Ardmore Shipping Corporation (NYSE:ASC) ("Ardmore" or the "Company")
today announced that it has signed a loan agreement for a new $39
million credit facility with Credit Agricole CIB.
The proceeds from the new facility will be used to finance up to 65% of
the purchase price of two vessels on order in the Company’s current
fleet. The facility will be an amortizing senior term loan with a final
maturity seven years from the date of drawdown. The covenants and other
conditions are consistent with those of the Company’s existing credit
facilities.
Anthony Gurnee, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, commented:
“We appreciate the support of Credit Agricole and are pleased to have
secured bank financing for the remaining vessels currently on order. We
have now secured financing for all of our vessels on order well ahead of
their scheduled deliveries in late 2014 and 2015. At the same time, we
have significantly expanded Ardmore’s banking relationships, which, in
conjunction with our recent equity offering, ensures that we have
substantial financial flexibility and the capacity to pursue attractive
growth opportunities in a disciplined manner. We are delighted to
commence a lending relationship with Credit Agricole and we look forward
to working with them on future transactions as well.”
About Ardmore Shipping Corporation:
Ardmore owns and operates a modern, fuel-efficient fleet of mid-size
product and chemical tankers. The Company is engaged in the seaborne
transportation of petroleum products and chemicals worldwide to oil
majors, national oil companies, oil and chemical traders, and chemical
companies. Additional information is available at the Company's website www.ardmoreshipping.com,
which is not a part of this press release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking
statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order
to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their
business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning
plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and
underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than
statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of
the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection
with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate,"
"intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential,"
"may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify
forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon
various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further
assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination
of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other
data available from third parties. Although we believe that these
assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are
inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which
are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we
cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations,
beliefs or projections.
In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in
our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements include the failure of
counterparties to fully perform their contracts with us, the strength of
world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including
fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for
tanker vessel capacity, changes in our operating expenses, including
bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our
vessels, competition in the tanker industry, availability of financing
and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain
financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements,
changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by
regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future
litigation, general domestic and international political conditions,
potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, piracy or
political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of off-hires and
other factors. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and
uncertainties.
Copyright Business Wire 2014