Various Iranian steelmakers have formed a technical working group with a view to starting production of cryogenic-hardened steel plate, all of which is currently imported.

The steel is used to manufacture storage tanks for oxygen, nitrogen and other liquefied gases such as LNG and LPG. The group, which consists of Mobarakeh Steel (MSC), Oxin Steel and Esfarayen Steel, as well as academic researchers, wants to eliminate the need for imports of this steel and prevent foreign currency leaving Iran.

The group has begun preparing a technical and financial proposal for the project which it aims to submit to Iran’s oil ministry in the next two weeks, says Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (Imidro) financing and contracting director Hassan Younesian.

MSC is Iran’s largest steelmaker, while Oxin Steel, recently acquired by Khouzestan Steel, is a heavy plate re-roller. Esfarayen Steel is Iran’s largest alloy steel forgings manufacturer.

Iranian flat products output declined -3% on-year in the first Iranian calendar-year month through 19 April to 874,000 tonnes (see Kallanish passim), although hot rolled flats output was flat at 786,000t.