American Shipping Corporation News

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced contracts totaling $77 million for three U.S. maritime firms to operate 10 National Defense Reserve Fleet ships through July 27, 2015. “This money will help make sure these important Defense Reserve Fleet ships are manned with skilled mariners and are ready when our Nation calls,” said Secretary LaHood. The contracts were awarded to Ocean Duchess Inc. of Houston, Texas for $16,618,430; Keystone Ocean Shipping of Bala Cynwyd, Pa. for $30,212,588; and Interocean American Shipping Corporation of Moorestown, N.J. for $30,533,710. These companies are responsible for maintaining the ships in good mechanical condition and ensuring crews are available for their operation when needed.

Aker's Aker American Shipping (AAS) reportedly has decided to split its business into a shipyard and a separate ship-owning company, according to a report on Forbes.com, a move reportedly designed to advance its business prospects in the U.S. Under the plans, American Shipping Corporation will be a vessel-owning subsidiary of AAS, while the shipyard activities will be organized into the newly-established company Aker Philadelphia Shipyard (APS), Forbes.com reported. Aker American Shipping currently has a fleet of ten product tankers and two shuttle tankers, under construction or chartered to customers. In 2007, three product tankers have been delivered and chartered, while the nine remaining vessels will be delivered in the period 2008-11.

The third product tanker built by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard was delivered today, marking the first time in the yard’s history that three vessels were delivered in the same year. Following very successful sea trials and final testing and commissioning, the ship joins two sister vessels in American Shipping Corporation‘s growing fleet of double-hull product tankers operating for charter in the US Jones Act Market. As were its two predecessors, the 600-foot long MT46 Veteran Class tanker is chartered to a subsidiary of Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG). A Naming Ceremony was held at the yard. Mrs. Sandra Ridgway conferred the name Overseas Los Angeles upon the ship while blessing the vessel and those which will sail upon her.

Aker American Shipping ASA and Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG) announced today that they have signed an agreement pursuant to which Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, a subsidiary of Aker American Shipping, will construct two additional Veteran Class MT-46 Jones Act Product Tankers and transfer them to another subsidiary, American Shipping Corporation, which will bareboat charter the vessels to subsidiaries of OSG for initial terms of 10 years. For Aker American Shipping the full transaction is valued in excess of $240m (before profit sharing) reflecting the higher rates and longer terms. The agreement is subject to relevant government approvals. As part of this agreement, the February 7th 2007 Agreement in Principle for three fixed plus three option vessels has expired.

With two tanker vessels already delivered on charter and in service to Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG), Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc. (APSI) has achieved major milestones on two subsequent vessels in the build program. The third product tanker in the series, Hull 007, has been floated from its berth in the yard's Building Dock, and steel cutting has been initiated for Hull 010, the sixth vessel in the series, marking start of production on that ship. lifting Hull 007 off its keel blocks in advance of the ship's move to the nearby Outfitting Dock, where testing and commissioning of the vessel will take place. Like its two predecessors, Hull 007's construction is being financed by a loan facility with Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation(Cat Finance).

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard delivered the second vessel in an up to 16 ship order of product tankers as the 600-ft. long MT46 Veteran Class Overseas Long Beach was transferred to American Shipping Corporation, a subsidiary of Aker American Shipping. The vessel joins its sister vessel, the Overseas Houston, in American Shipping Corporation's fleet of modern, double hull product tankers for charter in the Jones Act market. The Overseas Long Beach is chartered to a subsidiary of Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG) who will put the vessel into service for BP. In the coming days, the Overseas Long Beach will sail to the Gulf of Mexico leaving the three other product tankers currently under construction at the yard. The next tanker is scheduled for delivery near year's end.

Dock. series, also currently under construction. As part of the ceremony, coins were placed under the keel block recreating a long-standing tradition whereby shipbuilders hide special coins in the keel section of a ship as a permanent symbol of good fortune and safe travels. Anton Roaldset, Vice President of Procurement, represented Aker American Shipping in the ceremony, with Andrew Hake and Greg Marchese of Overseas Shipholding Group's (OSG) site office at the yard participating on OSG's behalf. of liquid product. Company. to OSG. agreements in place between OSG and Shell, BP and Tesoro.

achieved on two subsequent vessels. the series, has been floated from its berth in the yard's Building Dock. series, marking start of production on that ship. MT 46 Veteran Class tanker vessels under construction simultaneously. place. Overseas Houston, in American Shipping Corporation's (ASC) fleet. to Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. arrangement to bring these vessels to U.S. waterways. on one of the yard's two state-of-the-art plasma cutting machines, with Ms. process. The fifth tanker vessel is scheduled to be completed in 2008.

Aker American Shipping ASA and Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. initial terms of 10-15 years. $700M (before profit sharing) reflecting the higher rates and longer terms. and agreement of final documentation, and relevant government approvals. Act commercial product tanker being built at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. time charters in place.

Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG), signed an agreement in principle pursuant to which Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, a subsidiary of Aker American Shipping ASA, will build up to six additional Veteran Class MT-46 Jones Act Product Tankers (three fixed plus three options). Corporation, OSG will bareboat charter the vessels for initial terms of 10 to 15 years. The agreement in principle is subject to, among other conditions, approval by the Boards of Directors of OSG and Aker American Shipping, preparation and agreement of final documentation and relevant government approvals. between OSG and BP for one more of the 46,000 dwt Jones Act commercial product tankers being built at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard.

The Naming Ceremony was held for the first product tanker in OSG's 10 ship series. Aker Philadelphia Shipyard achieved another significant milestone in the build program with keel laying for the third vessel in the series. The first section of the double- hulled product tanker scheduled for completion in late 2007 was lowered into the yard's building dock, the same dock where construction is underway on the second ship in the series. As part of the ceremony, coins were placed under the keel block recreating a long-standing tradition whereby shipbuilders hide special coins in the keel section of a ship as a permanent symbol of good fortune and safe travels.

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard has layed the keel for the second vessel in the series, the sixth ship constructed at the yard since it started production in 2000. The first section of the double-hulled product tanker scheduled for completion in 2007 was installed in the yard’s Building Dock just a few hundred yards behind the first ship in the series, also currently under construction in the dock. When completed, each vessel will weigh 46,000 deadweight tons (dwt) and be the most modern product tankers in the U.S. domestic fleet. The first ship in the program is expected to be delivered by the end of 2006, with the second vessel scheduled for completion during 2007.

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard has commenced production on the third vessel in the ten-ship product tanker build program initiated in April 2005. Steel cutting for the ship, the seventh built by the yard since its opening nearly six years ago, was performed on one of the yard's two state-of-the-art plasma cutting machines. The third tanker vessel is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2007. The first steel plates cut for the ship will be used in construction of the engine room of the 46,000 deadweight ton (dwt) product tanker. Upon completion, the tankers will be owned by American Shipping Corporation, a subsidiary of Aker American Shipping, and bareboat chartered to Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc (OSG).

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard has begun production on the second of ten vessels in the product tanker build program announced last spring, according to a WPVI-TV report. Steel cutting for the ship, the sixth built by the yard since its opening five years ago, begins just weeks after keel laying for the first tanker in the series. The second vessel is scheduled to be completed in 2007. The steel plates were cut on one of the yard's two plasma cutting machines. Once finished, the pieces will form part of the engine room of the 46,000 dwt product tanker. Upon completion, the tankers will be owned by American Shipping Corporation, a subsidiary of Aker American Shipping. Source: WPVI-TV