The world’s largest VLOC made her maiden voyage to the largest ore terminal in China, which got the green-light from the competent authorities, and opened a new era of “larger carrier” for the carriage of dry bulk. The trade pattern of iron ore will globally change accordingly.
The port of Qingdao has again seized preemptive opportunities in new round competition of large-sized vessels. On the morning of July 4, in the wake of 400,000 DWT VLOC M.V. “Yuan Zhuo Hai”, which belongs to China Ore Shipping Pte., Ltd., berthing at the Dongjiakou port area, one of the four port areas of the port of Qingdao, the port of Qingdao became the first competent terminal in China to accommodate the 400,000 DWT VLOC, whose maiden voyage marked the new era of “larger carrier”, lifting the largest capacity from 300,000 DWT to 400,000 DWT. Apparently, it will provide the cheapest and most efficient logistics of raw material supply for Chinese steel industry.
With a length of 360m and width of 65m, M.V. “Yuan Zhuo Hai”, loaded with 351,000 DWT of Gaspar coarse powder, is one of the four carriers of China Ore Shipping Pte. Ltd., which was transferred from Vale Shipping, the giant ore trader in Brazil. The successful berthing was strongly supported by port-related authorities such as Huangdao Customs, Huangdao Entry-Exit Inspection and Quanrantine Bureau, Qingdao Maritime Affairs Bureau, and Huangdao Frontier Inspection Station, and showed its position as the pivotal port for carriage of dry bulk among domestic and international ports.
As the most important handling base of imported ore, the port of Qingdao sees an annual throughput of 100 million tons of iron ore, whose clients are over 100 steel enterprises from Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. In order to follow the international shipping trend of “larger carrier” and provide cheap and efficient logistics for steel companies, the port of Qingdao deployed and invested billions for construction of the 400,000 DWT terminal in Dongjiakou port area.
This project was first approved by NDRC in June 2011, obtained approval of completion from MOT in July 2013, and completed approval from all relevant authorities in July 2015. Being the first competent terminal in China, its anchorage channel, basin berth, and piloting and ancillary facilities all meet the requirements of full-load and direct-docking of 400,000 DWT VLOC. In addition, there are stacking yards with a warehousing capacity of 4 million sq.m. and disposable storage capacity of 55 million tons, all ranking first among the domestic ports. By now, 3595 voyages have ever berthed at this terminal since its operation, with182 million tons of iron ore handling in total and single-vessel discharging rate of 10,156 tons per hour for iron ores.
According to public information, the port of Qingdao completed overseas listing in 2014, and the proceeds are mainly used in construction of ore terminal and ancillary facilities in Dongjiakou port area, which is planned to be built as the distribution center of bulk materials and targeted to be an upgraded port of Qingdao.
The port of Qingdao is always actively exploring new trade mode of ore, and plans to build ore distribution center, or the largest “ore supermarket” in China. It aims at providing door-to-door whole logistic services for its clients, featured by shipping agency , cargo agency, bonded storage, futures delivery, blending processing, and transportation in addition to traditional stevedoring and warehousing services. According to the market estimate, over 15% comprehensive logistics cost can be saved by using 400,000 DWT VLOC.
It is learned that the carrier “Yuan Zhuo Hai ” will finish in-port operation within 34 hours. Besides the increase of throughput, it will also strengthen its position as pivotal port for dry bulk handling. The world’s largest iron ore supplier and consumer are linked by the 400,000 DWT VLOC and competent terminal, which will play a vital role in China’s metallurgical industry development.
