China remained the world’s leading shipbuilder in the first quarter of the year, taking up nearly half of the international market share, with recent orders for LNG carriers set to boost figures further.
China Daily news service cites data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology indicating that shipbuilding output reached 9.61 million dwt in the quarter, 46.2 percent of the world’s total. New orders stood at 9.93 million dwt.
“Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has announced an order for four 174,000 cubic metre LNG carriers, in connection with an order for LNG carriers ordered for Qatar Energy.” “/ /
Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has announced an order for four 174,000 cubic metre LNG carriers, in connection with an order for LNG carriers ordered for Qatar Energy.
Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has received orders for 11 LNG carriers so far this year, ranking the first with Hyundai Heavy Industries in terms of orders signed.
Added to that, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has announced an order for four 174,000 cubic metre LNG tankers. The tankers are part of around 100 LNG tankers ordered for Qatar Energy. On 10 April, the first batch of shipbuilding contracts was signed for what the yard claims is the largest LNG shipbuilding project in the global shipbuilding industry, the Qatar North Field Expansion Ship Acquisition Project. The agreement was signed by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, China Shipbuilding Trading, and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding.
The 174,000 cubic metre LNG carriers are the fifth generation of the yard’s Changheng Series. The 229-metre vessels will be built according to the technical standards set by Qatargas and QatarEnergy. The vessels will feature Hudong-Zhonghua’s CH2.0 double stern fin line which the yard says has excellent hydrodynamic characteristics and achieves the best match between reducing self-propelled resistance and improving propulsion efficiency of the stern. Compared with previous generation of LNG carriers, annual sailing carbon emission can be reduced by more than 4,000 tons. The lightweight vessel design is more compact and lighter than its predecessor, with a higher cargo loading rate and an additional 800 cubic meters of LNG per voyage. The onboard re-liquefaction system can meet the various demands of short, mid and long-distance routes, achieving good economy in various operating modes.
Hudong-Zhonghua has delivered 30 large LNG carriers and is the leading LNG carrier builder in China. Until recently, these vessels were only available from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding and South Korean shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding. However, China is expanding its LNG carrier construction capabilities with CSSC subsidiary Jiangnan Shipyard and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry now entering the market.
Adnoc Logistics & Services has ordered two 175,000 cubic metre LNG carriers from Jiangnan Shipyard, and China Merchants Energy Shipping has ordered one 175,000 cubic metre LNG carrier from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry.
