Global Ship Lease announces agreement to acquire four ultra-high reefer containerships on multi-year charters
Global Ship Lease, Inc. has agreed to purchase four 5,470 TEU Panamax containerships with an average age of approximately 11 years for an aggregate purchase price of $148 million, according to the company's release. On delivery, the ships will be chartered to a leading liner operator for a firm period of three years each, with a charterer’s option for a period of an additional three years.
During the three-year firm period, the vessels are expected to generate aggregate Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $124.4 million, implying a strongly accretive average Purchase Price / Annual Adjusted EBITDA multiple of approximately 3.6x. If the options are exercised, the vessels are expected to generate approximately $42.2 million of additional Adjusted EBITDA. With these additions, the Company’s fleet will comprise 66 vessels with a total capacity of 344,650 TEU.
The ships are scheduled for delivery during the third quarter of 2021. The Company expects to fund the purchase price with cash on hand and senior secured debt.
Based on the existing charters, the newly acquired ships are expected to contribute approximately $42.5 million of Adjusted EBITDA in the first 12 months. This represents an increase of approximately 25.2% on Adjusted EBITDA for the 12 months ended March 31, 2021. The ships are anticipated to add approximately $0.88 of earnings per share in the first 12 months, based on today’s outstanding share count, today’s LIBOR, and other assumptions, representing an increase of approximately 56.4% compared to Adjusted earnings per share for the 12 months ended March 31, 2021.
About Global Ship Lease
Global Ship Lease is a leading independent owner of containerships with a diversified fleet of mid-sized and smaller containerships. Incorporated in the Marshall Islands, Global Ship Lease commenced operations in December 2007 with a business of owning and chartering out containerships under fixed-rate charters to top tier container liner companies. On November 15, 2018, it completed a strategic combination with Poseidon Containers.
Global Ship Lease owns 49 containerships and has contracted to purchase a further 17 ships, ranging from 1,118 to 11,040 TEU, with a total capacity (when fully delivered) of 344,650 TEU. 32 ships are Post-Panamax, of which nine are fuel-efficient new-design wide-beam.
Adjusted to include all charters agreed, and ships acquired or divested as at May 31, 2021 for a total on-the-water fleet of 49 ships, the average remaining term of the Company’s charters as at March 31, 2021, to the mid-point of redelivery, including options under the Company’s control, was 2.6 years on a TEU-weighted basis. Contracted revenue on the same basis was $984.3 million. Contracted revenue was $1,134.9 million, including options under charterers’ control and with latest redelivery date, representing a weighted average remaining term of 3.1 years.