Maritime employees are very well paid for one. Most are paid in Euros, not dollars.
http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/2005/html/table_03_21a.html$44,980 a year is respectable income for an AVERAGE salary. Oil tanker crews earn more because they have to be highly trained for safety and legal reasons (Go ask the crew of the Exxon Valdez
).
They are Norway owned, but Bermuda based (Most maritime companies are for tax reasons, and it is entirely legal) and VERY well managed. Thus the buyout attempt last year at American owned GMR, the buyout almost happened because Frontline told GMR shareholders "We can do it better." When a martimes stock goes up over 6 bucks in a DAY that means a lot of people were interested in the buyout.
http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/markets/stocksinmotion/10198088.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NAhttp://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GMR&d=v1GMR's dividend rate SUCKS, and now they got downgraded and their stock crashed. FRO might get GMR after all.
Another major stake that they can always give out shares (like they did with SFL) as dividends.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050615/lnw005.html?.v=10Then there is the CEO, Mr. J. Fredriksen, who is already a BILLIONAIRE and his motto is "Give the max profits possible to the shareholders." He also believes in keeping debt down as soon as possible so that the company has strong cash on the books. Same thought train as Norway owned NAT, which I have made money off of as well, but in appreciation, not dividends as they are trying to get started and are in debt.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=FROLast but not least, they are the world's largest double hulled big boy ship company, and when you are #1 of course profits will be higher as you get to be number 1 by having the most BUSINESS.
Whoot there it is!