GPRT.L Regulatory News (GPRT)

17 Jan 2008 07:00

Goldenport Holdings Inc17 January 2008 Goldenport Holdings Inc. Athens, 17th January 2008 PRE-CLOSE STATEMENT The Board of Directors of Goldenport Holdings Inc ("Goldenport" or "theCompany"), (LSE: GPRT), the international shipping company that owns andoperates a fleet of container and dry-bulk vessels, is pleased to report thattrading for the full year ended 31st December 2007 is expected to be in linewith market expectations. The Company's final results for the year ended 31stDecember 2007 will be announced on Tuesday 26th February. OPERATIONAL FLEET FORWARD COVERAGE Goldenport also wishes to announce the update on the trading of its fleet as of 16th January 2008. The percentage of available days of the fleet already fixed under contracts (assuming latest charter expiration and exercise of all additional hire periods under charter) is as follows, as of 16th January: 2008(1) (2) 2009(1) (2) 2010(2)Total Fleet 90% (89%) 56% (53%) 27%Containers 88% (93%) 61% (56%) 33%Bulk Carriers 94% (84%) 50% (46%) 21% (1) Percentage of available days of the fleet fixed under contract as reported on 22nd October 2007 is given in brackets(2) The percentages above include only the currently operational fleet of 24 vessels and exclude the nine vessels for which we expect delivery in the future. OPERATIONAL FLEET EMPLOYMENT PROFILE Operational fleet Vessel Type Capacity Rate (US$) Charter Expiration per day Earliest Latest (1) Containers TEU 1 Bosporus Bridge Sub Panamax 3,720 14,750 Feb-12 Aug-12 2 MSC Finland (2) Sub Panamax 3,032 16,500 Feb-10 Apr-10 3 MSC Scotland (3) Sub Panamax 3,007 20,770 Sep-09 Nov-09 4 Anafi Sub Panamax 2,420 19,000 Apr-08 Apr-08 5 MSC Socotra (2) Sub Panamax 2,258 8,000 Mar-08 Mar-08 14,350 Mar-13 May-13 6 Howrah Bridge Sub Panamax 2,257 14,180 Jul-09 Sep-09 7 MSC Himalaya Sub Panamax 2,108 12,700 Dec-08 Jan-09 8 MSC Accra Sub Panamax 1,889 14,200 Jun-12 Aug-12 9 Gitte Handy 976 11,385 Mar-08 Mar-08 10 MOL Brilliant Handy 976 10,280 Jun-08 Aug-08 11 MSC Mekong (2) Handy 962 6,150 Feb-09 Apr-09 12 MSC Emirates Handy 934 7,000 Jan-09 Feb-09 13 Glory D Handy 946 9,600 Feb-09 Apr-09 14 Achim Handy 930 7,600 May-08 May-08 8,000 Oct-08 Dec-08 15 Tuas Express Feeder 485 8,900 Mar-08 Dec-08 Dry-bulk DWT 16 Vasos Capesize 152,065 23,950 Feb-11 Aug-12 17 Samos Capesize 136,638 32,000 Oct-08 Dec-08 18 Ios (2) Panamax 69,737 26,000 Apr-09 Jun-09 19 Gianni D Panamax 69,100 51,500 Dec-08 Apr-09 20 Athos (3) Panamax 67,515 19,300 Jun-10 Oct-10 21 Alex D Handymax 52,315 30,000 Feb-08 Feb-08 Note (4) May-09 Jun-09 22 Limnos Handymax 52,266 31,500 Jan-08 Jan-08 50,000 Jan-09 Apr-09 23 Lindos (3) Handymax 52,266 14,500 Jul-09 Nov-09 24 Tilos Handymax 52,266 45,000 May-08 Jul-08 Vessels under construction Vessel or Yard name Type Capacity Scheduled Delivery Containers TEU 25 Fortune (5) Post 5,551 2008 Panamax 26 Jiangsu Yangzijiang Sub Panamax 2,500 2010 27 Jiangsu Yangzijiang Sub Panamax 2,500 2011 Vessel or Yard name Type Capacity Scheduled Rate (US$) per day Delivery Dry-bulk DWT 28 COSCO Supramax 57,000 2009 17,650+50% profit share at BSI + 5% 29 COSCO Supramax 57,000 2009 17,700+50% profit share at BSI + 5% over 18,200 30 COSCO Supramax 57,000 2009 - 31 COSCO Supramax 57,000 2009 - 32 JES (6) Supramax 53,800 2008 18,000 33 JES (6) Supramax 53,800 2008 Commercially managed by Glencore AG (1) Represents last day on which the charter may redeliver the vessel assumingexercise of all additional hire periods under charter(2) The vessels MSC Socotra, MSC Finland, Ios and MSC Mekong will undergodry-docking within quarter 1(3) Athos, Lindos, MSC Scotland is currently on dry-docking(4) The rate per day for the new Alex D contract will be announced in a laterannouncement(5) The vessel Fortune is under reconstruction(6) Both vessels owned under a 50:50 joint venture with Glencore AG Captain Paris Dragnis, Chief Executive Officer of Goldenport, commented: "Our strategy to maintain presence in both the container and dry-bulk markets enables us to take advantage of the opportunities in each segment as they develop and translates into diversity and stability for our company. In this context, in 2007, we were able to further expand and diversify our investments in both segments acquiring vessels reasonably priced compared to the market conditions.In 2007 we got delivery of six second-hand container vessels, which contributed partially to the profitability of the year but will contribute in full in 2008. We also entered into eight new-building contracts for the construction of six bulk carriers with attractive scheduled delivery dates in 2008 and 2009 and two container vessels with scheduled delivery dates in 2010 and 2011, allowing us to double our fleet in terms of number of vessels. We believe that these contracted acquisitions reinforce our position in our strategic sub-segments of the container and dry-bulk shipping markets, enhance the earning potential of our company for the longer term and are in line with our prudent expansion strategy. Out of the six bulk carriers contracted, three have already been fixed under period employment for three yearsfrom delivery at attractive rates and one will be commercially managed by Glencore AG. Our defensive chartering strategy of employing our vessels on time charters hasnot only strengthened our 2007 results compared to previous years, but alsoallows us to weather through the weakness of the dry-bulk segment, as we haveonly one dry-bulk vessel opening for re-chartering in mid-2008, with 94% of ourtotal dry-bulk fleet available days in 2008 secured under period employment. Most of our container fleet has already been fixed for 2008 with 88% of our total container fleet available days in 2008secured under period employment. The three container vessels opening for re-chartering within 2008 and the vessel Fortune which is expected to be chartered by the summer provide upside potential given that the container chartering market environment remains healthy." - ENDS - For further information, please contact Goldenport Holdings Inc.: Christos Varsos, Chief Financial Officer +30 210 8910500John Dragnis, Commercial Director +30 210 8910500 Investment Relations Coordinators:Capital link: Nicolas Bornozis - New York +1 212 661 7566Natassa Markopoulou - London +44 207 614 2950 E-mail: goldenport@capitallink.com Further Information: Overview of Goldenport Goldenport is an international shipping company that owns and operates a fleet of thirty-three container and dry-bulk vessels that transport cargo worldwide. The fleet consists of eighteen container vessels (including two new-build vessels with deliveries scheduled for 2010 and 2011) and fifteen dry-bulk carriers (including six new-build vessels withdeliveries scheduled for 2008 and 2009). Goldenport is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker GPRT. Website: www.goldenportholdings.com or www.goldenport.biz This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange