Global Steel Trade With MENA--North Africa and the Middle East

摘要

Without doubt, 2007 was another growth year for the steel industry with world production the highest ever, steel consumption at record leveis and international steel trade reaching unprecedented heights. The annual growth in global steel trade over the last few years has averaged about 8 percent a year (figure 1) and peaked in 2007 at Just over 310 million tonnes. In fact, if the trade between the 27 different countries of the European Union is also included, then the total traded would increase by a further 120 million tonnes to 430 million tonnes, which means 1 out of every 3 tonnes of steel made, crosses an international boundary. So without doubt, trade in steel products is BIG business. However, whether EU internal trade is included or excluded in world totals, is to miss the point which is -the trend - and whatever way you look at it, the trend is steadily upwards. So not only is steel trade big business, it's also a growing business. However, if China is excluded from the global total, then the average annual growth over the last few years falls from 8 percent a year to just 1 percent.