Qatar Petroleum released an invitation to tender for up to 100 newbuild slots in South Korea and China that it reserved last year.
Qatar Petroleum has agreed to open up its next step of maritime expansion to foreign competition, rather than holding the shipping in-house through subsidiary Nakilat, as it did the last time it went on a newbuild rampage.
The chartering kit, which has been distributed to a wide group of LNG shipowners, includes specifications for the creation of Qatar's North Field as well as LNG volumes produced from the US' Golden Pass LNG export project.
Qatar Petroleum has entrusted the shipowner selection process to Qatargas. Winning bidders will be given newbuild slots that have already been reserved.
Last year, Qatar Petroleum signed a $22 billion contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hudong-Zhonghua to develop up to 100 LNG carriers between now and 2027, dwarfing the 45 Q-Flexes and Q-Maxes the Koreans constructed for the same clients from 2004 to 2007.
Maritime Business World