| REPORT EXPECTS SHARP DROP IN WORLD IRON IMPORTS | |
| World seaborne iron ore imports will | |
| fall sharply by the year 2000 with declining imports to the EC | |
| and Japan only partially offset by increased demand from South | |
| East Asia, a report by Ocean Shipping Consultants said. | |
| The report predicts annual world seaborne iron ore imports | |
| of 267.7 mln tonnes by 2000 versus 312.4 mln tonnes in 1985. | |
| It estimates that total bulk shipping demand from the iron | |
| ore sector will fall by almost 10 pct, or 200 billion tonne | |
| miles, with shipping demand associated with the coking trade | |
| down about 17 pct or 130 billion tonne miles. | |
| The report sees EC imports falling to 91.7 mln tonnes in | |
| 2000 from 123.6 mln in 1985 with Japanese imports falling to 89 | |
| mln from 124.6 mln tonnes. Imports to South East Asia are seen | |
| rising to 58.6 mln from 32.6 mln tonnes in 1985. | |
| It predicts that EC steel production will fall to 109 mln | |
| tonnes in 2000 from 135.7 mln in 1985 with Japanese production | |
| falling to 92 mln from 105.3 mln. | |
| South Korea and Taiwan are expected to double their output | |
| to 40 mln tonnes with Chinese production increasing by 25 mln | |
| tonnes to 80 mln, it added. | |