The “Halwan” has been christened as the next LNG tanker to be operated by Qatar Energy. The completed series is expected to comprise a total of twelve vessels.
The newbuilds were commissioned by a joint venture comprising the Japanese shipping companies K Line and NYK, the Chinese company China LNG Shipping and MISC Bernard. The tanker was built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.
The vessel, which is approximately 300 m long, has a capacity of 174,000 m³ and, like its sister ships, will be chartered to the Qatari state-owned company Qatar Energy. The “Halwan” was named after a water source in the Gulf state and is already the ninth of a total of twelve vessels.
K Line will take over the management of the “Halwan” as well as two other vessels in the series. Qatar Energy, one of the world’s largest LNG suppliers, will use the newbuild for global LNG transport in future. Delivery is expected to take place later this month, K Line announced at the ship’s christening.
The “Halwan” is fitted with a dual-fuel engine (model X-DF 2.1 iCER) and features an air-lubrication system. “By reducing fuel consumption during operation, these technologies help to cut greenhouse gas emissions and minimise environmental impact,” said K Line. The transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is one of the most important growth areas for the Japanese company. In May 2022, K Line identified this business as a key focus area for future investment.
The order for the new tankers was also finalised in 2022; initially, seven LNG carriers were to be built for Qatar Energy. A few months later, the joint venture announced the charter agreements for five further tankers. Delivery of the vessels has been taking place since April last year. In December, representatives of the companies involved celebrated the twin christening of the vessels “Sharq” and “Shra’ouh”.
