LaycanDeskChattogram to Dung Quat mill scale freight - Bay of Bengal to Vietnam steel plants
Bulk mill scale on geared Handysize tonnage from Bangladeshi shipbreaking and rolling mills into Vietnamese blast furnace steel complexes. Chattogram Outer Anchorage to Dung Quat and Phu My: bulk mill scale in 25,000 to 30,000 tonne parcels on geared Handysize bulkers, backhauling bulk tonnage from the Bay of Bengal into Southeast Asian steelmakers.
Chattogram's dense concentration of ship recycling yards along the Sitakunda coast and primary steel re-rolling mills produces thousands of tonnes of high-grade iron oxide mill scale (65% to 70% Fe) every month. With Bangladesh lacking domestic blast furnaces capable of sintering mill scale, the material moves as an export raw material back across the Bay of Bengal to integrated Vietnamese steel complexes, principally Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel in Central Vietnam and steelmakers around Phu My. The trade runs on geared Handysize bulk carriers of 25,000 to 35,000 DWT, equipped with 4 x 30 MT cranes and heavy-duty grabs, which arrive in the Bay of Bengal discharging clinker, coal, or wheat and look for prompt backhaul employment toward Southeast Asia rather than ballasting empty across the Indian Ocean.
The desk coordinates this flow on cargo density and tank-top loading. Mill scale is an extremely dense, heavy iron-oxide byproduct with a low stowage factor (16 to 22 cu.ft/MT) classified under IMSBC Code Group B / Group A depending on moisture content; improper trimming or unverified moisture content poses liquefaction or localized tank-top stress risks. Cargoes load at Chattogram at 3,500 to 4,500 tonnes a day and discharge at Dung Quat at 1,500 tonnes per crane/day PWWD SHINC FIOST. Charterers submit the stem with cargo moisture certification, loading arrangement, laycan, and declared receiver; owners of prompt Handysize tonnage opening in Chattogram, Mongla, or Kolkata provide vessel particulars and grab capacities. Every counterparty is screened under CBIL and LaycanDesk doctrine. We work by email.
Load ports
- Chattogram (Outer Anchorage / river berths, 8.5–9.5 m draft)
- Sitakunda yard stockpiles (barge lightered or jetty loaded)
- Paradip / Haldia (alternative regional load ports)
Discharge ports
- Dung Quat (Quang Ngai, Hoa Phat deepwater berth up to 14.5 m)
- Phu My / Vung Tau (Thi Vai river channel, 12.0–14.0 m draft)
- Hai Phong / Cam Pha (North Vietnam steel hubs)
Typical parcels
- Bulk mill scale 25,000–30,000 t 10% MOLOO, Handysize
- High iron content (65–70% Fe, moisture < 4.0%)
- Loading 3,500–4,500 t/day, Discharge 1,500 t/crane/day WWD SHINC
- Backhaul repositioning from Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia
Ships that carry it
The cargo itself, on Commbril
Questions charterers and owners ask
Why is mill scale an attractive backhaul cargo from Bangladesh?
Because dozens of bulkers discharge coal, clinker, and grain in the Bay of Bengal each month and must reposition toward Southeast Asia or China. A mill scale cargo provides paying freight back toward Vietnam, eliminating ballast fuel loss.
What precautions are required for loading dense mill scale?
Mill scale is very dense (16 to 22 cu.ft/MT) and carries liquefaction or shift risks if wet. Shippers must present a valid IMSBC cargo declaration and Transportable Moisture Limit (TML) certificate showing moisture strictly below the flow moisture point before loading.
What crane and grab configuration is required at Dung Quat?
Vessels discharging at Dung Quat must use 4 × 30 MT ship cranes fitted with heavy-duty mechanical or radio-remote grabs suitable for abrasive iron scale, discharging at a benchmark of 1,500 MT per crane per weather working day SHINC.
What must I send to get a named ship?
Shipper of record, cargo grade and moisture declaration, load anchorage/jetty in Chattogram, discharge berth in Dung Quat, laycan, load and discharge rates with laytime terms, commission, and declared charterer. With those, prompt open Handysizes are matched immediately.