Iraq launches 1st oil tanker in 27 years ~~ YAHOO....More Oil for the World...

Yahoo ^ | Dec 17, 2007 | AP

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi Oil Tanker Co. launched its first new ship in 27 years Monday, and delivery of two more tankers is expected within three months.

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The Dijlah — the name for the Tigris River in Arabic — was inaugurated in the southern port city of Basra, officials said.

The 14,000-ton capacity, Chinese-built ship will help ease export problems Iraq has encountered as its beleaguered but vital oil industry begins to recover from years of war and neglect, officials said.

Basra Gov. Mohammed al-Waili led the ceremony and said the Dijlah would help spur growth in Iraq's oil industry.

Iraq's fleet of oil tankers was battered by the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and then by the first Gulf War.

[BroncosFan]

I've read his stuff. He's great. But he underplays the influence of the Fadhila Party and the intra-Shia'a low-level civil war down there. It's an insanely complex, and the ruling coalition within GOI can't move to ruthlessly suppress the nonsense in Basra because it would implode the entire coalition.

As for the mortars, heck, my first-hand knowledge of the south is a few months out of date, but Basra received IDF every single day for months earlier this year. And certain political constraints limited counterbattery fire.

[Tallguy]

http://navy.memorieshop.com/Neosho/Class.html

The above link is to a WW2-era US Navy Fleet Oiler (180,000 bbls / 38,000 full-load tons). The new Iraqi vessel is smaller. She’s a short-haul carrier since she’s nowhere near the VLST class.

[A_Tradition_Continues]

I’m sure they would be utilizing the vessel as a feeder vessel. I’m not sure if any of the Iraqi ports are deep enough for VLCC’s or ULCC’s.

[MediaMole]

It is probably just going to ferry oil to a terminal in the gulf.

[A_Tradition_Continues]

here’s a modern day description of vessel classification http://seagoing.narod.ru/tanker/tanker.html

[RDTF]

wow

[Marine_Uncle]

Hopefully their plans for rebuilding a oil tanker fleet will continue at a pace that will not put to big of a dig into the over all oil profits needed for so many deficient sectors.
I hope more people are slowly coming to the realization Iraq requires the US to stay in place with long term commitments. Western Oil companies are not going to want to come in until a proven record of stability can be shown.
Once they move in, the whole picture will really change. They along with the rest of the industrial sector will invest in Iraq's future.
Meanwhile deals between the Iraqi and Turkish governments and business sector are taking place. Turkey can go a long way in helping Iraq really get back on it's feet. And the same goes for Saudi Arabia. Oil will always be needed. And regardless of how many innovative processes in ground civilian and commercial traffic can be put in place, to ease the total consumption of oil derivatives, the world as it grows still need aviation fuels, gas and heating oil, and of course the huge amounts of things that come from oil for industrial applications such as lubricants, precursors for drugs and medicines, rolling oils for metal fabrication, the list is endless.
So the world will need the vastly increased oil output Iraq can offer. And surely Iraq has one hell of a lot of oil.
Saddam was a damn fool, as all dictators are ultimately shown to be. He played his cards with a deck stacked with jokers and wild cards, not fully knowing the rules of poker.

[FreeAtlanta]

I would rather it be American, Norwegian, Italian, Scottish or anyone but the Chi-Commies.... that said, it is good news that they are adding capacity.

[stevie_d_64]

Chinese built...

Thats all I need to know about who’s really benefitting from our efforts...

[Colorado Doug]

Starting timer to watch for someone to bitch about the Chinese-made tanker instead of the good news.

No need for a timer. While I agree that is not good news, it appears that you were the first to point this out.

[netmilsmom]

The gas prices will go up on this news. *sigh*

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Really?

Not sure why you would say that?

[netmilsmom]

Because the wind blows and our gas prices go up here in MI.

Really, I was just kidding. Should have put the /s/ at the end....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OK....