At a signing ceremony held at Marintec China yesterday， Asia’s largest shipping exhibition， Shandong Shipping signed with Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding for four 325，000 dwt methanol dual-fuel very large ore carriers. The giant 340 m long ships will be used to haul Brazilian iron ore for Vale.

The revolutionary bulk carrier designs， all created in China， also feature wind rotors and high-voltage shore power.

This latest generation VLOC has a lower draft than existing designs while maintaining the same load， enhancing port adaptability.

Beihai Shipbuilding， in the northeast of the People’s Republic， has cemented its position in recent years as the world’s top builder of newcastlemaxes and VLOCs.