Mufg News

Swedbank has signed the Poseidon Principles, a global framework for integrating climate considerations into lending decisions within ship financeThe Poseidon Principles provide a standardised methodology for data collection and reporting of emissions from banks’ shipping portfolios, with the overall ambition of supporting and facilitating the decarbonization of the shipping industry.The Poseidon Principles are consistent with the policies and ambitions of the IMO, including its…

Oil prices spiked to their highest levels since 2008 on Monday as the United States and European allies weighed a Russian oil import ban and delays in the potential return of Iranian crude to global markets fuelled supply fears.In the first few minutes of trade Brent crude reached $139.13 and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hit $130.50, both benchmarks striking their highest levels since July 2008.By 1017 GMT, prices had lost some of those gains, with Brent up $6.60, or 5.6%…

Among transportation planners, “resilience”, describing the ability to bounce back from adversities, both economic and other, has become a top consideration as we increasingly must “expect the unexpected.” The U.S. waterway system, covering the network of inland rivers and coastwise waterways, has seen a mix of good and not so good. As the 2020-2021 pandemic moves toward winding down, a recovery from the dismal 2020 is underway, but activity on the rivers is uneven. Ken Eriksen…

Vineyard Wind, which is on track to be the first major U.S. offshore wind farm, closed on a $2.3 billion loan and will begin construction in Massachusetts later this year, its owners said on Wednesday.The senior debt financing allows the project, a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, to mobilize its contractors and suppliers to begin work, the companies said.The U.S. government approved Vineyard Wind in May, billing it as the inauguration of a new domestic industry that will help eliminate emissions from the power sector…

Leading Japanese lenders have joined an initiative that links the provision of shipping finance to cuts in carbon dioxide emissions as the sector accelerates efforts to go green.In recent weeks, Shinsei Bank Ltd, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing and MUFG Bank have signed up to the scheme, the banks said.With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions.In 2019, a group of leading banks signed up to environmental commitments known as the “Poseidon Principles”…

Commodities trader Trafigura Beheer has become the first company to offer a defined Covid premium on an Asian syndicated loan, paying up to an extra 20bp all-in on its latest US$1bn-equivalent financing.The novel pricing structure is a first for Asia, if not globally, and could set a precedent for other price-sensitive borrowers looking to limit the long-term effects of the pandemic on their funding costs.Without the Covid premiums, the terms of Trafigura's new deal are little…

Appetite for UAE global port operator DP World's $9bn loan financing is expected to weaken due to market turmoil caused by the coronavirus, bankers said.The loan was fully underwritten by Citigroup and Deutsche Bank, and went out to a wider group of DP World’s relationship banks in senior syndication, which closed at the end of last week, one of the bankers said.These banks included Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, MUFG, Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and HSBC, a second banker said.“Senior…

Domestic and international lenders are vying for a slice of Japan’s nascent offshore wind power sector, which is expected to provide as much as ¥3trn (US$29bn) in project financing opportunities, albeit at very low margins.Akita Offshore Wind completed the nation’s first fundraising for a major offshore wind project last month, raising ¥80bn to build wind turbines near two ports in western Japan.Auctions for sites off Japan's shores are due to kick off in April, and lenders are…

Norway-based provider of shortsea RoRo transportation United European Car Carriers (UECC)  held a steel cutting ceremony for its first newbuild pure car truck carrier (PCTC) on order with China Ship Building Trading and Jiangnan Shipyard Group.Representatives from UECC, NYK, Japan Marine Science, MUFG Bank, DNV-GL, SDARI, CSSC and CSTC gathered at the Jiangnan Shipyard in in Shanghai on the 8th of January 2020 to witness and celebrate the steel cutting ceremony for UECC’s first Battery Hybrid LNG Powered PCTC.Earlier, UECC, jointly owned by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and Wallenius Lines, has signed a contract to construct three new generation PCTC with China Ship Building Trading Co., Ltd and Jiangnan Shipyard Group Co.

The Japanese shipping giant NYK Line has secured a syndicated sustainability-linked loan from MUFG Bank Ltd. This is Japan's first advanced loan that allows for conditions such as the loan’s interest rate to be adjusted according to the borrower’s CSR performance.This loan encourages sustainable economic activities and growth by linking loan pricing to company performance, which is determined by the score provided by CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) annually.As long as high CDP ratings are maintained, the company’s CDP score will not cause the loan’s interest rate to change prior to the repayment deadline.In accordance with the new medium-term management plan “Staying Ahead 2022 with Digitalization and Green” announced in 2018…

Denmark-based energy giant successfully issued green hybrid capital securities for €600m ($660m) to refinance existing securities issued in 2015.The latest issue will have a maturity in 3019 and first call option after eight years, the Danish energy company said.Investments undertaken by Ørsted A/S in green renewable energy projects will be allocated to the new issue corresponding to the amount issued in accordance with Ørsted’s Green Finance Framework, which has received a second opinion with a Dark Green shading from Cicero.Ørsted A/S is rated Baa1, stable outlook, by Moody’s, BBB+, stable outlook, by Standard & Poor’s, and BBB+, stable outlook…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Mitsui & Co have participated in a long-term charter business  operated by MODEC for the purpose of providing a floating production, storage, and offloading system (FPSO) for use in the Area 1 block offshore Mexico and a loan agreement for the Project was entered into on April 12, 2019.Mitsui and MOL invested in Area1 Mexico MV34 B.V. ("MV34"), a Dutch company established by MODEC, which will engage in FPSO leasing, operations and maintenance services.In December 2018, MV34 concluded the charter agreement with Eni Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V. ("Eni Mexico"), the operator of Area 1 block and a subsidiary of Eni S.p.A.

Japanese shipping major Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) has entered into a 9 billion yen syndicated loan agreement in which the proceeds will be used solely for the purpose of funding environment-friendly projects."This is Japan’s first syndicated loan to be certified by Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) with its highest ranking of “Green 1,” thus demonstrating the loan to be aligned with the core components of the Green Loan Principles," said a press release from the global ocean transportation company.NYK’s medium-term management plan includes the group’s intent to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced that the company has signed deals for construction of a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), FSRU services, and financing for the Jawa 1 Gas-Fired Project, through PT Jawa Satu Regas (JSR), a joint company of PT Pertamina (Persero), Marubeni Corporation, and Sojitz Corporation etc.MOL is entrusted with FSRU construction supervision, maintenance, and operation services.In this project, PT Jawa Satu Power(JSP), jointly established by Pertamina, Marubeni, and Sojitz, will build, own, and operate a gas-fired power plant with a generating capacity of 1,760MW in Indonesia's West Java province while JSR will build…

Germany's No.2 lender DZ Bank is finalizing the sale of parts of its troubled transport financing division DVB Bank months after struggling to sell the whole business, two sources familiar with the matter said.DZ Bank has had to make large provisions for bad loans in shipping finance, which is among the reasons for the sale process.The sources, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, said DZ Bank, which is also the umbrella organisation of German co-operative bank chain Raiffeisen-Volksbanken…

A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S rated Baa2/BBB (on review for possible downgrade/CreditWatch negative) by Moody's/S&P, the integrated transport and logistics company, has mandated Barclays, Danske Bank, HSBC, MUFG and SG CIB as Joint Bookrunners to arrange a series of fixed income investor meetings in Europe commencing on the 28th of February 2018. A EUR-denominated Reg S bearer fixed rate senior unsecured benchmark transaction with a maturity of around 8-years is expected to follow, subject to market conditions. The expected transaction serves to pre-fund upcoming bond maturities and to extend the issuer’s maturity profile. Selling restrictions apply. Relevant stabilization regulations including FCA/ICMA apply.

Geneva-headquartered energy and commodities trader Vitol has signed an US$8bn loan refinancing of credit facilities agreed in October 2016, the company announced on Wednesday. The revolving credit facility, which is used for working capital and general corporate purposes, comprises a three-year tranche and a 364-day tranche. The three-year tranche totals over US$7bn. ABN AMRO Bank, Commerzbank, Credit Agricole CIB, HSBC Bank and ING Bank were active bookrunners on the transaction. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, MUFG, BNP Paribas, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, DBS Bank, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Lloyds Bank, Mizuho Bank, Natixis, Rabobank, Societe Generale, Standard Chartered Bank, SMBC and UniCredit Bank were mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners.

Transocean Partners LLC, a Marshall Islands limited liability company formed by Transocean Ltd., has announced  the pricing of its initial public offering of 17,500,000 common units representing limited liability company interests at $22.00 per unit. All of the common units are being offered by Transocean Partners Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Transocean Ltd. Transocean Partners Holdings Limited has also granted the underwriters of the offering a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,625,000 common units.