Qatargas and Nakilat name world's biggest LNG vessel at Samsung
before delivery to Lloyd's Register Class
International gas shipping entered a new era today when the
world's largest LNG vessel -- classed by Lloyd's Register -- was
named in front of a huge crowd of dignitaries at Samsung Heavy
Industry's (SHI) massive shipyard on Geoje Island, South Korea.
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 per
cent more cargo than conventional ships. These new models are
expected to spearhead long haul gas shipping to the United States
and Europe as the industrialised world continues its search for
cleaner energy products.
"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. "As the classification
society of choice for nine of the first 10 Q-Max LNG vessels -
including the very first -- this project further enhances Lloyd's
Register's reputation as a technology leader in this important and
growing sector."
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
slow-speed diesel engines that are more fuel- and thermally
efficient than steam turbines, resulting in about a 30% reduction
in overall emissions. In short, they represent a cleaner way to
safely transport cleaner energy.
The improved economies of scale inherent in the much larger
comparative load capacity also are expected to reduce shipping
costs - which typically have accounted for about one-third of the
price for LNG -- by about 30%.
Andy Richardson, Shipping Project Manager for the Qatargas
Operating Company Ltd., said that improving the industry's strong
performance record for safety, quality, operability and
maintainability was at the forefront of his team's thinking
throughout the conception, design and construction stages for these
innovative vessels, and their smaller "Q-Flex" sister-ships, which
were previously the world's largest.
"The adoption of new technology after rigorous qualification
processes allowed significant economies of scale to be achieved,"
Mr Richardson said. "Redundant, highly efficient propulsion systems
and onboard re-liquefaction have realised operational efficiencies
and a reduction in emissions. We believe these changes will provide
meaningful benefits to all within the customer supplier chain,
forever changing the traditional paradigm of LNG
transportation."
"With 45 of these new generation vessels contracted for delivery
from the three leading Korean yards, co-operation and team work has
been an essential ingredient for success," he said. "We have valued
the continuous support of Lloyd's Register in meeting the
challenges we set, and I am extremely proud of what has been
achieved."
Lloyd's Register is the world's leading classification society
for LNG vessels with 39% of the existing fleet under its class, a
proportion that is destined to grow with the delivery of the new
Q-Maxes in the next two years.
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.
As a tribute to the contribution that Lloyd's Register has made
to the development of the Q-Max and Q-Flex ships, SHI on Thursday
presented Chairman Moorhouse with an almost two-metre long scale
model of the Mozah (see picture attached).
Ends.
Notes to editors
1. Lloyd's Register is an independent risk management
organisation. The Lloyd's Register Group works to help improve its
clients' safety, quality, environmental and business performance
throughout the world, because life matters. Its expertise and
activities cover shipping, railways, other land-based industries
and oil and gas. The Group comprises charities and non-charitable
companies, with the latter supporting the charities in their main
public benefit goal.
2. For a photograph
click here. Caption for
photo: Lloyd's Register Chairman David Moorhouse (2nd from left)
talks to Samsung Heavy Industries' S H Lee, Executive Vice
President, Ship Design and R&D Division (2nd from right) and C
H Park, Executive Vice President, Project Planning Division (right)
about a scale model of the MV Mozah that Samsung presented
in recognition of Lloyd's Register's work on the world's biggest
LNG carrier. Also in the picture is Iain Wilson, Country and Marine
Manager, Korea, for Lloyd's Register Asia.
For more information, contact:
David Black
Marine Media Manager
Lloyd's Register
T +44 (0)20 7423 2305
F +44 (0)20 7423 2213
E david.black@lr.org
Nick Savvides
Marine Media Manager
Lloyd's Register
T +44 (0)20 7423 2105
F +44 (0)20 7423 2213
E
nick.savvides@lr.org
Russell Barling
Corporate Communications Manager
Lloyd's Register Asia
T +852 2287-9375
F + 852 2526-2921
E
russell.barling@lr.org
Lloyd's Register
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London EC3M 4BS, UK
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