On December 3, a joint venture company comprising NYK, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., MISC Berhad, and China LNG Shipping (Holdings) Limited held a naming ceremony for two new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers for QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company of Qatar. The ceremony was held at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI) in Ulsan, South Korea. One vessel was named “Sharq” after an area east of Doha, Qatar’s capital, while the other was dubbed “Shra’ouh” after a Qatari island. The naming ceremony was attended by Takaya Soga, president & CEO of NYK, among others.

These two vessels will be the seventh and eighth of 12 new LNG carriers ordered by the joint venture company for QatarEnergy, the world’s largest LNG providers. Sharq is scheduled to begin transporting LNG worldwide in December. Shra’ouh is scheduled to commence service in January 2026. The NYK Group will provide ship-management services for Shra’ouh.

These vessels are equipped with an X-DF 2.1 iCER engine, a highly fuel-efficient dual-fuel engine that uses fuel oil and boil-off gas as fuel. They also feature a reliquefaction device that effectively uses surplus boil-off gas, enhancing navigation efficiency while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, thereby reducing the environmental impact.

Cargo Capacity: approx. 174,000 m³
Length: approx. 299.00 meters
Beam: 46.40 meters
Main Engine: X-DF2.1 iCER (dual-fuel slow-speed diesel engine)
Shipyard: Ulsan Shipyard, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

The core strategy of the NYK Group’s medium-term management plan, " Sail Green, Drive Transformations 2026 ," is to deepen the Group’s existing core businesses and invest in new growth businesses. In its Energy Business Division, NYK has centered its strengthened efforts on the LNG/LPG carrier business, which the company has positioned as a growth area. NYK will contribute to realizing a stable energy supply in Japan by leveraging the experience, know-how, and networks the NYK Group has cultivated as one of the world's largest LNG carrier-owning and management companies.

QatarEnergy
Headquarters: Doha, Qatar
President and CEO: H. E. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi
Website: https://www.qatarenergy.qa/en/Pages/vHome.aspx

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
Representative Executive Officer, President & CEO: Takenori Igarashi
Website: https://www.kline.co.jp/en/index.html

MISC Berhad
Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
President & Group CEO: Zahid Osman
Website: https://www.miscgroup.com/

China LNG Shipping (Holdings) Limited
Headquarters: Hong Kong, China
General Manager: Sheng Shanxing
Website: https://www.c-lngs.com/en