Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 17
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
The Balkan shipyard, commissioned in May 2018, is successfully operating in Turkmenistan’s Turkmenbashi port, Trend reports referring to Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper.
"Kenar", "Alaja" big tankers, "Bitarap" chemical tanker, "Turkmenistan", "Magtymguly" dry cargo vessels, "Bagtyyar" Ro-Pax vehicle-passenger ferry and a number of small and medium vessels have been overhauled since May 2018. "Jeyhun" tanker, "Jahan" tugboats and other vessels are being repaired at the shipyard, and "Gahryman Atamyrat Nyyazow" tanker is planned to be lifted soon.
The Balkan shipyard is the base for the development of domestic shipbuilding. Presently, dry cargo ships and oil tankers are being repaired at the shipyard. The various ships are planned to be built in the future. Among them are RO-RO ferries for the transportation of wheeled vehicles (cars, trucks, trailers and rail cars).
Besides shipbuilding process, tankers, dry cargo ships and tugboats can be repaired at the shipyard. Technological lines of the shipyard can handle 10,000 tons of steel per year. Up to four vessels can be built and up to 20 vessels can be repaired annually. The shipyard has been designed according to the requirements of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
The shipyard, built by the Turkish company Gap Insaat, covers a total area of 166,000 square meters.
After an additional international sea port was commissioned in Turkmenbashi city in May 2018, optimal opportunities appeared for transporting goods which are supplied along the Silk Road route from the Asia Pacific countries, then to the European countries through the ports of Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran.
The annual throughput capacity of the port is 17-18 million tons. Together with the previously operating port, this figure reaches 25-26 million tons.
