Oaktree Capital Management News

Greece-based Empire Navigation is investigating whether Iranian oil was transferred onto one of the vessels it manages, the company said in a statement, after a U.S. advocacy group first made such allegation last week.Top oil shipping companies say they are grappling with a growing risk of handling oil shipments originating from countries that have been targeted by U.S. sanctions such as Iran and Venezuela.A breach of U.S. sanctions could lead to a company losing access to the dollar financial system, having assets seized, and insurance cover for ships canceled, U.S. and insurance industry officials say.Empire Navigation said it was "aware of the allegation of non-compliance regarding our managed vessel…

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy Ports America, one of the largest marine terminal operators in the United States, from investment firm Oaktree Capital Management LP.While no valuation was given in the announcement statement, the deal values Ports America at over $4 billion, according to two sources familiar with the matter.The transaction comes amid heightened interest in logistics, with supply-chain disruption in focus as the…

NorthStar Midstream, a portfolio company of funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., has announced the formation of Polaris New Energy (“PNE”), a marine transportation company focused on the transportation and distribution of liquefied natural gas (LNG) along the coastal and inland waterways of the United States.NorthStar has executed an agreement with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding to build a 5,400 cubic meter (CBM), with the ability to potentially construct two sister barges, for coastwise transportation of LNG.

The market for Initial public offerings (IPOs) across the global shipping industry has remained understandably muted in recent years but secondary offerings continue to be an important funding mechanism, according to a recent report from Drewry Maritime Financial Research.Despite low interest in shipping IPOs in the US over the last few years, listed shipping companies continue to raise money through secondary/additional offerings and bond offerings in the US market with Oslo emerging as the preferred platform for shipping companies to raise equity.Investor appetite for shipping sector IPOs has remained weak as earnings have remained negative or sub-par at best…

Star Bulk Carriers announced that it has closed the previously announced acquisition of three  newbuilding Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels in an all-share transaction, from Oceanbulk Container Carriers (OCC). The final consideration for the OCC Vessel Purchase Transaction is 3,304,735 million common shares of the Company. OCC is an entity affiliated with Oaktree Capital Management and with family members of our CEO, Petros Pappas and entities affiliated to them. The three vessels are being constructed at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS), with expected delivery dates in the end of 2018 and first half of 2019. CSSC (Hong Kong) Shipping Company Limited has agreed to provide $104.4m to finance the remaining $103.8m capital expenditure of the three vessels via a ten-year capital lease.

Greece-based dry bulk shipping firm Star Bulk Carriers has entered into definitive agreements to acquire 18 dry bulk vessels in two all-share transactions. 15 of the vessels will be acquired from Songa Bulk and three of the vessels will be acquired from Oceanbulk Container Carriers. The consideration for the vessels was determined based on average vessel valuations by independent vessel appraisers. The Company has agreed to issue an aggregate of 13.725 million common and pay $145 million in cash for the acquisition of all of Songa’s 15 modern dry bulk vessels . The cash portion of the Songa consideration will be financed through proceeds of a new five-year capital lease of $180 million with China Merchants Bank Leasing with a margin of 280 bps…

Star Bulk Carriers Corp. announced the closing of its previously announced private placement of 6,310,272 common shares, at a price of $8.154 per share. The aggregate proceeds to Star Bulk, net of underwriting fees and offering expenses, were approximately $50.6 million. Star Bulk intends to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes. Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. and its affiliates and Senator Investment Group LP purchased 6,310,272 common shares in connection to this offering. Giving effect to this offering, Oaktree and Senator are expected to beneficially own 51.4% and 6.5%, respectively, of the Company's outstanding common shares. Star Bulk is a global shipping company providing worldwide seaborne transportation solutions in the dry bulk sector.

Star Bulk Carriers Corp announced the execution of agreements with affiliates of Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. and Senator Investment Group LP to sell Oaktree and Senator an aggregate of 6,310,272 of its common shares, at a purchase price of $8.154 per share. The private placement, which is scheduled to close by early February 2017, is expected to result in aggregate gross proceeds to Star Bulk of approximately $51.5 million. The Company has agreed to grant shelf registration rights to the investors for the resale of their common shares. Star Bulk intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes. Giving effect to this offering…

JAX LNG said it has executed the remaining engineering and procurement contracts required to begin construction of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction and storage facility at Dames Point near the Port of Jacksonville. The JAX LNG liquefaction facility is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2017. Once completed, it will be outfitted with a 2 million-gallon storage tank with the capacity to produce in excess of 120,000 gallons of LNG per day. JAX LNG’s Jacksonville plant will be North America’s first small-scale coastal LNG facility and will include marine distribution capabilities utilizing North America’s first LNG bunker barge, Clean Jacksonville. “The LNG industry is seeing a steady growth in demand,” said Tim Hermann, president of Pivotal LNG.

Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (the “Company” or “Star Bulk”) (Nasdaq: SBLK) today announced it plans to make an underwritten public offering for $51.5 million gross proceeds of its common stock. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes. Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., Caspian Capital LP and family members or entities owned and controlled by affiliates of the family of our Chief Executive Officer and founder, Mr. Pappas, have indicated that they will purchase common shares with gross proceeds representing their respective pro rata shares of the gross proceeds of the offering, based on their respective current percentage ownership in the Company.

A team led by AJ Jain, Harkand North America Managing Director, has agreed to a management buyout (MBO) of Harkand’s North American and African business. The new company, to be named ETHOS OFFSHORE LIMITED, will continue to provide subsea engineering and construction services to Harkand’s existing US, Mexican and West African client base to market-leading standards. The new company, backed by investment funds advised and managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”), is expected to have a contracted backlog of $145 million worth of projects. The move also could potentially safeguard more than 100 jobs across North America, Africa and Mexico.

Navig8 Chemical Tankers has signed sale and leaseback agreements with China's Bank of Communications Financial Leasing (BCFL) for a quartet of medium range tankers. The  for four 49,000 DWT Interline coated medium range tankers being built at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd, Korea (STX). The four vessels from STX  have contractual delivery dates ranging from end March 2017 to end June 2017. Under the sale and leaseback agreements, BCFL will provide funding for pre-delivery as well as the delivery instalments for the STX Vessels. The net proceeds from the transaction (after a 12% sellers' credit) will be USD 140,025,600. The STX Vessels will be delivered to BCFL on their respective deliveries from STX.

Harkand's key shareholder Oaktree Capital Management has reaffirmed a strong commitment with an additional $25 million of funding which will allow the company to expand its footprint in new and existing regions. As well as maintaining its operations in current market conditions, the global inspection, repair and maintenance company has recently been awarded three major frame agreements taking them into West Africa and Mexico for the first time. It has also expanded its services with its first decommissioning project in the North Sea supporting Maersk Oil North Sea Ltd.

As previously reported, TORM has obtained the creditor consents necessary to implement its Restructuring through an English law Scheme of Arrangement (cf. announcement no. 15 of 25 June 2015). The Scheme has now been sanctioned by the High Court of England and Wales and the sanction order has today been lodged with the Companies House. The Scheme has thus become effective. Earlier this year, TORM entered into a Restructuring Agreement to memorialize the support of certain of its lenders for the Restructuring (cf. announcement no. 8 of 27 March 2015). As required by TORM’s finance documents and in connection with negotiations regarding the Restructuring Agreement…

As global shipping grapples with its worst downturn in 30 years, private equity firms are unwinding massive bets made on the sector in a move set to accelerate a restructuring of the shipping industry. Private equity invested tens of billions in global shipping after the 2008 financial crisis, but weaker Chinese demand and an oversupply of ships has driven down freight rates and caused firms to idle vessels and in some cases file for bankruptcy. At least five private-equity backed shipping firms are seeking share listings…

WesPac Midstream LLC (WesPac), a provider of energy infrastructure and LNG solutions, announced a partnership agreement with Clean Marine Energy LLC (CME), the global facilitator of finance mechanisms for LNG conversion and Emission Control Area (ECA) compliance. This strategic partnership will ensure the supply and delivery of LNG to ship owners utilizing CME’s Emissions Compliance Service Agreement (ECSA) to convert to cleaner fueling. The WesPac/CME integrated solution represents a significant step in the evolution of LNG as a marine fuel. The partnership is able to provide both the funding required for LNG conversion as well as the infrastructure for LNG supply and delivery.

Unique partnership offers the first fully integrated LNG solution to ship owners. WesPac Midstream LLC (WesPac), a leading provider of energy infrastructure and LNG solutions, announced a partnership agreement with Clean Marine Energy LLC (CME), the global facilitator of finance mechanisms for LNG conversion and Emission Control Area (ECA) compliance. This strategic partnership will ensure the supply and delivery of LNG to ship owners utilizing CME’s Emissions Compliance Service Agreement (ECSA) to convert to cleaner fueling.

Star Bulk entered into a definitive agreement with Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd., and as a result, will acquire 34 drybulk vessels for an aggregate of 29.917 million shares of common stock of Star Bulk and $288.39 million in cash. Star Bulk Carriers Corp. announced today that it has entered into definitive agreements with Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. pursuant to which the company will acquire 34 secondhand operating drybulk carriers, consisting of six Capesize vessels, 14 sistership Kamsarmax vessels…

Private equity has pumped $32 bln into shipping in past 2 years. Ships totaling 299 mln dwt to enter global fleet from May. Some private equity-backed shipping IPOs have been put off on weak sentiment. The shipping industry faces a looming capacity glut as billions of dollars pumped into it by private equity have stoked a vessel-buying spree, threatening its prospects just as the sector is emerging from its worst downturn in three decades. Backed by private equity and hedge fund financing, shipping companies have placed orders for thousands of new ships over the past two years, reminiscent of the ship-ordering binge of the mid-2000s that eventually led to overcapacity after the global financial crisis severely hit cargo demand.

Harkand  has extended its ROV support vessel fleet operations in the North Sea by signing a charter agreement for the Surf Ranger. The multipurpose ROV, survey and air diving vessel, owned by Go Offshore, will be deployed immediately on its first scope of work, a pipeline and structural inspection campaign for TAQA’s U.K. business. The project includes structural inspection at the Harding, Cormorant Alpha, North Cormorant, Tern and Eider assets, as well as the inspection of various pipelines…

Star Bulk Carriers Corp said it would buy Oceanbulk Shipping LLC and Oceanbulk Carriers LLC in an all-stock deal to create the largest U.S.-listed dry bulk shipper. Star Bulk is issuing 54.104 million new shares to buy the Oceanbulk companies, valuing the deal at about $653 million based on Star Bulk's Friday close of $12.07. The deal comes as the global dry bulk shipping industry is poised to recover from a severe downturn, helped by steadying demand for iron ore and coal from China and India and the scrapping of older vessels.

Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd. will cut its debt by more than $1 billion by giving control of the company to its lenders in a deal that requires the dry bulk shipping company to file for bankruptcy. Lenders backing a $1.06 billion credit facility would convert their debt into about 81.1 percent of company's stock, according to a regulatory filing from Thursday. Investors who hold $125 million of Genco convertible debt would receive 8.4 percent of the company. The remaining equity would be allocated to those investors funding a $100 million rights offering…

Torm announced today the confirmation of its March 7, 2014 agreement in principle to sell 13 product tankers to entities controlled by Oaktree Capital Management. All necessary approvals have now been obtained, the company said, and the agreement has subsequently become unconditional as per the outlined terms and conditions. torm.com