🇺🇸 United States exports of ship scrap: 2024 trade data
Exports of ship scrap by the United States reached $13.6 million in 2024 (11.2 thousand tonnes). Its share of world exports was 2%. Value rose 5% on 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2018, at $82.4 million.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Exports of ship scrap by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $13.6M | 11.2K t |
| 2023 | $13.0M | 11.2K t |
| 2022 | $69.1M | 8.5K t |
| 2021 | $58.7M | 487 t |
| 2020 | $25.6M | 8.4K t |
| 2019 | $19.5M | 4.3K t |
| 2018 | $82.4M | 290.2K t |
| 2017 | $12.4M | 39.7K t |
Where the United States exports ship scrap to
One buyer market dominates: India accounted for 56% of the value. Among the main buyer markets, India grew fastest (+276% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇳 India | $7.6M | 56% |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | $5.7M | 42% |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $96K | 0.7% |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | $50K | 0.4% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $49K | 0.4% |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | $37K | 0.3% |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | $23K | 0.2% |
| 🇭🇳 Honduras | $8K | 0.1% |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $8K | 0.1% |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | $4K | 0% |
Average export price of ship scrap
The average declared value was about $1.22 per kg, 36% below the world average of $1.91, 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.
The United States also imports ship scrap
Imports of ship scrap by the United States reached $848 thousand in 2024 (33 tonnes). South Korea alone supplied 56% of it.
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $474K | 56% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $357K | 42% |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | $6K | 0.7% |
| 🇮🇳 India | $3K | 0.4% |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $3K | 0.3% |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | $2K | 0.3% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $2K | 0.2% |
| 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | $1K | 0.1% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United States?
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
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
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 8908: Vessels and other floating structures; for breaking up.
Ship scrap trade in the United States: questions
What is the value of ship scrap imported by the United States?
The United States imported ship scrap worth $848 thousand in 2024 (33 tonnes).
Where does the United States import ship scrap from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were South Korea (56%), Netherlands (42%), Mexico (1%).
What is the average import price of ship scrap in the United States?
The average declared import value was about $25.40 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $1.91 per kg.
Does the United States export ship scrap?
Yes. The United States exported ship scrap worth $13.6 million in 2024, mainly to India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia.
What is the HS code for ship scrap?
Ship scrap falls under HS heading 8908 (Vessels and other floating structures; for breaking up). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading ship scrap with the United States?
These public statistics stop at country level. EximDataX has a direct customs feed for the United States with shipment-level records, updated weekly, where you can see the importers and exporters by name.
Ship scrap trade in other countries
More trade data for the United States
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