Signet Maritime closes $140 million secured term loan

Written by Nick Blenkey
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72 ft harbor tractor tug Signet Vigilant was delivered in 2014 by Signet Shipbuilding & Repair

Houston, Texas, headquartered tugboat operator Signet Maritime Corporation reports that it has that it closed a $140 million senior secured term loan facility with Riverstone Credit Partners, L.P., a dedicated energy and power credit fund managed by Riverstone Holdings LLC

Proceeds from the term loan will be used to repay and retire the Signet’s existing first lien credit facility, to fund development capital expenditures and to pay related transaction fees and expenses. This financing transaction was solely led and arranged by Riverstone. Signet retains 100% stock ownership by its President, CEO, and founder, J. Barry Snyder.

“Signet’s exceptional maritime expertise combined with our financial flexibility will allow Signet to execute on numerous expansion initiatives over the next 18 months,” said J. Barry Snyder. “This recapitalization, along with Signet’s advantageous positioning within our ports of operation, allows us to support the growing exports of crude oil and natural gas from the U.S. Gulf Coast. We look forward to continuing to provide reliable and safe service to our existing and new customers and the local communities in which we operate.”

“Our capital commitment to Signet reflects the confidence we have in the company’s future and their operational excellence,” said Co-Head of Riverstone Credit, Jamie Brodsky. “We are pleased to partner with Signet and support their growth going forward. Signet’s best-in-class fleet and embedded market position enables them to effectively service their increasing customer base and strong backlog of activity.”
“We are very pleased to partner with Riverstone in this new credit facility,” said Jerome P. Loughren, Chief Financial Officer of Signet. “By completing this transaction, we have fully satisfied our near-term maturities while adding additional liquidity to the balance sheet.”

Jones Walker LLP represented Signet as legal counsel in the negotiation and execution of the term loan. White & Case LLP represented Riverstone Credit Partners, L.P. as legal counsel.
Since 1976, Signet Maritime has been an industry leader delivering marine transportation and logistics services to customers worldwide. The company operates a diverse fleet of tug boats specifically designed for multi-disciplinary work including ship-assist, ship escort, towing, offshore support, subsea and rig moves. Certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISM, STCW-2010, SIGTTO, MTSA, SEEMP and 46 CFR Subchapter M; in addition to meeting all applicable USCG, SOLAS, MARPOL, and EPA requirements. Signet’s shipyard provides quality construction, repair and engineering services to the maritime industry. It is strategically located along the Pascagoula River with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, and is capable of dry-docking seven vessels simultaneously. The $7.5millioninfrastructure expansion enables total construction in a protected environment with 600-ton Marine Travelift.

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