Pertamina must have perspective on tanker market: Purnomo

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Thursday that state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina must have a perspective regarding tanker market in the future, the Investor Daily Indonesia newspaper reported in its Friday edition.

Pertamina is planning to sell its two giant tankers, which are being built in South Korea, through a tender process.

?In my opinion, we must see the future with a perspective. The calculations between leasing a tanker and purchasing a tanker are dependent on that perception," Purnomo said in Jakarta on Thursday.

"If the company?s evaluation shows that future tanker market is wide open, there is no need for Pertamina to own tankers. But if Pertamina finds it very difficult to lease tankers in the future, it must buy tankers in order to secure the supply of oil," he said.

Separately, the head of the House of Representatives' Commission VIII for energy affairs, Irwan Prayitno, confirmed on Thursday that the Commission would summon Pertamina?s former president director Baihaki Hakim in connection with the Pertamina?s plan to sell the giant tankers.

The order to build the tankers came from Pertamina's management led Baihaki a year ago, but the current leaders of Pertamina do not put a priority on the tankers and would like to sell them. (*)