Doha, 24 March 2024

QatarEnergy signed time-charter party (TCP) agreements with Qatar Gas Transport Company Limited (Nakilat) for the operation of 25 conventional-size LNG vessels as part of the second ship-owner tender under QatarEnergy’s historic LNG Fleet Expansion Program.

The agreements were signed by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy and  Abdullah Al Sulaiti, CEO of Nakilat, in a special ceremony held at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha. Present on the occasion were senior executives from QatarEnergy; QatarEnergy LNG;and Nakilat.

Seventeen of the 25 LNG vessels are being constructed at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyards and remaining eight are being constructed at Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering),  both in South Korea.

Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said: “These agreements firm up last month’s selection of Nakilat as the owner and operator of up to 25 conventional-size LNG carriers, underscoring our continued confidence in Qatar’s flagship LNG shipping and maritime company.

He said this is a testament to Nakilat’s world-class capabilities as well as to the significant contributions of Qatari listed companies to our country’s national economy'.

Minister Al-Kaabi added 'The agreements we signed today play an important role in implementing QatarEnergy’s historic LNG shipping program, which will cater for our future requirements, as we move forward with the expansion of our LNG production capacity to 142 million tons per annum by 2030, ensuring additional cleaner and reliable energy supplies to the world.”

Each of the 25 vessels will have a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters and will be chartered out by Nakilat to affiliates of QatarEnergy pursuant to the 15-year TCP agreements.