Iran delivered the second domestically manufactured Aframax oil tanker to Venezuela on Saturday at a ceremony held in Tehran in the presence of President Ebrahim Raisi and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro.
They were linked via videoconference to the deck of the vessel in the Persian Gulf waters, the Oil Ministry’s news agency Shana reported.
The two sides signed documents related to the delivery of the oceangoing oil tanker, manufactured by the Iranian Marine Industrial Company (Sadra).
Aframax has a deadweight of about 100,000 tons and can carry 113,000 tons of crude oil equivalent to 750,000 barrels.
The 250-meter-long vessel is equipped with a 21,000-horsepower engine and three diesel generators that are capable of producing 900 kilowatts of electricity.
This is the second such tanker delivered by Iran to the Latin American country, as part of arrangements between the two countries to counter American sanctions targeting their oil sectors.
According to a contract signed by the two sides, Iran is to build and deliver two more oil tankers to Venezuela.
Due to their favorable size, Aframax tankers can serve most ports in the world. These vessels serve regions that do not have very large ports or offshore oil terminals to accommodate very large crude carriers and ultra-large crude carriers.
The construction of Aframax oil tankers based on international standards is indicative of Iran's technological prowess in the field.
Sadra’s shipbuilding yards are situated along the Persian Gulf coast in Bushehr Province. Founded in 1968, it has established itself as a leading shipbuilding and ship repairing company in Iran. It is also active in offshore oil and gas development.
The company, which is a sister company of Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex Company, specializes in building ships, docks and floating oil rigs.
