Abu Dhabi's Kezad could be base for UK Liberty Steel's green iron plant

Dubai: The UK’s Liberty Steel has struck a MoU with AD Ports Group that could pave a path to building a green iron production facility in the Kezad zone.

In fact, the Abu Dhabi hub will at the outset play a key role in helping Liberty Steel with importing ‘high-quality magnetite ore to the UAE from Australia’.

Under the MoU, the two will explore plans to host a green iron production facility in the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad) and related port infrastructure and conveyor system in Khalifa Port. And thus ‘contributing to the UAE’s ambitions to grow its manufacturing base by 2031’.

Ship in from Australia

Liberty - which was launched in 1992 by Sanjeev Gupta - will have access to 4 billion tons of South Australia’s magnetite ore - an ‘ideal’ feedstock for green iron and steel production - with the UAE’s renewable energy potential and ‘advanced infrastructure and connectivity offered by AD Ports Group’.

"Our MoU demonstrates AD Ports Group’s commitment to global collaboration that enables progress within alternative energy infrastructure and supply chain,” said Saif Al Mazrouei, CEO - Ports Cluster at the Abu Dhabi entity.

The agreement could thus have the potential for a significant role in ‘decarbonising international iron and steel production’.

Liberty Steel's presence spans multiple geographies, and the group has a rolling capacity of more than 20 million tonnes per annum. “The UAE’s huge renewable energy and hydrogen potential, combined with AP Ports infrastructure advantages can make it an ideal partner in our vision for green iron production here in the UAE,” said Gupta.

"There is no solution to reach net zero without addressing the largest industrial emitter of CO2..."