China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) Shanghai subsidiary, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group, has begun construction of what is set to become the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.
According to a statement cited by Denizxeber.az, the vessel will be a “QC-Max” type LNG tanker with a capacity of 271,000 cubic meters. Its design specifications include a length of 344 meters and a beam of 53.6 meters.
According to sea-news.az The tanker is being built for QatarEnergy and will be equipped with a modern membrane containment system. It is scheduled to enter service in 2028 and is expected to stand out in terms of energy efficiency, environmental performance, and navigational safety.
CSSC received an order from QatarEnergy for 18 QC-Max LNG carriers in 2024, followed by contracts for an additional 6 vessels. The combined value of these contracts is around 56 billion yuan (approximately $8.27 billion), making it one of the largest shipbuilding orders in history.
China’s global market share in LNG shipbuilding has now exceeded 30%. Hudong-Zhonghua alone has around 60 LNG carrier orders, with its production schedule fully booked until 2030. In terms of total cargo capacity of ordered vessels, the group currently ranks first in the world.
For comparison, the world’s largest LNG carrier to date is the 266,000-cubic-meter “Mozah”, a Q-Max type vessel owned by QatarGas.
