MISC named the 174,000-cubic-metre liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Th’ailib at Samsung Heavy Industries’ shipyard in South Korea on Tuesday, October 6.
The vessel is the first of three newbuilds secured by MISC under firm 15-year time-charter agreements with QatarEnergy. The charter period is scheduled to begin in 2026.
MISC said Th’ailib is fitted with dual-fuel engines, a reliquefaction system, an air lubrication system and a high-performance anti-fouling hull coating.
The company signed the time-charter parties with QatarEnergy on March 31, 2024.
All three newbuilds were contracted with a capacity of 174,000 cubic metres each, with construction assigned to Samsung Heavy Industries.
MISC said the ships would support QatarEnergy’s LNG transportation requirements, primarily from the North Field in Qatar and Golden Pass in the US, as well as long-term fleet replacement requirements.
The three newbuilds form MISC’s participation in the second phase of QatarEnergy’s fleet programme. Its first-phase participation involved a consortium arrangement covering 12 LNG carriers, which MISC grouped with the three new charters as 15 vessels.
As of December 2024, QatarEnergy’s broader fleet expansion programme comprised 104 conventional LNG carriers and 24 larger QC-Max vessels. Six QC-Max vessels formed the final batch of the programme at that time.