Shipping

Logistics

Shipping

Our fleet of owned and chartered ships crosses the oceans to transport ores produced by Vale, shortening distances between our operations and clients.

We operate large vessels, ensuring economy and speed in the transportation of our ore. Valemax ships are part of our strategy. They are the largest mineral transporters in the world, servicing the Asian market on a par with our main competitors in the region.

Find out more about ships and tugs operated by Vale:
Vale - The Vale Fleet

The Vale Fleet

We operate Vale and chartered
ships and tugs:

170,000 tons

Capesize

Capesize ships earned their name because they were too big to navigate the Panama and Suez

Canals. To cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, they had to negotiate the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn.

Up to 365,000 tons

VLOC

At the beginning of 2000, growth in Chinese demand led Vale to study the use of large-scale ships,

or Very Large Ore Carriers. These vessels made the journey between Brazil, home to our main operations, and Asia.

400,000 tons

Valemax

These are the biggest mineral ships in the world, with 2.3 times the capacity of Capesize vessels.

By cutting down on the number of voyages, Valemax ships also reduce gas emissions and environmental risks.

Tugs

Vale has its own fleet of tugs, designed to maneuver ships in our terminals and ports, enhancing efficiency and safety in these operations