Danish Ship Finance has ended a long search for a buyer and agreed to sell to a consortium containing compatriot financial heavyweight Axcel and pension funds PFA and PKA.

The trio will take a 72% stake in a deal that values Danish Ship Finance at DKK 4.72bn ($708.8m).

Danish Ship Finance has been reviewing its strategic alternatives for more than a year and described today’s outcome as a “highly satisfactory solution”.

Chairman