Norsk Hydro has confirmed that aluminium production at the integrated aluminium complex Qatalum, Hydro’s joint venture with Qatar Aluminum Manufacturing Company QPSC (QAMCO), will continue at around 60 per cent capacity. The announcement followed the initial announcement of a controlled shutdown of aluminium production on March 3.

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The controlled halt was announced after Qatalum’s gas supplier QatarEnergy warned of a potential suspension of gas supply. However, it has been confirmed that gas deliveries will continue at reduced levels until further notice, allowing the smelter to maintain operations at roughly 60 per cent capacity.

The update has come amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. On March 2, 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in shipping disruptions that are reportedly impacting industrial operations and supply chains. Prioritising employee safety at Qatalum, Hydro is working to assuage the impact of both the production halt and logistics challenges.

Hydro reported that the production shutdown was implemented in a safe and controlled way, to help facilitate a smoother restart once gas supply is resumed at the regular scale. At present, a timeline for restoring full aluminium production has not yet been confirmed.  

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