BNP Paribas Investment Partners-sponsored Antin Infrastructure Partners is attempting to raise capital from local institutional investors before its fund's third close in March.

Antin chief executive Alain Rauscher said the fund always targeted European, Canadian, United States, Australian, New Zealand and Gulf  investors, but was now focusing its attention on Australian and Canadian institutional investors.

So far the Paris-based fund is halfway to its $1.6 billion target.

The fund had raised total commitments of $812 million at the completion of its second close in mid-December 2009.

These funds were raised primarily from Scandinavian, German and French investors.

"This achievement is the result of clear independent governance, a unique mix of financial and industrial expertise combined with a focused investment strategy on the Euro zone," Rauscher said.

Cornerstone investor BNP Paribas had prior to this invested $378 million, 25 per cent of the fund's size.

In January, Antin announced it had acquired a third of French independent oil storage company Pisto from Lombard Odier Macquarie Infrastructure Fund. The deal is subject to European Union antitrust clearance.

Antin has already invested in three other companies: Euroports, a portfolio of bulk ports in continental Europe; Porterbrook, a rail company in the United Kingdom; and Bin Istra, a motorway in Croatia.

Antin vice president Charlotte Dewynter said the last close of the fund would be around October.

Antin is BNP Paribas' dedicated partner for managing infrastructure funds and has a focus on infrastructure assets in continental Europe.