据ICIS网站1月10日伦敦报道 随着欧洲大部分地区的节日假期接近尾声，全球硫酸交易前景黯淡。

欧洲的需求相对稳定，即使低于一年中的平均水平，而全球的参与者都在为国际海事组织（IMO）2020年排放准则所带来的运费增长而努力。

在西北欧，第一季度合同已在2019年第四季度的77-98欧元/吨（成本加运费）价格点因转期限制下降1-2欧元/吨。

2020年上半年的合同谈判仍在继续，不过零星的账户上已经听到了债项延期偿还的声音。

一位大批量买家对第一季度的延期交货表示不满，称欧洲生产商对下游酸供应的控制应进行彻底改革，并裁定其“几乎是敲诈”。

欧洲约90%的硫酸业务通过合同完成。

买方表示，欧洲酸的更准确价格将在45-50欧元/吨左右（西北欧货交承运人价）。

这位买家表示，从亚洲进口可能是“撼动金融体系”的一种方式。

一些生产商驳斥了这一说法，并补充说，欧洲需求稳定，大多数买家很容易接受转期。

一位贸易商补充称，虽然从亚洲进口到欧洲肯定是可能的，但任何此类贸易路线都要求买家至少支付100美元/吨（成本加运费）。

因为这涉及在一个成熟的市场上获得储存空间和公路运输的难度，或者建造新基础设施的成本。

交易员表示：“没人愿意为此付出代价。”

“我同意（买方的意见），但我们能做什么呢？”一家竞争对手公司的消息人士补充道。

王磊 摘译自 ICIS

原文如下：

Sulphuric acid market begins 2020 on bearish note

As festive holidays come to a close for much of Europe, players return to their desks amid a bearish outlook for global sulphuric acid trading.

European demand is steady, if lighter than average for the time of year, while players across the globe are wrestling with increased freight rates stemming from emergent IMO 2020 emissions legislation.

In northwest Europe, first quarter (Q1) contracts have been agreed at rollovers to limited increases of €1-2/tonne on Q4 2019’s €77-98/tonne CFR (cost & freight) price point.

Negotiations continue for first-half 2020 contracts, although rollovers have been heard on scattered accounts.

One large-volume buyer expressed dissatisfaction with the Q1 rollover, saying European producers' grip on downstream acid supply is due an overhaul, and ruling it “almost extortion”.

Around 90% of European sulphuric acid business is concluded on contract.

The buyer said a more accurate price for European acid would be around €45-50/tonne FCA (free carrier) northwest Europe (NWE).

Imports from Asia may be one way of “shaking-up the system”, the buyer said.

Several producers dismissed the claim, adding that European demand is stable and rollovers were readily accepted by most buyers.

A trader added that, while imports from Asia into Europe are certainly possible, any such trade route would require buyers to pay a price of $100/tonne CFR as a minimum.

Added to this is the difficulty of acquiring tank space and road transport in an established market, or the cost involved in building new infrastructure.

“Nobody is willing to pay for that,” the trader said.

“I agree [with the buyer], but what can we do?” added a source at a rival company.