On December 3, a joint venture company jointly funded by Nippon Yusen, Kawasaki Kisen, MISC Berhad, and China LNG Shipping held a naming ceremony at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan Shipyard in South Korea for two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers currently under construction for Qatar Energy, the state-owned energy company of Qatar.
<Scenes from the naming ceremony>
One vessel has been named "Sharq," after a place name east of Doha, the capital of Qatar, and the other "Shra'ouh," after the name of an island in Qatar. The two vessels are the seventh and eighth of 12 new LNG carriers that the joint venture will deploy for Qatar Energy, one of the world's largest LNG suppliers. Nippon Yusen Group will manage "Shra'ouh," and Kawasaki Kisen will manage "Sharq."
"Sharq" is scheduled to begin transporting LNG to various countries around the world in December, and "Shra'ouh" in January 2026.
The two vessels employ the latest dual-fuel engine, the "X-DF 2.1 iCER engine," which boasts excellent fuel efficiency by utilizing both fuel oil and boil-off gas (LNG vaporized in the cargo tanks during navigation). They are also equipped with a reliquefaction system that effectively utilizes excess boil-off gas, enabling efficient operation and reducing environmental impact.
■ Overview of the new ship
Loading capacity: Approximately 174,000 m³
Total length: Approximately 299m
Mold width: 46.40m
Speed: 19.5 knots
Main engine: X-DF2.1 iCER (Dual-fuel low-speed diesel engine)
Shipyard: HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Ulsan Shipyard (South Korea)
