Three major trade events landed in a two-week window in November 2020. Biden's election signals tariff continuity, RCEP reshapes ASEAN diversification economics, and SMIC's Entity List addition expands compliance obligations for specialty chemical importers. Trade Policy sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/container-freight-rates-2020-chemical-importers https://sourzi.com/blog/container-freight-rates-2020-chemical-importers Thu, 15 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index hit its highest level since 2011 in Q4 2020. Here is what that means for your per-MT landed cost on chemical imports from China, and what you can do about it now. Logistics sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/tsca-cdr-reporting-deadline-chemical-importers https://sourzi.com/blog/tsca-cdr-reporting-deadline-chemical-importers Mon, 14 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT The EPA extended the TSCA CDR submission deadline to September 30, 2020. If you import chemical substances from China above the 25,000 lb threshold, you are required to file through CDX. Here is exactly what to submit and what non-compliance costs you. Compliance sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/wechat-tiktok-ban-china-exports-july-2020 https://sourzi.com/blog/wechat-tiktok-ban-china-exports-july-2020 Mon, 17 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT Executive Orders 13942 and 13943 banned certain WeChat and TikTok transactions on August 6. Meanwhile, GACC's July 2020 data shows chemical exports to the US recovering strongly. Here is what the headlines missed and what it means for your Q4 orders. Market Data sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/houston-consulate-closure-chemical-imports https://sourzi.com/blog/houston-consulate-closure-chemical-imports Thu, 23 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT The US ordered China's Houston consulate shut on July 22, 2020, and China closed the US Chengdu consulate four days later. For chemical importers who rely on factory audits, visa access, and contract enforcement, this matters more than most people realise. Trade Policy sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/phase-one-chemical-targets-section-301-tariffs https://sourzi.com/blog/phase-one-chemical-targets-section-301-tariffs Tue, 16 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT PIIE data shows China on pace for just 23% of its Phase One manufactured goods commitment through H1 2020. Section 301 tariff relief on chemicals is not coming. Here is how to recalculate your landed costs and stop waiting. Trade Policy sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-exports-april-2020-rebound-phase-one https://sourzi.com/blog/china-exports-april-2020-rebound-phase-one Fri, 15 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT GACC's April 2020 data shows a +3.5% export rebound, but it was driven by medical equipment, not industrial chemicals. Meanwhile Phase One compliance was collapsing and Trump was threatening new tariffs. Here is what chemical importers needed to know. Trade Policy sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-exports-march-2020-ppe-capacity https://sourzi.com/blog/china-exports-march-2020-ppe-capacity Wed, 15 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT GACC's March 2020 trade data shows a -6.6% export drop, but chemical buyers face a harder reality. PPE production pivots gutted capacity at Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang chemical plants. Here is how to verify your supplier is actually running your product, not someone else's. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/china-exports-february-2020-gacc-data https://sourzi.com/blog/china-exports-february-2020-gacc-data Mon, 16 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT GACC released February 2020 trade data and it is ugly. China exports fell 17.2% year-on-year, the worst monthly decline since 2008. Here is what the numbers mean for your delayed chemical shipments, why port congestion is the hidden problem, and how to update your Q2 planning models. Market Data sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/covid-19-china-factory-shutdowns-force-majeure https://sourzi.com/blog/covid-19-china-factory-shutdowns-force-majeure Mon, 17 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT Chinese factories are sending force majeure notices as COVID-19 shutdowns extend into February. Here is how to read a CCPIT certificate, what Chinese contract law actually requires, and the specific questions to ask your supplier before accepting any claim. Supply Chain sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial) https://sourzi.com/blog/phase-one-deal-chemical-imports https://sourzi.com/blog/phase-one-deal-chemical-imports Fri, 17 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT Phase One is signed but Section 301 tariffs remain at 25% on List 3 chemicals. Here is what the $52.4B purchase commitment actually means for US chemical importers, including the landed cost calculation most people are still getting wrong. Trade Policy sourcing@sourzi.com (Sourzi Editorial)