China's Ministry of Transport (MoT) ordered in late October that all the ports in China are to strictly control the entry of Valemaxes until new State-level opinions are given.

The decision of MoT came after two Chinese national bulk operators, China COSCO and China Merchants Energy Shipping, said they would order 10 new Valemaxes each to serve the 25-year-term contracts of affreightment (COAs) they had signed with Vale. China COSCO will also take over four existing Valemaxes from Vale.

Valemaxes have always been on the lookout for opportunities to enter Chinese ports.

On 2 October, the Valemax of Shandong Da Ren called at the Chinese port of Dongjiakou of Qingdao, which was the first such vessel to dock in China since April 2013, IHS Maritime Sea-web.com's AISLive indicated. The 402,285dwt bulk carrier, formerly known as Vale Malaysia, departed on 4 October.

In April 2013, the then-Vale Malaysia arrived at Lianyungang port in East China after reducing its draught at Subic Bay in the Philippines.

China has not yet lifted the ban on such 400,000dwt vessels carrying Brazilian ores to China.