Long-term investors are beginning to return to public tanker companies while the development of a more active wet futures market would aid stock prices, leading executives say.

The suggestions from Euronav chief executive Paddy Rodgers and Nikolas Tsakos, chief executive of Tsakos Energy Navigation came during a panel debate at the TradeWinds Shipowners forum at Posidonia.

“What we have seen is people are beginning to invest in us, who are long-term value players,” said Rodgers.