Derivative financial instruments
Derivative financial instruments, primarily forward currency exchange contracts, forward freight agreements and forward contracts regarding bunker purchases, are entered to hedge future committed or anticipated transactions. TORM applies hedge accounting under the specific rules on cash flow hedges when appropriate.
Derivative financial instruments are initially recognized in the balance sheet at fair value at the date when the derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently measured at their fair value as other receivables or other liabilities, respectively.
Changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments that are designated as cash flow hedges and deemed to be effective are recognized directly in "Other comprehensive income". When the hedged transaction is recognized in the income statement, the cumulative value adjustment recognized in "Other comprehensive income" is transferred to the income statement and included in the same line as the hedged transaction. However, when the hedged transaction results in the recognition of a fixed asset, the gains and losses previously accumulated in "Other comprehensive income" are transferred from "Other comprehensive income" and included in the initial measurement of the cost of the fixed asset. Changes in the fair value of a portion of a hedge deemed to be ineffective are recognized in the income statement.
Changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments that are not designated as hedges are recognized in the income statement. While effectively reducing cash flow risk in accordance with the Company's risk management policy, interest rate swaps with cap features and certain forward freight agreements and forward contracts regarding bunker purchases do not qualify for hedge accounting. Changes in fair value of these derivate financial instruments are therefore recognized in the income statement under "Financial income" or "Financial expenses" for interest rate swaps with cap features, under "Revenue" for forward freight agreements and under "Port expenses, bunkers and commissions" for forward bunker contracts.
