Analysts are predicting the owner will record a deficit of $1.36 per share when its results are released to the market later.

This would follow on from losses of $1.33 per share and $1.63 per share in 2012 and 2011 respectively.

Euronav is always the quarterly bellwether for public crude tanker owners. Following its $1bn takeover of the Maersk VLCC fleet in January and a pending US listing, this time around there is extra focus on what Euronav has to say.

Eirik