From October 28 to 29, the naming ceremony and related events for the first vessel of the “QatarEnergy LNG Carrier Project (Phase II)”—built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea for China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES)—were held on Geoje Island and in Busan, South Korea.
The QatarEnergy Phase II project represents one of the largest LNG shipping tenders in global history. In 2024, CMES—through its subsidiary, China Merchants LNG—successfully secured contracts for 10 vessels under this project: six 174,000-cubic-meter conventional LNG carriers and four 271,000-cubic-meter “QC-MAX” ultra-large LNG carriers. This achievement makes the company the Chinese shipowner with the largest number of vessels awarded in the project.
The vessel “LEKHRAIB,” built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, is a large-scale 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carrier. It measures 290 meters in length overall, with beam of 45.8 meters, a depth of 26.2 meters, and a service speed of 19.5 knots. The vessel features four cargo tanks with a total capacity of approximately 174,000 cubic meters and utilizes the GTT Mark III Flex membrane-type cargo containment system, achieving a daily boil-off rate of no more than 0.085% when fully loaded. It is equipped with two WinGD 5X72DF-2.2 dual-fuel main engines driving a twin-shaft, twin-propeller propulsion system. Additionally, the vessel incorporates a cryogenic reliquefaction plant, an air lubrication system, and an Intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation (iCER) system, ensuring compliance with IMO Tier III emission standards in both gas-fueled and liquid-fueled operating modes.
Furthermore, the vessel is equipped with dual-fuel generator sets and shaft generators, and features an integrated automation system (IAS) alongside the SVESSEL smart ship solution—which provides functionalities such as voyage optimization, energy efficiency monitoring, sloshing monitoring, and shore-based fleet monitoring. Its electrolytic ballast water treatment system complies with both IMO and USCG standards. Combining eco-friendliness and low-carbon operation with intelligence, high efficiency, and extensive ship-shore compatibility, the LEKHRAIB represents the current state-of-the-art in large-scale LNG carriers.