The Board of Directors of Sovcomflot OJSC considered the 9M06 results of the company and its subsidiaries. As the press center of Sovcomflot reports according to consolidated financial statements under IFRS, the company’s precedes from fleet operation amounted over the reported period to $380.4 million (+27.6% against year-on-year result); operating revenue totaled $236.0 million (+22%); net profit – $124.2 million (+40%).
The company continued expansion of its fleet. In August 2006 Sovcomflot jointly with Novoship JSC acquired the Spanish shipping company Marpetrol. This acquisition enlarged the fleet by 12 modern chemical tankers with a total deadweight of 130 thou tons. The Board stated that high rating of Sovcomflot (Baa1 in foreign and national currencies according to Moody’s) is the company’s advantage for investments into the company’s projects. In September 2006, bank concortium comprising Societe Generale, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), DnB NOR Bank and ANZ Investment Bank granted a long-term credit to an amount of $400 million to Sovcomflot OJSC and its partners – NYK (Japan) and Samudera Shipping Services (Indonesia). The credit structured in the form of project financing was granted for construction and purchase of two LNG tankers.