Total global iron ore shipments from major ports fell to a three-week low in the week ending January 18, 2026. This decline is attributed to weakening freight market fundamentals and ongoing maintenance at several terminals in Australia and Brazil. Despite the drop in supply, portside transactions in many regions remained sluggish as steel mills adopted a cautious approach, focusing primarily on routine inventory replenishment ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.
Source: SMM Information & Technology