Chemical chokepoints reshape global trade

In the first episode of The Benchmark Chemicals, host Andrew Neale is joined by Katie Elliott, Director and Head of Aromatics & Fibers at S&P Global Energy, to explore how global trade chokepoints are disrupting chemical markets. From the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea to the Panama Canal and European logistics networks, they discuss the impact on chemical supply chains, feedstock availability, pricing, and global trade flows. The episode also examines market oversupply, evolving trade relationships, China’s growing role in capacity expansion, and what these shifts could mean for chemical producers, buyers, and investors through 2027 and beyond.