Aluminum giant Alcoa announced that it had halted bauxite shipments from Brazil's Juruti port due to a stranded vessel blocking the waterway. This incident adds to a series of disruptions affecting the aluminum raw material supply chain, which has caused alumina prices to soar and bolstered aluminum prices.

Alcoa declared force majeure at its Juruti bauxite mine, citing the inaccessible waterway as a barrier to fulfilling customer orders. The company has not indicated when shipments might resume. According to a trading source, the vessel has been stuck near Juruti since late October, stopping bauxite transportation for nearly 10 days. The Juruti region contains one of the world's largest high-grade bauxite deposits, essential for alumina production and a key raw material for aluminum.