An officer of tanker owner General Maritime Corp (Genmar) blames a "herd mentality" for the sharp decline in the company's stock since its $144m initial public offering in June.

Chief financial officer James Christodoulou acknowledges disappointment in Genmar's stock performance ahead of the company's second-quarter earnings report.

Chief executive Peter Georgiopoulos was expected publicly to address the slide for the first time in remarks following the earnings release this week.

Christodoulou