UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of December 2017
Commission File Number: 001-36810
EURONAV NV
De Gerlachekaai 20
2000 Antwerpen
Belgium
011-32-3-247-4411
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F [X] Form 40-F [ ]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): [ ].
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): [ ].
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT
Attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of the press release of Euronav NV (the "Company"), dated December 5, 2017, announcing that the Company has sold the VLCC Flandre for USD 45 million to a global supplier and operator of offshore floating platforms.
The information contained in this Report on Form 6-K, except for the commentary of the Company's Chief Executive Officer contained in Exhibit 99.1, is hereby incorporated by reference into the Company's registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-210849) that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission effective April 21, 2016.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| EURONAV NV | ||
| (Registrant) | ||
| Dated: December 5, 2017 | ||
| By: | /s/ Hugo De Stoop | |
| Hugo De Stoop | ||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
EXHIBIT 99.1
 | PRESS RELEASE Regulated information Tuesday 5 December 2017 – 8 a.m. CET _________________________________ |
EURONAV SELLS VLCC FLANDRE FOR USD 45 MILLION FOR OFFSHORE PROJECT
ANTWERP, Belgium, 5 December 2017 – Euronav NV (NYSE: EURN & Euronext: EURN) ("Euronav" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has sold the VLCC Flandre (2004 – 305,688 dwt) for USD 45 million to a global supplier and operator of offshore floating platforms. The Flandre is wholly owned by Euronav and following the recent sale of the Artois (2001 – 298,330 dwt) is the oldest vessel in the Company's VLCC fleet.
A capital gain of approximately USD 20.3 million on the sale will be recorded in the current quarter. The vessel is expected to be delivered in December 2017 and will be converted in an FPSO by her new owner and will therefore leave the worldwide VLCC trading fleet.
Paddy Rodgers, CEO of Euronav said: "This is a remarkable accomplishment for Euronav and simultaneously achieves two key objectives for the Company. Firstly, it profitably assists our fleet renewal program by reducing the age of our fleet and will allow capital to be recycled into modern tonnage. Secondly, this is the seventh vessel we have successfully introduced into an offshore project, further demonstrating our reputation for providing high quality operational tonnage for the offshore sector."
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Contact:
Mr. Brian Gallagher – Euronav Investor Relations
Tel: +44 20 7870 0436
Email: IR@euronav.com
Announcement of fourth quarter results 2017: Thursday, 25 January 2018
About Euronav
Euronav is an independent tanker company engaged in the ocean transportation and storage of crude oil. The Company is headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, and has offices throughout Europe and Asia. Euronav is listed on Euronext Brussels and on the NYSE under the symbol EURN. Euronav employs its fleet both on the spot and period market. VLCCs on the spot market are traded in the Tankers International pool of which Euronav is one of the major partners. Euronav's owned and operated fleet consists of 54 double hulled vessels being 1 V-Plus vessel, 29 VLCCs, 18 Suezmaxes, four Suezmaxes under construction and two FSO vessels (both owned in 50%-50% joint venture). The Company's vessels mainly fly Belgian, Greek, French and Marshall Island flags.
Regulated information within the meaning of the Royal Decree of 14 November 2007.
| PRESS RELEASE Regulated information Tuesday 5 December 2017 – 8 a.m. CET _________________________________ |
Forward-Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe", "anticipate", "intends", "estimate", "forecast", "project", "plan", "potential", "may", "should", "expect", "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.
In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the failure of counterparties to fully perform their contracts with us, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for tanker vessel capacity, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.