Pertamina to invite bids to build tankers

State-oil and gas company PT Pertamina plans to invite bids to construct six tankers this year to meet rising cargo volumes and cut lease costs.

Pertamina wants to build two fuel tankers with a capacity of 85000 long tons each, two with a capacity of 35,000 tons, and two to transport 5,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas each, Toharso, a company spokesman, said in Jakarta Tuesday.

?We don?t have enough tankers? to carry crude and petroleum products across the country, Toharso said. ?Leasing tankers have been very expensive. We want to cut costs.?

Pertamina is reviving a plan it scrapped three years ago to renew its oil tanker fleet in favor of spending money for exploration.

Pertamina currently operates 140 tankers, of which 36 are owned by the company and the rest leased. (*)