Ilias Iliopoulos, chief executive of Ceres LNG holding company GasLog, said a subsidiary holds a 25% stake in a 149,000-cbm newbuilding due for delivery at the end of 2007. He declined to name the vessel or the other partners.

Market players suggested the mystery ship is the first BG vessel dedicated to lift LNG from its Egypt LNG production, in which Greek shipowner Chandris is taking a stake.

Chandris,