The latest batch of charters adds to a recent agreement between the companies for Nakilat to own and operate 25 conventional LNG vessels. The addition of the nine 271,000 cu m QC-Max careers brings Nakilat’s total to 34 QatarEnergy ships.
On April 30, QatarEnergy ordered 18 QC-Max vessels at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in China for a record $6bn.
The company has been on an ordering spree in recent years as part of its fleet expansion programme, as well as signing charter party agreements for the LNG carriers with companies including MISC, Shandong Marine, K-Line and Hyundai Glovis.
The rapid fleet growth is aimed at capitalising on the expansion of LNG production in Qatar’s North Field and Golden Pass in the US.
These latest charter QC-Max agreements between Nakilat and QatarEnergy were signed at a ceremony at QatarEnergy’s headquarters by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Abdullah bin Fadhalah Al-Sulaiti, CEO of Nakilat. The vessels will be 100% owned and operated by Nakilat, and chartered to affiliates of QatarEnergy.
“We are very proud to have Qatar’s flagship LNG shipping and maritime champion join a list of world-class shipowners to operate our state-of-the-art QC-Max LNG vessels - the largest ever built. There is no doubt that this is another testament to Nakilat’s significant capabilities,” said Al-Kaabi.
“Through this partnership, we aim to enhance value in the LNG transportaion market as active enablers in meeting the requirements of the North Field expansion projects. We are fully committed to adopting the latest technologies and expertise to ensure that these vessels are operated according to the highest standards of safety, environmental sustainability, and reliability,” said Al-Sulaiti.
