Three asset managers headquartered in New York and Lichtenstein are emerging as the private buyers behind Pyxis Tankers’ recent $4.8m shares sale.

Manhattan-based Empery Asset Management and Hudson Bay Capital are taking about $3.2m of the issuance, with Lichtenstein-domiciled Alpha Capital Anstalt the remaining $1.6m, according to Pyxis' filings to US securities regulators.

None of the three funds appear to have a significant track record of investment in shipping.