Almarona: first LPG tanker completed by STX

摘要

As part of a continuing campaign to diversity into more value-added contracts, STX Shipbuilding was successful in winning orders for two LPG tankers from Qatar Shipping. The first of these, and the first such ship to be built in this medium-sized Korean yard based at Chinhae, was completed in May. Almarona is a 23,000m~3 design and will be followed by her sister in December (his year. The newly delivered vessel is sailing on a five-year charter with Qatar Fertiliser Co, transporting Qatari ammonia to India and countries in the Near East. STX, which had 100 vessels on order at July 1 this year, has already diversified from its bulk carrier and product tanker base into container ships, as we reported in our 2003 and 2002 features. Nevertheless, product tankers still form the main backlog - at July 1 the total was 71, plus six Panamax bulk carriers.