Abu dhabi: Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) today reported progress in the restoration of production at the company's Al Taweelah site, with key early milestones reached ahead of schedule. EGA's Al Taweelah site sustained significant damage on 28th March due to Iranian attacks on Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi, leading to an emergency shutdown. According to Emirates News Agency, EGA has prioritized the safety and wellbeing of its employees and contractors. Two employees sustained injuries requiring hospitalization but have since been discharged to continue their recoveries. EGA established a dedicated, experienced team to deliver a safe and efficient restoration and restart of the Al Taweelah facilities. Repairs to damaged infrastructure have progressed rapidly. Basic utilities have been restored across the site, with natural gas and electricity availability projected to ramp-up in line with the needs of the restart program. To resume hot metal production at Al Taweelah smelter, EGA must progressively resto re each of the 1,262 reduction cells. Anode removal has been completed at all reduction cells, bath cleaning completed at around 90 percent, and frozen metal removed from over 20 percent of the reduction cells. The first restored reduction cell was restarted on 26th May, with 89 reduction cells restarted so far. Hot metal production will gradually ramp-up as reduction cells are progressively restored and could take up to a year to reach pre-incident levels. EGA is working to accelerate this timeline. Al Taweelah Casthouse produced its first cast metal on 4th May. The Casthouse is remelting frozen metal removed from the reduction cells during restoration to produce finished aluminium products, alongside casting hot metal from restored reduction cells. Al Taweelah recycling plant had recently begun final commissioning and cast metal production at the time of the incident. Final commissioning work resumed during April, and recycled cast metal production resumed in early May. Ramp-up to full production is expec ted to take up to six months, in line with the original ramp-up timeline, depending on scrap availability. At Al Taweelah alumina refinery, first alumina production is expected early in the third quarter, with a potentially rapid ramp-up to full production subject to the optimization of bauxite supply chains. The ramp-up of hot metal production is not expected to depend on full ramp-up at Al Taweelah alumina refinery. Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, stated that they are rapidly and safely executing a clear, disciplined plan to restore production at Al Taweelah, one of the most important aluminium production complexes in the world. He commended the efforts and dedication of EGA's workforce in facing this challenge. EGA's Jebel Ali site continues aluminium production at full capacity. Average daily inbound deliveries of all major raw materials currently exceed EGA's requirements to maintain metal production at Jebel Ali and meet the demands of restoration at Al T aweelah. EGA had significant volumes of metal in transit and in warehouses in certain overseas locations at the start of the conflict, enabling continued supply to some customers. Constraints on outbound logistics from March resulted in a temporary suspension of new shipment departures, leading to a significant inventory build-up of finished metal on the ground in the UAE. EGA has made progress in establishing alternative outbound logistics routes using ports outside the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, EGA is selling more metal than it is producing at Jebel Ali, with UAE stockpiles gradually reducing. A return to pre-crisis shipment levels is expected, based on current conditions, to require the re-opening of the Strait. EGA's recycling plants in the United States and Germany have continued production throughout 2026.
