CARACAS -Venezuela will receive four Aframax-sized oil tankers from a Japanese company, state-run oil giant Petroleos de Venezuela, or PDVSA, said in a statement Thursday.
The announcement, which comes on the heels of a three-day summit between officials from both countries, did not offer the name of the Japanese company making the ships.
PDVSA was not immediately available to comment.
The first ship is expected to be delivered in early March, while two more will be delivered later this year. The final vessel will arrive during the first quarter of 2012, the company said.
Venezuela has not received a Japanese oil ship in nearly 30 years, according to PDVSA.
During the meetings, PDVSA said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan's Marubeni Corp. (8002.TO) to evaluate joint projects in the petrochemical sector. It also is looking at undertaking a deep conversion project at the Puerto la Cruz refinery and an expansion of the El Palito refinery, in conjunction with Mitsubishi Corp. (MSBHY, 8058.TO) and Itochu Corp. (8001.TO).
PDVSA also said it is discussing the possibility of Japanese companies offering financial and technical assistance with a cleaning of Lake Maracaibo.
Last week during a press conference, Rafael Ramirez, who serves as head of PDVSA and as Venezuela's oil minister, said the company was also in talks with Japanese banks over securing more financing.