Rating Rationale
June 29, 2017 | Mumbai
Greatship India Limited
Rated amount enhanced
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.705 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.375 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA/Stable' rating on the long-term bank facilities of Greatship India Ltd (Greatship).

The rating continues to reflect the company's young, technologically-advanced, and diverse fleet; its adequate revenue visibility; adequate financial risk profile and strategic importance to, and financial linkages with, its parent, The Great Eastern Shipping Co Ltd (GESCO). These strengths are partially offset by Greatship's susceptibility of charter rates to crude oil prices, which are inherently volatile.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Greatship and its subsidiaries, as they are in similar businesses and have strong operational and financial linkages. CRISIL has treated preference shares of Rs 379 crore (including preference dividend) infused by GESCO as debt as they carry a fixed dividend payment and will be redeemed by fiscal 2024.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Young technologically advanced and diverse fleet: Greatship has 19 offshore-supply vessels (8 anchor handling tug supply vessels, 4 platform supply vessels, 2 multi-purpose platform supply and support vessels, and 5 remotely-operated-vehicle support vessels) and 4 jack-up rigs. The company strategically maintains a young and technologically-advanced fleet, which has better functionality and operating efficiency than older vessels, enabling better charter rates in an intensely competitive market that has large and established players. The average age of Greatship's offshore support vessels and rigs (6.57 years) is significantly lower than the industry average (over 50% of global offshore fleet is more than 22 years old).
 
* Adequate revenue visibility: A good mix of long- and short-term charters provides healthy revenue visibility and shields the company from the unfavourable scenario in the offshore business. Its jack-up rigs are expected to account for more than half its revenue over the medium term, and have long-term charters. Greatship's offshore supply vessels also operate under long-term charters, with duration ranging from six months to five years. Being an Indian player in the offshore segment, Greatship gets preference from state-owned oil and gas companies, which will support revenue stability.
 
* Strategic importance to, and financial linkages with, GESCO: GESCO has been building up its offshore business in Greatship after the demerger of the offshore segment into a separate company, GOL Offshore Ltd ('CRISIL D') in October 2006. GESCO had invested Rs 1684 crore (Rs 1305 crore as equity and Rs 379 crore as preference shares) in Greatship as on March 31, 2017, which accounts for 32% of GESCO's networth. Revenue from Greatship accounted for 39% of GESCO's revenue in fiscal 2017, and the proportion should remain high over the medium term. Given the strategic importance of Greatship to GESCO, CRISIL believes the parent will continue to provide business, management, and financial support to Greatship.
 
* Adequate Financial risk profile: Greatship's financial risk profile is driven by adequate gearing and adequate cushion vis-a-vis debt repayment obligations. As on March 31, 2017, Greatship had debt of Rs 2,762 crore (including preference capital and premium of Rs 379 crore invested by GESCO) on a consolidated basis, resulting in a gearing of 0.86 time. While cash accrual is expected to decline due to lower charter rates, the company has adequate cash flows to meet annual debt obligation of Rs 350-450 crore in fiscals 2018-2020. Also, progressive debt repayment and minimal debt-funded capex will lead to a stronger balance sheet over the medium term. Cash and equivalent of Rs 1166 crore as on March 31, 2017, will support any short-term fund requirement.
 
Weaknesses
* Susceptibility of charter rates to crude oil prices, which are inherently volatile: Greatship's profitability and cash flow in the offshore business depend on offshore charter rates, which are influenced by offshore and deep-water expenditure by oil majors. Offshore and deepwater block investments, which are larger than investments in onshore blocks, are highly sensitive to crude oil prices. With slowdown in global oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) capital expenditure (capex) as a result of sharp fall in crude prices, demand for offshore equipment has declined. Consequently, charter rates for offshore vessels and rigs fell 30-50% over the past two years. Charter rates for Greatship's vessels and rigs, which came up for renegotiation in the recent past, also declined. Also, with lower demand, utilisation of vessels and rigs is expected to reduce. The company's cash flow and profitability will be hit over the medium term as vessels and rigs get re-chartered at significantly lower rates, despite lower crewing cost.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes Greatship will maintain its credit risk profile over the medium term, despite lower charter rates, supported by its relatively young and technologically advanced fleet, and strong financial and operational linkages with, and strategic importance to, GESCO. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' if the company's operating performance improves substantially, driven by a rebound in charter rates. The outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if charter rates fall more than expected, leading to weaker cash accrual and debt protection metrics. The rating will also be sensitive to changes in the credit risk profile of GESCO.

About the Company

Greatship was incorporated in 2002 as a wholly owned subsidiary of GESCO. Along with its subsidiaries, Greatship provides services in the offshore energy E&P domain, and has presence in the offshore oilfield logistics support services, offshore construction services, and offshore drilling services segments. It commenced operations in 2006, with one second-hand vessel.

GESCO, set up in 1948, is the largest private-sector shipping company in India. The company operates in the offshore oilfield services segment through Greatship. In the shipping business, GESCO owns 45 vessels (including 29 tankers and 16 dry bulk carriers) with a combined capacity of 37.5 lakh dead weight tonnage (as on March 31, 2017).

In fiscal 2017, on a consolidated basis (provisional), profit after tax was Rs 155 crore on operating income of Rs 1408 crore, against net profit of Rs 440 crore on operating income of Rs 1805 crore in the previous fiscal.

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of Allotment Coupon Rate (%) Maturity Date Issue Size (Rs Crore) Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Working Capital Demand Loan@ NA NA NA 375 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA 15-Nov-2022 330 CRISIL AA/Stable
@ Interchangeable with fund-based facilities such as buyer's credit, short-term loan, and forward contract facility, and with non-fund-based facilities such as bank guarantee and letter of credit
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2017 (History) 2016  2015  2014  Start of 2014
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  705  CRISIL AA/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  21-10-15  CRISIL AA/Stable    No Rating Change  CRISIL AA+(SO)/Stable/ CRISIL AA/Stable 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Term Loan 330 CRISIL AA/Stable Working Capital Demand Loan@ 375 CRISIL AA/Stable
Working Capital Demand Loan@ 375 CRISIL AA/Stable -- 0 --
Total 705 -- Total 375 --
@ Interchangeable with fund-based facilities such as buyer's credit, short-term loan, and forward contract facility, and with non-fund-based facilities such as bank guarantee and letter of credit
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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