LaycanDeskGranulated slag freight - China and Japan to India, Egypt and the United States
Unground granulated blast furnace slag from the Chinese and Japanese steelworks to cement grinders in India, Egypt and the US, on Supramax and Handysize tonnage with the moisture settled before fixing. Three slag flows grew in 2025: China to India from 60,000 tonnes to 1.05 million, China to Egypt from nothing to 527,000 tonnes, and Japan to the United States from 889,000 tonnes to 1.66 million. The buyers are cement grinders who blend the slag into slag cement. The desk works the lane on the mill, the IMSBC schedule, the moisture basis and the discharge berth.
Granulated slag is the water-quenched glass from a blast furnace, and cement grinders buy it to replace clinker. China exported 13.89 million tonnes in 2024 and Japan 10.49 million (UN Comtrade). In 2025 India took 1.05 million tonnes, all of it Chinese; Egypt took 527,000 tonnes, all of it Chinese; and the United States imported 2.96 million tonnes, 56 percent of it Japanese and 822,000 tonnes Chinese. The Chinese cargoes load at the Hebei and Shandong steel ports, Caofeidian, Jingtang and Rizhao; the Japanese at the works' own berths at Chiba, Kurashiki, Fukuyama and Kakogawa. The US market is built on imports: the USGS says much of the ground slag consumed in the United States is imported, and grinders that import unground slag work in Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and the Carolinas, among them the slag cement plant at Port Canaveral and the grinding mills on the Houston Ship Channel. India's and Egypt's buyers are cement and grinding units on both coasts and on the Suez and Mediterranean side.
The slag ships damp, with moisture up to about 14 percent wet basis, so freight is paid on wet weight and the moisture basis is settled before fixing. Unground granulated slag is an IMSBC Group C cargo with a stowage factor of about 0.90 cubic metres a tonne, not loaded above 50°C; ground slag powder is a different, Group A schedule, and the shipper's declaration has to name the right one. Holds are wanted clean and dry, free of salt and coal, because the grinder puts the slag straight into cement, and open-hatch discharge in rain is stopped. Supramaxes and Ultramaxes of 45,000 to 61,000 tonnes carry the China to India and China to Egypt stems; 40,000 tonne ships are the usual size into US grinders. Charterers send the mill and load port, the IMSBC schedule, quantity, moisture basis, discharge port and berth with its rate, laycan, commission and the grinder of record; nothing goes to owners without the mill and the buyer.
Load ports
- China: Caofeidian, Jingtang (Hebei mills), Rizhao
- Japan: Chiba, Kurashiki, Fukuyama, Kakogawa (works berths)
- China exported 13.89 Mt and Japan 10.49 Mt in 2024 (UN Comtrade)
- IMSBC 'Granulated slag': Group C, SF about 0.90 m³/t, not above 50°C
Discharge areas
- India: 1.05 Mt from China in 2025, up from 60,000 t (UN Comtrade)
- Egypt: 527,000 t from China in 2025, a new flow (UN Comtrade)
- United States: 2.96 Mt in 2025, 1.66 Mt from Japan (UN Comtrade); Port Canaveral and Houston grinders
- Grinders blend into slag cement; holds clean and dry, no salt or coal
Typical parcels
- Supramax and Ultramax 45,000–61,000 t, China to India and Egypt
- About 40,000 t into US grinders
- Moisture up to about 14% wet basis; freight on wet weight
- Grab discharge to hopper; geared ships where the berth has no cranes
Ships that carry it
The cargo itself, on Commbril
The cargo from the freight side
Questions charterers and owners ask
Is the freight paid on wet or dry weight?
Usually wet. Granulated slag is quenched with water and ships with moisture up to about 14 percent wet basis, and it drains on passage, so load and discharge draft surveys disagree. Owners price on the bill of lading weight, or the charter party names discharge weighing; agree which before fixing.
Group A or Group C?
Unground granulated slag is the IMSBC 'Granulated slag' schedule, Group C, with a stowage factor of about 0.90 cubic metres a tonne and a rule that cargo above 50°C is not loaded. Ground slag powder is a different schedule in Group A. The shipper's declaration has to name which one, and owners ask before they quote.
Who buys it at the other end?
Cement grinders. In the United States they import unground slag and grind it, in Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and the Carolinas, including the slag cement plant at Port Canaveral and the mills on the Houston Ship Channel. In India and Egypt the buyers are cement and grinding units; we ask for the grinder of record and its berth before anything goes to owners.
What must I send to get a named ship?
Mill and load port, IMSBC schedule, quantity and tolerance, moisture basis, discharge port and berth with its rate, laycan, commission and the grinder of record. Supramax, Ultramax and Handysize owners opening in north China, Korea or Japan send name, IMO number, dwt, gear, last three cargoes, open port and dates to desk-a005f1@in.laycandesk.com.