The use of low-chloride fertilizers is a proven strategy for managing chloride sensitivity in crops and avoiding excess chloride in soils. ICL offers a wide range of crop nutrient products for this purpose. Patricia Imas, agronomist at the company, outlines the main options.
Market Insight courtesy of Argus Media. Urea: While prices mostly fell in mid-August, the main development was the massive purchase of Chinese urea by Indian Potash Limited. IPL confirmed that, out of a total tender settlement of 1.759 million tonnes, one million tonnes will be met by Chinese exporters. This far exceeded expectations and added to the already bearish sentiment of most market players.
Intermodal Solutions Group (ISG) is introducing a container-based storage, transport and ship loading system for bulk fertilizers. The company’s innovative Pit to Ship Solutions ™ system could transform fertilizer logistics and help the sector meet its environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals.
A new book by leading industry expert Kish Shah looks at all aspects of ammonium nitrate production.
Avoiding chloride contamination is critical in urea plants, not only from the process and utility side but also from the atmospheric side. The applied stainless steels in urea plants are susceptible to detrimental failure modes when chlorides and moisture are present. This UreaKnowHow.com Round Table discussion provides several examples of failures and important prevention measures relating to chloride stress corrosion cracking risks in urea plants.
Market Insight courtesy of Argus Media
Maire SpA subsidiary Tecnimont, together with Orascom Construction SAE, have been awarded a lump sum turn-key engineering procurement and construction contract for new nitric acid and ammonium nitrate plants by the Egyptian Chemical Industries Company (‘Kima’). The contract value is approximately $300 million, of which about $220 million relates to Tecnimont activities. Finalisation of the contract is subject to successful execution of the financing package. The scope of work includes mainly engineering, supply of all materials and equipment – to be performed by Tecnimont – as well as construction activities, to be carried out by Orascom Construction.
Supply in southeast Asia looks tight for the coming weeks, but further declines in Chinese domestic prices could alter the supply/demand balance in the region in August.
An overview of the very latest in fertilizer handling and blending, including new contracts, company news and advances in technology.
Market Insight courtesy of Argus Media. Urea: There was a general price upswing for both urea and ammonium nitrate in mid-June, while ammonium sulphate and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) prices remained weak. Urea prices were pushed up in most regions as traders sought to secure cargoes across the globe – resulting in granular urea deals from the Baltic ($260-280/t f.o.b.), Egypt ($312-335/t f.o.b.), Middle East ($253-280/t f.o.b.) and China ($308-310/t f.o.b.).