Today’s successful $230mfundraiser for New York-listed Scorpio Tankers comes just 20 days after USsecurities regulators posted the Norwegian finance house its underwritinglicence.

Erik Helberg, PlatouMarkets chief executive, says he is super happy after the landmark issue – aprocess he describes as both hard work and great fun.

Spelling out Platou’sMarkets ambition to be a lead provider for its core shipping and offshoresectors in the US capital markets, he suggests the licence arrived in the mailat just the right time as risk appetite for shipping is returning amonginvestors.