War-Disrupted Logistics Have Limited Impact on Turkey’s H1 Polymer Imports

Despite severe logistics disruptions linked to the US-Iran war in the Middle East, Turkey’s polymer imports remained broadly stable during the first half of 2026. Higher freight costs, rising feedstock prices, delayed shipments and production disruptions created significant uncertainty during the second quarter, but pre-emptive buying and inventory building by import-dependent buyers helped offset some of the supply disruptions.

Total imports of PP, PVC, PE, PS, ABS, EPS and PET declined only 0.5% year on year, remaining above 3 million tons during January-June.

Saudi Arabia Maintains Leading Supplier Position

Saudi Arabia remained Turkey’s largest polymer supplier, accounting for 24% of total imports, followed by the US at 15% and South Korea at 12%.

Saudi Arabia increased its share by 2 percentage points despite disruptions at petrochemical facilities, including units in Jubail, as well as congestion at Jeddah port. The US maintained its share, while South Korea gained 1 percentage point despite earlier challenges in securing naphtha supplies following disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.

China Moves Higher in Supplier Rankings

Supply disruptions from key origins and exceptionally high polymer prices created an opportunity for Chinese sellers, particularly in PP and PE. Although China’s overall share of Turkey’s polymer imports remained unchanged during H1, it moved from ninth to seventh place among the country’s major polymer suppliers.

China also strengthened its position in PVC, moving from 12th to seventh place. Unlike polyolefins, PVC trade was less affected by the Middle East logistics disruption, with a Qatari producer’s force majeure being the main notable production issue.

South Korea Gains Ground in PP Copolymer

South Korean PP suppliers initially faced serious feedstock challenges as disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz affected naphtha availability. Producers eventually secured alternative supplies from outside the region, although at higher costs.

Despite these difficulties, South Korea increased its share of Turkey’s PP copolymer imports by 3 percentage points, tying with Saudi Arabia for the top position. The UAE remained fourth and increased its share by 1 percentage point.

For homo-PP, Saudi Arabia, Russia and South Korea remained among the leading suppliers. Saudi Arabia recorded the strongest improvement, gaining 6 percentage points in import share, while South Korea’s share fell by 4 percentage points, moving it from second to fourth place.

PE Imports Rise Despite Regional Disruptions

Turkey’s combined imports of LDPE, LLDPE, mLLDPE and HDPE increased by 2% year on year in January-June, exceeding 1 million tons.

The US, Saudi Arabia and Iran remained the three largest PE suppliers. However, the US lost 5 percentage points of market share to 25%. Saudi Arabia and Iran also saw their shares decline by 1 and 5 percentage points, respectively, despite remaining among the top three suppliers.

The UAE increased its share by 1 percentage point to 5%, becoming Turkey’s sixth-largest PE supplier, while Qatar slipped from fourth to seventh as its share declined by 1 percentage point.

Overall, Turkey’s H1 polymer import data show that war-related logistics disruptions had a relatively limited impact on total import volumes, with alternative sourcing and advance purchasing helping maintain supply despite significant market volatility.

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