Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding today delivered its ninth LNG carrier of the year, marking a new record for a single builder in a full year. The vessel, with a capacity of 174,000 m³, was developed for a major Chinese LNG project, with high-performance containment, reduced energy consumption, and LR/CCS classification. This massive series confirms China’s rise in the gas carrier segment and highlights the pressure on European and Korean yards. For shippers, this increased availability of heavy tonnage means greater flexibility on LNG calls Africa–Asia–Europe, but also an increased risk of oversupply in the medium term.
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