The Key Elements Of Commercial Project Finance

By Henry Hughes


If you are starting a new program and you are looking for financing options, you should know a thing or two before you pick the institution to offer you with funding. Commercial project finance is long-term financing option for industrial programs and infrastructure. It is based on the cash flow of the finished plan rather that the finances of the investors. The finances come from investors and banks that are willing to provide loans for the program. Some of the programs that obtain this financing include government programs and sports stadium among others. Below are some of the key parties of this type of financing.

Project financing has key parties that are involved in the process. The first one is called the owner or the private sector partner. This is a limited partnership or corporation that is created solely for a particular initiative. This is the centre of all the contracts that will be made, borrowing, operation and construction of the project. It is simply referred to as projectco.

The second party is the sponsor. This is the individual that owns the entire initiative. Therefore, he/she actively takes up the role of managing the business. This person will get the profits through ownership or the management contracts in case the program succeeds. To make sure that the initiative succeeds, the sponsor ensures that he/she has taken care of all liabilities as well as risks that the business may be involved in.

Lenders are also a critical body in this whole process. These are the people that make the program a success as they provide loans. They normally include some investment banks, commercial banks and any other institutions that provide the program with funds. Usually, the lenders must be several because a single bank cannot be allowed to fund the initiative. Many lenders are thus called a syndicate.

An agent is also part of this plan. This is simply one of the lenders that have been given the mandate to represent the other lenders. Therefore, this person will administer the funds or loans on behalf of all other lenders. This person is usually chosen by the syndicate. They can vote if the options are more than one.

Another party of the program is called the account bank. This is also a representative of the syndicate. This account bank is the account that will hold all the cash flow. This means that all the money that the initiative will generate passes through the account bank. This is a critical role that needs trustworthy people.

The next elements involve the equity investors. These include the initiative sponsors and lenders that will not have an active role in running the program. For the lenders, they will automatically become shareholders in addition to their loan. They will thus receive enhanced returns if the program succeeds. The sponsors will also be shareholders and can buy shares from the equity investors.

Another key element of the program includes the contractors, suppliers and customers. The suppliers will supply the materials for the programs while the contractors design and build the project. There are so many other parties that are involved but have not been mentioned. Ensure you find out about them as well.




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