TORM has entered into an agreement to sell five MR product tankers to a company controlled by Oaktree Capital Management (Oaktree).
The sale is a consequence of the specific option rights, which one bank group exercised in connection with the Restructuring Agreement (cf. announcement no. 31 dated 2 October 2012). Oaktree will place the five vessels under TORM’s commercial management in a revenue sharing scheme, and utilize TORM’s integrated operating platform for technical management. TORM retains an upside potential through a profit split mechanism if Oaktree generates a return above a specified threshold.
“I am very pleased to have concluded this agreement with a strong strategic investor in the product tanker space. We have through our strong operational platform succeeded in maintaining the vessels’ association with TORM as intended,” says CEO Jacob Meldgaard .
The five vessels will be delivered to Oaktree during 2013. The transaction leads to a P&L loss of approximately USD 5 million which will be recognized in the financial statements in the second quarter of 2013.
Following the sale, TORM’s owned fleet consists of 60 product tankers and two dry bulk vessels.
TORM maintains its forecast for 2013 of a loss before tax of USD 100-150 million before potential additional vessel sales and impairment charges.
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TORM, April 23, 2013