Nakilat has begun the process of bringing the management of its LNG carriers in-house.
The Qatari owner has signed an agreement with Shell that will see the transition of management responsibilities of 25 vessels in three phases.
For the past eight years, Shell was assigned to provide a range of shipping services to Nakilat’s 14 Q-Max and 11 Q-Flex LNG carriers.
Nakilat’s subsidiary Nakilat Shipping Qatar Limited (NSQL) will take over the management task, starting this year.
Abdullah Fadhalah Al Sulaiti, managing director of Nakilat, said: “Today marks a milestone in Nakilat’s history as we embark on consolidating a fully-fledged ship operation for our wholly-owned vessels.
“It is a pivotal strategic milestone towards Nakilat’s ambition of establishing an integrated maritime industry in Qatar.”
Nakilat said it has carried out extensive studies to prepare for the successful management of its assets.
NSQL currently manages four LPG carriers and four Q-Flex carriers.
Grahaeme Henderson, vice president of Shell Shipping & Maritime, said: “We are proud to be a partner with Nakilat and to continue to support Qatar’s vision of building a world-class shipping business.”
