# Samsung Heavy names 174,000 cbm LNG carrier for MISC in Korea *The delivery marks the first of three newbuilds entering 15-year charters with QatarEnergy as South Korean yards sustain high-efficiency dock throughput.* **Published:** October 11, 2026 **By:** Hyun-jung Lee **Section:** Shipbuilding & Defense — South Korea **Format:** Company Watch **Confidence:** medium **Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/shipbuilding/samsung-heavy-names-174-000-cbm-lng-carrier-misc-664 **Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/) --- ## What to know - Samsung Heavy Industries delivers the 174,000 cbm LNG carrier Th'ailib to Malaysia's MISC - The vessel enters a firm 15-year charter with QatarEnergy starting in 2026 - Samsung Heavy Industries delivers the remaining two sister ships in the series through 2027 ![Shipyard workers operate a dockside valve as the liquefied natural gas carrier Th'ailib prepares for delivery. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-10-11-f1f24f6ad4a1.webp) *Shipyard workers operate a dockside valve as the liquefied natural gas carrier Th'ailib prepares for delivery. (AI-generated image)* Samsung Heavy Industries finalized delivery preparations on Oct. 11, 2026, for the 174,000-cubic-meter liquefied natural gas carrier Th'ailib built for Malaysian shipping group MISC. The naming milestones conclude construction on the lead vessel of a three-ship package. The hull enters a firm 15-year time charter with QatarEnergy to support Middle Eastern export terminals. The project represents a central slice of QatarEnergy's broader 104-vessel conventional carrier program. Samsung Heavy Industries holds contracts to construct 33 of those vessels, roughly 32% of the conventional program volume. MISC, the maritime logistics subsidiary of Malaysia's state energy company Petronas, operates the vessel under long-term employment. The carrier will transport fuel from Qatar's North Field expansion and the Golden Pass terminal in the United States. The vessel measures 174,000 cubic meters in cargo capacity. That volume represents the standard trading size for modern membrane-type containment systems operating across Pacific and Atlantic trade lanes. The Geoje shipyard completed structural assembly and cargo tank insulation under survey by classification society DNV. Physical naming ceremonies took place at the yard on Oct. 6, ahead of weekend registry sign-offs. Datuk Zahid Osman, president and chief executive of MISC, attended the dockside ceremony alongside QatarEnergy delegates. Puan Zakiah Zainab Zakaria served as the official sponsor during the hull naming. The name Th'ailib derives from Jabal Thuaileb in Qatar's Fox Hills district. The term originates from the Arabic word for fox, reflecting the charterer's domestic geographic nomenclature. The vessel incorporates a two-stroke dual-fuel propulsion engine designed to burn cargo boil-off gas alongside marine diesel. The configuration lowers carbon emissions during loaded voyages. Samsung Heavy Industries fitted an onboard reliquefaction unit to control cargo boil-off rates. The system compresses evaporated gas and returns it to the membrane tanks as cryogenic liquid. The builder also installed an air lubrication system along the submerged hull bottom. The equipment blows micro-bubbles to reduce skin friction as the hull moves through open water. High-performance anti-fouling coatings coat the underwater plates to limit biological growth. Lower hull resistance cuts fuel consumption across the vessel's planned 19.5-knot cruising service profile. South Korean shipyards maintain dense construction schedules dominated by premium gas carriers. High dock turnover remains vital as builders manage berth slots through the late 2020s. Samsung Heavy Industries concentrates its dock availability on high-margin gas carriers and floating production units. Steady deliveries protect operating margins against persistent labor constraints and steel plate prices. The three-vessel order forms MISC's direct commitment under Phase Two of QatarEnergy's fleet expansion. MISC had earlier secured 12 LNG carriers through an operating consortium during Phase One. The delivery brings MISC's combined operational commitment under the multi-stage Qatari program to 15 vessels. The fleet expansion guarantees steady charter cash flow through the 2040s, the company said. QatarEnergy divided its 104 conventional carrier contracts between South Korean yards and Hudong-Zhonghua in China. South Korean shipbuilders captured 92 of those hulls across three major yards. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries secured 34 vessels under the program. Hanwha Ocean booked 25 hulls, while Samsung Heavy Industries secured 33 units across successive allocation windows. The concentration of orders reinforces South Korean dominance in cryogenic containment fabrication. Chinese yards expand capacity, but South Korean builders retain the largest share of complex gas carriers. Yard managers in Geoje align drydock schedules to launch membrane carriers in tight succession. Early stage block fabrication and automated welding systems sustain the required berth velocity. The notice does not state the individual contract value for Th'ailib, and Samsung Heavy Industries has not published an individual regulatory filing establishing the exact price for the hull. Global broker assessments for identical 174,000-cubic-meter vessels ordered during the same contract cycle averaged roughly $230 million per hull. Long-term slot reservations capped earlier yard pricing tiers. The delivery cycle shifts immediately to the remaining two sister ships. Samsung Heavy Industries plans to deliver the second and third vessels in phased succession through 2027. Commercial operations under the firm 15-year charter agreement commence before the close of 2026. The initial trading voyage will position the carrier into Middle Eastern loading infrastructure. ## Impact map | Event | Korea | China | Japan | Global impact | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | QatarEnergy Phase Two LNG carrier delivery | Samsung Heavy Industries maintains dock turnover on its 33-vessel Qatar orderbook | Hudong-Zhonghua builds remaining 12 conventional hulls under Qatar program | Imabari Shipbuilding excluded from Tier-1 cryogenic LNG carrier allocations | QatarEnergy locks 15 years of dedicated tonnage for North Field exports | ## In this story - **Companies:** Samsung Heavy Industries, MISC Berhad - **Tickers:** 010140.KS, 3816.KL - **Exposed:** QatarEnergy, DNV - **Policy:** Economic Security - **Impact:** Order Book, Supply Chain ## Primary sources 1. miscgroup.com 2. imarinenews.com 3. ngopress.kr --- Cite as: East Asia Brief, "Samsung Heavy names 174,000 cbm LNG carrier for MISC in Korea," October 11, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/shipbuilding/samsung-heavy-names-174-000-cbm-lng-carrier-misc-664