In line with the seamless efforts towards upgrading its fleet under Phase 3 of building the new fleet, including 9 tankers, Kuwait Oil Tankers Company (KOTC) officially received today the giant crude oil tanker “Al-Darwaza”, with total loading capacity of 2.2 b/d. It is the second, out of 5 tankers currently under building at Daewoo in Koji island of South Korea.
Sheikh Talal Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, CEO of KOTC, represented the company in signing the delivery of the new tanker. The Korean side was represented by Mr. P K Park, CEO – Middle East and India of Daewoo. The ceremony was attended HE Mr. Shin Po Nam, Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to the State of Kuwait. The signing ceremony took place at the premises of KOTC, as the tanker successfully completed all the building programs and testing in accordance with the contractual specifications and global rules.
Receipt of the “Al-Darwaza” tanker marks Phase 3 of upgrading the company’s fleet, covering a project to build 4 giant oil tankers (VLCC), and an oil tanker (AFRAMAXLR-2) at the Korean Daewoo Ship-building Company, and 4 double-hull petroleum product tankers (MR). Receipt of this tanker brings the company fleet up to 24 multi-purpose, various size tankers, which meet the needs and plans of global marketing at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), who provide all support and assistance, with effective coordination to KOTC, towards the success of the company’s strategic program.
The tanker has the following specifications:
• Giant crude oil tanker (Al-Darwaza): 330m long, 60m wide, 22.5m draught, 16.2 knots/h velocity, with economized fuel consumption cost that competes with its peers in the global chartering market, in addition to a full discharge speed of below 24 hours.
At this point, the company will have effectively enhanced the following objectives:
1. Maintaining the secure strategic cover for transporting crude oil and petroleum products, while supporting the strategic plan of KPC up to 2030.
2. Providing best maritime transport services to KPC and global marketing through quality and efficiency.
3. Maintaining the company’s global reputation.
4. Providing Kuwaitis with job opportunities, and continuing the maritime scholarships to provide qualified Kuwaiti manpower on board as engineers and marine officers.
It should be noted that the new tankers building projects largely rely on the design of tankers to cope with the top technical and technological specifications, as well as new and future global standards according to international maritime laws. Standards and requirements of major oil players and global rating agencies also count, as the tanker building projects reflect an advanced model of more environment-friendly tankers that meet the future requirements in terms of:
1. Well-designed and well-equipped to treat the different emissions of the tanker.
2. SOX and NOX treatment.
3. Mitigating CO2 emissions rates.
4. Mitigating VOC emission rates.
Moreover, the company will, during the period from end of May to mid-June will receive two tankers and name another one.