Shipmanagement heavyweights have been quick to hit back following suggestions that major growth and mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have led to some unhappy clients jumping ship.

Anglo-Eastern Univan chief executive Bjorn Hojgaard said: “It is because of our scale and setup, not despite of it, that every client and ship gets the attention required — and more.”

Hojgaard argues that the scale of the company is “a result of what you do, not why you do it”.