The Iranian government says it is building three aframax tankers as part of a new 100-vessel shipbuilding plan.
The 113,000-dwt ships are on order at the Sadra yard, which is owned by state-controlled Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base.
The Mehr news agency cited the base's commander, Brigadier General Ebadollah Abdullahi, as saying work on the trio is underway.
He added that an agreement has been signed with the oil and industry ministries to construct 100 vessels, 30 of which will be built at Sadra.
In January, TradeWinds reported that the Sadra-built aframax tanker Sorocaima had finally entered service, 12 years after it was ordered by Venezuela’s PDVSA.
The 113,000-dwt vessel, which was completed in 2013 but rejected by PDVSA, arrived off Dubai on the last day of 2017 under the name Arita.
The IHS International Ships Register indicates that Arita is owned by a Malaysian entity called Asialink Synergy and is being managed by Hong Kong's Fareast Shipmanagement. It has been flagged in Panama.
The original order comprised three aframaxes for PDVSA, but the other two were not built.
