Rickmers Holding News

German shipping group Rickmers, which filed for insolvency in June, said on Thursday its ship management unit had the all-clear to continue business after it was bought by Bremen-based Zeaborn Group and owner Bertram Rickmers. The company said in a statement that a consortium consisting of Zeaborn and Bertram Rickmers bought the division, which has its main sites in Hamburg, Singapore and Cyprus after they won a bidding process. "It has only taken a few months after preliminary self-administration of the assets of Rickmers Holding AG was ordered to find a solution for continuing the business…

On July 31, 2017, the ZEABORN Group signed the contracts for the purchase of five 30,000dwt Superflex Heavy Lift vessels, all of which are sister ships of the previously acquired Rickmers Hamburg, and are employed in the Rickmers-Line liner service acquired by ZEABORN in April. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. While the title to the vessels will pass to ZEABORN by the end of September, they are already available to the shipping company without any restrictions.

Board of HSH Nordbank AG has surprisingly denied approval of the term sheet regarding the financial restructuring of the Rickmers Group, says a press release from the group. Rickmers Holding AG strives for restructuring in self-administration on the basis of continuation of the business and vessel operations, the release said. On 19 April 2017, Rickmers Holding AG reached an understanding with, inter alios, HSH Nordbank AG on a term sheet regarding the restructuring of material financial liabilities of the Rickmers Group that was subject to corporate approval of HSH Nordbank AG and contingent on the restructuring of the bond 2013/2018 issued by Rickmers Holding AG.

German shipping group Rickmers said it would file for insolvency after bondholder HSH Nordbank rejected its restructuring plan a day ahead of a last-ditch bondholders' meeting. Rickmers had proposed a revamp plan under which the equity stake of owner Bertram Rickmers was to be reduced to 24.9 percent, while bondholders, HSH Nordbank and potentially another bank would hold 75.1 percent. But HSH "highly surprisingly" rejected that plan, Rickmers said in a statement on Wednesday. "According to the assessment of the management board and supervisory board of Rickmers Holding AG the positive going concern prognosis of Rickmers Holding AG does therefore no longer apply," it said, adding its management board would file for insolvency without undue delay.

Following last month’s news that Singapore Based Rickmers Maritime Trust is to be wound up, Rickmers Holding AG released a statement on April 19 reporting that an understanding had been reached regarding restructuring of the Rickmers Group. It is understood that sole shareholder Bertram Rickmers will reduce his shareholding to below 25 percent, while the remaining 75 percent will be taken by lenders and bondholders. The value today of the Rickmers Group (a Rickmers Holding AG subsidiary) sits at $740 million, according to VesselsValue.

Marking further consolidation in the breakbulk and project cargo sector, Rickmers Group said it has sold its business operations of Rickmers-Linie to ZEABORN. Rickmers-Linie GmbH & Cie. KG and MCC Marine Consulting & Contracting GmbH & Cie. KG, which are both fully-owned by Rickmers Holding AG, reached agreement to sell their respective operating businesses to ZEABORN Chartering GmbH & Co. KG on February 7, 2017. The planned sale, subject to the approval of the financing banks of the Rickmers Group and subject to anti-trust authorities…

Hamburg, 11 November 2016 – In the first nine months of 2016, the Rickmers Group generated consolidated revenues of € 373.6 million. This represents a decline of 15 percent versus the previous year’s period (€ 439.7 million). This fall is due mainly to the persistently strained market situation through the expiry of further high-margin charter contracts, temporary fleet idleness and follow-on charters at current low market rates. Furthermore, lower revenues from freight and a stronger fall in capacity utilisation in the project cargo area also had a negative impact. As a specific consequence of this revenue decline, the operating result before interest…

Cash from top shareholder, executives should cover offload costs. South Korea's government said cash held by Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd and funds pledged by its parent group should meet the costs of unloading some $14 billion in cargo stranded on vessels operated by the troubled container line. The collapse of South Korea's biggest shipping operator late last month has plunged the shipping industry into chaos ahead of the crucial year-end holiday shopping season as dozens of vessels and their crews wait for money needed to pay for port and handling fees. The government said a 60 billion won ($54 million) loan pledged by Korean Air Lines Co…

Rickmers Holding AG and E.R. Capital Holding have jointly decided not to pursue the merger of their ship management activities. For many years the companies have worked together in ship insurance and ship brokerage. These partnerships are to be intensified and extended to other ship management activities. Both companies keep the content of the merger discussions in confidence. Rickmers Holding AG will continue to pursue its strategy, particularly in respect of expanding the fleet under third-party management. Additionally, processes are to be optimised, structures streamlined and profitability increased. Ignace Van Meenen, CEO of the Rickmers Group, explained the objective: “We aim to continue establishing and expanding customer relationships in an ongoing and focused way.

In the first half of 2016 the Rickmers Group generated consolidated revenues of €249.3 million ($279 mln), 13.9 percent lower than in the corresponding period in 2015 (€289.6 million, $324 mln). The main underlying factors are the persistently strained market situation, expiring high-margin charter contracts, follow-on charters at the prevalent low market rates, lower freight earnings, and a sharper decline in capacity utilization in the project cargo business. The Group’s operating result before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) saw a clear fall of 36.1 per cent to € 87.7 million ($98.2 mln)  (H1 2015: € 137.4 million) ($153.87 mln )…

Funds advised by Oaktree Capital Management, LP and the global shipping major Rickmers Group are joining forces to invest in eight plus eight eco designed newbuild container vessels. Oaktree Capital Management LP is a leading global investment management firm focused on alternative markets with US$81 billion assets under management (as at 30 September 2012). Rickmers will contribute its highly respected expertise in ship building, ship management and asset management. The strategic partnership between the two firms is expected to broaden over time. Shipping companies are increasingly  demanding modern and energy efficient tonnage to reduce their operational expenses and importantly…

The Rickmers Group has appointed Robert Sappio to the position of President and CEO of Rickmers Americas. He will report to Ronald D Widdows, CEO of Rickmers Holding. Sappio will be responsible for all aspects of Rickmers Group’s business in the Americas: including Rickmers-Linie (America) which is based in Houston, Texas, and the Maersk-Rickmers US Flag joint venture, which operates multi-purpose heavy lift cargo ships. For the Rickmers-Linie business, Mr Sappio will also report to Ulrich Ulrichs and Rüdiger Gerhardt…

Rickmers-Linie, part of Hamburg’s Rickmers Group, has promoted Ulrich Ulrichs to the position of Managing Director. Mr Ulrichs joined Rickmers-Linie in 2005 when he took over responsibility for Line Management. In 2008 he became Director of this division before being appointed Deputy Managing Director in August 2011. Mr Ulrichs will work alongside Rüdiger Gerhardt, who has held the title of Managing Director since 1 July 2011 as well as Head of Logistics Services for the Rickmers Group.

Dr Mark-Ken Erdmann will join Rickmers Holding in Hamburg as Deputy CFO as of 1 July 2012. In this position, he will be responsible for a broad range of corporate functions including Accounting & Controlling, Tax, IT, Human Resources, Legal Affairs, as well as Mergers & Acquisitions. He will report to Dr Ignace Van Meenen, who in addition to his role as CFO, was recently nominated Deputy CEO of the Rickmers Group. Dr Erdmann is joining Rickmers from Bertelsmann AG, where he has been CIO and Member of the Corporate Centre Board…

Ron Widdows to take over from Jan B Steffens as CEO of Rickmers Holding and Rickmers-Linie. After ten very successful years with the Rickmers Group and especially, with Rickmers-Linie, Jan B Steffens will by 31 March 2012 step down from the twin positions of CEO of Rickmers Holding and of Rickmers-Linie although he will continue to serve on the Rickmers Group advisory board. Ronald D Widdows, former CEO of NOL/APL, is to become the new Chief Executive Officer of Rickmers Holding and Rickmers-Linie as of 1 April 2012. Rickmers’ Chief Financial Officer Dr Ignace Van Meenen will act as his deputy. Announcing this change, Bertram R C Rickmers…

Soundview Maritime, LLC, an owner and operator of mid-sized container ships for charter to leading global ocean and intermodal transportation companies, today announced it has engaged Dr. Moritz Mittelbach, a maritime industry veteran, as its exclusive strategic advisor. In this role, Dr. Mittelbach will advise Soundview on the purchase, financing, and long term charter of container vessels as well as other strategic initiatives to grow and improve the company. Littlejohn & Co. and Northern Shipping Funds (Northern) established Soundview Maritime in 2010 and have made equity commitments that enable the acquisition of between 10 and 20 containerships in the 1,000 to 4,000 TEU range.

Following 10 years with the Rickmers Group and after the successful conclusion of financing agreements for the Rickmers Group’s newbuilding programme consisting of container and multi-purpose vessels, Dr Moritz Mittelbach has stepped down as CFO and Managing Director of Rickmers Holding GmbH & Cie KG and Pacific Holdings International GmbH & Cie KG with effect from 31 January 2011 at his own request. With his expertise, Dr Mittelbach successfully guided the Rickmers Group through the difficult phase of the financial and shipping crisis; he will continue to bring his experience to bear by serving the company in an advisory role. The Executive Board thanks Dr Mittelbach for his important contribution.

Even for Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the world’s largest shipyard group, it was a remarkable occasion. In a quadruple naming ceremony at HHI’s Ulsan shipyard on July 2, Rickmers Group christened four ultra-large container ships (ULCS) of 13,100 TEU each. Each of the four ships, Pearl Rickmers, Ruby Rickmers, Aqua Rickmers and Coconee Rickmers, has a service speed of 24.3 knots. They have been chartered longterm to Maersk Line and will join Maersk’s “E-class” as Maersk Edinburgh, Maersk Emden, Maersk Eindhoven and Maersk Essen.