Electric steelmaking, a highly energy-intensive industry branch, was particularly affected, recording a slump of 11 percent to a record low of 10.1 million tonnes.

Clean coal usually means capturing carbon emissions from burning coal and storing them in underground pockets of porous rock.

Freight rates for lndian shipments to Europe and Africa could surge up to 25-30 percent on security risks along theRed Sea route, the usual maritime route connecting Asia to Europe, SteelOrbis learned from local exporters on Wednesday.

Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel Corporation will acquire US Steel for $14.9 billion in the second or third quarter of 2024, the company said on Monday December 18.

The aid targets reducing carbon emissions and promoting renewable hydrogen production in line with EU directives.

Feralpi Stahl, the German rebar factory of the ltalian Feralpi Group, announced that it will stop production for four weeks for repair work.

"CPEC has laid a good foundation for Pakistan's industrialization, modernization as well as interconnection with other countries," Wang said.

Miners in the country churned out 4.24 billion tons of coal during the first 11 months, up 2.9 percent year-on-year.