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Mozah: the name of a new era in gas shipping

Mozah: the name of a new era in gas shipping

Seoul: Qatargas and Nakilat have named the world's biggest LNG vessel at the Samsung Heavy Industries yard on Geoje Island, reports Lloyd's Register, which is classing the vessel.

Ordered and to be operated by the Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat), Mozah, the first 'Q-Max'-sized vessel with a capacity for 266,000 cubic-metres of LNG, will carry almost 80% more cargo than conventional ships. Onboard reliquefaction adds to operational efficiencies.

"We are very proud to have been involved in the design and construction of these revolutionary new vessels, which are destined to make a cleaner form of energy available to more of the world's consumers," David Moorhouse, Chairman of the Lloyd's Register Group, said at the naming ceremony today, pointing out that LR was the classification society of choice for nine of the first 10 Q-Max LNG vessels.

The Q-Max model - "Q" for Qatar and "Max" for the maximum size of ship able to dock at the LNG terminals in Qatar - features onboard slow-speed diesel engines that are more fuel- and thermally efficient than steam turbines.

"Redundant, highly efficient propulsion systems and onboard re-liquefaction have realised operational efficiencies and a reduction in emissions," commented Andy Richardson, Shipping Project Manager for the Qatargas Operating Company Ltd.

In all, 14 Q-Max and 31 Q-Flex-sized LNG ships have been ordered from the big three Korean shipbuilders by Qatari interests and their partners, 17 of which will be built to Lloyd's Register class. 

In tribute to the contribution that Lloyd's Register has made to development of the Q-Max and Q-Flex vessels Moorhouse was prersented with a scale model of the Mozah (see main picture). [11/07/08]