Nakilat is a newly formed shipping companythat is an important part 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.

It 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 total proven reserves, to global markets. By 2010, Nakilat expects to own up to 54 LNG vessels, making it one of the largest LNG ship owners in the world.