Vale has announced that on Wednesday, its Valemax ship called the Vale Minas Gerais docked at the Villanueva port in the Mindanao Island in 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 and capable of reducing carbon emissions by 35 percent per ton of ore transported, was loaded in the Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal, in Maranhão state, Brazil, in 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.
This was the maiden voyage of Vale Minas Gerais, part of a fleet of Valemax vessels totaling 18 ships (owned and chartered). The Valemax ships are part of Vale's strategy to reduce the economical distance between Brazil and Asia, the main consumer market for iron ore. 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," Vale's executive director for Ferrous and Strategy, Mr José Carlos 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. This whole logístics solution, encompassing vessels, floating transfer stations and distribution centers, is expected to be in place in early 2014.