HAMILTON, Bermuda, Aug. 5, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Press release from Ship Finance International Limited, August 5, 2015.
Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE: SFL) ("Ship Finance" or the "Company"), today announced that it has agreed to sell the 1995 built Suezmax Front Glory to an unrelated third party. The Company has simultaneously agreed to terminate the corresponding charter party for the 20-year old crude oil carrier with a subsidiary of Frontline Ltd. ("Frontline").
The vessel is expected to be delivered to its new owner at the end of the third quarter, 2015. Net sales price is agreed to approximately $16 million, and Ship Finance will receive a net amount of approximately $13.8 million, after compensation of approximately $2.2 million to Frontline for the termination of the current charter. The vessel is currently debt free.
Divesting of older vessels is a part of the Company's strategy to renew and diversify the fleet, and the proceeds are expected to be reinvested in new assets. Following this sale, the number of vessels on charter to Frontline will be reduced to 16 vessels, including 12 VLCCs and four Suezmax crude oil carriers.
The Board of Directors
Ship Finance International Limited
Hamilton, Bermuda
Questions can be directed to Ship Finance Management AS:
Harald Gurvin, Chief Financial Officer: +47 23114009
Andre Reppen, Senior Vice President: +47 23114055
About Ship Finance
Ship Finance is a major ship owning company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: SFL). Including acquisitions and sales, the Company will have a fleet of 74 vessels consisting of: 18 crude oil tankers (VLCC and Suezmax, excluding the vessel agreed sold), two chemical tankers, 22 dry-bulk carriers (including 4 acquisitions), 20 container vessels (including 3 acquisitions), two car carriers, six offshore supply vessels, two jack-up drilling rigs and two ultra-deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs. The fleet is one of the largest in the world and most of the vessels are employed on long-term charters.
More information can be found on the Company's website: www.shipfinance.org
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward looking statements. These statements are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including Ship Finance management's examination of historical operating trends. Although Ship Finance believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control, Ship Finance cannot give assurance that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or intentions.
Important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in this presentation include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker market as a result of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and worldwide oil consumption and storage, changes in the Company's operating expenses including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, 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 or political events, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
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