DHT Maritime, Inc. (NYSE:DHT) today announced results for the period
from April 1 to June 30, 2008. Total revenues for this period were $27.8
million and net income was $10.3 million, or $0.29 per share (diluted).
The Board of Directors of DHT has declared a dividend of $0.25 per share
in accordance with the currently declared fixed dividend policy. The
dividend will be paid on September 24, 2008 to shareholders of record as
of the close of business on September 15, 2008. DHT plans to host a
conference call at 9 am ET on September 2, 2008 to discuss the results
for the quarter. See below for further details.
Second Quarter 2008 Results
Total revenues for the first quarter of $27.8 million (compared to $20.7
million in the second quarter of 2007) consist of $22.6 million in base
charter hire and $5.2 million in additional hire under the company’s
profit sharing arrangements with the charterer of the vessels, Overseas
Shipholding Group, Inc. ("OSG"). Of the total base charter hire, $17.8
million relates to the seven vessels on time charter and $4.8 million
relates to the two vessels on bareboat charter. Of the total additional
hire, $2.9 million relates to DHT’s three Very
Large Crude Carriers (“VLCCs”),
$1.6 million relates to DHT’s four Aframax
tankers and $0.7 million relates to one of DHT’s
Suezmax tankers, the Overseas Newcastle.
In the quarter ended June 30, 2008, DHT’s
VLCCs achieved average time charter equivalent (“TCE”)
earnings in the commercial pool of $96,000 per day (compared to $96,100
per day in the first quarter of 2008 and $44,200 per day in the second
quarter of 2007) and the Aframax tankers achieved average TCE earnings
of $48,800 per day (compared to $33,600 per day in the first quarter of
2008 and $26,600 per day in the second quarter of 2007), according to
data from the commercial pools. The Suezmax tanker Overseas Newcastle
achieved average TCE earnings for the quarter of $58,000 per day
compared to $38,000 per day in the first quarter of 2008.
In general, through the profit sharing elements of the time charter
agreements for the VLCCs and the Aframax tankers, DHT earns an
additional amount equal to 40% of the excess of the vessels’
actual net TCE earnings in the commercial pools over the base charter
hire rates for the quarter, calculated on a fleet wide basis and on a
four quarter rolling average. The Overseas Newcastle has a profit
sharing arrangement whereby DHT earns an additional amount equal to 33%
of the vessel’s TCE earnings above the TCE of
$35,000 for the quarter calculated on a four quarter rolling average.
In the quarter ended June 30, 2008, revenue days were 267 for the VLCCs
(compared to 270 revenue days in the second quarter of 2007) and 362 for
the Aframaxes (compared to 348 revenue days in the second quarter of
2007). The Suezmax tankers Overseas Newcastle and Overseas London which
are on bareboat charters to OSG, had a total of 182 revenue days in the
quarter.
For the quarter ended June 30, 2008, DHT’s
vessel expenses, including insurance costs, were $4.8 million,
depreciation and amortization expenses were $6.5 million, general and
administrative expenses were $1.0 million and net finance expenses,
including amortization of deferred debt issuance costs, were $5.2
million.
The operating result through the first half of 2008 has enabled the
Company to strengthen its balance sheet by an estimated $11 million from
retention of operating cashflow. This assists the Company in funding
additional growth opportunities. Additionally, in late April 2008 DHT
raised approximately $92 million in a marketed follow on public equity
offering strengthening the balance sheet further.
Market Update
The second quarter of 2008 benefited from the surge in the freight
market that started at the end of 2007 and has continued through first
and second quarter. This is primarily a result of strong Far East demand
and ample supply of OPEC oil increasing the demand for long haul
transportation of crude oil. The demand for oil import to China and the
industrialization of the developing economies of the Far East continue
to be the key drivers for the growth in tanker demand.
Market fundamentals for transportation of crude oil remain solid. The
recent fall in the oil price is perceived good for the world economies
and is expected to encourage further consumption. Combined with low
inventories and high OPEC production this bodes well for a continued
strong demand for oil transportation by sea.
A balanced tanker demand and supply is keeping freight rates at
reasonable levels. The market appear to be positively affected by supply
factors such as slow down in speed and port delays increasing the length
of voyages and ton/mile demand. In addition, there is the increased
commercial obsolescence, scrapping and banning of single hull tankers in
advance of the mandatory phase out commencing in 2010.
Tankers with a double hull design continue to trade at a premium rate to
single hull tankers and the difference appears to be widening.
Additionally, tankers of double hull design experience shorter waiting
time between cargoes.
With the spot market above the base charter hire rates there is the
basis for the vessels to earn additional hire and generate cash flow
over and above the base hire under the profit sharing arrangement. For
the third quarter the pools in which DHT’s
VLCCs and Aframax tankers operate report booking of pool capacity at TCE
rates averaging $143,500 per day for the VLCCs with about half of the
third quarter revenue days booked, and $54,000 per day for the Aframax
tankers, with about one third of the third quarter revenue days booked.
Also, OSG has reported that as of July 18, 2008, about 40% of the third
quarter Suezmax days had been booked at an average TCE of $69,500 per
day.
Vessels’ Charter Arrangements and Vessel
Operations
Of the fleet of nine vessels, seven vessels are time chartered to OSG
until the end of 2010 to early 2012. The two recently delivered Suezmax
tankers are bareboat chartered to OSG until 2014 and 2018, respectively.
We believe that the base hire component of each of our charters will
provide for stable cash flows during any down turns in the market, as
the charters provide for fixed monthly base hire payments regardless of
prevailing market rates, so long as the vessel is not off hire. In
addition, with respect to eight of the nine charters, if market rates
exceed the daily base hire rates set forth in such charters, we have the
opportunity to participate in any such excess under the profit sharing
component of the applicable charter arrangements.
DHT’s two Suezmax tankers are bareboat
chartered to OSG for terms of seven years and ten years, respectively,
with charter hire payable 365 days per year and no operating expenses
for the account of DHT, providing for stable earnings over the charters
periods. One of the two Suezmax tankers, the Overseas Newcastle has a
profit sharing arrangement.
The seven vessels on time charter are subject to scheduled periodic dry
docking for the purpose of special survey and other interim inspections.
In addition to scheduled off hire, these vessels can be subject to
unscheduled off hire for ongoing maintenance purposes. Unlike vessels on
bareboat charter, vessels on time charter are not paid hire when off
hire. Total days of offhire for running repairs and mandatory
inspections amounted to 8 days during the quarter.
One of the Aframax tankers, the Overseas Ania has completed the
statutory class inspection in the second quarter of 2008 without
docking, but is expected to complete some repairs in the third quarter
that is estimated to result in 5-7 days off hire. The Aframaxes Overseas
Sophie and Overseas Cathy are scheduled for drydocking
(special survey) in late 2008 or early 2009. These special surveys are
expected to result in about 20 days off hire for each vessel.
Recent Developments
Following approval by the shareholders at the Company’s
Annual General Meeting on June 18, 2008, the Company changed its name to
DHT Maritime, Inc. We considered this a more suitable name in light of
the majority of the operative world tanker fleet now being of double
hull construction.
Overseas Ania left the Aframax International Pool as of July 1,
2008 and is chartered by OSG to its wholly owned subsidiary OSG
Lightering at $29,000 per day for the remaining period of the initial
charter period terminating in October 2010. The rate of $29,000 per day
also serves as the basis for the vessel’s
profit sharing. The remaining three Aframax tankers continue to trade in
the Aframax International Pool.
On August 8, 2008, the Company, in line with company policy, filed a
shelf registration with the SEC for a total of $200 million.
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION
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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
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($ in thousands except per share amounts)
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2Q 2008 April 1 - June 30, 2008
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2Q 2007 April 1-June 30, 2007
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6 months Jan. 1 - June 30, 2008
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6 months Jan. 1 - June 30, 2007
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Shipping revenues
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$27,835
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$20,745
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$52,725
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$40,976
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Vessel expenses
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4,754
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5,095
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9,467
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9,870
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Depreciation and amortization
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6,537
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4,217
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12,730
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8,388
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General and administrative
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993
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746
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1,994
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1,553
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Total operating expenses
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12,284
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10,058
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24,191
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19,811
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Income from vessel operations
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15,551
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10,686
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28,534
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21,165
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Interest income
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434
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226
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582
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447
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Interest expense and amortization of deferred debt issuance cost
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5,645
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3,495
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11,151
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6,988
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Net income
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10,340
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7,418
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17,965
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14,624
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Basic net income per share
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$0.29
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$0.25
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$0.55
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$0.49
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Diluted net income per share
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$0.29
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$0.25
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$0.55
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$0.49
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Weighted average number of shares (basic)
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35,577,095
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30,026,431
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32,819,274
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30,020,192
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Weighted average number of shares (diluted)
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35,577,095
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30,044,038
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32,819,274
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30,035,738
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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
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($ in thousands)
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June 30, 2008
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Dec. 31, 2007
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Current Assets
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Cash and Cash Equivalents
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$119,594
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$10,365
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Voyage receivables from OSG
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5,239
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1,547
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Unrealized gain on interest rate swap
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Prepaid Expenses
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565
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452
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Prepaid Technical Management Fee to OSG
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1,357
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1,357
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Total Current Assets
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126,755
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13,721
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Vessels, net
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475,605
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398,005
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Other assets incl. deferred debt issuance cost
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1,243
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1,337
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Vessel acquisition deposits
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9,145
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Total Assets
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$603,603
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$422,208
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Current Liabilities
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Accounts payable and accrued expenses
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$5,350
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$4,409
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Unrealized loss on interest rate swap
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11,603
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10,218
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Deferred shipping revenues
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7,833
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7,006
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Current portion of long term debt
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75,000
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75,000
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Total Current liabilities
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99,786
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96,633
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Long term debt
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344,000
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253,700
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Total Stockholders equity
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159,817
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71,875
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Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
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$603,603
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$422,208
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EARNINGS CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION
DHT plans to host a conference call at 9 am ET on September 2, 2008 to
discuss the results for the second quarter. All shareholders and other
interested parties are invited to call into the conference call, which
may be accessed by calling (866) 700-6067 within the United States and
+1-617-213-8834 for international calls. The passcode is “DHT
Maritime”. A live webcast of the conference
call will be available in the Investor Relations section on DHT's
website at http://www.dhtmaritime.com.
An audio replay of the conference call will be available from 4:00 p.m.
ET on September 2, 2008 through September 9, 2008 by calling toll free
(888) 286-8010 within the United States or +1-617-801-6888 for
international callers. The passcode for the replay is 43113410. A
webcast of the replay will be available in the Investor Relations
section on DHT's website at http://www.dhtmaritime.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains assumptions, expectations, projections,
intentions and beliefs about future events, in particular regarding
daily charter rates, vessel utilization, the future number of
newbuildings, oil prices and seasonal fluctuations in vessel supply and
demand. When used in this document, words such as “believe,”
“intend,” “anticipate,”
“estimate,” “project,”
“forecast,” “plan,”
“potential,” “will,”
“may,” “should,”
and “expect” and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements
but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. These
statements are intended as “forward-looking
statements.” All statements in this document
that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking
statements.
The forward-looking statements included in this press release reflect DHT’s
current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain
risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We caution that assumptions,
expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs about future events
may and often do vary from actual results and the differences can be
material. The reasons for this include the risks, uncertainties and
factors described under the section of our latest annual report on Form
20-F entitled “Risk Factors,”
a copy of which is available on the SEC’s
website at www.sec.gov. These include
the risk that DHT may not be able to pay dividends; the highly cyclical
nature of the tanker industry; global demand for oil and oil products;
the number of newbuilding deliveries and the scrapping rate of older
vessels; the risks associated with acquiring additional vessels; changes
in trading patterns for particular commodities significantly impacting
overall tonnage requirements; risks related to terrorist attacks and
international hostilities; expectations about the availability of
insurance; our ability to repay our credit facility or obtain additional
financing; our ability to find replacement charters for our vessels when
their current charters expire; compliance costs with environmental laws
and regulations; risks incident to vessel operation, including discharge
of pollutants; and unanticipated changes in laws and regulations.
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or
should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements
included in this press release. DHT does not intend, and does not assume
any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements.
DHT Maritime, Inc.
Eirik Ubøe, +44 1534
639 759 and +47 412 92 712
info@dhtmaritime.com
and eu@tankersservices.com