AN Annaba, ArcelorMittal's own bulker

Much of the world's mineral ore is transported on chartered tonnage, but in the last couple of years both Vale and ArcelorMittal have acquired their own ships for the work. Perhaps to take the unpredictability out of charter rates, or to acquire the exact type of ships they want, both companies seem destined to become major players in the shipping business in view of the size of their mining and processing operations. Sending their ships on long ballast voyages would seem to increase operating costs, but the companies are apparently willing to make the investment nevertheless.

In Canada, ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel producer, operates the former Quebec-Cartier mining and concentrator operations in Mont-Wright and Fir Lake, QC, the 420 km rail line, and the pelletizing and port operations in Port Cartier, QC. The port loads 450 ships a year with 20mn tonnes of ore and pellets.

Today saw ArcelorMittal's bulker AM Annaba sailing from pier 27 after a brief over night stay. It will anchor off Halifax until a weather system passes. The ship is in ballast and is en route from the company's steel mill in Point Lisas, Trinidad to Port Cartier to load.

The 41,254 grt, 76,079 dwt bulker was built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai and delivered in 2013.
ArcelorMittal owns Dofasco of Hamilton, ON which was a primary owner of Quebec-Cartier, and has steel making operations around the world. The name of the ship AM Annaba derives from the initials "AM" for ArcelorMittal and "Annaba", the port in Algeria, better known as Bone.

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