BW LPG’s foray into commodities trading — a rare move for a shipowner — could be aided by its parent group’s takeover of smaller peer Epic Gas for gas distribution, according to chief executive Martin Ackermann.

With the world’s largest LPG shipping capacity, the Oslo-listed unit of BW Group in February unveiled its product services team, which was set up to buy LPG and deliver it on a cost, insurance and freight basis to end users to maximise fleet utilisation.