Petronas to buy tankers

Petronas to buy tankers

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Malaysia's national petroleum company, Petronas, wants to buy up to six liquefied natural gas tankers to meet the industry's increasing transportation needs, company vice-president Hamzah Bakar said yesterday.

Petronas has received tenders from several shipyards in countries like France and Japan, Hamzah told reporters taking delivery of the company's fifth liquefied natural gas tanker. Details would be finalized early next year.

To date, the company has bought five tankers from the French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The fifth cost 700 million ringgit (US$280 million), he said.

Capable of carrying 130,294 ton of liquefied natural gas, it will cater for customers in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.