The National Chemical Carriers Ltd (NCC), which is 80 per cent owned by the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (NSCSA), recently took delivery, in Korea, of a new chemical tanker NCC Noor from SLS Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., according to Exim News Service.
It is the first of two tankers contracted by NCC from SLS for a total price of approximately 322 million Saudi riyals. The second vessel is scheduled for delivery in April.
The 45,000-DWT vessel is classed with DNV and has full IMO 2 notations. Having capacity of 53,200 cubic metres, it comprises 22 zinc/epoxy-coated cargo tanks with 20 full segregations. The vessel will be commercially operated by the Dubai-based NCC Odfjell Chemical Tankers JLT, jointly owned by NCC and its long-term strategic partner Odfjell SE of Norway. The company commenced operations in January 2010.
NCC has nine more vessels under construction at SLS, costing 1,721 million Saudi riyals, with deliveries expected during 2011-12. In addition, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, Korea, has been contracted to build a 75,000-DWT chemical tanker for 247 million Saudi riyals. It will be delivered in 2013.
NCC currently operates a fleet of 13 vessels of nearly 575,000 DWT, that are specialised in transporting chemicals, vegetable oils and clean petroleum products. The fleet is expected to grow to 25 vessels and 1.1 million DWT by 2013. |
