Q-Flex LNG carrier

A Q-Flex is a large LNG carrier of about 210,000 to 217,000 cubic meters, roughly a third bigger than a conventional 138,000 to 145,000 cubic meter ship, built for Qatar’s long-haul LNG exports. The Q stands for Qatar and Flex for the design’s onboard reliquefaction plant, which recovers boil-off gas rather than burning it, paired with slow-speed diesel propulsion instead of the steam turbines then standard on LNG ships. Qatar charters a fleet of about 31 Q-Flex vessels alongside 14 of the larger Q-Max at around 266,000 cubic meters. The Q-Flex was sized to the maximum that Qatari LNG terminals and the major import ports could then accept.