Newbuild LNG carrier deliveries are on pace for a record 90 to 100 vessels in 2026, up from 79 last year, as owners rush to keep pace with rising liquefied natural gas export capacity. South Korean and Chinese yards alone secured 35 new LNG carrier orders in the first quarter, reversing a slowdown in 2025.
Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC L&S has expanded its newbuild programme to 18 LNG carriers, while Samsung Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries have both landed fresh multi-vessel contracts this year. Even so, analysts warn the roughly 234 carriers scheduled for delivery through 2030 may fall short of the shipping capacity needed to move 229 million tonnes a year of newly sanctioned LNG export capacity.
Source: SAFETY4SEA
