MONACO, Nov. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Safe Bulkers, Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE: SB), an international
provider of marine drybulk transportation services, announced today that the Company has accepted an offer letter to refinance a
loan facility of $51.4 million secured by 4 vessels, part of which would expire in 2022, by extending the relevant tenor by 2 years
and pushing back the balloon payments to 2024, concluding the Company’s refinancing actions.
Upon completion of all loan documentation the repayment schedule of the Company on a pro-forma basis is
presented in Table 1, in comparison with the repayment schedule as of September 30, 2018.
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Table 1: Repayment Schedules on an
annual basis |
($ in millions) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
2027 |
Total |
Pro-forma
schedule |
12.5 |
56.0 |
62.9 |
81.5 |
83.1 |
72.3 |
193.8 |
32.9 |
1.3 |
14.4 |
610.7 |
Schedule
as of
September 30, 2018 |
2.4 |
64.5 |
70.2 |
133.7 |
216.2 |
19.5 |
19.1 |
14.1 |
1.3 |
14.4 |
555.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of September 30, 2018, the total debt1 of $555.4 million was secured by 37 vessels, whereas
following the refinancing the total debt on a pro-forma basis is $610.7 million secured by 39 vessels. The average
margin2 following the refinancing is expected to be 211bps.
The refinanced facilities contain financial covenants in line with the existing loan and credit facilities of
the Company.
Dr. Loukas Barmparis, President of the Company, said: “Having concluded the refinancing of our debt in close
cooperation with our lenders, we believe that we have a comfortable debt profile which provides for one of the lowest cash
break-even points in our industry for the following five years. Our consolidated leverage3 was 55% for an 8.1 year
average-aged fleet as of the end of the third quarter 2018. The additional liquidity will provide financial flexibility to us and
is expected to be used for financing our environmental investments including scrubbers and ballast water treatment systems and for
general corporate purposes including acquisitions.”
_____________________________________
1 Total debt includes deferred financing costs.
2 Excludes sale and lease back agreements
3 Consolidated leverage is a non-GAAP measure and represents total consolidated liabilities divided by total
consolidated assets. Total consolidated assets are based on the market value of all vessels (before BWTS and scrubber
installation), owned or leased on a finance lease taking into account their employment, and the book value of all other assets.
About Safe Bulkers, Inc.
The Company is an international provider of marine drybulk transportation services, transporting bulk cargoes, particularly coal,
grain and iron ore, along worldwide shipping routes for some of the world’s largest users of marine drybulk transportation
services. The Company’s common stock, series C preferred stock and series D preferred stock are listed on the NYSE, and trade under
the symbols “SB”, “SB.PR.C”, and “SB.PR.D”, respectively.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, as
amended, and in Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended) concerning future events, the Company’s growth strategy and
measures to implement such strategy, including expected vessel acquisitions and entering into further time charters. Words such as
“expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “hopes,” “estimates” and variations of such words and similar expressions
are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These
statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that are inherently subject to
significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Actual results may differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially include, but are not limited to, changes in the demand for drybulk vessels, competitive factors in the market in which
the Company operates, risks associated with operations outside the United States and other factors listed from time to time in the
Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to
release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s
expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.
For further information please contact:
Company Contact:
Dr. Loukas Barmparis
President
Safe Bulkers, Inc.
Tel.: +30 2 111 888 400
+357 25 887 200
E-Mail: directors@safebulkers.com
Investor Relations / Media Contact:
Nicolas Bornozis, President
Capital Link, Inc.
230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536
New York, N.Y. 10169
Tel.: (212) 661-7566
Fax: (212) 661-7526
E-Mail: safebulkers@capitallink.com