Höegh LNG Secures Debt Financing for 9th FSRU
Norway's floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) giant Höegh LNG said it has secured a USD 177 million debt financing for its FSRU delivery unit number 9. The FSRU is scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2018. The facility comprises a 12-year tranche of USD 132 million guaranteed by K-SURE (South Korean export credit agency) and a five-year non-amortising commercial bank tranche of USD 45 million. A combination of existing and new lenders are participating in the facility.The facility is available to fund 65% of the delivered cost of the FSRU based on a 16-year blended amortization profile. Höegh LNG intends to fix the interest rate and based on the current swap rate, the fixed interest rate is expected to be around 5%.
UASC Places Huge Containership Order
United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) closed a $1.3 biillion (USD) multi-tranche syndicated loan facility for the partial financing of seven 14,000 TEU container ships and five 18,000 TEU container ships. The facility is part of a larger $1.7 billion debt financing related to UASC’s announced $2.3 billion capital expenditure program for 17 newbuilding container vessels including, in total, 11 14,000 TEU and six 18,000 TEU vessels. Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (DB) acted as Global Coordinator to UASC for the entire $1.7 billion debt financing. The 17 vessels include 10 vessels for which shipbuilding contracts were signed in August 2013 with the remaining seven vessels being option vessels. The process of option vessels is still continuing.
