COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
9 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2017 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Litigation and Arbitration:
During the third and fourth quarters of 2015, we recorded contract losses totaling $24.5 million related to a large deepwater project we delivered in November 2015. No amounts with respect to these disputed change orders are included on our consolidated balance sheet or recognized in revenue in our consolidated statement of operations as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. In the second quarter of 2016, we initiated legal action to recover our costs from these disputed change orders. We can give no assurance that our actions will be successful or that we will recover all or any portion of these contract losses from our customer.
On October 21, 2016, a customer of our Shipyards division announced it was in noncompliance with certain financial covenants included in the customer’s debt agreements and stated that, while it had received limited waivers from its lenders, its debt agreements would require further negotiation and amendment. This same customer rejected delivery of the first vessel that we completed and tendered for delivery on February 6, 2017, alleging certain technical deficiencies exist with respect to the vessel. On March 10, 2017, we gave notice for arbitration with our customer in an effort to resolve this matter and subsequently suspended fabrication of the second vessel under contract with this customer, which is included in our arbitration proceedings. We disagree with our customer concerning these alleged technical deficiencies and have put the customer in default under the terms of both vessel contracts. The customer is seeking recovery of $84.8 million representing all purchase price amounts previously paid by the customer under both contracts. On May 17, 2017, the customer filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code for reorganization under a negotiated, pre-packaged plan. The customer has emerged from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and the Bankruptcy Court has approved the customer's retention and acceptance of both contracts. As of September 30, 2017, approximately $4.6 million remained due and outstanding from our customer for the first vessel. The balance due to us for the second vessel upon completion and delivery is approximately $4.9 million. We are working with legal counsel to protect our contractual claims, and we have re-initiated arbitration proceedings in accordance with our contracts. We are in the process of discovery. The customer has recently named a new interim chief executive officer who has made contact with our management, and we are working to resolve our dispute in a constructive manner. We intend to take all legal action as may be necessary to protect our rights under the contracts and recover the remaining balances owed to us. Because these vessels have been completed or are substantially complete, we believe that they have significant fair value and that we would be able to fully recover any remaining amounts due to us in the event we enforce our security interest over these projects.
Customer Contract:
Included in our results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, are $12.7 million of contract losses incurred by our Shipyards division related to cost overruns and re-work identified on two newbuild vessel construction contracts from a customer. We and our customer are in discussions to pause construction of the vessels as we resolve electrical and engineering and design issues causing a significant portion of the re-work and cost overruns. Our estimates to complete these vessels contemplate this pause to resolve issues as well as the related delivery schedule. Actual costs to complete and agreed to delivery dates could be different than our estimates. Each vessel contract contains penalties from $0 to a maximum of $5.6 million per vessel for late delivery. We believe, but can provide no assurance, that we will be successful in mutually resolving these issues with our customer in accordance with our estimates. Management has not accrued for any penalties as of September 30, 2017, as we believe penalties are not deemed probable, nor are they estimable at this time.
Hurricane Harvey:
See Note 2 for a discussion of damages incurred from Hurricane Harvey at our South Texas facilities.
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