A top executive at Bahri Oil expects the markets for large crude tankers could finally begin to move upward in the middle of next year.

Hisham Nughaimish, vice president of commercial and operations at the crude tanker division of Saudi Arabian shipowner Bahri, told TradeWinds that the US sanctions against Iran that are due to be ­reinstated on 5 November will be a catalyst and will begin to tighten the market.