Zaporozhstal loses MENA markets, has diverted sales to Europe - general director

MOSCOW. May 24 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Zaporozhstal steel works has lost markets in Turkey, Asia and North Africa, and has redirected sales to Europe, Ukrainian media quoted its general director, Roman Slobodanyuk as saying.

"The plant had to redirect to Europe, which is more accessible by land," he said in an interview with the French RFI, posted on the Metinvest holding website.

A consignment of coils and slabs is being prepared for shipment to Italy.

The Zaporozhstal press service said the situation in the country had "turned production processes and logistics on their head." "At first we did not know what to produce, we had to rethink everything, processes remained the same only for Poland," it said. It was not possible to ship products through seaports, so "it was necessary to find new ways to deliver products and feedstock for blast furnaces," it said.

Slobodanyuk said the steel works idled for 33 days in the spring of 2022. "The plant is currently working at 70% of its capacity, with three of its four blast furnaces operating," he said.

Zaporozhstal, one of Ukraine's biggest steel works, produces hot- and cold-rolled steel and metal products, slabs and other products.