ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, such as those set forth under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” herein and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2023, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Please also see the section entitled “Forward-Looking Statements” included in this quarterly report.
Overview
We are a Marshall Islands corporation headquartered in the United States and primarily focused on owning and operating VLGCs, each with a cargo-carrying capacity of greater than 80,000 cbm, in the LPG shipping industry. Our founding executives have managed vessels in the LPG shipping market since 2002. Our fleet currently consists of twenty-five VLGC carriers, including one dual-fuel 84,000 cbm ECO-design VLGC, or our Dual-fuel ECO VLGC; nineteen fuel-efficient 84,000 cbm ECO-design VLGCs, or our ECO VLGCs; one 82,000 cbm modern VLGC; three time chartered-in dual fuel Panamax size VLGCs; and one time chartered-in ECO VLGC. The twenty-five VLGCs in our fleet, including the four time chartered-in vessels, as of October 26, 2023, have an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 2.1 million cbm and an average age of 6.9 years. Currently, fifteen of our ECO VLGCs, including one of our time chartered-in ECO-VLGCs, are fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems (commonly referred to as “scrubbers”) to reduce sulfur emissions. An additional technically-managed VLGC has contractual commitments to be equipped with a scrubber with installation expected to be completed during our fiscal year 2025. Vessels fitted with scrubbers allow us to reduce our emissions and to burn less refined fuel, which is frequently cheaper than more refined, lower sulfur grades. When the cost of more refined fuel exceeds that of less refined fuel, we are typically able to earn a higher TCE for spot voyages and to potentially contract time charters at higher rates compared to vessels without scrubbers.
On April 1, 2015, Dorian and MOL Energia began operations of the Helios Pool, which entered into pool participation agreements for the purpose of establishing and operating, as charterer, under a variable rate time charter to be entered into with owners or disponent owners of VLGCs, a commercial pool of VLGCs whereby revenues and expenses are shared. The vessels entered into the Helios Pool may operate either in the spot market, pursuant to contracts of affreightment, or COAs, or on time charters of two years' duration or less. As of October 26, 2023, twenty-three of our twenty-five VLGCs were employed in the Helios Pool, including our four time chartered-in VLGCs.
Our customers, either directly or through the Helios Pool, include or have included global energy companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp., China International United Petroleum & Chemicals Co., Ltd., Royal Dutch Shell plc, Equinor ASA, Total S.A., and Sunoco LP, commodity traders such as Glencore plc, Itochu Corporation, Bayegan Group, and the Vitol Group and importers such as E1 Corp., Indian Oil Corporation, SK Gas Co. Ltd., and Astomos Energy Corporation, or subsidiaries of the foregoing.
We continue to pursue a balanced chartering strategy by employing our vessels on a mix of multi-year time charters, some of which may include a profit-sharing component, shorter-term time charters, spot market voyages and COAs. Currently, two of our VLGCs are on fixed-rate time charters outside of the Helios Pool. See “Our Fleet” below for more information and the definition of Pool-TCO.
Recent Developments
Dividend
On October 6, 2023, we announced that our Board of Directors declared an irregular cash dividend of $1.00 per share of the Company’s common stock, returning $40.6 million of capital to shareholders. The dividend is payable on or about November 2, 2023 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 20, 2023.
This is an irregular dividend. All declarations of dividends are subject to the determination and discretion of our Board of Directors based on its consideration of various factors, including our results of operations, financial condition,