Pertamina's MT Komojang tanker starts maiden operation

MT Komojang, a new oil and gas transportation vessel ordered by state-owned oil, gas firm PT Pertamina, has left the dockyard of PT Dok Perkapalan Surabaya in East Java, to start operation, Bisnis Indonesia reported Friday.

The vessel is part of the company?s plan to add 10 units to its fuel transportation fleet through 2010.

PT Pertamina?s Senior Vice President of Shipping Suhartoko said that the company?s program of adding 10 vessels through 2010 needs an investment of US$ 200 million. The purchasing plan of ten vessels is part of the firm's long term program of add a total of 47 vessels for oil-based fuel and LPG transportion for the period of 2009-2015, according to Suhartoko.

Of the ten vessels the company has planned to add through 2010, six are for the transportation of oil-based fuel, four for the transportation of LPG.

The six oil-based fuel transportation vessels consist of three 3,500 LTDW small tankers, one 6,500 LTDW tanker and two 17,500 LTDW general purpose vessels.

The four LPG vessels consist of two 3,500-MT vessels, two 12,000 DWT vessels.

"A total of $70 million has been allocated for the purchase of the six oil-based fuel vessels and $130 million for the purchase of the four LPG vessels," he said. (*)