Adnoc adds 11 vessels + Orbitworks preps for satellite work

Adnoc adds 11 more vessels under its own export chain

Adnoc Logistics & Services acquired 11 large carriers for around USD 1.3 bn — five modern very large gas carriers (VLGCs) and six very large crude carriers (VLCCs), it said in a press release.

The details: Nine vessels — six VLCCs and three VLGCs — were acquired on the secondary market and are set to enter service immediately upon their delivery in 3Q of this year. The remaining two VLGCs were acquired from a Chinese shipyard on a resale and are set to be delivered in 4Q.

The acquisition nearly doubles Adnoc’s fleet of both vessel types to 14 VLCCs and 12 VLGCs, coming right after it purchased five VLCCs and three VLGCs last week. The expansion comes as Abu Dhabi has more oil to move — and more ways to move it as it ramps up alternative export options via Fujairah.

UAE moves from space customer to satellite maker

Abu Dhabi-based Orbitworks is preparing to launch the UAE’s first homegrown commercial satellite, marking a shift from buying space capabilities to building them locally, according to CNBC. The Altair Satellite is part of a planned 10-satellite, AI-enabled Earth observation constellation, with the first launch targeted for October.

IN CONTEXT- Orbitworks is manufacturing and integrating the satellite in Abu Dhabi, with the company already securing international demand, including a multi-year agreement with France’s CNES. The UAE is pushing to localize more of its space stack, building sovereign infrastructure like the Eshara ground segment and a national Earth-observation hub.