Universal Shipbuilding Delivers 297k DWT Ore Carrier for VALE

[B]297,000-dwt Iron Ore Carrier Ore Sao Luis Completed - Will Sail under Long-term Contract with Vale of Brasil[/B]

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced today the completion of the 297,000-ton iron ore carrier [I]Ore Sao Luis[/I] at the Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, Ariake Shipyard. The [I]Ore Sao Luis[/I] will transport iron ore from Brasil to mainly China, under a long-term contract with Vale.

Among those on hand for the naming and delivery ceremonies were Vale International General Manager, Shipping, Pietro Allevato, who named the vessel, and Universal Shipbuilding Director and Senior Managing Officer Kuniteru Ishikawa. The ship’s name is derived from the capital and largest city in Maranhão state in Brasil.

MOL operates 300,000 DWT class of six (6) VLOCs in total, including [I]Ore Sao Luis[/I].

[B]Vessel Specifications:[/B]
[ul]
[li]Deadweight tons (Capacity): 297,076 tons
[/li][li]Length: 327.00m
[/li][li]Breadth: 55.00m
[/li][li]Draft: 21.40m
[/li][li]Registry: Liberia
[/li][/ul]

This appears to be a sister ship to the one that broke apart on her maiden load at the dock in Brazil. I believe she is about to be escorted across the Atlantic to a shipyard in the Med. The bigger they come, the harder they fall. Well, that’s the way I remember the song!

I see this is not a sister ship, but a ‘mini’ version of the cracked one!

Vale