After the epidemic, the optimization of industrial structure of domestic steel industry continued. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the High-quality Development of the Iron and Steel Industry (Draft for Comment)" (hereinafter referred to as "Opinions"), strengthening the industry's innovation capability, prohibiting new steel production capacity, optimizing and adjusting the industrial layout, accelerating mergers and acquisitions, Orderly guide short-process steelmaking, deepen green and low-carbon, vigorously develop intelligent manufacturing, greatly improve quality and efficiency, improve resource support capabilities, deepen reform and opening up cooperation, maintain fair market order, and enhance essence. "Under the efforts of iron and steel enterprises to accelerate product structure optimization and further reduce costs and increase efficiency, the overall optimization of the superimposed industry pattern and the ability to control raw materials are enhanced." Tang Chuanlin, a researcher at CITIC Securities, said that the profit center of the industry in the next five years has room for further improvement compared with last year.
Greatly increase the domestic self-sufficiency rate It is clearly pointed out in the Opinions that by 2025, the iron and steel industry will basically form a development pattern with reasonable industrial layout, advanced technology and equipment, outstanding quality brand, high intelligent level, strong global competitiveness, green, low carbon and sustainable development. Among them, in terms of resource guarantee, the domestic self-sufficiency rate of iron and metal should reach more than 45%, the annual output of scrap steel resources in China should reach 300 million tons, and one or two overseas equity iron mines with global influence and market competitiveness should be built, with overseas equity iron mines accounting for more than 20% of imported mines. According to Fu Bao Information, the supply of scrap steel will be about 238 million tons in 2020. According to the conservative estimation of 5% growth rate, Tang Chuanlin is more likely to realize the supply target of scrap steel resources. In this regard, Xu Xiangchun, the information director of my steel network, said in an interview with 21st century business herald: "Iron metal is mainly iron ore and scrap steel. Iron ore is scarce in domestic resources and relies heavily on imports, with an external dependence of about 80%, reaching 90% at the highest level. At present, it is mainly imported from Australia and Brazil, and the current situation is difficult to change. " In Xu Xiangchun's view, the annual output of scrap steel resources in China should jump from the current 200 million tons to 300 million tons, and there will be more room for increment. "In the current situation of excessive dependence on iron ore imports, our bargaining power is in a passive position and is more vulnerable to fluctuations in the international political situation." It is worth mentioning that in the second half of 2020, iron ore prices will soar all the way. As a big exporter of iron ore, Australia has gained huge profits. According to Australia's quarterly report on resources and energy released in December 2020, Australia's iron ore export revenue is expected to increase to 123 billion US dollars (about 794.8 billion yuan) in 2021. According to Australian Resources Minister Peter, as the largest buyer of iron ore in the country, up to 62% of China's iron ore imports in fiscal year 2019-2020 came from Australia. Under such circumstances, China's inherent will to get rid of dependence is also increasing. In the past few months, with the rising price of iron ore, the purchase of iron ore in China has been declining. Data show that China's iron ore imports fell by 8.1% month-on-month to 98.15 million tons in November last year, the second consecutive month of month-on-month decline. Xu Xiangchun pointed out: "The launch of this plan is related to the soaring iron ore price, but it is more coincidental and happens to be this node. It is a long-term goal that the domestic self-sufficiency rate of iron and metal should reach more than 45%, and it will be raised without price soaring. Domestic companies are absorbing stock resources through overseas mergers and acquisitions, but on the other hand, they are also doing new resource development, such as the Guinea iron ore project in West Africa. " According to public information, the foundation laying ceremony of the winning alliance Simandou project port was held in Guinea in October 2020, which also means that the development of the winning alliance Simandou project has entered a new stage, and the port will provide an important material transportation channel for the project infrastructure construction in the early stage, and will serve as an iron ore export port in the future. Winning Alliance is a community initiated and established in Guinea by China Hongqiao Group, Guinea UMS Group, Yantai Port Group and Singapore Weiliguo International Group. In June 2020, the Win-Win Alliance and the Guinean government signed the Basic Convention on Simandou No.1 and No.2 ore blocks, and officially obtained the development right of the project. The reserves of high-grade iron ore in Ximangdu No.1 and No.2 ore blocks are estimated to exceed 2 billion tons, and the vein where they are located is considered to be the largest untapped high-quality open-pit hematite in the world. Since the signing of the Basic Convention, Simandou, the winning alliance, has started the related work of mine geological exploration in an all-round way. Xu Xiangchun believes that opportunities and challenges coexist for domestic steel enterprises. "On the one hand, it can broaden diversified channels, increase investment cooperation and reduce dependence. On the other hand, there are big challenges in new resources, such as poor basic conditions and long investment cycle in West African countries. "
High quality development In addition, the "Opinions" put forward the goal that the industry concentration ratio CR5/CR10 will reach 40%/60% respectively during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, and cultivate 1-2 world-class professional leading enterprises in stainless steel, special steel, seamless steel pipe and cast pipe. Tang Chuanlin predicted: "Prohibiting new production capacity, optimizing industrial layout and accelerating mergers and acquisitions will be the main ways to achieve the above goals. At the same time, at present, the proportion of electric furnace steel in China's steel industry is about 10%, and the scrap ratio is about 20%. The goal put forward in the Opinions is that the proportion of electric furnace steel will increase to 15%-20%, and the scrap ratio will reach 30%. The goal of improving scrap supply in terms of resource supply is matched with each other, and the increase of scrap is consumed with real demand. " Under the background of speeding up integration, upgrading production equipment, increasing R&D investment and optimizing product structure will become the main objectives of iron and steel enterprises. Tang Chuanlin said: "With the efforts of iron and steel enterprises to accelerate product structure optimization, further reduce costs and increase efficiency, and superimpose the overall optimization of the industry structure and enhance the ability to control raw materials, we expect that the profit center of the industry in the next five years will be further improved compared with last year. space." At the same time, the Opinions also put forward certain requirements for green and low carbon, that is, to promote the coupling development between industries, build a cross-resource recycling system, and strive to take the lead in achieving the peak of carbon emissions. The completion rate of ultra-low emission transformation in the industry has reached over 80%, and all enterprises in key areas have completed ultra-low emission transformation, with the total pollutant discharge reduced by over 20%, the total energy consumption and intensity reduced by over 5%, the water resource consumption intensity reduced by over 10%, and the water reuse rate reached over 98%. In this regard, Xu Xiangchun analyzed: "The development of industrial coupling is a systematic project. It is necessary to contact upstream and downstream and surrounding enterprises to recycle resources. The most important thing is to need policy support."
