Global bauxite trade triples in a decade as Guinea-China shipments hit record pace
Key Takeaways
- •Ocean bauxite loadings rose from 81.3 million tonnes in 2016 to a record 247.5 million tonnes in 2025.
- •Volumes loaded in the first seven months of 2026 reached 160.5 million tonnes, up 9.5% year on year.
- •China has taken almost 92% of bauxite cargoes loaded so far in 2026, making it the dominant destination.
- •Guinea exported a record 127.4 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2026 and now supplies close to four-fifths of globally traded bauxite.
- •Capesizes, newcastlemaxes and post-panamaxes together account for more than 62% of tracked bauxite cargo intake since 2013.
Global seaborne bauxite trade has more than tripled over the past decade and is moving at another record pace in 2026, driven overwhelmingly by shipments from Guinea to China.
Ocean loadings increased from 81.3 million tonnes in 2016 to a record 247.5 million tonnes last year, according to analysis from Ursa Shipbrokers. Volumes reached 160.5 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2026, up 9.5% year on year, while July loadings rose 20.9% to 22.8 million tonnes.
Bauxite now accounts for 4.8% of global dry bulk loadings, compared with 1.8% in 2016. Over the period, the trade has expanded at an annual rate of more than 13%, well ahead of growth in the wider dry bulk market, underscoring how a single commodity stream can reshape cargo flows across the sector.
China remains by far the dominant destination, taking almost 92% of bauxite cargoes loaded so far this year. China-bound volumes rose from 52.7 million tonnes in 2016 to 218.7 million tonnes in 2025, accounting for virtually all of the net growth in global trade during that period.
On the supply side, Guinea has tightened its hold on the market. The West African country exported a record 127.4 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2026, up 19.2% year on year, with July shipments rising 44.3% to 17.1 million tonnes. Guinea now supplies close to four-fifths of all bauxite traded internationally.
The long-haul Guinea-China route has also made bauxite an increasingly important cargo for larger bulk carriers. Capesizes have carried 27.7% of cumulative bauxite volumes tracked since 2013, followed by newcastlemaxes at 18.3% and post-panamaxes at 16.2%. Together, those three vessel classes account for more than 62% of cargo intake, reflecting the scale of the route that links West African exports to Chinese import demand.
Guinean exports have continued to rise despite government efforts to exert tighter control over raw ore shipments and encourage miners to refine more material domestically. The country’s bauxite output rose 25% in the first quarter of 2026, supported by sustained Chinese demand.