Norwegian shipping tycoon Arne Blystad has disposed of almost all his stock in domestic shipping lender Maritime & Merchant Bank.

The selldown comes as the investor and other shareholders in boxship owner Songa Container are being asked to dig into their pockets for fresh injections of cash.

The Henning Oldendorff-backed bank told the Oslo over-the-counter exchange that Blystad had sold stock in two tranches this week and last week, in deals worth NOK 38.6m