Azovstal increased production of rolled products in 8 months by 13 percent

The metallurgical plant Azovstal (Mariupol, Donetsk region), a member of the Metinvest group, in January-August 2017, increased the production of general rolled products, according to operational data, by 13.1% compared to the same period in 2016 - up to 2.461 million tons.

As the representative of the enterprise informed the agency "Interfax-Ukraine", steel smelting for eight months increased by 16.2% - up to 2.810 million tons, pig iron - by 17%, up to 2.467 million tons.

In August, Azovstal produced 317 thousand tons of general rolled products, 374 thousand tons of steel, 315 thousand tons of pig iron, while in the previous month - 251 thousand tons of rolled products, 270 thousand tons of steel, 255 thousand tons of pig iron.

Azovstal and Mariupol Metallurgical Plant named after Ilyich, part of the pig iron is shipped to Italy - on ships passing through the Kerch Strait. As reported on the official Facebook page of the SE "Mariupol Sea Commercial Port", in order to pass under the Kerch Bridge under construction, ships from Mariupol are forced to shorten their masts.

"The first ship that served in the Mariupol port passed through the Kerch bridge. The first ship that passed under the arch of the so-called" Kerch bridge "was the ship" Kopan. "Having loaded 14.5 thousand tons of pig iron in the Mariupol port, it headed to Italy Knowing about the overall restrictions on passage through the strait in connection with the construction of the bridge, the shipowners shortened the Copan's mast, which allowed it to pass safely under the structure, "the port's information says.

Earlier, the Center for Army Research, Conversion and Disarmament (CIACR) noted that, contrary to the assurances of the political leadership of the Russian Federation, the construction of the Kerch bridge entails a restriction of freedom of navigation in the Black and Azov Seas, a tangible decrease in trade and losses of the Ukrainian Azov ports in Mariupol and Berdyansk, as well as new socio-economic risks of stagnation in the Ukrainian Azov region.

According to experts, the restrictions imposed by Moscow on the surface dimensions of ships that will pass through the Kerch Strait after the installation of the railway arch, within 33 m, will make it impossible for Panamax-type vessels to pass through the strait, which will entail the loss of up to 30% of the transshipment of the Mariupol port. In particular, the threat is the supply of about 1 million tons of pig iron per year.

As reported, Azovstal in 2016 increased the production of general rolled products, according to preliminary data, by 14.8% compared to 2015 - to 3.335 million tons, steel - by 15.6%, to 3.705 million tons, pig iron - by 12.5%, up to 3.177 million tons.

The enterprise belongs to the Metinvest group, the main shareholders of which are the Donetsk PrJSC System Capital Management (71.24%) and the Smart Holding group of companies (23.76%).

Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.