Stelmar Eyes Cyprus Bourse

Tanker firm Stelmar Marine Holdings Ltd. officially applied on Wednesday for listing on the Cyprus Stock Exchange. The company was established in 1992 by Greek Cypriot entrepreneur Stelios Haji Ioannou and owns and operates a fleet of 12 tankers with an average age of eight years. The company is planning to raise $54.6 million through the Cyprus Stock Exchange for further expansion of the fleet. The amount will be raised through the issue of 42 million new shares of face value $1 at the flotation price of $1.30, the company said. Approximately 27 million shares will be placed with private investors and 15 million will be offered to the public. Company executives said Stelmar, which is now based in Athens and London but plans to create a small office in Cyprus, would use the additional liquidity to acquire six new tankers.