The cooperation pact was revealed by MES presidentTakao Tanaka in an interview with Japanese national daily Mainichi.

He says the tie up is targeting the majornewbuilding tenders expected to emerge as a result of US LNG shale gas exportsprojects and a general increase in the LNG trades. The two companies believethey will  win their first orders by 2014.

It also follows a recent tie up betweenMitsubishi Heavy Industries and Imabari Shipbuilding which agreed to set up ajoint venture company, MI LNG, to bid for LNG carrier orders.