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.
The first Valemax vessel, [[MS Ore Brasil|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 .
Construction
First series
In 2008, Vale placed orders for twelve 400,000-ton Valemax ships to be constructed by Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries (RSHI) in China and ordered seven more ships from South Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in 2009. In addition sixteen more ships of similar size were ordered from Chinese and South Korean shipyards for other shipping companies, and chartered to Vale under long-term contracts. The first vessel was delivered in 2011 and the last in 2016.
Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries
The first Valemax vessels were ordered on 3 August 2008 when Vale signed a contract with the Chinese shipbuilder Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries (RSHI) for the construction of twelve 400,000-ton ore carriers. The development had reportedly started in 2007. The contract, worth $1.6 billion, was the world's biggest single shipbuilding contract by deadweight tonnage.China: RSHI Launches World’s Most Advanced VLOC for Iron Ore Supplier Vale. Shipbuilding Tribune, 11 July 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011
The first Chinese-built Valemax vessel, Vale China, was launched at the Nantong shipyard on 9 July 2011 and delivered on 25 November 2011.CHIA RONG : China Rongsheng Heavy Industries' 400,000 DWT Vloc Named and Launched – Lowers Cost for Vale and Forges Long-Term Cooperation, First Vlocs to be Delivered Soon. 4-traders.com, 10 July 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011 Although it was expected that the first Chinese-built Valemax vessel would call a Chinese port on its maiden voyage, the ship was diverted to the new transshipment hub Vale had constructed in Philippines.
The second RSHI-built Valemax ship for Vale (Vale Dongjiakou) was delivered on 9 April 2012, the third (Vale Dalian) on 20 May, the fourth (Vale Hebei) on 28 September, the fifth (Vale Shandong) on 7 December 2012, the sixth (Vale Jiangsu) on 23 March 2013, the seventh (Vale Caofeidian) on 22 July 2013, the eighth (Vale Lianyungang) on 22 November 2013, the ninth (Ore Majishan; renamed before delivery) on 11 July 2014, the tenth (Ore Tianjin; renamed before delivery) on 18 October 2014, and the eleventh (Ore Rizhao; renamed before delivery) on 15 December 2014. The twelfth and last Valemax vessel of the original order by Vale, Ore Ningbo (renamed before delivery), was delivered on 23 January 2015.
On 2 November 2008, Oman Shipping Company signed a framework agreement with RSHI for the construction of four 400,000-ton vessels to transport iron ore from Brazil to the Port of Sohar in Oman, where Vale is expected to open a steel plant in near future. The shipbuilding contract, worth US$483 million, was signed in July 2009. Initially the ships were to be named Jazer, Yanqul, Al Kamil and Wafi, but instead they will be named Vale Liwa, Vale Sohar, Vale Shinas and Vale Saham. The steel cutting ceremony for the first two vessels was held on 8 July 2010 and they were launched on 19 March 2012.China: Rongsheng Heavy Launches VLOC VALE SOHAR Built for OSC. World Maritime News, 9 April 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012 Vale Liwa entered service in August 2012, followed by Vale Sohar in September 2012, Vale Saham in January 2013, and Vale Shinas in March 2013. The ships reportedly received additional strengthening due to the Vale Beijing incident. The ships built for Oman Shipping Company were later removed from the Det Norske Veritas registry and moved to other classification societies such as American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd's Register.