Pertamina to start operating new 30,000-ton tanker<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
State oil and gas firm Pertamina has taken delivery of MT
\nFastron, the biggest tanker ever built locally with a capacity of
\n30,000 Long Tons Dead Weight (LTDW), which will strengthen its
\ndomestic fuel distribution fleet.<\/p>\n
The tanker was handed over by manufacturer PT PAL Indonesia to
\nPertamina in the East Java capital of Surabaya on Wednesday. The
\nhand over ceremony was witnessed by President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono.<\/p>\n
In an emailed statement, Pertamina said that MT Fastron would
\ncarry fuel from refineries to Jakarta, Surabaya, Semarang and
\nother major cities.<\/p>\n
The tanker will also be used to transport fuel imported from
\nSingapore and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
With a capacity of 30,000 LTDW, MT Fastron is the biggest ship
\never to be built in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Dead weight tonnage refers to the weight that a vessel can
\nsafely carry when fully loaded. A long ton is approximately equal
\nto 1,016 kilograms.<\/p>\n
At present, Pertamina operates a variety of differently sized
\ntankers, from lighter ones to Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs).<\/p>\n
The state oil firm owns 33 vessels, a third of which have been
\noperating for between 11 and 25 years. Other vessels are
\nchartered.<\/p>\n
Pertamina aims to increase the capacity of its own fleet from
\n20 percent of total required capacity to 40 percent, though it
\nhas not specified a time frame.<\/p>\n
Three more tankers are currently under construction, namely MT
\nPlaju with a capacity of 6,500 LTDW by PT Dok & Perkapalan
\nSurabaya, as well as MT Balongan (6,500 LTDW) and MT Mundu (3,500
\nLTDW) by Batam-based PT Nanindah Mutiara Shipyard.<\/p>\n
The construction of the four tankers, including MT Fastron,
\nwas funded by profits from the controversial sale of a VLCC
\ntanker last year.<\/p>\n
Even though the VLCC sale case was declared by the Central
\nJakarta District Court to have no indication of unfair
\ncompetition, as ruled earlier by the Business Competition
\nSupervisory Commission (KPPU), Pertamina still has to face a
\nprobe by the newly established House of Representatives' special
\ncommittee.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pertamina-to-start-operating-new-30000-ton-tanker-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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