Aluminium Giant Alba Shuts 19% Capacity Due to Shipping Blockade

Aluminium Bahrain, widely known as Alba, has commenced a controlled shutdown affecting three of its aluminium smelting lines. This action represents a 19% reduction in its overall production capacity. The company stated that this measure is essential for preserving business continuity amidst severe disruptions impacting the Strait of Hormuz. These critical shipping lanes have been rendered largely impassable, preventing Alba from exporting its aluminium.

Alba, which boasts a smelting capacity of 1.62 million tons annually, previously declared force majeure on March 4. This declaration underscored the immediate challenges in delivering metal to customers. The company described the shutdown as a "controlled and safe" process for reduction lines 1, 2, and 3. This strategic, line-specific intervention is designed to optimize Alba's existing raw materials inventory. It also aims to ensure operational stability across the remaining operational reduction lines, 4, 5, and 6.