Steelmaker Arcelor Duisburg lifts force majeure

Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal said today that pig iron deliveries from German ThyssenKrupp's Duisburg mill to Arcelor's Duisburg-Ruhrort are back to normal as of yesterday.

ArcelorMittal announced force majeure on 22 October, following ThyssenKrupp's force majeure declaration on 19 October because of low water levels on the Rhine.

But some market participants have questioned the move, saying they do not expect water levels to return to the minimum level required for normal traffic until next year.

Yesterday's water levels were higher than the previous 10 days, but they have reverted to lower levels today in certain locations, measuring 54cm at key point Kaub at 13:00 local time today. Water levels at Duisburg-Ruhrort, north of Cologne, measured 188cm at the same time, up by 16cm on the day.

Argus reached out to ThyssenKrupp for confirmation, but has not yet received a response because of a public holiday in Western Europe today.