Euronav has moved to reassure investors of its faith in the tanker market after chairman Peter Livanos sold a $125m block of shares in the company.

Livanos has reduced his stake to just 2.5% after he cashed in nine million shares this week.

As TradeWinds reported on Wednesday the shipowner’s shares dropped sharply after Linavos’s shares were made available.

Finance sources noted the sale - coupled with private equity firm Greenbriar disposing of half of its Ardmore shares in the same week - had sparked concerns of smart money exiting tankers at the peak of the market.

“Euronav