Knutsen wraps up busy June with trio of LNG carrier milestones

 Norwegian shipowner Knutsen Group has marked a busy June with the delivery and naming of three 174,000-cbm LNG carriers built by South Korea's HD Hyundai group, as it continues to expand its presence in the LNG shipping sector.

On 26 June, Knutsen took delivery of the MRAIKH, the first in a 10-ship newbuilding series ordered for long-term charter to QatarEnergy. The vessel is fitted with an air lubrication system and LNG-compatible boilers, in line with the charterer's focus on energy efficiency and lower emissions. Knutsen said the MRAIKH would depart from the yard the following day.



The company followed this with a naming ceremony for the ZOE KNUTSEN on 25 June. The ship is the ninth and final vessel in a fleet of LNG carriers delivered to Shell. The series began in June 2022 with the Santander Knutsen. once delivered in September 2025, the Zoe Knutsen will enter service under charter with Shell, operating in its global LNG fleet.

Earlier in the month, on 11 June, Knutsen also reported the delivery of the LGNACY JAN PADEREWSKI. Built at HD Hyundai Samho, this vessel is the last in a series of six sister ships chartered to Polish energy company Orlen.

Knutsen expressed thanks to all involved in the delivery and project teams across the three programmes, noting the collaborative effort behind each milestone.