The Shanghai-listed ro-pax owner said the stock will trade from 9 September.

The slice represents a 42.28% stake in the company.

In May, the Shandong-based operator said it was spending some of its $175m September 2012 IPO cash on two 2,500-lane-metre ships that will be able to carry 2,300 passengers.

The vessels are costing about $61m each.

It runs two vessels in China, but said it was in talks with a Korean partner over a joint venture to expand its business.