Safe Bulkers, Inc. pursues its fleet renewal and deleveraging strategy
Published by Lydia Woellwarth,
Editor
Dry Bulk,
Safe Bulkers, Inc., an international provider of marine dry bulk transportation services, has announced that in relation to its fleet renewal strategy, it has entered into agreements: i) for the acquisition of two Japanese-built, dry bulk, Post-Panamax class, 87 000 DWT, new-build vessels at attractive prices with scheduled delivery dates within the first and the second quarter of 2023 respectively; ii) for the sale of two Chinese 2012 built, Kamsarmax class, 82 000 DWT vessels at gross sale prices of US$22.5 million and US$22.0 million with scheduled delivery dates within the second and third quarter of 2021 respectively.
The new-build vessels are designed to meet the requirements of Energy Efficiency Design Index related to greenhouse gas, GHG emissions, ‘EEDI, Phase 3’ and also comply with the NOx emissions regulation, NOx-Tier III and will be financed from the cash reserves of the Company. In relation to vessel sales the company will pay prior to each delivery the respective associated debt in the aggregate amount of US$28.0 million. Upon completion of the two sales the net liquidity is expected to increase by about US$16.5 million. In the context of the deleveraging strategy the company has scheduled to voluntarily prepay US$27.3 million of debt in May 2021.
The Company’s consolidated debt before deferred financing costs has been reduced from US$607.6 million in 31 March 2021 to US$593.7 million as of 12 May. On a pro-forma basis reflecting the above transactions and the previously announced sale and lease back agreement for an existing vessel of US$24.3 million for the refinancing of a US$16.3 million outstanding term loan facility the consolidated debt before deferred financing costs is expected to be further reduced to about US$546.4 million.
Dr. Loukas Barmparis, President of the Company commented: “Safe Bulkers is continuing its renewal strategy since December 2020, by ordering two additional new-builds with attractive delivery dates, bringing their total number to four GHG - EEDI Phase 3, NOx-Tier III new-builds and one second hand acquisition and by selectively selling in total of four older vessels. At the same time the Company is accelerating its deleveraging, maintaining a strong liquidity position.”
Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/shipping/14052021/safe-bulkers-inc-pursues-its-fleet-renewal-and-deleveraging-strategy/
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