St52 grade heavy steel plate prices have trended up in Iran in the last few weeks due to the rising demand in the local market and due to reduced inventories especially in line with the slower import flow in the last few months. Local Iranian mills generally do not produce St52 grade heavy plate and so most Iranian market demand for this grade is met by CIS suppliers. St37 grade heavy plate, which is mainly supplied by local mills and holds the largest share in the market among the other grades of heavy plate, has seen a slight price reduction in recent weeks. However, currency fluctuation in recent days may impact heavy plate prices in the coming period in Iran, especially for grades (e.g., St52, A516) which are mostly imported from abroad.
Local mills are currently pricing 10-40 mm St37 grade heavy steel plate at about $735-770/mt ex-works Ahwaz (southwest Iran), down from $745-780/mt about three weeks ago and at the same level as seven weeks ago. Kavian Steel and Khouzestan Oxin Steel are the two main domestic suppliers of heavy steel plates in Iran.
Russian and Ukrainian origin 20-50 mm St52 grade heavy steel plates are now priced by local traders at about $960-1,050/mt ex-stock Tehran, up from $915-990/mt about three weeks ago and also up from $950-1,030/mt about seven weeks ago. CIS origin 10-50 mm A516 grade heavy steel plate now stands in a price range of about $960-1,050/mt ex-stock Tehran (same as for St52 grade plate), down from $1,030-1,045/mt about three weeks ago and down from $1025-1,035/mt around seven weeks ago.