Geopolitical Tensions Stall Mideast Aluminum Shipments, Mercuria Withdraws 100,000 mt from LME Warehouses

Published: Mar 13, 2026 23:22

Save

According to foreign media reports, as the ongoing escalation of geopolitical conflict in the Middle East disrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, shipments of aluminum products in the region had “stalled.” Mercuria Energy Group, the world’s largest independent integrated energy and commodities trading house, was expected to urgently withdraw nearly 100,000 mt of aluminum from London Metal Exchange (LME) warehousing facilities to ease the supply gap in European and US markets.

Three sources familiar with the matter revealed that Switzerland-based Mercuria had on Monday canceled warrants for, or earmarked for delivery, nearly 100,000 mt of aluminum stored in LME-approved warehouses at Port Klang. Mercuria has so far declined to comment on the move.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

6 hours ago

[SMM Flash News] China Tightens Control Over Primary Aluminum Capacity; Prices Rise in Afternoon Trading

Market reports indicate that China is further regulating the operation of primary aluminum capacity, leading to a reduction in excess production in parts of Guangxi. Market Performance: In the afternoon session, the SHFE aluminum contract closed up 0.53% at 24,570 yuan/ton, having earlier touched a high of 24,710 yuan/ton. Among listed companies, Chalco (China Aluminum) hit the daily price limit with a 10.01% gain, Nanshan Aluminum rose 8.81%, Yunnan Aluminum Co. gained 7.39%, and Hongqiao Holdings climbed 8.14%.

6 hours ago

[SMN Flash News] RTA first Q3 '26 CIF MJP Premium Offer at US$460/mt

Market sources report: RTA first Q3 '26 CIF MJP Premium Offer at US$460/mt. Validity 05 June 2026.

6 hours ago

9 hours ago

【SMM Aluminum Flash News】Tianshan Aluminum's 1.4 Million-Ton Green Project Hits First Power-On Milestone in Xinjiang

On May 24th, the 1.4 million-ton green and low-carbon energy efficiency improvement project for electrolytic aluminum at Tianshan Aluminum, undertaken by the Seventh Metallurgical Installation Company of Guizhou Construction Investment Group, successfully achieved its first power-on milestone. All operational indicators were excellent and met all standards, marking a significant milestone in the project's commissioning. Located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the project's Seventh Metallurgical Installation Company was primarily responsible for core construction tasks, including civil engineering of the electrolytic workshop, flue gas purification area engineering, electrical installation of the electrolytic workshop, and electrolytic cell fabrication and installation.

9 hours ago