Operating leases to be held up to the light

Opaque accounting is about to be made transparent. Publicly traded shipping companies, and their shareholders, should prepare for change, reports Lambros Papaeconomou

The adoption of new accounting rules beginning in 2018 will close most of the existing “loopholes” for operating leases and allow for a better assessment of each company’s financial position. It may also take industry observers by surprise when they realise how truly leveraged some companies are.