Refinitiv/TradingView and other desk reports today emphasised that port inventories, shipping availability and short-term restocking by Chinese mills are the three operational levers most likely to determine seaborne iron-ore flows in the coming weeks. With Dalian and Singapore indicators showing modest build in sentiment and mills preparing for local production suspensions, shipping schedules and berth windows have become more critical: a tighter shipping market can amplify any production curbs into sharper seaborne tightness. Analysts said port inventories at major Chinese import hubs remain below multi-year averages in places, encouraging prompt cargo liftings and sometimes premium purchases of higher-grade material. Freight spreads, charter rates and destination flexibility were cited as secondary drivers; companies with flexible chartering or access to higher-grade stocks may be able to arbitrage temporary bottlenecks. Market participants advised close monitoring of vessel arrivals, port throughput notices and provincial enforcement circulars—data points that can deliver faster, direct signals to spot prices than headline monthly production statistics.