North America
Europe’s petchem plants close, assets change hands: How far has restructuring progressed?
With 2026 heading into its final stretch, Europe’s petrochemical shake-up is showing no signs of running its course. Close to 11 million tons/year of nameplate capacity across olefins, polyolefins and the vinyls chain has been closed, idled or earmarked for closure since 2024, while well above 10 million tons/year of capacity has been involved in completed or agreed ownership changes... 07-10-2026
Suez recovery gains ground, but global shipping remains far from normal
A month after global supply chains were caught in a patchwork of geopolitical, weather-related and infrastructure disruptions, the picture has shifted, but far from uniformly. The tentative normalization emerging across the Red Sea and Suez Canal in August has gathered momentum, with more container services returning to the shorter route and Asia-Europe freight rates falling sharply... 24-09-2026
Saudi pipeline outage compounds supply and logistics risks, fueling PP, PE rally
Saudi Arabia’s petrochemical industry is facing mounting operational and logistical challenges. The recent East-West Pipeline shutdown has raised feedstock concerns for west-coast facilities, while disruptions at Bab el-Mandeb are complicating feedstock flows to Asia. Although polymer exports continue, port congestion, inland rerouting and longer delivery schedules are reducing the efficiency and predictability of Saudi supply... 17-09-2026
S Korea’s petchem restructuring moves from talks to closures
South Korea’s long-running petrochemical restructuring drive has moved from negotiations to concrete capacity rationalization, with the first major integration completed in Daesan and another government-backed overhaul approved in Yeosu. However, progress remains uneven across the country, as restructuring talks in Ulsan continue to hinge on the startup and performance of S-Oil’s massive Shaheen project... 08-09-2026