THE CIT GROUP/EQUIPMENT FINANCING

Horizon Offshore Completes Refinancing

Horizon Offshore, Inc. has entered into a $77.4 million secured term facility agented by The CIT Group/Equipment Financing, Inc. The credit facility has a five year term and bears interest at LIBOR plus 4.5% per annum. The credit facility is payable in monthly installments of $0.9 million, plus interest, for the first 24 months beginning March 31, 2006 and $0.6 million, plus interest, for the next 35 months, with the remaining principal and unpaid interest due at maturity in March 2011. The proceeds from the facility were used to repay the outstanding amount under the Company's previous CIT Group facility maturing in March 2006 and outstanding amount under the $70 million senior secured term loan facility agented by Manchester Securities Corp. maturing in March 2007 and related closing costs and fees. Amounts outstanding under the new secured term loan facility are secured by mortgages on most of Horizon's vessels and contains covenants, events of default and cross-default provisions customary in financings of this type.

E-commerce Briefs

Autoship Goes Dot.Com Autoship Systems, per its partnership with Stargate, an ISP/ASP provider, has developed jointly a web site whereby their loading planning software, LPS, can be used remotely. Utilizing thin client technology, Autoship can now enable internationally located clients to work with LPS without actually implementing the software on their personal computers. Remote access through the Internet allows users to run deploy LPS using any available computer with Internet

LR Selects New Finance Director

Lloyd's Register (LR) has appointed Robert Biddle as group financial director, effective November 1. Biddle succeeds Christopher Gomm, who recently retired and will become a member of LR's board at the General Committee meeting in December. Biddle previously served as finance director of Eurotherm Plc, the industrial electronics group, for 10 years.

Credit Suisse to Grow Vietnamese Shipbuilding Funds

Financial services company Credit Suisse Group said it has signed a memorandum of understanding to develop additional financing of up to $1b and provide services for Vietnam's shipbuilding industry. Credit Suisse has arranged $600m in loans for the country's state-owned shipbuilding group, Vinashin, so far this year through an existing financing agreement. Credit Suisse shares rose 49 cents to $66.46 in afternoon trading. [Source: Associated Press]

Joe Pitch Joins Marine-Finance.Com

Marine-Finance.Com announced that Joe Pitch has signed on as Managing Director for Marine-Finance.Com LLC. Pitch joins former CitiCapital Commercial Marine Finance colleague Robert Girard, SVP, who, along with CEO Richard Paine, constituted the core of the CitiBank- affiliated marine group. Pitch is a 30-year veteran of the equipment leasing/finance industry he has financed more than $1b in equipment. Based in Dallas, Texas

Phil Cowan Returns to Moore Stephens

Corporate finance specialist Phil Cowan has returned to shipping accountant and consultant Moore Stephens as Head of Corporate Finance. Formerly Group CFO of V.Group Limited and Chairman of V.Ships Capital, Cowan has first-hand experience of ship management, marine services, shipbroking and ship finance, and represented shipowners and investors in a number of shipping asset investments, structuring equity and debt finance. He was responsible for a number of V

First Ship Lease Closes $100m Mezzanine Financing

First Ship Lease Ltd., a commercial finance company focused on diverse shipping assets, today announced the successful completion of a $100 million mezzanine financing facility. The mezzanine facility, combined with previous equity financing and senior debt to be raised on a transactional basis, allows First Ship Lease to provide in excess of $500 million in operating and finance leases to shipping and industrial companies that meet its credit criteria.

Financial Groups Meet to Discuss Financing for Panama Expansion

After presenting the Expansion Program at key financial centers around the world, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) hosted a two-day workshop on the waterway's expansion financing in Panama this week. Amid a packed room at the ACP training center, some of the best known global multilateral development banks attended a workshop, held December 11-12, to gain more insight on the project and the ACP's desire to finance a portion of expansion.

Clark Managing Director, BMT Marine & Offshore Surveys

BMT Marine & Offshore Surveys Ltd, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, announced the appointment of Nigel Clark as Managing Director with former Managing Director Dr. Phil Thompson taking on the role of non-executive Chairman. Clark has been with the company since September 2009 having joined as Finance Director. He has a background in the marine and offshore sectors having held senior positions within a

Michel Sirat Appointed CFO of CMA CGM Group

CMA CGM Group has appointed Michel Sirat to the position of Group Chief Financial Officer. With degrees from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques of Paris, the Ecole Centrale of Paris and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration, Sirat began his career at the French Treasury Department, followed by a posting at the International Monetary Fund, in Washington D.C. After eleven years at the French Ministry of Finance