Shipping accounts lack clarity
Third of the biggest shipping companies fail to produce publicly available accounts
THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY is still lacking clear financial reporting, according to a report.
KPMG’s study found that a third of the world’s biggest shipping companies produce no publicly available accounts. The figures are an improvement on 2008’s survey, when 44% failed to produce accounts.
More companies are producing accounts in line with IFRS.
John Luke, KPMG’s global head of shipping said: “The improvements are encouraging and perhaps a reflection of the growing demand for transparency from the sector’s supply chain and financiers. What we are seeing is a shift in both regulation and practice towards producing accounts, and producing them in IFRS which is helpful.
“Capital is in short supply whether this is debt capital or equity; therefore shipowners should be interested in presenting themselves in the best possible light if they are after some of that capital.”