Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, 28 March / Trend H. Hasanov /
The Krasnoye (Red) Sormovo Plant of Russia which is part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), has signed a contract with the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Turkmenistan to build two tankers as part of the 19900 project with a deadweight of 7100 tons, according to a report from USC released on Thursday.
According to the contract terms, the vessels will be transferred to the customer no later than November 2013 and May 2014.
According to the report, the technical and economic parameters of tankers under the 19900 project have markedly improved. Management tools are automated, oil discharge into a sea during an emergency situation excluded and safe working conditions for the crew for all modes of operation of the vessel have all been thoroughly considered.
All of this allows vessels to work in specific environmental areas, which is especially important for the fragile ecosystem of the Caspian Sea. The 19900 project tankers are designed to carry crude oil and petroleum products.
Russian media, with reference to the Red Sormovo plant, estimates the total cost of the contract at $35 million.
Sormovo shipbuilders have already built four oil tankers for Turkmenistan transporting crude oil and petroleum products in the Caspian Sea. These are the Sumbar, Jeyhun and Khazar vessels built in 2009-2010, and the Etrek tanker under the 19900 project transferred to customers in May 2012.
Lead tanker of the 19900 project, Jeyhun, was built for Turkmenistan in 2010 and included by the British Royal Institution of Naval Architects in the list of 'Significant Vessels of 2010'.
The United Shipbuilding Corporation JSC is the largest holding of its kind in Russia which includes nearly 60 companies and industry organisations (major shipbuilding and repair yards, leading planning and design offices).