Nordea, DNB, Danske Bank, ABN Amro and KfW IPEX-Bank have stepped up with the $200m facility.

Christian Andersen, president of Avance Gas, says the funding adds to the equity portion for the ships that has been in place since its April 2014 initial public offering.

Each of the five banks was also involved in a loan from eight lenders which covered the first half of Avance’s newbuilding programme.