Ex-Im Bank underwrites satellite exports to Hong Kong

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank has authorized two transactions aggregating $461 million to underwrite the export of American-made satellites to Hong Kong.
   The pair of transactions will support about 3,700 U.S. jobs, according to bank estimates derived from Commerce and Labor department data.
   Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) of Hong Kong will deploy the satellites to upgrade and expand its fleet, which offers coverage to 80 percent of the world’s population and targets emerging markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Russia.
   “In ABS-2, Space Systems/Loral provides us with one of the largest satellites ever to be launched over Asia. Separately, the combination of Boeing 702SP satellites and the Falcon-9 launch vehicles will revolutionize the fixed satellite industry with the most cost effective delivery of satellites into orbit,” said Tom Choi, chief executive officer of ABS.
   In the first transaction, the bank authorized a $171.29 million direct loan to ABS to finance the purchase of a satellite from Space Systems/Loral Inc. (SS/L) and insurance from Aon. The satellite is scheduled to launch in 2013.
   Additionally, the bank authorized a $289.71 million direct loan to ABS to facilitate the purchase of two satellites from Boeing Satellite Systems International, insurance from Aon, technical support, and the launch of both of the satellites with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Falcon 9. The transaction will finance the first two of Boeing’s all-electric-propulsion commercial satellites and the first Ex-Im Bank-backed SpaceX launch. The two satellites are planned to launch in 2015 from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
   HSBC Hong Kong and New York Project & Export Finance teams acted as lead financial advisor to ABS throughout the Ex-Im Bank application and due diligence processes.
   In fiscal year 2012, Ex-Im Bank authorized about $1.4 billion in satellite transactions.