Cit Group News

Container ship opertor MPC Container Ships has entered into a $70 million three-year revolving credit facility agreement with CIT Group. The company said the loan had attractive terms.MPC Container Ships,  registered in Oslo, Norway, said it had already made an initial drawdown of $40 million to refinance existing debt, and the rest would be used for vessel upgrades and other general purposes."As a consequence, the previous term loans with Beal Bank and CIT have been repaid in full. Further drawdowns under the facility will strengthen the free liquidity and may be used for vessel upgrades, investments or general corporate purposes," MPC Container Ships said.MPC Container Ships CEO Constantin Baack said: "Having secured significant charter backlog…

Bank syndicate led by DVB Bank SE completed a $175 million financing of a 34 Bulk Carrier portfolio for Polsteam Group.Polska Żegluga Morska known as Polsteam or PŻM, is a cargo ship operator based in Szczecin, Poland. It has one of the largest route networks in the world, offering services to around 60 countries.The syndicate consisted of DVB Bank, CIT Group, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, Siemens Bank, Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank and Crédit Agricole Bank Polsk.No further details on the transaction have been revealed.DVB Bank SE, headquartered in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, specialises on the international Transport Finance business.

Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships, which provides feeder tonnage, has entered into a USD 40 million three-year revolving credit facility agreement.The deal was signed with New York-based CIT Group at “attractive terms”, MPC Container Ships said.Drawdowns under the facility may be used toward investments, vessel upgrades or general corporate purposes, it said.Constantin Baack, CEO of MPC Container Ships, said: "We are very satisfied with the cooperation demonstrated by CIT's Maritime Finance team and their support in further positioning MPC Container Ships as a leading tonnage provider within the feeder container space."Constantin added: "With the new credit facility…

CITIC Maritime Finance says it has provided a $46.4 million senior secured credit facility to Epic Gas Ltd. headquartered in Singapore, which operates a fleet of  40 LPG and petrochemicals tankships. CITIC add that the facility was used to partially finance the acquisition of a fleet of five LPG tankers that includes three newbuildings and two modern gas carriers acquired in the secondary market. Financing from CIT was provided by CIT Bank, the U.S. commercial bank subsidiary of CIT. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

CIT Group Inc has provided a senior secured credit facility to Tanker Solutions, a joint venture between funds managed by TPG Credit Management and Prime Tanker Management, to support the purchase of 'MT Pike' (formerly the 'M/T Starling'), a 73,700 DWT LR1 product tanker built in 2008. The financiers say that the vessel represents the first asset acquisition by Tanker Solutions and will be operated by Prime Tanker Management. “With this transaction, we continue to build relationships with industry-leading operators and investment firms, further expanding our footprint in the marketplace. Financing was provided by CIT Bank , the U.S. commercial bank subsidiary of CIT. The transaction has a five-year term; additional terms were not disclosed.

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, Pitch is a graduate of Seton Hall University with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He is a past member of the American Waterway Operators (AWO), the Offshore Marine Services Association (OMSA) and an affiliate member of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA).

Coastal Towing, Inc., announced today the consummation of a $28 million senior term loan with the CIT Group/ Equipment Financing, Inc., Heller Financial Leasing, Inc. Pursuant to this transaction, the Company refinanced senior term debt under existing agreements with CIT and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. In addition, the loan will be used to facilitate Coastal?s barge construction program. Dennis D. Buffo has joined Coastal Towing, Inc., as vice president of maintenance effective October 1. With over 29 years in the maintenance area of the marine industry, he will be responsible for all of Coastal's boat and barge maintenance. Buffo holds a B.S. degree in Marine Engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in King's Point, N.Y.

Trico Marine Services, Inc. announces the appointment of Robert V. O'Connor as Senior Vice President of Business and Strategic Development. Prior to joining Trico, O'Connor spent in excess of 20 years in the marine transportation business in commercial, technical, and financial roles with domestic and international companies. Most recently, he spent the past five years with The CIT Group, Inc., a leading commercial and consumer finance company, as Vice President of financial sales, lending to middle market marine transportation and energy companies. Prior to his tenure with CIT, he was marketing manager of Koch Chemical company where he was responsible for the marketing and trading of global bulk aromatic chemicals.

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.

Horizon Offshore, Inc. Inc. (the CIT Group). bears interest at LIBOR plus 4.5% per annum. unpaid interest due at maturity in March 2011. term loan facility agented by Manchester Securities Corp. March 2007 and related closing costs and fees. financings of this type.