摘要
Ch ina, the wo rld ’s to p steel producer and consumer, will introduce an import license system for iron ore from March 1, a move seen as a bid to control an explosion in imports of the raw material. China eclipsed Japan as the world’s biggest iron ore importer last year, purchasing 40.5 percent more ore for a rapidly expanding steel sector to feed the country’s economic growth of 9.5 p ercent. The new licenses, effective March 1, would allow China to monitor iron ore imports, the Ministry of Commerce said. Independent iron ore traders, wh o h ave p rofited from athriving spot market, may find it harderto acquire licenses, industry officialssaid, while small steel mills might haveto get their supplies indirectly fromlarger importers. A source close toChina’s big steel mills, who asked not to be identified, said leading steelproducers such as Baosteel and Wuhan Iron and Steel had been told thenew system would have little impact on imports. Top iron ore minersCVRD, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, which said it doubled first-half profiton China-led metals demand, would probably not be affected, industrysources said. Shipping analysts said stricter import controls might be anattempt by the Chinese Government to tackle congestion at major ports.Steel mills and ore suppliers are locked in tough negotiations to set 2005benchmark prices. Chinese mills have said they would accept no morethan a 30 percent rise on 2004 levels, but Brazil’s CVRD wants 90 percent.It was not immediately clear whether iron ore cargoes already heading toChina would be subject to the import license scheme, but an industrysource said few cargoes were currently en route from Australia or Brazilas prices had not been agreed.
Ch ina, the wo rld ’s to p steel
producer and consumer, will introduce
an import license system for iron ore
from March 1, a move seen as a bid to
control an explosion in imports of the
raw material. China eclipsed Japan as
the world’s biggest iron ore importer
last year, purchasing 40.5 percent more
ore for a rapidly expanding steel sector
to feed the country’s economic growth
of 9.5 p ercent. The new licenses,
effective March 1, would allow China
to monitor iron ore imports, the Ministry
of Commerce said. Independent iron ore
traders, wh o h ave p rofited from a
thriving spot market, may find it harder
to acquire licenses, industry officials
said, while small steel mills might have
to get their supplies indirectly from
larger importers. A source close to
China’s big steel mills, who asked not to be identified, said leading steel
producers such as Baosteel and Wuhan Iron and Steel had been told the
new system would have little impact on imports. Top iron ore miners
CVRD, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, which said it doubled first-half profit
on China-led metals demand, would probably not be affected, industry
sources said. Shipping analysts said stricter import controls might be an
attempt by the Chinese Government to tackle congestion at major ports.
Steel mills and ore suppliers are locked in tough negotiations to set 2005
benchmark prices. Chinese mills have said they would accept no more
than a 30 percent rise on 2004 levels, but Brazil’s CVRD wants 90 percent.
It was not immediately clear whether iron ore cargoes already heading to
China would be subject to the import license scheme, but an industry
source said few cargoes were currently en route from Australia or Brazil
as prices had not been agreed.
出处
《中国远洋航务公告》
2005年第4期23-25,共3页
China Ocean Shipping Monthly
