Brazil mining giant Vale's 400,000 dwt Vale Malaysia docked at Lianyungang port in China this week.The VLOC entered the port on 15 April and left 17 April after unloading its 220,000 tonne cargo. The visit is the first since China banned Valemax ships from entering its ports in January 2012.
The huge ships were built for the trade to iron-ore-hungry China, their economies of scale benefitting Vale in its competition with Australians Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, but Chinese owners united against the vessels citing safety concerns and market damaging oversupply issues as their main objections.
Progress in talks between the two sides was reported in February this year, but no changes to the Valemax ban have yet been announced.
