Vale Rio de Janeiro arriving in Rotterdam in January 2012. Note fully laden hull, compared with photograph below.
Class overview
Builders
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, South Korea
Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries, China
STX Offshore & Shipbuilding (STX Jinhae), South Korea
STX Offshore & Shipbuilding (STX Dalian), China
Bohai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry, China
Shanhaiguan Shipbuilding, China
Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, China
Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, China
China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu), China
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, China
Japan Marine United, Japan
Operators
Vale Shipping (initial)
Pan Ocean
Oman Shipping Company
Berge Bulk
Shandong Shipping
China Merchants Energy Shipping
China COSCO Bulk Shipping
Bank of Communications
NS United
Built
2011–2016 (first series)
2016–2020 (second series)
In service
2011–
Completed
68 (list of ships)
General characteristics
Type
Bulk carrier
Tonnage
380,000–400,000 DWT
Length
360–362 m (1,181–1,188 ft)
Beam
65 m (213 ft)
Draught
22–23 m (72–75 ft)
Depth
30 m (98 ft)
Installed power
Low speed diesel engine (24,600 to 33,000 kW)
Propulsion
Single shaft; fixed-pitch propeller
Speed
15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Valemax ships are a fleet of very large ore carriers (VLOC) owned or chartered by the Brazilian mining company Vale S.A. to carry iron ore from Brazil to European and Asian ports. With a capacity ranging from 380,000 to 400,000 tons deadweight, the vessels meet the Chinamax standard of ship measurements for limits on draft and beam. Valemax ships are the largest bulk carriers ever constructed, when measuring deadweight tonnage or length overall, and are amongst the longest ships of any type currently in service.[1]
The first Valemax vessel, Vale Brasil, was delivered in 2011. Initially, all 35 ships of the first series were expected to be in service by 2013, but the last ship was not delivered until September 2016. In late 2015 and early 2016, Chinese shipping companies ordered 30 more ships with deliveries in 2018–2020. Three additional vessels were ordered by a Japanese shipping company, bringing the total number of Valemax vessels to 68 as of 2020[update].
^DSME delivering Vale Brasil, the world's largest ore carrier Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Det Norske Veritas, 1 June 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011
Valemax ships are a fleet of very large ore carriers (VLOC) owned or chartered by the Brazilian mining company Vale S.A. to carry iron ore from Brazil...
360 m (1,180 ft) length overall. An example of ships of this size is the Valemax bulk carriers. The standard was originally developed to carry very large...
the specifications of Chinamax, these ships are generally referred to as Valemax vessels by Vale. They are the largest bulk carriers ever built. The overall...
the specifications of Chinamax, these ships are generally referred to as Valemax vessels by Vale. The overall length of the Vale Rio de Janeiro is 362.0...
class Malaccamax Panamax Q-Max Seawaymax Suezmax Ultra Large Crude Carrier Valemax VLCC UNFAO defines a large fishing vessel as one with gross tonnage over...
panamax" ships transiting Panama. Other lists are required for even bigger Valemax and Chinamax ships. Djendjen (Jijel), Algeria Tanger-Med, Morocco (from...
deep-water jetties capable of handling the world's largest vessels, the Valemax class of dry bulk carriers. Geography The town of Sohar lies in the centre...
and the Type 094. This shipyard also build 4 large bulk carrier, part of Valemax, delivered to Berge Bulk between 2011 - 2013. In late 2016, Bohai completed...
07 m (226.6 ft) 22.92 m (75.2 ft) 203,869 Scrapped Esso A.G. Yuan He Hai Valemax class Ore Carrier 361.9 m (1,187 ft) 65 m (213 ft) 23 m (75 ft) 203,403...
Name Length overall DWT GT/GRT In service Status Notes Image Reference Valemax (68 ships) 360–362 m (1,181–1,188 ft) 380,000–400,000 DWT 200,000 GT 2011–...
and one of the few terminals in the country suited for the ultra large Valemax ships. In 2020, the port of Ponta da Madeira handled 190.1 million tons...
several other Chinese ports have since opened to receive Vale's even larger Valemax ships. Berge Stahl can operate from other ports if not fully loaded. In...
still operates a fleet of 400,000-ton very large ore carriers known as Valemax ships. On 5 December 2011 the first ship of her type, Vale Beijing, suffered...
Stahl Valemax Comoros Berge Bulk 1986 175,720 Largest bulk carrier in the world until 2011 Scrapped at Gadani in July 2020 Ore Brasil Valemax Singapore...
Korea Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Geoje-Okpo Vale Carajas Valemax For Vale Shipping 1 March Finland STX Finland Turku Meri Cargo ship For...
bring in incoming iron ore from the largest bulk carrier of 400,000 DWT Valemax, and to export it with a maximum of 80,000 DWT panamax size vessel. The...
Havelberg Baunummer 310 passenger ship 22 October China Yuan Qian Hai Valemax ore carrier For China COSCO Shipping 29 October Germany Flensburger Schiffbau...
February China Shanghai WaiGaoQiao Shipbuilding Shanghai Yuan Gua Hai Valemax For China COSCO Shipping Corporation 2 February Japan Imabari Shipbuilding...
Republic of China Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Shanghai Yuang He Hai valemax For China COSCO Shipping Corporation September Singapore Singapore Technologies...
Industries Vale China Valemax For Vale Shipping 13 July Republic of Korea STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Jinhae-gu, Changwon Vale Beijing Valemax For Vale Shipping...
Royal Caribbean International 13 August Jiangsu Rongsheng Vale Rizhao Valemax-class bulk carrier 15 August South Korea Daewoo Geoje Munkebo Mærsk Maersk...
Fleetmon. Retrieved 15 December 2017. Voytenko, Mikhail (10 September 2013). "Valemax Vale Indonesia grounded and breached off Ponta da Madeira, Brazil". Fleetmon...
& Marine Engineering Okpo-dong, South Gyeongsang Province Vale Brasil Valemax For Vale Shipping Unknown date Spain Astilleros Amon Vigo Baltic Tug For...
Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Okpo-dong, South Gyeongsang Province Vale Korea Valemax For Vale Shipping 25 January Germany Meyer Werft Papenburg AIDAstella...