A port in eastern China has allowed one of the controversial huge Valemax ships to dock and unload a cargo of iron ore, potentially signalling a relaxation of China’s 14-month-old ban on the ultra-large vessels.
The China Shipowners’ Association on Thursday confirmed that one of the Valemax fleet docked at Lianyungang port in Jiangsu province earlier this week and unloaded 220,000 tonnes of iron ore.
Vale, the Brazilian iron ore miner, has been trying for years to get official blessing for its fleet of very large iron ore carriers – the largest bulk carriers built – to dock in China, the world’s biggest importer of iron ore and a key customer for Vale.