Home Fossil Energy First LNG vessel duo in QatarEnergy’s historic shipbuilding program get their names (Gallery)
September 10, 2024,
by
Melisa Čavčić
Qatar’s state-owned energy giant QatarEnergy has held a naming ceremony for the first two conventional-size liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels under its historic shipbuilding program at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, China.
Vessel naming ceremony; Source: QatarEnergy
The inauguration of the Rex Tillerson LNG vessel, the first ship to be named, which the Qatari giant explained was selected to carry the name of the former Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil as a tribute to his lifelong accomplishments in the energy sector, was attended by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy.
During his speech at the ship naming ceremony, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi highlighted: “Mr. Tillerson’s legacy will always be remembered in Qatar and around the world, particularly for his wisdom, warmth, and sincerity, which drove one of the oldest Qatari relationships with international oil companies towards greater prosperity. We are grateful for Rex’s friendship and partnership with Qatar, and his long-lasting marks on the global energy industry.”
QatarEnergy’s CEO wished the new vessel “fair winds and following seas” as it carries Tillerson’s legacy to all corners of the world, as is custom during such events. The vessel naming ceremony was held a day after the company disclosed six additional QC-Max LNG carriers with a capacity of 271,000 cubic meters each were added to the company’s fleet expansion program, which now entails 128 ships, including 24 QC-Max mega vessels.
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“This event embodies our commitment to meet the world’s growing need for cleaner energy and to be part of the global economic development for decades to come. As the first ship in our new LNG fleet, the Rex Tillerson will undoubtedly play a significant role as she carries Qatari-produced LNG to many receiving terminals across the globe. It is our honor to name the first vessel in Rex Tillerson’s name as a tribute to his life-long accomplishments and as a symbol of a special friendship,” emphasized Al-Kaabi.
Many others were also in attendance, including Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al-Thani, CEO of QatarEnergy LNG; Jia Haiying, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Chief Financial Officer of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC); Chen Jianliang, Chairman of Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding; Takeshi Hashimoto, President and CEO of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines; Zhu Bixin, President of China COSCO SHIPPING Corporation Limited; QatarEnergy’s first Chinese shipowner, and senior executives from QatarEnergy and QatarEnergy LNG.
Commenting on the occasion and honor bestowed upon him, Tillerson underlined: “During my almost 42-year career with ExxonMobil Corporation, one of the highlights was working with Qatar to develop its LNG trade. Under the wise leadership of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,