Pertamina operates small tanker Matindok

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina has strengthened its tanker ship fleet with the operation of Matindok, a small tanker ship with a capacity of 3,500 long ton deadweight (LTDW).

Matindok, which is built by Indonesian ship maker PT Dumas Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, is the first of two tanker ships ordered by Pertamina from the company.

With the operation of Matindok, Pertamina now has 55 tanker ships. Totally, it operates 185 ships, mostly under leasing contracts, to transport the oil fuels or BBM (Premium, kerosene, and diesel fuel) across Indonesia,

The contract to build the Matindok ship was signed on 26th August 2010 with a total investment of US$11.8 million and was scheduled to be handed over to Pertamina on Wednesday (27th February 2013). It has passed a process of commissioning for five days since 12th February 2013.

?The investment to build the ships has proven that Pertamina is strongly committed to supporting the local ship industry in Indonesia,? Pertamina Vice President for Corporate Communication, Ali Mundakir, said.

Until 2015, Pertamina has planned to have 65 own ships, of which 29 ships or about 47 percent will be built by local ship makers. Of the 29 ships, 25 ships have been in operation and the other four ships are under construction.

Editing by Benget Besalicto Tnb.