The US $3bn low-carbon steel project being developed by Jindal Steel in Duqm Special Economic Zone has moved into the equipment installation stage, following the arrival of a key reactor at the Port of Duqm. This marks a major construction milestone for one of the region’s largest green steel investments, said a statement.

The arrival of the 935t reactor signals the transition from heavy civil construction to the fitting of core process equipment at the site. The first phase of the project is expected to begin operations in early 2027, according to company officials.

Jindal Steel Duqm, a unit of India’s Naveen Jindal Group, is building a low-carbon steel complex with annual production capacity of 5m tonnes in Duqm. The project is designed around 2 direct reduced iron (DRI) plants, each capable of producing 2.5m tonnes a year, using gas-based technology aimed at reducing carbon emissions compared with conventional blast furnace steelmaking.

The DRI units will deploy Energiron technology developed by Italian engineering groups Tenova and Danieli Group, which uses natural gas or hydrogen to convert iron ore into high-purity metallic iron, eliminating the need for coal in the reduction process.

The technology package for the second DRI plant was confirmed last year, featuring zero-reformer Energiron design intended to achieve a metallisation rate of 94%, while integrating carbon capture systems to support the project’s low-emission steel strategy.

The project is expected to draw on Oman’s natural gas resources and expanding renewable energy capacity, including future hydrogen integration, as the country positions itself as a regional hub for low-carbon industrial production.