Woodfield Systems, a 103-year-old British engineering company known for manufacturing LNG Marine Loading Arms, is set to ship its first India-made LNG Marine Loading Arm from its facility near Mumbai, marking a significant shift in production of the critical LNG equipment from the UK to India.

The company on Tuesday said it has successfully manufactured India’s first LNG Marine Loading Arm at its Asangaon facility, using the British firm’s design expertise and intellectual property along with Indian manufacturing infrastructure. The equipment, which was earlier manufactured only in the UK, will now be produced in India following the company’s acquisition by an Indian promoter group in 2024.

The first India-manufactured LNG Marine Loading Arm is being shipped to a leading oil and gas company in the Middle East, while a second unit is scheduled for testing by June 10. Woodfield Systems said it expects the India-made LNG Marine Loading Arm business to generate revenues of $20–30 million (around ₹193–290 crore) by FY27. “This is a defining milestone, not just for Woodfield Systems, but for what India is now capable of delivering to the world. For the first time, an LNG Marine Loading Arm has been built entirely in India — designed, engineered and manufactured end-to-end — using the intellectual property and technical heritage of a 103-year-old British pioneering company,” Kartik Gala, CEO and one of the promoters of Woodfield Systems, told the businessline. 

Woodfield said manufacturing in India offers a 30–40% cost advantage compared to the UK, depending on equipment size, making the shift commercially significant for global competitiveness. LNG Marine Loading Arms are considered highly specialised critical equipment used for transferring liquefied natural gas between shore terminals and LNG carriers. The systems have traditionally been dominated by European manufacturers because of the engineering precision and safety standards involved. 

“Although the customer in the middle-east has been served from the UK earlier, this is the first time they agreed to have this critical equipment manufactured in India. This proves the confidence the customer has in the new-age India manufacturing,” said Gala. Each LNG Marine Loading Arm is estimated to cost between $1.2–1.5 million (around ₹11.6–14.5 crore). The company expects the India-made LNG Marine Loading Arm business to generate revenues of $20–30 million (around ₹193–290 crore) by FY27.

LNG Marine Loading Arms are highly specialised systems used for transfer of liquefied natural gas between shore terminals and LNG carriers. “There are three applications of this arm — ship to ship, shore to ship, or ship to shore,” Gala said.“Because of the costs involved in manufacturing in the UK, the kind of market share that we wanted was not doable. That is why the company decided that even the critical technologies and equipment must be moved to India to start manufacturing,” Gala said.

He added that while the company had earlier manufactured loading systems for chemicals, crude oil, LPG, kerosene, petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel, LNG loading arms had so far continued to be imported into India from Europe. “LNG marine loading arms were never manufactured here. This is a huge step. India has always used LNG arms imported from Europe. To date the country imports these arms and we will be the first to start manufacturing them here,” he said. Woodfield Systems said LNG Marine Loading Arms and metering skids are among its key products. Metering skids are used to measure LNG volumes once cargo is unloaded from ships. The company also manufactures modular platforms for ports, oil and gas, chemical and fertiliser sectors.

Woodfield Systems International (WSI) acquired Woodfield Systems UK in 2024. This strategic acquisition allowed WSI to shift manufacturing of marine loading arms to India. The global market size for marine loading arms is estimated at around ₹10,000 crore, with Woodfield Systems currently holding a market share of nearly ₹350–400 crore. The company’s consolidated revenues stand at around ₹280 crore, with LNG Marine Loading Arms expected to contribute nearly 12% of revenues going forward. The Asangaon facility currently houses three plants with a production capacity of nearly 50 loading arms annually across categories, including LNG arms. The company said it has invested close to ₹100 crore in the facility over the last few years and plans further investments of nearly $100 million to expand manufacturing capabilities across sectors.

The company is also in advanced discussions with customers across the Middle East and Far East Asia, regions witnessing strong investments in LNG infrastructure. Manufacturing in India is expected to improve cost competitiveness, delivery timelines and after-market servicing capabilities for customers in these markets.

Published on May 27, 2026