铁矿石进口量价将回落

Iron Ore Imports Will Slow Down

2009年，由于国际经济出现周期性衰退、铁矿石供需关系发生变化，国际市场对铁矿石的需求持续降低，在全球铁矿石市场上，供给大于需求已非常明显。

China’s iron ore imports hit a record high of more than 4.43 trillion tons in 2008, up 15.64% from 2007. The volume imported from Australia grew by 25.9% to over 1.83 trillion tons, nearly half of China’s iron ore imports in 2008. The volume imported from Brazil rose above 100 billion tons, a year-on-year rise of 3.1%. And the volume from India and South Africa increased to nearly 91 billion tons and over 14 billion tons respectively. Though the imports rose, the price of imported iron ore declined in the fourth quarter of 2008 as ocean freight fell back sharply. The international iron ore market will turn into a buyer’s market as supply outstrips demand. Globally, the demand for iron ore will decrease in 2009. And China will be the most competitive market for giant suppliers, such as Vale, Rio Tinto, and BHP. Though China’s iron ore imports are expected to grow continually, they will do so at a lower rate. In fact, the country's demand for iron ore has weakened. In 2009, China's output of crude steel will fall by 11% to 447 million tons, and the import of iron ore will slow correspondingly.