

31.	PENSIONS

Defined contribution scheme

We operate a defined contribution scheme. The pension cost for the period represents contributions payable by us to the scheme. The charge to net income for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was $0.9 million, $0.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

In respect of our Norwegian employees of which there were 19 (2013: 10) as of December 31, 2014, we are required by Norwegian law to contribute into a multi-employer early retirement plan for the private sector. Accordingly, we, as a participant in a multi-employer plan recognize the required contribution for the period as net pension cost and recognize as a liability any unpaid contributions required for the period as a liability.

The total contributions to our defined contribution scheme were as follows:



(in thousands of $)	2014	2013	2012
Employers' contributions	684	533	570

Defined benefit schemes

We have two defined benefit pension plans both of which are closed to new entrants but which still cover certain of our employees. Benefits are based on the employee's years of service and compensation. Net periodic pension plan costs are determined using the Projected Unit Credit Cost method. Our plans are funded by us in conformity with the funding requirements of the applicable government regulations. Plan assets consist of both fixed income and equity funds managed by professional fund managers.

We use December 31 as a measurement date for our pension plans.

The components of net periodic benefit costs are as follows:



(in thousands of $)	2014		2013		2012
Service cost	369		468		429
Interest cost	2,359		2,159		2,361
Expected return on plan assets	(984	)	(918	)	(920	)
Recognized actuarial loss	998		1,415		1,273
Net periodic benefit cost	2,742		3,124		3,143

The estimated net loss for the defined benefit pension plans that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic pension benefit cost during the year ended December 31, 2015 is $1.2 million.

The change in benefit obligation and plan assets and reconciliation of funded status as of December 31 are as follows:



(in thousands of $)	2014		2013
Reconciliation of benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at January 1	50,564		54,291
Service cost	369		468
Interest cost	2,359		2,159
Actuarial loss (gain)	3,700		(3,513	)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes	(686	)	164
Benefit payments	(3,140	)	(3,005	)
Benefit obligation at December 31	53,166		50,564

The accumulated benefit obligation at December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $51.8 million and $48.9 million, respectively.



(in thousands of $)	2014		2013
Reconciliation of fair value of plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at January 1	14,919		14,194
Actual return on plan assets	896		1,127
Employer contributions	2,459		2,426
Foreign currency exchange rate changes	(638	)	177
Benefit payments	(3,140	)	(3,005	)
Fair value of plan assets at December 31	14,496		14,919



(in thousands of $)	2014		2013
Projected benefit obligation	(53,166	)	(50,564	)
Fair value of plan assets	14,496		14,919
Funded status (1)	(38,670	)	(35,645	)

Employer contributions and benefits paid under the pension plans include $2.5 million (2013: $2.4 million) paid from employer assets for the year ended December 31, 2014.

(1) Our plans compose of two plans that are both underfunded as at December 31, 2014 and 2013.

The details of these plans are as follows:



	December 31, 2014						December 31, 2013
(in thousands of $)	UK Scheme		Marine Scheme		Total		UK Scheme		Marine Scheme		Total
Projected benefit obligation	(11,163	)	(42,003	)	(53,166	)	(10,256	)	(40,308	)	(50,564	)
Fair value of plan assets	10,383		4,113		14,496		9,622		5,297		14,919
Funded status at end of year	(780	)	(37,890	)	(38,670	)	(634	)	(35,011	)	(35,645	)

The fair value of our plan assets, by category, as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 were as follows:



(in thousands of $)	2014	2013
Equity securities	10,032	9,666
Debt securities	4,004	3,172
Cash	460	2,081
	14,496	14,919

Our plan assets are primarily invested in funds holding equity and debt securities, which are valued at quoted market price. These plan assets are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

The amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income consist of:



(in thousands of $)	2014	2013
Net actuarial loss	15,251	12,731

The actuarial loss recognized in the other comprehensive income is net of tax of $0.2 million, $0.1 million, and $0.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012.

The asset allocation for our Marine scheme at December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the target allocation for 2015, by asset category are as follows:



Marine scheme	Target allocation 2015 (%)	2014 (%)	2013 (%)
Equity	30-65	30-65	30-65
Bonds	10-50	10-50	10-50
Other	20-40	20-40	20-40
Total	100	100	100

The asset allocation for our UK scheme at December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the target allocation for 2015, by asset category are as follows:



UK scheme	Target allocation 2015 (%)	2014 (%)	2013 (%)
Equity	70.0	69.0	71.0
Bonds	30.0	31.0	29.0
Total	100	100	100

Our investment strategy is to balance risk and reward through the selection of professional investment managers and investing in pooled funds.

We are expected to make the following contributions to the schemes during the year ended December 31, 2015, as follows:



(in thousands of $)	UK scheme	Marine scheme
Employer contributions	621	1,800

We are expected to make the following pension disbursements as follows:



(in thousands of $)	UK scheme	Marine scheme
2015	311	3,000
2016	311	3,000
2017	311	3,000
2018	311	3,000
2019	311	3,000
2020 - 2024	1,553	15,000

The weighted average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation for our plans for the years ended December 31 are as follows:



	2014		2013
Discount rate	3.95	%	4.80	%
Rate of compensation increase	2.21	%	2.71	%

The weighted average assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit cost for our plans for the years ended December 31 are as follows:



	2014		2013
Discount rate	4.60	%	4.10	%
Expected return on plan assets	6.75	%	6.75	%
Rate of compensation increase	2.71	%	2.96	%

The overall expected long-term rate of return on assets assumption used to determine the net periodic benefit cost for our plans for the years ending December 31, 2014 and 2013 is based on the weighted average of various returns on assets using the asset allocation as at the beginning of 2014 and 2013. For equities and other asset classes, we have applied an equity risk premium over ten year governmental bonds.