On June 9, Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), officially kicked off Construction on the world’s first and largest 271,000 cbm QC-Max ultra-large LNG carrier. This project represents not only a milestone in the high-end development of China’s shipbuilding industry but also one of the landmark events in the country’s steady progress toward becoming a global shipbuilding powerhouse.
The 271,000 cbm QC-MAX LNG carrier boasts industry-leading comprehensive performance. With an overall length of 344 meters and equipped with the latest upgraded NO96 Super+ membrane containment system, it features comprehensive upgrades in key areas such as cargo capacity, energy efficiency, environmental protection, and navigational safety.
Compared to mainstream 174,000 cbm conventional vessels on the market, cargo capacity has increased by 57%, and the daily cargo evaporation rate is controlled at 0.087%, effectively reducing LNG storage and transportation losses. Equipped with a high-efficiency dual-fuel propulsion system and featuring a refined, streamlined hull design, the vessel significantly optimizes energy consumption and carbon emissions per unit of carrying capacity. It fully complies with the highest international Tier III environmental standards, offering outstanding advantages such as large carrying capacity, low energy consumption, low-carbon sustainability, and safety and reliability. The vessel can berth at the vast majority of major LNG terminals worldwide and is suitable for a wide range of deep-sea routes.
LNG carriers are hailed as the “crown jewel” of the shipbuilding industry, characterized by high technical barriers to R&D and manufacturing, as well as significant challenges in establishing a supporting industrial chain. With over two decades of deep expertise in LNG carrier development, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has achieved leapfrog growth—progressing from the introduction and assimilation of technology, to independently overcoming technical hurdles, and ultimately leading the world in multiple technologies—thereby securing its place among the global elite in LNG shipbuilding.
Leveraging independently controlled core technologies, a fully domesticated upstream and downstream industrial chain, and experience in large-scale mass production, Hudong-Zhonghua currently holds nearly 60 LNG carrier orders in its order book. By total tank capacity, it ranks first globally, with production schedules extending beyond 2030. Its product portfolio encompasses the full range of conventional large and ultra-large LNG carriers. Driven by the expansion of domestic production capacity, China’s market share in the global LNG carrier market has surpassed 30%, completely breaking the long-standing monopoly held by foreign companies in the industry. Amid a complex international political and economic landscape, this has solidified the foundation for the self-reliance of China’s domestic LNG industry chain and further strengthened the confidence of enterprises across the entire supply chain in their long-term development.
The 271,000 cbm ultra-large LNG carriers are part of QatarEnergy’s historic LNG fleet expansion project, which will have a profound impact on the global clean energy supply chain and the international natural gas trade landscape. In the bidding for this 10-billion-yuan project, Hudong-Zhonghua secured a total of orders for 36 vessels, including 12 large 174,000 cbm LNG carriers and 24 ultra-large 271,000 cbm LNG carriers, becoming the project’s largest contractor. The total value of the 24 ultra-large 271,000 cbm LNG carrier orders exceeded 56 billion yuan, setting a new global record for the largest single shipbuilding order.