Adnoc L&S targets fleet expansion amid rising LNG demand

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company subsidiary Adnoc Logistics & Services is reportedly planning to order four to six LNG tankers to back its global expansion strategy.

The new tankers may be ordered this year, CEO Abdulkareem Al Masabi told Bloomberg, without disclosing the potential cost.

The order would come in addition to 14 LNG carriers already contracted to serve export projects in the UAE, the report said.

Adnoc L&S will take delivery of two LNG carriers this year, adding to the four already placed to transport gas from the Das Island LNG export terminal.

A further eight ships will serve the Ruwais LNG terminal, slated for completion in 2028.

Last month Adnoc Gas said it may open the Ruwais LNG terminal in Al Ruwais Industrial City early as construction is progressing faster than expected. 

Over 8 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of the project’s 9.6 mtpa production capacity has been committed to global customers through long-term agreements.

Adnoc L&S said 2025 revenue climbed 41 percent to $5 billion, helping net profit increase 14 percent to $863 million. 

It bought 80 percent of Navig8 in January 2025 for $999 million, which supported revenue from the shipping segment to rise 122 percent to $2.1 billion.

Al Masabi said tensions in the Red Sea have “calmed down”. 

Last month, Danish shipping giant Maersk Group resumed the trans-Suez route for one of its services, connecting the Middle East and the US, following improved stability in the Red Sea.

Further reading:

• Adnoc Gas profit down on weaker export prices
• Adnoc spin-offs offer cheaper route into energy stocks
• Adnoc L&S increases 2025 dividend as revenues rise

Houthi militants had been targeting commercial ships since late 2023 in response to the war in Gaza, forcing vessels to avoid the Red Sea and sail around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.

The extended route added 10 to 14 days to journeys, inflating costs for fuel, insurance and crew safety.

XRG, Adnoc’s low-carbon energy and chemicals investment arm, owns 78 percent of Adnoc L&S.

The company’s share price fell 0.5 percent to AED5.72 on Wednesday and is down 3 percent in the year to date.