Nakilat (which means “carriers” in Arabic) is a Qatari shipping company that forms an integral link of the LNG supply chain for the State of Qatar. It was established in 2004 and is a joint stock company owned 50% by its founding shareholders and 50% by the public as a result of an IPO in 2005.
Nakilat is building a large fleet of vessels to transport LNG produced from Qatar’s North Field, the world’s largest non-associated gas field with approximately 15% of the world’s proven reserves, to global markets. By 2010, Nakilat will own 54 LNG vessels, making it the largest LNG ship owner in the world.