China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC) commenced the construction of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier at a shipyard in Shanghai on June 9. The carrier is expected to be completed in 2028.
The 344-meter-long QC-MAX-class LNG carrier has a capacity of 271,000 cubic meters, delivering all-around improvement on the key capabilities related to load volume, as well as energy conservation, environmental protection and shipping security.
Compared to mainstream vessels that can carry 174,000 cubic meters of LNG, this vessel shows a 57-percent increase in cargo capacity and is able to maintain a daily boil-off rate of 0.087 percent, effectively reducing storage and transport losses. Equipped with an efficient dual-fuel propulsion system, the vessel will also perform much better in energy efficiency and carbon emissions per unit of transport capacity.
With these advantages, the vessel can dock at most of the major LNG terminals worldwide, making it highly adaptable to a wide range of shipping routes.
The vessel is being built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, CSSC’s subsidiary in Shanghai, for Middle East energy giant QatarEnergy. The Chinese shipbuilder will build 24 QC-MAX-class LNG carriers with a capacity of 271,000 cubic meters and 12 large LNG carriers with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters under the contract, becoming the largest contractor of the whole project.
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
