Ridgebury Tankers is firmly back in the buyer’s ring after shelving efforts to sell its suezmax, aframax and medium-range (MR) tankers.

Private equity investor Riverstone, the main shareholder in the US shipowner, and investors who supported a separate “steel box” VLCC play executed in 2015, are keen to support further growth, says chief executive Bob Burke.

Burke had been seeking a replay of his previous success at Chembulk Tankers when a “for sale” sign was placed on 16 of Ridgebury’s tankers late last year.