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The Simandou project is imminently due to become the world’s largest greenfield mining project and the largest ever undertaken on the African continent. This once-in-a-generation megaproject will not only place Guinea on the world stage as a top global producer of high-quality, low impurity iron ore, it will also set a new benchmark for large scale project development throughout the region.
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SimFer announces the launch of the first transshipment vessel

January 9, 2026

Yangzhou, Chine – The SimFer joint venture has today announced the successful launch of its first transshipment shuttle vessel (TSV), designed for the shallow-water transshipment of iron ore from wharf to ship, at the Chengxi Shipyard.

SimFer, the joint venture between the Government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holding (CIOH), has ordered a fleet of five 41,800-deadweight-ton (DWT) vessels, which will allow uninterrupted export operations through continuous shuttle capacity.

The launch ceremony, which took place on 30 December in Yangzhou, was attended by senior representatives from SimFer, CIOH, CSL, CSSC Chengxi, and other key partners.

SimFer Managing Director, Chris Aitchison said: “This launch is an important milestone for the Simandou project. By introducing cutting-edge transshipment technology, we are setting new standards for safe, efficient and reliable mining logistics in Guinea.

We acknowledge the exceptional efforts of the Chengxi Shipyard at Yangzhou and its partners in overcoming technical challenges and delivering this pioneering vessel on schedule.

It is also testament to the close collaboration with our partners both in Guinea and in China witnessed throughout the project to support the operational excellence of Simandou.”

The launch of the vessel marks the completion of the hull structure on the shipyard slipway. Now that it is floating on water, it will be moved to a harbor for outfitting and commissioning.

Key features include:

Deadweight 41,800 tonnes
Optimised hull with reduced draft
Dual boom self-unloading system, designed to offload at speeds of up to 12,000t per hour
Five Azimuth thrusters for enhanced maneuverability and low speed precision control
Bidirectional navigation capability for operational flexibility