Semi-finished steel made up 6.9 million tons or more than 66.66% of the total export volume, up 26% YOY.
Billet and bloom had the lion’s share of semis exports with an aggregate of 4.83 million tons to mark a 24% YOY rise. Slab followed with 2.07 million tons, up 31% YOY.
Exports of finished steel products increased by 16% YOY to reach 3.45 million tons.
Long steel products had the biggest share of finished products exports with a total of 2.65 million tons (76.7%) to register a 26% growth YOY.
Rebar was the main exported product in this category with 2.23 million tons, registering a 35% increase YOY, followed by L-beam, T-beam and other types with 223,000 tons (up 5% YOY) and beams with 194,000 (down 20% YOY).
Flat steel products had a share of 805,000 tons in exports of finished steel products, down 8% YOY.
Hot-rolled coil grabbed the lion’s share in this category with 536,000 tons to register a decrease of 19% YOY.
Next was coated coil with 149,000 tons, down 13% YOY, and cold-rolled coil with 120,000 tons, up by 179% YOY.
Exports of direct-reduced iron increased by 77% YOY to 942,000 tons.
With a total of more than 1.83 million tons of exports last year and 158,920 tons in the 12th month (Feb. 20-March 19), Khuzestan Steel Company was Iran's biggest exporter.
The mill experienced a year-on-year decline of 16% in exports during the year and 13% in the 12th month under review, latest data released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization show.
Mobarakeh Steel Company, located in Isfahan, was the second biggest exporter of the year, as it shipped 1.45 million tons of products, up 65% compared to last year's corresponding period.
The company is the largest steelmaker in the Middle East and North Africa region and one of the largest industrial complexes operating in Iran.
During the 12th month, MSC exported 87,260 tons abroad and registered an 8% decline YOY.
Esfahan Steel Company (ESCO) ranked third, as it exported 1.15 million tons during the year, up 28% compared with last year's corresponding period.
During the month to March 9, ESCO exported 88,463 tons to register a YOY decrease of 3%.
However, most producers registered growth during the period.
South Kaveh Steel Company exported 662,680 tons of billets, up 25% YOY. The company also exported 69,210 tons of direct-reduced iron in the 12 months, up 60% YOY.
Hormozgan Steel Company exported 815,411 tons of slabs, up 40% YOY.
Chadormalou Mining and Industrial Company exported 365,102 tons of billets during the year.
Khorasan Steel Company shipped 222,264 tons of bloom, indicating a 72% growth YOY. In addition, the company exported 12,799 tons of rebar, down 7% YOY.
Saba Steel Company exported 146,794 tons of hot briquettes, up 393% YOY.
Iran Alloy Steel Company shipped out 59,949 tons of rebar, up 52% YOY.
Bonab Steel Company exported 32,048 tons of rebar, up 1,894% YOY, while the company exported 449 tons of “other products” during the period, up by 373% YOY.
From the 12th-month perspective, the highest growth was registered by Khorasan Steel Company as the steel mill exported 129 tons of rebars during the month, up by 416% YOY.
42.79% Decline in Imports
Imports of all steel products, except slab, saw a considerable decline.
The ISPA report shows semi-finished and finished steel imports stood at 603,000 tons during the 12 months to March 19, to register a 42.79% decline YOY.
Import of semi-finished products amounted to only 5,000 tons during the year, down 82% YOY. This is while imports of finished steel dropped 42% YOY to 598,000 tons.
The imports mostly included flat steel products with 508,000 tons, down 43% YOY. Coated coil was the top product in this category with 224,000 tons, down 11% YOY, followed by CRC with 157,000 tons, down 45% YOY, and HRC with 127,000 tons, down 64% YOY.
Imports of long steel products stood at 90,000 tons, indicating a 32% decline YOY. L-beam, T-beam and other types topped the list in this category with 46,000 tons, down 31% YOY, followed by rebar with 34,000 tons (down 19% YOY) and beams with 10,000 tons (down 58% YOY).
Iran is currently the world's ninth biggest crude steel producer, according to the latest report released by World Steel Association. Iranian steel mills produced a total of 8.48 million tons of crude steel during January-March, which indicate a 42.3% rise compared with the corresponding period of 2019.
The country's March output grew 46% year-on-year to hit 2.8 million tons, according to the Brussels-based international trade body for the iron and steel industry.
Apparent Usage Up 6% for Semis
Iran's apparent steel usage, defined as production plus imports minus exports, sometimes also adjusted for changes in inventories, stood at 20.33 million tons for semi-finished products last year, registering a 6% increase compared with the corresponding period of the year before.
It stood at 15.59 million for finished products, posting no significant change year-on-year, according to the Iranian Steel Producers Association.
Flat steel products accounted for the lion’s share of finished steel consumption with 7.93 million tons, remaining unchanged YOY.
Among flat steel products, HRC had the biggest share of apparent usage with 7.82 million tons (up 2% YOY), followed by CRC with 2.66 million tons (down 4% YOY) and coated coil with 1.71 million tons (up 11% YOY).
Long steel products accounted for 7.66 million tons of finished steel apparent usage, remaining unchanged YOY.
Rebar grabbed the biggest share in this section with 6.1 million, down 2% YOY, followed by beams with 938,000 tons (up 15% YOY) and L-beam, T-beam and other types with 622,000 tons (unchanged YOY).
As for semis, apparent usage of billet and bloom together amounted to 11.95 million tons, up 16% YOY, while that of slab declined 6% YOY to 8.38 million tons.
DRI usage was up 4% to 26.96 million tons.