The oil tanker “Dostluk” (“Friendship”), donated by Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan, has arrived at the Turkmenbashi International Seaport. A ceremonial welcome and concert were held in honor of the vessel and its crew, according to the IIC.
Port officials, representatives of government authorities, elders, and young people gathered to greet the tanker. Turkmen cultural groups and dance ensembles performed for the guests. The ship’s crew was also welcomed with traditional refreshments.
The tanker was handed over to the Turkmen side during the recent state visit of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, to Baku.
The vessel was built at the Baku Shipyard to expand Turkmenistan’s commercial fleet. It is 141 meters long, 17 meters wide, with a deadweight of nearly 8,000 tons. The tanker meets modern environmental standards and maritime safety requirements and is intended for transporting crude oil and petroleum products across the Caspian Sea and beyond.
The vessel’s name symbolizes friendship between nations and is linked to the joint development by Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan of a hydrocarbon field of the same name.
The tanker is expected to begin its first commercial voyages in the coming days, contributing to the development of regional transport and transit corridors.