Minister of Oil: constructing 3 sea tankers with advanced technologies, equipment and devices

INA-  BAGHDAD

Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail announced Wednesday the construction of three sea tankers with advanced technologies, equipment and devices.

Ismail said in a statement, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the ministry is keen to implement programs and plans to implement advanced and sophisticated maintenance systems in export outlets, including loading platforms" single buoys" in the depths of regional waters in order to sustain their work and continue the loading operations without stopping.  

He pointed out that "this comes through the ministry's endeavor to develop national capabilities and improve its work mechanisms in line with global development in this field."

The statement  added that "the ministry has contracted with one of the international companies to build three tankers specialized in services, logistical support, maintenance and advanced maintenance of export ports in southern Iraq."

For his part, the Executive Director of the National Oil Company, Hamid Younis, said: "Iraq has contracted to establish three marine tankers, the tanker (Abu Al-Fadl), which was designed for the purposes of maintenance, and treatment of oil spills in regional waters, and it has entered service."

 Younis pointed out that "the second tanker (Safwan) will enter service soon and it is hoped that it will arrive within the next few days, and it has multiple activities and tasks, including conducting maintenance work on export facilities in Iraqi ports and single loading platforms.”

 He added, "The third tanker (Shanashil) is expected to enter service in March of next year, and is larger than the other tankers, as it will carry out major maintenance work for Iraqi ports, in addition to the possibility of housing the Iraqi staff working in the ports and loading platforms."

He said that "The construction of these tankers is economically feasible by providing the large sums of money that were spent to contract with other companies to perform these works, as well as the speed of completion."

In turn, the Director General of the Basra Oil Company, Khaled Hamza, confirmed that "the tankers were designed according to the standards of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Association of Classification Organizations (IACS) and are compatible with the working conditions of the Iraqi oil ports, and very advanced monitoring, warning and control systems with a system of cameras, explaining that "all devices and equipment are of solid international origin."