Rolled Steel News

China's iron ore imports in April rose 11.4% from a month earlier on robust demand from steelmakers, as downstream sectors started to emerge from lockdowns to contain the coronavirus epidemic.Arrivals of the steelmaking ingredient were 95.71 million tonnes last month, data released on Thursday by the General Administration of Customs showed.That compares with imports of 85.91 million tonnes in March and 80.77 million tonnes a year earlier, when shipments from Brazil's top miner Vale SA were disrupted after a tailings dam disaster.In the first four months of 2020…

Chinese steel futures hit their highest in nearly two months on Monday on signs of a recovery in demand, and as policymakers worldwide rolled out more stimulus measures to cushion global economies reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.The U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 100 basis points on Sunday, in line with a global policy effort to stave off a steep economic downturn as increasing lockdowns and travel bans hit businesses across the globe.The central bank of China on Friday cut the cash that banks must hold as reserves for the second time this year…

China's commerce ministry said on Friday that it may impose additional tariffs on up to $3 billion of U.S. imports in response to U.S. tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum products. The ministry said it was considering implementing measures in two stages: first, a 15 percent tariff on 120 products including steel pipes, dried fruit and wine, and later, a 25 percent tariff on pork and recycled aluminum. Below is a list of 128 U.S. 83  22043000  Grape juice other than that of heading item No.

Marine News showcases the best of North America’s 2017 workboat deliveries. There is something for everyone. Notwithstanding the lingering offshore energy downturn, there were plenty of bright spots for North American shipyards in 2017. If a hull was delivered in 2017, we took a look at it, with several areas as a focus for inclusion into this edition. For starters, it is always exciting when a domestic yard delivers a vessel – or multiple vessels, for that matter – to foreign buyers. We can compete in a foreign arena; on price, quality and on-time delivery. This year was no different. No less important is the environmental footprint of a vessel, and there was plenty to report on from that angle in the past 12 months. The domestic waterfront is indeed getting greener and cleaner.

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor has launched The Harvest, the first complex liquefied ammonia transport barge built in the U.S. for Jones Act trade since 1982. The vessel was constructed to support the operations of The Mosaic Company, an integrated producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash. The Harvest will be operated by a subsidiary of Savage Companies as part of an articulated tug and barge (ATB) unit. “This is a significant project for both the maritime industry and our community,” said Vigor CEO, Frank Foti.

Promoting ease of doing business has been at the core of the efforts of the Ministry during the year. Focus has beenonsimplifying procedures by removing irritants that make it cumbersome to carry on business smoothly. Obsolete Rules under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 weeded out: The Ministry of Shipping has decided to rescind 13 Rules under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (as amended), having found them to be obsolete and unnecessary. Out of the 13 Rules, 6 has been rescinded and 7 have been pre-published before rescindments. Ship Repair Units no longer required to register with DG Shipping: The Ministry simplified the procedure and eliminated the requirement of registration of Ship Repair Units (SRUs) with Directorate General (Shipping).

The Ports of Indiana handled over 10.4 million tons of cargo in 2014, up nearly 26 percent from the previous year. This was the first time annual shipments exceeded 10 million tons in the port authority's 53-year history. The 2014 total was nearly 800,000 tons higher than the previous record set in 1994. Shipments of coal, agricultural products and steel helped drive significant increases in annual cargo volumes at the state's ports. Steel shipments more than doubled while grain shipments were up nearly 72 percent from 2013. Ethanol and dried distillers grains (DDGs) increased 54 percent and 51 percent, respectively, while salt shipments nearly tripled over the previous year.

The Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville handled over 2.4 million tons of cargo in 2014, up 48 percent from the previous year. This was the first time annual shipments exceeded two million tons in the port's 29-year history. The 2014 total was 464,000 tons higher than the previous record set in 2006. Another outstanding harvest in 2014 helped push grain tonnage to its highest volume ever breaking the previous record set in 1993. Steel and salt shipments also set all-time records, up 72 percent and 51 percent from 2013, respectively. For the year, the port handled approximately 1,300 barges, 197,000 trucks and 18,000 railcars. "These robust year-end numbers illustrate the impact our port companies have on the region's economy," said Ports of Indiana CEO Rich Cooper.

Rosneft subsidiary Vankorneft has launched the navigation campaign on delivery of nearly 400 thousand tons of cargoes via the Bolshaya Kheta River (left tributary of the Yenisei). This year, in addition to traditional cargo transportation at the Vankorskiy production site and the Priluki terminal, the delivery at the Suzunskoye field is also planned. The Suzun will become a new discharge terminal as in November 2013 the enterprise was confirmed to be the operator in the developing of new fields in the Vankor cluster, the Suzunskoye, Tagulskoye, and Lodochnoye fields. Field delivery by the convoy of vessels is the most efficient way of bulk quantity cargoes transportation to the Vankor group of fields.

The Korean Register – an IACS member class society - signed an MoU with global steel producer Dongkuk Steel. The agreement paves the way for the two organizations to cooperate on the exchange of strategic technology relevant to the construction of seagoing vessels and platforms. Specifically, the agreement defines mutual cooperation for developing and surveying rolled steel used in the building of ships and marine structures.  It covers new domestic projects such as natural gas carriers, technical information sharing on technology trends, information sharing on future demand for steel including from international and domestic ship yards, joint studies into the approval and development of new steel types and KR’s third-party surveying of Dongkuk Steel’s products. www.krs.co.kr

New High-Speed SCANIA Marine Engine Range with Outputs from 294 to 735 kW (400 to 1.000 HP). SCANIA is a tradition rich, 120-year old Swedish industrial company which traces its marine roots all the way back to 1902, when it produced its first engines for marine applications. Today, it is a company comprised of 37,500 employees and boasting an annual turnover of 87.7 billions SEK (13 billion US$). The firm emanates from two companies, the first of which (VABIS) was established in 1891 and eventually produced bicycles, railway coaches and horse buggies. Later, its output included motor cars and trucks. The second enterprise (Maskinsfabriks Aktiebolaget Scania) produced boxcars for the Swedish State Railway in addition to rolled steel products.

SCANIA, a tradition rich Swedish industrial company celebrated in 2011 its 120-year existence. Very early, in 1902, the first engines for marine applications have been pro-duced. In fact, the market was considered so promising that the companies new factory, which was built in 1907, was described at the planning stage as “intended particu-larly for the manufacture of automobiles and boats”. Without any doubts belongs SCANIA (named after the latin name of the Southern Swedish province Schonen)…

U.S. ports continued to post positive tonnage numbers in October. The Seaway’s year-to-date total cargo shipments from March 22 to October 31 were 29 million metric tons, up 2 percent from the same period last year. “With just two months left in the 2011 navigation season, the Seaway is on track to meet its projected seven percent improvement over last year’s tonnage performance,” says Rebecca Spruill, Director of Trade Development for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

Lloyd's Register is offering training courses in the properties of marine materials, welding techniques and non destructive examination (NDE), some of the cornerstones of ship construction, repair and maintenance. The course, Basic Principles of Materials, Welding and NDE for Existing Ships, has been designed for superintendents, ship-managers and the technical staff who are responsible for keeping their ships safe and operating efficiently. "Most materials and welding courses do not cover the specific problems encountered by marine superintendents and engineers. This course has been developed and tested with marine clients who have faced real difficulties and is ideal for developing the knowledge of superintendents and engineers…

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, South Korean shipbuilders have asked Posco to increase production of shipbuilding plates as a hedge against a possible shortage of materials from Japan. Domestic shipbuilders along with cold-rolled steel companies last week asked Posco to produce a combined 600,000 metric tons steel products for "possible emergency needs" in the coming months, a Posco spokesman said.   (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld the trial court’s decision to dismiss an admiralty action filed in the wrong district. In the instant case, plaintiff contracted to have cold-rolled steel shipped from Belgium to Benton Harbor, Indiana. The bills of lading provided, in pertinent part, that any action was to be brought in the federal district court having admiralty jurisdiction at the U.S. port of discharge. Plaintiff brought suit in federal court in Chicago. Defendant ship owner filed motions to dismiss for improper venue. Plaintiff argued, among other things, that Benton Harbor was within the "Port of Chicago" for purposes of Customs regulations.

It appears the battle over steel continues. In the wake of the U.S. lifting its own 20-month tarriff on steel imports late last year, China, the world's top steel importer, has reportedly placed a hefty import duties on high-grade metal used by the shipbuilding sectors, according to a Reuters report. The U.S. lifted its tarriff in the face of a potential trade war over the matter. China reportedly implemented the new tariffs after it concluded that there was dumping of cold-rolled steel by Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Taiwan. South Korea's POSCO, the world's fourth-largest steel maker, will be exempted as Chinese authorities concluded it was not selling its cold-rolled products below market prices, Reuters reported.

OPEC President and Venezuelan Energy Minister Ali Rodriguez dismissed another increase in crude oil output in July, quelling speculation that a recent price spike could pressure exporters to crank out more oil. Mexico's Energy Minister Luis Tellez, meanwhile, said the Wednesday summit of the oil trio -- the three engineers of a March 1999 producers' pact to restrict output and lift sagging prices -- would not produce any firm action. South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction has won a $510 million order to build a container terminal in Hong Kong. Hyundai said it had been awarded the deal by a group of Hong Kong companies, including Modern Terminals Ltd. Work is to begin on May 12 for completion by October 2004.

Posco Group, the world’s third-largest steel manufacturer, will build a hot-rolled steel plant in central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province. The factory, to come up in Dam Mon peninsula, will have an initial annual capacity of 4m tons which will later be doubled. Posco has tied up with local shipbuilding giant Vinashin to develop the project. Vinashin, known formally as the Vietnam Shipbuilding Corporation, will contribute 30 percent of the capital required for the project. The plant will be ready after 2010. competitiveness in the production and supply of steel-based products. Source: Dau Tu, Thanh Nien

About 11,000 tons of Indiana-made steel will set sail for Spain. The Julietta arrived at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor and was being loaded with hot-rolled steel coils from Mittal Steel in East Chicago, Ind. This is the first export shipment of steel through the Port of Indiana since 2005. There were a few export steel shipments between 2003 and 2005 – just over 55,000 tons total. In 1995, the port handled an all-time high 243,000 tons of exported steel. The shipment is destined for Pasajes, Spain. Federal Marine Terminals, which serves as the port’s general cargo stevedore, will load the vessel today and tomorrow. Since the Port of Indiana also has year-round access to the inland river system…

According to reports, Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) recently announced it would invest $18.9m in the construction of a shipyard in the southernmost province of Ca Mau. Vinashin said it had selected a 54 hectare site in the province’s Nam Can District for the new facility, which is to be used to build ships displacing 5,000-10,000 tons, the average size of its current fleet. Up to 4,000 employees will work at the new shipyard once it is operational in 2008, and the State-owned company is already working with provincial authorities to train local workers. Vinashin said its latest project was part of its plan to increase local content in shipbuilding to 65 percent by 2010, which would require investment of about $633 m.

Vietnam National Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) plans to invest $630 million in a variety of projects to produce components and materials for the industry, in an attempt to improve the local content ratio from 25 percent to 65 percent of components used in the country’s shipbuilding industry, according to a Vietnam Shipping Times report. Under the plan Vinashin will produce rolled steel to build the hulls of ships, manufacture 300-30,000 horsepower diesel engines, steering systems and ship cranes. Locally-made steel will account for 25.6 percent of total steel in ships constructed in Vietnam, while the local content ratio of engines will amount to 23.2 percent, and that of steering systems, 6.3 percent, according to the report.

A Cambodian ship carrying steel sank after colliding with a Panamanian cargo-free ship in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, officials said on Friday. No injuries or casualties were reported, it said. The Conan, flying the Cambodian flag, was bound for the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing from Mokpo of South Korea, carrying 10,000 tons of rolled steel, collided with a Panamanian ship, Robin Forest on Wednesday in the waters of Nantong, between Nanjing and Shanghai. It was reported that the captain of the Conan ordered his crew to abandon the sinking ship that night and by early Thursday morning the deck was almost fully submerged. Officials said China has sent its largest water rescue crane to salvage the ship.