FRO terminates 4 VLCC contracts

Frontline Ltd. (the company or Frontline) has announced that it has entered into an agreement with STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (STX) to terminate contracts for four VLCC newbuildings due for delivery in 2017. The contracted price of these vessels was US$364.3 million, of which the company has made instalment payments of US$45.5 million. Following the contract terminations, the company has been released of any and all obligations relating to the contracts, and received all instalment payments made to STX, less a US$0.5 million cancellation fee per vessel.

The company believes the market will continue to present attractive opportunities, and we will assess on-the-water and resale assets, which are at historically low prices. Frontline's low cash breakeven levels, and access to attractively priced capital, gives the company significant operating leverage and positions Frontline to take advantage of price dislocations in the market.

Following the terminations, Frontline's fleet consists of 73 vessels, including newbuildings, with an aggregate capacity of approximately 13.5 million dead weigh tonnes (dwt). The company's fleet is comprised of 25 VLCCs, 22 Suezmax tankers, 22 LR2/aframax tankers and one MR. In addition, there are three MR tankers chartered in on short term contracts.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/17102016/fro-terminates-4-vlcc-contracts/