Russia imported 3% less lubricant additives in the first seven months of 2021, while its exports of such products increased by 10% on a backdrop of tight supply and higher raw materials demand, according to a consultancy.
The country imported 46,000 metric tons of lube additives from January through July, according to a report by the Moscow-based consultancy B2X. It cited data gathered by the state customs service.
“The volume of imported additives are higher only in June and July, 16% and 15% respectively, compared to the same months in 2020, and this is related with the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic and opening up of the economy,” B2X said in its latest lubricant review report.
France is the largest lubricant additive exporter to Russia with 13,000 tons of products shipped in the seven-month period, just 1% less compared to the same period last year. The second-biggest exporter is Belarus with 11,000 tons of additives shipped to Russia in the same period, down 30% from the same time last year. Italy (8,000 tons, 34% more), Belgium (5,000 tons, 3% more) and Germany (3,000 tons, 11% more) also shipped lubricant additives to Russia in the period.
In the same seven-month period, the United States shipped 1,000 tons of lubricant additives to Russia, down 12% from the same period in 2020.
Belarus is the main destination for Russian exports of lube additives, with 2,700 tons during the seven-month period of 2021. It is followed by Belgium with 500 tons, Lithuania with 400 tons and Latvia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine with 200 tons each.