PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk Provides Update on Ongoing Restructuring Efforts

PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk Provides Update on Ongoing Restructuring Efforts

PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk (the “Company”) wishes to provide an update on its ongoing restructuring efforts.

The Company previously announced on 5 October 2012 that some of its subsidiaries which had obtained protective orders from the Singapore High Court under section 210(10) of the Companies Act had the validity of those orders extended for a further 2 months.

At a hearing on 27 November 2012, the Singapore High Court granted .a further extension of those orders until 10 January 2013. This extension was obtained with the support of several major secured creditors of the Company.

The extension granted by the Singapore High Court complements the ongoing PKPU process in Indonesia. As announced by the Company on 4 July 2012, the Company is currently involved in a PKPU process overseen by the Central Jakarta Commercial Court. The Company presented its restructuring plan to its creditors for them to consider and vote on last Friday 14 December at the Central Jakarta Commercial Court, with the Company facing potential bankruptcy if it the requisite majority of creditors do not vote in favour of the proposed plan.

Discussions with creditors have been productive and the Company envisages that its creditors will vote on a final restructuring plan in the PKPU process in late December 2012. If the requisite majority of the Company’s creditors vote in favour of the restructu ring plan put forward by the Company, the Central Jakarta Commercial Court is expected to sanction the restructuring plan in early January 2013.

On 13 December 2012, a petition was filed against the Company in the United States Bankruptcy Court, under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. The Chapter 11 process allows for a distressed company to reorganize under the supervision of the United States Bankruptcy Court.

The Chapter 11 petition was filed by Gramercy Distressed Opportunity Fund II LP, Gramercy Distressed Opportunity Fund Ltd. and Gramercy Emerging Markets Fund (the “Petitioners”). The Petitioners claim to be owners of a portion of the 7.5% Guaranteed Senior Notes Due 2014 which were issued in 2007 by BL T Finance BV (a subsidiary of the Company) and are guaranteed by the Company.

The actions of the Petitioners constitute an unfortunate and untimely distraction for the Company and its restructuring efforts. The Company will nevertheless forge ahead in its efforts to restructure its debts and continues to look forward to a successful restructuring being achieved within the framework of the PKPU process. At the same time, the Company is taking legal advice on the appropriate steps to be taken in view of the actions of the Petitioners, to ensure that the Company’s efforts are not derailed.

Cos Borelli, Vice President for restructuring of the Company, said: “This is a critical time in the PKPU restructuring process. We have worked hard with the various different creditor groups and it has been difficult to balance the different expectations of different creditor groups. We have gone as far as we can and the decision is now in the hands of the creditors as to whether they want the Company to be restructured or liquidated. The plan has the support of the major secured creditors and presents the unsecured creditors with a valuable return in circumstances where the alternative guarantees no return …”

The Company remains very appreciative of the support and cooperation of its customers and creditors in this final phase of its restructuring efforts.

Source: http://maritime-executive.com/