LR to Class World’s Largest LNG Ships

Lloyd’s Register is to class all six of the next series of large liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships ordered by Qatar Gas Transport Co Ltd (NALIKAT) for the fifth train of the Qatargas II project. These ‘Qmax’ ships will be the world’s largest LNG ships. They will be twin-skeg, driven by two diesel engines and fitted with re-liquefaction plant. They will transport gas from Qatar to the US. Three of the ships will be built at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), with a cargo capacity of 266,000 cubic metres, and the other three at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) with a cargo capacity of 263,000 cubic metres. Both yards have recently re-organised their production plants to accommodate the construction of these giant ships. “We are delighted to have secured the classification of the world’s largest LNG ships at both SHI and DSME, and we are looking forward to working with the shipowner and both shipyards on this challenging and ground-breaking project. The support provided by both shipyards during the design validation stage was exemplary, and we look forward to continuing this good working relationship during the construction of these innovative ships,” says Roy Thomson, Marine New Construction Manager for North East Asia, Lloyd’s Register Asia. “Our ambition is to consolidate our position as a leading builder of LNG ships,” says C Y Kim, Vice President Project Planning Team 1 of SHI. The Qmax ships at SHI will begin construction in March 2007 and will be delivered between August and November 2008. The Qmax ships at DSME will begin construction in June 2007 and will be delivered between September and December 2008.