Tanker Investments News

Patrick (Paddy) Rodgers, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Belgium's tanker shipping company Euronav, has decided to step down from his role during 2019 after 18 years of service.However,  he will remain in his position until a successor is appointed, said a press note from the tanker owner.Paddy Rodgers, CEO of Euronav said: “It has been a real honour and privilege to lead Euronav as CEO. The company has progressed from a family operation with 17 vessels to the largest crude tanker company in the world with 73 vessels, listed on both Euronext and NYSE.""Having now completed in full the Gener8 merger I wish to pursue other opportunities and believe it is an appropriate time to hand over the baton of leadership of a strong and best-in-class large crude tanker business.

Teekay LNG Partners L.P. has announced that Brody Speers, the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Teekay Gas Group Ltd., a management services company that provides services to the Partnership and its subsidiaries, has been appointed as Vice President, Corporate Finance, of Teekay Shipping (Canada) Ltd. (Teekay) and Scott Gayton, who currently serves as a Vice President at Teekay, has been appointed to assume the CFO position from Mr. Speers. Gayton brings over 20 years of finance and accounting experience, including most recently serving as CFO of Tanker Investments Ltd. from the time of its initial public offering until its merger with Teekay Tankers Ltd. (NYSE:TNK). Gayton will also continue to oversee capital markets transactions across the Teekay Group.

Teekay Tankers and Tanker Investments Ltd. (TIL) announced the closing of the previously announced merger of the two companies. Upon the closing of the merger, each outstanding share of TIL common stock (other than shares held in the treasury of TIL or owned by Teekay Tankers or any of its subsidiaries) was exchanged for the right to receive 3.30 shares of Teekay Tankers Class A Common Stock, and TIL became a wholly owned subsidiary of Teekay Tankers. Teekay Tankers currently owns a fleet of 35 double-hull tankers, including 16 Suezmax tankers, 12 Aframax tankers, and seven Long Range 2 (LR2) product tankers, and has four capital leased Suezmax tankers and one contracted time charter-in vessel. TIL is a specialized investment company focused on the tanker market.

Teekay Tankers has agreed to acquire all the remaining issued and outstanding shares of Tanker Investments (TIL), in a share-for-share merger at an exchange ratio of 3.30 Teekay Tankers Class A common shares for each TIL common share. Teekay Tankers currently owns 3.4 million common shares, or 11.3 percent, of TIL. TIL's fleet consists of 10 Suezmax tankers, 6 Aframax tankers and 2 LR2 Product tankers with an average age of 7.3 years. Following the merger, Teekay Tankers' fleet will consist of 62 conventional tankers, including 3 in-chartered conventional tankers (30 Suezmax tankers, 22 Aframax tankers, 9 LR2 Product tankers and one 50 percent-owned VLCC).

Teekay Corporation’s board of directors has elected Kenneth Hvid to succeed current president and CEO, Peter Evensen, who will retire January 31, 2017 after more than 13 years with the company. Hvid is presently serving as president and CEO of Teekay Offshore Group Ltd. “Kenneth Hvid is the natural successor to Peter Evensen as CEO of Teekay at this time,” said Teekay's Chairman, Sean Day. Hvid has served on the board of Teekay daughter companies, and has worked closely with all the business segments in Teekay in his previous role as Chief Strategy Officer.

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…

Shipping companies are turning to equity markets to fill a growing funding gap, betting that investors hungry for decent returns will provide capital to a sector recovering from its worst downturn since the 1980s. Ship owners ordered large numbers of vessels between 2007 and 2009, just as the global economy sank into crisis. Prospects have brightened in recent months as world trade picks up and the ship glut is absorbed. The industry still faces a multi-billion dollar financing hole after banks…

Gas tanker operator Avance Gas Holding is planning an initial public offering (IPO) and aims to list its shares on the Oslo Bourse in April, one of its owners said on Wednesday, joining a flurry of Nordic firms planning stock market debuts. "As part of the IPO, Avance Gas will raise new capital to pursue consolidation opportunities, and in addition, the three major shareholders are considering selling shares in order to facilitate sufficient share liquidity," Stolt-Nielsen Limited said. Avance Gas was formed by a merger of shipping assets from Stolt-Nielsen, Frontline 2012 and Sungas Holdings, and the fleet consists of six very large gas carriers (VLGC), with eight further new-buildings on order.

Teekay Tankers Ltd. and Teekay Corporation today jointly announced the creation of Tanker Investments Ltd. (TIL), which will seek to opportunistically acquire, operate and sell modern secondhand tankers to benefit from an expected recovery in the current cyclical low of the tanker market. TIL has completed a $250 million private equity offering in which Teekay Tankers and Teekay have co-invested $25 million each for a combined 20 percent ownership interest in the new company.

DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS) announced that it has entered into agreements with a first class Korean shipyard to purchase twelve high specification newbuilding tankers at a total purchase price of about $770 million, including over $3 million per vessel in extra items. The company has made initial payments of about $120 million against these newbuilding contracts from cash on hand. The Company intends to finance the remaining capital commitments, which include delivery installments of about 70% of each vessel’s price, with cash on hand and bank debt. The Company intends to position its tanker investments for a spinoff or initial public offering. Mr. “We are pleased to announce the acquisition of 12 high specification newbuilding tankers from a first class Korean shipyard.

DryShips Inc. a global provider of marine transportation services for drybulk cargoes and off-shore contract drilling oil services, announced today that it has entered into agreements with a first class Korean shipyard to purchase twelve high specification newbuilding tankers at a total purchase price of about $770 million, including over $3 million per vessel in extra items. The company has made initial payments of about $120 million against these newbuilding contracts from cash on hand. The Company intends to finance the remaining capital commitments, which include delivery installments of about 70% of each vessel’s price, with cash on hand and bank debt. The Company intends to position its tanker investments for a spinoff or initial public offering. Mr.

INTERTANKO's Executive Committee and Council Autumn Meetings will take place in Athens 24-26 October 2001. In conjunction with the meetings, INTERTANKO will be hosting an Open Market Seminar on Wednesday, 24 October. Consultancy and Research Ltd. will speak on tanker investments. about oil trade developments in the Black Sea and Caspian region and the consequences of the new pipeline from Baku to Ceyhan. Martin Stopford, H. Clarkson & Co. Ltd. will concentrate on strategic issues in the tanker market against the background of recent events. Finn Engelsen jr, Lorentzen & Stemoco will present prospects for the product tanker market and Jarle Hammer, Fearnleys AS will concentrate on trade developments in the tanker market. Erik Ranheim, INTERTANKO, will introduce and moderate the seminar.

Stena Bulk announced the appointment of Arthur L. Regan to the position of Director, Strategic Planning and Tanker Projects for Stena Bulk worldwide. In his position, Regan will focus on expanding the scope and profitability of Stena’s global tanker investments. Regan will take up his new role from offices in Westport, Connecticut, USA. Regan has been the President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Arlington Tankers Ltd., the position he has held since the company’s inception and successful listing on the New York Stock Exchange through its 2004 initial public offering. Stena was the founder of Arlington Tankers Ltd and remains a shareholder in the company. Under Mr.