ChemPriceHub Key Alert: Iran's Methanol Supply Recovers, Putting Pressure on Methanol Prices

Chempricehub, November 13 – Operating rates at Iran’s major methanol plants have rebounded to above 80%, improving shipment logistics and prompting an upward revision of November arrival forecasts for China. The supply deficit expectations previously driven by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and rising maritime insurance premiums are steadily being repaired, leading to a rapid unwinding of geopolitical risk premiums. With Iran accounting for approximately 60% of China’s total methanol imports and the Middle East region representing nearly 70%, this trend has directly pressured Asian CFR (Cost and Freight) prices while opening arbitrage windows for non-Iranian sources, such as those from the United States and Saudi Arabia, into the Chinese market.