Sources close to the deal told Bloomberg that bidders are Denmark's DFDS, an alliance of private-equity firms Esas Holding and Actera Partners, and domestic infrastructure investor Global Yatirim Holding, which owns ports.

The price may well be below the $1.33bn paid by KKR to previous owner International Transporters Association of Turkey (UND) in 2007.

UN Ro-Ro has debts of $800m.

KKR has a 97.6%