Ship Finance purchasing four ships

The company has been growing its container fleet in addition to its mix of tankers, bulkers and oil and gas rigs.    Ship Finance International Limited continues to grow its fleet of containerships.
   The company, affiliated with the shipping magnate John Fredriksen, said it had agreed to acquire four 14,000-TEU container vessels in combination with long-term time charters to a leading container line.
   The ships were built in 2014, and while the company did not identify the seller or purchase price, it said they were on charter “to a leading Asia-based container line run until 2024, with options to extend the charters by 18 additional months.”
   The sellers of the vessel will receive both cash and 4 million newly issued shares in Ship Finance.
   Ship Finance, which also owns 14 tankers, 22 dry bulk vessels and nine offshore oil and gas rigs and vessels, has been growing its liner fleet and now has 40 containerships and two car carriers.
   Recently Ship Finance acquired 15 feeder size containerships ranging in size from 1,100 TEUs to 4,400 TEUs. Those ships were delivered in April and have been chartered through 2025 to an unnamed container line for seven years.
    The company also has two 19,200-TEU ships and 10 ships ranging in size from 1,700 TEUs to 5,800 TEUs on charter to MSC; seven ships ranging in size from 8,700 TEUs to 9,500 TEUs on charter to Maersk; and two 1,700-TEU ships on charter to Heung-A.