Looking to accelerate the shift to alternative marine fuels, UAE-based port operator AD Ports Group has hosted its inaugural ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation at its flagship deep-water Khalifa Port.
Carried in collaboration with marine fuels supplier Monjasa, the STS bunkering was part of a simultaneous operation in which the 2023-built containership MSC Thais received LNG fuel from Monjasa-chartered bunker vessel Green Zeebrugge while berthed at Abu Dhabi Terminals.
According to AD Ports, this operation demonstrated the concurrent transfer of LNG and cargo, in addition to highlighting the company’s “ability to integrate complex and efficient services into its port infrastructure and operations, whilst facilitating access to lower carbon fuels, which support both the industry and global environmental objectives” .
Saif Al Mheiri , CEO of Abu Dhabi Maritime and Chief Sustainability Officer at AD Ports Group, said: “By adhering to the highest safety and environmental standards, AD Ports Group and Monjasa are ensuring that shipowners have reliable access to a diversified fuel mix that supports their decarbonisation objectives. AD Ports Group will continue to explore and implement forward-looking solutions that drive progress toward global sustainability goals.”
Looking ahead, AD Ports Group and Monjasa intend to continue expanding LNG bunkering services across the AD Ports’ commercial ports in Abu Dhabi, including cruise vessels at Zayed Port.
Monjasa completed the UAE’s first LNG bunkering operation at the beginning of 2025 in Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal B, delivering LNG to Costa Smeralda, the 2020-built cruise ship owned by Costa Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation.
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Demand for LNG bunker vessels and port infrastructure is on an upward trajectory, with an additional 57 ports expected to be upgraded with LNG bunkering facilities by the end of 2026 thanks to the rise in the adoption of LNG as a marine fuel and a robust orderbook of LNG-capable vessels.
According to Intermodal Shipbrokers’ report from March, the LNG bunkering market saw 32 LNG bunkering vessels engaged in ship-to-ship fueling as of 2025. The fleet’s combined capacity equals 263,201 cubic meters (cbm) – more than double since 2022 – with projections indicating a further tonnage increase of 6% in 2025 and a robust 18% in 2026.
Additionally, the average size of newly ordered LNG bunkering vessels has increased to 17,179 cbm, compared to the current average of 8,225 cbm, signaling a shift towards larger units.