Qatar Petroleum, Qatargas and four energy majors have teamed up to work on new designs for medium-size and large LNG carriers.

The outfits have hooked up with technology provider LNT Marine, classification society American Bureau of Shipping and Chinese yard Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding to carry out the work.

Qatar Petroleum, a major LNG producer, said the companies have signed a “multi-party agreement" paving the way for setting up a joint industry project targeting the development of designs that will use the LNT A-Box A-type LNG cargo containment system.