Seaspan Signs Newbuilding Contracts for Fuel Efficient SAVER Design 14,000 TEU Class Vessels at HHI Secures 10+2 Year Time Charters with Yang Ming
Seaspan Corporation (NYSE:SSW) has announced that it has signed contracts for the construction of five 14,000 TEU class newbuilding containerships at Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. The vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2015 and will be constructed using Seaspan's fuel efficient SAVER design. Concurrently with executing the newbuilding contracts, Seaspan signed 10-year, fixed-rate time charters for the vessels with Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation. After the initial 10-year charter periods, Yang Ming may extend the charter for each vessel up to an additional two years.
These five 14,000 TEU class containerships remain subject to allocation in relation to the right of first refusal agreement with Greater China Intermodal Investments LLC, an investment vehicle established by an affiliate of global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group, and Blue Water Commerce LLC. Seaspan intends to fund construction of its portion of these five containerships initially with a portion of the proceeds of its previous Series C and D preferred share offerings and, subsequently over the next few quarters, with debt financing. Seaspan is considering various sources of debt financing to which it has access.