Rio Tinto is dropping the UK flag in favour of Singapore as it continues to consolidate most of its shipping activities in the city-state.
The company has traditionally been an ardent supporter of the “Red Duster”, with its entire fleet of 17 bulkers registered in the UK, but shipping databases indicate that the company reflagged three vessels — the 90,000-dwt RTM Flinders, 70,400-dwt RTM Dhambul (both built 2013) and 89,600-dwt RTM Wakmatha (built 2007) — to Singapore this month, while changing their ownership to Singapore-registered entity Rio Tinto Shipping Asia Pte.
Well-placed
