NYK Armateur - a future subsidiary of Gaz de France (40%) and the Japanese shipowner NYK LINE (60%) - has signed a contract with Chantiers de l'Atlantique (Alstom Marine) for the construction of a 153,500 cu.m LNG carrier* to be chartered by Gaz de France for a period of 20 years.

This vessel, identical to the \"Provalys\" ordered by Gaz de France in September 2003, will be equipped with tanks which use the cryogenic cargo containment system developped by Gaztransport and Technigaz, a Gaz de France subsidiary. It will be powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system running mainly on natural gas.

The fleet of six LNG carriers currently chartered by Gaz de France will soon be enlarged to include three new ships built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique: \"Gaz de France energY\", a 74,000 cu.m LNG carrier to be completed at the end of this year, \"Provalys\", scheduled for delivery at the end of 2005, and the vessel owned jointly with NYK LINE to be delivered in late 2006.

NYK LINE also holds a 20% stake in Gazocéan, a Gaz de France subsidiary (80%), specialized in the technical management and chartering of LNG carriers.

For Pierre Gadonneix, Chairman and CEO of Gaz de France, \"this new LNG carrier order confirms Gaz de France's position as the European leader in liquefied natural gas and illustrates our ambitious investment strategy, focusing on France especially\".

* An LNG carrier is a ship designed to carry liquefied natural gas. Natural gas can be transformed into a liquid by cooling to minus 160°C. For the same quantity of energy, the volume of LNG is around 600 times smaller than that of natural gas in gaseous form, making it suitable for transport by sea.

Gaz de France has Europe's most diversified supply portfolio. It imports liquefied natural gas mainly from Algeria and, from the end of 2005, from Egypt. LNG currently represents a quarter of the Group's long-term natural gas supplies.

Press contact: Sabine Wacquez. Tel: +33 1 47 54 24 43

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