Tampa: More than a week after Mosaic reached an agreement to increase prices $5/lt for the molten sulfur delivered to Tampa, PCS had not yet reached an agreement for second-quarter molten sulfur.
In the past, if one phosphate producer gets a lower price, the other will too. But that may not be the case this time. We could wind up with a range for molten sulfur.
Green Markets will not change the price index for molten sulfur to Tampa until both major buyers have reached agreements with all their major suppliers.
Refinery capacity operating rates were down 2.8 percent, to 83.5 percent from 86.3 percent last year at this time, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The year before the rate was 84.7 percent, and the five-year average was 84.88 percent.
Vancouver: Sulfur dealers and traders were expected to go along with the $5/lt bump suppliers gained in Tampa molten sulfur, but that has yet to take effect, and no change was made in the price at Vancouver.
The market has tightened as a result of the Kennecott mine collapse in Utah (GM April 22, p. 11).
West Coast: Although the West Coast normally tracks the Vancouver market price, it was not expected to rise when Vancouver goes up $5/mt.
Benelux: The price for the first quarter was $195-$210/mt FOB. A new price should be available relatively soon.
ADNOC: The ADNOC price for April moved to $160/mt FOB, up $5/mt from the previous $155/mt FOB.