Pertamina readies $600m to buy new tankers

State owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina (Persero) will allocate at least US$600 million in its 2010 budget for the procurement of 18 tankers to strengthen the company?s tanker fleet for the transportation of both crude oil and processed fuels.

With the purchases, Pertamina which at present operates 190 tankers would be able to increase the company?s capacity to transport cargoes from 64.9 million long tons (LT) at present to 67.3 million long tons by 2012.

The company said in press statement on Sunday that the purchases would comprise three tankers with long ton dead weight capacity (LTDW) of 80,000, 5 tankers with LTDW of 30,000, two tankers with LTDW of 17.500, a tanker with LTDW of 6,500, two tankers with LTDW of 3,500, two LPG tankers with capacity of 23,000 cubic meters and a LPG tanker with capacity of 5,500 cubic meters and two LPG tankers with a capacity of 3,500 cubic meters.

Of the 18 tankers being ordered, five would be manufactured by local shipbuilders with value of $87.38 million. The delivery will be carried out until the end of 2012.( godang/bernard)