HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 11, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE:SFL) ("Ship Finance" or the "Company") today announced the agreement to acquire the 2003-built vessel Montemar Europa. This acquisition includes an existing time-charter to a subsidiary of Compania Sud Americana de Vapores ("CSAV") of Chile, the largest liner shipping company in South America.
The net purchase price will be approximately $32.5 million, and delivery to Ship Finance is estimated to take place in late August or early September. The charter to CSAV expires in October/November 2008, and the net time-charter rate is approximately $13,500 per day.
Recently, the charter market for modern 1700 TEU container vessels has strengthened significantly, and Montemar Europa will be marketed for medium- to long-term contracts following the expiry of the existing charter in 2008.
The financing of the acquisition will be through cash and existing credit lines, and the transaction is expected to be immediate accretive to earnings and dividend capacity. The investment verifies the Company's strategy to grow and diversify the asset base, and we anticipate further growth opportunities in the container segment.
July 11, 2007 The Board of Directors Ship Finance International Limited Hamilton, Bermuda
About Ship Finance
Ship Finance is a major shipowning company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:SFL). Including newbuildings, Ship Finance owns a fleet consisting of 66 vessels, including 37 crude oil tankers (VLCC and Suezmax), 8 oil/bulk/ore vessels, 13 container vessels, 3 dry bulk carriers, 2 jack-up drilling rigs and 3 seismic vessels. The fleet is one of the largest in the world with a total cargo capacity of more than 11 million dwt. and most of the vessels are employed on medium- or long-term charters.
More information can be found on the Company's website: www.shipfinance.org
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including Ship Finance management's examination of historical operating trends. Although Ship Finance believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control, Ship Finance cannot give assurance that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or intentions.
Important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in this presentation include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker market as a result of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and world wide oil consumption and storage, changes in the Company's operating expenses including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.