Casting apparatus and casting method

A casting apparatus for continuous or semi-continuous casting having a reservoir for supplying liquid metal, a direct chill casting mold having a mold cavity for at least temporarily holding liquid metal and to at least partially solidify the liquid metal into a cast product, and a pump disposed on the flow path between the reservoir and the mold cavity, wherein the pump is operable to generate a force in the liquid metal that is acting against the tendency of the liquid metal to flow along the flow path from the reservoir into the mold cavity by gravity to control a flow of the liquid metal from the reservoir into the mold cavity, wherein the pump is a direct current electromagnetic pump.