French OSV owner Bourbon Corporation has received a takeover offer from lenders as part of its court-led restructuring.
The Jacques de Chateauvieux-controlled offshore giant said the proposal was made by a company owned by French banks.
It concerns its assets and activities, it added.
"As other takeover or continuation offers could be received by the court administrators, Bourbon Corporation has asked Euronext Paris to suspend the listing of its shares as of today and until the commercial court has completed its analysis of the various options," Bourbon said.
In July, Bourbon said it was seeking a reorganisation process in court after China's ICBC Leasing signalled it would demand repayment of its debts.
The owner added that the Chinese company had sent a series of letters on 18 July expressing its intention to request settlement of all "rental payments" up to 2026, under a guarantee awarded to it by Bourbon.
Bourbon said that because it was not in a "state of cessation of payments", it had requested a safeguard procedure in court.
Court bid rejected
But the commercial court of Marseilles rejected this bid, considering that the guarantees activated by the Chinese company were proof that Bourbon was "insolvent" as of 24 July.
Bourbon then made the reorganisation request.
In June, Bourbon said it was working on securing €80m in new debt and a €164m loan to pay off lenders looking to exit.
The company took 18 ships out of layup during the first half.
It said the moves reflected the progressive return to service of vessels and the implementation of the disposal plan for non-strategic vessels.
Bourbon had 163 units stacked in the first half, down 10% year-on-year.
Total vessels in the fleet shrank to 472 from 495.
The net loss for the first half was €135.2m ($148m) from €260.7m in 2018.
