The leadership of venerable Connecticut tanker brokerage Charles R Weber is reported to have given notice of their departure for a competing firm, according to rumours rippling through the US tanker market on Tuesday.

The apparent departures of co-managing directors Christos Papanicolau and Christos Alexandros could not be immediately confirmed on Tuesday despite repeated messages to Weber.

The move would come only 15 months after the duo took the helm at the 82-year-old Greenwich firm, having replaced long-time managing director James Ford.