It was unseasonably warm for Stockholm in February at EKN’s annual seminar. TXF was in Sweden to hear about the opportunities to finance the transition to carbon zero. Apparently, no more Nobel prizes need be awarded for some of the technology to make it happen. The financing is a different question.

The maritime industry’s growing regulatory complexities and lengthy paper-based loan application procedures are convoluting access to trade finance for corporates in the sector. But can digitisation raise the levels of compliance and put an end to sanction headaches and shipment delays?

Ireland-based Kenmare Resources returned to the debt markets in December to refinance the remaining debt backing its Moma titanium mine in Mozambique. But this time round, the deal has a new lender line-up, vanilla structure, looser covenants and cheaper pricing, which all reflect the strength of the mine’s cash flows and its expansion capacity.

Anglo American agreed a £405 million ($527 million) rescue deal with Sirius Minerals this week. The takeover is a lifeline for Sirius which faced collapse if it could not find alternative funding for its struggling Woodsmith polyhalite mining project in the UK. But what is the benefit for Anglo?’

Eight months into her new role as CFO at Gunvor, TXF spoke with Muriel Schwab, the first ever woman to fill these shoes at the energy trader, to discuss where the company’s funding strategies will take its trading ventures in 2020.