Azerbaijani Flagged ASCO Handysize Khojaly Dry Cargo Ship Debuts Into American Waters
(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Azerbaijan Caspian shipping Company CJSC (ASCO) has reported
that the first ASCO Handysize-type dry cargo ship named Khojaly
passed into American waters under the Azerbaijani flag for the
first time, Azernews reports.
This vessel, with a cargo of 30,800 tons of cement, sailed from
the South Korean port of Bupyeong to the American port of Portland
for 20 days, covering a distance of 8,390 km.
"This event happened for the first time in the history of
Azerbaijan's shipping industry. The dry cargo ship "Khojaly" became
the first vessel of independent Azerbaijan, which entered under the
flag of Azerbaijan to the US port, delivering their international
cargo," the report of ASCO emphasizes.
The vessel "Khojaly" was purchased within the framework of the
Strategic Program of Azerbaijan's shipping development to expand
the geography of national shipping outside the Caspian Sea and
increase the potential of cargo transportation in international
basins.
ASCO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(EBRD) signed an agreement on February 1, 2024, on the acquisition
of two Handysize dry bulk carriers (70 percent of the financing for
the purchase of the ships, or $42 million, was secured by an EBRD
loan without state guarantees, and 30 percent (or $18 million) by
ASCO's internal resources).
The Khojaly vessel has a cargo-carrying capacity of 38,593 tons.
This is about 8 times higher than the cargo-carrying capacity of
existing ASCO dry cargo ships. The ship is 180 meters long, 30
meters wide, 15 meters high, and has a draft of 10.47 meters. Due
to its maximum cargo capacity, the ship can enter many harbors
around the world.
Handysize"-type dry cargo ships accepted for ASCO balance
support Azerbaijan's aspiration to strengthen the country's
position as the most important link of the Middle Corridor
connecting Central Asia and the South Caucasus with world
markets.
Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC (the largest fleet on
the Caspian Sea) currently has 55 vessels for various purposes on
its balance sheet.
MENAFN06072024000195011045ID1108412744
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.