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GRUPO TMM’S PURCHASE OF ASSETS AND MINORITY INTERESTS TO IMPROVE CASH FLOW AND RESULTS IN MARITIME DIVISION
(Mexico City, March 8, 2006) – Grupo TMM, S.A. (NYSE: TMM and BMV: TMM A; “TMM” or the “Company”), announced today that it has agreed to purchase the remaining 40 percent minority stake held by the Dutch company Smit in Servicios Mexicanos en Remolcadores, S.A. de C.V. (“SMR”), a joint venture company dedicated to providing harbor towing services at the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico. The agreed purchase price is $9.5 million. After the transaction, SMR will be a wholly owned subsidiary of TMM. In addition, on March 6, the Company announced that it had purchased Seacor´s 40 percent interest in Marítima Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. (“Marmex”), a joint venture company dedicated to providing maritime offshore services in Mexico’s Gulf Coast. As part of this transaction, TMM also purchased five offshore vessels owned by Seacor and flagged the vessels Mexican, and at the same time converted three additional offshore vessels from leased to owned status. All eight vessels are working under time charter contracts supporting offshore oil exploration and production activities in the Gulf of Mexico. The aggregate value of these transactions, including the purchase of Marmex’s 40 percent shares, the purchase of five vessels from Seacor, and the conversion to owned status of the three vessels under lease, was $77 million, of which $70 million was financed. Interest expense will be $6.0 million during the first year going forward, to be reduced in subsequent periods as principal is repaid. Pursuant to the purchase of these third-party minority stakes in SMR and Marmex, Grupo TMM now wholly owns its Specialized Maritime Operations, which consist of Product and Chemical Tankers, Harbor Tugs and Offshore Supply Vessel operations. Moreover, the Company plans to increase its offshore fleet through the acquisition of an additional AHTS (Anchor Handler Tug Supply) vessel during the second quarter of 2006. Javier Segovia, president of Grupo TMM, commented, “We made the strategic decision to buy offshore vessels and the remaining minority partnership interests in SMR and Marmex because these transactions will improve cash flow to TMM by $18.8 million per year, enable TMM to have full access to the cash flows generated from these activities, and provide TMM with direct control over the shipping assets under each business, reducing dependency on third-party chartering of vessels and eliminating future charter price volatility.” Segovia added, “The cost of operating our offshore fleet will be reduced substantially, while at the same time we will recapitalize the Company by building equity into the vessels, and generate additional cash flow to TMM under the umbrella of Mexico’s Navigation Law and long-term time charters with our customers in the Gulf of Mexico”. The following table shows the effect of the transactions (1) :
TMM's management will host an update conference call to discuss this information on Thursday, March 9 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To participate in the conference call, please dial 800-257-2182 (domestic) or 303-262-2050 (international) at least five minutes prior to the start of the event. Additionally, via the Internet, a simultaneous Webcast of the meeting will be available at http://www.actioncast.acttel.com, Event ID: 32767.
Headquartered in Mexico City, TMM is a Latin American multimodal transportation Company. Through its branch offices and network of subsidiary companies, TMM provides a dynamic combination of ocean and land transportation services. Visit TMM’s web site at www.grupotmm.com. The site offers Spanish/English language options. |
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| Included in this press release are certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and are based on the beliefs of the Company's management as well as on assumptions made. Actual results could differ materially from those included in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty. The following factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements: global, US and Mexican economic and social conditions; the effect of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the level of US-Mexico trade; the condition of the world shipping market; the success of the Company's investment in KCS; and other new businesses; risks associated with the Company's reorganization and restructuring; the timing of the receipt of any amounts in respect of TFM's pending claim for a refund of certain value added taxes; the ability of the Company to reduce corporate overhead costs; the ability of management to manage growth and successfully compete in new businesses; and the ability of the Company to restructure or refinance its indebtedness. These risk factors and additional information are included in the Company's reports on Form 6-K and 20-F on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. |
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