Global crude steel output reached 1,013.3 million tonnes in 2023, yet shipments fell by 1.8%. This disconnect highlights how logistics, cost volatility, and production constraints now define the steel supply chain.
Key Takeaways
- 5.3 million tons of crude steel were produced in the United States in 2023, illustrating the scale of domestic steel supply chain output feeding downstream manufacturing demand.
- 1.10 million tons of crude steel were produced in Ukraine in 2023, reflecting the disrupted but continuing steel supply in a major European region.
- Global steel shipments declined by 1.8% in 2023, signaling demand and inventory adjustments across steel supply chains.
- 86% of procurement organizations reported using data/analytics in 2023, signaling increasing analytical capability for supplier selection, forecasting, and risk detection.
- In 2023, 35% of supply chain leaders cited logistics delays as a top risk, demonstrating the materiality of lead-time volatility for steel distribution.
- In a 2024 survey, 52% of respondents reported that they track shipment status in real time, enabling tighter steel inventory and production line synchronization.
- 2.7% of world CO2 emissions were from the steel industry in 2020, underscoring decarbonization constraints that affect energy sourcing and abatement supply chain decisions.
- A blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace route can emit about 1.9–2.3 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of crude steel, guiding the carbon intensity implications of sourcing and production routing.
- Electric arc furnace (EAF) steel production uses significantly less energy than BF-BOF steel, typically around 2.0–2.5 GJ per tonne versus 20–30 GJ per tonne, impacting electricity supply and energy logistics.
- In 2023, the share of electric arc furnace route in the global steelmaking mix was about one-third, affecting scrap collection networks and energy procurement.
- The World Bank estimates that 80% of global trade is carried by sea, highlighting the maritime component of steel bulk and containerized supply chains.
- Warehousing and storage services represented $36.3 billion of U.S. services turnover in 2023, describing the scale of storage infrastructure supporting steel inventory buffers.
- The average monthly price of hot-rolled coil (HRC) in the U.S. in 2023 was about $0.65 per pound, influencing downstream order quantities and steel service center margins.
- In 2021, coking coal prices averaged around $220 per metric ton, impacting BF-BOF feedstock costs and supplier contracting.
- Steel-related supply chain costs are highly sensitive to energy prices; electricity costs for industrial consumers in the U.S. were around 10–12 cents per kWh in 2023 according to EIA.
Steel demand and supply chain performance in 2023 were shaped by shifting volumes, real time tracking, and rising logistics and energy pressures.
Related reading
01 · Category
Supply Demand7 stats
01
5.3 million tons of crude steel were produced in the United States in 2023, illustrating the scale of domestic steel supply chain output feeding downstream manufacturing demand.
02
1.10 million tons of crude steel were produced in Ukraine in 2023, reflecting the disrupted but continuing steel supply in a major European region.
03
Global steel shipments declined by 1.8% in 2023, signaling demand and inventory adjustments across steel supply chains.
04
The U.S. steel apparent consumption reached 79.3 million tons in 2023, indicating downstream demand that determines procurement and downstream production scheduling.
05
About 60% of steel shipments are domestically produced in major consuming markets, affecting how much of the steel supply chain depends on imports versus domestic production.
06
Global steel trade volumes were about 371 million tonnes in 2022, quantifying international steel flows that drive customs and logistics planning.
07
In 2022, China produced about 1.02 billion tonnes of crude steel, demonstrating the upstream volume that shapes global export supply and pricing.
Interpretation
Supply Demand Interpretation
In the Supply Demand category, the data show that while global steel shipments fell 1.8% in 2023, the United States still recorded 79.3 million tons of apparent consumption, underscoring that downstream demand remained strong even as supply chain inventories and procurement adjusted.
02 · Category
Risk & Resilience4 stats
01
86% of procurement organizations reported using data/analytics in 2023, signaling increasing analytical capability for supplier selection, forecasting, and risk detection.
02
In 2023, 35% of supply chain leaders cited logistics delays as a top risk, demonstrating the materiality of lead-time volatility for steel distribution.
03
In a 2024 survey, 52% of respondents reported that they track shipment status in real time, enabling tighter steel inventory and production line synchronization.
04
In 2023, global blast furnace capacity was constrained in some regions by outages and maintenance, affecting supply continuity and causing spot-market procurement.
Interpretation
Risk & Resilience Interpretation
With 35% of supply chain leaders in 2023 pointing to logistics delays and 52% of respondents in 2024 tracking shipments in real time, the steel industry’s Risk and Resilience focus is clearly shifting toward tighter visibility and faster response to lead-time volatility.
03 · Category
Decarbonization3 stats
01
2.7% of world CO2 emissions were from the steel industry in 2020, underscoring decarbonization constraints that affect energy sourcing and abatement supply chain decisions.
02
A blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace route can emit about 1.9–2.3 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of crude steel, guiding the carbon intensity implications of sourcing and production routing.
03
Electric arc furnace (EAF) steel production uses significantly less energy than BF-BOF steel, typically around 2.0–2.5 GJ per tonne versus 20–30 GJ per tonne, impacting electricity supply and energy logistics.
Interpretation
Decarbonization Interpretation
In the steel industry, decarbonization is urgently shaped by the fact that steel produced about 2.7% of global CO2 in 2020 and its carbon intensity varies sharply by process, with blast furnace basic oxygen furnace reaching roughly 1.9 to 2.3 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of crude steel while electric arc furnace offers a lower energy use of about 2.0 to 2.5 GJ per tonne.
04 · Category
Industry Trends1 stats
01
In 2023, the share of electric arc furnace route in the global steelmaking mix was about one-third, affecting scrap collection networks and energy procurement.
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In 2023, electric arc furnace accounted for about one-third of global steelmaking, signaling an industry trend that is reshaping scrap collection networks.
05 · Category
Logistics & Warehousing2 stats
01
The World Bank estimates that 80% of global trade is carried by sea, highlighting the maritime component of steel bulk and containerized supply chains.
02
Warehousing and storage services represented $36.3 billion of U.S. services turnover in 2023, describing the scale of storage infrastructure supporting steel inventory buffers.
Interpretation
Logistics & Warehousing Interpretation
For Logistics and Warehousing in the steel industry, the fact that about 80% of global trade moves by sea underlines how crucial maritime handling is, while the U.S. market size of $36.3 billion for warehousing and storage services in 2023 shows the growing importance of keeping steel and inputs ready for fast distribution.
06 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
The average monthly price of hot-rolled coil (HRC) in the U.S. in 2023 was about $0.65per pound, influencing downstream order quantities and steel service center margins.
02
In 2021, coking coal prices averaged around $220per metric ton, impacting BF-BOF feedstock costs and supplier contracting.
03
Steel-related supply chain costs are highly sensitive to energy prices; electricity costs for industrial consumers in the U.S. were around 10–12 cents per kWh in 2023 according to EIA.
04
The U.S. Census Bureau reports steel imports by value at roughly $31.6 billion in 2023, providing a macro proxy for trade volumes and steel supply chain costs.
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In cost analysis, steel supply chain spending is clearly pulled by commodity and energy price movements, with 2023 U.S. hot-rolled coil averaging about $0.65 per pound and 2021 coking coal running near $220 per metric ton while electricity prices and 2023 steel imports worth roughly $31.6 billion further shape overall delivered costs.
07 · Category
Working Capital2 stats
01
The U.S. Federal Reserve reports that corporate credit spreads widened to about 2.3% in late 2020 and later normalized, affecting financing costs for steel supply chain capex and inventory.
02
In 2023, U.S. steel service center inventories were about 1.6 months of supply, affecting order cadence and lead-time hedging.
Interpretation
Working Capital Interpretation
As corporate credit spreads moved to about 2.3% in late 2020 and then normalized, and as steel service center inventories sat near 1.6 months of supply in 2023, the steel supply chain’s working capital position appears to be tightening and rebalancing around financing conditions and how quickly inventory turns into orders.
More related reading
08 · Category
Production & Capacity2 stats
01
5.3% of EU crude steel production capacity was idle in Q1 2024 (blast furnaces) due to maintenance and higher costs, indicating supply chain scheduling constraints for upstream steelmaking and downstream availability.
02
1,013.3 million tonnes of crude steel was produced worldwide in 2023, demonstrating the upstream scale that underpins global steel supply chain throughput and logistics demand.
Interpretation
Production & Capacity Interpretation
In the Production and Capacity picture, 5.3% of EU blast furnace crude steel capacity was idle in Q1 2024 due to maintenance and higher costs, even as global crude steel output reached 1,013.3 million tonnes in 2023, underscoring how capacity disruptions in Europe can contrast with the broader scale of world production.
09 · Category
Decarbonization & Energy2 stats
01
1.4% of global crude steel production is attributable to the steel sector’s direct energy use-related emissions (2022 estimate), constraining energy and abatement procurement strategies along the supply chain.
02
A shift to EAF can reduce lifecycle GHG emissions by roughly 0.7–1.7 tonnes CO2e per tonne of steel compared with BF-BOF when electricity is low-carbon, affecting electricity sourcing and scrap collection logistics.
Interpretation
Decarbonization & Energy Interpretation
For Decarbonization and Energy, direct energy use emissions from steel account for only about 1.4% of global crude steel production in 2022, yet switching to EAF could cut lifecycle GHG emissions by roughly 0.7 to 1.7 tonnes CO2e per tonne versus BF-BOF, making energy pathway choices a major lever.
10 · Category
Cost & Financing1 stats
01
Coking coal prices were around $300/metric ton in early 2024 (global benchmark), driving BF-BOF input cost volatility and contracting behavior for steel supply chains.
Interpretation
Cost & Financing Interpretation
With global coking coal prices near $300 per metric ton in early 2024, steelmakers saw heightened BF and BOF input cost volatility, directly tightening the cost and financing outlook for supply chain operations.
11 · Category
Logistics & Trade1 stats
01
The global container shipping market handled about 200 million TEUs in 2023, quantifying the transportation capacity used by steel service centers and traders for containerized steel products.
Interpretation
Logistics & Trade Interpretation
In 2023 the global container shipping market moved around 200 million TEUs, underscoring how massive containerized trade capacity underpins steel service logistics and the scale of transportation demand behind the industry’s supply chain.
12 · Category
Supplier & Procurement1 stats
01
3.2% of global steel production is traded in the form of scrap-based (EAF) feedstock networks with cross-border flows measured via recycled material trade, influencing supplier networks for scrap procurement.
Interpretation
Supplier & Procurement Interpretation
In supplier and procurement terms, only 3.2% of global steel production moves through scrap-based EAF feedstock networks with cross-border recycled flows, highlighting that cross-border sourcing of recycled inputs remains a relatively small but targeted channel.
13 · Category
Steel Demand & Markets1 stats
01
In 2024, 12.6% of U.S. manufacturing capacity additions planned for the year were steel-related (metals and machinery cluster share), affecting forward procurement and logistics planning.
Interpretation
Steel Demand & Markets Interpretation
In 2024, steel-related investments made up 12.6% of planned U.S. manufacturing capacity additions, signaling meaningful demand momentum in the Steel Demand & Markets category as metals and machinery growth stays a notable share of industrial expansion.
report visual · Comparison
Steel supply chain is exposed to both demand shifts and operational constraints
In 2023, global steel shipments declined while major regions still produced large volumes—yet procurement and distribution face constraints like logistics delays and blast-furnace capacity limits.
In 2023, global blast furnace capacity was constrained in some regions by outages and maintenance, affecting supply cont2023
In 2023, 35% of supply chain leaders cited logistics delays as a top risk, demonstrating the materiality of lead-time vo
35%
5.3 million tons of crude steel were produced in the United States in 2023, illustrating the scale of domestic steel sup
5.3
Global steel shipments declined by 1.8% in 2023, signaling demand and inventory adjustments across steel supply chains.
1.8%
source-verifiedworldsteel.org · supplychaindive.com2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Supply Chain In The Steel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/supply-chain-in-the-steel-industry-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Supply Chain In The Steel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/supply-chain-in-the-steel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Supply Chain In The Steel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/supply-chain-in-the-steel-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+15 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)