Any takeover or merger involving Euronav and John Fredriksen's Frontline will probably need a cash element rarely seen in the shipping sector until this year.

This is the view of Clarksons Platou Securities analysts Frode Morkedal and Omar Nokta, who argue it "seems likely" that any combination proposal will require some form of cash component.

This would echo LNG carrier company mergers and acquisitions (M&As) this year involving GasLog, Hoegh LNG, Golar LNG Partners and Teekay LNG Partners.