IGU: QatarEnergy LNG Remains at Forefront of Rising Global Vessel Capacities

QatarEnergy LNG remains at the “forefront” of rising vessel capacities (globally), ordering 24 new 271,000 cm (QC-max) vessels from China for delivery between 2028 and 2031, according to the International Gas Union (IGU).

Globally, some 337 LNG vessels were under construction as of end-2024, IGU said in its ‘2025 LNG World Report’.

Of the 64 newbuilds delivered in 2024, all have a capacity of between 174,000 and 200,000 cm.

Vessels of this size remain within the upper limit of the Panama Canal’s capacity following its expansion in 2016. They also benefit from economies of scale, particularly as additional LNG capacity is developed in the US Gulf Coast (USGC) for long-haul delivery to Asia, IGU noted.

Moving forward, 200,000 cm vessels, or larger, could find favour due to their economies of scale for long-haul voyages, especially for long-term charters, if some flexibility is maintained (Panama Canal, terminal compatibility, etc).

The current orderbook for such ships comprises 37 vessels, each with a capacity of either 200,000 cm or 271,000 cm, scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2031.

The global LNG orderbook had 337 newbuild vessels under construction at the end of 2024, equivalent to 45.4% of the current active fleet, with deliveries stretching into 2031.

This illustrates shipowners’ expectations that LNG trade will continue to grow in line with scheduled increases in liquefaction capacity, particularly from the US and Qatar, and fleet renewal demand from oncoming retirements of older, more inefficient vessels.

An expected 97 carriers are scheduled to be delivered in 2025. The orderbook includes 21 icebreaker-class vessels for the Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia.

These vessels are highly innovative and require high capital expenditure (CAPEX) which grant them the capability to traverse the Arctic region.

Due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, these vessels have faced a risk of delayed deliveries or cancellations due to international sanctions on Russia that have complicated equipment delivery and payments.

IGU also noted the current global LNG fleet is relatively young, considering the oldest operational LNG carrier was constructed in 1977.

As of end-2024, some 84.9% of the fleet is under 20 years of age, consistent with the rapid growth of liquefaction capacity since the turn of the century.

Additionally, newer vessels are larger and more efficient, with superior project economics and emissions performance over their operational lifetime.

In total, some 7,065 LNG trade voyages were undertaken in 2024, a 0.9% increase from the 7,004 seen in 2023, IGU said.

This is in line with minimal growth in LNG production. While Asia remains the dominant demand centre with 4,609 trade voyages, European trade voyages declined by 13% to 1,929 in 2024 due to weak market fundamentals through most of 2024, with Europe importing just over 100mn tonnes.