The Chilean steel industry is at the brink of a running out of supply as it struggles to unload about 100,000mt in steel products from two vessels stuck at the port of Lirquén in southern Chile.
The volume of steel, equivalent to the country’s monthly production, is currently stuck under wind towers to be delivered to local energy projects, Los Olmos and Alena, since November 2020, Dante Arrigoni, president at Chile’s metal mechanic industry association (Asimet) said in a statement last week, adding that these wind towers have not been unloaded due to logistics problems.
While about 30 companies have been affected due to the problem, the industry as a whole is feeling the lack of steel products due to high demand and consumption in the local economy. After the towers are unloaded, the 100,000mt steel products would be transported into the Chilean ports of Valparaiso and San Antonio.
Chile crude steel production decreased by 11.2pc to 100,000mt in November, from 113,000mt in the same month of 2019.