Q-Max is a type of ship, specifically a membrane type liquefied natural gas carrier. In the name Q-Max, "Q" stands for Qatar

Qatar

Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...

 and "Max" for the maximum size of ship able to dock at the LNG terminals in Qatar. Ships of this type are the largest LNG carriers in the world.

Technical description

A ship of Q-Max size is 345 metres (1,131.9 ft) long and measures 53.8 metres (176.5 ft) wide and 34.7 metres (113.8 ft) high, with a draft of approximately 12 metres (39.4 ft).

It has an LNG capacity of 266000 cubic metres (9,393,701.2 cu ft), equal to 161994000 cubic metres (5,720,764,038.5 cu ft) of natural gas. It is propelled by two slow speed diesel engines, which are claimed to be more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional steam turbines.

Q-Max vessels are equipped with an on-board re-liquefaction system to handle the boil-off gas, liquefy it and return the LNG to the cargo tanks. The on-board re-liquefaction system allows a reduction of LNG losses, which produces economic and environmental benefits.

Overall, it is estimated that Q-Max carriers have about 40% lower energy requirements and carbon emissions than conventional LNG carriers.

Contractors

Q-Max LNG carriers were ordered in 2005. They are to be built by Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung Heavy Industries or SHI is one of the largest shipbuilders in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea...

 and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Company. The installed Boil Off Gas re-liquefaction system (Ecorel) is developed and delivered by Cryostar, and approved and certified by Lloyds Register.

Ships

The first Q-Max LNG carrier was floated out of dry-dock in November 2007. The naming ceremony was held on 11 July 2008 at Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung Heavy Industries or SHI is one of the largest shipbuilders in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea...

' shipyard on Geoje Island

Geoje Island

Geojedo or Geoje Island is the principal island of Geoje City, on the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do province, South Korea. It is joined to land by two bridges from nearby Tongyeong. Sinhyeon is the largest town on the island...

, South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

. Known before its naming ceremony as Hull 1675, the ship was named Mozah by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad

Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned

Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, DBE is the second of the three wives of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.-Early life and education:Sheikha Mozah was born in the coastal city Al Khor in northern Qatar...

. Mozah was delivered on 29 September 2008. It is classed by Lloyd's Register

Lloyd's Register

The Lloyd's Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and mitigation services and management systems certification. Historically, as Lloyd's Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organisation...

. The first trip by a Q-Max tanker was completed by Mozah itself on 11 January 2009, when the tanker delivered 266,000 cubic metres of LNG to the Port of Bilbao

Port of Bilbao

The Port of Bilbao is located on the Bilbao Abra bay, and along the Estuary of Bilbao, in Biscay . The main facilities are in the Santurtzi and Zierbena municipalities, approximately 15 km west of Bilbao...

 BBG Terminal. Days before, the vessel had transited the Suez Canal

Suez Canal

The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...

 for the first time.

Mozah docked at South Hook LNG terminal

South Hook LNG terminal

South Hook LNG terminal is an LNG regasification terminal near Milford Haven and is the largest LNG terminal in Europe. Together with the smaller Dragon LNG terminal it can handle up to 25% of the UK's gas requirement. The first tanker docked on 20 March 2009....

 in Milford Haven

Milford Haven

Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...

, Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 on 7 May 2009.

Q-Max LNG carriers have been ordered by, and will be operated by, the Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat)

Nakilat

Nakilat is a liquefied natural gas shipping company based in Doha, Qatar.-History:The company was established in 2004 by Qatar's energy and shipping companies and financial institutions...

, and will be chartered to Qatar's LNG producers Qatargas

Qatargas

Qatargas is the world's largest liquefied natural gas company. It annually produces and supplies the globe with 42 million metric tons of LNG from across its four ventures . It is headquartered in Doha, Qatar, and maintains its upstream assets in Ras Laffan, Qatar...

 and RasGas

RasGas

RasGas Company Limited is a liquefied natural gas producing company in Qatar. It is the second-biggest LNG producer in the world after Qatargas. RasGas operates seven LNG trains located in Ras Laffan Industrial City.-Operations:...

. In total, contracts have been signed for the construction of 14 Q-Max vessels.