European nitrogen supply tightens as Fertiberia halts output
A Spanish nitrogen producer’s decision to halt a major complex on gas costs is reshaping near-term European supply and import needs — and is worth watching for any buyer sourcing into the region.
A plant halt in Spain
Fertiberia stopped its Huelva complex — around 400,000 t/yr of ammonia, 250,000 t/yr of urea and 200,000 t/yr of solutions including AdBlue and UAN32 — citing “unsustainable” gas costs. No restart date was given.
The stoppage removes a sizeable slice of Iberian supply and is expected to lift import demand for both bulk urea and automotive-grade (AdBlue) feedstock.
International urea: steady to a touch softer
- Egyptian granular held at $525–530/t fob (Europe).
- Middle East granular was steady at $455–470/t fob.
- Brazil granular was unchanged at $480–500/t cfr; Argentina saw non-European material dealt to $530/t cfr.
- In the US, Nola barges eased about $5/st to $466.5–471.5/st fob.
Hormuz: cautious easing, premium intact
Two non-Iranian urea vessels transited the strait this week for the first time since mid-August, loaded in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and bound for India’s west coast. But Iran claimed responsibility for a tanker attack late Thursday, so the risk premium has not cleared. Around nine non-Iranian urea vessels (some 500,000 t) were loading or waiting in the Gulf.
What it means for buyers
Tighter European output plus persistent logistics risk support demand for non-European origin urea and for automotive-grade (AdBlue) urea into Europe, South America and Australia.
The figures in this note are indicative and based on our own market monitoring. They are not offers from Eternal Victory Chemical. Our own prices are quoted per inquiry and confirmed in the sales contract.
Buying urea or AdBlue feedstock? Send us the grade, the quantity and the destination port and we will come back with a quotation. See also our automotive grade urea, agriculture grade urea and melamine pages.