Omega to Buy Tankers from STX

Omega Navigation Enterprises, a Greek shipowner whose shares trade in New York and Singapore, plans to buy two tankers that carry refined oil products from South Korea's STX Shipbuilding Co for US$64.5 million each. The Omega Emmanuel and the Omega Theodore, which have a capacity of 73,000 deadweight tons each, are so-called ice-class ships that are capable of navigating icy waters, the company said. The ships are due for delivery on March 23 and April 26. Omega also has options to buy two ships for delivery in the third quarter. An expected increase in shipments of refined oil products from the Middle East to Europe, Asia and the US may support demand for product tankers, EA Gibson Shipbrokers said in a recent report. Omega will pay $60m per vessel using cash and borrowing, with the balance funded by warrants. Source: Bloomberg