John Fredriksen’s pursuit of Belgian tanker giant Euronav has taken a sharp twist with the revelation that a private entity has taken a 16% holding in New York’s International Seaways, another major tanker owner that has been a close Euronav ally.

A holding by a private Fredriksen-controlled entity, Famatown Finance Ltd, of just over 8m shares in the US-listed owner has been revealed in a filing with US securities regulators.