Supplies of Plate for Offshore Platform May Run Out

摘要

There is a possibility that the supply of steel plate for marine structures such as offshore platform overseas mayfall short rapidly in mid-August and onward. At present, Japan is the only supplier available in East Asia --- since SouthKorean as well as Chinese plate mills have no room for export with high demand at home for plate, especially forshipbuilding. Even in Japan, domestic demand for plate (again, particularly for shipbuilding) is rising. The supply-demandbalance of plate is becoming so tight that it is now questionable that Japanese mills have any extra room for overseasmarine structures.