The fate of Iran’s first domestically built aframax tanker, the 113,000-dwt Sorocaima (built 2013), is starting to look decidedly brighter as National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) managing director Ali Akbar Safaei revealed to TradeWinds that his company is in talks to buy the ship.

Safaei, speaking at the NITC 60th anniversary conference in Tehran this week, said NITC is in discussions with Iran Marine Industries Co (Imico) — previously known as Sadra — over matters relating to the termination of a long-delayed order for shuttle tankers for the Caspian Sea, and that the acquisition of the Sorocaima is on the cards.

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