Iron ore stockpiles inch up at China's ports
Shanghai. April 1. INTERFAX-CHINA - Iron ore stockpiles at China's 22 major ports rose by 0.83 percent to 79.85 million tons in the week beginning March 28, including 14.33 million tons of Indian iron ore stockpiles which rose 2.28 percent, according to April 1 figures from Shanghai-based Mysteel Information.
Both iron ore and steel prices on the domestic market rebounded this week, while trading increased as China's steel mills began purchasing once more following the Chinese New Year holiday (Feb. 2-Feb. 8).
The quoted price for Indian Iron ore grading 63 and 63.5 percent from iron ore miners currently stands at around $180 per ton, up $8 from last week.
The quoted price in China's major ports for Indian iron ore grading 63.5 percent, meanwhile, stood between RMB 1,310 ($199.92) and RMB 1,340 ($204.50) on April 1, up RMB 45 ($6.87) from a week ago.
According to Mysteel, China's stockpiles of high-grade iron ore are currently low.
A number of domestic iron ore traders also held back on sales during the week as they waited for prices to climb higher.
Iron ore freight rates from Brazil's Tubarao port to Qingdao port fell 0.27 percent during the week to reach $19.74 per ton on April 1. Freight rates from western Australia to Qingdao stood at $7.47 on April 1, down 1.59 percent from the previous week, the Mysteel figures show.
The table below shows stockpiles at China's 22 ports on April 1.
Iron ore stockpiles at China's 22 ports, April 1
| Port | Total stockpiles, April 1 (mln tons) | Australian ore (mln tons) | Brazilian ore (mln tons) | Indian ore (mln tons) | Detainment |
| Qinhuangdao port | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.55 | 0.15 | None |
| Qingdao port | 9.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 3-4 days |
| Tianjin port | 4.6 | 2.7 | 1 | 0.7 | None |
| Jingtang port | 4.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 2.73 | None |
| Caofeidian port | 8.89 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 1 | None |
| Rizhao port | 11.9 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 3-4 days |
| Lanshan port | 4.4 | 0.3 | N/A | 3.3 | None |
| Yantai port | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | None |
| Dalian port | 3.67 | 0.93 | 2.29 | N/A | None |
| Dandong port | 0.35 | N/A | 0.05 | 0.3 | None |
| Lianyungang port | 6.4 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.9 | None |
| Beilun port | 2.7 | 1.1 | 1.15 | N/A | None |
| Nantong port | 2.3 | 1.55 | 0.4 | N/A | None |
| Zhenjiang port | 2.45 | 0.33 | 0.55 | 0.2 | None |
| Zhanjiang port | 2.1 | 1 | 1.1 | 0.15 | None |
| Xiamen port | 0.65 | 0.2 | 0.05 | 0.2 | None |
| Jiangyin port | 0.9 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.75 | None |
| Longkou port | 0.43 | 0.2 | 0.04 | 0.1 | None |
| Bayuquan port | 3.2 | 1.6 | 1.5 | N/A | None |
| Fangchenggang port | 3.46 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.15 | None |
| Mawan port | 0.45 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Shanghai Luojing port | 0.8 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Other ports | 1.7 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 79.85 | 28.86 | 21.13 | 14.33 | N/A |
Source: Mysteel
-XH