The events of the past year conjured up an image of an exhausted man, beleaguered by both uncertainty and fear, pacing in no certain direction. It certainly was not easy being a shipowner. At the macro level, trade wars, geopolitics, interest rates, oil prices, sanctions and a slowing Chinese economy all weighed heavily.

As we have written, ad nauseum, the success of a project financing, or for that matter any vessel acquisition, is tied, most importantly, to market timing. The right price can cover a multitude of sins and is the basis of an asset play...

While no one can doubt BW Group's success as an owner, it has also done well as an investor. Most recently it has been acquiring companies, such as Epic Gas and Hafnia.

Last week, SFL Corporation Ltd. announced that it has agreed to acquire a 307,900 DWT VLCC newbuilding resale, which is expected to be delivered from Dalian Shipbuilding in China in the second quarter, for a net purchase price of $65 million, significantly below VesselsValue's estimate of $90 million, providing SFL with substantial asset backing. Upon delivery, the vessel will be bareboat chartered for seven years to an affiliate of the Landbridge Group, who in turn has secured a three-year sub-charter to an oil major, ensuring cash flow visibility.

Grindrod Shipping ups the ante by buying out one of the joint venture partners in IVS Bulk getting closer to full ownership.

Of course, we exaggerate, but in relative terms it was a quiet year, as uncertainty prevailed. To the extent there was capital to be put to work, it was not burning a hole in anyone's pocket at least when it came to shipping. Tech reigned supreme...

Growth is an imperative for the Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. ("OSG"), which is committed to sustaining its leadership position in the U.S. flag market for the transportation of crude oil and refined products.

Capital Product Partners L.P. announced yesterday that it had completed the previously announced refinancing with ICBC Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. for the sale and lease back of the CMA CGM Amazon, the CMA CGM Uruguay, and the CMA CGM Magdalena, three Post-Panamax containerships built in 2015/2016 with a cargo carrying capacity of 9,288 TEUs.

What maritime shipping companies, investors, insurers, and lenders need to know...

A major lender to international shipping and one of Japan's largest asset managers, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank ("SMTB"), became the latest financial institution and the first from Asia to adopt the Poseidon Principles.

Even before the Covid-19 virus, Teekay Corporation, like many others, realized the importance of and turned its attention to building balance sheet strength, which is most easily and directly accomplished through deleveraging.

On Tuesday, Scorpio Tankers Inc.announced that it had successfully priced its public offering of $25million fixed-rate senior unsecured notes in a "baby" bond format.