West African LNG exporter Nigeria LNG (NLNG) is moving ahead with a fresh round of fleet renewal， with its shipping arm Bonny Gas Transport (BGT) selecting China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for a new tranche of LNG carrier tonnage.

Newbuilding sources said BGT has agreed to contract three 174，000 cum LNG carriers at the Shanghai yard， with deliveries from China’s leading LNG carrier builder set for 2029. The deal includes options for a further three vessels， giving Hudong-Zhonghua a potential six-ship programme if all units are firmed.

The order marks another step in NLNG’s long-term fleet modernization drive. BGT already operates 13 LNG carriers， including six DFDE vessels built under the BGT Plus initiative.

NLNG， which produces about 22 m tonnes per annum of LNG from its Bonny Island complex， moves cargoes worldwide via an extensive chartered fleet. Its broader shipping network includes 23 LNG carriers on long-term charters， as well as one LPG vessel serving the domestic market. The company in which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) holds a 49% stake has long-term gas supply agreements with joint venture partners Shell， TotalEnergies， and Eni.