ADNOC completes six-vessel LNG carrier program

ADNOC has taken delivery of its sixth 175,000 m³ new-build LNG carrier from Jiangnan Shipyard in China. (Image:

ADNOC Logistics & Services has taken delivery of Al Taweelah, the sixth and final vessel in a $1.2 billion program to build a new generation of LNG carriers, strengthening the company’s ability to move liquefied natural gas into global markets as demand for flexible supply continues to rise.

The 175,000-cubic-meter vessel was delivered from Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai and marks the completion of a six-ship order placed in 2022 as part of ADNOC L&S’ effort to modernize and expand its gas shipping fleet. The company said the additional capacity will support both third-party customers and ADNOC Group operations, while reinforcing the UAE’s role in global energy trade.

Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC L&S, said the latest vessel strengthens the company’s ability to move energy and essential commodities at a time when global supply chains remain under pressure. He said ADNOC L&S is expanding fleet capacity in line with customer demand while securing long-term earnings visibility through disciplined contracting.

Most of the additional LNG shipping capacity has already been committed under long-term contracts with third-party customers and ADNOC Group companies, according to the company. ADNOC L&S said about 60 percent of revenue generated by the company and its AW Shipping joint venture is backed by long-term contracts, supporting more predictable cash flow and earnings.

The new vessel, named Al Taweelah during a ceremony at Jiangnan Shipyard, was sponsored by Muna Mussa, manager of general services at ADNOC L&S, who served as the vessel’s ceremonial godmother.

Al Taweelah is part of ADNOC L&S’ next-generation LNG carrier class, each designed with a 175,000-cubic-meter cargo capacity and equipped with dual-fuel propulsion and other efficiency technologies aimed at lowering fuel consumption and emissions. ADNOC L&S said the vessels are designed to reduce methane emissions by as much as 50 percent compared with older-generation LNG carriers.

The larger vessel class also increases transport efficiency. ADNOC L&S has previously said the 175,000-cubic-meter ships are about 25 percent larger than legacy LNG carriers in its fleet, allowing the company to move more cargo per voyage while improving fleet economics.

The Al Taweelah delivery closes out a six-vessel construction program that began with the delivery of Al Shelila in November 2024, followed by Al Rahba, Al Reef, Al Sadaf and Arada. ADNOC L&S said the program has expanded its LNG shipping capacity while improving the carbon intensity and commercial flexibility of its fleet.

The LNG carrier delivery is part of a broader fleet expansion strategy underway at ADNOC L&S and AW Shipping, its joint venture with Wanhua Chemical Group. In 2024, AW Shipping placed a $1.9 billion order for seven very large ethane carriers and four very large ammonia carriers, while ADNOC L&S separately ordered eight LNG carriers worth about $2.5 billion from Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean.

Image: ADNOC

ADNOC has taken delivery of its sixth 175,000 m³ new-build LNG carrier from Jiangnan Shipyard in China.