The business daily mentioned the three firms, together with a marine transport unit of the Algerian firm, will set up a JV firm to manage two 75,500 cubic metre LNG carriers. The deal is said to be worth US$318 million and the vessels will be built by Japan’s Universal Shipbuilding Co. According to reports, the ships are slated for completion between 2007 and 2009.

According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun, “The carriers will be lent to Sonatrach for LNG shipping to Greece, Italy, Spain and other countries on the Mediterranean coast.”