Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the country has received a "advanced" oil tanker from Iran as part of a bilateral arrangement, as Tehran and Caracas' collaboration in numerous industries grows.
“We have just received a ship with the most advanced engineering and technology in the world,” Maduro said according to Venezuelan state TV. He said that the ship was manufactured by Iran upon Venezuela’s order.
"Now comes the oil tanker to serve as a cargo ship for our revolutionary PDVSA," he added.
This is the third oil ship built in Iran that has been delivered to Venezuela. On June 11, 2022, the South American country received its second tanker.
The second tanker was an Aframax with a deadweight of 80,000 to 120,000 metric tons (mt) and the capacity to transport 113,000 mt or 750,000 barrels of oil. The 250-meter-long vessel is outfitted with a 21,000 horsepower engine and three diesel generators capable of producing 900 kilowatts of power.
Maduro announced in June that the fourth tanker will join Venezuela's state-owned oil and natural gas corporation (PDVSA) in 2024, completing a contract negotiated between the two countries in 2006 for four oil tankers.
Iran Marine Industrial Company (Sadra), based along the Persian Gulf coast in Bushehr province, manufactures the tankers.
The shipment comes as the United States imposes severe economic sanctions on both Iran and Venezuela. To counteract Washington's unilateral actions, Tehran and Caracas have increased their cooperation in recent years, particularly in the energy sector.