Private German investment bank Berenberg has launched two new funds aimed at the ship mortgage loan market.

The closed-end multi-investor funds are for institutional investors and have been set up in tandem with Universal-Investment in Luxembourg as alternative investment fund manager.

Medium-sized shipowners will be financed with first lien ship mortgage loans in the major commercial shipping segments.

The bank's debt fund portfolio will thus grow to 20 funds by the end of 2021, with a total value of more than €5bn ($5.8bn),