Pertamina to get two new tankers soon

State-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina expects to get two new tankers soon to strengthen its fleet. The tankers called MT Pagerungan and MT Pangkalan Brandan are being constructed by state-owned ship yard firm PT PAL Indonesia.

Company Vice President for Corporate Communication Ali Mundakir said in a statement received late Sunday that the tankers are expected to be handed over soon as construction process has entered final stage.

He said that the tankers ordered from PT PAL forms part of Pertamina?s commitment to help empower the domestic maritime industry, and create synergy among state-owned enterprises.

Pagerungan and Pangkalan Brandan are Indonesia?s first locally manufactured tankers with a total deadweight of 17,500 long ton deadweight (LTDW) each, the statement said

Ali said Pertamina would continue to make use of tankers produced by domestic dockyard companies.

Since 2005, Pertamina has ordered 11 tankers produced at home with a total deadweight of between 3,500 DWT and 6,500 DWT. From 2013 until now, Pertamina has signed new contracts for the development of seven oil tankers with deadweight of 17,500 LTDW with local shipbuilders.

?Development of the seven general-purpose category tankers will be completed and will be ready to strengthen our oil distribution vessel fleet in 2015-2016,? said Ali. (*)