A 174,000-cbm liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier built as part of the massive QatarEnergy shipbuilding program has completed its trials in China, according to Hudong-Zhonghua.
The LNG carrier Al Tuwar completed the “two-in-one” trial and returned to the Changxing Island yard on March 24.
CSSC’s Hudong-Zhonghua said this is the fifth LNG carrier of the QatarEnergy shipbuilding program, which includes the construction of 128 ships.
Earlier this year, the shipbuilder delivered the 174,000-cbm LNG carrier, Limail. This is the fourth vessel in this batch.
Hudong-Zhonghua delivered Rex Tillerson, the first LNG carrier built as part of QatarEnergy’s massive shipbuilding program in September last year.
These vessels are part of 12 conventional-size LNG vessels contracted with Hudong-Zhonghua.
State-run LNG giant QatarEnergy signed charter deals in April 2022 for these four LNG carriers with Japan’s MOL, completing the first batch of charter contracts awarded under its massive shipbuilding program.
Moreover, MOL and China’s Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation own the vessels, and they will serve long-term charters with QatarEnergy Trading, a unit of QatarEnergy.
The vessels, part of Hudong-Zhonghua’s fifth-generation Changxeng series, are 299 meters long and 46.4 meters wide, and they feature GTT’s NO96 L03+ containment system and WinGD dual-fuel main engine.