Final repayment earlier this month of a $418.5m loan pile due this year allows US-listed Navios Maritime Partners (NMM) to consider growing its fleet or returning more money to shareholders, its chief Angeliki Frangou said.

“As we look towards 2020, we have more choices,” Frangou told analysts in a conference call after releasing the company's third-quarter results.

Foremost in the company's sights are three sub-panamax and two panamax containerships currently in Navios Europe 1 - a special purpose vehicle in which NMM owns a 5% stake and which could be dissolved by the end of the year.