Fri 11 Mar 2011, 15:23 GMT

Emulsion fuel developer aims to raise US$4.8m


UK firm intends to use proceeeds to develop its existing emulsion fuel projects.



Emulsion fuel developer Quadrise Fuels International Plc. (QFI) has announced that it intends to raise approximately GBP3.0 million, or US$4.8 million, (before expenses) via a placing and open offer, thereby allowing the company's existing shareholders the opportunity to participate in the fundraising.

The net proceeds of the placing and open offer are expected to be approximately GBP2.7 million, which the directors claim will be sufficient to take the group to the stage where it is generating net positive cashflow from continuing operations.

Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the new ordinary shares subscribed in the placing and open Offer to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that admission will become effective and that dealings will commence on 4th April 2011.

Existing shareholders are being invited to apply for offer Shares, pro rata to their existing shareholdings on the basis of 5 offer shares for every 32 existing ordinary shares held at 5pm on 3rd March 2011, under the open offer at a price of 3.5 pence per offer share, payable in full on application and free of all expenses.

QFI said the open offer had been structured to allow qualifying shareholders to subscribe for offer shares at the offer price pro rata to their holdings of existing ordinary shares.

"Jendens Securities Limited, the company's joint broker, has pursuant to the placing agreement undertaken to use its reasonable endeavours to place any offer shares not subscribed for by qualifying shareholders with certain other investors. Accordingly, Jendens has made arrangements with certain institutional investors, directors and other investors for the offer shares to be placed to the extent that they are not taken up by qualifying shareholders under the open offer." QFI said.

Use of proceeds

QFI said the proceeds would be used to strengthen the group's balance sheet and to meet the current projected business development costs, capital expenditure and general working capital requirements of the group over the next 24 months.

"The board believes that the expected net proceeds of the placing and open offer will allow the company to develop its current projects to the stage when they can generate net positive cash flow from continuing operations. The directors believe that the placing and open offer is the most equitable method to allow as many Shareholders to participate in the company's future as possible." QFI said.

Emulsion Fuel - Progress Summary

QFI produces an oil-in-water emulsion fuel, MSAR® (Multiphase Superfine Atomised Residue), as a low cost substitute for conventional heavy fuel oil (HFO) for use in industrial and marine diesel engines and in power generation plants.

The technology utilises the least valuable elements of the oil barrel resulting in a fuel that is said to be lower in cost than HFO and competitive with natural gas.

MSAR is also said to have superior combustion characteristics to conventional heavy fuel oil, achieving complete carbon burn-out and producing lower NOx emissions.

In March 2010 WFI signed an agreement with Danish shipping group Maersk to jointly develop a marine version of QFI's MSAR emulsion fuel. Commenting on the Maersk Joint Development Agreement (JDA) last year, QFI Chairman Ian Williams said: "The land based fuel evaluation and qualification process should be complete by December 2010 and a commercial scale proving sea trial is planned for the first quarter of 2011. The agreement provides that on success this will move forward to a commercial phase for the supply of MSAR® marine fuel, initially to the Maersk shipping fleet. Revenues from this sector are anticipated before December 2011.

"The marine fuels market is now expected to form a major component of the company’s future business mix. Growth in this very large global fuel oil market is expected to follow the recovery of international trade and commodity movements," added Williams.

In a statement this week, the company said: "The marine MSAR® fuel programme is advancing towards the commercial phase. QIL, Maersk, AkzoNobel and certain major refiners are working jointly in a coordinated programme aimed at the production, supply and marketing of MSAR® marine fuel as an approved low cost replacement for bunker fuel. Bunker fuel oil is a global market of over 170 million tonnes per annum. Securing even a modest share will provide substantial underpinning of the future value of QFI. The project has advanced through progressive technical development and is nearing the end of the pre-commercial phase. In anticipation of successful progression, Maersk and QIL have entered into a Royalty Agreement, which provides the legal framework for future commercial sales of Marine MSAR® fuel to Maersk and third parties," QFI said.


Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore logo. Singapore opens applications for additional LNG bunkering licences  

Maritime and Port Authority sets 27 March deadline for operators seeking new supply permits.

A cargo port in Singapore. Singapore reports record marine fuel sales and container throughput in 2025  

Port of Singapore handled 56.77 million tonnes of marine fuel, up 3.4% year-on-year.

Grande Manila naming ceremony. Grimaldi takes delivery of seventh ammonia-ready car carrier Grande Manila  

The 9,241-ceu vessel was delivered in Shanghai and begins Asia–Europe service this week.

Barcelona Maersk naming ceremony. Maersk takes delivery of final 17,480-teu dual-fuel containership  

Barcelona Maersk completes six-vessel class built with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.

Container terminal with stacked containers. Ports face 2030 deadline for shore power as only 20% of EU connections installed  

TT Club warns European ports lag behind on onshore power supply infrastructure ahead of mandatory 2030 regulations.

Viking Cinderella vessel. Viking Line reports cargo record and tenfold biogas increase in 2025  

Baltic Sea ferry operator transported 139,484 cargo units while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60,000 tonnes.

Hartman Seatrade vessel render. Hartman Seatrade orders Wärtsilä 31 engine for new heavy lift vessel  

Dutch operator selects fuel-efficient engine and propulsion package for 3,800-dwt newbuild at Rock Shipbuilding.

Sustainable sign. Superalfuel workshop to examine safety and sustainability of alternative marine fuels  

Event in Montenegro will focus on hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol deployment in port areas.

Uniper and AM Green agreement signing. Uniper signs deal for up to 500 kt/yr of renewable ammonia from AM Green  

Agreement marks first long-term RFNBO-certified renewable ammonia offtake deal for an Indian company.

Panama Canal Authority and Monjasa partnership signing. Panama Canal Authority and Monjasa sign five-year cooperation agreement  

Partnership to fund community projects in Panama Canal Watershed focused on environment and education.





 Recommended