As we began the 19th week of 2019, after weeks spent in the doldrums becalmed, shipping capital markets are beginning to show signs of life, as transactions were announced and concluded.

With apologies to the Chinese calendar, 2018 was the year of the deal. How do we count the ways? There were companies acquired, ships purchased, and even some capital markets transactions executed to finance them.

With equity investors on the sidelines, MLPs have, for some time, been starved for fresh equity as evidenced by few deals and weak fund flows into the sector.

At the end, there is always a piece of a puzzle that does not fit. Similarly, there is infrequently a transaction that is difficult to categorize requiring a catchall.

During the first quarter of 2019, the shipping and offshore industries raised $1.323 billion dollars
on capital markets worldwide, the lowest amount since the infamous third quarter of 2008.

The International shipping industry has no shortage of passionate entrepreneurs, sophisticated financial engineers, talented commercial chartering gurus, generously engaged industry association contributors, committed engineers, quality technical operators, and those with a heart for the human element.

Ports play a passive role in the transportation of goods. They are the receptacle for cargo on its way in or out to the next destination, whether by sea or land. Port movements are limited to holding, loading and discharging of cargo.

A leading tonnage provider to the major container liners, Danaos Corporation controls a fleet of 59 containerships with an aggregate capacity of 351,614 TEU, making it the 6th largest independent containership leasing company globally by capacity.

Before getting to the substance of the banker’s survey results for 2019, this year’s brief questionnaire tells something about the state of the industry, without even a cursory look at the responses.

CSIC Leasing Co. ordered a new VLCC for its own account at Dalian shipyard which is part of the CSIC Group, the world’s largest shipbuilder.

This is a new category — one that will take on greater and greater importance as companies, financial institutions and shareholders all strive for greater environmental, social and governance performance measures.

In a transforming shipping finance landscape, where traditional sources are either withdrawing or becoming more selective while new sources of capital emerge, it is important for shipping companies to be aware of and have access to all different alternative sources whoever and wherever they may be.