Manila: Brazilian miner Vale announced yesterday that one its giant VLOCs, Vale Minas Gerais, docked on October 17, at Villanueva port in Mindanao in the far south of the Philippines for the first time. The world's largest iron ore carrier, with the capacity to transport up to 400,000 metric tons of iron ore was loaded in the Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal, in Maranhão state, Brazil, at the end of August. The cargo is destined for Japan's JFE Steel, which received the vessel at its Philippines Sinter Corp (PSC) in Mindanao. JFE is one of Vale's biggest clients.
Vale's executive director for Ferrous and Strategy, José Carlos Martins, said that JFE is the latest steelmaker to benefit from the advantages of scale and efficiency brought by a Valemax vessel. Until now, Ilva, ThyssenKrupp, Rogesa and Nippon Steel have received the very large ore carriers.
"We are in advanced negotiations so as to allow for other customers and ports also benefit from the advantages of these vessels," Martins said.
"With the startup of our second floating transfer station expected for the first quarter of 2013, the distribution center in Malaysia and our entire fleet of Valemax vessels in place, Vale will be fully prepared to serve the Asian markets on equal terms with its competitors in the region," he added.
With the Villanueva port, seven ports are receiving the Valemax vessels. [19/10/12]
