Regulatory Filings • Jun 2, 2016
Regulatory Filings
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Marine Harvest and Deep Sea Supply to establish an aquaculture shipping joint venture
With reference to the stock exchange announcement 11 December 2015.
Marine Harvest and Deep Sea Supply PLC have entered into a Heads of Agreement to
establish a 50/50 owned aquaculture shipping joint venture (the "JV") that is to
build, own and operate aquaculture vessels. Marine Harvest and Deep Sea Supply
believe there is significant room for efficiency improvements across the value
chain in aquaculture shipping, ranging from reduction in newbuilding cost to
more cost-efficient operations. Accordingly, Marine Harvest aims to
significantly reduce costs related to vessel services through establishing the
JV. Over the past few years aquaculture vessels have increasingly become an
integrated part of the value chain. Marine Harvest charters today 44 vessels
with a combined cost of approximately EUR 100 million per year, making Marine
Harvest the industry's largest charterer of such vessels. The JV expects to
enter into contracts for the construction of aquaculture vessels which will be
chartered by Marine Harvest upon delivery. Current discussions indicate a
substantial reduction in newbuilding cost compared to solutions provided by
alternative aquaculture providers. The JV entity will be Marine Harvest's
preferred provider of aquaculture vessels. The intention of the JV is to also
compete for external contracts.
Deep Sea Supply is a leading owner and operator of supply vessels and has a
proven track record of building and operating vessels in a cost efficient way.
The JV will enter into management agreements with Deep Sea Supply covering all
necessary management services for the JV, including technical management, ship
management and other corporate services. Deep Sea Supply has the operational
platform in place required by the JV to meet its strategy of safe and efficient
operations of aquaculture vessels.
The aquaculture shipping industry is fragmented and characterised by lack of
competition. Through the JV, Marine Harvest and Deep Sea Supply aim to
consolidate the industry to achieve economies of scale. Marine Harvest seeks
every opportunity to streamline production and reduce cost, and as such the JV
is expected to yield operational efficiency gains and challenge the existing
cost dynamics in the aquaculture shipping industry. The JV will explore any
opportunity that may improve building cost or operating cost, including taking
advantage of the current imbalance in the offshore service vessel market through
potentially convert surplus offshore vessels into aquaculture vessels if project
economics are favourable.
This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section
5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
[HUG#2017370]
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