ABU DHABI  - Emirates Steel, the largest steel producer in the United Arab Emirates, sees challenges in 2019 including a slowdown in the regional construction sector, chief executive Saeed al-Remeithi said on Tuesday.

These challenges were also due to a surge in iron ore prices, a drop in sales prices, market volatility and market protectionism, he added in a statement.

Emirates Steel's revenue in 2018 was 7.5 billion dirhams ($2.04 billion), up 15 percent from a year earlier, the company said.

($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham)

(Reporting by Stanley Carvalho, Writing by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Saeed Azhar) ((sylvia.westall@thomsonreuters.com; Dubai Newsroom +971 4453 6488; Reuters Messaging: sylvia.westall.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))