U.S. exports of Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) (SITC 51211) totaled $146.5M in August 2026.
Importers of Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) paid $2.3M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 7.22% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) imports of $32.4M in August 2026 ran 18% above the year-to-date monthly average of $27.6M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataMethanol is one of the most widely traded basic petrochemicals globally, serving as a feedstock for formaldehyde, acetic acid, MTBE, and increasingly as a marine and power-generation fuel. Its dual role as an industrial chemical and an emerging clean-energy carrier means trade flows are influenced by both chemical-sector demand cycles and energy-transition investment. Methanol is acutely toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption, so DOT hazardous materials transport requirements and TSCA certification apply at every import entry.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
297 import shipments a month
Methanol imported as a marine bunker fuel may be subject to different duty treatment and EPA fuel-registration requirements compared with methanol imported as a chemical feedstock. Importers should declare the intended end-use accurately on entry documents, as misclassification between fuel-grade and chemical-grade methanol can affect duty liability and regulatory compliance.
Bulk methanol shipments require a TSCA import certification, DOT hazardous materials compliance (UN1230, Flammable Liquid, Class 3), and Coast Guard notification for vessel arrivals carrying bulk liquid chemicals. Facilities receiving bulk methanol may also need to report inventories under EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program if threshold quantities are exceeded.
Basic heading 31 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 51211 · $146.5M of $26.2B
Trade Directory
List your company and tag the 6-digit products you trade, so the companies trading them can find you. Be the first supplier listed.
Exports · August 2026
destination
South Korea and Netherlands together take 49% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
origin
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$32.4MYoY · free account
Exports
$146.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $306.3M of Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) and exported $1.7B.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.