Deep in the Gobi Desert of Duqm, Oman, a team of builders from SDM stands firm under the scorching sun and relentless sandstorms. Far from their homeland and loved ones, they fulfill their duties with dedication, etching the mark of Chinese builders onto the map of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Oman JSD 5 Million Ton Integrated Steel Plant Phase I DRI-1 Project is a benchmark project for SDM to explore the high-end metallurgical market in the Middle East, and it is also the first shaft furnace construction project undertaken by the company that can utilize hydrogen for direct reduction. Facing challenges such as complex overseas situations, extreme climate, and material supply disruptions, all members of the project team fought tenaciously in the Gobi Desert with the will of an iron army, laying a solid foundation for contract fulfillment with craftsmanship.

Cross-language barriers, building bridges of communication.

This globally leading hydrogen reduction shaft furnace technology has no mature experience to draw upon domestically. Even more challenging, the project involves an owner from a South Asian group, Italian design, and French third-party acceptance—this "multinational force" presents severe language challenges. In the initial stage, many team members shrank back due to difficulties in English communication, afraid to communicate with the owner and the design party, thus hindering the exchange between the strand.

(Daily Morning Communication Meeting) (On-site Acceptance)

The project department decisively launched a "language offensive": organizing half-hour English training sessions after daily morning meetings, breaking through from daily greetings to engineering terminology step by step, and encouraging everyone to actively speak up. Engineer Xiao Zhang memorized thousands of vocabulary words in his discipline within three months, progressing from being afraid to speak to independently hosting technical coordination meetings. Today, the team has not only overcome communication barriers but has also repeatedly proposed optimization suggestions adopted by the design team, earning high recognition from the foreign party.

Overcoming difficulties to fulfill commitments, standing tall as China's backbone in adversity.

During the project construction period, numerous difficulties were encountered: regional instability caused a two-month delay in the transportation of key materials; on-site components exhibited fabrication deviations, with the gaps of the grizzly/grating plates exceeding the standard and bolt holes misaligned; Italian design personnel returned to their home country for various reasons, resulting in a "vacuum period" for on-site technical support.

The project team rallied under the slogan "We stand before challenges": In response to material delays, ordinary bolts were temporarily used as substitutes for high-strength bolts during ground assembly, with replacements made one by one after the proper parts arrived; to address component deviations, a "24-hour efficient communication mechanism" was established through online meetings, enabling overnight video consultations with the design team thousands of miles away to confirm rectification plans; a "task force" was organized to assist the owner in cutting and adjusting the base. To date, over 1,400 tons of steel structure have been installed in the reactor area, and more than 500 tons of equipment have been installed in the PGH heater area, with a 100% first-pass inspection rate, delivering on the commitment with tangible results.

Fighting the Scorching Heat in the Vast Desert, Building a Defense Line with a People-Centered Approach

The year-round high temperatures in Duqm, Oman, see direct midday sunlight exceeding 50℃, with ground temperatures surpassing 60℃. The project team has adopted a staggered work schedule of "starting early, finishing late, and extending the midday break" to avoid the extreme heat period from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM. On-site "cooling stations" have been set up, equipped with ice machines and heatstroke prevention medication, providing iced water and mung bean soup around the clock. Safety officers conduct daily inspections covering 20,000 steps, leaving no hazards unchecked. With scientific construction planning and thoughtful logistical support, workers have remarked, "Though the weather is hot, the project team has thought of everything, so we can work with peace of mind."

Staying abroad to celebrate the Spring Festival, showcasing dedication with a sense of national and familial responsibility.

The Spring Festival is a time for family reunions, yet all members of the project department chose to remain overseas. The project manager, who had contracted herpes during a previous project and suffered from nerve-ending pain, was supposed to return to China for treatment. However, upon receiving the transfer order for the Oman project, he resolutely headed to the site, persevering with his work while ill for three months until the project was on track before returning to China for medical care.

On New Year's Eve, red lanterns were hung in the project department's canteen, and everyone sent New Year's greetings to their families via video call. As young engineer Zhao looked at his parents on the screen, tears welled up in his eyes. He quickly composed himself and turned back to plunge into his work. The project manager raised his glass and said, "This project is a calling card for Chinese technology going global, and our perseverance is precisely what polishes that card!" During the Spring Festival, on-site construction never paused, with all personnel maintaining 24-hour standby, guarding the company's overseas positions with the mindset of 'Success need not be mine, but success must involve me.'

This steadfastness earned high praise from the owner: "The Chinese team maintained high standards of work during the holiday period, which is admirable." The French third-party acceptance agency also stated in its report: "The SDM team has demonstrated an extremely high level of professional discipline and is a truly world-class team."

China's Business Card on the Belt and Road

The Oman project is a concentrated demonstration of Chinese technology, Chinese standards, and Chinese manufacturing. The hydrogen reduction shaft furnace technology represents the development direction of green metallurgy; the project adopts a quality system that combines international standards with Chinese standards, achieving a 100% first-pass inspection pass rate. All core equipment comes from China, proving the competitiveness of "Made in China" through excellent quality. Khalid, an Omani engineer employed by the project, said: "My Chinese colleagues are diligent and professional discipline, and it is a pleasure to work with them." This mutual benefit and win-win cooperation is a vivid embodiment of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Salute to the Persevering, Crafting the Future with Ingenuity

SDM Project Department will continue to uphold the spirit of excellence with meticulous craftsmanship, the determination to overcome difficulties, and the original aspiration of selfless dedication. Strictly adhering to the bottom line of quality and safety, it will make every effort to build the project into a benchmark metallurgical engineering project in the Middle East.

We should remember a group of people—those who stay far from their homeland and loved ones, persevering in temperatures exceeding 40℃, tackling challenges in foreign lands where languages are unfamiliar, and standing alone in the vast desert with only the smoke of solitary chimneys while countless homes are lit with festive lights. They are fathers, husbands, and sons, yet when the project calls, they choose responsibility and dedication. They are the backbone of SDM, the pride of Chinese builders, and the "Silk Road envoys" of the new era!

Hats off to those who persevere! Salute to the most beloved people of the new era!