At 11:48 on January 17, 2026, the first shipment of nearly 200,000 tons of Simandou iron ore successfully arrived at a Chinese port. China Baowu Steel Group Corporation Limited (hereinafter referred to as “China Baowu”) hailed this as a significant milestone in the history of global steel industry development.

The cargo vessel “WINNING YOUTH” departed from Maribaia Port in Guinea on December 2, 2025, local time. After a 46-day voyage covering 10,958 nautical miles, it arrived at Berth 2 of the Port of Majikayin.

China Baowu stated that the arrival of the first shipment of Simandou iron ore in China signifies the full integration of the project's end-to-end supply chain—encompassing the mine, railways, overseas ports, transshipment, ocean transport, domestic seaports, river transport, and inland river ports. This achievement significantly enhances iron ore supply capacity and holds major significance for securing raw materials for China Baowu and China's steel enterprises.

Public records indicate that Majishan Port is Asia's largest deep-water transshipment hub for ore, located approximately 120 kilometers from the raw material terminal of Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (Baosteel Group, 600019.SH). With an annual throughput exceeding 60 million tons in 2024, it serves as a vital raw material supply hub for major steel enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region.

China Baowu stated that after the cargo ship was securely moored, the iron ore was grabbed by a ship unloader and then transported via conveyor belts to the stacking and reclamation yard. The first shipment of 24,000 tons of iron ore transported from sea to river will be carried by Baowu Resources Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Baowu Resources”)'s own vessel, the “Bao Hang 16,” to Baosteel's Baoshan base.

It is understood that the “WINNING YOUTH” will subsequently continue northward to Rizhao Port in Shandong Province for iron ore crushing and screening operations.

A Baowu Resources representative informed reporters that the company has established an intelligent ore blending and processing center at Rizhao Port with an annual processing capacity of 10 million tons. This project forms a strategic resource reserve base serving East and North China, enhancing Baowu's iron ore resource security capabilities. Simultaneously, by building a dual-cycle system of “domestic bases + overseas mines,” Baowu Resources further increases its iron ore self-sufficiency rate, safeguarding national strategic resource security and promoting high-quality development in the steel industry.

Rizhao Port is under the administration of Shandong Port Group. Notably, another port under Shandong Port Group—Yantai Port—also maintains close ties with the Simandou project.

The railway connecting Maré-Baba Port to the Simandou mining area—serving as the transportation artery for the Simandou project—was constructed entirely using Chinese standards, Chinese technology, and Chinese equipment. Yantai Port functions as a crucial logistics hub for transporting construction materials such as rails, sleepers, and cement in bulk bags. In terms of logistics, Yantai Port has successively established multiple water-to-water and road-to-water logistics corridors, including the “Yingkou-Yantai-Guinea” and “Yangzhou-Yantai-Guinea” routes, with monthly shipments reaching up to 12 departures. “Furthermore, freight trains for the Simandou mining area's Trans-Guinea Railway also depart from Yantai Port,” the CRCC representative added.

A representative from Baowu Resources stated that the second shipment of Simandou iron ore departed by the end of 2025. Baowu Resources will leverage Simandou iron ore as a flagship project to drive breakthroughs in both domestic and international iron ore production.

It is understood that as a world-class integrated development project encompassing mine development, railway construction, and port operations, the Simandou project stands as a model case of collaborative advancement between Chinese and foreign enterprises. As one of the project's leading entities, Chinalco has been deeply involved in construction since joining in 2011. Collaborating with Chinese enterprises including Chinalco International, Sinosteel International, China Railway Construction Corporation, China Harbour Engineering Company, China Overseas Engineering Group, CSSC Chengxi Shipyard, CRRC Corporation, and XCMG Group, Chinalco has demonstrated the collective strength of Chinese companies “going global together.”

The Simandou Project is jointly developed by the Government of Guinea, SimFer, and the Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS). Upon project completion, all co-built infrastructure and equipment will be transferred to Transguinean Company for operation. Transguinean Company is jointly owned by SimFer and WCS (each holding 42.5%) and the Government of Guinea (holding 15%).

WCS is composed of 51% ownership by Weili International Group and 49% ownership by Weiqiao Aluminum and Baowu Resources; SimFer is held by the Guinean government (15%) and Simfer Jersey (85%). Simfer Jersey is jointly established by Rio Tinto (53%) and Chinalco Iron Ore (47%); Chinalco Iron Ore is led by Chinalco Group and includes multiple state-owned enterprises, with Chinalco Group holding 75% and China Baowu holding 20%.

Located in Guinea's southeastern Belle Province, the Simandou iron ore deposit is a world-class, high-grade open-pit hematite ore body stretching 110 kilometers. With resources exceeding 4 billion tons and an average total iron content exceeding 65%, it rivals Brazil's Vale (NYSE: VALE) Carajás deposit. The project is being developed in northern and southern blocks. The southern block is being advanced jointly by Chinalco and Rio Tinto, while the northern block is being advanced jointly by Baowu Resources and WCS.

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