US ethanol imports in September jumped to 168.31 million liters (44.4 million gallons), up 41% from August and double the volumes in the year-ago month, US Census Bureau data showed.
The data includes all ethanol types except for beverage use.
The majority of the imports in September -- 94.3 million liters -- entered the US classified as fuel, the Census data showed Wednesday. This is up 60% from August.
Brazil was the top origin for imported fuel ethanol in September at 91.7 million liters, also some 60% higher than in August.
The increase in imports from Brazil was expected, with the boost coming as the devaluation of the real against the dollar translated into lower Brazilian export prices, which reached multi-year lows in August and September.
More imports were expected in October from Brazil, with at least two vessels arriving at the end of the month, one in California and one in Florida, according to Platts trade-flow software cFlow. For January-September, US imports of fuel ethanol from Brazil edged up just 1% year on year to 188.8 million liters.
Overall, fuel ethanol imports in January-September from all points of origin stood at 218.3 million liters, down 13% compared to a year ago.
Platts unit Kingsman estimates total fuel ethanol imports should reach 360 million liters in 2015, down 12% compared with 2014.
