John Angelicoussis-led Maran Gas Maritime has inked an optional slot for an LNG carrier and has to make a decision on a second newbuilding at DSME shortly as the company snares charter employment with Japan's JERA.

Industry sources told TradeWinds that Maran Gas signed its latest newbuilding deal with its favoured South Korean shipbuilder late last week.

The move came shortly before an announcement from JERA that its LNG Marine Transport subsidiary had chartered in a 173,400-cbm LNG newbuilding under construction at DSME from Maran Gas from late 2019 for 12 years.