Earnings of NOK 46.7m ($7.7m) for the three months to 31 Decembercompared to a NOK 31.3m profit in the final leg of 2012.

The improvement was helped by a tax gain of NOK 300,000 reversingthe NOK 10 it paid last year.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation(Ebidta) jumped to NOK 380m from NOK 290.6m.

Revenue for the period was up by over 10% to NOK 1.03bnagainst