ArcelorMittal Europe is expanding its use of low-carbon emissions transport, in particular for deliveries of its XCarb® low carbon-emissions steel. A number of successful trials have been carried out, delivering steel between ArcelorMittal sites and to customers, using a variety of low-carbon transport solutions including electric trucks and trucks running on HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil).
To date, low-carbon transport truck deliveries have taken place at ArcelorMittal sites in ten countries (Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK). For its customers, ArcelorMittal is initially focussing on HVO-fuelled trucks delivering to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, France, Germany and Poland.
With 27.5 million tonnes of steel shipped by ArcelorMittal Europe in 2023, the potential for large-scale CO2 emissions savings by using low-carbon transport is significant. Currently, ArcelorMittal Europe steel is delivered in a number of ways, including barge, rail, road and sea transport; road transport has the highest CO2 footprint, with an average of 65g of CO2 emitted per kilometre, for every tonne of steel transported. Using trucks fuelled solely with HVO results in CO2 emissions reductions of 80 to 90 per cent. At present, deliveries by truck account for 38% of all steel deliveries from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, which is the largest ArcelorMittal Europe entity.
The low-carbon initiative began in late 2022, within ArcelorMittal’s France Nord division. At ArcelorMittal’s site in Florange, France – which produces a wide range of flat steel products – trucks supplied by ArcelorMittal logistics partner Geodis are running on HVO are being used to shuttle steel deliveries that are within a short distance of the site. The impressive results of this pilot shows that in 2023, 190,00 tonnes of steel were shipped over a distance of 579,833km, saving 794 tonnes of CO2 (82% less than if the deliveries had been made using a diesel truck). The initiative in Florange is continuing throughout 2024. In Poland, trials using HVO-fuelled trucks supplied by partner Tesko Steel Logistic have taken place involving ArcelorMittal’s Flat Products and Long Products sites in Poland, with the results of the trial – which began in May – expected at the end of the summer. Six vehicles provided by Tesko Steel Logistic have operated several times a day on domestic and international routes (including to the Czech Republic and Slovakia).
The HVO offer for Flat Products Industry customers involves mass balancing (a combination of HVO-fuel usage and certificates).
Copyright images: Geodis & ArcelorMittal
