Strong construction and infrastructure growth across Africa has driven a 13% year-on-year increase in global cement and clinker shipments between January and November 2025, according to BIMCO.
“Cement shipments, including clinker, have jumped 13% y/y, driven by a 39% increase in shipments to Africa’s Atlantic coast. The region is experiencing high economic growth, fast urbanisation and rapid infrastructure development, boosting the demand for cement,” said Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.
Most countries along Africa’s Atlantic coastline continue to depend heavily on imported cement and clinker due to limited domestic production, particularly of clinker — the key intermediate product in cement manufacturing. As a result, even nations with grinding plants rely on inbound bulk shipments.
Supramax and handysize bulk carriers dominate the trade, carrying 60% and 38% of cargoes respectively so far this year. Cement and clinker cargoes have accounted for 6% of supramax and 5% of handysize tonne-mile demand.
Tonne-mile demand for cement and clinker shipments has grown a notable 23% y/y, supported by longer sailing distances amid rising exports from Asia to West Africa. Overall, these commodities have contributed 2% of global dry bulk tonne-mile demand in 2025.
Beyond Africa, cement shipments have expanded in parts of East and Southeast Asia as well as the west coast of Central and South America, although clinker shipments have remained stable. Heightened price competition has emerged as several Asian producers face domestic overcapacity or weak demand, prompting more low-priced exports.
Chinese seaborne exports have surged 135% y/y, driven by a slowdown in domestic construction amid the property sector crisis. Vietnam remains the world’s largest exporter, with shipments up 16% y/y and accounting for 27% of global exports.
Shipments to the United States — the world’s largest importer — increased by a modest 3% y/y despite tariff hikes. US clinker production declined 7% y/y between January and July 2025, suggesting tariffs have yet to meaningfully stimulate domestic output. Imports from Vietnam and Turkey rose 27% and 14% respectively, even after tariff increases of 20 and 15 percentage points.
“The outlook appears largely positive as rising African demand and high price competition amongst exporters could support cement and clinker shipments. However, US building permits fell 5% y/y between January and August, indicating that US demand could slow in the short term,” Gouveia added.
