Iran exported steel to 56 countries in the first half of the current Iranian year (March 21-Sept. 22), says an official with the state-owned mining holding company, Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization.
“Iraq accounted for one-fifth of the total shipments. Indonesia with 15.3%, China with 15.1%, Thailand with 9.4%, Oman with 8.1%, UAE with 7.8%, Turkey with 4.6% and Ghana with 2.9% were other major steel export destinations during the period,” Amir Sabbagh was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
He noted that steel exports had an upward trend for the second consecutive month to reach 767,000 tons in the sixth month of the current Iranian year (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — the highest volume of steel exports in the past two years.
“Nonetheless, global steel prices have been pressured by Russia and the drop in Chinese demand. It is possible that the government will reapply steel export tax exemptions, which have been limited in the Budget Law of 1401 [the Iranian year from March 2022-23], in the form of resolutions or a special bill,” he added.
Iran’s mining industry exported a total of 21.15 million tons of products worth $5.62 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year (March 21-Sept. 22) to register an 8% decrease in tonnage and a 6% decline in value year-on-year, a new report of IMIDRO shows.
Steel manufacturing chain products (iron ore, semi-finished and finished steel) topped the list of exports in terms of value with an aggregate of $2.58 billion, accounting for 45.9% of total exports in this field.
The Iranian Steel Producers Association says a total of 2.93 million tons of semi-finished steel products were exported from Iran during the period under review, down 16% year-on-year.
Billet and bloom had the lion’s share of semis exports with an aggregate of 2.19 million tons, down 6% compared with the previous year’s corresponding period.
Slab exports amounted to 744,000 tons during the period, down 36%.
Exports of finished steel products declined by 12% to 1.42 million tons during the period.
Rebar accounted for the largest portion of finished steel products exported from Iran during the period, with 1.13 million tons. The total volume of Iran’s rebar exports experienced a 1% decline compared with the same period of last year.
Beam exports amounted to 56,000 tons during the period under review, down 18%.
About 66,000 tons of L-beam, T-beam and other types were also exported from Iran during the period, down 28%.
Hot-rolled coil exports amounted to 112,000 tons, registering a 53% decline.
Export of cold-rolled coil with 11,000 tons registered a 10% rise and coated coil with 41,000 tons, down 32%, was the other finished steel product exported from Iran.
Iran exported 312,000 tons of direct-reduced iron, down 54%.
ESCO Tops List of Exporters
Esfahan Steel Company, also known as ESCO, topped the list of Iran’s steel exporters during the current fiscal year’s first five months (March 21-Aug. 22), latest available IMIDRO data on the list of steel exporters show.
ESCO exported 471,902 tons of steel products during the period to register an 8% year-on-year rise.
The company’s exports during the month to Aug. 22 hit 91,632, registering a 6% rise.
Esfahan Steel Company is the first and largest manufacturer of constructional steel products in Iran, according to its website.
ESCO was followed by Khouzestan Steel Company with 436,817 tons of exports during five months, registering a 49% drop in shipments.
KSC's monthly exports stood at 5,080 tons, 95% lower than the volume shipped in the corresponding period of last year.
Mobarakeh Steel Company came next with 200,511 tons of exports during five months, down 62%.
MSC exported 21,160 tons of steel products during the month under review, down 78%.
Oxin Steel Company registered the highest growth of 2,026% in export volume with 41,350 tons during the five-month period.
Bonab Steel Complex’s monthly exports registered the highest growth with 4,834 tons, up 368%.
World’s 10th Biggest Producer of Crude Steel
Iranian steel mills produced a total of 19.5 million tons of crude steel during January-August, registering a 7.8% rise compared with the corresponding period of 2021, latest data released by the World Steel Association show.
The report also shows Iran's August output hit 2.1 million tons, registering a 64.7% year-on-year rise.
In terms of world ranking, Iran maintained its global standing as the world’s 10th biggest crude steelmaker.
China was the world’s largest producer during the eight-month period with 693.2 million tons of steel output, down 5.7% YOY. It was followed by India with 83.5 million tons (up 7.1 %), Japan with 60.7 million tons (down 5.2%), the United States with 54.9 million tons (down 3.7%), Russia with 48.9 million tons (down 5.8%), South Korea with 46 million tons (down 3%), Germany with 25.4 million tons (down 4.8%) and Turkey with 24.4 million tons (down 4.5%).
Iran is placed after Brazil (ninth) with 23.1 million tons (down 4.5% YOY).
The world’s 64 steelmakers produced 1.25 billion tons of steel in the eight months under review, down 5.1% YOY. Countries located in Asia and Oceania collectively produced 925.1 million tons of the total.
The Middle East produced 28.5 million tons of crude steel during the period, posting an increase of 6.9% compared with the same period of last year.
Crude steel is defined as steel in its first solid (or usable) form: ingots and semi-finished products (billets, blooms and slabs). This is not to be confused with liquid steel, which is steel poured.
The World Steel Association is one of the largest and most dynamic industrial associations, with members in every major steel-producing country.
Worldsteel represents steel producers, national and regional steel industry associations and steel research institutes. Members represent around 85% of global steel production.
The 64 countries included in the Worldsteel report produce 85% of global steel. These steelmakers produced 1.91 billion tons of steel last year, up 3.6% YOY.
Countries located in Asia and Oceania collectively produced 1.38 billion tons of the total while the Middle East produced 41.2 million tons of crude steel, posting an increase of 1.2% compared with the same period of last year.
Iranian steel mills produced a total of 28.5 million tons of crude steel in 2021, registering a 1.8% decline compared with 2020.
