US Gulf Elemental Sulphur Export Gateway
Formed granular Claus sulphur from Texas and Gulf Coast refineries for phosphate and industrial acidulation
Elemental sulphur recovered from high-conversion sour crude refining along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast is formed into high-density, free-flowing spherical granules for maritime export. US Census Bureau foreign trade data records 222,330 metric tonnes exported by ocean vessel in July 2026, anchored by Martin Midstream's Neches Terminal in Beaumont (112,500 tonnes) which operates 5,500 MTPD rotary granulation capacity. Key off-takers include Morocco's OCP Group (115,150 tonnes into Jorf Lasfar and Safi for phosphate acidulation), Brazilian agricultural fertilizer manufacturers (77,544 tonnes into Paranaguá and Santos), and Indonesian hydrometallurgical operations (18,013 tonnes into Morowali and Weda Bay for nickel HPAL leaching).
CBIL brokers formed granular elemental sulphur from Texas and Gulf export gateways under strict technical guarantees: purity ≥99.5% dry basis, ash ≤0.05%, moisture ≤0.5%, mechanical dust ≤0.5%, and guaranteed arsenic and selenium levels below 1 ppm to safeguard vanadium pentoxide catalyst in contact sulphuric acid plants. Every parcel is verified by SGS or Intertek prior to vessel release and dispatched on FOB terminal or CFR destination terms. Whether supplying a multi-train phosphoric acid plant or an EV battery chemical leach facility, we align laycans to your discharge berth limits.
Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices US Gulf to Morocco and Brazil bulk freight on LaycanDesk.
The market in figures
- Declared US vessel exports, July 2026
- 222,330 t across 8 ports
- Primary export hub
- Beaumont, TX (Neches Terminal) 112,500 t · Long Beach 30,000 t · Tampa 26,354 t
- Leading destination markets
- Morocco 115,150 t · Brazil 77,544 t · Indonesia (HPAL) 18,013 t
- Chemical purity guarantee
- S ≥99.5% min · Ash ≤0.05% · Carbon ≤0.05% · Moisture ≤0.5%
- Catalyst safety profile
- Arsenic <1 ppm · Selenium <1 ppm · Tellurium <1 ppm
Official trade data; sources listed below. Landed values are the importing country's declared CIF, not CBIL prices.
Questions buyers ask
- Why is Beaumont, Texas the dominant US formed sulphur export port?
- Beaumont is home to the Neches Terminal, the premier multi-stream rotary granulation and bulk ship-loading facility on the US Gulf Coast. It converts liquid molten Claus sulphur from regional refineries into low-dust, free-flowing spherical granules and loads Handysize and Supramax vessels at rates up to 1,200 MT/hour.
- Is US Gulf granular sulphur safe for vanadium catalyst acid plants?
- Yes. Claus refinery sulphur is naturally free from the heavy metal contaminants found in mined ore. We certify arsenic, selenium, and tellurium each at ≤1 ppm, eliminating the risk of converter fouling or premature catalyst degradation.
- What vessel sizes are loaded at US Gulf sulphur berths?
- Standard fixtures are geared Handysize (15,000–30,000 MT) and Supramax (40,000–50,000 MT) bulk carriers, with draft accommodated up to 40 feet in Beaumont and 45 feet in Houston.
- Can CBIL arrange delivered CFR terms into South America and Asia?
- Yes. Through our chartering arm, LaycanDesk, we fix spot bulk tonnage loading Texas/Gulf terminals directly into Paranaguá, Santos, Jorf Lasfar, and Morowali on CFR and CIF terms.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau International Trade Data, HS 2503.00 vessel exports, July 2026 declarations (read 20 Sep 2026).
- Martin Midstream Partners L.P., Neches Terminal Beaumont operational forming capacity (5,500 MTPD).
- The Sulphur Institute (TSI), Formed Sulphur Specifications and Handling Guidelines (2026).
- CBIL Research Dossier CBIL-INTEL-USGC-SULPHUR-EXPORT-2026-09.