The largest shareholders of Nordic American Tankers are now Herbjorn Hansson, founder, chairman and chief executive of the firm, and his son.

In a letter to shareholders and investors Herbjorn Hansson said he has bought 200,000 shares at $5.7016 per share, bringing his total holdings to 5,500,000 shares.

“Simultaneously, my son, Alexander Hansson, vice-chair of NAT has bought 200,000 shares at $5.6959 per share, bringing his holdings to 5,550,000 shares,” he wrote.

Following this transaction, the Hansson family collectively owns 11,050,000 shares and has 5.2 per cent of the total outstanding shares in the firm.

Mr Hansson said, as in the past, his family is the largest private shareholder group in the company.

“Prospects for our group are good,” Mr Hansson said.