Qatar’s state-owned oil and gas giant QatarEnergy expects to build 20 more liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers for its northern gas fields, including conventional 174,000 cbm LNG carriers and QC-Max LNG carriers, and the company is currently in talks with South Korean shipbuilders. Previously, QatarEnergy has ordered 24 QC-Max LNG carriers from Hudong-Zhonghua Shinpbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
In recent news from Korean media, QatarEnergy is negotiating with three major South Korean shipbuilders, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering), and Samsung Heavy Industries, for 20 LNG carriers, with an order value of about $5 billion.
QatarEnergy said the new shipbuilding project the group is negotiating with South Korean shipbuilders will be implemented in two phases, which may include a larger number of QC-Max LNG carriers.
QatarEnergy is said to have requested quotations for four QC-Max LNG carriers from Korean and Chinese shipbuilders. Although the number of orders from South Korean shipbuilders has not yet been finalized, the number of orders from Chinese shipbuilders has increased from four to six and the shipbuilding contracts have been officially announced in September 9th.
It is understood that QatarEnergy’s historic LNG fleet expansion program launched in 2020, has been based on the first phase of the plan and the second phase of the cumulative order of 98 new ships to the three major South Korean shipbuilders. Among them, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has undertaken for a total of 34 vessels, Hanwha Ocean has undertaken a total of 31 vessels, and Samsung Heavy Industries has undertaken a total of 33 vessels, all of which are conventional 174,000 cbm LNG carriers.
In addition to placing orders with South Korean shipbuilders, up to now QatarEnergy has placed orders with Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua for two types of 36 LNG carriers, including 12 174,000 cbm LNG carriers and 24 271,000 cbm QC-Max LNG carriers, of which the shipbuilding contract for the latest six QC-Max LNG carriers was signed on Sept. 9th.
According to QatarEnergy’s official website, the QC-Max LNG carriers will cost about $333 million each, and the 24 new vessels, with a total value of about $8 billion, are expected to be delivered between 2028 and 2031.