There
are only a handful of ship repairers around the world that have the skills and
facilities to successfully undertake the drydocking and repair and maintenance
of technically advanced LNG carriers. One of these yards is Qatar Shipyard,
based in the port of Ras Laffan. This shipyard was previously known as
Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM).
With
Qatar’s state-owned LNG carrier operator Qatar Gas Transport Co Ltd (Nakilat)
being the world’s largest operator of LNG carriers, and Qatar Energy having just
placed the world’s largest single newbuilding contract in China for 18 LNG
carriers, the world’s largest vessels each with a carrying capacity of 271,000m3, it is no surprise that Qatar Shipyard is a leader
in the repair of these technically demanding vessels.