Nasdaq-listed owner and operator of tanker, container and dry bulk ships Capital Product Partners has taken delivery of the 50,000 dwt newbuilding tanker M/T Active, and agreed on new time charter employment for two of its tankers at increased day rates.
M/T Active was built by South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries, and it is the first of five vessels Capital agreed to acquire from their sponsor, Capital Maritime & Trading Corp.
The USD 33.5 million purchase price for the M/T Active was funded through a drawdown of USD 16.8 million under a senior secured credit facility with ING Bank N.V., and available cash, including the proceeds of the equity offering completed in September 2014.
The M/T Active is chartered to Capital Maritime for a minimum charter term of 24 months (+/- 30 days) at a gross daily charter rate of USD 17,000 plus 50/50 profit share on actual earnings settled every six months.
The additional four vessels Capital Product bought from Capital Maritime comprise three newbuild 9,160 TEU eco-flex container ships under construction at Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries with expected deliveries in June, August and November 2015 and an additional eco medium range product tanker under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries, with expected delivery in June 2015.
In addition, Capital Product has a right of first refusal over six newbuilding eco medium range product tankers built by Samsung Heavy Industries.
The three container ships are scheduled to enter into five-year time charter employment to CMA-CGM S.A., and the medium range product tanker is scheduled to enter into two-year time charter employment to Capital Maritime.
The company also extended the time charter employment of the 162,397 dwt crude carrier M/T Militiadis M II to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), for eleven months (+/- 30 days) at an increased daily rate of USD 33,000 gross. Previously, the vessel earned USD 28,000 gross per day. The new charter is expected to commence in April 2015.
The 47,834 dwt M/T Avax has secured employment to Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) for three years (+/- 30 days) at USD 15,400 gross per day. The charter is expected to commence at the end of April 2015. The vessel is currently earning USD 14,750 gross per day under its time charter employment with Capital Maritime.