The first transshipment vessel (TSV) custom-built for the Simandou project run by SimFer, a joint venture between Aluminum Corporation of China and Rio Tinto, was successfully delivered in Yangzhou City, East China’s Jiangsu Province, on July 21. Following delivery, the vessel will set sail for Guinea, where it will be dedicated to transferring iron ore from shallow-water terminals to ocean-going ships, a crucial step forward in the modernization of the logistics system of the project.
The first transshipment vessel custom-built for SimFer, a joint venture of Aluminum Corporation of China and Rio Tinto, is successfully delivered in Yangzhou City in East China’s Jiangsu Province on July 21. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The TSV, built by Chengxi Shipyard, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, has a deadweight of 41,800 metric tons. It has set three world records: the world’s largest shallow-draft self-unloading transshipment vessel by deadweight, the world’s fastest self-unloading vessel by unloading capacity, and the world’s first vessel of its class to feature bidirectional sailing capability.
The TSV will serve as an important link in the logistics chain of the Simandou project, which encompasses ore mining, railway transportation, port transshipment and maritime shipping. It will effectively address the operational challenges posed by the complex hydrological conditions of shallow-water channels at Guinea’s ports and enable the high-frequency transfer of iron ore from shallow-water terminals to ocean-going vessels. This will provide solid transport support for the large-scale and regular logistics operations of the Simandou project.
During the construction of the TSV, the project owner, designers and the shipbuilder collaborated efficiently and overcame numerous challenges, successfully completing all work, including ship construction, outfitting and commissioning, with high quality within a relatively short period. This ensured the on-schedule delivery of the ship, fully demonstrating the professionalism and spirit of international cooperation of all parties.
With the upcoming delivery of four more TSVs and the steady progress of port construction, the Simandou project will continue to drive the modernization of Guinea’s logistics system and contribute to the realization of the promising “Simandou 2040” vision.
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
