Shipper Names First of Six LNG Carriers
China Merchants Energy Shipping named the LEKHRAIB, the first of six 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carriers ordered from Samsung Heavy Industries.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Oil and Gas
China Merchants Energy Shipping named the LEKHRAIB during ceremonies held on Geoje Island and in Busan, South Korea, on October 28-29, 2026. The vessel is the first of six LNG carriers CMES ordered from Samsung Heavy Industries and will provide long-term transportation for QatarEnergy.
Why it matters
The naming marks the start of delivery of a multi-vessel LNG fleet tied to long-term QatarEnergy transport contracts. The parallel construction of four larger QC MAX carriers at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding shows CMES expanding capacity across two shipyards.
CMES has ordered six 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carriers from Samsung and secured contracts for four 271,000-cubic-meter QC MAX carriers under construction at Hudong-Zhonghua. The LEKHRAIB's designed boil-off rate of no more than 0.085 percent per day is the vessel-level figure disclosed, and the schedule for the other vessels is not yet public.
The players
China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES)
China Merchants Energy Shipping is a Chinese shipping company that operates LNG carriers and holds long-term transport contracts with QatarEnergy.
Samsung Heavy Industries
Samsung Heavy Industries is a South Korean shipbuilder that constructs large LNG carriers for international shipowners.
Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding
Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding is a Chinese state-linked shipyard in Shanghai that builds large LNG vessels.
The details
The LEKHRAIB features a GTT Mark III Flex membrane containment system, dual-fuel engines, and is designed to carry LNG at minus 162 degrees Celsius. The naming ceremonies took place on Geoje Island and in Busan, South Korea.
Timeline
October 28-29, 2026: LEKHRAIB named in South Korea
Oil and Gas Landscape
The LEKHRAIB's GTT Mark III Flex membrane containment system places it within the established membrane-tank design that dominates the LNG carrier market. Its 0.085 percent boil-off specification reflects the efficiency standards that membrane carriers have been built to meet in recent newbuild orders.
For readers tracking LNG supply, the delivery of new carriers under QatarEnergy contracts affects how much shipping capacity is available for long-term gas transport. Changes in fleet size can influence freight availability for LNG buyers in the years ahead.
The takeaway
New LNG carrier deliveries tied to long-term contracts add fleet capacity over time. Watching how these vessels enter service will show whether supply constraints on LNG transport ease.
Further reading
For broader context on LNG shipping and supply chains, see the Oil and Gas section.
