Opening Ceremony of the “Dostlug” Oil Tanker Held

On 22 June 2026, the opening ceremony of the Dostlug oil tanker, built by Baku Shipyard LLC, a company within AZCON Holding, and to be presented by the Republic of Azerbaijan as a gift to Turkmenistan, was held.

The event was attended by Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Batyr Annayev, as well as the management of Baku Shipyard and the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO).

During the ceremony, the guests were briefed on the vessel’s technical specifications, purpose, operational capabilities, and the current and prospective projects being implemented at Baku Shipyard.

It was noted that Dostlug is a tanker designed for the transportation of petroleum products. The vessel has an overall length of 141 meters, a width of 16.9 meters, a draft of 4.54 meters, a deadweight capacity of 7,875 tons, and a total cargo and slop tank capacity of 9,056 cubic meters. The tanker is equipped with two main engines, each with an output of 1,200 kW, and can achieve a speed of 10 knots.

The construction of the Dostlug tanker once again demonstrates Baku Shipyard’s capability to deliver large-scale and technologically complex shipbuilding projects.

Since commencing operations, Baku Shipyard LLC has successfully completed a total of 14 shipbuilding projects and carried out repairs on more than 170 vessels. Of the 17 vessels currently included in the shipyard’s order portfolio, 11 are under construction, and 6 are in the design phase. The completion of these projects is planned by 2028.

It was also noted that last month, Baku Shipyard LLC signed a cooperation agreement in the field of shipbuilding with KTZ Express Shipping, a member of the Samruk-Kazyna group of companies. Under this agreement, two dry cargo container vessels with a capacity of 537 TEU each, built in accordance with modern international standards, will be constructed.

In addition, within the framework of the strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates, a keel-laying ceremony was held at Baku Shipyard LLC to mark the commencement of construction of the first of two container vessels with a capacity of 780 TEU, intended for operation in the Caspian Sea. As a result, for the first time in the shipyard’s history, the number of vessels to be built under international orders has reached four.

The commissioning of the Azerbaijani-built Dostlug tanker in Turkmen waters is of great importance for the development of Azerbaijan’s shipbuilding industry, the international promotion of the country’s industrial capabilities, and the further strengthening of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.