Turkish shipbuilder wins Azerbaijan order

The Palmali Group, owned by the Mansimov family in Azerbaijan, ordered 10 tankers to be built by Turkey?s Bežiktaž Group, for a total price of $200 million. The tankers will be delivered to the Azeri company between December 2010 and September 2013.

This deal is of key importance for the Turkish shipbuilding sector, which is going through tough times due to the global crisis. These orders will provide 1,000 jobs at the Bežiktaž shipyard in Alt?nova, Yalova. Palmali Maritime Group is one of the biggest in the world, with 130 ships in its fleet, said Mansimov. “As the group expands, we are planning to add other ships that we would need built at the Bežiktaž shipyard,” he added, noting that the two companies have been cooperating in transportation since 1998.