The Aframax-class tanker Khankendi has become the first vessel to enter Australian waters flying an independent Azerbaijani flag, docking at the port of Geelong. It marks the first-ever call by an Azerbaijani-flagged ship at an Australian port.
According to the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), the tanker Khankendi set out from Seria port in Brunei and, after an uninterrupted 18-day voyage, successfully discharged its cargo at Geelong port in Australia. The vessel departed on October 19.
Australian ports are known for strict maritime and environmental regulations, and the tanker met all required standards. It passed both local environmental monitoring checks and the annual inspection carried out by classification society ABS.
During its time in port, the crew was rotated and the vessel’s fuel supplies were replenished. Safety equipment, radio communications and the GMDSS system also underwent their annual technical inspection.
Ownership and technical specifications
The Khankendi tanker was bought in 2024 by SA Maritime AFEZCO, a joint venture set up on an equal basis by ASCO and Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR. The vessel entered service in August of that year, when Azerbaijan’s tricolour state flag was raised aboard it at the port of Aliağa in Turkey.
The tanker has a carrying capacity of 115,521 tonnes. It measures 249.95 metres in length and 44 metres in width, with a side height of 21.20 metres, a draft of 15.22 metres and a maximum speed of 16 knots.
