PT PAL gains $1.3b contracts

SURABAYA (JP): The state-owned shipbuilding company, PT PAL, has received US$1.3 billion worth of orders for 30 ships of various sizes for delivery until 1999, a senior executive said yesterday.

PAL's senior executive president, Suleman Wiriadidjaja, made the remark at the launching of an 18,500 DWT bulk carrier ordered by Britain's Stephenson Clarke Shipping Ltd., at Ujung Surabaya

"Of the 30 ships, four, each with a 45,000 DWT capacity, were ordered by Germany, five container ships by state-owned Djakarta Lloyd, two tankers each of 17.500 DWT by Pertamina, four Caraka general freighters by the state-owned Pelindo port management company and nine fast patrol boats by the customs office," Suleman said.

Suleman said the whole building process of the ship was done by Indonesian technicians, except for the basic design work, which was undertaken by a British company, Lake Hayes Investment Ltd.

The chairman of Stephenson Clarke Shipping Ltd., Geoffrey Walker, told The Jakarta Post that his company had ordered two ships from PAL because of the good quality and design, reasonable price, fast delivery and reliable technology provided by the shipyard. (/15/06)