Wärtsilä Signs Five-Year Service Deal for TMS Cardiff Gas LNG Carriers 2026

Key Points

• Wärtsilä has signed a five-year service agreement with TMS Cardiff Gas, based in Greece.
• The agreement involves two newbuild liquefied natural gas carriers that have been delivered recently – Al Thurayya and Al Majhoulah.
• Al Thurayya and Al Majhoulah both have a carrying capacity of 174,000 cubic meters and were recently launched into operation.
• Wärtsilä registered the order in Q3 of 2026.
• The aim of the agreement is to ensure the optimal availability of vessels and high reliability through optimized maintenance planning and predictive maintenance.
• The services include Dynamic Maintenance Planning, 24/7 remote operational support, contract management and Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight predictive maintenance solution.
• Each of the vessels is powered by two WinGD 5X72DF main engines and four Wärtsilä 34DF auxiliary engines with Wärtsilä gas valve units.
• The agreement comes after Wärtsilä and TMS Cardiff Gas extended their previous agreement in 2025 for seven vessels in the operator’s fleet.
• TMS Cardiff Gas is a subsidiary of TMS that operates over 140 vessels in LNG, LPG, oil tanker, dry bulk and container segments.
• TMS Cardiff Gas also employs Wärtsilä’s Fleet Optimisation Solution for all vessels in its fleet.

Cardiff (Wales Times) October 07, 2026 — Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a five-year service agreement with Greece-based operator TMS uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff Gas to support the operation of two newbuild liquefied natural gas carrier vessels, Al Thurayya and Al Majhoulah. The agreement is intended to maximise vessel availability and operational reliability through optimised maintenance planning, expert support and predictive maintenance services.

As stated in Wärtsilä’s press release, the order was booked by the Finnish technology group in the third quarter of 2026. The agreement covers the two recently delivered 174,000-cubic-metre LNG carriers, both of which have entered service as part of TMS Cardiff Gas’s wider fleet-expansion programme.

What does the Wärtsilä agreement cover?

The five-year agreement provides lifecycle support for the two LNG carriers, focusing on maintenance planning, technical assistance and the use of operational data to identify potential equipment issues before they develop into operational problems.

According to Wärtsilä, the vessels will receive support through its Dynamic Maintenance Planning service. This service is designed to enable flexible maintenance scheduling, extended maintenance intervals and reduced spare-parts consumption.

The agreement also includes 24/7 remote operational support and contract-management services. In addition, it incorporates Expert Insight, Wärtsilä’s predictive-maintenance solution, which uses real-time operational data to identify potential issues before problems arise.

Wärtsilä said the arrangement is intended to help TMS Cardiff Gas minimise unplanned downtime, optimise maintenance activities and secure the long-term performance of critical onboard assets.

Which vessels are included?

The agreement covers Al Thurayya and Al Majhoulah, two newbuild LNG carriers recently delivered to TMS Cardiff Gas. Each vessel has a capacity of 174,000 cubic metres.

Wärtsilä confirmed that each ship is equipped with two WinGD 5X72DF two-stroke main engines, four Wärtsilä 34DF auxiliary engines and Wärtsilä gas valve units.

The two vessels have recently entered service as part of a broader fleet-expansion programme underway at TMS Cardiff Gas. Wärtsilä did not disclose the financial value of the service agreement in its announcement.

Why has TMS Cardiff Gas extended its Wärtsilä relationship?

The latest agreement builds on an existing relationship between Wärtsilä and TMS Cardiff Gas. In 2025, the two companies renewed an agreement covering seven vessels in the TMS Cardiff Gas fleet.

As reported in Wärtsilä’s announcement, that earlier agreement covered the two-stroke main engines onboard seven LNG carrier vessels for a further five years. It was designed to support operational reliability through flexible maintenance scheduling and optimisation of the time between overhauls.

Alexandros Politis-Kalenteris, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at TMS Cardiff Gas, said the existing agreement had delivered a successful combination of technology, high-quality spare-parts support and expert services.

“There is increasing global demand for LNG, and carrier operators place a high value on reliability. This is why this agreement with Wärtsilä is important to us,” Politis-Kalenteris said, as quoted by Wärtsilä.

He added that extending the collaboration to the two newbuild vessels supports TMS Cardiff Gas’s goal of maximising availability and operational performance across its fleet.

How will predictive maintenance be used?

A central element of the agreement is Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight predictive-maintenance solution. The system uses real-time operational data to identify potential issues before they become problems.

Wärtsilä said this approach is intended to give operators greater predictability and efficiency throughout the asset lifecycle. By combining digital capabilities, predictive maintenance and expert lifecycle services, the company said it aims to help customers maximise asset performance, reduce operational risk and maintain competitiveness.

Henrik Wilhelms, Director of Agreement Sales at Wärtsilä Marine, said operators are seeking greater predictability, efficiency and support as vessel operations become increasingly complex.

“By combining advanced digital capabilities, predictive maintenance and expert lifecycle services, we help our customers maximise asset performance, reduce operational risk and maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving operating environment,” Wilhelms said, according to Wärtsilä’s press release.

What wider Wärtsilä systems does TMS use?

In addition to the new service agreement and the equipment installed onboard the two carriers, TMS Cardiff Gas uses Wärtsilä’s Fleet Optimisation Solution across its wider fleet.

According to Wärtsilä, the Fleet Optimisation Solution integrates voyage planning, performance analytics, compliance management and real-time operational insight within a single digital platform. The company said the platform helps support the safe and efficient operation of TMS Cardiff Gas’s vessels.

TMS Cardiff Gas is part of TMS, which manages more than 140 vessels across the LNG, LPG, oil tanker, dry bulk and container-shipping segments.

What does the agreement mean for LNG operations?

Wärtsilä said LNG trade continues to grow, placing increasing pressure on vessel operators to maintain high levels of reliability, efficiency and schedule adherence. The company said effective lifecycle support plays an important role in helping ship operators reduce unplanned downtime and optimise maintenance activities.

The agreement is therefore positioned as a maintenance and operational-support arrangement rather than a new vessel-construction contract. Its scope covers the servicing and support of equipment already installed on Al Thurayya and Al Majhoulah.

The announcement was also carried by industry outlets including AJOT and Ship Energy, both of which reported the five-year agreement, the Q3 2026 order booking and the coverage of the two 174,000-cubic-metre LNG carriers.

Background of the development

Wärtsilä is a Finnish technology group that provides marine and energy technologies and lifecycle solutions. Its marine business offers power, propulsion and lifecycle solutions, including engines, propulsion systems, hybrid technology, exhaust treatment, shaft-line solutions and digital technologies.

TMS Cardiff Gas is a Greece-based LNG carrier operator and part of TMS. The company’s fleet-expansion programme has recently brought Al Thurayya and Al Majhoulah into service.

The new agreement follows a 2025 renewal between Wärtsilä and TMS Cardiff Gas covering seven LNG carriers. That earlier agreement included Wärtsilä’s Dynamic Maintenance Planning service and covered the two-stroke main engines onboard the seven vessels for a further five years.

Prediction: how this development can affect the maritime industry

For LNG carrier operators, the agreement highlights the growing importance of long-term service arrangements in maintaining vessel availability and reducing the risk of unplanned downtime. If the predictive-maintenance and remote-support services perform as described, TMS Cardiff Gas may be able to plan maintenance more efficiently and manage spare-parts use across the two new vessels.

For Wärtsilä, the agreement extends its relationship with an existing customer and adds two recently delivered LNG carriers to its service portfolio. It also reinforces the company’s focus on digital maintenance, real-time operational data and lifecycle support as shipping operators seek to manage increasingly complex vessel systems.

For the wider maritime sector, the development reflects continued investment in LNG shipping infrastructure and the increasing use of data-led maintenance services. Operators of LNG carriers and other technologically complex vessels may increasingly consider agreements that combine remote support, predictive maintenance and flexible servicing schedules to support operational reliability and schedule adherence.