Vale: the accident at the port of Madeira does not affect iron ore shipments and production

Vale informed that on January 14, a fire broke out in one of the eight ship-loading machines in the port of Madeira in San Luis, Maranion, Brazil. The fire has been brought under control and no casualties or environmental damage have been caused. The affected area is being assessed and the cause of the accident is under investigation.

The port of Madeira has three terminals, five berths and eight loaders, with an average annual shipping capacity of 230 million tons. The accident occurred in the No. 6 ship loader (numbered "CN6") of No. 4 head south berth (P4S), and the other ship loader numbered "CN7" in the berth was not affected. The company expects to resume the delivery operation of the P4S terminal through the CN7 ship loader in the next few days.

The monthly iron ore shipment plan will not be affected because: (1) the rainy season enters in northern Brazil and the production of the northern system decreases seasonally, and (2) the expected production of the northern system for the whole of 2021 is 230 million tons lower than the port's annual shipping capacity. Vale is expected to complete the maintenance of the CN6 loader in the first half of 2021, so the accident will not affect shipments and production in 2021.

Schematic diagram of Madeira Port Marine Terminal