Golar LNG Limited (Golar) has received an underwritten financing commitment for the December 2015 delivery of newbuild floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Golar Tundra.
As informed, based on the current cost of the Tundra, the facility of up to $216 million, to be provided by China Merchants Bank Leasing, has a 16 year amortisation profile, will fund the FSRU on a charter free basis, and, at current 10 year interest rate swap levels, will have an all-in cost of less than 6%.
Subject to an acceptable charter, Golar expects the facility amount and profile to increase. Golar said that the facility also provides for the Tundra’s eventual sale to Golar LNG Partners L.P.
On the current charter free basis the facility will finance a minimum of $50 million more than the final delivery payment to the ship yard thereby releasing this additional cash to Golar.
In addition, as part of this financing commitment China Merchants Bank Leasing will also provide a parallel facility to refinance the Golar Partners owned FSRU, Golar Eskimo.
Upon drawdown, this new facility will refinance the vessels existing $156 million debt and provide approximately $100 million of additional finance that is expected to be used to repay the remaining $100 million balance of the Golar Eskimo vendor financing facility provided by Golar.
As a result, Golar said that this joint financing for Tundra and Eskimo will provide around $150 million in cash that can be used to augment Golar’s existing liquidity position.