Page 11 - GLNG Week 18 2022

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CNOOC leads China’s rush of

orders for LNG tankers

TANKERS JAPAN’S NYK has ordered six new 170,000 CNOOC said that the fleet forms just a part of
cubic metre gas carriers from CSSC its LNG strategy, which also includes natural gas
Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for charter to production, supply, storage and sales capabilities.
CNOOC, as China continues to raise its LNG Designed by Hudong-Zhonghua, the new
export capabilities. vessels will be 980 feet (299 metres) in length
The order involves a way partnership between with a 152-foot (46m) beam. They will be outfit-
CNOOC, which will be the charterer for the six ted with the newest designs of dual-fuel engines
new vessels, NYK and China Merchants Group. to operate at a speed of 19.5 knots while also
The order is being valued at $1.26bn, making reducing fuel consumption. They will also be
it the largest yet in China for LNG carriers, the equipped with GTT’s latest super containment
Maritime Executive reported. system.
CNOOC has so far in 2022 signed a total of China State Shipbuilding Corp. said that it
12 newbuild contracts, valued at nearly $2.5bn, has now a record total of 17 new LNG carrier
which will more than double the company’s fleet contracts since the start of 2022.
of gas carriers. Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines ordered four large
The order is in addition to six LNG carriers LNG carriers that will be chartered to QatarEn-
ordered by CNOOC in January 2022 for con- ergy as part of Qatar’s planned expansion of its
struction at the same shipyard. LNG production.
The 12 vessels, due for delivery between 2024 The order for the 17 LNG carriers places
and 2027, will increase the company’s current CSSC and China in the lead, surpassing the
fleet of 10 LNG carriers as it seeks to become South Korean shipbuilders that have tradition-
China’s largest LNG importer and the sec- ally dominated the LNG carrier category.
ond-largest in the world. The South Korean shipbuilders, however, also
CNOOC’s currently imports nearly 79mn signed a large deal with Qatar in 2020 reserving
tonnes per year (tpy) of LNG, accounting for construction spots for the country’s LNG con-
about two-thirds of China’s annual natural gas struction programme. ™
imports.

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