Omega Signs Contracts for Five New Tankers
Omega Navigation Enterprises, Inc. has signed shipbuilding contracts with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea, to construct and acquire five newbuilding double hull handymax product tankers each with a capacity of 37,000 dwt. Four of these product tankers are scheduled for delivery in 2010 starting in the first quarter of 2010, with the fifth scheduled for delivery for February 2011.The agreed purchase price of the five new buildings is $44.2m per vessel. Predelivery payment terms provide for 10% in early July 2007 and 10% in mid December 2007. No further progress payments will be due until mid 2009. These first two installments will be funded either fully with debt or with a combination of debt and internally generated cash flow and the company does not expect this financing structure to affect its ability to fund its current quarterly dividend policy. With the addition of these five vessels, the Omega fleet will consist of 13 product tankers with a total deadweight capacity of 697,358 tons.