On March 23, Jiangnan Shipyard, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), delivered the fifth vessel in a series of large Mark III Flex membrane-type LNG carriers for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), completing the handover four months ahead of schedule.
This vessel type is the first-generation 175,000 m³ MARK III Flex membrane-type LNG carrier independently developed and designed by Jiangnan Shipyard in accordance with the latest international LNG ship design concepts. The vessel has an overall length of 298.5 meters and a beam of 46.0 meters, with an LNG cargo capacity of 175,000 m³. Equipped with the MARK III Flex membrane containment system, the vessel maintains an evaporation rate below 0.085%, meeting the latest industry standards. It features mainstream design, reliability, energy efficiency, and environmental friendliness, with comprehensive economic performance indicators reaching internationally advanced levels.
The construction of this vessel embodies Jiangnan Shipyard’s ongoing commitment to technological innovation and lean management. In early 2026, the vessel successfully completed its “three-in-one” sea trials—which combined routine sea trials, fuel oil trials, and gas system tests—comprising a total of 187 test items. This was achieved three days faster than the average for vessels in this series, setting a new record for the shortest sea trial duration in the series to date.
It is reported that in 2022, Jiangnan Shipyard, in collaboration with China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd. (CSTC), signed a contract with ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S), a subsidiary of ADNOC, for the construction of six 175,000 m³ LNG carriers. This order is of great significance, as it made Jiangnan Shipyard the first domestic shipyard at the time to undertake the construction of large MARK III membrane-type LNG carriers, and it also set a precedent for Chinese shipyards to collaborate directly with international oil and gas companies in the field of large LNG carrier construction.
The cooperation between Jiangnan Shipyard and ADNOC L&S dates back to 2020. From the initial order of five VLGCs by AW Shipping, a joint venture between ADNOC L&S and Wanhua Chemical, to the six large LNG carriers directly ordered by ADNOC L&S in 2022, and the additional orders of four VLACs and nine VLECs by AW Shipping in 2024, the scope of cooperation has continued to expand, and the scale of projects has gradually increased. This continuously deepening and progressive cooperation model reflects the increasing strategic mutual trust between the two parties and the strong momentum for common development, and also contributes the strength of Chinese manufacturing to the stability and decarbonization of the global energy supply chain.