Vale Beijing departs

Vale Beijing departed Sao Luis on Sunday 19th February, bound for Vale's Sohar pellet mill in Oman. No further ore was loaded after the structural failure alongside Ponta da Madeira and, after cargo was redistributed, she has been granted a voyage dispensation to make the one-way trip.

After discharge at Sohar, she will go to dry-dock in the Arabian Gulf for permanent repairs.

The Antipodean Mariner has been told that the structural failure was a design flaw by her Builders, STX Shipbuilding. Stiffeners on the webs were incorrectly oriented resulting in the frames with the structural integrity of corrugated cardboard. STX Pan Ocean will be wearing the off-hire and repair but Vale have suffered the greater commercial 'damage' of China's closure to the fleet.

In Subic Bay, Vale Brasil and Ore Fabrica are still rafted together after seven days. Ore Itagaui (280,000 DWT VLOC) and Ore Pantanal (180,000 DWT Cape, built 2010 Sundong) remain at anchor awaiting their opportunity to received cargo. Ore Fabrica doesn't have sufficient deadweight to receive 'Brasil's full cargo. AM's running a voyage model and will put a number on the cost of this first trans-shipment against the long run voyage cost of Brazil - China.

Sundong-built Capesize

AM