Anyone planning to build a vessel in a U.S. shipyard, and any U.S. shipyard planning a shipyard improvement project, should consider using the Title XI program to finance the project. In a nutshell, the Title XI program is a loan guarantee program under which the U.S. Government guarantees bonds issued or a bank loan extended to finance the construction of a vessel in a U.S. shipyard or a U.S. shipyard improvement project. At first glance, the Title XI program looks very attractive. It enables the borrower to borrow more money at a significantly lower interest rate over a much longer period of time. There are, however, significant costs associated with using the Title XI program. So how does one determine whether it makes sense to use Title XI financing for a particular project?
