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Thursday, June 2, 2011

ALE loaded first iron ore carrier in Brazil

Thursday, 02 Jun 2011

Vale was loaded for the first time at Pier I at Ponta da Madeira Port Terminal in Brazil. The vessel was loaded with 391,000 tons of iron ore destined for Asia.

Vale Brasil was ordered by the a Brazilian mining company, Vale, from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co in South Korea. The Vale Brasil is the biggest ore carrier in the world, with a 400,000 tonne capacity, 362-meter length and 65-meter width. Vale Brasil is the first of seven ore carriers ordered by Vale from the South Korean shipyard, totaling an investment of USD 748 million.

Vale has also ordered 12 ships each with a capacity of 400,000 tonnes from the Rongsheng Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries shipyard in China. These vessels, being built at the Chinese shipyard, involve a total investment of USD 1.6 billion.

A highly efficient logistics infrastructure is a key element for competitiveness in the iron ore market. In order to maximize the efficiency of its operations and meet growing global demand, Vale is developing various initiatives to obtain economies of scale. The ordered vessels will be part of the logistical solution between the company’s maritime terminals in Brazil and Asian customers. The ore carriers have a high standard of safety and will contribute to reducing the cost of long haul maritime transportation of iron ore to steelmakers.

Mr José Carlos Martins marketing, sales and strategy executive director said that “With our fleet of our own and chartered ships, we will be able to reduce volatility in the freight market. Volatility does not only affect the freight cost, but also the price of ore itself. As the new ships come into operation, the freight and ore costs will become more stable, benefiting Vale and its steelmaking customers.” (sourced from GCaptain)

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