Westshore Shipbrokers is planning to conduct a major share issue in the first quarter of next year in a bid to inject capital in the company, according to the Norwegian financial daily Finansavisen.

The move comes as offshore broking houses are suffering from a poor market that has also been hit shipowners hard in the sector.

Kristiansand-based Westshore, which has total debt of more than NOK 19m ($2.2m),