What is bauxite as a sea-borne cargo?
Bauxite is the aluminium-ore feedstock for alumina refining, shipped predominantly from Guinea, Australia and Brazil to Chinese refiners. Fine grades fall under IMSBC BAUXITE FINES Group A after the post-Bulk Jupiter 2015 schedule amendment.
Bauxite sits in the 150 to 180 million tonne annual sea-borne range on most recent UNCTAD and Clarksons trade-flow estimates, having roughly doubled in the decade to 2025 on Guinean export expansion and Chinese refinery demand. The commodity is the input to the Bayer process for alumina production, which feeds the Hall-Heroult smelting process for primary aluminium. The shipping problem is dominated by the post-Bulk Jupiter regulatory regime: the 2015 Bulk Jupiter casualty off Vietnam, on a Kuantan (Malaysia) to China bauxite voyage, drove the addition of the BAUXITE FINES schedule entry to the IMSBC Code with full Group A liquefaction-risk treatment.
The regulatory anchor is now the IMSBC Code 2024, with two distinct schedule entries: BAUXITE FINES (Group A, liquefaction risk, TML certification required) and BAUXITE (Group C, benign). The amendment was introduced through IMO MSC.1/Circ.1604 following the Bulk Jupiter loss documented in IMO MSC 95/22/Add.2 (2015). The grade distinction at loadport is non-trivial: shippers and surveyors must determine whether the cargo presented falls under the BAUXITE FINES specification (particle size distribution and moisture profile) or under the regular BAUXITE specification, and the operational regime differs sharply between the two.
Bauxite cargo properties
| Property | Value | Unit / Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Stowage factor | 0.65 to 0.85 | m3/t, varies by grade and lump content (IMSBC Code 2024, BAUXITE FINES and BAUXITE schedules) |
| IMSBC group | Group A (BAUXITE FINES); Group C (BAUXITE) | Two schedule entries, sharply different regimes |
| IMSBC schedule entry | BAUXITE FINES or BAUXITE | Determined by particle-size and moisture criteria at loadport |
| Bulk density | 1.2 to 1.5 | t/m3, grade dependent |
| Angle of repose | Varies with moisture and grade | degrees, IMSBC schedules publish ranges |
| Transportable moisture limit | Per cargo certificate, BAUXITE FINES only | Group A regime, shipper-issued, independent verification routine |
| Hazard profile | Liquefaction for BAUXITE FINES; benign for BAUXITE Group C | Post-Bulk Jupiter 2015 amendment under IMO MSC.1/Circ.1604 |
| Reference | IMSBC Code 2024 edition | International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code, IMO |
The 2015 Bulk Jupiter loss, investigated by the Bahamas Maritime Authority and reported to IMO MSC 95, killed eighteen of nineteen crew when the vessel capsized rapidly on a Kuantan (Malaysia) to Chinese bauxite voyage. The casualty drove IMO MSC.1/Circ.1604 and the addition of the BAUXITE FINES schedule entry under Group A, harmonising the moisture-certification regime for fine bauxite with the IRON ORE FINES regime that had been added in the previous IMSBC update cycle. The operational implication is that for any bauxite cargo that meets the fines specification, the master must verify TML and moisture certificates before loading and is entitled to refuse if moisture exceeds TML. For coarser BAUXITE Group C grades, the regime remains benign and the surveyor focus is on stowage and trim rather than moisture.
Vessel typing and parcel sizes
| Vessel class | Suitability | Typical parcel size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capesize | Dominant | 150,000 to 180,000 t | Guinea, Australia and Brazil to China. Voyage one of the longest on the dry-bulk lane catalogue at ~10,500 to 12,000 nm. |
| Newcastlemax | Common | 200,000 to 210,000 t | Used on Guinea-China where deadweight economics favour the larger Capesize variant. |
| Panamax | Common | 65,000 to 82,000 t | Smaller Asian receivers, Caribbean and European refineries. Geared variants for non-conveyor terminals. |
| Supramax | Conditional | 50,000 to 63,000 t | Niche short-haul, Caribbean and Mediterranean refinery feed. Geared for non-conveyor discharge. |
| Handysize | Rare | Below 38,000 t | Effectively absent from main bauxite trade. Freight uneconomic on long lanes. |
Bauxite parcel-size economics are driven by long voyage distance and Capesize-fit terminals at both ends of the dominant Guinea to China lane. The voyage from Kamsar or Boke (Guinea) to Yantai or Lanshan (China) runs approximately 11,000 nautical miles one way around Cape of Good Hope, which is one of the longest lanes in the dry-bulk catalogue and drives the freight calculation toward Capesize and Newcastlemax tonnage. The Australian Weipa to China lane is shorter and runs predominantly on standard Capesize. Smaller refinery destinations in the Caribbean (Jamaica feeding US Gulf alumina refineries) and Mediterranean run on Panamax and geared Supramax because the receiving terminals are sized for that class.
How bauxite ships in practice
Bauxite loads predominantly by shore conveyor at dedicated terminals in Guinea (Kamsar, Boke, Conakry), Australia (Weipa), Brazil (Trombetas, Porto Alemao) and Jamaica (Port Esquivel, Port Rhoades). Some Guinean loadings occur at offshore transshipment anchorages with floating crane operations where the river-bar draught restricts direct vessel access to the bauxite mine berth. Loading rates run from 25,000 t per day at transshipment operations to 60,000 t per day at modern conveyor terminals.
The pre-loading documentation cycle for BAUXITE FINES mirrors the IRON ORE FINES regime: shipper-issued TML certificate, moisture certificate (often from a separate accredited laboratory), and IMSBC Section 4 cargo declaration confirming the BAUXITE FINES schedule entry. The master verifies that moisture is below TML and is entitled to refuse loading on certificate inconsistency. For BAUXITE Group C cargoes the documentation cycle is lighter, but the shipper still declares the schedule entry and the surveyor confirms the grade falls outside the fines specification. Voyage care for BAUXITE FINES turns on stability and trim, with hatch covers kept weather-tight throughout. There is no significant chemical activity to monitor (no methane, no self-heating, no oxygen depletion).
Discharge is by grab and shore crane at most Chinese receiving terminals, with high-throughput conveyor handling at the largest refineries. The fixture is almost always on FIO terms under voyage charter or, for the largest mining programmes (Vale at Trombetas, the Guinean majors), under contract of affreightment. See loading and discharge rate for the contractual mechanics.
Major trade routes
- Guinea to China: ~110 to 130 M t/yr from Kamsar, Boke and Conakry to Yantai, Lanshan and Qingdao refineries, Capesize and Newcastlemax dominant, voyage ~11,000 nm one way and the single largest bauxite lane.
- Australia to China: ~30 to 40 M t/yr from Weipa, Capesize-dominant, shorter ~3,500 nm voyage with stable lift profile under long-term contracts.
- Brazil to North West Europe: ~5 to 8 M t/yr from Trombetas and Porto Alemao to Ireland, Norway and other European refineries, Capesize and Panamax.
- Jamaica and Caribbean to North America and Europe: ~5 to 8 M t/yr to US Gulf and European refineries, Panamax-dominant, structurally stable but declining.
- Indonesia and Malaysia to China: ~5 to 10 M t/yr, Panamax and Supramax, subject to periodic Indonesian export restrictions.
- India to Middle East: smaller regional flows, Supramax-dominant.
Guinea is the structural dominant origin, accounting for approximately two thirds of global sea-borne bauxite trade, with Chinese alumina refinery demand as the overwhelming destination. The lane structure is more origin-concentrated than coal or iron ore because the geology of bauxite-grade deposits is itself concentrated in a small number of producing regions. The dry-bulk-shipping hub carries adjacent cargoes including alumina (the downstream refined product) and the routes-markets hub carries the wider lane catalogue.
Bauxite vs iron ore
Bauxite fines and iron ore fines are both Group A liquefaction-risk cargoes under the IMSBC Code 2024, both Capesize-dominant on their long-haul lanes, and both shipped predominantly into Chinese receivers. The operational profile differs in stowage and history.
| Bauxite fines | Iron ore fines | |
|---|---|---|
| IMSBC group | Group A (BAUXITE FINES); Group C (BAUXITE) | Group A |
| Stowage factor | 0.65 to 0.85 m3/t | 0.30 to 0.50 m3/t |
| Bulk density | 1.2 to 1.5 t/m3 | 2.0 to 3.0 t/m3 |
| Loading constraint | Mix of deadweight and volume depending on grade | Almost always deadweight-limited |
| TML certification regime | Newer, post-Bulk Jupiter 2015 (IMO MSC.1/Circ.1604) | Mature, post-2010s casualty cluster |
| Dominant lane | Guinea-China | Australia-China and Brazil-China |
| Downstream | Alumina then aluminium smelting | Blast-furnace ironmaking |
Use the BAUXITE FINES schedule when the bauxite presented at loadport falls within the fines particle-size and moisture criteria, regardless of mineral content. Use the BAUXITE Group C schedule when the cargo is coarser and outside those criteria. Use IRON ORE FINES when the cargo is iron oxide for blast-furnace ironmaking. The three schedules have related but distinct certification requirements, and a fixture written against the wrong schedule will fail the loadport surveyor’s documentation review. The BAUXITE FINES regime is younger than the IRON ORE FINES regime by several years and surveyor practice continues to mature.
Reference example
Capesize bauxite fines, Guinea to North China
- Cargo grade
- 175,000 mt bauxite fines, ~45 pct Al2O3, 10 pct molo
- Lane
- Kamsar transshipment range to Yantai-Lanshan refinery range
- Vessel band
- Modern Capesize, 180,000 dwt
- Parcel size
- 175,000 mt
- Loading rate
- 40,000 T/D SHINC, shore conveyor with transshipment top-off
- Discharge rate
- 35,000 T/D SHINC, grab and shore crane
- Notable clause
- BAUXITE FINES schedule confirmed by surveyor at loadport, TML 11.5 pct vs moisture 9.8 pct, freight prepaid against original BL
The lane runs roughly 11,000 nautical miles one way from Guinea to North China around Cape of Good Hope, which is one of the longer bulk-trade voyages in service. The combined load operation (terminal load plus offshore transshipment top-off to clear river-bar draught) is common on the Guinean coast and adds operational complexity to laytime calculation, which the recap addressed by treating the entire load operation as a single laytime event.
Pre-loading documentation included a TML certificate at 11.5 pct and a moisture certificate at 9.8 pct, both issued within five days of loading commencement. The cargo declaration was filed under IMSBC Section 4 and confirmed BAUXITE FINES schedule applicability based on the surveyor’s particle-size assessment. The master’s can-test at the loading conveyor confirmed no free moisture migration.
The fixture was on FIO terms with laytime calculated against weather working days SHINC at both ends and demurrage at the spot Capesize daily TCE benchmark. Freight was prepaid against original bill of lading, which is the standard ask on Guinea-China voyages given the long ballast leg and bunker exposure.
Common loading and discharge issues
- The Bulk Jupiter precedent: the 2015 loss, documented in the Bahamas Maritime Authority casualty report and considered at IMO MSC 95, remains the canonical reference for the BAUXITE FINES schedule and any operational shortcut on moisture documentation. P and I clubs cite the casualty in their bauxite handling guidance and the IMO continues to monitor schedule compliance through INTERCARGO casualty annex reporting.
- BAUXITE versus BAUXITE FINES misclassification: the surveyor’s grade assessment at loadport is the operational pivot. Shippers occasionally declare the easier BAUXITE Group C schedule when the particle-size distribution actually meets the BAUXITE FINES specification, which exposes the master and the charterer if the surveyor or P and I club catches the misclassification later.
- TML certificate disputes on the Guinea lane: monsoon-season moisture variability and the mix of terminal-loaded and transshipment-loaded volumes can produce inconsistent moisture readings across a single cargo. The right operational stance is to demand independent verification on any reading close to TML.
- Stability and trim on long voyage: at the long Guinea-China voyage distance, trim and stability must be set conservatively at loading because there is limited opportunity to correct heading into the Cape of Good Hope weather window.
- Hold cleanliness for the next cargo: residual bauxite dust and red staining will fail a grain-clean inspection, and the wash-up routine is intermediate between coal and iron ore in difficulty.
- Discharge berth grab fit at smaller receivers: where the receiving terminal grabs are sized for Panamax and the vessel is Capesize, discharge rates collapse and demurrage exposure rises.
Scope and what this page does not cover
This page explains bauxite as a sea-borne dry bulk commodity, the IMSBC Group A and Group C regimes that govern its carriage post-Bulk Jupiter, and the dominant vessel-class and lane structure. It does not forecast bauxite or alumina prices, opine on which Guinean mine or Chinese refinery pair to fix next quarter, or interpret jurisdiction-specific case law on cargo claims arising from moisture or shift incidents. For those, work with chartering counsel and a desk broker against current CRU and Roskill data.