An aerial shot of Al Mayeda. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Al Mayeda berthed at the Zhoushan LNG Terminal in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, on May 7.

This Q-MAX liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, being currently the world's largest, measures 345.3 meters in length, 53.8 meters in width, and has a draft of 27 meters, with a total capacity of 266,000 cubic meters. Carrying approximately 73,000 metric tons of LNG on this voyage, it will provide crucial support for energy supply in the Yangtze River Delta region.

As the 11th LNG vessel to be unloaded at the Zhoushan port in 2025, the arrival of the Al Mayeda has garnered significant attention. This vessel belongs to the ultra-large LNG carrier category (Q-MAX type), with top-tier dimensions and carrying capacity, posing high demands for berthing operations and port supervision.

Given the high-risk nature of LNG vessels, the the Zhoushan entry-exit border inspection station has strengthened technological supervision methods, utilizing drones for inspections, electronic fences, and intelligent control systems for 24-hour dynamic monitoring of terminal operations, ship decks, and key areas.

The 73,000 tons of LNG unloaded from Al Mayeda can meet the domestic gas demand of Zhoushan for around 300 days after regasification, playing a crucial role in ensuring stable energy supply during peak summer periods.