Ship-breaking and demolition plate, pipe and sections with usable mild-steel chemistry — re-rolled or melted. Alang (Gujarat) is a major source.

Trade Classification: Re-Rollable Scrap; also referenced as Plate and Sheet (PNS) in South Asian ferrous trade terminology

Description and Specification

Re-rollable scrap refers to used or surplus steel items that retain sufficient dimensional integrity and chemical consistency to be directly re-rolled into new steel products without requiring re-melting — or, more loosely in trade usage, heavy-gauge steel plate, pipe, and sections that are suitable for re-melting and re-rolling at a steel melt shop. In South Asian ferrous scrap trade, the term PNS (Plate and Sheet) is often used to denote this category of scrap originating from ship-breaking (hull plate, deck plate, pipe runs) or heavy industrial demolition. PNS/re-rollable material is valued for its known mild steel chemistry (IS 2062 or equivalent), consistent gauge, and large piece size — all of which facilitate efficient melt or re-rolling operations. Size and thickness terms for re-rollable scrap are typically negotiated between buyer and seller based on the specific application (direct re-roll vs. cut-and-melt), and the grade boundary with P&S is often blurred in domestic trade practice.

Alang Ship-Breaking Connection

In India, the most significant source of PNS and re-rollable plate is the Alang ship-breaking yard in Gujarat — the world’s largest ship recycling facility. Ships broken at Alang generate enormous volumes of mild steel hull plate, deck plate, structural sections, and pipe, which flow into the Indian secondary steel market as PNS-grade re-rollable scrap. This Alang-origin material is consumed by re-rolling mills in Gujarat (Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Surat), Maharashtra (Mumbai, Nagpur), and Rajasthan who produce secondary structural sections, MS bars, and plates. The Ship Recycling Industries of India Association (SRIA) at Alang coordinates the material flow, and the Alang scrap economy directly supports a large secondary steel production ecosystem across Western and Central India.

Who Uses Re-Rollable/PNS Scrap

Re-rolling mills and secondary steel producers who process scrap into structural sections, MS bars, wire rod, and sheet products are the primary consumers. Domestic ship-breaking demolition scrap consumers in the Gujarat re-rolling belt are the dominant buyers of Alang-origin PNS. For imported PNS from overseas ship-breaking (Bangladesh’s Chittagong, Pakistan’s Gadani), or surplus plate from industrial demolition in export markets, Indian importers serve the same re-rolling customer base. EAF melt shops also consume PNS as part of their charge mix where the piece size is suitable for charging or after torch-cutting to charging-box dimensions.

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