ADNOC L&S Returns to Jiangnan with $900m LNG Carrier Order

Four 175,000-cbm newbuildings due in 2029 lift the Abu Dhabi owner’s LNG carrier programme to 18 vessels.

Skye Polly

Published 2026-07-10 17:31

ADNOC Logistics & Services has returned to China’s Jiangnan Shipyard with a $900m order for four 175,000-cbm LNG carriers.

The vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2029 and lift ADNOC L&S’ LNG newbuilding programme to 18 ships.

The contract was signed during a visit to Jiangnan by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC managing director and group chief executive.

ADNOC L&S chief executive Abdulkareem Al Masabi said the order reflected the company’s confidence in the fundamentals of the LNG shipping market as global gas demand continues to grow.

The four vessels are expected to be deployed on long-term charters, adding to ADNOC L&S’ contracted revenue backlog and supporting ADNOC’s international LNG trading ambitions.

Jiangnan has already delivered six 175,000-cbm LNG carriers to ADNOC L&S under an earlier $1.2bn programme. Five of those vessels are employed by ADNOC Gas under contracts of up to 15 years.

The latest deal further expands a major gas-carrier relationship between the Abu Dhabi company and the Chinese shipbuilder.

Before the new order, ADNOC L&S and its associated companies had contracted Jiangnan to build six LNG carriers, nine very large ethane carriers, four very large ammonia carriers and five very large gas carriers.

The signing coincided with the delivery of Meera, the first of four 93,000-cbm VLACs ordered by AW Shipping, ADNOC L&S’ joint venture with China’s Wanhua Chemical.

AW Shipping placed a $1.9bn order at Jiangnan in 2024 covering four VLACs and nine VLECs. Two of the ethane carriers were delivered in 2025.

ADNOC L&S also has eight LNG carriers under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean in South Korea. The vessels, representing an investment of around $2.5bn, are due to enter service from 2028 under 20-year charters to ADNOC Gas.

Including its 50% share of AW Shipping’s newbuildings, ADNOC L&S has invested more than $5bn in 32 vessels since 2022. Nine have been delivered, with the remaining 23 scheduled to join the fleet by 2029.

The company recently raised its 2026 financial guidance, forecasting net profit growth of more than 60% on stronger shipping earnings and improving offshore logistics performance.