Seamless steel pipes exports from South Africa: data, top buyers and prices
South Africa exported $89.5 million of seamless steel pipes in 2024 (53.4 thousand tonnes). Value fell 14% from 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2018, at $135.5 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Exports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $89.5M | 53.4K t |
| 2023 | $104.7M | 61.1K t |
| 2022 | $110.3M | 69.3K t |
| 2021 | $80.1M | 46.9K t |
| 2020 | $61.6M | 109.0K t |
| 2019 | $98.0M | 129.9K t |
| 2018 | $135.5M | 131.4K t |
| 2017 | $97.9M | 101.9K t |
Where South Africa exports seamless steel pipes to
Most of it went to United States (25%), Namibia (12%), Botswana (11%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 48%. Among the main buyer markets, Republic of the Congo grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $22.2M | 25% |
| Namibia | $10.9M | 12% |
| Botswana | $10.2M | 11% |
| DR Congo | $6.4M | 7.1% |
| Zambia | $4.7M | 5.3% |
| Zimbabwe | $3.3M | 3.7% |
| Germany | $3.1M | 3.5% |
| Mozambique | $2.7M | 3% |
| Republic of the Congo | $2.6M | 2.9% |
| Italy | $2.2M | 2.4% |
Product types under HS 7304
| 7304.19 | Iron or steel (excluding cast iron or stainless steel): seamless, line pipe of a kind used for oil or gas pipelines | 41% |
| 7304.90 | Iron or steel (excluding cast iron): seamless, tubes, pipes and hollow profiles, seamless, n.e.c. in heading no. 7304 | 19% |
| 7304.49 | Steel, stainless: (excluding cold-drawn or cold-rolled), tubes pipes and hollow profiles of circular cross-section | 8.3% |
| 7304.39 | Iron or non-alloy steel (excluding cast iron): seamless, (excluding cold-drawn or cold-rolled), tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of circular… | 8% |
| 7304.11 | Iron or steel (excluding cast iron): seamless, line pipe of a kind used for oil or gas pipelines, of stainless steel | 4.9% |
| 7304.29 | Iron or steel (excluding cast iron or stainless steel): seamless, casing and tubing, of a kind used in drilling for oil or gas | 4.8% |
| 7304.23 | Iron or steel (excluding cast iron or stainless steel): seamless, drill pipe, of a kind used in drilling for oil or gas | 3.8% |
| 7304.59 | Steel, alloy (not stainless steel): (excluding cold-drawn or cold-rolled), tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of circular cross-section | 3.2% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 7304.
Average export price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.68 per kg, 27% below the world average of $2.31, which often means bulk or lower-grade product.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Seamless steel pipes imports to South Africa
South Africa imported $82.3 million of seamless steel pipes in 2024 (47.3 thousand tonnes). China alone supplied 62% of it. Among the main suppliers, Thailand grew fastest (+788% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $50.8M | 62% |
| Spain | $5.7M | 6.9% |
| Thailand | $5.1M | 6.2% |
| Germany | $4.7M | 5.7% |
| Italy | $2.3M | 2.8% |
| Brazil | $2.2M | 2.6% |
| United States | $1.3M | 1.6% |
| Saudi Arabia | $1.0M | 1.3% |
| United Kingdom | $888K | 1.1% |
| Australia | $872K | 1.1% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Mirror data: built from the shipment records of the countries that trade with it.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 7304: Tubes, pipes and hollow profiles, seamless, of iron (other than cast iron) or steel.
Common questions
What is the value of seamless steel pipes exported by South Africa?
South Africa exported seamless steel pipes worth $89.5 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 53.4 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 32nd of 179 countries worldwide, with 0% of world exports. The value was down 14% on 2023.
Which countries buy seamless steel pipes from South Africa?
The United States was the largest buyer with 25% of the value ($22.2 million), followed by Namibia (12%) and Botswana (11%). The top three together account for 48%, out of 104 buyer countries in total. Germany grew fastest among the top ten, up 70% on the year.
What is the average export price of seamless steel pipes per kg?
The average declared export value was about $1.68 per kg in 2024, 27% below the world average of $2.31 per kg. It is total declared value divided by total weight, so it blends every grade and size; use it as a benchmark, not a quote. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
How have exports of seamless steel pipes from South Africa changed since 2017?
Exports went from $97.9 million in 2017 to $89.5 million in 2024, a fall of 9%. The peak was 2018 at $135.5 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also import seamless steel pipes?
Yes. South Africa imported $82.3 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly from China, Spain and Thailand. That compares with exports of $89.5 million in the same year.
What is the HS code for seamless steel pipes?
The HS code for seamless steel pipes is heading 7304. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 7304.19 (41% of the value) and 7304.90 (19%). It sits in HS chapter 73 (iron or steel articles). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 7304 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
Public statistics stop at country totals. EximDataX rebuilds South Africa trade from the customs records of its trading partners, updated weekly, so you can see the companies that ship to and from it. Tell us your product and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
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