Last week, AMA Capital Partners announced the addition of Chris Weyers to its team. Mr. Weyers joins the firm as Managing Director from Stifel Financial where for the past ten years he has headed up their maritime and energy infrastructure investment banking business. Companies: AMA Capital Partners, Stifel Financial

A strong market has its benefits, which one would be foolish not to take advantage of. A strong demand for car transportation, coming out of Covid, together with tonnage supply constraints contributed to a significant increase in the car carrier market charter rates. Companies: Gram Car Carriers ASA

At the end of last month, Stainless Tankers ASA (“Stainless Tankers”) completed a private placement of 13.4 million new shares, at a subscription price of $5.00, raising gross proceeds of $67 million. Stainless Tankers ASA, Tufton Oceanic, Womar Logistics, Fleet Management, Synergy Marine, Clarksons Securities, Fearnley Securities

Offshore Deal of the Year – East: Shuaa Capital, Allianz Middle East Ship Management, National Bank of Fujairah & Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation, Alantra, Shuaa Investment Banking

We would surmise that running one company for John Fredriksen is more than challenging, but two would likely require a superhero. Clearly, Øystein Kalleklev has proven his worth. Companies: Avance Gas Holding Limited, Flex LNG

This week we received Dealogic’s “Marine Finance Rankings Syndicated Loans – First Quarter 2023,” which left us scratching our head. Bearing in mind this is only a quarter and the first one at that, so making conclusions as to trends is dubious at best. Still, a close look at the data shows certain anomalies. Companies: Dealogic

Dealmakers of the Year: MPC Container Ships (MPCC), United Maritime Corp. (USEA)

Offshore Deals of the Year – West: Cadeler, DNB Markets, SpareBank 1 Markets, Pareto Securities

Last week, Diana Shipping Inc. announced that it signed a new five-year term loan facility with Danish Ship Finance A/S for up to $100 million which is secured by nine vessels. Companies: Diana Shipping Inc., Danish Ship Finance A/S

Last May, International Seaways, Inc. entered into a shareholder rights plan in the form of a Rights Agreement. That plan was put in place in response to the disclosure by Famatown Finance Limited (“Famatown”), a company controlled by John Fredriksen, a major competitor of International Seaways, that it had acquired approximately 16.19% of the company’s outstanding shares. International Seaways, Inc.,

The Contribution to Ship Finance Award

The Sustainability-Linked Deal of the Year - East: Standard Chartered, MUFG Bank, DBS Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Korea Development Bank, Malaysia EXIM