A Chinese shipbuilding firm will construct 18 ultra-large liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport ships, each with a payload capacity of 271,000 cubic meters, for Qatar.
The deal for the world's largest single shipbuilding order between China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC) and Qatar Energy was recently signed.
The ships, independently designed and built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of CSSC, have a total length of 344 meters, a breadth of 53.6 meters, and a depth of 27.2 meters. Compared to conventional 174,000-cubic-meter LNG transport ships, it boasts a 57 percent increase in carrying capacity.
It is reported that in 2022, China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of CSSC, in collaboration with Hudong-Zhonghua, signed contracts with Qatar Energy’s designated shipowners for an order of 12 LNG transport ships, each with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters.
The order for the construction of 18 LNG transport ships signifies the growing international influence of CSSC in the construction of ultra-large LNG carriers, marking the transition from large to ultra-large in China’s design and construction of LNG carriers.
Currently, 99 of the LNG transport ships in the "Hundred Ships Plan" are equipped with engines authorized by WinGD, a subsidiary of CSSC, showcasing the deepening involvement of CSSC in the LNG carrier industrial and supply chain. These developments further elevate the strategic partnership between CSSC and Qatar Energy, and promote broader cooperation in the energy sector between China and Qatar.
(Executive editor: Zhu Zeya)
