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Strong arrivals, soft demand: China’s iron ore paradox in 2025

Strong arrivals, soft demand: China’s iron ore paradox in 2025

In Nov’25, China’s iron ore imports rose +8.5% YoY to 110.5Mt, marking a third straight month at seasonal record levels and…

Chart showing China iron ore imports in 2025 and 2024, highlighting record November 2025 volumes of 110.5 Mt, YoY growth of 8.5%, and comparison with the 5-year range, presented in IFCHOR GALBRAITHS brand colours.

…taking Jan–Nov arrivals to an all-time high of 1.14Bt (+1.3% YTD) despite iron ore consumption falling -0.8% and crude steel output declining -3.1% over the same period. Recent loading activity points to another YoY increase in Dec’25.

The supply-led nature of the surge is underscored by iron ore inventories at Chinese ports rising +6Mt through Nov’25, consistent with miners catching up in the second half of 2025 on cargoes delayed by adverse weather in the first half.

For further insights, contact research@IfchorGalbraiths.com.