State-run National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) is to order the country’s first LNG-powered Aframax tanker, according to a report by the Iranian oil ministry’s news agency Shana.
Shana reported on Monday, citing NITC’s CEO Hossein Shiva, that the company would “soon” sign the contract with Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex (Isoico) located in Bandar Abbas.
He said the 113,000-dwt tanker would become the first domestically built vessel fueled with liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low sulfur fuel oil.
Also, Shiva said the dual-fuel vessel would comply with Phase 3 of the EEDI rules set to come into effect in 2025.
He did not provide any additional information.
NITC is a unit of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and operates a fleet of very large crude carriers, Suezmax and Aframax tankers.
Back in 2020, the US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions across the entire Iranian oil sector, including the oil ministry and the two companies.
Should the deal for the LNG-powered vessel materialize, NITC would join a growing number of owners opting for such vessels in order to slash emissions and comply with IMO rules.
Classification society DNV recently said that the total confirmed global LNG-powered fleet had reached 710 ships, with 269 LNG-fueled ships already in operation.