Hudong-Zhonghua chases Qatari custom with record-breaking 270,000 cu m LNG design

A Chinese yard is pressing ahead with what will become the world’s largest LNG carrier, dwarfing even the existing Qatari Q-Maxes that have dominated the gas trades over the past decade.

Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, which has led China’s LNG carrier building to date, has teamed with class society DNV GL to develop a 270,000 cu m gas carrier.

The news comes as Nakilat from Qatar readies a huge order for LNG carriers, seeking more than 50 ships. Nakilat has been touring yards in East Asia ahead of making its decision. When it last ordered ships on such a scale, 15 years ago, the contracts all went to South Korea and were split between so called Q-Flexes and Q-Maxes, which are 210,000 cu m and 266,000 cu m in capacity respectively.

Hudong-Zhonghua built China’s first gas carrier as well as the country’s first gas carriers for export.