Data: SHFE, DCE market movement (Aug 13)

SMM has learned that the navigable water depth at the Kaub gauge on Germany's Rhine River dropped to 12 centimetres on August 12, falling below the previous historic low of 25 centimetres recorded in 2018. Most vessels are now unable to transit this bottleneck section, and ships still operating on the northern stretch are typically running at approximately 20% of their cargo capacity. Under normal conditions, roughly 24,000 tonnes of coal and iron ore are transported daily from Rotterdam to Duisburg via the inland waterway. Current daily inland waterway volumes have fallen to approximately 14,500 tonnes, representing a shortfall of around 9,500 tonnes per day against the normal level. Local enterprises are planning to arrange three return rail movements per week through to end-September, with each run transporting approximately 2,000 tonnes of coal to the HKM steelworks in Duisburg, in order to partially offset the inland waterway capacity shortfall.

India’s JSW Steel reported consolidated steel output of 2.4 million tonnes in July 2026, up 3% year on year. Output at its Indian plants rose by 4% y/y to 2.34 million tonnes, with capacity utilisation at 87%, while JSW Steel USA produced 0.06 million tonnes, up 13% y/y. The company said that No. 3 blast furnace at its Vijayanagar plant, restarted on 23 June, is currently operating at more than 80% of rated capacity. It also plans to increase total steelmaking capacity from 37.9 million tonnes per year to 54.8 million tonnes over the next four years.

Data from India’s Ministry of Steel show that rolled steel exports rose by 44.1% year on year to 699,000 tonnes in July 2026, while steel imports increased by 9.5% to 702,000 tonnes. Domestic steel consumption rose by 6.5% y/y to 14.4 million tonnes, whereas steel production increased by only 1.2% y/y to 14.3 million tonnes. Prices of major steel products weakened month on month, with hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices down 0.4% from June.