Iran needs 40 LNG carriers

Mohammad Suri, National Iranian Tanker Company???s (NITC) managing director, said the country would produce over 80 million tons of LNG per annum in the near future and 40 LNG carriers would be required to transport some of the product. Suri said that Iran would sign a trilateral contract on the building of LNG vessels and export docks.

???Concurrent with the signing of the contract on gas production, LNG plant, and export docks, the contract on the building of LNG carriers should be inked and the issue demands the finalization of LNG contracts,?? said the NITC head. According to Suri, the first cargo of Iran???s LNG would be shipped in 2011 and a 150,000 m3 LNG carrier is needed to transport one million tons of liquefied natural gas.

???Given the plan on production of more than 80 million tons of LNG annually, we have to build at least 40 vessels to carry 50% of the product,?? reiterated the official. He added South Korea, Japan, and China were the builders of 90% of LNG carriers in the world while Spain and France have built a small number recently.