Steel Ministry panel rejects proposal for TMT bars made from ship-breaking plates 

NEW DELHI : A committee set up by India’s Steel Ministry has rejected the use of ship-breaking steel plates for making TMT bars (rebars) due to non-standardised offerings and the absence of wider data. The committee called for rigorous chemical testing and grade certification to ensure structural integrity. Samples collected from major shipyards revealed variations in diameter and significant differences among samples.

The committee recommended that ship-breakers sell the plates along with grade certificates and chemistry. The committee members visited Gujarat’s Alang ship-breaking yard and found that the samples collected were not representative of hulls underwater, mid-ship, or above-water level areas. The committee also highlighted the need for extensive testing, including durability studies and corrosion resistance checks. The industry has pushed for the use of ship plates to make TMT bars to avoid the melting cost of ₹9,000 per tonne. However, the committee emphasized the importance of further research and testing before wider application in coastal areas.