Leading European steelmaker ArcelorMittal has scheduled maintenance on blast furnace (BF) No. 4 at its Dunkirk plant as part of its €270m investment plan at French sites Dunkirk and Fos-sur-Mer, the company confirmed to McCloskey on 11 March.
BF No. 4, one of the Dunkirk site’s two active blast furnaces, will be taken down for planned maintenance for a period of 90 days in the second-quarter. Work will be carried out on the iron ore sintering line, one of the steel mill’s converters, and BF No. 4, representing €254m of the investment.
BF No. 3 remains operational and ArcelorMittal stressed that “logistics and supplies have been anticipated in order to limit the impact on downstream production facilities and ensure continuity of service for customers.”
The Fos-sur-Mer site has been running a single blast furnace since 2023. The currently offline BF No. 1 will undergo a €18.3m revamp to extend its lifecycle, with production expected toresume in the first half of 2026, replacing BF No. 2.
The investments will help to “maintain the efficiency and operational reliability” of the plants, the company said.
Speaking to McCloskey, ArcelorMittal confirmed that there was currently no intention to move from single furnace production at Fos-sur-Mer once the revamp is complete based on existing market conditions, and that output would remain stable while maintenance is performed at the site.
ArcelorMittal is considering further investment in an EAF at Fos-sur-Mer, but has stated a need for greater security in its decarbonization investments, anticipating potential clarifications in the EU Steel and Metal Action Plan.
The European Steel and Metals Action plan is to be released 19 March, with decarbonization as a central pillar.
