Vale Bets on Bubbles to Make Shipping Iron Cheaper and Cleaner

Tiny bubbles are the latest hope for bringing down fuel costs and emissions along the more than 13,000-nautical mile journey from Brazilian iron ore mines to steel mills in China.

Vale SA, the world’s second-largest shipper of iron ore, is testing a technique in which compressors send air to devices under vessels, forming a carpet of bubbles that reduces friction between the hull and the water. The first ore carrier equipped with the air lubrication system is scheduled to arrive in Brazilian waters in August, en route from China.

Read the full article on Bloomberg.