Press release from Ship Finance International Limited, September 20, 2010
Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE:SFL) (“Ship Finance” or the “Company”) announces that it intends to issue a new bond loan in the Norwegian credit market with maturity in April 2014 and a minimum loan amount equivalent to approximately USD 50 million. The proceeds of the loan are expected to be used for general corporate purposes.
A portion of the new bond loan may be offered to qualified institutional investors in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and will be concurrently offered outside of the United States pursuant to Regulation S of the Securities Act.
Pareto Securities AS has been appointed as arranger of the new contemplated bond issue.
This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the bond or any other security of the Company. The bond loan has not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, and is being offered for resale only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Unless so registered, the bond loan may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
September 20, 2010
The Board of Directors
Ship Finance International Limited
Hamilton, Bermuda
Contact Persons:
Inge Edvardsen: Pareto Securities AS
+47 22878771 / +47 97515969
Ole B. Hjertaker: Chief Executive Officer, Ship Finance Management AS
+47 23114011 / +47 90141243
Magnus T. Valeberg: Vice President, Ship Finance Management AS
+47 23114012 / +47 93440960
About Ship Finance
Ship Finance is a major ship owning company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: SFL). Including newbuildings, the Company has a fleet of 70 vessels, including 30 crude oil tankers (VLCC and Suezmax), two chemical tankers, eight oil/bulk/ore vessels, 11 dry-bulk carrier, nine container vessels, six offshore supply vessels, one jack-up drilling rigs and three ultra-deepwater drilling units. The fleet is one of the largest in the world and most of the vessels are employed on long-term charters. The Company has declared a cash dividend for 26 consecutive quarters.
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.