HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, June 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trai Thien USA (OTC Markets:TRTH) today issued an excerpt from the LTN TV interview with Trai Thien USA CEO Haley Manchester. The full interview will air throughout Asia in July 2012.
Q: What are your plans to develop the Myanmar Business?
A: As Myanmar continues to open up and the economy grows -- and especially as trade between Myanmar and ASEAN grows as a result -- we believe there will be growing demand for Trai Thien's services on routes to-and-from Myanmar. Myanmar remains a prime opportunity for companies like ours that are already established in the market in that area, and we look forward to expanding our business relationships in Myanmar with the expectation of creating an early entry into the market.
Q: What trade routes in Asia are seeing the fastest growth?
A: In our area of the shipping business, the Intra-ASEAN and China-ASEAN trade routes are growing the fastest. It is our expectation that this trend will continue as the demand to move input commodities continues to grow as a result from rising domestic China needs. The current trend of increasing external investment made by Chinese firms into the ASEAN satellite countries makes this entire region prime for continued expansion.
Q: Is the company in a position to service ASEAN, China, India, Japan and Korea?
A: Our strategic plan is to employ the new 7,600 DWT vessels on both inter- and intra- South Asia and East Asia routes as they become available in 2012-13. This will make it possible for Trai Thien to service routes outside ASEAN and southern China, and remove the constraints based on our current fleet.
Q: How much expansion do you see for the company after ASEAN +3 in 2015?
A: Trai Thien's enhanced fleet configuration with the 7,600 DWT vessels should position it to benefit greatly from accelerated revenues and income generated as growing trade trends put upward pricing pressure on rates. Additional investments in our expanded fleet based on our business model can greatly expand operations and increase revenues.
Q: Has ASEAN increased trade so far?
A: We estimate ASEAN trade to be growing at a rate approximately two percent (2%) higher than the average annual aggregate regional GDP of the underlying countries.
Q: TRTH currently has a fleet of six, how many ships will be on the water in 2015?
A: TRTH's fleet development objective is to incorporate all six new 7,600 DWT vessels into the fleet by 2013. At that time, we also plan to discontinue leases on the smallest, oldest and least profitable vessels, and anticipate, with funding, adding six additional vessels, leaving the company with a fleet of 12 x 7,600 DWT and 2-3 4,000+ DWT vessels in 2015.
Safe Harbor Statement: Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this news release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause a company's actual results, performance and achievement in the future to differ materially from forecasted results, performance, and achievement. These risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in the Company's plans or expectation.