Pertamina operates new oil tanker

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina has officially inaugurated the operation of the MT Gunung Geulis oil tanker with a capacity of 107,500 dead weight tonnage(DWT).

Pertamina?s marketing and commercial director Djaelani Sutomo said in Jakarta last week that the oil tanker which was bought for US$53 million from Vship Management of Norway could be operated to transport oil both at home and oversea.

"At present, the tanker will serve Dumai-Balongan-Cilacap and Balikpapan," he said, adding that the MT Gunung Geulis tanker was one of the company?s tankers which were built in 2009.

He said that the purchase of the new tanker was part of the company?s program to rejuvenate the company?s tanker fleet. Pertamina expects to increase oil production by 400,000 barrels per day to about 1 million bpd in 2014.

The MT Gunung Geulis tanker with a 243.8-meter length and a 42-meter width has the speed capacity of between 13 knots and 15 knots.(godang)