Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. I.Khalilova / Azerbaijani Transport Ministry has commenced on negotiations with the Croatian shipbuilding facilities to construct big ferries, Sadraddin Mammadov, the head of the Department on Transport Policy and Economy at the Transport Ministry, said.
According to Mammadov, it is planning to purchase three ferries for the new international port which will be constructed in Alat. Each ferry will contain 58 coaches. The negotiations are being held on construction of one ferry.
"Once negotiations were success Azerbaijan will place other orders in the shipbuilding facilities," Mammadov said. The sides have not discussed the financial issues of the order.
The project entails the carrying over of the enterprises located in Baku bay and creates a new shipbuilding and repairing company in Azerbaijan. It will be a most contemporary enterprise. The company will build all kinds of vessels necessary for Azerbaijan, including dry cargo, tankers and passenger ships.
The plant may be able to build vessels with a carrying capacity from 3,000 to 30,000 tons. The new plant will be located outside Baku. The initial location for the plant is Garadagh district. In addition, a new international trade port (Alat) is expected to be constructed in this district.
The plant is planned to be created on the basis of four shipyards in the Country. Presently these enterprises are located in Baku bay. However, they are planned to be transferred outside Baku in the near future.