TOKYO- Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. said Tuesday it has joined hands with German drilling services company MHWirth GmbH to develop a technology to harvest methane hydrates, a potential next-generation energy source for Japan, from the seafloor.

Specifically, the tie-up is aimed at establishing an eco-friendly, economical technology to gather shallow-type methane hydrates from the seabed of the Sea of Japan.

Mitsui Engineering hopes to put the expected technology in commercial use in the future under a government program, company officials said. (Jiji Press)