The development of the Brazilian shipbuilding industry is restricted by the domestic expensive ship plates.
It's said that the price is 40% higher than the importing price.
According to shipbuilding orders in 2011-2014, it requires ship plates from about 0.65 million tons currently to 1.5 million tons in the next few years, of those 60 percent rely on importing. Since there is no competition, the only manufacturer of ship plates, Minas Gerais Mill, quotes much higher. It gives steel exporters a big chance to open and enlarge their business in Brazil even the south America.