Shipbuilders awaiting Qatar's decision on its planned berth reservations for up to 80 LNG carrier newbuildings maintain that an announcement will be made this month, despite the Middle East producer’s plans to delay the start-up of its new liquefaction trains.

Yards involved in the process had been told that Qatargas and its associates would move to put a “deed of agreement” (DOA) in place on the newbuilding berths this month.