Mon 21 Dec 2015 10:04

Vopak sells all its UK assets


Transactions with Macquarie Capital and Greenergy are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.



Storage terminal operator Royal Vopak has announced that it has reached an agreement on the sale of all of its UK assets to Macquarie Capital and Greenergy.

Macquarie Capital will acquire 100 percent of the shares of the three wholly owned terminals: Vopak Terminal London, Vopak Terminal Teesside and Vopak Terminal Windmill, to become part of Navigator Terminals. Greenergy will acquire Vopak Holding UK, comprising Vopak's 33.3 percent investment in the joint venture Thames Oilport (former Coryton refinery). Both transactions are expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2016, subject to "certain conditions", Vopak said.

The combined operational capacity (for oil, chemicals and gases) of the three terminals amounts to approximately 700,000 cubic metres (cbm). The joint venture Thames Oilport is under development and not yet commissioned.

The cash and debt free enterprise value of the divestment of Vopak's UK assets amounts to GBP 335 million and the transaction is expected to generate a net cash inflow of approximately GBP 300 million.

From a financial reporting perspective the total exceptional gain will be approximately GBP 200 million and will be recognized in 2016, Vopak said. The final proceeds are to be determined as per the completion date.

Vopak said the proceeds from the deal would be used to "further strengthen Vopak's flexibility to execute its selective capital disciplined growth strategy and to support its consistent dividend policy, while maintaining a robust financial position".

This divestment is in addition to the divestment program as announced on July 2, 2014, and following the earlier announcement on July 13, 2015, in which it was disclosed that a non-binding offer was received on all UK assets.

Earlier this year, in June, Vopak also announced the sale of Swedish entity Vopak Sweden AB to Inter Pipeline Ltd., a transportation and storage company based in Canada. The divested entity consisted of four terminals: Vopak Terminal Gothenburg, Vopak Terminal Gävle, Vopak Terminal Malmö and Vopak Terminal Södertälje. The decision to sell was also said to be in line with the outcome of its business review in July 2014.


Aicha Azad, Flex Commodities. Flex Commodities hires Aicha Azad as trader in Dubai  

Bunker firm appoints multilingual trader with bunker trading and cargo operations experience.

Desk calendar with the word “TAX”. 'Excess' fossil fuel profits should be taxed and given back to citizens, says T&E  

Campaign group calls for sustained taxes on excess profits or end to subsidies that keep demand high.

NYK Line’s Padma Leader vessel. Imabari Shipbuilding delivers LNG-fuelled car carrier to NYK Line  

Padma Leader expected to achieve up to 30% CO2 reduction through dual-fuel propulsion and exhaust gas recirculation.

Tallink’s MyStar vessel. Tallink targets full bio-LNG transition for Baltic shuttle vessels within a year  

Estonian ferry operator aims to replace all fossil LNG with renewable fuel on the Helsinki-Tallinn route.

Grimaldi's Grande Melbourne vessel. Grimaldi takes delivery of third ammonia-ready car carrier from Chinese shipyard  

Grande Melbourne is the third of seven vessels ordered from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding for Asia-Europe service.

BPCL and Cochin Port sign MoU. BPCL and Cochin Port sign MoU for LNG bunkering facilities  

Indian oil company and port authority agree to develop LNG refuelling infrastructure for vessels.

ClassNK Guidelines front cover. ClassNK publishes world-first guidelines for membrane-based onboard CO2 capture systems  

Classification society expands guidelines to cover membrane separation method for capturing ship exhaust emissions.

April Tan, Flex Commodities. Flex Commodities hires April Tan as lead trader for China  

Dubai-based marine fuels trader appoints experienced professional to Singapore office to drive regional expansion.

Contract signing ceremony. Yang Ming finalizes contracts for six methanol dual-fuel-ready boxships  

Taiwanese carrier signs deals with Japanese shipbuilders for vessels scheduled for delivery from 2028.

China’s Da Qing 268 vessel. China's first newbuild dual-fuel methanol bunkering vessel launched in Zhoushan  

Da Qing 268 can supply methanol and conventional fuels to ships at anchorage.