Scorpio Tankers Inc. Announces Update on Financing Activities

Rhea-AI Summary

Scorpio Tankers (NYSE: STNG) announced a liquidity boost of around $82 million through financing facilities, including a sale and leaseback of eight MR product tankers. The company expects to raise approximately $70 million after settling existing debts related to these tankers, with deliveries scheduled for Q4 2020. Additionally, a $12 million commitment has been secured for scrubber financing, expecting to generate about $66 million in further liquidity. The initiative aims to strengthen the company’s financial position amid evolving market conditions.

Positive

• Expected liquidity increase by approximately $82 million.
• Finalized commitments for the sale and leaseback of eight MR product tankers.
• Estimated $70 million liquidity from tanker transactions after debt repayment.
• New $12 million commitment for scrubber financing aiding liquidity.

Negative

• None.

MONACO, Sept. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE:STNG) (“Scorpio Tankers,” or the “Company”) announced today an update on financing facilities, which are expected to increase liquidity by approximately $82.0 Million. The Company has finalized commitments from three financial institutions for the sale and leaseback of eight MR product tankers that were previously mentioned and has received a new commitment for a scrubber financing facility.

Sale and Leaseback Facilities
Two of the eight vessels have already been delivered to their buyer, and the remaining six vessels are expected to be delivered to their buyers in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Upon completion of all the transactions for the eight vessels and the repayment of their existing debt, the Company expects to have raised approximately $70 million of liquidity in aggregate. These lease financing arrangements are the result of leasing discussions announced in our Earnings Press Release of August 6, 2020.

Scrubber Financing Facilities
In addition, the Company has received a new commitment of $12.0 million to finance scrubbers on six MRs of which, five have been installed to date. Including this new financing arrangement, the Company expects to raise approximately $66 million of aggregate additional liquidity (after the repayment of existing debt) once all of the previously announced scrubber financing agreements are closed and drawn. These drawdowns are expected to occur at varying points in the future as several of these financings are tied to scrubber installations on the Company’s vessels.

The facilities that have not been finalized are subject to customary conditions precedent and execution of definitive documentation.

About Scorpio Tankers Inc.

Scorpio Tankers is a provider of marine transportation of petroleum products worldwide. The Company’s fleet consists of 134 owned, finance leased or bareboat chartered-in product tankers (42 LR2 tankers, 12 LR1 tankers, 62 MR tankers and 18 Handymax tankers) with an average age of 4.8 years. The Company also has a leasehold interest in an MR product tanker that is currently under construction. Additional information about the Company is available at the Company’s website www.scorpiotankers.com, which is not a part of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward‐looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward‐looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward‐looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “target,” “project,” “likely,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could” and similar expressions identify forward‐looking statements.

The forward‐looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Company’s records and other data available from third parties. Although management believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Company’s control, there can be no assurance that the Company will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. The Company undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, except as required by law, to publicly update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Company’s view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward‐looking statements include unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, the length and severity of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including its effect on demand for petroleum products and the transportation thereof, expansion and growth of the Company’s operations, risks relating to the integration of assets or operations of entities that it has or may in the future acquire and the possibility that the anticipated synergies and other benefits of such acquisitions may not be realized within expected timeframes or at all, the failure of counterparties to fully perform their contracts with the Company, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for tanker vessel capacity, changes in the Company’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Company’s vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements, 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, vessels breakdowns and instances of off‐hires, and other factors. Please see the Company’s filings with the SEC for a more complete discussion of certain of these and other risks and uncertainties.

Contact Information

Scorpio Tankers Inc.
(212) 542-1616

FAQ

What is Scorpio Tankers' liquidity increase amount announced on September 24, 2020?

Scorpio Tankers announced an expected liquidity increase of approximately $82 million.

How much liquidity is expected from the sale and leaseback of eight MR product tankers?

The company expects to raise approximately $70 million in liquidity from the sale and leaseback of the eight MR product tankers after debt repayment.

What commitment has Scorpio Tankers received for scrubber financing?

Scorpio Tankers has received a new commitment of $12 million for scrubber financing on six MRs.

When are the remaining six MR product tankers expected to be delivered?

The remaining six MR product tankers are expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2020.

How much additional liquidity is expected from scrubber financing once closed?

The company anticipates approximately $66 million of additional liquidity from the scrubber financing agreements.