Qatari gas shipping giant Nakilat has signed a long-term agreement to charter and operate nine QC-Max class LNG vessels, as part of QatarEnergy’s program to expand its fleet of LNG carriers.
These nine vessels, each with a capacity of 271,000 cu m, the largest-ever units ordered, will be 100% owned and operated by Nakilat and chartered to affiliates of QatarEnergy.
The vessels will be built in China at Hudong-Zhonghua shipyards and are a part of QatarEnergy’s program to support its LNG production expansion capacity from the North Field.
This follows QatarEnergy’s deal with Nakilat for the ownership and operation of 25 conventional-size LNG vessels for 15 years. These two agreements increase the total number of LNG vessels secured by Nakilat to 34.
Qatar’s LNG shipbuilding program is the largest of its kind in the history of this sector. The first phase saw several selected owners contract 60 ships at Korean and Chinese shipyards, backed by long-term charters with QatarEnergy.
The second phase kicked off in September last year in a deal worth nearly $4bn with South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for 17 LNG carriers and continued with Samsung Heavy Industries most recently securing a $3.45bn order for 15 ships.
