The Vale Brasil is the world’s largest dry bulk carrier with a deadweight of over 400,000 tons.  The Singapore flag ship is currently on her maiden voyage with a cargo of 391,000 tons of iron ore.   This is enough iron ore to make about 261,000 tonnes of steel, or almost three and a half times the amount used to build San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge.   The original port of call for the ship was changed in the last several days from the Chinese port of Dalian to an Italian port.  Early speculation was that dredging hadn’t been completed to allow the ship to dock or that China would not accept ships over 300,000 dwt.  Vale SA, the ship’s owner denies that this is the case and says that redirecting the ship in mid-voyage was strictly a commercial decision.

Vale diverts China ore ship for commercial reasons

“Rerouting the ship to Italy was also a symbolic move, to show to our customers in Europe and worldwide that the Valemax ships were not built only for China but have got tremendous flexibility,” he said.

“With this move, Vale will improve performance of iron ore delivery to Europe in this quarter.”

The Vale Brasil was last off South Africa’s east coast and due to arrive in Cape Town on Thursday, AIS live ship tracking data showed on Reuters Freight Views.

“The lengthened voyage from Brazil to Durban and then back into the Atlantic and onto Italy had not been in the original plan. There will be considerable additional bunker fuel consumption and that will have a financial impact,” a ship industry source said.

Thanks to Dirk Ball for the news.