Posted on 16 Apr 2025
British Steel and the UK government have both confirmed that raw materials have arrived at the steelmaker’s port facility at Immingham Bulk Terminal, and are being transported to the steelmaking site in Scunthorpe, Kallanish learns.
This comes after British Steel owner Jingye refused government offers to purchase the raw materials needed to keep the furnaces going. The race to secure cargoes of raw materials follows the government passing a law to take control of the company on Saturday.
British Steel confirms the arrival of some raw materials, including coke, adding that other shipments were also en route.
“While this remains a challenging period for British Steel colleagues, we now have great hope. We’d like to thank the UK Government, our customers, suppliers, and industry peers for their unflinching support," the firm says.
The government also confirms it secured and paid for the required materials which arrived from the US.
“The materials – which have arrived from the US – are enough to keep the blast furnaces running for the coming weeks, with officials continuing to work at pace to get a steady pipeline of materials to keep the fire burning," a government note says.
"A separate ship which contains yet more coking coal is on the way to the UK from Australia. This cargo was the subject of a legal dispute between British Steel and Jingye over the weekend that has now been resolved. The materials have been paid for using existing DBT budgets," it adds.
It also notes the new legislation allows the government to direct the company’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running. It also permits the government to do these things itself if needed.
UK business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds observes: “We will always act in the interest of working people and UK industry. Thanks to the work of those at British Steel, and in my department, we have moved decisively to secure the raw materials we need to help save British Steel.”
"Our industries depend on UK steel and – thanks to our Plan for Change – demand is set to shoot up: helping build the 1.5 million homes, railways, schools and hospitals we need to usher in a decade of national renewal," he adds.
Source:Kallanish
