PIS Officially Adds Two Gas Giant Tankers Transporting LPG

Photo: Doc. Antara

PT Pertamina International Shipping (PIS) added two giant gas tankers Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC), namely Pertamina Gas Caspia and Pertamina Gas Dahlia as LPG carriers.

The two new VLGCs will be optimized to transport LPG and petrochemical commodities in the form of propylene and ammonia, as well as aimed at trading on international routes.

It has a length of about 300 meters or the equivalent of 2 football fields and a capacity of 91,000 m3, VLGC Pertamina Gas Caspia and Pertamina Gas Dahlia is produced by one of the world's largest shipyards, namely Hanhwa Ocean, South Korea.

The launch of the VLGC of Pertamina Gas Caspia and Pertamina Gas Dahlia took place at the Hanwha - Okpo Shipyard shipyard, South Korea. Also attended by the Secretary of the Ministry of SOEs Rabin Indrajad Hattari, Charge d'Affaires Ad Interim Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Seoul Zelda Wulan Kartika, Director of Business Planning PIS Eka Suhendra, and Director of the PIS Fleet Muhammad Irfan Zainul Fikri.

Secretary of the Ministry of SOEs, Rabin Indrajad Hattari, welcomed the presence of the latest 2 VLGC belonging to PIS, which will strengthen the role of PIS as the lifeblood of energy distribution in Indonesia as well as make Indonesia's maritime industry proud in the global arena.

"This VLGC is not just a ship, but an international collaboration test, technological sophistication, and an unshakable commitment to supporting Indonesia's energy resilience. This international collaboration, we believe, can encourage PIS capabilities, as part of Pertamina, in strengthening energy infrastructure," he said, Thursday, May 9.

These two ships, he continued, were present at the right moment and played an important role in distributing LPG, more environmentally friendly energy for industry and households.

"The presence of this VLGC is also a form of dedication in strengthening Indonesia's maritime industry, along with the more modern and recent fleet expansion, we create new opportunities for a more skilled workforce, and of course raise Indonesia's position as at the forefront of the regional shipping industry," added Rabin.

PIS CEO Yoki Firnandi said the addition of two VLGC tanker fleets made PIS one of the most VLGC ship owners in Southeast Asia, with a total of 7 VLGC ships.

"The increasing number of VLGC fleets that are more environmentally friendly, also shows PIS's commitment to supporting sustainable energy and business transitions," said PIS CEO Yoki Firnandi.

For information, Pertamina Gas Caspia VLGC and Pertamina Gas Dahlia are the largest gas tankers in the world that use the latest and environmentally friendly technology. The name of the Caspia flower symbolizes success and memories, while Dahlia's flowers symbolize happiness and respect.

The new PIS-prone tanker will also operate on international routes, with its first voyage from Houston, United States, in early May 2024.

Currently, there are 419 VLGC tankers sailing around the world, with an average age of ships at 10.08 years. With the addition of 2 new fleets, PIS now has 7 VLGC tankers with an average age of 3.42 years.

"The age average of this young PIS VLGC ship is a distinct advantage, especially in terms of ship operational quality which is certainly more reliable, meets the latest regulations, the use of new technology that can reduce exhaust emissions is lower, and is more competitive," added Yoki.

PIS' previous VLGC series are; Pertamina Gas 1, Pertamina Gas 2, Pertamina Gas Amaryllis, Pertamina Gas Tulip, and Pertamina Gas Bergenia.

Pertamina Gas Caspia and Pertamina Gas Dahlia have several advantages such as, the highest load flexibility in their class up to 39 combinations of payloads, and anti-piracy accommodation facilities (full anti-piracy accommodation) for the safety and comfort of the crew. In fact, the Pertamina Gas VLGC Dahlia was directly managed by PIS and manned by 100 percent of Indonesian crews.

In line with Pertamina's sustainability commitment, the two ships are also equipped with energy saving devices and shares generators that increase fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, as well as use Dual Fuel and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) environmentally friendly technology to reduce acid rain pollution (NOx).

The total fleet of PIS-owned ships is now 102 units, including the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), VLGC, Suezmax, and other sized vessels. 60 of them operate on international routes.