Chinese mining company MMG has struck a deal with an affiliated shipowner for cargo transport in 2015.
The Hong Kong-listed group said the agreement with Singapore-based Minmetals Shipping has a cap of $5m in charter value for 2015.
Minmetals is a unit of MMG parent China Minmetals Corp (CMC) and is listed as having two 34,800-dwt bulkers built in 2012 and 2014.
It will be offered copper, zinc and lead concentrate cargoes on a normal commercial basis, but business could still be offered to the open market.