Qatar to Initiate 45 Contracts for LNG

Qatar will initiate 45 shipbuilding contracts for the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships ever constructed, by Q1, 2007, the Gulf Times reported. Qatargas said the total value of the LNG tankers fleet Qatar planned to procure would exceed $11b. It said Qatar is taking LNG ship design to new level by introducing a 215,000m3 vessel, Q-Flex, and even a larger version, Q–Max, with a 265,000m3 capacity. The dimensions of the Q-Max vessels are approximately that of a modern Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). To drive Qatar’s LNG tankers acquisition, a high-level team has been set up. Called Qatar Ship Acquisition Team (QSAT), its mandate includes administration of competitive tenders to pre-qualify ship builders, owners and managers. Source: Gulf Times