Companies contemplating an initial public offering need to have a very strong and sustainable business case that must stand up to scrutiny, according to newly-listed Russian shipowner Sovcomflot (SCF Group).

Speaking at 12th Annual Marine Money London Virtual Ship Finance Forum, Sovcomflot chief financial officer Nikolai Kolesnikov reflected on the lessons learned from the company's long-awaited IPO last year, which he described as a “new” and “very exciting” experience.