FORM 6-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of October 2005
NORDIC AMERICAN TANKER SHIPPING LIMITED
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
Reid House
31 Church Street
Hamilton HM FX
Bermuda
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F X Form 40-F
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to
the commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
Yes___ No X
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT
Attached hereto as Exhibit 1 is a copy of the press release issued by
Nordic American Tanker Shipping Limited (the "Company") on October 10, 2005
announcing its third quarter earnings.
Exhibit 1
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd. (NAT) - (AMEX: NAT) (OSE: NAT) announces
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results for 3rd quarter 2005 .
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Hamilton, Bermuda, October 10th, 2005
Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd (the "Company") today announced its result
for the third quarter of 2005. The Company also referred to the announcement of
September 26, 2005 including dividend and earnings guidance for the third
quarter of 2005.
HIGHLIGHTS
o The Board of Directors has declared a dividend of $0.60 per share for the
third quarter of 2005 which is essentially equal to the operating cash
flow (*) per share outstanding at the end of the quarter
o Third quarter net income of $4.3 million or $0.26 per share
o The Company's earnings from vessels in the spot market during the third
quarter were lower than in the second quarter, in line with general
conditions in the tanker market
o On October 7th the Imarex index for suezmax spot rates was $53,033 per
day. The average spot rate according to the Imarex index was $24,677 per
day during the third quarter. On October 6th the Company fixed one of it's
vessels for an expected period of about 36 days - on terms expected to
produce above $50,000 per day on a round trip basis. This is the first
fixture in the fourth quarter for our spot vessels
o The Company's 7th vessel, the Nordic Discovery, joined the fleet as from
August 9th. This vessel produced revenues for 53 days during the 92 day
third quarter
o One vessel was in dry-dock according to plan, reducing the revenue
generating days by 28 days, including repositioning to and from the
shipyard
o On September 26th the Company agreed to acquire a suezmax vessel which is
expected to join the Company's fleet in November, bringing it's fleet to 8
vessels
o The Company refinanced its $300 million credit facility into a five-year
non-amortizing credit facility
DIVIDEND PER SHARE, EARNINGS PER SHARE AND FINANCIALS
The Board has declared a dividend of $0.60 per share in respect of the third
quarter of 2005. In the preceding quarter the dividend was $0.84 per share. The
dividend will be paid on or about November 17th to shareholders of record
November as of 2nd 2005.
Net income was $4.3 million for the third quarter of 2005, or $0.26 per share
(EPS). This compares to a net income of $ 9.4 million, or $0.57 per share, for
the second quarter of 2005. Operating cash flow(*) was $10.4 million in the
third quarter of 2005, compared to $14.1 million in the second quarter of 2005.
The dry-docking of the Nordic Hawk took place in the third quarter. The Company
will amortize the dry-docking costs on a straight-line basis in line with
general shipping industry market practice until the next scheduled dry-docking.
None of our vessels are scheduled for planned dry-docking during the fourth
quarter of 2005.
For the third quarter of 2005, our operating costs for the vessels and our
general and administrative costs (G&A) were in line with expectations.
During the third quarter of 2005, the Company refinanced it's $300 million
credit facility into a 5-year non-amortizing credit facility. The earnings per
share for the third quarter were impacted by a non-recurring and non-cash item
of $0.38 million, or $0.023 per share, related to the refinancing, and by G&A
costs of $0.38 million, a non-cash item associated with the 2004 Stock Option
Plan.
The balance sheet item Other Assets is $8.1 million of which $4.0 million is
related to unbilled revenue for vessels on spot voyages in progress as of
September 30th and prepaid costs to technical and commercial managers at the
same time.
For further details on the accounts, please see at the end of this message.
During the third quarter the Company announced that it had filed a registration
statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a Dividend
Reinvestment and Direct Stock Purchase, where the intention is to enable
shareholders to reinvest their dividends in the Company on an individual basis.
THE MARKET - DEMAND AND SUPPLY
The spot market rates for suezmax tankers in the third quarter of 2005 were
lower than the rates in the second quarter of 2005. This is in line with general
conditions in the tanker market during the quarter. According to the spot
assessment of the Imarex Tanker Index, which gives an indication of the level of
the spot market, suezmax spot rates were on average $24,677 per day during the
third quarter of 2005, compared to $32,654 per day during the second quarter of
2005.
At the beginning of the third quarter (July 1st) the Imarex index indicated a
suezmax spot rate of $27,767 per day, while the Imarex index at the end of the
quarter (September 30th) was $42,348 per day. As of October 7th the Imarex spot
rate for suezmax vessels stood at $53,033. On October 6th the Company fixed one
of it's vessels for an expected period of about 36 days - on terms expected to
produce above $50,000 per day on a round trip basis.
A seasonal pattern is not unusual, and typically tanker earnings may be weaker
during late spring and summer compared to the autumn and winter seasons. During
the second half of September the spot market for crude oil tankers (essentially
for all sizes) gathered momentum. Spot charter rates are highly volatile and
could rise, fall or remain at present levels.
The longer-term prospects of the tanker market depend above all on developments
at the macro economic level. The US and the Far East, in particular China, are
key players in this regard.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), world oil demand is expected
to increase by 1.6% and 2.1% in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Global oil demand
averaged 82.6 million barrels per day during the third quarter of 2005, a 0.8%
increase from the previous quarter, and a 1.2% increase from the third quarter
of 2004 respectively.
The world suezmax fleet stood at 320 vessels at the end of the third quarter
compared with 305 vessels at the start of 2005. 63 suezmaxes were on order at
the end of the third quarter. At the same time 76 vessels had single hull.
Because of legislative and environmental restrictions imposed by governmental
agencies, single hull vessels are in an exposed competitive position. There is a
mandatory schedule for the phasing out of single hull vessels.
THE STRATEGIC PLATFORM
As communicated in the past, the main objective of the Company continues to be
value creation via a transparent, predictable and simple strategic platform. The
Company has a unique operating model. For the foreseeable future, the Company's
Board intends to continue building on this platform containing the following
main elements:
o Generally maintain a high exposure to the spot market. In the past the spot
market has over time given better return than the fixed rate time charter
market
o Full dividend payout policy as in the past
o Strong balance sheet with low debt to equity ratio and a low cash break
even level
o A fleet of high quality, double hulled vessels with focus on impeccable
technical operations, environmental focus and cost efficiency
o Low general and administrative costs
o A growth strategy, with acquisitions that are accretive to earnings and
dividend per share
As in the past, the policy of the Company is generally to have a low cash
balance. The revolving credit line gives financial flexibility in a more cost
efficient manner.
GROWTH - FROM THREE TO EIGHT DOUBLE HULLED VESSELS IN 12 MONTHS
The Company completed the transformation from a passive lease structure into an
operating company in October 2004. Since then, the fleet of the company has
increased from three to eight vessels (including the vessel expected to be
delivered in November 2005).
The fleet:
Name Built Size (DWT) Employment
Gulf Scandic 1997 151,459 long term contract
Nordic Hunter 1997 151,459 spot related terms
Nordic Hawk 1997 151,459 spot related terms
Nordic Voyager 1997 149,591 spot employment
Nordic Fighter 1998 153,181 spot employment
Nordic Discovery 1998 153,181 spot employment
New acquisition (1) 1998 157,332 expected to be employed in the
spot market
Nordic Freedom 2005 159,500 spot employment
(1) expected to be delivered in November 2005 and renamed Nordic Saturn
As of November going forward, we expect to have seven vessels in the spot market
or on spot market related terms and one vessel on a fixed rate long term
charter. The growth of our fleet increases the earnings potential of our
Company.
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(*) Operating cash flow is a non-GAAP financial term often used by investors to
measure financial performance of shipping companies. Operating cash flow
represents income before depreciation, amortization expense and certain non-cash
administrative charges. Please see the Company's Web-site at www.nat.bm for a
reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure as used in this release to the most
directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking
statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe
harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage
companies to provide prospective information about their business.
Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives,
goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and
other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.
The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this
cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words
"believe," "except," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project,"
"plan," "potential," "will," "may," "should," "expect" "pending and similar
expressions identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various
assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions,
including without limitation, our management's examination of historical
operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from
third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when
made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant
uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and
are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish
these expectations, beliefs or projections.
In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our
view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in
the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and
currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates
and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker market, as a result of
changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and world wide oil consumption and
storage, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking
and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and
refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by
regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation,
general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of
shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and
instances of off-hire and other important factors described from time to time in
the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including our Annual Report on Form 20-F.
Contacts:
Scandic American Shipping Ltd.
Manager for
Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd.
P.O Box 56
3201 Sandefjord, Norway
E-mail: nat@scandicamerican.com
Web site: www.nat.bm
Rolf Amundsen
Chief Financial Officer
Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd.
Tel: +1 800 601 9079 or + 47 908 26 906
Herbjorn Hansson
Chairman & CEO
Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd.
Tel: +1 866 805 9504 or + 47 901 46 291
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
NORDIC AMERICAN TANKER SHIPPING LIMITED
(registrant)
Dated: October 13, 2005 By:/s/ Herbjorn Hansson
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Herbjorn Hansson
President and
Chief Executive Officer
01318.0002 #607973