The present invention relates to a two step process for decarburization of a shallow melt. First, the carbon content of the melt is reduced to an intermediate value in the range of about 0.3 to 0.1 wt.% carbon by concurrently blowing an oxygen enriched gas onto the surface of the melt at a subsonic velocity and injecting an inert gas below the melt surface to stir the melt. Second, the carbon content of the melt is further reduced to a final value of above 0.001 wt.% carbon by injecting a mixture of oxygen enriched gas and inert gas below the surface of the melt for both decarburizing and stirring the melt.