Qatar to award LNG contract in May

Qatar will award a $2.7 billion contract in May for 12 LNG tankers to ship gas to the USA. Qatar is also seeking a foreign investor to help build and operate a $500 million ship repair dockyard that will service the world?s biggest LNG tankers.

Qatar Gas Transport (Naqilat) is evaluating the offers for the LNG tankers and an initial agreement will be signed in May. Each tanker is expected to cost about $225 million and, earlier this year, Naqilat invited more than 10 shipyards and shipowners, including Teekay Shipping and Overseas Shipholding Group, to bid for the contracts.

Curt also said: “We are looking for a partner because we don?t have experience in running a dry dock. Qatar doesn?t have a dry dock and currently repairs its ships at nearby yards that include Dubai.” Naqilat needs a dry dock to service more than 87 LNG tankers, including the world?s largest known as Q-flex with a capacity of 216,000 cubic metres, and crude oil tankers that will call on Ras Laffan Port.