Court To Decide Fate of Product Tanker Fleet
A dispute has erupted in New York courts over control of a fleet of petroleum product tankers, currently working for oil major Shell. Both the owner of the ships, First International, and an investment fund, which lent most of the $257 million to build the fleet, have asked the court to decide which of them controls the future employment of the six tankers. The tankers have worked for Shell since new on a seven year contract, at a rate described by brokers as "rather generous", but last year, as widely anticipated, Shell exercised its right to pull out from the deal. First International, a chain of eight interlinked tanker-owning companies controlled by Norwegian tanker-mogul Tom Steckmest, was left looking for fresh employment.
Disputed Tanker Fleet Bought
Norwegian tanker mogul Tom Steckmest bought out bondholders with whom he was due to clash in the New York courts over control of a fleet of six petroleum product tankers. "The existing bonds have been amicably cancelled and all disputes settled," Steckmest said. Shipping sources said he had paid $135 million to cancel the bonds in addition to $8 million he paid last year for equity in the ship-owning company First International. The bondholders lent most of the $257 million to build the fleet of tankers, which have worked all their lives on long-term charters to oil major Shell. Both parties asked the courts in April to decide which of them controlled the future employment of the six vessels, after the bondholders refused to accept a new contract Steckmest had negotiated with Shell.
