In its first earnings statement since listing in Oslo in November, the Sohmen-Pao-controlled outfit revealed a net profit of $35.9m in the three months to 31 December.

The result reversed a net loss of $35.2m for the comparative period of 2012 thanks mainly to VLGC charter rates soaring by 70% to $35,600 per day from $20,800 daily.

Total time charter equivalent (TCE) earnings for the final quarter of last year came in at $101.8m