Iran's NITC to become 3rd largest oil-tanker company by 2013
National Iranian Tanker Co. (NITC) expects to become the third-largest oil-tanker company by 2013, and possibly the second-biggest, when it takes delivery of 22 very large crude carriers and expands its fleet by 72 percent, an executive said.
NITC is not hindered by economic sanctions on Iran, Area Manager Capt. R. Ghareh told reporters in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
The company continues to carry crude produced by Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Total SA, in addition to oil from Saudi Aramco and state-run producers in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, the U.A.E. capital. “We have not faced any problem,” Ghareh said.
The Iranian operator expects by 2013 to have 74 ships of all sizes, including very large crude carriers, or VLCCs, and also smaller vessels, he said. NITC will operate 50 VLCCs at that time, up from 28 today. It now ranks as the fifth-biggest tanker operator worldwide, with a total of 43 ships, he said.
NITC manages five of its vessels from its offices in Sharjah and uses a branch of Bank Saderat Iran for financial transactions in the United Arab Emirates, Ghareh said.
NITC plans to buy liquefied natural gas carriers when Iran starts producing LNG, Ghareh said, without specifying when this would happen. NITC would eventually need to order 83 LNG tankers. The company would eventually consider ordering these tankers from South Korean shipyards, Ghareh said.
NITC is not hindered by economic sanctions on Iran, Area Manager Capt. R. Ghareh told reporters in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
The company continues to carry crude produced by Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Total SA, in addition to oil from Saudi Aramco and state-run producers in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, the U.A.E. capital. “We have not faced any problem,” Ghareh said.
The Iranian operator expects by 2013 to have 74 ships of all sizes, including very large crude carriers, or VLCCs, and also smaller vessels, he said. NITC will operate 50 VLCCs at that time, up from 28 today. It now ranks as the fifth-biggest tanker operator worldwide, with a total of 43 ships, he said.
NITC manages five of its vessels from its offices in Sharjah and uses a branch of Bank Saderat Iran for financial transactions in the United Arab Emirates, Ghareh said.
NITC plans to buy liquefied natural gas carriers when Iran starts producing LNG, Ghareh said, without specifying when this would happen. NITC would eventually need to order 83 LNG tankers. The company would eventually consider ordering these tankers from South Korean shipyards, Ghareh said.