Singapore-based Samudera Shipping Line said it had agreed to buy a 25 percent stake from Japan’s NYK in LNG East-West Shipping.
Samudera already owns a 25 percent stake in this Sinagapore-based JV and would boost its stake to 50 percent while NYK would own the remaining 50 percent shareholding interest in LNG EW, according to a stock exchange filling by Samudera.
Under the deal dated December 6, Samudera agreed to buy about 8.59 million ordinary shares in LNG EW for about $14.8 million.
The duo agreed on the price after “taking into account various factors including the net assets value of the sale shares as well as the existing time charter contract that LNG EW has entered into,” Samudera said.
Samudera said it expects to complete the acquisition by mid-December.
Back in November 2020, joint venture companies owned by Sovcomflot, NYK Line, and Samudera refinanced two of their LNG carriers serving BP’s Tangguh LNG plant in Indonesia.
The carriers included the 2008-built 145,700-cbm, Tangguh Towuti and Tangguh Batur.
LNG EW entered into a refinancing agreement with MUFG Bank and Development Bank of Japan for a non-recourse $90 million credit facility with eight-year tenure for its vessel Tangguh Towuti.
Samudera did not mention Sovcomflot in the filling.
VesselsValue still lists Sovcomflot as a shareholder in both Tangguh Towuti and Tangguh Batur JVs.
Earlier this year, Dutch ING Bank sold four LNG carriers that were previously owned by Sovcomflot to Singapore’s Eastern Pacific Shipping due to sanctions imposed on Russia and Russian companies.
South Korea’s DSME also recently terminated a contract for the third and final LNG carrier linked to an order by Russia’s Sovcomflot.