Hydro faces aluminum supply disruption with another force majeure declaration as Qatalum terminates agreement

Norsk Hydro has been hit by a second aluminum supply crisis leading to yet another force majeure in just three months after its Qatar joint venture, Qatalum, unexpectedly terminated a long-standing marketing agreement with the Norwegian producer, raising fresh concerns over the company's ability to meet customer commitments.

The latest force majeure declaration follows an earlier notice issued in March 2026, when conflict-related disruptions in the Middle East interrupted natural gas supplies to Qatalum, forcing the smelter to initiate a controlled shutdown. Although the plant later secured sufficient gas supplies to maintain operations at around 60 per