Home / Shipping News / Dry Bulk Market / Safe Bulkers, Inc. To Install Scrubbers in 50% of its Fleet

Safe Bulkers, Inc. To Install Scrubbers in 50% of its Fleet

Safe Bulkers, Inc., an international provider of marine drybulk transportation services, announced its unaudited financial results for the three and twelve months period ended December 31, 2018.

Summary of Fourth Quarter 2018 Results

Net revenues for the fourth quarter of 2018 increased by 24% to $52.6 million from $42.4 million during the same period in 2017.
Net income for the fourth quarter of 2018 was $9.5 million as compared to a net loss of $86.6 million, during the same period in 2017. Adjusted net income1 for the fourth quarter of 2018 was $9.8 million as compared to $5.5 million, during the same period in 2017.
EBITDA2 for the fourth quarter of 2018 was $28.9 million as compared to a loss of $68.1 million during the same period in 2017. Adjusted EBITDA3 for the fourth quarter of 2018 increased by 22% to $29.1 million from $23.9 million during the same period in 2017.
Earnings per share4 and Adjusted earnings per share4 for the fourth quarter of 2018 were $0.07 and $0.07 respectively, calculated on a weighted average number of 102,100,829 shares, compared to a Loss per share4 of $0.88 and Adjusted earnings per share of $0.02 during the same period in 2017, calculated on a weighted average number of 101,531,352 shares.


Summary of Twelve-Months Ended December 31, 2018 Results

Net revenues for the twelve months of 2018 increased by 31% to $193.2 million from $148.0 million during the same period in 2017.
Net income for the twelve months of 2018 was $27.7 million as compared to a net loss of $84.7 million, during the same period in 2017. Adjusted net income for the twelve months of 2018 was $28.4 million as compared to Adjusted net loss of $1.7 million, during the same period in 2017.
EBITDA for the twelve months of 2018 amounted to $102.3 million as compared to loss of $8.4 million during the same period in 2017. Adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months of 2018 increased by 38% to $103.1 million as compared to $74.7 million during the same period in 2017.
Earnings per share and Adjusted earnings per share for the twelve months of 2018 were $0.16 and $0.17, respectively, calculated on a weighted average number of 101,604,339 shares, as compared to Loss per share and Adjusted loss per share of $0.98 and $0.16 respectively, during the same period in 2017, calculated on a weighted average number of 100,932,876 shares.
Common Stock Repurchase Program

As of February 14, 2019, the Company had purchased and cancelled 1,677,194 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to previously announced repurchase program, which has been terminated.

Fleet and Employment Profile

In November 2018, the Company entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with an unaffiliated seller to acquire a Japanese built, dry-bulk, Post-Panamax class, resale, newbuild vessel, expected to be delivered within the first half of 2020. The Company has the option to finance up to 50% of the purchase price of the vessel through the periodic issuance of the Company’s common stock to the seller. In November 2018, the Company exercised its option and issued 1,441,048 shares of common stock of the Company to the seller, to finance the first instalment of the purchase price of the vessel. Any such common stock issued by the Company is subject to a restriction on transfer for a period of six months from the date of such issuance.

As of February 14, 2019, our operational fleet comprised of 41 drybulk vessels, 11 of which are eco-design, having an average age of 8.5 years and an aggregate carrying capacity of 3.8 million dwt. Our fleet consists of 14 Panamax class vessels, 10 Kamsarmax class vessels, 13 post- Panamax class vessels and 4 Capesize class vessels, all built from 2003 onwards.

Order book, newbuilds capital expenditure requirements and liquidity

As of December 31, 2018, the remaining order book of the Company consisted of one Post-Panamax class vessel with scheduled delivery date in the first half of 2020 and aggregate remaining capital expenditure of $30.4 million of which $7.0 million is payable within 2019 and $23.4 million is payable within 2020. The Company has the option to finance up to $13.2 million of the remaining capital expenditure of the vessel through the periodic issuance of the Company’s common stock to the seller.

As of December 31, 2018, we had liquidity of $92.5 million consisting of $81.8 million in cash and bank time deposits, $10.7 million in restricted cash.

As of February 14, 2019, we had liquidity of $94.4 million consisting of $84.0 million in cash and bank time deposits and $10.4 million in restricted cash, while orderbook and capital expenditure requirements remained unchanged since year end 2018.

Update on Dry-docking schedule, Ballast Water Treatment System and Scrubbers installation

As of February 14, 2019, the Company has installed Ballast Water Treatment System (“BWTS”) in eight vessels. During 2019, we expect to install BWTS in 12 vessels concurrently with their dry-docking or scrubber installation.

As of February 14, 2019, the Company has completed the detailed engineering study for scrubber installation for five vessels and is in the final stage of completion, within the first quarter of 2019, of the study for another eight vessels. During 2019, we expect to install scrubbers in 19 vessels, the majority concurrently with their dry-docking, targeting to install four in the second quarter, nine in the third quarter and six in the fourth quarter of 2019.

During 2020, we expect to install an additional scrubber on one of our Capes chartered under a long period time charter at the request of the charterer, the cost of which will be reimbursed by the charterer.

The anticipated aggregate down time per quarter is approximately zero days, 191 days, 315 days and 210 days for the first, second, third and fourth quarter of 2019 respectively.

Dividend Policy

The Company has not declared a dividend on the Company’s common stock for the fourth quarter of 2018. The Company had 102,564,901 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of February 14, 2019, having cancelled 1,790,270 treasury shares acquired through buy back programs.

The Company declared in January 2019 a cash dividend of $0.50 per share on each of its 8.00% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares (NYSE: SB.PR.C) and 8.00% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares (NYSE: SB.PR.D) for the period from October 30, 2018 to January 29, 2019, which was paid on January 30, 2019 to the respective shareholders of record as of January 23, 2019.

The declaration and payment of dividends, if any, will always be subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company. The timing and amount of any dividends declared will depend on, among other things: (i) the Company’s earnings, financial condition and cash requirements and available sources of liquidity; (ii) decisions in relation to the Company’s growth and leverage strategies; (iii) provisions of Marshall Islands and Liberian law governing the payment of dividends; (iv) restrictive covenants in the Company’s existing and future debt instruments; and (v) global economic and financial conditions.

Management Commentary

Dr. Loukas Barmparis, President of the Company, said: ‘‘We closed 2018 profitably, having refinanced a large portion of our debt, targeting smooth debt profile for the next five years and gradual deleverage. We acquired one second-hand vessel and one resale newbuild for 2020 and bought back one vessel under sale and lease back agreement. We implement BWTS investments. In view of IMO 2020 sulphur cap regulation we are installing scrubbers in about half of our fleet during 2019, while we have selected to compete on the basis of vessels’ fuel consumption for the remaining part of our fleet. Since the beginning of 2019 the charter market has shown material weakness amid trade-war concerns, disruption of trade patterns and seasonality. Overall we remain confident that our Company is well positioned ahead of uncertainties and opportunities that the present environment will offer.”

Full Report

Source: Safe Bulkers Inc.

Recent Videos

Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and International Shipping