QatarEnergy has ordered six more of its trademark 271,000-cbm QC-Max LNG carriers at China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, boosting its total number of supersize vessels at the yard to 24 ships worth about $8bn.
The Middle East producer signed an agreement on Monday with China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC), bringing the total number of LNG carriers on order under its mammoth fleet expansion programme to 128, including these 24 QC-Max mega vessels.
The QC-Max — which stands for Qatar China-Max — will rank as the largest trading LNG carrier in the world fleet when delivered.
QatarEnergy said they are due for delivery from CSSC subsidiary Hudong-Zhonghua between 2028 and 2031.
The company did not state who would own the vessels.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony held in Shanghai that was attended by Qatar’s minister of state for energy affairs and QatarEnergy president and chief executive Saad Al-Kaabi, Hudong-Zhonghua chairman Chen Jianliang and China Shipbuilding & Trading Co president Hu Kai.
Al-Kaabi said: “The signing of today’s agreement is underscored by the strategic importance of QatarEnergy’s historic LNG fleet expansion programme and its commitment to maintaining a leadership position in the global LNG market.”
He added: “We look forward to receiving these advanced LNG vessels and expanding our role in providing the world with the cleaner energy needed for a realistic and practical energy transition.”
The additional vessels for Hudong-Zhonghua will see the shipbuilder crammed with LNG orders.
Separately QatarEnergy, which has undertaken two phases of its huge shipbuilding project as detailed below, has been in talks with South Korean yards in an enquiry for an additional 20 vessels, some of which could include yet more QC-Max style tonnage.
