Dnb Nor

Tsai Joins DnB NOR Asia in Singapore

Teddy Tsai, an Asia shipping and transport sector analyst with more than ten years’ expertise in investment research, has joined DnB NOR Asia at the bank’s regional headquarters in Singapore. Tsai has been appointed Deputy Head of Research in Asia and comes to the bank from his role as Head of Research at CLSA Capital Partners, in Hong Kong, where he worked as part of the investment team, developing overviews of the sectors including offshore supply, product tankers, dry bulk and container shipping. He was also involved in producing the fund’s business plan and in investment activities including due diligence, pre-investment evaluation, and negotiations. Previously, Mr Tsai held the position of Vice President – Asia Pacific Transportation Research (Shipping) at Merrill Lynch, from 2003-2008, where he was responsible for equity research covering shipping stocks in Asia. As part of that role, he was involved in a variety of external and internal broker surveys, and developed innovative products such as a proprietary dry bulk supply-demand model and Baltic Dry Index forecasts. Prior to 2003, Mr Tsai worked in equity research for Morgan Stanley in Taipei and Insight Pacific Investment Research in Taipei and San Francisco. Tsai holds a BA in Economics and another in Political Science & International Relations, both from the University of California, San Diego, and a Lloyd’s Maritime Academy diploma in ship finance.

MC Shipping Shareholders Approve Merger

MC Shipping Inc. announced that, at a special meeting of shareholders held today, its shareholders approved the merger agreement pursuant to which Mast Acquisition Ltd., a newly-formed affiliate of Bear Stearns Merchant Banking ("BSMB"), will acquire the outstanding shares of MC Shipping for a price of $14.25 per share in cash. Approximately 97.5% of MC Shipping's common shares present and voting at the special meeting were voted in favor of the proposed merger, representing approximately 75

Hornbeck Offshore Closes New Revolving Credit Facility

Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. has closed on a new five- year senior secured revolving credit facility that increased the amount of the borrowing base, extended the maturity, lowered the interest rate and improved the financial flexibility of the covenant package of the Company's prior revolving credit facility, commensurate with its enhanced credit standing. The new revolving credit facility has increased the Company's borrowing base from $60 million to $100 million

Euronav NV Gets $1.6B Bank Facility

Euronav NV signed a $1.6 billion senior secured credit facility with Nordea and DnB NOR acting as lead arrangers, Nordea as sole bookrunner and facility agent and Calyon, Citibank, Deutsche Schiffsbank, HSH Nordbank, Hypo-Vereinsbank, Royal Bank of Scotland and Scotiabank acting as co-arrangers. The credit facility, which was oversubscribed by more than 58%, consists of a term loan of USD 865 million, a non-amortising revolving loan facility of USD 500 million and additional term loan of up to

Odfjell: Strategic Partnership with Lindsay Goldberg

Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement of 18 May 2011, in which Odfjell announced its intentions to enter into a strategic partnership with Lindsay Goldberg LLC to grow its tank terminal business in Europe and North America. Odfjell signed definitive agreements for a strategic partnership with Lindsay Goldberg LLC, a US-based private equity firm. The partnership enhances our platform for organic and strategic investments and expansions in the tank terminal business in Europe and

Ship Finance: Where is the Money?

By Greg Trauthwein While capital for the maritime industry remains tight, lenders insist that funding is available for well- managed public companies. At the 17th Annual Joint Shipping Conference held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel February 8, 2011 - a conference co-sponsored by the Hellenic-American/Norwegian-American Chambers of Commerce - finance leaders addressed the question of capital availability. "There is a flight to quality," said Martin Lunder, SVP, Nordea Bank

DnB NOR Global E&P Spending Report: Growth Continues

The 65 oil companies covered in DnB NO’s fifth annual E&P spending report expect a spending increase of 14% in 2011, 8% in 2012 and 7% in 2013. For 2011 we expect activity growth in line with last year; however, service costs are increasing and expected to contribute one third of the total growth rate. We believe that this, combined with fundamentals such as an organic Reserve Replacement Ratio of 87% and increased focus on deepwater and challenging areas

General Maritime Refinancing Initiative

Refinancing Initiatives Strengthen Company's Balance Sheet and Capital Structure NEW YORK, May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- General Maritime Corporation (NYSE: GMR) announced today that it has completed the syndication of an Amendment of its 2005 revolving credit facility of $550 million and $200 million payment-in-kind toggle floating rate secured notes ("Secured Notes") with Oaktree Capital Management L.P. ("Oaktree")

Call For Entries For Clean Ship Award and Next Generation Ship Award

Nor-Shipping announces the call for entries for the Nor-Shipping Awards 2011, which are the Clean Ship Award and the Next Generation Ship Award. The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2011.  The Clean Ship Award pays tribute to the ship that has contributed to the greatest reduction of emissions to air or discharges to sea in relation to its function and operation. Only ships delivered after the previous Nor-Shipping in June 2009 are eligible

Aker Proposes New Kvaerner Board

Aker Maritime, which wants wide-ranging link-ups with Kvaerner, proposed a new board for Kvaerner before a corporate showdown on Friday. Aker, the top shareholder in Kvaerner with 17.8 percent, put forward Pehr Gyllenhammar, chairman of Britain's biggest insurance group CGNU, as chairman of its proposed board. Kvaerner has said it opposes Aker's plans for link-ups. Gyllenhammar said he hoped he could help resolve the clash between the two Norwegian industrial groups but stressed he would be