Angola’s state-owned oil company Sonangol has placed a US$245 million order for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier in South Korea, in a move to strengthen its fleet and support growing gas exports, Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday, citing a regulatory filing by shipbuilder HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries.
The 174,000-cubic-metre vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will primarily be used to transport LNG produced in Angola to international markets. This marks Sonangol’s first new LNG carrier order in more than a decade, part of a broader fleet renewal effort to modernize transport capacity for the country’s gas operations.
The investment comes amid a period of expansion in Angola’s gas sector. The country currently operates a single liquefaction facility, the Angola LNG plant in Soyo, with an annual capacity of 5.2 million tonnes. The terminal is mainly supplied by associated gas produced alongside offshore crude production, but new volumes from non-associated gas are gradually being added through the New Gas Consortium project.
According to Angola’s National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG), LNG output at the Soyo plant rose 20 percent in November 2025, reflecting both higher associated gas availability and the integration of new production streams.
The New Gas Consortium, led by Italy’s Eni, is developing the Quiluma and Maboqueiro fields on Block 2 off Angola’s coast. A treatment unit linked to the project was inaugurated in December 2025, marking the start of production from the two offshore fields. The development is expected to feed the Soyo liquefaction plant with additional volumes of non-associated gas, enhancing Angola’s LNG export capacity.
Angola has also recently drilled its first gas-only well under the National Gas Master Plan, which establishes a framework for investment, exploration, and infrastructure development in the country’s gas sector. The plan aims to diversify Angola’s energy exports beyond crude oil and ensure long-term growth in LNG output.
Sonangol operates a fleet of LNG carriers, most of which were delivered in the early 2010s. The new order represents a strategic effort to modernize shipping capacity, improve operational reliability, and accommodate the expected increase in production as new gas projects come online. The carrier will also support Angola’s broader ambitions to expand its footprint in global LNG markets, particularly in Europe and Asia.
Analysts say the investment underscores Angola’s commitment to unlocking its offshore gas potential and enhancing export logistics amid rising global demand for cleaner energy. “With LNG playing a growing role in international energy trade, expanding shipping capacity is critical for Angola to capitalize on market opportunities,” said a regional energy consultant.
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Background of Soyo LNG plant
The Soyo LNG plant has historically been supplied by gas associated with the country’s oil fields, but the ramp-up of non-associated gas projects will enable Angola to stabilize production levels and increase export volumes. The combination of fleet renewal, infrastructure development, and upstream investments is expected to position Angola as a more competitive LNG exporter in the coming years.
HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries will construct the vessel at its South Korean shipyard, with delivery expected in 2028. The new LNG carrier order aligns with the company’s ongoing efforts to support the modernization of global LNG transport fleets and the expanding African gas sector.
As the New Gas Consortium ramps up production and the Soyo facility continues to optimize output, Angola is set to strengthen its position in the regional and global LNG market, boosting revenues and diversifying its hydrocarbon export portfolio.
