Tongues are wagging that Rickmers Group may be gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO).

Officially, the suggestion is played down by the Hamburg-based owner and manager of container and multipurpose (MPP) ships.

Yet comments made by Ron Widdows — the former Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) boss who took the reins at Rickmers Holding last year — have done little to dampen speculation that the shipping group is preparing to tap the capital markets.

Widdows