Azerbaijan’s "Khojaly" vessel marks milestone with successful US arrival PHOTO
The "Khojaly" vessel, owned by Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), has successfully arrived in the United States after departing from Guatemala.
The Handysize-type vessel left Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala’s largest seaport, earlier this year carrying a cargo of 33,000 tonnes of sugar, the company told Caliber.Az.
The vessel has now reached its destination and is unloading at Crockett Port, near San Francisco.
Commissioned in May of the previous year, the "Khojaly" was part of ASCO's strategy to enhance its cargo shipping capabilities beyond the Caspian Sea and expand its global reach.
The acquisition of this vessel was part of the Strategic Shipping Development Programme, which was developed based on instructions from President Ilham Aliyev and approved by ASCO's Supervisory Board. This programme aims to diversify Azerbaijan's shipping activities beyond the Caspian Sea, increase its cargo transportation capacity in international waters, and finance the acquisition of larger vessels for global shipping.
The funding for the vessel’s purchase was split, with 70% provided by a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and 30% financed from ASCO's internal resources.
With a cargo carrying capacity of 38,593 tonnes, the "Khojaly" is about eight times more capacious than ASCO's existing dry bulk carriers. The vessel is 180 meters long, 30 meters wide, and 15 meters high, with a draft of 10.47 meters and a maximum speed of 15.7 knots.
Notably, the "Khojaly" is the first Azerbaijani-flagged vessel to enter American waters.
By Tamilla Hasanova