Euroseas, an owner and operator of container carrier vessels and provider of seaborne transportation for containerized cargoes, announced today the extension of the charter of its container vessels M/V “EM Astoria” and new time charter contracts for its container vessels M/V “Evridiki G” and M/V “Aegean Express”. Specifically:

• M/V “EM Astoria”, a 2,778 teu vessel built in 2004, was extended for a period of between twelve and fourteen months in charterers’ option, at a daily rate of $18,650. The new rate will commence on December 15, 2020.
• M/V “Evridiki G”, a 2,556 teu vessel built in 2001, entered into a new time charter contract for a period of between twelve and thirteen months in charterers’ option, at a daily rate of $15,500. The new rate will commence around December 5, 2020.
• M/V “Aegean Express”, a 1,439 teu vessel built in 1997, entered into a new time charter contract for a period of between fifteen and sixteen months in charterers’ option, at a daily rate of $11,500. The new charter will commence on December 27, 2020.

  Furthermore, the Company announced that COLBY TRADING LTD (“Colby”), an affiliate of Euroseas’ CEO, elected to convert into shares of common stock the outstanding amount of a loan it provided to the Company on September 30, 2019; the conversion price was the lowest closing price over the fifteen business days prior to the conversion notice as per the terms of the loan. As result of the conversion, Euroseas issued 702,247 shares to Colby for the outstanding loan amount of $1.875 million.

  Aristides Pittas, Chairman and CEO of Euroseas commented: “We are very pleased to announce the new charter arrangements for three of our vessels providing employment for longer than a year period for each of them. The three vessels are expected to make EBITDA contribution of about $7.5 million during 2021 under their new charters which would be more than four times their EBITDA contribution during the last twelve months.

  “Both the rate of the charters – which is near the highest levels of the last ten years – and the duration of the contracts are indicative of the strength of the market during the recent months. If the present market levels continue and we are able to renew or replace the charters of the remaining of our vessels, as they expire, at similar levels, we should see a significant contribution to our earnings and profitability.

  “While risks – both geopolitical and economic – abound, we are optimistic that the demand-supply balance in the containership market over the next couple of years will be supportive of strong charter rates. Our optimism is based on the fact that a very low fleet orderbook, the lowest in more than 20 years in percentage terms, is combined with increased expectations for control of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery and healthy growth of containerized trade. The recent conversion of a loan from an affiliate of our main shareholders into equity is representative of the increased confidence in the prospects of the market and our company.”