ArcelorMittal Announces Large-Scale Investment Project at Metallurgical Plant in Ghent

The new direct reduction (DRI) plant will use natural gas or hydrogen, which will lead to significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.

ArcelorMittal, a Luxembourg-based multinational steel company, has announced an investment in a major modernization project at its steel plant in Ghent, Belgium. The project, at a significant cost, will also require approval of financial support from the European Commission (EC).

According to a company press release, it has signed a letter of intent with the governments of Belgium and Flanders in support of a € 1.1 billion investment in decarbonization technology at the plant. The project includes the construction of a 2.5 million tonne direct reduced iron (DRI) plant and two electric arc furnaces (EAF) in addition to the existing state of the art blast furnace.

The two EAFs will melt DRI and scrap steel to produce steel slabs. Upon completion, blast furnace A will gradually switch to direct reduction and arc furnaces, after which the blast furnace will be closed. The company expects the aforementioned transition is likely to result in a reduction in carbon emissions of around 3 million tonnes by 2030.