Under the deal J & S Cheniere S.A. will use the 'Tenaga Empat', a 20-year-old carrier, to meet its LNG trading needs in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Basin from January 2004 through 2007, a MISC statement said.

MISC operates the world's largest fleet of 15 LNG tankers with a combined capacity of 1.63 million cubic metres. Two more 'Puteri Satu' class vessels will be put into service upon delivery later this year, increasing MISC's LNG fleet to 17 by year end

MLNG Sdn Bhd, another Petronas unit, is currently using Tenaga Empat to move LNG from Bintulu in east Malaysia to buyers in Japan under a 20-year deal expiring October. The vessel will be undergoing refurbishment work before starting on the new time charter party.

Under the new charter, the carrier will transport LNG cargoes from export terminals in the Middle East and North Africa to import terminals in Europe and east coast of the United States.

Petronas, Malaysia's state oil and gas corporation, owns 65% of MISC.