MPC Container Ships (MPCC) looks set to hand out big payments to shareholders following its fleet optimisation.

The Oslo-listed, German-controlled owner has bought five modern feeder vessels from Lomar Shipping, while selling one of its own ships and taking early redelivery of another.

Clarksons Securities analysts Frode Morkedal and Even Kolsgaard said: “The selling and redelivery initiatives appear to be positive because they materialise asset values and backlog at a time when the stock is trading significantly below net asset value.