If you are among the growing number of shipowners who are looking to tap the capital markets by way of an initial public offering (IPO) in the US, there is a strong chance you will end up chatting with Jefferies.

The investment bank boasts one of the largest equity-sales teams on Wall Street, which is why it may not come as a surprise that the firm has been on the front line of nearly all the New York listings the shipping industry has seen in 2013.

Jefferies’