Belgium imported 4.5 million tons of steel from third countries in 2023

In 2023, Belgium reduced imports of rolled steel products from third countries by 18.2% compared to 2022, to 3.58 million tons. This is according to GMK Center’s calculations based on Eurostat data.

Imports of flat products decreased by 14.7% y/y and long products – by 29.6% y/y, to 3.58 million tons and 902.92 thousand tons, respectively. Flat products accounted for more than 79% of total steel imports to Belgium in 2023.

Hot-rolled flat products accounted for the bulk of imports – 1.37 million tons (+14.8% y/y), coated flat products – 1.31 million tons (-24.5% y/y), and wire rod – 327.92 thousand tons (-20.1% y/y).

In December, Belgium imported 173.31 thousand tons of rolled steel, up 17.4% y/y. Supplies of long products decreased by 43.8% y/y – to 32.56 thousand tons, while flat products increased by 56.9% y/y – to 140.75 thousand tons.

Last year, steel exports from Belgium decreased by 2.7% compared to 2022, to 2.04 million tons. In particular, exports of long products increased by 3.3% y/y – to 91.63 thousand tons, and flat products – by 3% y/y, to 1.94 million tons.

The largest exports were of flat products made of other alloy steels – 645.94 thousand tons (-6.1% y/y), coated flat products – 497.37 thousand tons (-0.4% y/y), and hot-rolled flat products – 447.1 thousand tons (-8% y/y).

In December, Belgium exported 142.15 thousand tons of rolled steel, which is 23% less compared to December 2022. Exports of long products decreased by 16.4% y/y – to 7.99 kt, and flat products – by 23.4% y/y, to 134.16 kt.

As GMK Center reported earlier, Belgium reduced steel production by 16.1% in 2023 – to 5.89 million tons compared to 2022. In 2023, the average monthly steel production in Belgium amounted to 491.25 thousand tons, while in 2022 the figure was 585.83 thousand tons (-16.15% y/y).

There are 5 steel plants in Belgium, including one blast furnace (BF&BOF) in Ghent (annual capacity of 4.34 million tons of steel) and four electric arc furnaces – two in Charleroi (850 thousand tons and 350 thousand tons), one in Châtelet (1 million tons) and Genk (1.2 million tons). These are enterprises of Aperam and ArcelorMittal.