Qatar Petroleum, Qatargas and four energy majors have teamed up to work on new designs for medium-size and large LNG carriers.
The outfits have hooked up with technology provider LNT Marine, classification society American Bureau of Shipping and Chinese yard Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding to carry out the work.
Qatar Petroleum, a major LNG producer, said the companies have signed a “multi-party agreement" paving the way for setting up a joint industry project targeting the development of designs that will use the LNT A-Box A-type LNG cargo containment system.
The Qatari giant said Qatargas and affiliates of ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell and Total were also signatories to the agreement.
The A-type LNG cargo containment system has to date only been used commercially in one ship — the 45,000-cbm Saga Dawn (built 2019). The Saga LNG Shipping vessel is currently on charter to Chinese trader Jovo and has lifted over 10 cargoes. It has been reported fixed for eight years to a new Chinese charterer.
Separately, Qatar is at the start of a process of ordering a huge raft of LNG carriers to support its North Field expansion project. Qatar Petroleum has reserved more than 150 berths at shipyards in China and South Korea.
Competition critical
“With this signing, Qatar Petroleum reaffirms its commitment to the continuous improvement of the LNG industry by supporting new concepts and encouraging innovation in areas that benefit the industry as a whole, in a safe and economic manner,” said Saad Al-Kaabi, who is Qatar Petroleum president and chief executive and Qatar’s minister of state for energy affairs.
“Competition is critical for technology advancement, and we are pleased to play an active role in this regard with our industry partners.”
LNT Marine founder and chairman David Wu said it is confident in its ability to develop LNG carrier designs with its A-type containment system to accommodate the future shipping requirements of the LNG industry.
“We are very pleased to cooperate with Qatar Petroleum and other market leaders in the LNG industry, to support new technology development for the next wave of LNG carriers," he said.
