Global steel production static in 2023

World crude steel production in 2023 was virtually unchanged compared to the output reported in 2022, according to World Steel Association (worldsteel).

The overall global total for last year was 1 888.2 million tonnes (Mt) while the 2022 figure was 1 887.6 Mt. China showed a marginal 0.1% growth in production last year, up from 1 018.0 Mt in 2022 to 1 019.1 in 2023.

Of the other major producing countries, those with significant growth include India (up 11.8%) and Russia (up an estimated 5.6%). There were output falls for Japan (down 2.5%), Germany (down 3.9%), Turkey (down 4.0%) and Brazil (down 6.5%).

The monthly total for December alone was 135.7 Mt, a decrease of 5.3% compared to December 2022. Of the top 10 producers, China delivered 67.4 Mt in December 2023, down 14.9% on December 2022.

India produced 12.1 Mt (up 9.5%); Japan 7.0 Mt (up 1.1%); the US 6.8 Mt (up 7.6%); Russia 6.0 Mt estimated (up 4.3%); South Korea 5.4 Mt (up 2.7%); Germany 2.6 Mt (down 2.3%); Turkey 3.2 Mt (up 21.2%); Brazil 2.5 Mt (0.9%) and Iran produced 2.9 Mt (up 12.1%). 

An additional eight countries now report their production to worldsteel, taking the total to 71. They are Algeria, Morocco, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Yemen. The 71 accounted for approximately 98% of total world crude steel production in 2022.