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Forward contract cover locked in for 96% of 2025 days and 80% of 2026 days
Maximizing strategic optionality while also returning capital to shareholders via annualized dividend of $2.10 per Class A Common Share
Athens, Greece - Aug 05, 2025
Global Ship Lease, Inc. (NYSE: GSL) (the "Company", "Global Ship Lease" or "GSL"), an owner of containerships, announced today its unaudited results for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025.
Second Quarter of 2025 and Year to Date Highlights and Other Recent Developments
• 2Q 2025 operating revenue of $191.9 million; up 9.7% on 2Q 2024. 1H 2025 operating revenue of $382.8 million; up 8.0% on 1H 2024.
• 2Q 2025 net income available to common shareholders of $93.1 million, or $2.61 Earnings per Share (EPS); up 8.8% on 2Q 2024. 1H 2025 net income available to common shareholders of $214.1 million, or $6.01 EPS; up 22.3% on 1H 2024.
• 2Q 2025 normalized net income3 of $95.1 million, or $2.67 normalized EPS³ up 9.7% on 2Q 2024. 1H 2025 normalized net income of $189.4 million, or $5.32 normalized EPS up 7.8% on 1H 2024.
• 2Q 2025 Adjusted EBITDA3 of $134.2 million; up 9.7% on 2Q 2024. 1H 2025 Adjusted EBITDA of $266.5 million; up 7.6% on 1H 2024.
• Added $397 million of contracted revenues during 1H 2025, bringing total contracted revenues as of June 30, 2025 to $1.73 billion, over a weighted average remaining duration of 2.1 years.
• On July 8, 2025 announced updates by three leading credit rating agencies. Moody’s Investor Service maintained its Ba2 Corporate Family Rating for Global Ship Lease, with a stable outlook; S&P Global Ratings affirmed its long-term issuer credit rating of BB+, with a stable outlook; and Kroll Bond Rating Agency ("KBRA") kept the Company’s corporate credit rating at BB+, with a stable outlook, while also affirming the BBB/stable investment grade rating and stable outlook for the 5.69% Senior Secured Notes due July 15, 2027 (the "2027 Secured Notes").
• In May 2025 Dimitris Y (5,900 TEU, built 2000) was contracted to be sold for $35.6 million, and is scheduled for delivery to the buyers in 4Q25, upon redelivery from the existing charter.
• Completed the sales of Tasman (5,900 TEU, built 2000), Akiteta (2,200 TEU, built 2002), and Keta (2,200 TEU, built 2003) for an aggregate gain of $28.3 million; the vessels were delivered to their new owners in 1Q 2025.
• Took delivery, in January 2025, of Czech, the last in a series of four high-reefer, ECO-9,000 TEU containerships contracted for purchase with charters attached in 4Q 2024 ("Newly Acquired Vessels").
• Agreed, in March 2025, to an $85.0 million Credit Facility with UBS to fully prepay certain of our outstanding credit facilities which would otherwise have matured between May 2026 and July 2026. The new loan is priced at SOFR + 2.15%, matures in the second quarter of 2028, and brings the weighted average cost of our debt, as at June 30, 2025, to 4.18% and weighted average maturity to 4.9 years.
• Declared a dividend of $0.525 per Class A common share for the second quarter of 2025, to be paid on or about September 4, 2025 to common shareholders of record as of August 22, 2025. Paid a dividend of $0.525 per Class A common share for the first quarter of 2025 on June 3, 2025.
• Approximately $33.0 million of capacity remains available under our opportunistic share repurchase authorization.
George Youroukos, our Executive Chairman, stated: "Even in a macro environment that has become as complex, volatile, and unpredictable as any in the modern history of our industry, we are proud to deliver yet another quarter of strong results and growth. By continuing to sign attractive charters for our fleet of well-specified, mid-sized and smaller containerships, we have during the first half of 2025 added almost $400 million of contracted revenue, bringing our forward contracted revenues to $1.73 billion, our 2025 contract cover to 96%, and our 2026 cover to 80%.
In the volatile aftermath of Liberation Day in early April, which was itself preceded by a spike in cargo movements aimed at getting ahead of forthcoming tariffs, both containerized freight and charter markets experienced something of an air pocket, as parties across the supply chain became focused almost exclusively on solving for short-term tactical challenges while pausing longer term commitments on shipping capacity or capital beyond what seemed necessary for the immediate future. Meanwhile, with recent cautious optimism about the Red Sea and a potential pathway towards normalization having been undermined by multiple Houthi attacks, it seems likely that extensive re-routing around the Cape of Good Hope will continue to extend voyage lengths at the same time as macro volatility continues to impact supply chain efficiency and thus increase the number of ships needed to carry any given quantity of cargo. Given these dynamics, as well as the continued feast-or-famine reaction of underlying freight demand to the imposition, amendment, or delay of tariffs, we are exceptionally pleased to have extensive forward charter cover, a robust balance sheet, and a fleet that offers our customers the operational flexibility and optionality they need. Forward visibility on the market and macro environment is very limited, but our financial strength, discipline, and contracted cash flow generation position us well to continue to create value for our shareholders almost regardless of underlying market dynamics."
Thomas Lister, our Chief Executive Officer, stated: "Maximizing optionality while strengthening the long-term resilience of our business remains our key strategic focus. Following years of disciplined de-leveraging, we have established a fortress balance sheet with financial leverage below 1x and a low cost of debt corresponding to our strong credit rating. This robust foundation, combined with over two years of weighted average forward contract cover, provides us with optionality and confidence to seize the kinds of value-accretive opportunities that often emerge from complex, volatile conditions such as those currently prevailing. It also positions us to pursue selective fleet renewal, as well as vessel upgrades that both increase our earnings power and enable us to meet evolving and tightening regulations. Consistent with our dynamic capital allocation policy, we believe that we best serve the interests of our investors by both continuing to return significant capital to shareholders via our dividend and remaining nimble, disciplined, and opportunistic in order to capitalize upon the inherent cyclicality of our industry."
Full report
About Global Ship Lease
Global Ship Lease is a leading independent owner of containerships with a diversified fleet of mid-sized and smaller containerships. Incorporated in the Marshall Islands, Global Ship Lease commenced operations in December 2007 with a business of owning and chartering out containerships under fixed-rate charters to top tier container liner companies. It was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in August 2008.
Our fleet of 69 vessels as of March 31, 2025 had an average age weighted by TEU capacity of 17.5 years. 39 ships are wide-beam Post-Panamax.
As of March 31, 2025, the average remaining term of the Company's charters, to the mid-point of redelivery, including options under the Company's control and other than if a redelivery notice has been received, was 2.3 years on a TEU-weighted basis. Contracted revenue on the same basis was $1.87 billion. Contracted revenue was $2.37 billion, including options under charterers' control and with latest redelivery date, representing a weighted average remaining term of 3.0 years.
Global Ship Lease press release
