Visiting the ArcelorMittal site in Dunkirk, France, French Prime Minister Jean Castex, the minister for ecological transition Barbara Pompili and the Minister of Industry Agnès Pannier-Runacher were welcomed by Eric Niedziela, President of ArcelorMittal France and Vice President of Climate Action ArcelorMittal Europe, Matthieu Jehl, CEO of ArcelorMittal France, Bruno Ribo, CEO of ArcelorMittal Méditerranée e Yves Koeberlé, CEO of ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.
The Prime Minister announced the French government’s support for ArcelorMittal’s decarbonization program in France, which foresees an investment of 1.7 billion euros in the French sites of Fos-sur-Mer And Dunkirk. This investment will enable a profound transformation of steel production in France and a total reduction of nearly 40% or 7.8 million tons per year in CO2 emissions of ArcelorMittal in France by 2030. This transformation will represent one 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing industry in France e to put the French steel industry on the road to the Paris Agreement.
The transformation of steel activities will generate positive dynamics and sustainable for employment and industrial activity in France, particularly in the areas of Dunkirk and Fos-sur-Mer.
ArcelorMittal will make investments of 1.7 billion euros by 2030 to accelerate decarbonization of its steel production sites in Fos-sur-Mer and Dunkerque, while maintaining equivalent production capacities:
In Fos-sur-Mer, ArcelorMittal will build an electric arc furnace (EAF). This new unit will complement the ladle furnace announced last March and supported by the French “France Relance” rehabilitation plan. Together, these investments will transform Fos-sur-Mer into a reference site for the production of low-carbon circular steel, made from recycled steel;
ArcelorMittal to build 2.5 million ton Direct Iron Reduction (DRI) unit in Dunkirk to transform iron ore using hydrogen instead of coal. This DRI will be coupled with an innovative technology electric furnace and complemented by an additional electric arc furnace (EAF). Other investments are already underway to continue increasing the share of steel scrap used.
The new industrial plants will be operational from 2027 and will gradually replace 3 out of 5 ArcelorMittal blast furnaces in France by 2030 (2 out of 3 in Dunkirk, 1 out of 2 in Fos).
The decarbonisation of the Fos-sur-Mer and Dunkerque sites will contribute to the maintenance and development of the French steel industry. It will also support the strengthening and development of local ecosystems, generating positive and sustainable dynamics for employment and industrial activity in France, particularly in the areas of Dunkirk and Fos-sur-Mer.
Commenting, Eric Niedziela, President of ArcelorMittal France and Vice President Climate Action ArcelorMittal Europe, said: “ArcelorMittal is honored that the French state supports our projects. We are proud to have this unique opportunity to contribute to the objectives of the France 2030 plan and to maintain a strong manufacturing industry in France, serving the European markets. ArcelorMittal’s management team and its 15,500 employees in France are mobilized to succeed in this new industrial revolution and we will be happy to welcome new talents willing to participate in this extraordinary adventure ”.
And Yves Koeberlé, CEO of ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, added: “As a leader in steelmaking, ArcelorMittal is committed to decarbonising its plants in Europe to serve our industrial customers: automotive, packaging, construction, transport, but also solar and wind energy and future networks for the capture of hydrogen and CO2. We are grateful for that support from the French state, which will enable the major transformation of our sites in Fos-sur-Mer and Dunkerque, which together account for over a third of ArcelorMittal’s flat steel production in Europe ”.
In this regard, Matthieu Jehl, CEO of ArcelorMittal France, added: “This support makes extremely high investments possible. that we need to do to decarbonise steel production at our Dunkirk site, the largest steel production site in Europe. We will therefore continue to transform our sites in France to supply our customers with low carbon steel ”.
While Bruno Ribo, CEO of ArcelorMittal Méditerranée, specified: “Our site in Fos-sur-Mer will undergo a unique transformation to decarbonise. Our teams are already implementing a first investment – our ladle furnace – which will increase our low carbon steel production. We are ready to continue “.
ArcelorMittal’s French operations have already started work on a second phase of their decarbonization program, that it will use the technologies implemented during the first phase, together with the technologies of carbon capture and storage or use (CCU / S), assuming that the technology matures sufficiently and the regulation guarantees it economic viability. This second step will enable ArcelorMittal’s French operations to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The partnership between ArcelorMittal and the French government for projects it is subject to allEU approval, expected by the second quarter of this year, as well as the availability of economically viable infrastructure and energy supplies.
The decarbonisation goal set by ArcelorMittal in France – as announced – it will take shape along three roads towards the carbon neutrality., to play your part in the fight against climate change, with the ambitious of a 35% reduction of CO2 emissions in Europe it’s a reduction of -25% globally by 2030; And carbon neutrality by 2050.
To do this, ArcelorMittal intends to completely change the way it produces steel:
✅ Increase steel recycling: one kilo of steel produced by ArcelorMittal in France will soon contain up to 25% recycled steel
✅ Develop innovative DRIs to make carbonless steel with hydrogen
✅ Capture of residual CO2 for storage or use (CCU / S).
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