NORDIC AMERICAN TANKERS Ltd (NYSE: NAT)

Nordic American Tankers Limited is an international tanker company that focuses exclusively on owning operating and chartering Suezmax crude oil tankers. The company maintains a homogeneous fleet of vessels each capable of carrying approximately one million barrels of oil. As of the end of 2024 the fleet consisted of twenty Suezmax tankers the majority of which were built in South Korean shipyards. Nordic American Tankers Limited operates under the Nordic American System which emphasizes a simple structure of ships people and capital while pursuing low general and administrative expenses a strong balance sheet and a consistent dividend policy. The company has a long history of returning capital to shareholders through regular quarterly dividends and has maintained this payout for over a decade. The firm is incorporated in Bermuda with its principal office in Hamilton and its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker NAT.

Nordic American Tankers Limited generates revenue primarily by chartering its Suezmax tankers to customers under spot voyage agreements and time charter contracts. In the spot market the company is paid per voyage and recognizes revenue as the transportation service is completed. Under time charter agreements revenue is recognized on a daily basis over the charter period. As of the end of 2024 two vessels built in 2022 were employed under six year time charters that expire in 2028 one vessel was on a five year time charter expiring in late 2029 and another vessel was on a charter that expires in November 2026. The remaining vessels are mostly employed in the spot market where rates fluctuate with global oil trade dynamics. The company also monitors charter rates closely and adjusts its fleet deployment to capture favorable market conditions.

Nordic American Tankers Limited differentiates itself through a low cash break even level of about nine thousand dollars per day per vessel which it believes is competitive in the Suezmax sector. The homogeneous fleet reduces maintenance operating and administration costs and supports predictable cash flows. The company emphasizes close relationships with major oil companies and aims to serve what it refers to as Big Oil with a high quality and reliable fleet. Competitors include other independent tanker operators and the captive fleets of major integrated oil companies that also charter Suezmax vessels on similar trade routes. The firm's long standing dividend track record and conservative leverage strategy are viewed as advantages that appeal to income focused investors. This low break even point allows the firm to remain profitable even during periods of weak tanker rates.

The company's customer base consists of large international oil companies oil traders and independent oil companies operating in both Western and Eastern markets. These customers charter the company's Suezmax tankers to move crude oil on long haul and medium haul trade routes such as those linking the Mediterranean Black Sea West Africa South America and the Arabian Gulf to destinations in India the Far East Europe and the United States. While the filing does not disclose specific customer names the description indicates that the firm relies on established relationships with major energy market participants. Nordic American Tankers Limited seeks to maintain these relationships through consistent service quality and operational reliability. Among its customers are some of the largest integrated energy corporations that rely on the company's Suezmax vessels for their crude oil logistics.