Korean shipbuilder DSME said on its website that the 174,000-cbm ships are worth about $800m in total.

SK Shipping was the other winner in the Kogas deal, ordering two vessels at Samsung.

Kogas floated the tender in July, with TradeWinds later reporting that up to 10 shipowners had shown an interest in the business.

The energy company needs the LNG carrier newbuildings to lift the 3.5