NAT Takes Delivery of Suezmax, Earnings Capacity Up
Nordic American Tankers Limited ("NAT" or "the Company") announced that it today took delivery of a Suezmax vessel, the Nordic Sirius, built at a shipyard in Japan. NAT agreed to purchase four vessels as announced in our press release May 2, 2016. Nordic Sirius is the third of these four vessels. In the course of 30 days, NAT has taken delivery of three vessels. The fourth vessel is expected to be taken over by us within mid-July 2016. Following the delivery of these four vessels, the Company will have a fleet of 30 Suezmax vessels, including two newbuildings from Korea, scheduled for delivery in August 2016 and January 2017.
74th Consecutive Dividend from NAT
The Board of Nordic American Tankers Limited (NAT) has declared a cash dividend of $0.43 per share to shareholders of record January 27, 2016. The dividend is expected to be paid on or about February 10, 2016. The first dividend was paid in the autumn of 1997 and dividend payments have been made for 74 consecutive quarters. The dividend for 2015 as a whole came to $1.59 per share. At yesterday's close, the stock price was $13.32. Chairman & CEO Herbjørn Hansson commented, "2015 was a very good year for NAT, with results improving quarter on quarter. The strong tanker market for NAT is continuing into 2016.
Hansson Sees Positive Outlook for NAO
Nordic American Offshore Ltd. (NAO) executive chairman, Herbjørn Hansson, has increased his ownership in the company, purchasing an additional 50,000 NAO shares with his son, Alexander, yesterday at about $7.83 per share. In a letter to NAO shareholders, Hansson shared thoughts on the progress the company has made since first being listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in June 2014, entering the Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) market against high, stable oil prices and record investment levels in the offshore segment. “Currently the market for our vessels is turbulent - the decline in oil price has led to reductions in exploration activity in the North Sea…
Shipbuilding: NAT Finalizes Deal for Two New Tankers
On December 9, 2014, Nordic American Tankers Ltd. announced that preliminary contracts had been entered into with a South Korean shipyard, for the construction of two suezmax tankers to be delivered in the third quarter 2016 and first quarter 2017. The final documents were signed December 19, 2014. The contracts are now firm, bringing the NAT fleet to 24 suezmax crude oil tankers, being able to transport one million barrels of oil each. The purchase price of the two newbuilding vessels is in the region of $65 million each, which is expected to be financed by the internal resources of NAT. The stage payments to the yard by NAT during construction will be guaranteed by a bank.
Tanker Markets See Storage Boon from Oil Price Collapse
The oil price drop will hand tanker markets an unexpected bonus next year, boosting demand for oil storage at sea while distant eastern markets also bargain-hunt fuel and need shipping. Supertanker rates are already close to five-year highs of over $83,000 a day - helped by a drop in shipping fuel bunker prices. Overcapacity, which has dogged owners for years, is also receding. Herbjorn Hansson, chairman and chief executive of Nordic American Tankers, told shareholders recently that lower oil prices "may trigger stockpiling or have a more general positive impact". "We see a clear increase in demand, especially from the East, and the oil is also carried over longer distances.
Offshore: Ulstein and the First U.S. Built X-Bow
Veteran Norwegian designer and builder Ulstein will, for the first time, build one of its signature X-Bow hull designs in the U.S., Maritime Reporter has learned. Edison Chouest Offshore’s LaShip shipyard in Louisiana is keen to build, and has found a Norwegian partner to share the risk. Judging by ever-evolving Ulstein business models and Jones Act strictures, Ulstein’s U.S. foray could lead to series production of the SX 165 offshore construction vessel. The U.S.-built combined light well-intervention and inspection, maintenance and repair vessel will be the second of the type.
NAO Announces Financials, Declares Dividend
Nordic American Offshore Ltd. has declared a dividend of $0.45 per share for 3Q2014, as previously announced. This is the same dividend as for the previous two quarters. The record date is November 7, 2014 and the payment of dividend is expected to take place on or about November 21, 2014. Since its establishment in late 2013 this start-up company has paid 3 dividends totalling $1.35 per share. To prepare for a NYSE listing and for expansion, NAO had a successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange in June 2014, raising net proceeds of around $100 million. NAO started trading June 12, 2014.
Nordic American Offshore Appoints CEO
Nordic American Offshore Ltd. (NAO) announced that Tor-Øyvind Bjørkli will join the company as chief executive officer (CEO), effective April 1, 2014. Tor-Øyvind will be working from out of the Oslo office on the same premises as Orion Tankers; the chartering department of Nordic American Tankers Limited (NAT). A subsidiary of Nordic American Tankers is the manager of the recently established Nordic American Offshore Ltd. (NAO). Tor-Øyvind graduated from Vestfold University College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering in 1992. He completed…
