“We know we have some problems, but the U.S. has the same, or bigger problems,” said Vedoya, speaking during the second day of the inaugural Global Steel Dynamics Forum. Vedoya’s comment came in response to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. chairman and chief executive Lourenco Goncalves, who on Monday said that Mexico is, at the moment, “the transshipment capital of the world.”

“That is not the case,” Vedoya told conference attendees during a Tuesday morning session. Still, Mexican authorities are working to address transshipments, he said, adding that the problem requires close cooperation among the USMCA governments and industry.  

“The customer has to have choices, but that competition has to be fair and it has to be clean, and that’s one thing we should as an industry work together on,” he said.

Also on Tuesday, attendees heard from U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He said Congress and trade officials are keeping a very close eye on the Mexico transshipment issue.

“We’re watching that very closely. We’re going to be very careful of what is coming in the back door of our own country. We need (Mexico) to be a reliable partner,” he said.

That issue aside, the USMCA, on the whole, has been a positive for North America and its steel producers, according to Alan Kestenbaum, executive chairman of Stelco Inc. 

“The USMCA has been a resounding success,” he said. “Despite some holes, I think it is encouraging companies to come and invest millions and millions of dollars in (new North American facilities).”  

Organized by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology and World Steel Dynamics, the Global Steel Dynamics Forum is taking place in New York City. Check AIST Steel News for additional updates.