Japan’s shipping banks are confident they will once again be able to offer competitive finance to shipowners when the investment market recovers from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Providing access to competitive loans was a role they previously played in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, when Western banks pulled back from the sector. Debt finance schemes, such as the Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option, known as Jolco, came to the fore to fund mainly local newbuilding deals.
