Euronav spelled out its sceptical stance on scrubbers as it reported a third quarter loss in a tanker market where growing demand is boosting rates despite trade war tensions.

Euronav chief executive Paddy Rodgers has been a regular critic of the exhaust gas cleaning systems, which, according to Arctic Securities, will presently be installed on 99 VLCCs by 2020.

The position was explained in the company’s third quarter report today and in a subsequent by chief executive Paddy Rodgers on Bloomberg TV.