ADNOC Logistics and Services (ADNOC L&S), a unit of Abu Dhabi's state oil giant ADNOC, said on Friday that it has acquired five very large gas carriers (VLGC) and six very large crude carriers (VLCC) for about $1.3 billion (AED4.8 billion), expanding its gas and crude shipping capacity.
The acquisition will increase ADNOC L&S' VLCC fleet to 14 vessels and VLGC fleet to 12 vessels.
Nine vessels, including six VLCCs and three VLGCs, were acquired on the secondary market and are scheduled for delivery in Q3 2026, with immediate entry into service upon delivery.
The remaining two VLGCs are newbuild vessels acquired through a resale transaction from a Chinese shipyard and are due for delivery in Q4 2026.
The maritime services provider said the transactions will provide near-term operational and earnings benefits while enhancing the scale, flexibility and resilience of its shipping platform.
The acquisitions follow ADNOC's broader push to strengthen control over its supply chain, allowing it to move crude to customers even as geopolitical tensions disrupt two of the world's busiest maritime routes.
Reuters reported last month, citing sources, that ADNOC L&S had recently bought five VLCCs from Frontline.
ADNOC L&S operates more than 900 vessels, according to a fact sheet posted on its website.
Last month, ADNOC L&S ordered four next-generation LNG carriers worth about $900 million, to be built at Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.
(Reporting by Amna Mariyam in Bengaluru Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
