Lois Zabrocky and John Hadjipateras rolled out welcome mats for two of the world’s most influential shipowners for different reasons in New York on Wednesday.

International Seaways chief Zabrocky’s embrace was for John Fredriksen after welcoming a representative of the shipowner onto the board of the company.

For Dorian LPG chief executive Hadjipateras, the greeting was for Andreas Sohmen-Pao, who is about to list BW LPG on the New York Stock Exchange alongside its rival half a decade after a public and hostile takeover attempt.