Japanese trader Marubeni is believed to have re-let a Golar LNG vessel this week for a short-term charter but at a rate slightly under what it is paying for the ship.Citigroup traders have snapped up the 140,643-cbm Golar Arctic (built 2008) for a six-month period, brokers said.The rate is understood to be in the $120,000 to $130,000 per day range. Marubeni previously fixed Golar Arctic for three years from March at a strong daily level of $137,000. The trader is said to have been utilising the vessel for shipments into Argentina but these are expected to tail off as gas demand falls with the start of the southern hemisphere summer.Market watchers commented that the slightly lower level for the short-term fixture is indicative of the downward pressure LNG carrier charter rates have been under over the past few weeks.Levels still remain high for charterers looking to take in tonnage, though, and rates could well strengthen again with the onset of the winter heating season when LNG demand traditionally rises, they added.Next week another Golar ship, the 145,700-cbm Golar Maria (built 2006), is due to come off-hire.The vessel, along with the 138,106-cbm Excel (built 2003), is one of two modern charter-free LNG carriers that are available for long-term business. Brokers said fixtures for these ships could set the market tone going forward.