WEEKLY: Aust., Brazilian iron ore shipments high in record

Over the survey period, Australian iron ore shipments from its ten ports bound for global destinations hit a high in record at 21.7 million tonnes, which grew for the second week by 3.4 million tonnes or 18.7% on week, and the tonnage shipped from Brazil's nine ports also recovered from a one-week decline by 1 million tonnes or 17% on week to 8 million tonnes.

Mysteel's other smaller-scale survey showed that iron ore shipments from 14 ports and 12 mining companies in Australia and Brazil rose for the second week to a two-year high of 27 million tonnes over December 21-27, or surging 4.3 million tonnes or 19% on week.

Among the total volume in the smaller-scale survey, the tonnage from Australia to China surged to the highest 17 million tonnes since Mysteel commenced the survey in July 2010, or up for the second week by 4 million tonnes or 30.3% on week.

Rio Tinto's shipments to China rebounded after one week of dip by 2 million tonnes or 45.4% on week to a six-month high, and BHP's tonnage to China climbed for the second week by 1.7 million tonnes or 39.3% on week, and that from Fortescue Metals Group rose for the second week by 255,000 tonnes or 7% on week to a new high since early June.

As for Brazil, Vale's iron ore shipment to the global destinations gained for the third week by 809,000 tonnes or 14.8% on week to 6.3 million tonnes.

Over December 28-January 3, Brazil will conduct scheduled maintenance on Port da Madeira with the duration unclear, according to Mysteel's survey.

Written by Li Ye, liye@mysteel.com 

Edited by Hongmei Li, li.hongmei@mysteel.com