Sept 9 (Askume) – Qatar Energy said on Monday it had signed a deal with China State Shipbuilding Corporation to buy six more ultra-large vessels to transport liquefied natural gas, raising the number of such ships on order in its fleet to 128 vessels.
Qatar Energy said the vessels, called QC-Max, are the largest LNG carriers ever built, with a capacity of 271,000 cubic metres each. They will be built at China’s Hudong Zhonghua shipyard and are expected to be delivered between 2028 and 2031.
Already one of the world’s top LNG exporters, Qatar Energy will enhance its position with its North Field expansion project, which will increase Qatar’s liquefaction capacity from 77 million tonnes per year to 142 million tonnes per year by 2030.
Qatar Energy said the agreement with CSSC brings the total number of QC-Max vessels ordered by Qatar Energy to 24, with a total value of approximately US$8 billion.
