Danish offshore shipping player Esvagt is reported to be up for sale as its private equity owners seek to exit.
The Danish news website Inside Business reported that JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank have been brought in by 3i Infrastructure and AMP Capital to find a buyer.
They are hoping to achieve a price of DKK 6bn ($947m), six years after acquiring the business from AP Moller-Maersk for DKK 4bn.
Esvagt told TradeWinds that it is not commenting on the matter at the moment.
The owners believe a deal is achievable within months, with European fund Antin Infrastructure Partners and US rivals Blackstone and KKR having shown interest, Inside Business reported.
Esvagt was set up in 1981 and has a fleet of more than 40 ships.
The Esbjerg-based company has been increasingly focused on offshore wind farm vessels in recent years, as oil and gas markets struggled.
In March, Esvagt entered into a joint venture for US wind farms with domestic shipowner Crowley Maritime.
Loss last year
In 2020, the company's loss was DKK 246m, of which DKK 200m was due to provisions for the emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) fleet.
The group has 100 staff onshore and another 1,000 on its ships. It also has offices in Aberdeen and Copenhagen.
Esvagt has eight service operation vessels and another due for delivery in 2021. The ERRV fleet stands at 33 units.
