Berge Stahl to Rotterdam again

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Friday, 08 January 2010 10:33

Monday January 11, the Berge Stahl – the largest bulk carrier in the world – arrives in the port of Rotterdam again. Port of departure is Tubarao in Brazil.

The previous arrival in Rotterdam was one year ago. In between, it was deployed on the Asia-Brazil route.

 

Steel producer ThyssenKrupp chartered the vessel for a period of a year to serve the Rotterdam-Brazil route. After a disastrous year, the Rotterdam throughput of iron ore is recovering.

Since 1986, the Berge Stahl shuttles between Ponta da Madeira, Northern Brazil and the iron ore and coal terminal of EECV in the Rotterdam Europoort area. During this period it supplied the German steel industry with 73 million tons of iron ore.

Iron ore throughput

Last year the throughput of iron ore almost halved (-47%,) to 23 million tonnes. Falling demand for steel led to the temporary closure of many blast furnaces in Northwest Europe and a dramatic decline in the handling of ore. Most of the blast furnaces have started operating again, but under capacity. In 2010, the utilisation rate can be increased to 80%. As a result, ore imports could increase to a possible 30 million tonnes.

Berge Stahl

  • Dead weight tonnage : 365,000 ton (equals some 120 conventional lighters for inland transport)
  • Length: 343 meters
  • Breadth: 63.5 meters
  • Allowed draught: 22.5 meters (74 feet)
  • Into service: December 6, 1986
  • Owner: Bergeson Worldwide Gas
  • Agent and charterer: ThyssenKrupp Veerhaven

 The vessel makes ten full journeys, of some five weeks each, a year.

 

Source: Port of Rotterdam