Safe Bulkers, Inc. Refinances $105.2 Million of Existing Loan Facilities
January 16, 2020 at 09:20 am
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Safe Bulkers, Inc. announced that the Company has entered into sale and leaseback agreements with respect to eight vessels. The proceeds from the sale and leaseback agreements are being used to refinance loan facilities of $105.2 million with terms expiring between 2023 and 2025 and for general corporate purposes. The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company in connection with the sale and leaseback arrangements are $158.3 million. Under the arrangements, two vessels were leased back, under bareboat charter agreements, for a period of six years and six vessels were leased back under bareboat charter agreements, for a period of eight years. Four of such arrangements contemplate a purchase obligation at the end of the bareboat charter period and purchase options commencing three years following commencement of the bareboat charter period, and the remaining four arrangements contemplate a purchase option five years and nine months following commencement of the bareboat charter period, all at predetermined purchase prices. The Company has assessed that these transactions will be recorded as financing transactions. The sale and leaseback agreements provide additional liquidity of $53.1 million. The agreements contain financial covenants in line with the existing loan and credit facilities of the Company. In addition, the Company has entered into a three-year unsecured revolving credit facility providing for a draw down capacity of $15 million. As of January 15, 2020, the Company had liquidity of $143.6 million consisting of $113.8 million in cash and bank time deposits, $14.8 million in restricted cash and $15.0 million available under the unsecured revolving credit facility.
Safe Bulkers, Inc. is a holding company. The Company's principal business is the acquisition, ownership and operation of drybulk vessels. The Company's vessels operate across the world, carrying drybulk cargo for the consumers of marine drybulk transportation services. The Company is an international provider of marine drybulk transportation services, transporting bulk cargoes, particularly coal, grain and iron ore, along shipping routes across the world. As of February 17, 2017 the Company's fleet included 38 vessels, of which 14 are Panamax class vessels, nine are Kamsarmax class vessels, 12 are Post-Panamax class vessels and three are Capesize class vessels, with an aggregate carrying capacity of 3,421,800 deadweight tonnage (dwt). The Company's fleet of Post-Panamax vessels includes Marina, Xenia, Sophia, Eleni, Martine, Andreas K, Panayiota K, Venus Heritage, Venus History, Venus Horizon and Troodos Sun. Its fleet of Capesize vessels includes Kanaris, Pelopidas and Lake Despina.
SAFE BULKERS, INC. 
