On August 15, QatarEnergy successfully named its seventh 174,000m³ LNG carrier at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding. The vessel was named “Fate Al-Khalifa”, marking the second vessel named for the project in the shipyard within a month.
Ms. Zhai Wenfeng, General Manager of the Financial Management Department of China Merchants Energy Shipping, served as the naming guest and named the new vessel. Zhang Xiufeng, Deputy General Manager of Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, presented flowers to the godmother.
The wharf construction period of the “Fate Al-Khalifa” was only 8 months, setting a new record for the shortest construction cycle of an LNG carrier terminal at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding. The vessel is scheduled to start global operations in late August, with its maiden voyage planned to Qatar.
The “Fate Al-Khalifa” is the 52nd LNG carrier built by Hudong-Zhonghua and the third vessel in the QatarEnergy Phase II project.
Hudong-Zhonghua has delivered six LNG carriers for the QatarEnergy project. Currently, the first vessel, the “AL TUWAR”, has successfully completed two voyages, while the second vessel, the “AL MAS’HABIYYAH”, is currently undertaking its first cargo voyage. The shipowner has reported that the operational performance of the vessels is safe and stable, and has praised the excellent construction quality.