Venezuela will build 14 new double-hull petrol tankers, which are scheduled to be delivered between 2008 and 2009, said the country's National Aquatic Areas and Islands Agency (INEA) in a statement on Wednesday.

Venezuela's state oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela would pay for the construction, said Sea Captain Jose Lopez Benitez, manager of the agency.

The INEA is organizing the training of staff to work on the new ships, under the agreements signed with the Caribbean Maritime University and the La Salle Foundation, Lopez said.

Venezuela will also buy 30 merchant vessels targeting international trade and coastal transit, as commercial shipping in the Latin American country is expected to see a considerable growth over the next 10 years, Lopez added.

Venezuela also plans to develop two new deep-water ports in the eastern state of Sucre and in the western state of Zula, to allow ships of deeper draft to dock in the country.

Source: Xinhua