EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (the "Post-Effective Amendment") is being filed to update our Registration Statement on Form F-1 (No. 333-166872) (the "Registration Statement"), which was previously declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 2010, to (1) include unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto for the periods ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, and (2) update certain other information in the Registration Statement.
No additional securities are being registered under this Post-Effective Amendment. All applicable registration fees were paid with the initial filing of the Registration Statement on May 17, 2010.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy or sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 23, 2010
Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp.
Up to 38,984,667 Shares of Common Stock underlying the Public Warrants
Up to 1,138,917 Common Stock Purchase Warrants
Up to 1,138,917 Shares of Common Stock underlying the Common Stock Purchase Warrants
Up to 1,000,000 Units upon exercise of a Unit Purchase Option
This prospectus relates to (i) the distribution of up to an aggregate of 38,984,667 shares of our common stock, or the Public Warrant Shares, issuable by us upon the exercise of our outstanding public warrants, or the Public Warrants, (ii) the resale by the underwriters of a recent registered public offering of shares of our common stock, to whom we refer as the new underwriters, of up to an aggregate of 1,138,917 common stock purchase warrants, or the Underwriter Warrants, and up to an aggregate of 1,138,917 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Underwriter Warrants, or the Underwriter Warrant Shares, and (iii) the primary sale by us of up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 units, or the Units, to the underwriter of the initial public offering of our predecessor company, to whom we refer as the original underwriter, which Units the original underwriter may purchase from us at its option, to which we refer as the Unit Purchase Option, where each Unit consists of one share of our common stock and one warrant, identical to our Public Warrants, to purchase one share of our common stock. The original underwriter's exercise in full of the Unit Purchase Option would result in the sale by us of 1,000,000 shares of our common stock, or the Unit Shares, and 1,000,000 common stock purchase warrants, or the Unit Warrants, and the existence of 1,000,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Unit Warrants, or the Unit Warrant Shares.
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the Public Warrant Shares by the holders of our Public Warrants, the sale of the Underwriter Warrants and Underwriter Warrant Shares by the new underwriters, or the sale of the Unit Shares, Unit Warrants or Unit Warrant Shares by the original underwriter. However, we will receive the proceeds from any non-cashless exercise of Public Warrants by their holders or any exercise of Underwriter Warrants by the new underwriters. We will also receive the proceeds from any sale of Units to the original underwriter in connection with any non-cashless exercise of the Unit Purchase Option, and we will receive the proceeds from any subsequent exercise of the resulting Unit Warrants. See "Use of Proceeds."
We will be paying the expenses in connection with the registration of the distribution of the Public Warrant Shares, the resale of the Underwriter Warrants and Underwriter Warrant Shares, and the primary sale of the Units and the securities included in the Units. Our common stock and warrants are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbols "SHIP" and "SHIP.W", respectively. On September 22, 2010, the closing price of our common stock was $1.03 per share and the closing price of our warrants was $0.04 per warrant.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 12 of this prospectus. You should read this prospectus carefully before you make your investment decision.
____________________
The securities issued under this prospectus may be offered directly or through underwriters, agents or dealers. The names of any underwriters, agents or dealers will be included in an amendment to this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
_________________________
The date of this prospectus is September , 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
|
i
|
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
|
i
|
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
|
1
|
SUMMARY HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND OTHER DATA
|
9
|
RISK FACTORS
|
12
|
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
|
38
|
CAPITALIZATION
|
39
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SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA
|
40
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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR SEANERGY MARITIME HOLDINGS CORP.
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42
|
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR BULK ENERGY TRANSPORT (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
|
77
|
DIVIDEND POLICY
|
91
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USE OF PROCEEDS
|
92
|
OUR BUSINESS
|
93
|
MANAGEMENT
|
110
|
TAXATION
|
115
|
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
|
124
|
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
|
129
|
DESCRIPTION OF INDEBTEDNESS
|
131
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
|
139
|
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
|
143
|
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
|
145
|
HOW THE SHARES, WARRANTS AND UNITS MAY BE DISTRIBUTED
|
146
|
CERTAIN MARSHALL ISLAND COMPANY CONSIDERATIONS
|
148
|
EXPENSES RELATING TO THIS OFFERING
|
151
|
LEGAL MATTERS
|
151
|
EXPERTS
|
151
|
INDEX TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA
|
152
|
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
|
160
|
GLOSSARY OF SHIPPING TERMS
|
161
|
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF SEANERGY MARITIME HOLDINGS CORP.
|
F-1
|
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BULK ENERGY TRANSPORT (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
|
F-37
|
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF MARITIME CAPITAL SHIPPING LIMITED
|
F-71
|
INDEX TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF SEANERGY
MARITIME HOLDINGS CORP. (UNAUDITED)
|
F-123
|
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted.
We obtained statistical data, market data and other industry data and forecasts used in this prospectus from publicly available information. While we believe that the statistical data, industry data, forecasts and market research are reliable, we have not independently verified the data, and we do not make any representation as to the accuracy of the information.
Unless otherwise indicated, all references in this prospectus to "$" or "dollars" are to U.S. dollars and financial information presented in this prospectus that is derived from the financial statements included herein is prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. is a Marshall Islands company and our executive offices are located outside of the United States in Athens, Greece. All of our directors, officers and some of the experts named in this prospectus reside outside the United States. In addition, a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of our directors, officers and some of the experts are located outside of the United States. As a result, you may have difficulty serving legal process within the United States upon us or any of these persons. You may also have difficulty enforcing, both in and outside the United States, judgments you may obtain in U.S. courts against us or these persons in any action, including actions based upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal or state securities laws. Furthermore, there is substantial doubt that the courts of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or Greece would enter judgments in original actions brought in those courts predicated on U.S. federal or state securities laws.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights certain information and financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. For a more complete understanding of this offering, you should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the risk factors and the financial statements.
We use the term "deadweight tons," or dwt, in describing the capacity of our dry bulk carriers. Dwt, expressed in metric tons, each of which is equivalent to 1,000 kilograms, refers to the maximum weight of cargo and supplies that a vessel can carry. Dry bulk carriers are categorized as Handysize, Handymax/Supramax, Panamax and Capesize. The carrying capacity of a Handysize dry bulk carrier generally ranges from 10,000 to 30,000 dwt and that of a Handymax dry bulk carrier generally ranges from 30,000 to 60,000 dwt. Supramax is a sub-category of the Handymax category and typically has a cargo capacity of between 50,000 and 60,000 dwt. By comparison, the carrying capacity of a Panamax dry bulk carrier generally ranges from 60,000 to 100,000 dwt and the carrying capacity of a Capesize dry bulk carrier is generally 100,000 dwt and above.
References in this prospectus to "Seanergy," "we," "us" or "our company" refer to Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. and our subsidiaries, but, if the context otherwise requires, may refer only to Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. References in this prospectus to "Seanergy Maritime" refer to our predecessor, Seanergy Maritime Corp. References in this prospectus to "BET" refer to Bulk Energy Transport (Holdings) Limited and its wholly owned subsidiaries. We acquired a 50% controlling interest in BET in August 2009 through our right to appoint a majority of the BET board of directors. References in this prospectus to "MCS" refer to Maritime Capital Shipping Limited and its wholly owned subsidiaries. We acquired a 51% controlling interest in MCS in May 2010 for a consideration of $33.0 million, and we acquired the remaining 49% interest in MCS in September 2010 for a consideration of $29.0 million. For more information about us, please refer to the section of this prospectus titled "Risk Factors."
The Company
We are an international company providing worldwide transportation of dry bulk commodities through our vessel-owning subsidiaries, which include Bulk Energy Transport (Holdings) Limited, or BET, and Maritime Capital Shipping Limited, or MCS. Our existing fleet of 20 dry bulk vessels, including BET's and MCS's vessels, consists of ten Handysize vessels, one Handymax vessel, two Supramax vessels, three Panamax vessels and four Capesize vessels. Our fleet carries a variety of dry bulk commodities, including coal, iron ore, and grains, or major bulks, as well as bauxite, phosphate, fertilizer and steel products, or minor bulks.
We acquired our initial fleet of six dry bulk carriers on August 28, 2008 from the Restis family, one of our major shareholders. On July 14, 2009, we expanded our fleet by entering into a share purchase agreement with Constellation Bulk Energy Holdings, Inc., or Constellation, to acquire from Constellation a 50% ownership interest in BET for nominal cash consideration. The remaining 50% of BET is owned by Mineral Transport Holdings, Inc., or Mineral Transport, a company controlled by members of the Restis family. We also entered into a shareholders' agreement with BET and Mineral Transport that allows us, among other things to appoint a majority of the members of the board of directors of BET. As a result, we control BET, whose fleet consists of four Capesize vessels and one Panamax vessel.
On May 20, 2010, the voting agreement expired between certain of our shareholders who are affiliated with members of the Restis family, on the one hand, and Seanergy Maritime's founding shareholders, composed of Mr. Georgios Koutsolioutsos, Mr. Alexios Komninos and Mr. Ioannis Tsigkounakis, three of our former directors, on the other hand.
On April 30, 2010, Maritime Capital Shipping (Holdings) Limited, or Maritime Capital, a company controlled by members of the Restis family, acquired 100% of MCS. In May 2010, we further expanded our fleet by acquiring a 51% ownership interest in MCS for consideration of $33.0 million. In September 2010, we acquired the remaining 49% ownership interest in MCS from Maritime Capital for consideration of $29.0 million, which was paid to Maritime Capital in the form of: (i) $3.0 million in cash and (ii) 24,761,905 of our common shares, with an aggregate value of $26.0 million, that were
issued to certain of our shareholders who are affiliated with members of the Restis family, to whom we refer as the Restis affiliate shareholders, as nominees of Maritime Capital.
In our view, our acquisitions demonstrate both our ability to successfully grow through acquisitions and our strategy to grow quickly and achieve critical mass. By acquiring dry bulk carriers of various sizes, we are also able to serve a variety of needs of a variety of charterers. Finally, by capitalizing on our relationship with the Restis family and its affiliates, which have a proven track record of more than 40 years in dry bulk shipping, we are able to take advantage of economies of scale and efficiencies resulting from the use of Restis affiliates for the technical and commercial management of our fleet.
Our Fleet
We control and operate, through our vessel-owning subsidiaries, which include BET and MCS, 20 dry bulk carriers that transport a variety of dry bulk commodities. The following table provides summary information about our fleet and its current employment:
Vessel/Flag
|
Type
|
Dwt
|
Year Built
|
Current Employment
|
|
Terms of Employment Period
|
|
Daily Charter
Hire Rate
|
|
Charterer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
African Oryx
/Bahamas
|
Handysize
|
24,110
|
1997
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$7,000 plus a 50% profit share calculated on the average spot Time Charter Routes derived from the Baltic Supramax Index
|
|
MUR Shipping B.V.
|
African Zebra
/Bahamas
|
Handymax
|
38,623
|
1985
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$7,500 plus a 50% profit share calculated on the average spot Time Charter Routes derived from the Baltic Supramax Index
|
|
MUR Shipping B.V.
|
Bremen Max
/Isle of Man
|
Panamax
|
73,503
|
1993
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2010
|
|
$15,500
|
|
SAMC
|
Hamburg Max
/Isle of Man
|
Panamax
|
72,338
|
1994
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring October 2012
|
|
$21,500 base rate and a ceiling of $25,500 with a 50% profit sharing arrangement to apply to any amount in excess of the ceiling
|
|
Mansel Ltd.
|
Davakis G./Bahamas (1)
|
Supramax
|
54,051
|
2008
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring January 2011
|
|
$21,000
|
|
Sangamon Transportation Group
(Louis Dreyfus)
|
Delos Ranger
/Bahamas (1)
|
Supramax
|
54,051
|
2008
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring March 2011
|
|
$20,000
|
|
Bunge S.A.
|
BET Commander
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
149,507
|
1991
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring December 2011
|
|
$24,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Fighter
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
173,149
|
1992
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$25,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Prince
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
163,554
|
1995
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring January 2012
|
|
$25,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Scouter
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
171,175
|
1995
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring October 2011
|
|
$26,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Intruder
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Panamax
|
69,235
|
1993
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$15,500
|
|
SAMC
|
Fiesta
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,519
|
1997
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring November 2013
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
Pacific Fantasy
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,538
|
1996
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring January 2014
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
Pacific Fighter
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,538
|
1998
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring November 2013
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
Clipper Freeway
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,538
|
1998
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring February 2014
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
African Joy
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
26,482
|
1996
|
Spot
|
|
Expiring October 2010
|
|
$10,000
|
|
Austbulk Shipping International SA Panama
|
African Glory
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
24,252
|
1998
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring December 2010
|
|
$14,500
|
|
MUR Shipping B.V.
|
Asian Grace
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
20,412
|
1999
|
Spot
|
|
Expiring September 2010
|
|
$11,000
|
|
Swiss Singapore Middle East FZE
(M/S Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprise PTE Ltd.)
|
Clipper Glory
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
29,982
|
2007
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring August 2012
|
|
$25,000
|
|
CF Bulk Carriers Ltd.
(Clipper Bulk Shipping Limited)
|
Clipper Grace
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
29,987
|
2007
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring August 2012
|
|
$25,000
|
|
CF Bulk Carriers Ltd.
(Clipper Bulk Shipping Limited)
|
Total
|
|
1,292,544
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Sister ships.
(2) Vessels owned by BET.
Management of Our Fleet
We currently have two executive officers, Mr. Dale Ploughman, our chief executive officer who is also the Chairman of our Board of Directors, and Ms. Christina Anagnostara, our chief financial officer. In addition, we employ Ms. Theodora Mitropetrou, our general counsel, and a support staff of nine employees. In the future, we intend to employ such number of additional shore-based executives and employees as may be necessary to ensure the efficient performance of our activities.
We outsource the commercial brokerage and management of a portion of our fleet to companies that are affiliated with members of the Restis family. The commercial brokerage of our initial fleet of six vessels has been contracted out to Safbulk Pty Ltd., or Safbulk Pty, and the commercial brokerage of the BET fleet has been contracted out to Safbulk Maritime S.A., or Safbulk Maritime. Safbulk Pty and Safbulk Maritime are collectively referred to throughout this prospectus as Safbulk. The management of our initial fleet of six vessels and the BET fleet has been contracted out to Enterprises Shipping and Trading, S.A., or EST. Safbulk and EST are controlled by members of the Restis family. MCS arranges its time and bareboat charters in-house and negotiates the terms of the charters based on market conditions. The commercial management of the MCS fleet is carried out in-house while the technical management with respect to its vessels under time charter has been contracted out to M/S Fleet Ship Management Inc., or M/S Fleet, and Wallem Shipmanagement Ltd., or Wallem, both of which are unrelated third party management companies.
Shipping Committee
We have established a shipping committee. The purpose of the shipping committee is to consider and vote upon all matters involving shipping and vessel finance. The shipping industry often demands very prompt review and decision-making with respect to business opportunities. In recognition of this, and in order to best utilize the experience and skills that the Restis family board appointees bring to us, our board of directors has delegated all such matters to the shipping committee. Transactions that involve the issuance of our securities or transactions that involve a related party, however, are not delegated to the shipping committee but instead are considered by our entire board of directors. The shipping committee comprises three directors. In accordance with the Amended and Restated Charter of the Shipping Committee, two of the directors are nominated by the Restis affiliate shareholders and one of the directors is nominated by a majority of the Board of Directors and is an independent member of the Board
of Directors. The members of the shipping committee are Messrs. Dale Ploughman and Kostas Koutsoubelis, who are the Restis affiliate shareholders' nominees, and Mr. Dimitris Panagiotopoulos, who is the Board's nominee.
Two of the members of the shipping committee also serve as our appointees to the BET board of directors. In the event that at any time the BET board of directors must vote upon a transaction with any of the BET affiliates, our appointees to the BET board shall present such transaction to our full board of directors for consideration. Our appointees to the BET board of directors shall then vote in accordance with the recommendation of our full board of directors.
Our Corporate History
Incorporation of Seanergy and Seanergy Maritime
We were incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands pursuant to the Marshall Islands Business Corporation Act, or the BCA, on January 4, 2008, originally under the name Seanergy Merger Corp., as a wholly owned subsidiary of Seanergy Maritime Corp., a Marshall Islands corporation, or Seanergy Maritime. We changed our name to Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. on July 11, 2008.
Seanergy Maritime was incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on August 15, 2006 as a blank check company formed to acquire, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition or other similar business combination, one or more businesses in the maritime shipping industry or related industries. Seanergy Maritime, up to the date of the business combination, had not commenced any business operations and was considered a development stage enterprise. Seanergy Maritime is our predecessor. See "— Dissolution and Liquidation."
Initial Public Offering of Seanergy Maritime
On September 28, 2007, Seanergy Maritime consummated its initial public offering of 23,100,000 units, including 1,100,000 units issued upon the partial exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option, with each unit consisting of one share of its common stock and one warrant. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one share of Seanergy Maritime common stock at an exercise price of $6.50 per share. The units sold in Seanergy Maritime's initial public offering were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $231,000,000. This resulted in a total of $227,071,000 in net proceeds, after deducting certain deferred offering costs that were held in a trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, to which we refer as the Seanergy Maritime Trust Account.
Business Combination
We acquired our initial fleet of six dry bulk carriers from the Restis family for an aggregate purchase price of (i) $367.0 million in cash, (ii) $28,250,000 (face value) in the form of a convertible promissory note, or the Note, and (iii) an aggregate of 4,308,075 shares of our common stock, subject to our meeting an Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization, or EBITDA, target of $72.0 million to be earned between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009, which target was achieved and the additional consideration was recorded as an increase in goodwill of $17.3 million, equal to the fair value of the 4,308,075 shares. This acquisition was made pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Master Agreement dated May 20, 2008 by and among us, Seanergy Maritime, our former parent, the several selling parties who are affiliated with members of the Restis family, and the several investing parties who are affiliated with members of the Restis family, and six separate memoranda of agreement, or MOAs, between our vessel-owning subsidiaries and each seller, each dated as of May 20, 2008. The acquisition was completed with funds from the Seanergy Maritime Trust Account and with financing provided by Marfin Egnatia Bank S.A. of Greece, or Marfin.
On August 28, 2008, we completed our business combination and took delivery, through our designated nominees (which are wholly-owned subsidiaries) of three of the six dry bulk vessels, which included two 2008-built Supramax vessels and one 1997-built Handysize vessel, the M/V African Oryx, the M/V Davakis G and the M/V Delos Ranger. On September 11, 2008, we took delivery, through our designated nominee, of the fourth
vessel, the M/V Bremen Max, a 1993-built Panamax vessel. On September 25, 2008, we took delivery, through our designated nominees, of the final two vessels, the M/V Hamburg Max, a 1994-built Panamax vessel, and the M/V African Zebra, a 1985-built Handymax vessel.
Dissolution and Liquidation
On August 26, 2008, shareholders of Seanergy Maritime also approved a proposal for the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, or the dissolution and liquidation, which was originally filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Commission, on June 17, 2008, subsequently amended on July 31, 2008 and supplemented on August 22, 2008. Seanergy Maritime proposed the dissolution and liquidation because following the vessel acquisition described above, Seanergy Maritime was no longer needed and its elimination was expected to save substantial accounting, legal and compliance costs related to the U.S. federal income tax filings necessary because of Seanergy Maritime's status as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In connection with the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, on January 27, 2009, Seanergy Maritime filed Articles of Dissolution with the Registrar of Corporations of the Marshall Islands in accordance with Marshall Islands law and distributed to each holder of shares of common stock of Seanergy Maritime one share of our common stock for each share of Seanergy Maritime common stock owned by such shareholders. All outstanding warrants and the Unit Purchase Option of Seanergy Maritime concurrently become our obligations and became exercisable to purchase our common stock. Following the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, our common stock and warrants began trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on January 28, 2009. For purposes of this prospectus, all share data and financial information for the period prior to January 27, 2009 is that of Seanergy Maritime.
Purchase of Controlling Interest in BET
On August 12, 2009, we expanded the size of our fleet when we closed on the purchase of a 50% ownership interest in BET from Constellation. BET's other equity owner is Mineral Transport, which is an affiliate of members of the Restis family, one of our major shareholders. We also entered into a shareholders' agreement with Mineral Transport whereby we were granted a majority on the board of directors of BET, thus obtaining control of BET, whose fleet consists of four Capesize vessels and one Panamax vessel.
Purchase of 100% Ownership Interest in MCS
On May 28, 2010, we purchased a 51% ownership interest in MCS from Maritime Capital, which is controlled by members of the Restis family. On September 15, 2010, we purchased from Maritime Capital the remaining 49% ownership interest in MCS.
Corporate Structure
We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands under the name Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. Our executive offices are located at 1-3 Patriarchou Grigoriou, 166 74 Glyfada, Athens, Greece and our telephone number is +30-210-963-8461.
The Offering
The summary below describes the principal terms of the securities being offered hereunder. Certain of the terms and conditions described below are subject to important limitations and exceptions.
Securities Offered
|
We are registering: (i) up to an aggregate of 38,984,667 Public Warrant Shares, issuable by us upon the exercise of our Public Warrants, (ii) for resale by the new underwriters, up to an aggregate of 1,138,917 Underwriter Warrants we issued to the new underwriters in a private transaction in connection with the public offering of our common shares that we completed on February 3, 2010, and up to an aggregate of 1,138,917 Underwriter Warrant Shares, and (iii) for primary sale by us to the original underwriter, up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 Units that the original underwriter may purchase pursuant to the Unit Purchase Option, where each Unit consists of one share of our common stock and one warrant, identical to our Public Warrants, to purchase one share of our common stock. We are also registering up to 1,000,000 Unit Shares and up to 1,000,000 Unit Warrants included in the Units and 1,000,000 Unit Warrant Shares issuable by us upon the exercise of the Unit Warrants.
|
|
|
Common Shares to be Outstanding
before this Offering
|
84,962,075 common shares
|
|
|
Common Shares to be Outstanding
Immediately after this Offering
|
84,962,075 common shares
|
|
|
Use of Proceeds
|
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the Public Warrant Shares by the holders of the Public Warrants, the sale of the Underwriter Warrants or Underwriter Warrant Shares by the new underwriters, or the sale of the Unit Shares, Unit Warrants or the Unit Warrant Shares by the original underwriters.
We will receive proceeds from any non-cashless exercise of Public Warrants by their holders or any exercise of Underwriter Warrants by the new underwriters. In addition, we will receive proceeds from the sale of Units arising from the non-cashless exercise of the Unit Purchase Option and we will receive proceeds from any subsequent non-cashless exercise of the resulting Unit Warrants. We expect to use the proceeds, if any, for working capital. If all of the Public Warrants and Underwriter Warrants and the Unit Purchase Option were exercised in full and if the resulting Unit Warrants were exercised in full, the proceeds would be approximately $273.9 million, before expenses payable by us. We expect to use the proceeds, if any, for working capital.
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|
|
U.S. Federal Income Tax
Considerations
|
See "Taxation — United States Taxation" for a general summary of the U.S. federal income taxation of the ownership and disposition of our securities. Holders are urged to consult their respective tax advisers with respect to the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to their own particular situation as well as any tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of our common shares arising under the federal estate or gift tax rules or under the laws of any state, local, foreign or other taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable treaty.
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|
Trading Symbol for Our Common Shares
|
Our common shares are traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol "SHIP".
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|
Risk Factors
|
Investing in our securities involves substantial risks. In evaluating an investment in our securities, prospective investors should carefully consider, along with the other information set forth in this prospectus, the specific factors set forth under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 12 for risks involved with an investment in our securities.
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Recent Developments
The BET Scouter's scheduled drydocking, which commenced on March 26, 2010, was completed on May 17, 2010. The total cost of the BET Scouter's drydocking amounted to approximately $1.2 million. On May 14, 2010, the BET Prince commenced its scheduled drydocking, which was completed on June 28, 2010. The cost of the BET Prince's drydocking amounted to approximately $1.1 million.
On May 20, 2010, the voting agreement expired between certain of our shareholders who are affiliated with members of the Restis family, on the one hand, and Seanergy Maritime's founding shareholders, composed of Mr. Georgios Koutsolioutsos, Mr. Alexios Komninos and Mr. Ioannis Tsigkounakis, three of our former directors, on the other hand.
On May 20, 2010, Mr. Komninos resigned from his position as a member of our Board of Directors following the expiration of the voting agreement and due to other professional engagements he has undertaken.
On May 28, 2010, after entering into a share purchase agreement with Maritime Capital, we completed the final documentation for the acquisition of a 51% ownership interest in MCS for consideration of $33.0 million. The consideration was paid to Maritime Capital from the proceeds of our recent equity offering completed in February 2010 and from our cash reserves. Maritime Capital retained a 49% ownership interest in MCS.
On June 2, 2010, we executed Addendum No. 3 to our loan agreement with Marfin and extended the waiver on our market value to loan covenant from January 1, 2011 through January 3, 2012. In connection with the addendum and extension of the waiver, Marfin made certain changes to the loan agreement including increasing the interest payable during the waiver period from LIBOR plus 3.00% to LIBOR plus 3.50% in respect of the term loan and from LIBOR plus 3.50% to LIBOR plus 4.00% in respect of the revolving facility and accelerating the due dates of certain of our principal installments.
On June 14, 2010, Mr. Dale Ploughman, who is our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, purchased 50,000 of our common shares at a purchase price of $1.2399 per share. On June 30, 2010, Mr. Ploughman purchased another 50,000 of our common shares at a purchase price of $1.25 per share. On September 13, 2010, Mr. Dale Ploughman, purchased another 50,000 of our common shares at a purchase price of $1.06 per share. All three transactions were completed on the open market.
On July 20, 2010 Mr. George Koutsolioutsos resigned from his position as Director and Chairman of our Board. On July 21, 2010, following the resignation of Mr. Koutsolioutsos, our Board of Directors appointed Mr. Dale Ploughman as the Chairman of our Board.
On July 21, 2010, our shareholders approved an amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 200,000,000 to 500,000,000 shares.
On August 24, 2010, we entered into a two year time charter agreement with respect to our Panamax vessel Hamburg Max, with a profit sharing arrangement at a base rate of $21,500 per day and a ceiling of $25,500 per day, with a 50% profit sharing arrangement to apply to any amount in excess of the ceiling less a 5% brokerage commission. The spread between floor and ceiling will accrue 100% to us. The base used for the calculation of the rate will be the Baltic Panamax 4TC route.
The BET Fighter's scheduled drydocking commenced on September 1, 2010 and is expected to complete on October 20, 2010. The total cost of the BET Fighter's drydocking is estimated to approximately $1.4 million. On August 27, 2010, the BET Intruder commenced its scheduled drydocking and it is expected to complete on October 5, 2010. The total cost of the BET Intruder's drydocking is estimated to approximately $1.3 million.
On September 3, 2010, we entered into share purchase agreements with each of Maritime Capital and Mineral Transport for the purchase by us of the remaining 49% and 50% ownership interests in MCS and BET, respectively. The agreed consideration for the 49% interest in MCS was $29.0 million, consisting of (i) $3.0 million in cash and (ii) shares of the Company's common stock totaling to $26.0 million at an agreed price of $1.05 per share. The agreed consideration for the 50% interest in BET is $33.0 million, consisting of (i) $7.0 million in cash and (ii) shares of the Company's common stock totaling to $26.0 million at an agreed price of $1.05 per share. The BET acquisition has not been finalized as of September 22, 2010.
On September 15, 2010, we completed the acquisition from Maritime Capital of the remaining 49% ownership interest in MCS for consideration of $29.0 million, which was paid in the form of: (i) $3.0 million in cash paid to Maritime Capital from our cash reserves and (ii) 24,761,905 of our common shares, with an aggregate value of $26.0 million, that were issued to the Restis affiliate shareholders as nominees of Maritime Capital. As a result of the acquisition of the 49% interest, the Company now has 100% ownership of MCS, and the wholly owned portion of the Company's operating fleet has increased from six to 15 vessels. The Company now owns or controls an operating fleet totaling 20 dry bulk vessels, consisting of four Capesize, three Panamax, two Supramax, one Handymax and 10 Handysize dry bulk carriers that have a combined cargo-carrying capacity of approximately 1,292,544 dwt and an average fleet age of 12.8 years.
SUMMARY HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND OTHER DATA
The following selected historical statement of operations and balance sheet data were derived from the unaudited financial statements and accompanying notes for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 and 2009 and the audited financial statements and accompanying notes for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 and for the period from August 15, 2006 (Inception) to December 31, 2006, which are included in this prospectus. The information is only a summary and should be read in conjunction with the section titled "Risk Factors" and the financial statements and related notes included in this prospectus. You should also read the section of this prospectus titled "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp." The historical data included below and elsewhere in this prospectus is not necessarily indicative of our future performance.
All amounts in the tables below are in thousands of dollars, except for share and per share data, fleet data and average daily results.
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From
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|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Inception
|
|
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|
Three Months
|
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|
Six Months
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
(August 15,
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|
Ended
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Years Ended
|
|
|
2006) to
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
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|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2009
|
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2008
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|
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2007
|
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2006
|
|
Statement of Operations Data:
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Vessel revenue — related party, net
|
|
|
10,578 |
|
|
|
22,067 |
|
|
|
23,242 |
|
|
|
48,309 |
|
|
|
81,677 |
|
|
|
34,453 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Vessel revenue, net
|
|
|
12,034 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
17,579 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
6,220 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Direct voyage expenses
|
|
|
(530 |
) |
|
|
(292 |
) |
|
|
(535 |
) |
|
|
(438 |
) |
|
|
(753 |
) |
|
|
(151 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Vessel operating expense
|
|
|
(7,476 |
) |
|
|
(3,010 |
) |
|
|
(12,090 |
) |
|
|
(5,821 |
) |
|
|
(16,222 |
) |
|
|
(3,180 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Voyage expenses — related party
|
|
|
(211 |
) |
|
|
(283 |
) |
|
|
(449 |
) |
|
|
(619 |
) |
|
|
(1,119 |
) |
|
|
(440 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Management fees
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Management fees — related party
|
|
|
(568 |
) |
|
|
(315 |
) |
|
|
(1,171 |
) |
|
|
(617 |
) |
|
|
(1,715 |
) |
|
|
(388 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
General and administration expenses
|
|
|
(1,886 |
) |
|
|
(1,617 |
) |
|
|
(2,622 |
) |
|
|
(2,807 |
) |
|
|
(5,928 |
) |
|
|
(1,840 |
) |
|
|
(445 |
) |
|
|
(5 |
) |
General and administration expenses — related party
|
|
|
(166 |
) |
|
|
(150 |
) |
|
|
(348 |
) |
|
|
(355 |
) |
|
|
(742 |
) |
|
|
(430 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Amortization of dry-docking costs
|
|
|
(769 |
) |
|
|
(9 |
) |
|
|
(1,467 |
) |
|
|
(9 |
) |
|
|
(1,045 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
(6,950 |
) |
|
|
(7,758 |
) |
|
|
(12,917 |
) |
|
|
(15,430 |
) |
|
|
(26,812 |
) |
|
|
(9.929 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Gain from acquisition
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
6,813 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Goodwill impairment loss
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(44,795 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Vessels' impairment loss
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(4,530 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Interest income
|
|
|
147 |
|
|
|
116 |
|
|
|
281 |
|
|
|
256 |
|
|
|
430 |
|
|
|
3,361 |
|
|
|
1,948 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Interest and finance costs
|
|
|
(3,156 |
) |
|
|
(1,526 |
) |
|
|
(5,412 |
) |
|
|
(3,131 |
) |
|
|
(7,616 |
) |
|
|
(4,077 |
) |
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
Loss on interest rate swaps
|
|
|
(1,468 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(2,761 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(1,575 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Foreign currency exchange (losses), net
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
(56 |
) |
|
|
90 |
|
|
|
(55 |
) |
|
|
(44 |
) |
|
|
(39 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Income taxes
|
|
|
(31 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(31 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net (loss)/income
|
|
|
(568 |
) |
|
|
7,167 |
|
|
|
1,331 |
|
|
|
19,283 |
|
|
|
31,569 |
|
|
|
(31,985 |
) |
|
|
1,445 |
|
|
|
(4 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Net loss/(income)
attributable to noncontrolling interest
|
|
|
510 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(1,279 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,517 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Net (loss)/income attributable to Seanergy Maritime
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
7,167 |
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
|
19,283 |
|
|
|
30,052 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic income (loss) per share
|
|
|
(0.00 |
) |
|
|
0.32 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
0.86 |
|
|
|
1.16 |
|
|
|
(1.21 |
) |
|
|
0.12 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted income (loss) per share
|
|
|
(0.00 |
) |
|
|
0.30 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
0.80 |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
|
(1.21 |
) |
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic weighted average number of shares
|
|
|
71,084,524 |
|
|
|
22,361,227 |
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
|
|
22,361,227 |
|
|
|
25,882,967 |
|
|
|
26,452,291 |
|
|
|
11,754,095 |
|
|
|
7,264,893 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted weighted average number of shares
|
|
|
71,084,524 |
|
|
|
24,621,227 |
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
|
|
24,621,227 |
|
|
|
30,529,281 |
|
|
|
26,452,291 |
|
|
|
15,036,283 |
|
|
|
7,264,893 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends per share
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
0.1842 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
87,248 |
|
|
|
67,473 |
|
|
|
29,814 |
|
|
|
235,213 |
|
|
|
376 |
|
Vessels, net
|
|
|
613,776 |
|
|
|
444,820 |
|
|
|
345,622 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total assets
|
|
|
727,861 |
|
|
|
538,452 |
|
|
|
378,202 |
|
|
|
235,213 |
|
|
|
632 |
|
Total current liabilities, including current portion of long-term debt
|
|
|
68,813 |
|
|
|
42,138 |
|
|
|
32,999 |
|
|
|
5,995 |
|
|
|
611 |
|
Other non-current liabilities
|
|
|
4,696 |
|
|
|
2,135 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Common stock-subject to possible redemption
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
80,849 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Long-term debt, net of current portion
|
|
|
372,997 |
|
|
|
267,360 |
|
|
|
213,638 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total equity
|
|
|
281,355 |
|
|
|
226,819 |
|
|
|
131,565 |
|
|
|
148,369 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Performance Indicators
The figures shown below are non-GAAP statistical ratios used by management to measure performance of our vessels and are not included in financial statements prepared under United States generally accepted accounting principles, or U.S. GAAP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
December 31,
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
Fleet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average number of vessels(1)
|
|
|
15.1 |
|
|
|
13.0 |
|
|
|
7.9 |
|
Ownership days(2)
|
|
|
1,370 |
|
|
|
2,360 |
|
|
|
2,895 |
|
Available days(3)
|
|
|
1,273 |
|
|
|
2,258 |
|
|
|
2,638 |
|
Operating days(4)
|
|
|
1,266 |
|
|
|
2,247 |
|
|
|
2,614 |
|
Fleet utilization(5)
|
|
|
92.4 |
% |
|
|
95.2 |
% |
|
|
90.3 |
% |
Fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days(6)
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99.5 |
% |
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99.5 |
% |
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99.1 |
% |
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Average Daily Results:
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Vessel TCE rate(7)
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17,276 |
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17,729 |
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32,909 |
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Vessel operating expenses(8)
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5,457 |
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5,123 |
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5,603 |
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Management fees(9)
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457 |
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521 |
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|
592 |
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Total vessel operating expenses(10)
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5,914 |
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5,644 |
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6,195 |
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(1)
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Average number of vessels is the number of vessels that constituted our fleet for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was a part of our fleet during the relevant period divided by the number of calendar days in the relevant period.
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(2)
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Ownership days are the total number of days in a period during which the vessels in a fleet have been owned. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses that we recorded during a period.
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(3)
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Available days are the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of ownership days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues. During the three months ended June 30, 2010, the Company incurred 97 off hire days for vessel scheduled drydocking. During the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company incurred 102 off hire days for vessel scheduled drydocking. During the year ended December 31, 2009, we incurred 257 off-hire days for scheduled vessel drydocking.
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(4)
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Operating days are the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
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(5)
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Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels were generating revenue, and is determined by dividing operating days by ownership days for the relevant period.
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(6)
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Fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days is calculated by dividing the number of the fleet's operating days during a period by the number of available days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days to measure a Company's efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels and excluding the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons such as scheduled repairs, vessel upgrades, or dry dockings or special or intermediate surveys.
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(7)
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Time charter equivalent, or TCE, rates are defined as our time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our operating days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel oil and diesel oil) expenses, canal charges and commissions.
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(8)
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Average daily vessel operating expenses, which includes crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs, are calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant time periods.
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(9)
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Daily management fees are calculated by dividing total management fees by ownership days for the relevant time period.
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(10)
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Total vessel operating expenses or TVOE is a measurement of total expenses associated with operating the vessels. TVOE is the sum of vessel operating expenses and management fees. Daily TVOE is calculated by dividing TVOE by fleet ownership days for the relevant time period.
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks and other information set forth below. Some of the following risks relate principally to the industry in which we operate and others relate to our business in general. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently know to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business operations. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be materially adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common stock, including any Public Warrant Shares, Underwriter Warrant Shares, Unit Shares or Unit Warrant Shares, or the trading price of our warrants, including any Public Warrants, Underwriter Warrants or Unit Warrants, could fall, and consequently you may lose all or part of the money you paid to buy our common stock, including any Public Warrant Shares, Underwriter Warrant Shares, Unit Shares or Unit Warrant Shares, or our warrants, including any Public Warrants, Underwriter Warrants or Unit Warrants.
Risk Factors Relating to our Industry
Investment in a company in the dry bulk shipping industry involves a high degree of risk.
The abrupt and dramatic downturn in the dry bulk charter market, from which we have derived substantially all of our revenues, has severely affected the dry bulk shipping industry and has harmed our business. The Baltic Dry Index, or BDI, fell 94% from a peak of 11,793 in May 2008 to a low of 663 in December 2008. During 2009, the BDI remained volatile, reaching a low of 772 on January 5, 2009 and a high of 4,661 on November 19, 2009. It has since fallen to 2,628 as of September 20, 2010. The decline in charter rates is due to various factors, including the decrease in available trade financing for purchases of commodities carried by sea, which has resulted in a significant decline in cargo shipments. There is no certainty that the dry bulk charter market will experience any further recovery over the next several months and the market could decline from its current level. These circumstances, which result from the economic dislocation worldwide and the disruption of the credit markets, have had a number of adverse consequences for dry bulk shipping, including, among other things:
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a decrease in available financing for vessels;
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no active secondhand market for the sale of vessels;
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a sharp decline in charter rates, particularly for vessels employed in the spot market;
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charterers seeking to renegotiate the rates for existing time and bareboat charters;
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widespread loan covenant defaults in the dry bulk shipping industry due to the substantial decrease in vessel values; and
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declaration of bankruptcy by some operators, charterers and shipowners.
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The dry bulk shipping industry is cyclical and volatile, and this may lead to further reductions and volatility of charter rates, vessel values and results of operations.
The degree of charter hire rate volatility among different types of dry bulk carriers has varied widely. If we enter into a charter when charter hire rates are low, our revenues and earnings will be adversely affected. In addition, a decline in charter hire rates likely will cause the value of the vessels that we own, to decline and we may not be able to successfully charter our vessels in the future at rates sufficient to allow us to operate our business profitably or meet our obligations. The factors affecting the supply and demand for dry bulk carriers are outside of our control and are unpredictable. The nature, timing, direction and degree of changes in dry bulk shipping market conditions are also unpredictable.
Factors that influence demand for seaborne transportation of cargo include:
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demand for and production of dry bulk products;
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the distance cargo is to be moved by sea;
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global and regional economic and political conditions;
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environmental and other regulatory developments; and
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changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns, including changes in the distances over which cargo is transported due to geographic changes in where commodities are produced and cargoes are used.
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The factors that influence the supply of vessel capacity include:
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the number of new vessel deliveries;
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the scrapping rate of older vessels;
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the number of vessels that are out of service;
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changes in environmental and other regulations that may limit the useful life of vessels; and
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port or canal congestion.
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We anticipate that the future demand for our vessels will be dependent upon continued economic growth in the world's economies, including China and India, seasonal and regional changes in demand, changes in the capacity of the world's dry bulk carrier fleet and the sources and supply of cargo to be transported by sea. If the global vessel capacity increases in the dry bulk shipping market, but the demand for vessel capacity in this market does not increase or increases at a slower rate, the charter rates could materially decline, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
While the dry bulk carrier charter market has recently strengthened, it remains significantly below its high in 2008, which has and may continue to adversely affect our revenues, earnings and profitability and our ability to comply with our loan covenants.
The abrupt and dramatic downturn in the dry bulk charter market, from which we have derived substantially all of our revenues, has severely affected the dry bulk shipping industry and has harmed our business. The BDI fell 94% from a peak of 11,793 in May 2008 to a low of 663 in December 2008. During 2009, the BDI remained volatile, reaching a low of 772 on January 5, 2009 and a high of 4,661 on November 19, 2009. It has since fallen to 2,628 as of September 20, 2010. The decline and volatility in charter rates has been due to various factors, including the lack of trade financing for purchases of commodities carried by sea, which has resulted in a significant decline in cargo shipments (which has since recovered somewhat), and the excess supply of iron ore in China, which has resulted in falling iron ore prices and increased stockpiles in Chinese ports. The decline and volatility in charter rates in the dry bulk market also affects the value of our dry bulk vessels, which follows the trends of dry bulk charter rates, and earnings on our charters, and similarly affects our cash flows, liquidity and compliance with the covenants contained in our loan agreements.
The economic slowdown in the Asia Pacific region could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.
A significant number of the port calls made by our vessels may involve the loading or discharging of raw materials and semi-finished products in ports in the Asia Pacific region. As a result, a negative change in economic conditions in any Asia Pacific country, but particularly in China or India, may have an adverse effect on our future business, financial position and results of operations, as well as our future prospects. In recent years, China has been one of the world's fastest growing economies in terms of gross domestic product. We cannot assure you that such growth will be sustained or that the Chinese economy will not experience contraction in the future. In particular, during the past year, the demand for dry bulk goods from emerging markets, such as China and India, has significantly declined as growth projections for these nations' economies have been adjusted downwards. Moreover, the slowdown in the economies of the United States, the European Union or certain Asian countries may adversely affect economic growth in China and elsewhere. Our ability to re-charter our ships at favorable rates will likely be materially and adversely affected by an ongoing economic downturn in any of these countries.
Future growth in dry bulk shipping will depend on a return to economic growth in the world economy that exceeds growth in vessel capacity, and a further decline in charter rates would adversely affect our revenue stream and could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our vessels are engaged in global seaborne transportation of commodities, involving the loading or discharging of raw materials and semi-finished goods around the world. As a result, significant volatility in the world economy and negative changes in global economic conditions, may have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations, as well as future prospects.
Charter rates for dry bulk carriers have been at extremely low rates recently mainly due to the current global financial crisis, which is also affecting this industry. We anticipate that future demand for our vessels, and in turn future charter rates, will be dependent upon a return to economic growth in the world's economy, particularly in China and India, as well as seasonal and regional changes in demand and changes in the capacity of the world's fleet. The world's dry bulk carrier fleet increased in 2009 as a result of scheduled deliveries of newly constructed vessels but it is expected to be leveled off by higher forecasts for scrapping of existing vessels as compared to 2008. However, this will vary depending on vessel size, as the oldest segment of the worldwide dry bulk fleet is the Handysize segment. A return to economic growth in the world economy that exceeds growth in vessel capacity will be necessary to sustain current charter rates. There can be no assurance that economic growth will not continue to decline or that vessel scrapping will occur at an even lower rate than forecasted.
Due to the current volatility in the dry bulk sector, which is primarily caused by, among other things, a decrease in letters of credit being provided, a significant drop in demand for goods being shipped, a reduction in volumes of goods and cancellation of orders, there is a possibility that one or more of our charterers could seek to renegotiate the time and bareboat charter rates either currently or at the time the charter expires. A decline in charter rates would adversely affect our revenue stream and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
An oversupply of dry bulk carrier capacity may lead to reductions in charter rates and our profitability.
The market supply of dry bulk vessels has been increasing and orders for dry bulk carriers, primarily Capesize and Panamax vessels, are high. Newly constructed vessels were delivered and are expected to continue in significant numbers starting through 2009. As of June 30, 2010, newbuildings orders had been placed for an aggregate of approximately 16% of the then-existing global dry bulk fleet on a deadweight basis with deliveries expected during the next 30 months. An oversupply of dry bulk carrier capacity may result in a reduction of our charter rates. If such a reduction occurs, when our vessels' current charters expire or terminate, we may only be able to re-charter our vessels at reduced or unprofitable rates or we may not be able to charter these vessels at all. In turn, this may result in the need to take impairment charges on one or more of our vessels.
Changes in the economic and political environment in China and policies adopted by the government to regulate its economy may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in such respects as structure, government involvement, level of development, growth rate, capital reinvestment, allocation of resources, rate of inflation and balance of payments position. Prior to 1978, the Chinese economy was a planned economy. Since 1978, increasing emphasis has been placed on the utilization of market forces in the development of the Chinese economy. There is an increasing level of freedom and autonomy in areas such as allocation of resources, production, pricing and management and a gradual shift in emphasis to a "market economy" and enterprise reform. Although limited price reforms were undertaken, with the result that prices for certain commodities are principally determined by market forces, many of the reforms are experimental and may be subject to change or abolition. We cannot assure you that the Chinese government will continue to pursue a policy of economic reform. The level of imports to and exports from China could be adversely affected by changes to these economic reforms, as well as by changes in political, economic and social conditions or other relevant policies of the Chinese government, such as changes in laws, regulations or export and import restrictions, all of which could, adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.
Risks involved with operating ocean-going vessels could affect our business and reputation, which would adversely affect our revenues.
The operation of an ocean-going vessel carries inherent risks. These risks include the possibility of:
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crew strikes and/or boycotts;
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environmental accidents;
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cargo and property losses or damage; and
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business interruptions caused by mechanical failure, human error, war, terrorism, political action in various countries or adverse weather conditions.
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Any of these circumstances or events could increase our costs or lower our revenues.
Our vessels may suffer damage and we may face unexpected dry-docking costs, which could adversely affect our cash flow and financial condition.
If our vessels suffer damage, they may need to be repaired at a dry-docking facility. The costs of dry-dock repairs are unpredictable and can be substantial, and may be higher than expected as a result of circumstances beyond our control, such as delays experienced at the repair yard, including those due to strikes. We may have to pay dry-docking costs that our insurance does not cover. The loss of earnings while these vessels are being repaired and reconditioned may not be covered by insurance in full and thus these losses, as well as the actual cost of these repairs, would decrease our earnings.
Turbulence in the financial services markets and the tightening of credit may affect the ability of purchasers of dry bulk cargo to obtain letters of credit to purchase dry bulk goods, resulting in declines in the demand for vessels.
Turbulence in the financial markets has led many lenders to reduce, and in some cases cease to provide, credit, including letters of credit to borrowers. Purchasers of dry bulk cargo typically pay for cargo with letters of credit. The tightening of the credit markets has reduced the issuance of letters of credit and as a result decreased the amount of cargo being shipped as sellers determine not to sell cargo without a letter of credit.
Reductions in cargo result in less business for charterers and declines in the demand for vessels. Any material decrease in the demand for vessels may decrease charter rates and make it more difficult for Seanergy to charter its vessels in the future at competitive rates. Reduced charter rates would reduce Seanergy's revenues.
Technological innovation could reduce our charterhire income and the value of our vessels.
The charterhire rates and the value and operational life of a vessel are determined by a number of factors including the vessel's efficiency, operational flexibility and physical life. Efficiency includes speed, fuel economy and the ability to load and discharge cargo quickly. Flexibility includes the ability to enter harbors, utilize related docking facilities and pass through canals and straits. The length of a vessel's physical life is related to its original design and construction, its maintenance and the impact of the stress of operations. If new dry bulk carriers are built that are more efficient or more flexible or have longer physical lives than our vessels, competition from these more technologically advanced vessels could adversely affect the amount of charterhire payments we receive for our vessels once their initial charters expire, and the resale value of our vessels could significantly decrease. As a result, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected.
If we acquire additional dry bulk carriers and those vessels are not delivered on time or are delivered with significant defects, our earnings and financial condition could suffer.
We expect to acquire additional vessels in the future. A delay in the delivery of any of these vessels to us or the failure of the contract counterparty to deliver a vessel at all could cause us to breach our obligations under a related time charter and could adversely affect our earnings, our financial condition and the amount of dividends, if any, that we pay in the future. The delivery of these vessels could be delayed or certain events may arise which could result in us not taking delivery of a vessel, such as a total loss of a vessel, a constructive loss of a vessel, or substantial damage to a vessel prior to delivery. In addition, the delivery of any of these vessels with substantial defects could have similar consequences.
Rising fuel prices may adversely affect our profits.
The cost of fuel is a significant factor in negotiating charter rates. As a result, an increase in the price of fuel beyond our expectations may adversely affect our profitability. The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable and fluctuates based on events outside our control, including geo-political developments, supply and demand for oil, actions by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil and gas producers, war and unrest in oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns and regulations. Upon redelivery of vessels at the end of a period time or trip time charter, we may be obligated to repurchase bunkers on board at prevailing market prices, which could be materially higher than fuel prices at the inception of the charter period. In addition, although we rarely deploy our vessels on voyage charters, fuel is a significant, if not the largest, expense that we would incur with respect to vessels operating on voyage charter.
We may become dependent on spot charters in the volatile shipping markets which may have an adverse impact on stable cash flows and revenues.
We may employ one or more of our vessels on spot charters, including when time charters on one or more of our vessels expires. The spot charter market is highly competitive and rates within this market are subject to volatile fluctuations, while longer-term period time charters and bareboat charters provide income at predetermined rates over more extended periods of time. If we decide to spot charter our vessels, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in keeping all our vessels fully employed in these short-term markets or that future spot rates will be sufficient to enable our vessels to be operated profitably. A significant decrease in charter rates could affect the value of our fleet and could adversely affect our profitability and cash flows with the result that our ability to pay debt service to our lenders could be impaired.
Our operations are subject to seasonal fluctuations, which could affect our operating results.
We operate our vessels in markets that have historically exhibited seasonal variations in demand and, as a result, in charter hire rates. This seasonality may result in volatility in our operating results. The dry bulk carrier market is typically stronger in the fall and winter months in anticipation of increased consumption of coal and other raw materials in the northern hemisphere during the winter months. In addition, unpredictable weather patterns in these months tend to disrupt vessel scheduling and supplies of certain commodities. As a result, revenues of dry bulk carrier operators in general have historically been weaker during the fiscal quarters ended June 30 and September 30, and, conversely, been stronger in fiscal quarters ended December 31 and March 31. This seasonality may materially affect our operating results.
We are subject to complex laws and regulations, including environmental regulations that can adversely affect the cost, manner or feasibility of doing business.
Our operations are subject to numerous laws and regulations in the form of international conventions and treaties, national, state and local laws and national and international regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which our vessels operate or are registered, which can significantly affect the ownership and operation of our vessels. These requirements include, but are not limited to, conventions of the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, the IMO International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of 1974, the International Convention on Load Lines of 1966, the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA, the U.S. Clean Air Act, U.S. Clean Water Act and the U.S. Marine Transportation Security Act of 2002. Compliance with such laws, regulations and standards, where applicable, may require installation of costly equipment or operational changes and may affect the resale value or useful lives of our vessels. We may also incur additional costs in order to comply with other existing and future regulatory obligations, including, but not limited to, costs relating to air emissions including greenhouse gases, the management of ballast waters, maintenance and inspection, elimination of tin-based paint, development and implementation of emergency procedures and insurance coverage or other financial assurance of our ability to address pollution incidents. These costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. A failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations may result in administrative and civil penalties, criminal sanctions or the suspension or termination of our operations. Environmental laws often impose strict liability for remediation of spills and releases of oil and hazardous substances, which could subject us to liability without regard to whether we were negligent or at fault. Under OPA, for example, owners, operators and bareboat charterers are jointly and severally strictly liable for the discharge of oil within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone around the United States. An oil spill could result in significant liability, including fines, penalties and criminal liability and remediation costs for natural resource damages under other federal, state and local laws, as well as third-party damages. Under OPA, we are required to satisfy insurance and financial responsibility requirements for potential oil (including marine fuel) spills and other pollution incidents. Although we have arranged insurance to cover certain environmental risks, there can be no assurance that such insurance will be sufficient to cover all such risks or that any claims will not have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition or our ability to pay dividends.
We are subject to international safety regulations and the failure to comply with these regulations may subject us to increased liability, may adversely affect our insurance coverage and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports.
The operation of our vessels is affected by the requirements set forth in the United Nation's International Maritime Organization's International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention, or the ISM Code. The ISM Code requires shipowners, ship managers and bareboat charterers to develop and maintain an extensive "Safety Management System" that includes the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for safe operation and describing procedures for dealing with emergencies. The failure of a shipowner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code may subject it to increased liability, may invalidate existing insurance or decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports. Each of the vessels that has been delivered to us is ISM Code-certified and we expect that each other vessel that we have agreed to purchase will be ISM Code-certified when delivered to us.
In addition, vessel classification societies also impose significant safety and other requirements on our vessels. In complying with current and future environmental requirements, vessel-owners and operators may also incur significant additional costs in meeting new maintenance and inspection requirements, in developing contingency arrangements for potential spills and in obtaining insurance coverage. Government regulation of vessels, particularly in the areas of safety and environmental requirements, can be expected to become stricter in the future and require us to incur significant capital expenditures on our vessels to keep them in compliance.
The operation of our vessels is also affected by other government regulation in the form of international conventions, national, state and local laws and regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which the vessels operate, as well as in the country or countries of their registration. Because such conventions, laws, and regulations are often revised, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with such conventions, laws and regulations or the impact thereof on the resale prices or useful lives of our vessels. Additional conventions, laws and regulations may be adopted which could limit our ability to do business or increase the cost of our doing business and which may materially adversely affect our operations. We are required by various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain certain permits, licenses, certificates, and financial assurances with respect to our operations.
Increased inspection procedures, tighter import and export controls and survey requirements could increase costs and disrupt our business.
International shipping is subject to various security and customs inspections and related procedures in countries of origin and destination. Inspection procedures can result in the seizure of the contents of our vessels, delays in the loading, offloading or delivery and the levying of customs duties, fines and other penalties against us.
It is possible that changes to inspection procedures could impose additional financial and legal obligations on us. Furthermore, changes to inspection procedures could also impose additional costs and obligations on our customers and may, in certain cases, render the shipment of certain types of cargo impractical. Any such changes or developments may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be certified as safe and seaworthy in accordance with applicable rules and regulations, and accordingly vessels must undergo regular surveys. If any vessel does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey or special survey, the vessel will be unable to trade between ports and will be unemployable and we would be in violation of certain covenants in our credit facilities. This would also negatively impact our revenues.
Acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels have recently increased in frequency, which could adversely affect our business.
Acts of piracy have historically affected ocean-going vessels trading in regions of the world such as the South China Sea and in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. If these piracy attacks result in regions in which our vessels are deployed being characterized as "war risk" zones by insurers or as "war and strikes" listed areas by the Joint War Committee, premiums payable for such coverage could increase significantly and such insurance coverage may be more difficult to obtain. In addition, crew costs, including due to employing onboard security guards, could increase in such circumstances. We may not be adequately insured to cover losses from these incidents, which could have a material adverse effect on us. In addition, detention of any of our vessels, hijacking as a result of an act of piracy against our vessels, or an increase in cost, or unavailability, of insurance for our vessels, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Terrorism and other events outside our control may negatively affect our operations and financial condition.
Because we operate our vessels worldwide, terrorist attacks such as the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the bombings in Spain on March 11, 2004 and in London on July 7, 2005, and the continuing response of the United States to these attacks, as well as the threat of future terrorist attacks, continue to cause uncertainty in the world financial markets and may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The continuing conflict in Iraq may lead to additional acts of terrorism and armed conflict around the world, which may contribute to further
economic instability in the global financial markets. These uncertainties could also have a material adverse effect on our ability to obtain additional financing on terms acceptable to us or at all. In the past, political conflicts have also resulted in attacks on vessels, mining of waterways and other efforts to disrupt international shipping, particularly in the Arabian Gulf region. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse impact on our operating results, revenues and costs.
Terrorist attacks and armed conflicts may also negatively affect our operations and financial condition and directly impact our vessels or our customers. Future terrorist attacks could result in increased volatility of the financial markets in the United States and globally and could result in an economic recession in the United States or the world. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition.
The operation of dry bulk carriers has particular operational risks which could affect our earnings and cash flow.
The operation of certain vessel types, such as dry bulk carriers, has certain particular risks. With a dry bulk carrier, the cargo itself and its interaction with the vessel can be an operational risk. By their nature, dry bulk cargoes are often heavy, dense, easily shifted, and react badly to water exposure. In addition, dry bulk carriers are often subjected to battering treatment during unloading operations with grabs, jackhammers (to pry encrusted cargoes out of the hold) and small bulldozers. This treatment may cause damage to the vessel. Vessels damaged due to treatment during unloading procedures may be more susceptible to breach while at sea. Hull breaches in dry bulk carriers may lead to the flooding of the vessels' holds. If a dry bulk carrier suffers flooding in its forward holds, the bulk cargo may become so dense and waterlogged that its pressure may buckle the vessel's bulkheads leading to the loss of a vessel. If we are unable to adequately maintain our vessels, we may be unable to prevent these events. Any of these circumstances or events could result in loss of life, vessel and/or cargo and negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the loss of any of our vessels could harm our reputation as a safe and reliable vessel owner and operator.
If any of our vessels fails to maintain its class certification and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey, or special survey, or if any scheduled dry-docks take longer or are more expensive than anticipated, this could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be classed by a classification society authorized by its country of registry. The classification society certifies that a vessel is safe and seaworthy in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS. Our vessels are classed with one or more classification societies that are members of the International Association of Classification Societies.
A vessel must undergo annual surveys, intermediate surveys, dry-dockings and special surveys. In lieu of a special survey, a vessel's machinery may be on a continuous survey cycle, under which the machinery would be surveyed periodically over a five-year period. Our vessels are on special survey cycles for hull inspection and continuous survey cycles for machinery inspection. Every vessel is also required to be dry-docked every two to three years for inspection of the underwater parts of such vessels. These surveys and dry-dockings can be costly and can result in delays in returning a vessel to operation, as occurred with the dry-docking of the African Zebra, which entered its scheduled dry-dock on February 24, 2009 and was returned to service on July 20, 2009 as a result of delays at the repair yard. The cost of our dry-docks in 2009 totaled approximately $7,119,000. See "Description of Indebtedness – Capital Requirements" for our anticipated dry-docks.
If any vessel does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey, dry-docking or special survey, the vessel will be unable to carry cargo between ports and will be unemployable and uninsurable. Any such inability to carry cargo or be employed, or any such violation of covenants, could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
Because our seafaring employees are covered by industry-wide collective bargaining agreements, failure of industry groups to renew those agreements may disrupt our operations and adversely affect our earnings.
Our vessel-owning subsidiaries employ a large number of seafarers. All of the seafarers employed on the vessels in our fleet are covered by industry-wide collective bargaining agreements that set basic standards. We cannot assure you that these agreements will prevent labor interruptions. Any labor interruptions could disrupt our operations and harm our financial performance.
Maritime claimants could arrest our vessels, which could interrupt its cash flow.
Crew members, suppliers of goods and services to a vessel, shippers of cargo and other parties may be entitled to a maritime lien against that vessel for unsatisfied debts, claims or damages. In many jurisdictions, a maritime lien holder may enforce its lien by arresting a vessel through foreclosure proceedings. The arresting or attachment of one or more of our vessels could interrupt our cash flow and require us to pay large sums of funds to have the arrest lifted which would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, in some jurisdictions, such as South Africa, under the "sister ship" theory of liability, a claimant may arrest both the vessel which is subject to the claimant's maritime lien and any "associated" vessel, which is any vessel owned or controlled by the same owner. Claimants could try to assert "sister ship" liability against one of our vessels for claims relating to another of our vessels.
Governments could requisition our vessels during a period of war or emergency, resulting in loss of earnings.
A government could requisition for title or seize our vessels. Requisition for title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes the owner. Also, a government could requisition our vessels for hire. Requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and effectively becomes the charterer at dictated charter rates. Generally, requisitions occur during a period of war or emergency. Government requisition of one or more of our vessels could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Risk Factors Relating to Seanergy
We are currently in compliance with the terms of our loan agreements only because we have received waivers and/or amendments to these loan agreements waiving our compliance with a certain covenant for certain periods of time. Our ability to conduct our business may be affected if we are unable to obtain waiver extensions or covenant modifications from our lenders and, in addition, any extensions of these waivers, if needed, could contain additional restrictions and might not be granted at all.
Our various loan agreements require that we maintain certain financial and other covenants. The current low dry bulk charter rates and dry bulk vessel values have affected our ability to comply with some of these covenants. While we have currently received waivers from our lenders in connection with our Marfin, UOB, HSBC and DVB loan agreements, which waivers have expiration dates of January 2, 2012, March 31, 2011, December 31, 2012, and March 31, 2011, respectively, if we are not able to remedy such non-compliance by the time the waivers expire, our lenders could require us to post additional collateral, enhance our equity and liquidity, continue to withhold payment of dividends, increase our interest payments, pay down our indebtedness to a level where we are in compliance with our loan covenants, sell vessels in our fleet, or they could also accelerate our indebtedness and foreclose on their collateral. The exercise of any of these remedies could materially adversely impair our ability to continue to conduct our business.
As a result of the waivers we have obtained from our lenders, we are not currently in default under our various loan agreements. If conditions in the dry bulk charter market remain depressed or worsen, we may need to request additional extensions of these waivers. There can be no assurance that our lenders will provide such extensions, and their willingness to provide any such extensions may be limited by their financial condition,
business strategy and outlook for the shipping industry at the time of any such request, all of which are outside of our control. If we require extensions to the waivers and are unable to obtain them, as described above, we would be in default under our various loan agreements, and your investment in our shares could lose most or all of its value.
In addition, as a result of these waivers, our lenders imposed operating and financial restrictions on us. If we need to extend these waivers, our lenders may impose additional restrictions. In addition to the above restrictions, our lenders may require the payment of additional fees, require prepayment of a portion of our indebtedness to them, accelerate the amortization schedule for our indebtedness, and increase the interest rates they charge us on our outstanding indebtedness. These potential restrictions and requirements may further limit our ability to pay dividends to you, finance our future operations, make acquisitions or pursue business opportunities.
Our debt financing contains restrictive covenants that may limit our liquidity and corporate activities.
The Marfin, Citibank, UOB, HSBC and DVB loan agreements, and any future loan agreements we or our subsidiaries may execute, may impose operating and financial restrictions on us or our subsidiaries. These restrictions may, subject to certain exceptions, limit our or our subsidiaries' ability to:
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incur additional indebtedness;
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create liens on our or our subsidiaries' assets;
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sell capital stock of our subsidiaries;
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engage in any business other than the operation of the vessels;
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change or terminate the management of the vessels or terminate or materially amend the management agreement relating to each vessel; and
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The restrictions included in the Marfin loan agreement include minimum financial standards we must comply with including:
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The ratio of total liabilities to total assets;
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The ratio of total net debt owed to LTM (last twelve months) EBITDA;
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The ratio of LTM EBITDA to net interest expense;
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A security margin, or the Security Margin Clause, whereby the aggregate market value of the vessels and the value of any additional security is required to be at least 135% of the aggregate of the debt financing and any amount available for drawing under the revolving facility, less the aggregate amount of all deposits maintained. A waiver from Marfin has been received with respect to this clause.
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The financial ratios are required to be tested by us on a quarterly basis on a last-twelve-months basis.
In addition to the minimum financial standards, under the terms of the Marfin loan agreement, we must also ensure that members of the Restis family and the family of our former chairman Mr. George Koutsolioutsos (or companies affiliated with them) together own at all times an aggregate of at least 10% of our issued share capital. A violation of this covenant constitutes an event of default under our credit facility and would provide Marfin with various remedies.
Under the Citibank loan agreement, the BET subsidiaries are subject to operating and financial covenants that may affect BET's business. These restrictions may, subject to certain exceptions, limit the BET subsidiaries' ability to engage in many of the activities listed above. Furthermore, the BET subsidiaries must assure the lenders that the aggregate market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount of the Citibank loan. If the market value of the vessels is less than this amount, the BET subsidiaries must prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lenders, and a portion of the debt may be required to be classified as current.
Under the UOB, HSBC and DVB loan agreements, the MCS subsidiaries are subject to operating and financial covenants that may affect MCS's business. These restrictions may, subject to certain exceptions, limit the MCS subsidiaries' ability to engage in many of the activities listed above. Furthermore, the MCS subsidiaries must assure the lenders that the aggregate market value of the MCS vessels is not less than 100%, 125% and 133% of the outstanding amount of each of the UOB, HSBC and DVB loans; however, we have received from each of UOB, HSBC and DVB waivers from compliance of these security requirements until March 31, 2011, December 31, 2012, March 31, 2011, respectively. If the market value of the vessels is less than this amount, the MCS subsidiaries must prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lenders, and a portion of the debt may be required to be classified as current.
Therefore, we may need to seek permission from our lenders in order to engage in some important corporate actions. Also, any further decline in vessel values may, absent any extensions of our current waivers, cause us, BET or MCS to fail to meet the market value covenants in the loan agreements and entitle the lenders to assert certain rights. Our current and any future lenders' interests may be different from our interests, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to obtain such lenders' permission when needed. This may prevent us from taking actions that are in our best interest.
The derivative contracts we have entered into to hedge our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates could result in higher than market interest rates and charges against our income.
Through the BET and MCS acquisitions, we have three and four, respectively, interest rate swaps for purposes of managing our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates applicable to the BET and MCS loan facilities, which were advanced at a floating rate based on LIBOR. Our hedging strategies, however, may not be effective and we may incur substantial losses if interest rates move materially differently from our expectations. Since our existing interest rate swaps do not, and future derivative contracts may not, qualify for treatment as hedges for accounting purposes, we recognize fluctuations in the fair value of such contracts in our income statement. In addition, our financial condition could be materially adversely affected to the extent we do not hedge our exposure to interest rate fluctuations under our financing arrangements. Any hedging activities we engage in may not effectively manage our interest rate exposure or have the desired impact on our financial conditions or results of operations.
Our ability to successfully implement our business plans depends on our ability to obtain additional financing, which may affect the value of your investment in the Company.
We will require substantial additional financing to fund the acquisition of additional vessels and to implement our business plans. We cannot be certain that sufficient financing will be available on terms that are acceptable to us or at all. If we cannot raise the financing we need in a timely manner and on acceptable terms, we may not be able to acquire the vessels necessary to implement our business plans and consequently you may lose some or all of your investment in the Company.
While we expect that a significant portion of the financing resources needed to acquire vessels will be through long-term debt financing, we may raise additional funds through additional equity offerings. New equity investors may dilute the percentage of the ownership interest of existing shareholders in the Company. Sales or the possibility of sales of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock in the public markets could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to refinance indebtedness incurred under our credit facilities.
For so long as we have outstanding indebtedness under our credit facilities, we will have to dedicate a portion of our cash flow from operations to pay the principal and interest of this indebtedness. We cannot assure you that we will be able to generate cash flow in amounts that are sufficient for these purposes. If we are not able to satisfy these obligations, we may have to undertake alternative financing plans or sell our assets. The actual or perceived credit quality of our charterers, any defaults by them, and the market value of our fleet, among other things, may materially affect our ability to obtain alternative financing. If we are not able to find alternative sources of financing on terms that are acceptable to us or at all, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
As we expand our business, we will need to improve or expand our operations and financial systems, staff and crew; if we cannot improve these systems or recruit suitable employees, our performance may be adversely affected.
Our current operating and financial systems may not be adequate as we implement our plan to expand the size of our fleet, and EST's attempts to improve those systems may be ineffective. In addition, as we expand our fleet, we will have to rely on EST to recruit additional seafarers and shoreside administrative and management personnel. EST may not be able to continue to hire suitable employees or a sufficient number of employees as we expand our fleet. If EST's unaffiliated crewing agents encounter business or financial difficulties, we may not be able to adequately staff our vessels. We may also have to increase our customer base to provide continued employment for most of our new vessels. If we are unable to operate our financial system, EST is unable to operate our operations systems effectively or to recruit suitable employees in sufficient numbers or we are unable to increase our customer base as we expand our fleet, our performance may be adversely affected.
Unless we set aside reserves for vessel replacement, at the end of a vessel's useful life, our revenue will decline, which would adversely affect our cash flows and income.
As of June 30, 2010, the vessels in our current fleet had an average age of 12.8 years. Unless we maintain cash reserves for vessel replacement, we may be unable to replace the vessels in our fleet upon the expiration of their useful lives. We estimate the useful life of our vessels to be 30 years from the date of initial delivery from the shipyard. Our cash flows and income are dependent on the revenues we earn by chartering our vessels to customers. If we are unable to replace the vessels in our fleet upon the expiration of their useful lives, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be materially adversely affected. Any reserves set aside for vessel replacement would not be available for other cash needs or dividends.
The aging of our fleet may result in increased operating costs in the future, which could adversely affect our ability to operate our vessels profitably.
In general, the costs to maintain a vessel in good operating condition increase with the age of the vessel. As of June 30, 2010, the average age of the vessels in our current fleet was 12.8 years. As our vessels age, they may become less fuel efficient and more costly to maintain and will not be as advanced as more recently constructed vessels due to improvements in design and engine technology. Rates for cargo insurance, paid by charterers, also increase with the age of a vessel, making older vessels less desirable to charterers.
Governmental regulations, safety or other equipment standards related to the age of vessels may require expenditures for alterations, or the addition of new equipment, to our vessels and may restrict the type of activities in which our vessels may engage. As our vessels age, market conditions may not justify those expenditures or enable us to operate our vessels profitably during the remainder of their useful lives.
The value of our vessels has fluctuated, and may continue to fluctuate significantly, due in large part to the sharp decline in the world economy and the charter market. A significant decline in vessel values could result in losses when we sell our vessels or could result in a requirement that we write down their carrying value, which would adversely affect our earnings. In addition, a decline in vessel values could adversely impact our ability to raise additional capital and would likely cause us to violate certain covenants in our loan agreements that relate to vessel value.
The market value of our vessels can and have fluctuated significantly based on general economic and market conditions affecting the shipping industry and prevailing charter hire rates. Since the end of 2008, the market value of our vessels has dropped significantly due to, among other things, the substantial decline in charter rates. During the year ended December 31, 2008, we recorded an impairment charge of $4.5 million on our vessels. No indication of impairment existed as of December 31, 2009. There can be no assurance as to how long charter rates and vessel values will remain at the current low levels or whether they will improve to any significant degree. Consequently we may have to record further impairments of our vessels.
The market value of our vessels may increase or decrease in the future depending on the following factors:
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economic and market conditions affecting the shipping industry in general;
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supply of dry bulk vessels, including newbuildings;
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demand for dry bulk vessels;
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types, sizes and ages of vessels;
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other modes of transportation;
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competition from other shipping companies;
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technological advances;
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new regulatory requirements from governments or self-regulated organizations; and
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prevailing level of charter rates.
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Because the market value of our vessels may fluctuate significantly, we may incur losses when we sell vessels, which may adversely affect our earnings. In addition, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate potential impairment, we test the carrying value of our vessels in our financial statements, based upon their earning capacity and remaining useful lives. Earning capacity is measured by the vessels' expected earnings under their charters. If we determine that our vessels' carrying values should be reduced, we would recognize an impairment charge on our financial statements that would result in a potentially significant charge against our earnings and a reduction in our shareholders' equity. Such impairment adjustment could also hinder our ability to raise capital. If for any reason we sell our vessels at a time when prices have fallen, the sale proceeds may be less than that vessel's carrying amount on our financial statements, and we would incur a loss and a reduction in earnings. Finally, a decline in vessel values would likely cause us to violate certain covenants in our loan agreement that require vessel values to equal or exceed a stated percentage of the amount of our loans. Such violations could result in our default under our loan agreements.
If we fail to manage our growth properly, we may not be able to manage our recently expanded fleet successfully, and we may not be able to expand our fleet further if we desire to do so, adversely affecting our overall financial position.
On August 12, 2009, we completed our acquisition of a 50% controlling ownership interest in BET, pursuant to which we acquired an additional five vessels. Concurrently with the closing of the acquisition, BET entered into a technical management agreement with EST and a
commercial brokerage agreement with Safbulk at terms similar to those that our existing fleet has with these entities. Each of EST and Safbulk are affiliated with members of the Restis family and are the technical manager and commercial broker, respectively, of our current fleet.
On September 15, 2010, following our May 2010 acquisition of 51% of the ownership interests in MCS, we completed our acquisition of the remaining 49% ownership interest in MCS, pursuant to which we now have 100% ownership of MCS's nine vessels. MCS arranges its time and bareboat charters in-house and negotiates the terms of the charters based on market conditions. The commercial management of the MCS fleet with respect to its vessels under time charter is also carried out in-house while the technical management has been contracted out to M/S Fleet and Wallem, which are both unrelated third party management companies.
We may continue to expand our fleet in the future if desirable opportunities arise. Our further growth will depend on:
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locating and acquiring suitable vessels at competitive prices;
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identifying and consummating acquisitions or joint ventures;
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integrating any acquired vessels successfully with our existing operations;
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enhancing our customer base;
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managing our expansion; and
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obtaining required financing, which could include debt, equity or combinations thereof.
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Growing any business by acquisition presents numerous risks such as undisclosed liabilities and obligations, difficulty experienced in obtaining additional qualified personnel, managing relationships with customers and suppliers, integrating newly acquired operations into existing infrastructures, identifying new and profitable charter opportunities for vessels, and complying with new loan covenants. We have not identified further expansion opportunities at this time, and the nature and timing of any such expansion is uncertain. We may not be successful in growing further and may incur significant expenses and losses.
Our charterers may terminate or default on their charters, which could adversely affect our results of operations and cash flow.
The ability and the willingness of each of our charterers to perform its obligations under a charter will depend on a number of factors that are beyond our control. These factors may include general economic conditions, the condition of the dry bulk shipping industry, the charter rates received for specific types of vessels, hedging arrangements, the ability of charterers to obtain letters of credit from their customers, cash reserves, cash flow considerations and various operating expenses. Many of these factors impact the financial viability of our charterers. Given the downturn in world markets and the factors described above, it is possible that some of our charterers could declare bankruptcy or otherwise seek to evade their obligations to us under the charters, and as a consequence, default on their obligations to us. If a charterer defaults on a charter, we will seek the remedies available to us, which may include arbitration or litigation to enforce the contract, although such efforts may not be successful. Should a charterer default on a period time charter or bareboat charter, we may have to enter into a charter at a lower charter rate, which would reduce our revenues. If we cannot enter into a new period time charter or bareboat charter, we may have to secure a charter in the spot market, where charter rates are volatile and revenues are less predictable. It is also possible that we would be unable to secure a charter at all, which would also reduce our revenues, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We face strong competition, and we may not be able to compete for charters with new entrants or established companies with greater resources, which may adversely affect our results of operations.
We obtain charters for our vessels in highly competitive markets in which our market share is insufficient to enforce any degree of pricing discipline. Although we believe that no single competitor has a dominant position in the markets in which we compete, we are aware that certain competitors may be able to devote greater financial and other resources to their activities than we can, resulting in a significant competitive threat to us. Competition for the transportation of dry bulk cargoes can be intense and depends on price, customer relationships, operating expertise, professional reputation and size, location, size, age, condition and the acceptability of the vessel and its managers to the charterers. Due in part to the highly fragmented market, competitors with greater resources could operate larger fleets through consolidations or acquisitions that may be able to offer better prices and fleets.
We cannot give assurances that we will continue to compete successfully with our competitors or that these factors will not erode our competitive position in the future.
Servicing debt will limit funds available for other purposes, including capital expenditures and payment of dividends.
We are required to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to pay the principal and interest on the Marfin, Citibank, UOB, HSBC and DVB debt. These payments limit funds otherwise available for capital expenditures and other purposes, including payment of dividends, make it more difficult to obtain additional financing on favorable terms and make us more vulnerable to economic downturns. We may incur debt in the near future in connection with any additional vessel acquisitions. If we are unable to service our respective debt, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Credit market volatility may affect our ability to refinance our existing debt, borrow funds under our revolving credit facility or incur additional debt.
The credit markets have recently experienced extreme volatility and disruption, which has limited credit capacity for certain issuers, and lenders have requested shorter terms and lower loan to value ratios. The market for new debt financing is extremely limited and in some cases not available at all. If current levels of market disruption and volatility continue or worsen, we may not be able to refinance our existing debt, draw upon our revolving credit facility or incur additional debt, which may require us to seek other funding sources to meet our liquidity needs or to fund planned expansion. For example, our existing term loan and revolving credit facility from Marfin are tied to the market value of the vessels whereby the aggregate market values of the vessels and the value of any additional security should be at least 135% of the aggregate of the debt financing and any amount available for drawing under the revolving facility less the aggregate amount of all deposits maintained. If the percentage is below 135%, then a prepayment of the loans may be required or additional security may be requested. On September 9, 2009, November 13, 2009 and June 2, 2010 we executed addenda no. 1, no. 2 and no. 3, respectively, to the loan agreement with Marfin and obtained a waiver of this loan covenant through January 3, 2012. In connection with the amendment and waiver, Marfin made certain changes to our loan agreement including increasing the interest payable during the waiver period from LIBOR plus 3.00% to LIBOR plus 3.50% in respect of the term loan and from LIBOR plus 3.50% to LIBOR plus 4.00% in respect of the revolving facility, accelerating the due dates of certain of our principal installments and limiting our ability to pay dividends without their prior consent. The Citibank restated loan agreement as amended by the supplemental agreement dated September 30, 2009 contains a similar covenant. If the market value of the BET vessels is less than 125% of the outstanding amount of the Citibank loan, the BET subsidiaries must prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lenders. The Citibank supplemental agreement dated August 4, 2010 provides that BET maintains a minimum amount of no less than $7.5 million in the BET account with Citibank. Hence, we may need to seek permission from our lenders in order to make further use of our Marfin revolving credit facility or avoid prepayment obligations under either the Marfin or Citibank loans, depending on the aggregate market value of our vessels. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain debt or other financing on reasonable terms, or at all.
Increases in interest rates could increase interest payable under our variable rate indebtedness.
We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with our Marfin, Citibank, UOB, HSBC and DVB loans. Changes in interest rates could increase the amount of our interest payments and thus negatively impact our future earnings and cash flows. Fluctuations in interest rates could be exacerbated in future periods as a result of the current worldwide instability in the banking and credit markets. Although neither party currently has hedging arrangements for our variable rate indebtedness, we both expect to hedge interest rate exposure at the appropriate time. However, these arrangements may prove inadequate or ineffective.
Rising crew costs may adversely affect our profits.
Crew costs are a significant expense for us under our charters. Recently, the limited supply of and increased demand for well-qualified crew, due to the increase in the size of the global shipping fleet, has created upward pressure on crewing costs, which we generally bear under our period time and spot charters. Increases in crew costs may adversely affect our profitability.
We may not be able to take advantage of favorable opportunities in the current spot market, if any, because our vessels are employed on medium-term time charters and bareboat charters.
14 of our vessels are employed under medium-term time charters expiring between September 2010 and August 2012. Four of the MCS vessels are employed under bareboat charters expiring between November 2013 and February 2014. Although medium-term time charters and bareboat charters provide relatively steady streams of revenue, vessels committed to medium-term charters and bareboat charters may not be available for spot voyages during periods of increasing charter hire rates, when spot voyages might be more profitable.
When our charters expire, we may not be able to replace such charters promptly or with profitable charters, which may adversely affect our earnings.
We will generally attempt to recharter our vessels at favorable rates with reputable charterers as our existing charters expire. If the dry bulk shipping market is in a period of depression when our vessels' charters expire, it is likely that we may be forced to re-charter them at substantially reduced rates, if we are able to re-charter them at all. If rates are significantly lower or if we are unable to recharter our vessels, our earnings may be adversely affected.
Because we obtain some of our insurance through protection and indemnity associations, we may also be subject to calls, or premiums, in amounts based not only on our own claim records, but also on the claim records of all other members of the protection and indemnity associations.
We may be subject to calls, or premiums, in amounts based not only on our claim records but also on the claim records of all other members of the protection and indemnity associations through which we receive insurance coverage for tort liability, including pollution-related liability. Our payment of these calls could result in significant expenses to us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and our ability to pay interest on, or the principal of, the senior notes.
We may not be able to attract and retain key management personnel and other employees in the shipping industry, which may negatively affect the effectiveness of our management and our results of operations.
Our success will depend to a significant extent upon the abilities and efforts of our management team. We currently have two executive officers, our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer, and one general counsel and a support staff. Our success will depend upon our ability to retain key members of our management team and the ability of our management to recruit and hire suitable employees. The loss of any of these individuals could adversely affect our business prospects and financial condition. Difficulty in hiring and retaining personnel could adversely affect our results of operations.
Purchasing and operating second hand vessels may result in increased operating costs and vessel off-hire, which could adversely affect our earnings.
We have inspected the second hand vessels that we acquired from the Restis sellers and in the acquisitions of BET and MCS and considered the age and condition of the vessels in budgeting for operating, insurance and maintenance costs. If we acquire additional second hand vessels in the future, we may encounter higher operating and maintenance costs due to the age and condition of those additional vessels.
However, our inspection of second hand vessels prior to purchase does not provide us with the same knowledge about their condition and cost of any required or anticipated repairs that we would have had if these vessels had been built for and operated exclusively by us. We will have the benefit of warranties on newly constructed vessels; we will not receive the benefit of warranties on second hand vessels.
In general, the costs to maintain a dry bulk carrier in good operating condition increase with the age of the vessel. The average age of our fleet, including the BET and MCS vessels, is approximately 12.7 years, out of the expected useful life of 30 years. Older vessels, however, are typically less fuel-efficient and more costly to maintain than more recently constructed dry bulk carriers due to improvements in engine technology. Cargo insurance rates increase with the age of a vessel, making older vessels less desirable to charterers.
Governmental regulations, safety or other equipment standards related to the age of vessels may require expenditures for alterations, or the addition of new equipment, to our vessels and may restrict the type of activities in which the vessels may engage. As our vessels age, market conditions may not justify those expenditures or enable us to operate our vessels profitably during the remainder of their useful lives.
We may not have adequate insurance to compensate us if we lose our vessels, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We have procured hull and machinery insurance and protection and indemnity insurance, which include environmental damage and pollution insurance coverage and war risk insurance for our fleet. We do not expect to maintain for all of our vessels insurance against loss of hire, which covers business interruptions that result from the loss of use of a vessel. We may not be adequately insured against all risks. We may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage for our fleet in the future. The insurers may not pay particular claims. Our insurance policies may contain deductibles for which we will be responsible and limitations and exclusions which may increase our costs or lower our revenue. Moreover, insurers may default on claims they are required to pay. Furthermore, in the future, we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates for our vessels. If our insurance is not enough to cover claims that may arise, the deficiency may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We depend on our commercial and technical managers to operate our business and our business could be harmed if they fail to perform their services satisfactorily.
Pursuant to our management agreements, EST provides us with technical, general administrative and support services (including vessel maintenance, crewing, purchasing, shipyard supervision, insurance, assistance with regulatory compliance, freight management, accounting related to vessels, provisions, bunkering and operation) and M/S Fleet and Wallem provide us with technical management services. Our operational success depends significantly upon EST's, M/S Fleet's and Wallem's satisfactory performance of these services. Our business would be harmed if EST, M/S Fleet or Wallem failed to perform these services satisfactorily. In addition, if the management agreement were to be terminated or if its terms were to be altered, our business could be adversely affected, as we may not be able to immediately replace such services, and even if replacement services were immediately available, the terms offered could be less favorable than those under our management agreement.
Our ability to compete for and enter into new period time and spot charters and to expand our relationships with our existing charterers will depend largely on our relationship with our commercial manager, Safbulk, and its reputation and relationships in the shipping industry. If Safbulk suffers material damage to its reputation or relationships, it may harm our ability to:
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renew existing charters upon their expiration;
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obtain financing on commercially acceptable terms;
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maintain satisfactory relationships with our charterers and suppliers; and
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successfully execute our business strategies.
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If our ability to do any of the things described above is impaired, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Although we may have rights against EST if it defaults on its obligations to us, investors in us will have no recourse against EST.
Further, we will need to seek approval from our lenders to change our manager from EST.
Management fees are payable to our technical manager regardless of our profitability, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Pursuant to our management agreement with EST, we pay a fee of EUR 425 per day per vessel for providing technical, support and administrative services. The management fees do not cover expenses such as voyage expenses, vessel operating expenses, maintenance expenses, crewing costs, insurance premiums, commissions and certain public company expenses such as directors and officers' liability insurance, legal and accounting fees and other similar third party expenses, which are reimbursed by us. The management fees are payable whether or not our vessels are employed, and regardless of our profitability, and we have no ability to require EST to reduce the management fees if our profitability decreases, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risk Factors Relating to Conflicts of Interest
We are dependent on each of EST and Safbulk for the management and commercial brokerage of part of our fleet.
We subcontract the management and commercial brokerage of part of our fleet, including crewing, maintenance and repair, to each of EST and Safbulk, both affiliates of members of the Restis family. The loss of services of, or the failure to perform by, either of these entities could materially and adversely affect our results of operations. Although we may have rights against either of these entities if they default on their obligations to us, you will have no recourse directly against them. Further, we expect that we will need to seek approval from our lenders to change our manager from EST.
EST and Safbulk are privately held companies and there is little or no publicly available information about them.
The ability of EST and Safbulk to continue providing services for our benefit will depend in part on their respective financial strength. Circumstances beyond our control could impair their financial strength, and because they are privately held, it is unlikely that information about their financial strength would become public unless any of these entities began to default on their respective obligations. As a result, our shareholders might have little advance warning of problems affecting EST or Safbulk, even though these problems could have a material adverse effect on us.
We outsource, and expect to continue to outsource, the management and commercial brokerage of our fleet to companies that are affiliated with members of the Restis family, which may create conflicts of interest.
We outsource, and expect to continue to outsource, the management and commercial brokerage of part of our fleet to EST and Safbulk, companies that are affiliated with members of the Restis family. Companies affiliated with members of the Restis family own and may acquire vessels that compete with our fleet. Both EST and Safbulk have responsibilities and relationships to owners other than us which could create conflicts of interest between us, on the one hand, and EST or Safbulk, on the other hand. These conflicts may arise in connection with the chartering of the vessels in our fleet versus dry bulk carriers managed by other companies affiliated with members of the Restis family. There can be no assurance that they will resolve conflicts in our favor.
Because South African Marine Corporation, S.A. is the sole counterparty on the time charters for six of our vessels, the failure of this counterparty to meet its obligations could cause us to suffer losses, thereby decreasing our revenues, operating results and cash flows.
One of our six initial vessels and all five BET vessels are chartered to South African Marine Corporation, S.A., or SAMC, a company affiliated with members of the Restis family. Therefore we are dependent on performance by our charterer. Our charters may terminate earlier than the dates indicated in this annual report. Under our charter agreements, the events or occurrences that will cause a charter to terminate or give the charterer the option to terminate the charter generally include a total or constructive total loss of the related vessel, the requisition for hire of the related vessel or the failure of the related vessel to meet specified performance criteria. In addition, the ability of our charterer to perform its obligations under a charter will depend on a number of factors that are beyond our control. These factors may include general economic conditions, the condition of the dry bulk shipping industry, the charter rates received for specific types of vessels, the ability of the charterer to obtain letters of credit from its customers and various operating expenses. It is our understanding that SAMC operates some of the vessels on period charters and some of the vessels in the spot market. The spot market is highly competitive and spot rates fluctuate significantly. Vessels operating in the spot market generate revenues that are less predictable than those on period time charters. Therefore, SAMC may be exposed to the risk of fluctuating spot dry bulk charter rates, which may have an adverse impact on its financial performance and its obligations. The cost and delays associated with the default by a charterer of a vessel may be considerable and may adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and our ability to pay dividends.
The Restis affiliate shareholders hold approximately 67.4% of our outstanding common stock. This may limit your ability to influence our actions.
As of September20, 2010, Restis affiliate shareholders own approximately 67.4%, excluding shares issuable upon exercise of warrants, of our outstanding common stock (including 70,000 shares of common stock owned by Argonaut SPC, a fund whose investment manager is an affiliate of members of the Restis family), or approximately 52.8% of our outstanding capital stock on a fully diluted basis, assuming exercise of all outstanding warrants. Our major shareholders have the power to exert considerable influence over our actions and matters which require shareholder approval, which limits your ability to influence our actions.
Furthermore, under the terms of the Citibank loan agreement, the Restis family or affiliated companies must be the ultimate beneficial owners of at least 50.1% of our issued voting share capital or, in certain circumstances, not less than 40% of our issued voting capital. Additionally, under the terms of the Marfin loan agreement, we must also ensure that members of the Restis family and the family of our former chairman Mr. George Koutsolioutsos (or companies affiliated with them) together own at all times an aggregate of at least 10% of our issued share capital. Under the UOB, DVB and HSBC loan agreements, no other person other than the Restis family or affiliated companies with the Restis family or Seanergy may become the beneficial owner of more than 30% of MCS's issued voting share capital.
The majority of the members of our shipping committee and the majority of our nominees to the BET board of directors are appointees nominated by affiliates of members of the Restis family, which could create conflicts of interest detrimental to us.
Our board of directors has created a shipping committee, which has been delegated exclusive authority to consider and vote upon all matters involving shipping and vessel finance, subject to certain limitations. Two of the members of our shipping committee serve as our appointees to the BET board of directors. Affiliates of members of the Restis family have the right to appoint two of the three members of the shipping committee and as a result such affiliates will effectively control all decisions with respect to our shipping operations that do not involve a transaction with a Restis affiliate. Messrs. Dale Ploughman, Kostas Koutsoubelis and Dimitris Panagiotopoulos currently serve on our shipping committee and Messrs. Dale Ploughman and Kostas Koutsoubelis also serve as our BET director appointees. Each of Messrs. Ploughman and Koutsoubelis also will continue to serve as officers and/or directors of other entities affiliated with members of the Restis family that operate in the dry bulk sector of the shipping industry. The dual responsibilities of members of the shipping committee in exercising their fiduciary duties to us and other entities in the shipping industry could create conflicts of interest. Although Messrs. Ploughman and Koutsoubelis intend to maintain as confidential all information they learn from one company and not disclose it to the other entities for whom they serve; in certain instances this could be impossible given their respective roles with various companies. There can be no assurance that Messrs. Ploughman and Koutsoubelis would resolve any conflicts of interest in a manner beneficial to us.
Risk Factors Relating to Our Common Stock
The market price of our common stock has been and may in the future be subject to significant fluctuations.
The market price of our common stock has been and may in the future be subject to significant fluctuations as a result of many factors, some of which are beyond our control. Among the factors that have in the past and could in the future affect our stock price are:
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quarterly variations in our results of operations;
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our lenders' willingness to extend our loan covenant waivers, if necessary;
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changes in market valuations of similar companies and stock market price and volume fluctuations generally;
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changes in earnings estimates or publication of research reports by analysts;
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speculation in the press or investment community about our business or the shipping industry generally;
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strategic actions by us or our competitors such as acquisitions or restructurings;
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the thin trading market for our common stock, which makes it somewhat illiquid;
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the current ineligibility of our common stock to be the subject of margin loans because of its low current market price;
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regulatory developments;
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additions or departures of key personnel;
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general market conditions; and
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domestic and international economic, market and currency factors unrelated to our performance.
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The stock markets in general, and the markets for dry bulk shipping and shipping stocks in particular, have experienced extreme volatility that has sometimes been unrelated to the operating performance of individual companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock.
Our common stock could be delisted from the NASDAQ Global Market, which could negatively impact the price of our common stock and our ability to access the capital markets.
Our common stock is currently listed on the NASDAQ Global Market. Our ability to retain our listing is contingent upon compliance with NASDAQ listing requirements. The listing standards of the NASDAQ Global Market provide, among other things, that a company may be delisted if the bid price of its stock drops below $1.00 for a period of 30 consecutive business days. We are currently in compliance with the NASDAQ listing rules and our common stock is currently trading above the minimum bid price. However, during August and September 2010, the price of our stock recently dropped below $1.00 for a period of seven consecutive business days, and if the bid price for our stock were to drop again below $1.00, our common stock listing may be moved to the NASDAQ Capital Market, which is a lower tier market, or our common stock may be delisted and traded on the over-the-counter bulletin board network. Moving our listing to the NASDAQ Capital Market could adversely affect the liquidity of our common stock and the delisting of our common stock would significantly affect the ability of investors to trade our securities and could significantly negatively affect the value of our common stock. In addition, the delisting of our common stock could further depress our stock price and materially adversely affect our ability to raise further capital on terms acceptable to us, or at all. Delisting from NASDAQ could also have other negative results, including the potential loss of confidence by suppliers and employees, the loss of institutional investor interest and fewer business development opportunities.
Our board of directors has suspended the payment of cash dividends as a result of certain restrictions in waivers we received from Marfin relating to our loan covenants and prevailing market conditions in the international shipping industry. Until such market conditions improve, it is unlikely that we will reinstate the payment of dividends.
In light of a lower freight environment and a highly challenging financing environment that has resulted in a substantial decline in the international shipping industry, our board of directors, beginning on February 4, 2009, suspended the cash dividend on our common stock. Our dividend policy will be assessed by our board of directors from time to time; however, it is unlikely that we will reinstate the payment of dividends until market conditions improve. Further, the waiver we have received from Marfin relating to our loan covenant restricts our ability to pay dividends. Therefore, there can be no assurances that, if we were to determine to resume paying cash dividends, Marfin would provide any required consent.
We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of corporate law, which may negatively affect the ability of shareholders to protect their interests.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our amended and restated by-laws and by the BCA. The provisions of the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of a number of states in the United States. However, there have been few judicial cases in the Republic of the Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. The rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands are not as clearly established as the rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in certain U.S. jurisdictions. Shareholder rights may differ as well. While the BCA does specifically incorporate the non-statutory law, or judicial case law, of the State of Delaware and other states with substantially similar legislative provisions, shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by the management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a company incorporated in a U.S. jurisdiction.
It may be difficult to serve us with legal process or enforce judgments against us, our directors or our management.
We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and our business is operated primarily from our offices in Athens, Greece. In addition, a majority of our directors and officers are or will be non-residents of the United States, and all of our assets and a substantial portion of the assets of these non-residents are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to
bring an action against us or against these individuals in the United States if you believe that your rights have been infringed under securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, you may have difficulty enforcing, both within and outside of the United States, judgments you may obtain in the United States courts against us or these persons in any action, including actions based upon the civil liability provisions of United States federal or state securities laws. There is also substantial doubt that the courts of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or Greece would enter judgments in original actions brought in those courts predicated on United States federal or state securities laws. Although you may bring an original action against us or our affiliates in the courts of the Marshall Islands based on U.S. laws, and the courts of the Marshall Islands may impose civil liability, including monetary damages, against us, or our affiliates for a cause of action arising under Marshall Islands laws, it may impracticable for you to do so given the geographic location of the Marshall Islands. For more information regarding the relevant laws of the Marshall Islands, please read "Enforceability of Civil Liabilities."
Anti-takeover provisions in our amended and restated articles of incorporation and by-laws could make it difficult for shareholders to replace or remove our current board of directors or could have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a merger or acquisition, which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Several provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and by-laws could make it difficult for shareholders to change the composition of our board of directors in any one year, preventing them from changing the composition of our management. In addition, the same provisions may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition that shareholders may consider favorable.
These provisions include those that:
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authorize our board of directors to issue "blank check" preferred stock without shareholder approval;
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provide for a classified board of directors with staggered, three-year terms;
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require a super-majority vote in order to amend the provisions regarding our classified board of directors with staggered, three-year terms;
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permit the removal of any director from office at any time, with or without cause, at the request of the shareholder group entitled to designate such director;
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allow vacancies on the board of directors to be filled by the shareholder group entitled to name the director whose resignation or removal led to the occurrence of the vacancy;
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require that our board of directors fill any vacancies on the shipping committee with the nominees selected by the party that nominated the person whose resignation or removal has caused such vacancies; and
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prevent our board of directors from dissolving the shipping committee or altering the duties or composition of the shipping committee without an affirmative vote of not less than 80% of the board of directors.
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These anti-takeover provisions could substantially impede the ability of shareholders to benefit from a change in control and, as a result, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and your ability to realize any potential change of control premium.
We may not be exempt from Liberian taxation which would materially reduce our net income and cash flow by the amount of the applicable tax.
The Republic of Liberia enacted a new income tax act effective as of January 1, 2001, or the New Act. In contrast to the income tax law previously in effect since 1977, or the Prior Law, which the New Act repealed in its entirety, the New Act does not distinguish between the taxation of
a non-resident Liberian corporation, such as the Company's Liberian subsidiaries, which conduct no business in Liberia and were wholly exempted from tax under the Prior Law, and the taxation of ordinary resident Liberian corporations.
In 2004, the Liberian Ministry of Finance issued regulations pursuant to which a non-resident domestic corporation engaged in international shipping, such as the Company's Liberian subsidiaries, will not be subject to tax under the New Act retroactive to January 1, 2001, or the New Regulations. In addition, the Liberian Ministry of Justice issued an opinion that the New Regulations were a valid exercise of the regulatory authority of the Ministry of Finance. Therefore, assuming that the New Regulations are valid, the Company's Liberian subsidiaries will be wholly exempt from Liberian income tax as under the Prior Law.
If the Company's Liberian subsidiaries were subject to Liberian income tax under the New Act, the Company's Liberian subsidiaries would be subject to tax at a rate of 35% on its worldwide income. As a result, their, and subsequently the Company's, net income and cash flow would be materially reduced by the amount of the applicable tax. In addition, the Company, as shareholder of the Liberian subsidiaries, would be subject to Liberian withholding tax on dividends paid by the Liberian subsidiaries at rates ranging from 15% to 20%.
In 2009, the Liberian Congress enacted the Economic Stimulus Taxation Act of 2009, which reinstates the treatment of non-resident Liberian corporations, such as our Liberian subsidiaries, under the Prior Law retroactive to January 1, 2001. This legislation will become effective when it is finally published by the Liberian government.
U.S. tax authorities could treat us as a "passive foreign investment company," which could have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders.
A foreign corporation will be treated as a "passive foreign investment company," or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either (1) at least 75% of its gross income for any taxable year consists of certain types of "passive income" or (2) at least 50% of the average value of the corporation's assets produce or are held for the production of those types of "passive income." For purposes of these tests, "passive income" includes dividends, interest, and gains from the sale or exchange of investment property and rents and royalties other than rents and royalties which are received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business. For purposes of these tests, income derived from the performance of services does not constitute "passive income." U.S. shareholders of a PFIC are subject to a disadvantageous U.S. federal income tax regime with respect to the income derived by the PFIC, the distributions they receive from the PFIC and the gain, if any, they derive from the sale or other disposition of their shares in the PFIC.
We should not be a PFIC with respect to any taxable year. Based upon our operations as described herein, our income from time charters should not be treated as passive income for purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC. Accordingly, our income from our time chartering activities should not constitute "passive income," and the assets that we own and operate in connection with the production of that income should not constitute passive assets.
There is substantial legal authority supporting this position consisting of case law and U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, pronouncements concerning the characterization of income derived from time charters and voyage charters as services income for other tax purposes. However, it should be noted that there is also authority which characterizes time charter income as rental income rather than services income for other tax purposes. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the IRS or a court of law will accept this position, and there is a risk that the IRS or a court of law could determine that we are a PFIC. Moreover, no assurance can be given that we would not constitute a PFIC for any future taxable year if the nature and extent of our operations changed.
If the IRS were to find that we are or have been a PFIC for any taxable year, our U.S. shareholders would face adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and certain information reporting requirements. Under the PFIC rules, unless those shareholders make an election available under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended, or the Code (which election could itself have adverse consequences for such shareholders, as discussed below under "Tax Considerations – U.S. Federal Income Taxation – U.S. Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders"), such shareholders would be liable to pay U.S. federal income tax at the then prevailing income tax rates on ordinary income plus interest upon excess distributions and upon any gain from the disposition of their common shares, as if the excess distribution or gain had been recognized ratably over the shareholder's
holding period of the common shares. See "Tax Considerations – U.S. Federal Income Taxation – U.S. Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders" for a more comprehensive discussion of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. shareholders if we are treated as a PFIC.
We may have to pay tax on U.S. source income, which would reduce our earnings.
Under the Code, 50% of the gross shipping income of a vessel owning or chartering corporation, such as us and our subsidiaries, that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States, exclusive of certain U.S. territories and possessions, may be subject to a 4% U.S. federal income tax without allowance for deduction, unless that corporation qualifies for exemption from tax under Section 883 of the Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations recently promulgated thereunder.
We believe that we qualify for the benefits of Section 883. However, there are factual circumstances beyond our control that could cause us or any one of our ship-operating companies to fail to qualify for this tax exemption and thereby subject us to U.S. federal income tax on our U.S. source income. For example, we would fail to qualify for exemption under Section 883 of the Code for a particular tax year if shareholders, each of whom owned, actually or under applicable constructive ownership rules, a 5% or greater interest in the vote and value of the outstanding shares of our stock, owned in the aggregate 50% or more of the vote and value of the outstanding shares of our stock, and "qualified shareholders" as defined by the regulations to Section 883 did not own, directly or under applicable constructive ownership rules, sufficient shares in our closely-held block of stock to preclude the shares in the closely-held block that are not so owned from representing 50% or more of the value of our stock for more than half of the number of days during the taxable year. Establishing such ownership by qualified shareholders will depend upon the status of certain of our direct or indirect shareholders as residents of qualifying jurisdictions and whether those shareholders own their shares through bearer share arrangements. In addition, such shareholders will also be required to comply with ownership certification procedures attesting that they are residents of qualifying jurisdictions, and each intermediary's or other person's similar compliance in the chain of ownership between us and such shareholders.
Due to the factual nature of the issues involved, we can give no assurances on the tax-exempt status of ours or that of any of our other subsidiaries. If we or our subsidiaries are not entitled to exemption under Section 883 for any taxable year, we or our subsidiaries could be subject for those years to an effective 4% U.S. federal income tax on the shipping income such companies derive during the year that are attributable to the transport of cargoes to or from the United States. The imposition of this taxation would have a negative effect on our business and would result in decreased earnings available for distribution to our shareholders.
We, as a non-U.S. company, have elected to comply with the less stringent reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as a foreign private issuer.
We are a Marshall Islands company, and our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated articles of incorporation and by-laws, the BCA and the common law of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. We provide reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. Some of the differences between the reporting obligations of a foreign private issuer and those of a U.S. domestic company are as follows: Foreign private issuers are not required to file their annual report on Form 20-F until six months after the end of each fiscal year while U.S. domestic issuers that are accelerated filers are required to file their annual report on Form 10-K within 75 days after the end of each fiscal year. However, in August 2008, the Commission adopted changes in the content and timing of disclosure requirements for foreign private issuers, including requiring foreign private issuers to file their annual report on Form 20-F no later than four months after the end of each fiscal year, after a three-year transition period. Additionally, other new disclosure requirements that will be added to Form 20-F include disclosure of disagreements with or changes in certifying accountants, and significant differences in corporate governance practices as compared to U.S. domestic issuers. In addition, foreign private issuers are not required to file regular quarterly reports on Form 10-Q that contain unaudited financial and other specified information.
However, if a foreign private issuer makes interim reports available to shareholders, the foreign private issuer is required to submit copies of such reports to the Commission on a Form 6-K. Foreign private issuers are also not required to file current reports on Form 8-K upon the occurrence of specified significant events. However, foreign private issuers are required to file reports on Form 6-K disclosing whatever information the foreign
private issuer has made or is required to make public pursuant to its home country's laws or distributes to its shareholders and that is material to the issuer and its subsidiaries. Foreign private issuers are also exempt from the requirements under the U.S. proxy rules prescribing the content of proxy statements and annual reports to shareholders. Although the NASDAQ Global Market does require that a listed company prepare and deliver to shareholders annual reports and proxy statements in connection with all meeting of shareholders, these documents will not be required to comply with the detailed content requirements of the Commission's proxy regulations. Officers, directors and 10% or more shareholders of foreign private issuers are exempt from requirements to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 to report their beneficial ownership of the issuer's common stock under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and are also exempt from the related short-swing profit recapture rules under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. Foreign private issuers are also not required to comply with the provisions of Regulation FD aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information.
In addition, as a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from, and you may not be provided with the benefits of, some of the NASDAQ Global Market corporate governance requirements, including that:
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a majority of our board of directors must be independent directors;
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the compensation of our chief executive officer must be determined or recommended by a majority of the independent directors or a compensation committee comprised solely of independent directors;
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our director nominees must be selected or recommended by a majority of the independent directors or a nomination committee comprised solely of independent directors; and
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certain issuances of 20% or more of our common stock must be subject to shareholder approval.
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As a result, our independent directors may not have as much influence over our corporate policy as they would if we were not a foreign private issuer.
As a result of all of the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as shareholders of a U.S. domestic company.
We are a holding company and will depend on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us in order to satisfy financial obligations or to make dividend payments.
We are a holding company and our subsidiaries conduct all of our operations and own all of our operating assets. We have no significant assets other than the equity interests in our subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make dividend payments depends on our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. The ability of a subsidiary to make these distributions could be affected by a claim or other action by a third party, including a creditor, and the laws of the Marshall Islands, Liberia and the British Virgin Islands, where our vessel-owning subsidiaries are incorporated, which regulate the payment of dividends by companies. If we are unable to obtain funds from our subsidiaries, our board of directors may exercise its discretion not to pay dividends.
Although we consolidate our operating results with those of BET, we own only 50% of BET and, in certain circumstances, we could be required to sell our interest in BET or acquire the interest that we do not currently own.
Since the date of our acquisition of a controlling interest in BET, we have consolidated its results with ours. However, our equity interest is only 50%, and the other shareholder of BET is entitled to 50% of BET's assets, earnings and any dividends paid by BET. Beginning in August 2010, the shareholders agreement between us and BET's other shareholder, Mineral Transport, permits us or Mineral Transport to require the other shareholder to sell all of its BET shares or buy all of the shares of the offering party at a price set by the offering party. As a result of these provisions, we could be forced to sell our shares of BET at a price determined by Mineral Transport if we were unwilling or unable to purchase Mineral Transport's shares at that price. We cannot assure you that we would have adequate funds to acquire Mineral Transport's shares at the time any such offer were made.
Future sales of our common stock may depress our stock price.
The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market or the perception that these sales could occur. In addition, these factors could make it more difficult for us to raise funds through future equity offerings.
Issuance of preferred stock may adversely affect the voting power of our shareholders and have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a merger or acquisition, which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Our articles of incorporation currently authorize our Board to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, with respect to, among other things, dividends, conversion, voting, redemption, liquidation and the number of shares constituting any series subject to prior shareholders' approval. If our Board determines to issue preferred shares, such issuance may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition that shareholders may consider favorable. The issuance of preferred shares with voting and conversion rights may also adversely affect the voting power of the holders of common shares. This could substantially impede the ability of public shareholders to benefit from a change in control and, as a result, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and your ability to realize any potential change of control premium.
You may experience dilution as a result of the exercise of our warrants.
We have 38,984,667 Public Warrants issued and outstanding with an exercise price of $6.50 per share. In addition, we have 1,138,917 Underwriter Warrants issued and outstanding with an exercise price of $1.32 per share in connection with the public offering of our common shares that we completed on February 3, 2010. Finally, we have assumed Seanergy Maritime's obligation to issue up to 1,000,000 Units, consisting of up to 1,000,000 Unit Shares and 1,000,000 Unit Warrants with an exercise price of $6.50 to purchase the 1,000,000 Unit Warrant Shares, under the Unit Purchase Option that Seanergy Maritime granted to the original underwriter. You may experience dilution if any of these warrants are exercised.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains certain forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and other statements other than statements of historical fact. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipates," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predicts," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:
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our future operating or financial results;
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our financial condition and liquidity, including our ability to obtain additional financing in the future to fund capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate activities;
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our ability to pay dividends in the future;
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dry bulk shipping industry trends, including charter rates and factors affecting vessel supply and demand;
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future, pending or recent acquisitions, business strategy, areas of possible expansion, and expected capital spending or operating expenses;
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the useful lives and changes in the value of our vessels and their impact on our compliance with loan covenants;
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availability of crew, number of off-hire days, dry-docking requirements and insurance costs;
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global and regional economic and political conditions;
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our ability to leverage Safbulk's and EST's relationships and reputation in the dry bulk shipping industry;
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changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns;
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changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities;
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potential liability from future litigation and incidents involving our vessels;
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acts of terrorism and other hostilities; and
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other factors discussed in the section titled "Risk Factors."
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The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading "Risk Factors." Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws and/or if and when management knows or has a reasonable basis on which to conclude that previously disclosed projections are no longer reasonably attainable.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization as of June 30, 2010 and the "As adjusted" column reflects material changes as of September 17, 2010:
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on a historical basis without any adjustment to reflect subsequent events; and
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as adjusted to reflect the prepayment of the Marfin term loan facility of amount $8,450,000, the repayment of the HSBC loan facility of amount $2,606,000, and the repayment of the UOB loan facility of amount $703,000.
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There have been no other material changes in our capitalization since June 30, 2010.
You should read this table in conjunction with our historical consolidated financial statements, together with the respective notes thereto, included in this prospectus.
(All figures in thousands of dollars, except for share amounts)
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Debt:
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As of June 30,
2010
|
|
|
As Adjusted
|
|
Long-term revolving credit financing (secured)
|
|
$
|
54,845
|
|
|
|
54,845
|
|
Long-term term facility financing (secured), including current portion of $48,585 and $36,826 (as adjusted)
|
|
|
366,737
|
|
|
|
354,978
|
|
Total debt
|
|
|
421,582
|
|
|
|
409,823
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders' equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 authorized shares; 60,200,170 and 84,962,075 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2010 and as adjusted, respectively
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
266,434
|
|
|
|
266,432
|
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(4,694
|
)
|
|
|
(4,694
|
)
|
Noncontrolling interest
|
|
|
19,609
|
|
|
|
19,609
|
|
Total equity
|
|
|
281,355
|
|
|
|
281,355
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
|
702,937
|
|
|
|
691,178
|
|
The "As Adjusted" column includes the effect on common stock of the 24,761,905 shares issued in September 2010 for the 49% acquisition of MCS.
SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA
The following selected historical statement of operations and balance sheet data were derived from the unaudited financial statements and accompanying notes for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 and 2009 and the audited financial statements and accompanying notes for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 and for the period from August 15, 2006 (Inception) to December 31, 2006, which are included in this prospectus. The information is only a summary and should be read in conjunction with the section titled "Risk Factors" and the financial statements and related notes included in this prospectus. You should also read the section of this prospectus titled "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp." The historical data included below and elsewhere in this prospectus is not necessarily indicative of our future performance.
All amounts in the tables below are in thousands of dollars, except for share and per share data, fleet data and average daily results.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inception
|
|
|
|
Three Months
|
|
|
Six Months
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(August 15,
|
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Years Ended
|
|
|
2006) to
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Statement of Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel revenue — related party, net
|
|
|
10,578 |
|
|
|
22,067 |
|
|
|
23,242 |
|
|
|
48,309 |
|
|
|
81,677 |
|
|
|
34,453 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Vessel revenue, net
|
|
|
12,034 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
17,579 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
6,220 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Direct voyage expenses
|
|
|
(530 |
) |
|
|
(292 |
) |
|
|
(535 |
) |
|
|
(438 |
) |
|
|
(753 |
) |
|
|
(151 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Vessel operating expense
|
|
|
(7,476 |
) |
|
|
(3,010 |
) |
|
|
(12,090 |
) |
|
|
(5,821 |
) |
|
|
(16,222 |
) |
|
|
(3,180 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Voyage expenses — related party
|
|
|
(211 |
) |
|
|
(283 |
) |
|
|
(449 |
) |
|
|
(619 |
) |
|
|
(1,119 |
) |
|
|
(440 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Management fees
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Management fees — related party
|
|
|
(568 |
) |
|
|
(315 |
) |
|
|
(1,171 |
) |
|
|
(617 |
) |
|
|
(1,715 |
) |
|
|
(388 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
General and administration expenses
|
|
|
(1,886 |
) |
|
|
(1,617 |
) |
|
|
(2,622 |
) |
|
|
(2,807 |
) |
|
|
(5,928 |
) |
|
|
(1,840 |
) |
|
|
(445 |
) |
|
|
(5 |
) |
General and administration expenses — related party
|
|
|
(166 |
) |
|
|
(150 |
) |
|
|
(348 |
) |
|
|
(355 |
) |
|
|
(742 |
) |
|
|
(430 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Amortization of dry-docking costs
|
|
|
(769 |
) |
|
|
(9 |
) |
|
|
(1,467 |
) |
|
|
(9 |
) |
|
|
(1,045 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
(6,950 |
) |
|
|
(7,758 |
) |
|
|
(12,917 |
) |
|
|
(15,430 |
) |
|
|
(26,812 |
) |
|
|
(9.929 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Gain from acquisition
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
6,813 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Goodwill impairment loss
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(44,795 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Vessels' impairment loss
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(4,530 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Interest income
|
|
|
147 |
|
|
|
116 |
|
|
|
281 |
|
|
|
256 |
|
|
|
430 |
|
|
|
3,361 |
|
|
|
1,948 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Interest and finance costs
|
|
|
(3,156 |
) |
|
|
(1,526 |
) |
|
|
(5,412 |
) |
|
|
(3,131 |
) |
|
|
(7,616 |
) |
|
|
(4,077 |
) |
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
Loss on interest rate swaps
|
|
|
(1,468 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(2,761 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(1,575 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Foreign currency exchange (losses), net
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
(56 |
) |
|
|
90 |
|
|
|
(55 |
) |
|
|
(44 |
) |
|
|
(39 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Income taxes
|
|
|
(31 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(31 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net (loss)/income
|
|
|
(568 |
) |
|
|
7,167 |
|
|
|
1,331 |
|
|
|
19,283 |
|
|
|
31,569 |
|
|
|
(31,985 |
) |
|
|
1,445 |
|
|
|
(4 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to noncontrolling interest
|
|
|
510 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(1,279 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,517 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Net (loss)/income attributable to Seanergy Maritime
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
7,167 |
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
|
19,283 |
|
|
|
30,052 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic income (loss) per share
|
|
|
(0.00 |
) |
|
|
0.32 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
0.86 |
|
|
|
1.16 |
|
|
|
(1.21 |
) |
|
|
0.12 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted income (loss) per share
|
|
|
(0.00 |
) |
|
|
0.30 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
0.80 |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
|
(1.21 |
) |
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic weighted average number of shares
|
|
|
71,084,524 |
|
|
|
22,361,227 |
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
|
|
22,361,227 |
|
|
|
25,882,967 |
|
|
|
26,452,291 |
|
|
|
11,754,095 |
|
|
|
7,264,893 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted weighted average number of shares
|
|
|
71,084,524 |
|
|
|
24,621,227 |
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
|
|
24,621,227 |
|
|
|
30,529,281 |
|
|
|
26,452,291 |
|
|
|
15,036,283 |
|
|
|
7,264,893 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends per share
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
0.1842 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
87,248 |
|
|
|
67,473 |
|
|
|
29,814 |
|
|
|
235,213 |
|
|
|
376 |
|
Vessels, net
|
|
|
613,776 |
|
|
|
444,820 |
|
|
|
345,622 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total assets
|
|
|
727,861 |
|
|
|
538,452 |
|
|
|
378,202 |
|
|
|
235,213 |
|
|
|
632 |
|
Total current liabilities, including current portion of long-term debt
|
|
|
68,813 |
|
|
|
42,138 |
|
|
|
32,999 |
|
|
|
5,995 |
|
|
|
611 |
|
Other non-current liabilities
|
|
|
4,696 |
|
|
|
2,135 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Common stock-subject to possible redemption
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
80,849 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Long-term debt, net of current portion
|
|
|
372,997 |
|
|
|
267,360 |
|
|
|
213,638 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total equity
|
|
|
281,355 |
|
|
|
226,819 |
|
|
|
131,565 |
|
|
|
148,369 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Performance Indicators
The figures shown below are non-GAAP statistical ratios used by management to measure performance of our vessels and are not included in financial statements prepared under U.S. GAAP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
December 31, 2009
|
|
Fleet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average number of vessels(1)
|
|
|
15.1 |
|
|
|
13.0 |
|
|
|
7.9 |
|
Ownership days(2)
|
|
|
1,370 |
|
|
|
2,360 |
|
|
|
2,895 |
|
Available days(3)
|
|
|
1,273 |
|
|
|
2,258 |
|
|
|
2,638 |
|
Operating days(4)
|
|
|
1,266 |
|
|
|
2,247 |
|
|
|
2,614 |
|
Fleet utilization(5)
|
|
|
92.4 |
% |
|
|
95.2 |
% |
|
|
90.3 |
% |
Fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days(6)
|
|
|
99.5 |
% |
|
|
99.5 |
% |
|
|
99.1 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Daily Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel TCE rate(7)
|
|
|
17,276 |
|
|
|
17,729 |
|
|
|
32,909 |
|
Vessel operating expenses(8)
|
|
|
5,457 |
|
|
|
5,123 |
|
|
|
5,603 |
|
Management fees(9)
|
|
|
457 |
|
|
|
521 |
|
|
|
592 |
|
Total vessel operating expenses(10)
|
|
|
5,914 |
|
|
|
5,644 |
|
|
|
6,195 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
Average number of vessels is the number of vessels that constituted our fleet for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was a part of our fleet during the relevant period divided by the number of calendar days in the relevant period.
|
(2)
|
Ownership days are the total number of days in a period during which the vessels in a fleet have been owned. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses that we recorded during a period.
|
(3)
|
Available days are the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of ownership days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues. During the three months ended June 30, 2010, the Company incurred 97 off hire days for vessel scheduled drydocking. During the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company incurred 102 off hire days for vessel scheduled drydocking. During the year ended December 31, 2009, we incurred 257 off-hire days for scheduled vessel drydocking.
|
(4)
|
Operating days are the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
|
(5)
|
Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels were generating revenue, and is determined by dividing operating days by ownership days for the relevant period.
|
(6)
|
Fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days is calculated by dividing the number of the fleet's operating days during a period by the number of available days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days to measure a Company's efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels and excluding the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons such as scheduled repairs, vessel upgrades, or dry dockings or special or intermediate surveys.
|
(7)
|
TCE rates are defined as our time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our operating days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel oil and diesel oil) expenses, canal charges and commissions.
|
(8)
|
Average daily vessel operating expenses, which includes crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs, are calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant time periods.
|
(9)
|
Daily management fees are calculated by dividing total management fees by ownership days for the relevant time period.
|
(10)
|
TVOE is a measurement of total expenses associated with operating the vessels. TVOE is the sum of vessel operating expenses and management fees. Daily TVOE is calculated by dividing TVOE by fleet ownership days for the relevant time period.
|
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR SEANERGY MARITIME HOLDINGS CORP.
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our consolidated financial condition and results of operations together with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto that appear elsewhere in this prospectus. Seanergy's consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.
The historical consolidated financial results of Seanergy described below are presented in United States dollars.
Overview
We are an international provider of dry bulk marine transportation services that was incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on January 4, 2008. We were initially formed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seanergy Maritime, which was incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on August 15, 2006, as a blank check company created to acquire, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition or other similar business combination, one or more businesses in the maritime shipping industry or related industries. Seanergy Maritime began operations on August 28, 2008 after the closing of our business combination.
The business combination was accounted for under the purchase method of accounting and accordingly the assets (vessels) acquired have been recorded at their fair values. No liabilities were assumed nor were other tangible assets acquired. The results of the vessel operations are included in our consolidated statement of income from August 28, 2008.
The aggregate acquisition cost, including direct acquisition costs and excluding contingent consideration, amounted to $404,876,000. The fair value of our tangible assets acquired as of August 28, 2008 amounted to $360,081,000. The premium (non-tax deductible goodwill) over the fair value of our vessels acquired amounting to $44,795,000 arose from the decline in the market value of the vessels between the date of entering into the agreements to purchase the business (May 20, 2008) and the actual business combination date (August 28, 2008). There were no other identifiable assets or liabilities.
We performed our annual impairment testing of goodwill as at December 31, 2008. The current economic and market conditions, including the significant disruptions in the global credit markets, are having broad effects on participants in a wide variety of industries. Since September 2008, the charter rates in the dry bulk charter market have declined significantly, and dry bulk vessel values have also declined. A charge of $44,795,000 was recognized in 2008, as a result of the impairment tests performed on goodwill at December 31, 2008.
On January 27, 2009, our parent company was liquidated and dissolved and we became its successor. We distributed to each holder of common stock of Seanergy Maritime one share of our common stock for each share of Seanergy Maritime common stock owned by the holder and all outstanding warrants of Seanergy Maritime concurrently become our obligation.
We tested our goodwill for potential impairment, and concluded that no indication of impairment existed as of December 31, 2009. The fair value for goodwill impairment testing was estimated using the expected present value of future cash flows, applying judgments and assumptions that management believes were appropriate in the circumstances. The future cash flows from operations were determined by considering the charter revenues from existing time charters for the fixed fleet days and an estimated daily time charter equivalent for the non-fixed days (based on a combination of 2-year forward freight agreements and the 10-year average historical charter rates available for each type of vessel). The weighted average cost of capital used was 7.6%.
The contingent consideration forming part of the business combination consisted of the issuance of 4,308,075 shares of common stock subject to Seanergy meeting certain target EBITDA during the twelve month period ended September 30, 2009. This target was met and on September 30, 2009, we recorded additional consideration of $17,275,000, equal to the fair value of the 4,308,075 shares.
Since our vessel operations began upon the consummation of our business combination in August 2008, and with the further acquisitions of a 50% controlling ownership interest in BET in August 2009, pursuant to which we acquired an additional five vessels and the acquisition of MCS, pursuant to which we acquired an additional nine vessels, we cannot provide a meaningful comparison of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008 to 2007. During the period from our inception to the date of our business combination, we were a development stage enterprise.
As of June 30, 2010, we controlled and operated a total fleet of 20 dry bulk carrier vessels, consisting of three Panamax vessels, one Handymax vessel, ten Handysize vessels, two Supramax vessels and four Capesize vessels. These ships have a combined carrying capacity of 1,292,544 dwt and an average age of approximately 12.8 years, out of an expected useful life of 30 years.
We generate revenues by charging customers for the transportation of dry bulk cargo using our vessels. Sixteen of our vessels are currently employed under time charters and four of our vessels are currently employed under bareboat charters. Six of our charters are with SAMC, a company affiliated with members of the Restis family. A time charter is a contract for the use of a vessel for a specific period of time during which the charterer pays substantially all of the voyage expenses, but the vessel owner pays the vessel operating expenses. A bareboat charter is a contract for the use of a vessel for a specific period of time during which the charterer pays all of the voyage and vessel operating expenses.
Recent Developments
Vessel employment and charter rates:
The abrupt and dramatic downturn in the dry bulk charter market, from which we have derived substantially all of our revenues, has severely affected the dry bulk shipping industry and has harmed our business. The BDI fell 94% from a peak of 11,793 in May 2008 to a low of 663 in December 2008. During 2009, the BDI remained volatile, reaching a low of 772 on January 5, 2009 and a high of 4,661 on November 19, 2009. It has since fallen to 2,628 as of September 20, 2010. The decline in charter rates is due to various factors, including the decrease in available trade financing for purchases of commodities carried by sea, which has resulted in a significant decline in cargo shipments. There is no certainty that the dry bulk charter market will experience any further recovery over the next several months and the market could decline from its current level.
Pursuant to addenda dated July 24, 2009 to the individual charter party agreements dated May 26, 2008 between SAMC and each of Martinique International Corp. (vessel Bremen Max) and Harbour Business International Corp. (vessel Hamburg Max), SAMC agreed to extend the existing charter parties for the Bremen Max and the Hamburg Max. Pursuant to the terms of the addendum, each vessel will be chartered for a period of between 11-13 months, at the charterer's option. The charters commenced on July 27, 2009 and August 12, 2009, respectively. The daily gross charter rates paid by SAMC are $15,500 for each of the Bremen Max and the Hamburg Max, which will generate revenues of approximately $12.7 million. All charter rates are inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk Pty, as commercial broker and 2.5% to SAMC as charterer. SAMC sub-charters these vessels in the market and takes the risk that the rate it receives is better than the period rate it is paying us.
Following the expiration of the previous charter party for the Hamburg Max in August 2010 and pursuant to a time charter party agreement dated August 24, 2010, the mv Hamburg Max is now chartered to a first class charterer for a two year term under a time charter agreement with a profit sharing arrangement at a base rate of $21,500 per day and a ceiling of $25,500 per day, with a 50% profit sharing arrangement to apply to any amount in excess of the ceiling, inclusive of a brokerage commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk Pty and to Arrow Chartering Ltd. UK, each, and 3.75%% payable to the charterers.
On July 14, 2009, the African Oryx and the African Zebra were chartered for a period of 22 to 25 months at charter rates equal to $7,000 per day and $7,500 per day, respectively. We are also entitled to receive a 50% adjusted profit share calculated on the average spot Time Charter Routes
derived from the Baltic Supramax. The charters commenced on July 17, 2009 and July 20, 2009 for the African Oryx and the African Zebra, respectively. All charter rates are inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk as commercial broker.
Following the expiration of its charter party agreement in September 2009, the Delos Ranger was chartered in the spot market until January 14, 2010. On January 16, 2010, pursuant to a charter party agreement dated November 20, 2009, the vessel commenced employment for a period of 11 to 13 months with Bunge S.A. at a daily charter rate of $20,000, inclusive of a brokerage commission of 1.25% payable to each of Arrow Shipping (Monaco) S.A.M. and Safbulk Pty. and a charterer commission of 3.75%.
Following the expiration of its charter party agreement in November 2009, the Davakis G. commenced a charter for a period of 11 to 13 months with Sangamon Transportation Group (Louis Dreyfus) at a daily charter rate of $21,000, inclusive of a brokerage commission of 1.25% payable to each of SSY NY and Safbulk Pty, and a charterer commission of 3.75%.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated July 7, 2009, each of the BET Commander, the BET Prince, the BET Fighter, the BET Scouter and the BET Intruder are chartered to SAMC at daily charter rates of $24,000, $25,000, $25,000, $26,000 and $15,500, respectively, for charters expiring in December 2011, January 2012, September 2011, October 2011 and September 2011, respectively, assuming latest redelivery. All charter rates for the BET fleet are inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk Maritime as commercial broker and 3.75% to SAMC as charterer. SAMC sub-charters these vessels in the market and takes the risk that the rate it receives is better than the period rate it is paying BET.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated May 24, 2007, each of the Fiesta, Pacific Fighter, Pacific Fantasy and Clipper Freeway is chartered on a bareboat basis to Oldendorff Carriers at daily charter rates as per average time charter routes of the Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% and reduced by fixed daily operating costs, as specified in the respective charter agreements, for charters expiring in November 2013, November 2013, January 2014 and February 2014, respectively, assuming latest redelivery. Each of Fiesta, Pacific Fighter, and Pacific Fantasy were novated from their previous owners to each of the relative MCS ship-owning subsidiaries on August 16, 2007 and the Clipper Freeway was novated from its previous owner to the relative MCS ship-owning subsidiary on October 3, 2007.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated February 4, 2008, February 6, 2008 and March 26, 2010, each of the African Joy, African Glory and Asian Grace is chartered to MUR Shipping BV at daily charter rates of $13,600, $14,500 and $13,500, respectively, as specified in the respective charter agreements, for charters expiring in August 2010, December 2010 and October 2010, respectively, assuming latest redelivery. All charter rates for these vessels are inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to HSBC Shipping Services Limited, London as commercial broker and 3.75% to MUR Shipping BV as charterer.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated April 7, 2008, each of the Clipper Glory and Clipper Grace is chartered to CF Bulk Carriers Ltd. at a daily charter rate of $25,000, as specified in the respective charter agreements, for charters expiring in August 2012, assuming latest redelivery. All charter rates for these vessels are inclusive of a commission of 1.00% payable to Arrow Asia Shipbrokers Ltd. as commercial broker and 4.00% to CF Bulk Carriers Ltd. as charterer.
We cannot predict whether our charterers will, upon the expiration of their charters, re-charter our vessels on favorable terms or at all. This decision is likely to depend upon prevailing charter rates in the months prior to charter expiration. If our charterers decide not to re-charter our vessels, we may not be able to re-charter them on similar terms. In the future, we may employ vessels in the spot market, which is subject to greater rate fluctuation than the time charter market. If we receive lower charter rates under replacement charters or are unable to re-charter all of our vessels, our net revenue will decrease.
Despite the recent economic crisis, we are currently able to meet our working capital needs and debt obligations. The current decline in charter rates should not affect our revenue as we have charters locked in for 11 to 13 and 22 to 26 months periods including charters of the BET vessels (expiring between September 2010 and January 2012). We have contractually secured time charter agreements with our longest time charter expiring January 16, 2012. Time charters cover 95% of 2010 days and 51% of 2011 days. For the calculation of contract coverage, we are using the latest expiration date of our vessels' time charters as presented in the ''Our Fleet'' table on page 2. For 2010, we expect our average daily operating expenses per vessel to be approximately $5,500, and we expect our average daily general and administrative expenses to be approximately $1,000. Our expectations regarding 2010 operating expenses and general and administrative statements are forward-looking statements. Our actual results could vary. See "Risk Factors" for information regarding factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause our actual expenses to differ from expectations. We will have to make use of our cash flows not committed to the repayment of the term loan, revolving facility and BET loan to meet our financial obligations and put our expansion plans on hold unless new capital is raised from the capital markets, including this offering, or the warrants are exercised in which case we will use capital generated from the capital markets and the warrants for expansion purposes. We make no assurances that funds will be raised through the capital markets or that the warrants will be exercised, or if exercised, the quantity which will be exercised or the period in which they will be exercised. Exercise of the warrants is currently not likely considering current market prices.
BET acquisition:
On August 12, 2009, we closed on the acquisition of a 50% interest in BET from Constellation Bulk Energy Holdings, Inc., which we refer to as the "BET acquisition." We control BET through our right to appoint a majority of the BET board of directors. The purchase price was $1.00. The stock purchase was accounted for under the purchase method of accounting and accordingly the assets (vessels) owned by BET have been recorded at their fair values. In addition to the vessels, the other assets acquired include $37.75 million in cash and $4.32 million in current receivables. The consolidated financial statements for BET for 2006, 2007 and 2008 appear elsewhere in this prospectus. The fair value of the vessels as of the closing
of the acquisition was $126 million and BET owed $143.099 million under its credit facility as of such date. The results of operations of BET are included in our consolidated statement of operations commencing on August 12, 2009. The financial impact of BET on our results of operations is reflected in the pro forma financial information included in this prospectus. See "Seanergy and BET Unaudited Pro Forma Financial Statements." The tax considerations related to the BET acquisition are reflected in the "Taxation" section in this prospectus. Our acquisition of an interest in BET was approved by BET's lenders.
MCS acquisition:
On May 28, 2010, after entering into a share purchase agreement with Maritime Capital, we completed the final documentation for the acquisition of a 51% ownership interest in MCS for a consideration of $33.0 million. The consideration was paid to Maritime Capital from the proceeds our recent equity offering completed in February 2010 and from our cash reserves. On September 15, 2010, we completed the acquisition from Maritime Capital of the remaining 49% ownership interest in MCS for consideration of $29.0 million which was paid in the form of: (i) cash in the amount of $3.0 million paid to Maritime Capital from our cash reserves and (ii) 24,761,905 shares of our common stock with of an aggregate value of $26.0 million that were issued to the Restis affiliate shareholders as nominees of Maritime Capital. As a result of the acquisition, the size our fleet increased from 11 to 20 dry bulk vessels, consisting of four Capesize, three Panamax, two Supramax, one Handymax and 10 Handysize dry bulk carriers, with a combined cargo-carrying capacity of approximately 1,292,544 dwt and an average fleet age of 12.8 years.
Amendment and conversion of Note:
On August 19, 2009, we amended the Note to reduce the conversion price to the average closing price of our common stock for the five trading days commencing on the effective date of the amendment, which amounted to $4.45598 per share. As a condition to such amendment, the holders agreed to convert their Note at the time of the amendment. Upon conversion, the holders received 6,585,868 shares of our common stock and the Note was extinguished.
Increase in authorized stock:
On July 21, 2010, our shareholders approved an amendment to our amended and restated articles of incorporation to increase our authorized common stock to from 200,000,000 to 500,000,000 shares, par value $0.0001 per share. We expect this increase will provide us additional flexibility to raise equity capital to achieve our business plan.
Loan covenant waivers:
Seanergy's revolving credit facility is tied to the market value of the vessels and not to the prevailing (spot) market rates. For example, our existing term and revolving credit facilities require that the aggregate market value of the vessels and the value of any additional security must be at least 135% of the aggregate of the outstanding debt financing and any amount available for drawing under the revolving facility less the aggregate amount of all deposits maintained. If the percentage is below 135% then a prepayment of the loans may be required or additional security may be requested. A waiver from Marfin has been received with respect to this clause through January 3, 2012.
Upon lenders' request, BET must assure its lenders that the aggregate market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount of the BET loan. If the market value of the vessels is less than this amount, the BET subsidiaries may be requested to prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lenders.
On September 30, 2009, BET entered into a supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC (as agent for the syndicate of banks and financial institutions set forth in the loan agreement) in connection with the $222,000,000 amortized loan obtained by the six wholly owned subsidiaries
of BET, which financed the acquisition of their respective vessels. The material terms of the supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC are as follows:
(1) the applicable margin for the period between July 1, 2009 and ending on June 30, 2010 (the amendment period) shall be increased to two per cent (2%) per annum and for the period commencing on July 1, 2010 and at all other times thereafter, zero point seven five per cent (0.75%) per annum;
(2) the borrowers to pay to the agent a restructuring fee of $286,198.91 and a part of the loan in the amount of $20,000,000; and
(3) the borrowers and the corporate guarantor have requested and the creditors consented to:
(a) the temporary reduction of the security requirement during the amendment period from 125% to 100% and following the expiration of the amendment period the security requirement is 125%; and
(b) the temporary reduction of the minimum equity ratio requirement of the principal corporate guarantee to be amended from 0.30: 1.0 to 0.175:1.0 during the amendment period at the end of the accounting periods ending on December 31, 2009 and June 30, 2010 and following the expiration of the amendment period the minimum equity ratio requirement of the principal corporate guarantee is 0.30:1.0.
Additionally, the Restis family (or companies affiliated with the Restis family) must be the beneficial owners of at least 50.1% of our issued share capital (or any lower percentage not less than 40% resulting solely from a rights issue or increase of our issued share capital) and must also be the beneficial owners of the remaining 50% of BET's issued share capital that we do not own. Failure to satisfy this condition would constitute an event of default under the BET loan agreement.
Pursuant to a supplemental agreement dated August 4, 2010 with Citibank, BET has undertaken to maintain a minimum amount of no less than $7.5 million in the BET account with Citibank.
Following MCS's supplemental agreement on the UOB loan facility, dated May 24, 2010, $10.0 million was converted into subordinated debt, $13.1 million was prepaid from the original loans, and the remaining loan amounts are repayable in twenty five quarterly installments, out of which one quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million, twenty two quarterly installments of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.7million each, one quarterly installment of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.9 million concurrently with balloon payments amounting to an aggregate of $11.1 million, and a final quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million concurrently with a balloon payment of $5.7 million. The applicable margin prior to the voluntary prepayment was LIBOR plus (i) 1.40% per annum if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 70%, (ii) 1.25% if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 60% but less than 70%, or (iii) 1.10% if the loan-to-value ratio was less than 60%. The applicable margin following the voluntary prepayment is LIBOR plus 2.50% per annum in relation to the senior loan and LIBOR plus 3.50% per annum in relation to the subordinated loan.
Following MCS's supplemental agreement on the DVB loan facility, dated May 20, 2010 and prepayment of $7.4 million, no further principal installments are due until the second quarter of 2011, at which point $6.2 million will be paid. The next eight quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.1 million each, the next seven will be equal to an aggregate amount of $1.6 million each, the next quarterly installment will be equal to $1.6 million along with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $12.2 million, and the final quarterly installment will be equal to $0.5 million and a balloon payment amount of $6.1 million. The applicable margin before the supplemental agreement was LIBOR plus 1.10% per annum on the senior loan and LIBOR plus 2.85% per annum on the junior loan. The applicable margin following the supplemental agreement is LIBOR plus 2.10% per annum on the senior loan and LIBOR plus 4.90% per annum on the junior loan.
Following MCS's supplemental agreement on the HSBC loan facility, dated May 21, 2010 and prepayment of $7.6 million, the remaining loan repayment period has been shortened to fourteen quarterly installments. Nine of the remaining fourteen quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.6 million each, the final five quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $1.2 million each, with balloon
payments equal to an aggregate of $11.0 million due concurrently with the final principal installments. The applicable margin to the later of July 21, 2011 and the date of compliance with the security requirement covenant is LIBOR plus 3.25% per annum and thereafter is LIBOR plus 2.75% per annum unless there is breach of the compliance of the security requirement or there is an event of default under the loan agreement.
The UOB, HSBC and DVB loan facilities are secured by the following: first priority mortgages on each of the MCS vessels; MCS guaranties on each of the loans; a general assignment or deed of covenant of any and all earnings, insurances and requisition compensation of each of the vessels; pledges over the earnings accounts and retention accounts held in the name of each borrower and undertakings by the technical managers of the MCS vessels, among others.
The ship security documents include covenants, among others, that require the borrowers to maintain vessel insurance for an aggregate amount equal to the greater of the vessels' aggregate market value or an amount equal to 100%, 125% and 133% of the outstanding amount under each of the UOB, HSBC and DVB loans as described above. MCS was in compliance with all of its debt covenants as of June 30, 2010. The vessels' insurance is to include as a minimum cover fire and usual marine risks, war risk and protection and indemnity insurance, and oil pollution. In addition, the borrowers agree to reimburse the mortgagee for mortgagees' interest insurance on the vessels in an amount of 100% to 120%of the outstanding amount under the loan.
In addition, if a vessel is sold or becomes a total loss, MCS is required to repay such part of the loan as is equal to the greater of the relevant amount for such vessel, or such amount as is necessary to maintain compliance with the relevant minimum security covenant in the loan agreements.
Dry-dock of vessels:
The BET Scouter's scheduled drydocking, which commenced on March 26, 2010, was completed on May 17, 2010. The total cost of the BET Scouter's drydocking amounted to $1.5 million. On May 14, 2010, the BET Prince commenced its scheduled drydocking, which was completed on June 28, 2010. The cost of the BET Prince's drydocking amounted to $1.0 million.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued new guidance concerning the transfer of financial assets. This guidance amends the criteria for a transfer of a financial asset to be accounted for as a sale, creates more stringent conditions for reporting a transfer of a portion of a financial asset as a sale, changes the initial measurement of a transferor's interest in transferred financial assets, eliminates the qualifying special-purpose entity concept and provides for new disclosures. This new guidance is effective from January 1, 2010 and its adoption did not have any significant impact Seanergy's consolidated financial statements.
In June 2009, FASB issued new guidance concerning the determination of the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity, or VIE. This new guidance amends current U.S. GAAP by: requiring ongoing reassessments of whether an enterprise is the primary beneficiary of a VIE; amending the quantitative approach previously required for determining the primary beneficiary of the VIE; modifying the guidance used to determine whether an equity is a VIE; adding an additional reconsideration event (e.g. troubled debt restructurings) for determining whether an entity is a VIE; and requiring enhanced disclosures regarding an entity's involvement with a VIE. This new guidance is effective from January 1, 2010 its adoption did not have any significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. Seanergy will continue to consider the impacts of this new guidance on an on-going basis.
In August 2009, the FASB released new guidance concerning measuring liabilities at fair value. The new guidance provides clarification that in circumstances in which a quoted price in an active market for the identical liability is not available, a reporting entity is required to measure fair value using certain valuation techniques. Additionally, it clarifies that a reporting entity is not required to adjust the fair value of a liability for the existence of a restriction that prevents the transfer of the liability. This new guidance is effective for the first reporting period after its issuance, however earlier application is permitted. The application of this new guidance did not have a significant impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements.
In January 2010, FASB issued amended standards requiring additional fair value disclosures. The amended standards require disclosures of transfers in and out of Levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy, as well as requiring gross basis disclosures for purchases, sales, issuances and settlements within the Level 3 reconciliation. Additionally, the update clarifies the requirement to determine the level of disaggregation for fair value measurement disclosures and to disclose valuation techniques and inputs used for both recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements in either Level 2 or Level 3. The new guidance was effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2010, except for the disclosures related to purchases, sales, issuance and settlements, which will be effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. The adoption of the new standards did not have any significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In February 2010, FASB issued amended guidance on subsequent events. Commission filers are no longer required to disclose the date through which subsequent events have been evaluated in originally issued and revised financial statements. This guidance was effective immediately.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Critical accounting policies are those that reflect significant judgments or uncertainties and potentially result in materially different results under different assumptions and conditions. We have described below what we believe are our most critical accounting policies, because they generally involve a comparatively higher degree of judgment in their application.
Business combination — allocation of the purchase price in a business combination
On August 28, 2008, we completed our business combination of our initial fleet from the Restis family. The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method of accounting and accordingly, the assets acquired have been recorded at their fair values. No liabilities were assumed or other tangible assets acquired. The results of operations are included in the consolidated statement of income from August 28, 2008. The consideration paid for the business combination has been recorded at fair value at the date of acquisition and forms part of the cost of the acquisition. Total consideration for the business combination was $404,876,000, including direct transaction costs of $8,802,000, and excluding the contingent earn-out component.
The contingent consideration forming part of the business combination consisted of the issuance of 4,308,075 shares of common stock subject to Seanergy meeting certain target EBITDA during the twelve month period ended September 30, 2009. This target was met and on September 30, 2009, the Company recorded additional consideration of $17,275,000, which was equal to the fair value of the 4,308,075 shares, with an increase in goodwill and equity.
The allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired on the date of the business combination is a critical area due to the subjectivity involved in identifying and allocating the purchase price to intangible assets acquired. As at the date of the business combination, the fair value of the vessels was determined to be $360,081,000. No additional identifiable intangibles were identified and the difference of $44,795,000 was assigned to goodwill. Areas of subjectivity included whether there were any values associated with intangible assets such as customer relationships, right of first refusal agreements and charter agreements.
On August 12, 2009, we completed our business acquisition of 50% of BET. The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method of accounting and accordingly, the assets and liabilities acquired have been recorded at their fair values. The consideration paid for the business acquisition has been recorded at fair value at the date of acquisition and forms part of the cost of the acquisition. As at the date of the acquisition of BET, the fair value of the vessels was $126 million while the fair value of total assets acquired amounted to $168.1 million and liabilities assumed to $154.5 million.
We have estimated that the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed at acquisition were as follows (amounts in table in thousands):
Cash
|
|
|
36,374 |
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
1,381 |
|
Trade and other receivables
|
|
|
2,844 |
|
Inventories
|
|
|
1,476 |
|
Vessels
|
|
|
126,000 |
|
Current portion of long term debt
|
|
|
(16,573 |
) |
Accounts payable and accruals
|
|
|
(5,722 |
) |
Acquired time charters
|
|
|
(710 |
) |
Derivative instruments
|
|
|
(4,917 |
) |
Long term debt net of current portion
|
|
|
(126,527 |
) |
Noncontrolling interest
|
|
|
(6,813 |
) |
Excess of fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed over consideration paid
|
|
|
(6,813 |
) |
The excess of fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed over consideration has been recorded as bargain purchase gain and recorded in line "Gain from acquisition" in our consolidated statement of income. The bargain purchase gain was a result of the sellers' intent to divest from shipping operations. BET is a provider of worldwide ocean transportation services through the ownership of five dry bulk carriers. BET was incorporated in December 18, 2006 under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
On May 20, 2010, a voting agreement between certain of our shareholders expired, and from that date, the Restis affiliate shareholders became controlling shareholders. On May 28, 2010, we acquired 51% of MCS, a company wholly owned by the members of the Restis family, for consideration of $33.0 million. The acquisition was treated as a transaction between entities under common control and as such we consolidated MCS from the first day that both entities were under common control, May 20, 2010, using MCS' historical balances. Inclusion of MCS in our consolidated financial statements resulted to a debit of $2.05 million in our additional paid-in capital and a credit of $29.73 million in noncontrolling interest. The opening balances of MCS on May 20, 2010 were as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
|
48,860 |
|
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
3,453 |
|
|
Inventories
|
|
|
263 |
|
|
Other current assets
|
|
|
762 |
|
|
Vessels
|
|
|
181,861 |
|
|
Other non-current assets
|
|
|
192 |
|
|
Other liabilities
|
|
|
(4,304 |
) |
|
Debt
|
|
|
(166,923 |
) |
|
Financial instruments
|
|
|
(3,485 |
) |
|
Net assets
|
|
|
60,679 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
51% of net assets acquired
|
|
|
30,946 |
|
|
Consideration paid
|
|
|
(33,000 |
) |
|
Deemed distribution to shareholder
|
|
|
(2,054 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On September 15, 2010, we acquired the remaining 49% of MCS for consideration of $29.0 million which was paid by us to Maritime Capital in the form of cash amounting to $3.0 million and 24,761,905 shares of our common stock totaling $26.0 million at an agreed price of $1.05 per share. The transaction has been retrospectively recorded as of May 20, 2010 and resulted in the following:
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition of remaining 49% of net assets of MCS
|
|
|
29,733 |
|
|
Due to non controlling shareholder
|
|
|
(3,000 |
) |
|
Issuance of common shares at fair value (additional paid-in capital)
|
|
|
(26,743 |
) |
|
Deemed distribution to shareholder
|
|
|
(10 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In addition, net income of $1.5 million was reclassified from non-controlling interest to net income attributable to shareholders of Seanergy for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010. For purposes of the earnings per share calculation in Note 14, the 24,761,905 shares were considered to be issued and outstanding as of May 20, 2010.
Impairment of long-lived assets
We apply FASB guidance for the impairment and disposal of long-lived assets, which addresses financial accounting and reporting for the impairment or disposal of long-lived assets. Vessels are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized when the carrying amount of the long-lived asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. The carrying amount of the long-lived asset is not recoverable if it exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. Any impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset exceeds its fair value and is recorded as a reduction in the carrying value of the related asset and a charge to operating results. Once an impairment results in a reduction in the carrying value, the carrying value of such an asset cannot thereafter be increased. Fair value is determined based on current market values received from independent appraisers, when available, or from other acceptable valuation techniques such as discounted cash flows models. We performed the annual impairment test as of December 31, 2009. No indication of impairment existed as of that date. We recorded an impairment loss of $4,530,000 in 2008. It is considered reasonably possible that continued declines in volumes, charter rates and availability of letters of credit for customers resulting from global economic conditions could significantly impact our future impairment estimates.
Goodwill impairment
Goodwill represents the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the net identifiable assets acquired in business combinations accounted for under the purchase method. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at least annually on December 31 in accordance with the FASB guidance for impairment of intangible assets. The goodwill impairment test is a two-step process. Under the first step, the fair value of the reporting unit is compared to the carrying value of the reporting unit (including goodwill). If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying value of the reporting unit, goodwill impairment may exist, and the second step of the test is performed. Under the second step, the implied fair value of the goodwill is compared to the carrying value of the goodwill and an impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the carrying value of goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined by allocating the fair value of the reporting unit in a manner similar to a purchase price allocation. The residual fair value after this allocation is the implied fair value of the reporting unit goodwill. Fair value of the reporting unit is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds it carrying value, step two does not have to be performed. We recorded a goodwill impairment loss of $44,795,000 in 2008. We tested our goodwill for potential impairment, and we concluded that there was no impairment as of December 31, 2009. The fair value for goodwill impairment testing was estimated using the expected present value of future cash flows, using judgments and assumptions that management believes were appropriate in the circumstances. The future cash flows from operations were determined by considering the charter revenues from existing time charters for the fixed fleet days and an estimated daily time charter equivalent for the non fixed days (based on a combination of 2-year forward freight agreements and the 10-year average historical charter rates available for each type of vessel). The weighted average cost of capital used was 7.6%.
Vessel depreciation
Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the vessels, after considering the estimated salvage value. We estimate salvage value by taking the cost of steel times the vessels lightweight. The estimated salvage value at December 31, 2009 was $270 per lightweight ton. Through June 30, 2009, management estimated the useful life of our vessels at 25 years from the date of their delivery from the shipyard. In July 2009, we successfully executed a time charter contract for one of our vessels that expires on its 26th anniversary, and based on the projected necessary dry-docking costs and understanding of the charterer's needs, we believe that the vessel will complete the next dry-docking following the expiration of such charter and that we will be able to charter the vessel up to its 30th anniversary. Based on this event as well as considering that it is not uncommon for vessels to be operable to their 30th anniversary, effective July 1, 2009, we have changed the estimated useful life of our fleet to 30 years. This change reduced depreciation expense by approximately $8 million for the year ended December 31, 2009.
The above four policies are considered to be critical accounting policies because assessments need to be made due to the shipping industry being highly cyclical experiencing volatility in profitability, and changes in vessel value and fluctuations in charter rates resulting from changes in the supply and demand for shipping capacity. At present, the dry bulk market is affected by the current international financial crisis which has slowed down world trade and caused drops in charter rates. The lack of financing, global steel production cuts and outstanding agreements between iron ore producers and Chinese industrial customers have temporarily brought the market to a stagnation. In addition, there are significant assumptions used in applying these policies such as possible future new charters, future charter rates, future on-hire days, future market values and the time value of money. Consequently, actual results could differ from these estimates and assumptions used and we may need to review such estimates and assumptions in future periods as underlying conditions, prices and other mentioned variables change. Our results of operations and financial position in future periods could be significantly affected upon revision of these estimates and assumptions or upon occurrence of events. Due to the different scenarios under which such changes could occur, it is not practical to quantify the range and possible effects of such future changes in our financial statements.
Dry-docking costs
There are two methods that are used by the shipping industry to account for dry-dockings; first, the deferral method, whereby specific costs associated with a dry-docking are capitalized when incurred and amortized on a straight-line basis over the period to the next scheduled dry-dock; and second, the direct expensing method, whereby dry-docking costs are expensed in the period incurred. We use the deferral method of accounting for dry-dock expenses. Under the deferral method, dry-dock expenses are capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis until the date that the vessel is expected to undergo its next dry-dock. We believe the deferral method better matches costs with revenue. We use judgment when estimating the period between dry-docks performed, which can result in adjustments to the estimated amortization of dry-dock expense, the duration of which depends on the age of the vessel and the nature of dry-docking repairs the vessel will undergo. We expect that our vessels will be required to be dry-docked approximately every 2.5 years in accordance with class requirements for major repairs and maintenance. Costs capitalized as part of the dry-docking include actual costs incurred at the dry-dock yard and parts and supplies used in undertaking the work necessary to meet class requirements.
Variable interest entities
We evaluate our relationships with other entities to identify whether they are variable interest entities and to assess whether we are the primary beneficiary of such entities. If it is determined that we are the primary beneficiary, that entity is included in our consolidated financial statements. We did not participate in any variable interest entity.
Important Measures for Analyzing Results of Operations Following the Vessel Acquisition
We believe that the important non-GAAP measures and definitions for analyzing our results of operations consist of the following:
|
·
|
Ownership days. Ownership days are the total number of calendar days in a period during which we owned each vessel in our fleet. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of the fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses recorded during that period.
|
|
·
|
Available days. Available days are the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of ownership days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
|
|
·
|
Operating days. Operating days are the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
|
|
·
|
Fleet utilization. Fleet utilization is determined by dividing the number of operating days during a period by the number of ownership days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company's efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels and minimizing the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for any reason excluding scheduled repairs, vessel upgrades, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys.
|
|
·
|
Off-hire. The period a vessel is unable to perform the services for which it is required under a charter.
|
|
·
|
Time charter. A time charter is a contract for the use of a vessel for a specific period of time during which the charterer pays substantially all of the voyage expenses, including port costs, canal charges and fuel expenses. The vessel owner pays the vessel operating expenses, which include crew wages, insurance, technical maintenance costs, spares, stores and supplies and commissions on gross voyage revenues. Time charter rates are usually fixed during the term of the charter. Prevailing time charter rates do fluctuate on a seasonal and year-to-year basis and may be substantially higher or lower from a prior time charter agreement when the subject vessel is seeking to renew the time charter agreement with the existing charterer or enter into a new time charter agreement with another charterer. Fluctuations in time charter rates are influenced by changes in spot charter rates.
|
|
·
|
TCE. Time charter equivalent, or TCE, rates are defined as our time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our Operating days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel oil and diesel oil) expenses, canal charges and commissions.
|
Revenues
Our revenues were driven primarily by the number of vessels we operated, the number of operating days during which our vessels generated revenues, and the amount of daily charter hire that our vessels earned under charters. These, in turn, were affected by a number of factors, including the following:
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·
|
The nature and duration of our charters;
|
|
·
|
The amount of time that we spent repositioning our vessels;
|
|
·
|
The amount of time that our vessels spent in dry-dock undergoing repairs;
|
|
·
|
Maintenance and upgrade work;
|
|
·
|
The age, condition and specifications of our vessels;
|
|
·
|
The levels of supply and demand in the dry bulk carrier transportation market; and
|
|
·
|
Other factors affecting charter rates for dry bulk carriers under voyage charters.
|
A voyage charter is generally a contract to carry a specific cargo from a load port to a discharge port for an agreed-upon total amount. Under voyage charters, voyage expenses such as port, canal and fuel costs are paid by the vessel owner. A time charter trip and a period time charter or period charter are generally contracts to charter a vessel for a fixed period of time at a set daily rate. Under time charters, the charterer pays voyage expenses. Under both types of charters, the vessel owners pay for vessel operating expenses, which include crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs. The vessel owners are also responsible for each vessel's dry-docking and intermediate and special survey costs.
Vessels operating on period time charters provide more predictable cash flows, but can yield lower profit margins than vessels operating in the spot charter market for single trips during periods characterized by favorable market conditions.
Vessels operating in the spot charter market generate revenues that are less predictable, but can yield increased profit margins during periods of improvements in dry bulk rates. Spot charters also expose vessel owners to the risk of declining dry bulk rates and rising fuel costs. Our vessels were chartered on period time charters during the year ended December 31, 2008. One of our vessels operated in the spot market during the year ended December 31, 2009.
A standard maritime industry performance measure is the TCE. TCE rates are defined as our time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our available days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel oil and diesel oil) expenses, canal charges and commissions. Our average TCE rates for 2009 and 2008 were $32,909 and $49,944, respectively.
Vessel Operating Expenses
Vessel operating expenses include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, the costs of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. Vessel operating expenses generally represent costs of a fixed nature. Some of these expenses are required, such as insurance costs and the cost of spares.
Depreciation
Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the vessels, after considering the estimated salvage value. We estimate salvage value by taking the cost of steel times the vessels lightweight. The estimated salvage value is $270 per lightweight ton. Through June 30, 2009, management estimated the useful life of our vessels at 25 years from the date of their delivery from the shipyard. In July 2009, we successfully executed a time charter contract for one of our vessels that expires on its 26th anniversary, and based on the projected necessary dry-docking costs and understanding of the charterer's needs, we believe that the vessel will complete the next dry-docking following the expiration of such charter and that we will be able to charter the vessel up to its 30th anniversary. Based on this event as well as considering that it is not uncommon for vessels to be operable to their 30th anniversary, effective July 1, 2009, we have changed the estimated useful life of our fleet to 30 years. This change reduced depreciation expense by approximately $8 million for the year ended December 31, 2009.
Seasonality
Coal, iron ore and grains, which are the major bulks of the dry bulk shipping industry, are somewhat seasonal in nature. The energy markets primarily affect the demand for coal, with increases during hot summer periods when air conditioning and refrigeration require more electricity and towards the end of the calendar year in anticipation of the forthcoming winter period. The demand for iron ore tends to decline in the summer months
because many of the major steel users, such as automobile makers, reduce their level of production significantly during the summer holidays. Grains are completely seasonal as they are driven by the harvest within a climate zone. Because three of the five largest grain producers (the United States of America, Canada and the European Union) are located in the northern hemisphere and the other two (Argentina and Australia) are located in the southern hemisphere, harvests occur throughout the year and grains require dry bulk shipping accordingly.
Principal Factors Affecting Our Business
The principal factors that affected our financial position, results of operations and cash flows included the following:
|
·
|
Number of vessels owned and operated;
|
|
·
|
Charter market rates and periods of charter hire;
|
|
·
|
Vessel operating expenses and direct voyage costs, which were incurred in both dollars and other currencies, primarily Euros;
|
|
·
|
Depreciation expenses, which are a function of vessel cost, any significant post-acquisition improvements, estimated useful lives, estimated residual scrap values, and fluctuations in the market value of our vessels;
|
|
·
|
Financing costs related to indebtedness associated with the vessels; and
|
|
·
|
Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
|
Performance Indicators
The figures shown below are non-GAAP statistical ratios used by management to measure performance of our vessels and are not included in financial statements prepared under U.S. GAAP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
December 31, 2009
|
|
Fleet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average number of vessels(1)
|
|
|
15.1 |
|
|
|
13.0 |
|
|
|
7.9 |
|
Ownership days(2)
|
|
|
1,370 |
|
|
|
2,360 |
|
|
|
2,895 |
|
Available days(3)
|
|
|
1,273 |
|
|
|
2,258 |
|
|
|
2,638 |
|
Operating days(4)
|
|
|
1,266 |
|
|
|
2,247 |
|
|
|
2,614 |
|
Fleet utilization(5)
|
|
|
92.4 |
% |
|
|
95.2 |
% |
|
|
90.3 |
% |
Fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days(6)
|
|
|
99.5 |
% |
|
|
99.5 |
% |
|
|
99.1 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Daily Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel TCE rate(7)
|
|
|
17,276 |
|
|
|
17,729 |
|
|
|
32,909 |
|
Vessel operating expenses(8)
|
|
|
5,457 |
|
|
|
5,123 |
|
|
|
5,603 |
|
Management fees(9)
|
|
|
457 |
|
|
|
521 |
|
|
|
592 |
|
Total vessel operating expenses(10)
|
|
|
5,914 |
|
|
|
5,644 |
|
|
|
6,195 |
|
(1)
|
Average number of vessels is the number of vessels that constituted our fleet for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was a part of our fleet during the relevant period divided by the number of calendar days in the relevant period.
|
(2)
|
Ownership days are the total number of days in a period during which the vessels in a fleet have been owned. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses that we recorded during a period.
|
(3)
|
Available days are the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of ownership days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues. During the three months ended June 30, 2010, the Company incurred 97 off hire days for vessel scheduled drydocking. During the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company incurred 102 off hire days for vessel scheduled drydocking. During the year ended December 31, 2009, we incurred 257 off-hire days for scheduled vessel drydocking.
|
(4)
|
Operating days are the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
|
(5)
|
Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels were generating revenue, and is determined by dividing operating days by ownership days for the relevant period.
|
(6)
|
Fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days is calculated by dividing the number of the fleet's operating days during a period by the number of available days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization excluding drydocking off hire days to measure a Company's efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels and excluding the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons such as scheduled repairs, vessel upgrades, or dry dockings or special or intermediate surveys.
|
(7)
|
TCE rates are defined as our time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our operating days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel oil and diesel oil) expenses, canal charges and commissions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
|
|
|
Six Months
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousand of U.S. dollars, except
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
operating day amounts)
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
December 31, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net revenue from vessels
|
|
$ |
22,612 |
|
|
$ |
40,821 |
|
|
$ |
87,897 |
|
Voyage expenses
|
|
|
(530 |
) |
|
|
(535 |
) |
|
|
(753 |
) |
Voyage expenses – related party
|
|
|
(211 |
) |
|
|
(449 |
) |
|
|
(1,119 |
) |
Net operating revenues
|
|
$ |
21,871 |
|
|
$ |
39,837 |
|
|
$ |
86,025 |
|
Operating days
|
|
|
1,266 |
|
|
|
2,247 |
|
|
|
2,614 |
|
Time charter equivalent rate
|
|
$ |
17,276 |
|
|
$ |
17,729 |
|
|
$ |
32,909 |
|
(8)
|
Average daily vessel operating expenses, which includes crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs, are calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant time periods.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
|
|
|
Six Months
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousand of U.S. dollars, except
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
ownership day amounts)
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
December 31, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses
|
|
$ |
7,476 |
|
|
$ |
12,090 |
|
|
$ |
16,222 |
|
Ownership days
|
|
|
1,370 |
|
|
|
2,360 |
|
|
|
2,895 |
|
Daily vessel operating expenses
|
|
$ |
5,457 |
|
|
$ |
5,123 |
|
|
$ |
5,603 |
|
(9)
|
Daily management fees are calculated by dividing total management fees by ownership days for the relevant time period.
|
(10)
|
TVOE is a measurement of total expenses associated with operating the vessels. TVOE is the sum of vessel operating expenses and management fees. Daily TVOE is calculated by dividing TVOE by fleet ownership days for the relevant time period.
|
Three and six months ended June 30, 2010, as compared to three and six months ended June 30, 2009
Vessel Revenue — Related Party, Net — Vessel revenue, related party, during the three months ended June 30, 2010 decreased by $11,683,359, or 52%, to $10,949,785 from $22,633,144, before address commissions of $373,028 and $565,829 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Vessel revenue, related party, during the six months ended June 30, 2010 decreased by $25,479,989, or 51%, to $24,068,032 from $49,548,022, before address commissions of $826,658 and $1,238,695 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The decrease in net vessel revenue — related party is a result of the chartering of the Davakis G., Delos Ranger, African Oryx and the African Zebra to unrelated third parties commencing on September 6, 2009, October 1, 2009, July 17, 2009 and July 20, 2009, respectively, as well as the significantly lower employment rates in 2010.
Vessel Revenue, Net - Vessel revenue, net for the three months ended June 30, 2010 was $12,414,316 before address commissions of $379,596. Vessel revenue, net for the six months ended June 30, 2010 was $18,138,402 before address commissions of $559,088. There was no such revenue in 2009. Vessel revenue from unrelated third parties is the result of the chartering of the Davakis G., Delos Ranger, African Oryx and the African Zebra to unrelated third parties commencing on September 6, 2009, October 1, 2009, July 17, 2009 and July 20, 2009, respectively, as well as due to revenues from the MCS fleet for the three months ended June 30, 2010.
Direct Voyage Expenses — Direct voyage expenses, which include bunkers and port expenses, increased by $238,818, or 82%, to $530,887 from $292,069 during the three months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009. Direct voyage expense increased by $97,893, or 22%, to $535,513 from $437,620 during the six months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009. The increase in direct voyage expenses is principally due to an increase in operating days, the consolidation of BET's operations commencing on August 13, 2009 and the consolidation of MCS's operations commencing on May 21, 2010.
Vessel Operating Expenses — For the three months ended June 30, 2010, our vessel operating expenses increased by $4,466,664, or 148%, to $7,476,744, or an average of $5,457 per ship per day compared to an average of $5,513 per ship per day for the three months ended June 30, 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, our vessel operating expenses increased by $6,269,115, or 108%, to $12,090,193 or an average of $5,123 per ship per day compared to an average of $5,360 per ship per day for the six months ended June 30, 2009. Vessel operating expenses include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, chemicals and lubricants, consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. The increase in operating expenses is attributable to the increase in ownership days due to an average of 15.1 and 13.0 vessels for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively, as compared to an average of 6.0 vessels for the three and six months ended June 30, 2009, resulting from the consolidation of BET's operations commencing on August 13, 2009 and the consolidation of MCS's operations commencing on May 21, 2010.
Voyage Expenses — Related Party — These expenses represent commissions charged in relation to the brokerage agreement we have with Safbulk, an affiliate, for the provision of chartering services. Voyage expenses, related party, decreased by $71,895, or 25%, to $211,019 from $282,914 in the three month period ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Voyage expenses, related party, decreased by $169,986, or 27%, to $449,361 from $619,348 in the six month period ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The chartering commissions represent a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk on the collected vessel revenue; therefore, their decrease is related to the decrease in related revenues.
Management Fees — Management fees relate to the management agreement for the provision of technical management services for the MCS fleet. Management fees for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 amounted to $57,812. There were no such fees in 2009.
Management Fees — Related Party — For the three months ended June 30, 2010, management fees charged by EST, which is a related party, increased by $252,652, or 80%, to $567,373 from $314,721 in the same period in 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, management fees increased by $553,907, or 90%, to $1,170,557 from $616,650 in the same period in 2009. The increase was due to the same reasons described above. Management fees – related party primarily relate to the management agreement we have with EST for the provision of technical management services for the Seanergy and BET fleets. The fixed daily fee per vessel was Euro 436 in 2010 and Euro 425 in 2009.
General and Administration Expenses — General and administrative expenses increased by $268,417, or 17%, to $1,885,369 for the three months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $1,616,953 for the same period in 2009. General and administrative expenses decreased by $185,785, or 7%, to $2,621,966 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $2,807,751 for the same period in 2009. Our general and administration expenses primarily include auditing and accounting fees, legal services and salaries, BOD remuneration and other compensation. The increase for the three months ended June 30, 2010 is primarily related to the acquisition of MCS. The decrease for the six months ended June 30, 2010 is primarily related to increased consulting fees in 2009.
General and Administration Expenses — Related Party — Related party general and administrative expenses increased by $16,856, or 11%, to $166,581 for the three months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $149,725 for the same period in 2009. Related party general and administrative expenses decreased by $6,241, or 2%, to $348,392 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $354,633 for the same period in 2009. Our related party general and administration expenses are primarily comprised of office rental fees. The increase/decrease is primarily related to exchange rate variations.
Depreciation — We depreciate our vessels based on a straight line basis over the expected useful life of each vessel. Up to June 30, 2009, we estimated the useful lives of our vessels at 25 years from the date of their delivery from the shipyard. In July 2009, a time charter contract was successfully executed for one of the vessels that expires on her 26th anniversary, and based on the projected necessary dry docking costs and understanding of the charterer's needs that it will complete the next dry-docking and be able to charter the vessel up to her 30th anniversary. Based on this event, as well as, considering that it is not uncommon for vessels to be operable to their 30th anniversary, effective July 1, 2009 we changed the estimated useful life of our fleet to 30 years. Depreciation is based on the cost of the vessel less its estimated residual value, which is estimated at $270 per lightweight ton. Secondhand vessels are depreciated from the date of their acquisition through their remaining estimated useful life. However, when regulations place limitations over the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, its useful life is adjusted to end at the date such regulations become effective. We constantly evaluate the useful life of our fleet based on market factors and specific facts and circumstances applicable to each vessel.
Depreciation expense decreased by $809,084, or 10%, to $6,949,207 for the three months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $7,758,291 for the same period in 2009. Depreciation expense decreased by $2,513,681, or 16%, to $12,916,659 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $15,430,340 for the same period in 2009. The decrease is due to the change in the estimated useful life of our fleet from 25 years to 30 years, effective July 1, 2009.
Interest and Finance Costs — Interest and finance costs increased by $1,802,114, or 133%, to $3,156,395 for the three months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $1,354,281 for the same period in 2009. Interest and finance costs increased by $2,593,197, or 92%, to $5,411,864 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $2,818,667 for the same period in 2009.The significant increase in interest and finance costs is attributable to our revolving credit and term facilities, which we obtained in order to fund our business combination and vessel purchase and for working capital purposes, the loan facility obtained through the BET acquisition and the increased spreads are a result of the waivers obtained under the BET supplemental agreement and the loan facilities obtained through the MCS acquisition. More specifically (i) interest expense related to the revolving credit facility amounted to $553,060 and $1,059,017 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively, and $369,000 and $763,000 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2009, respectively, (ii) interest expense related to the term facility amounted to $1,049,595 and $2,004,520 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively, and $818,000 and $1,684,000 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2009, respectively, (iii) interest expense related to the Citibank loan facility amounted to $675,448 and $1,324,734 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively, (vi) interest expense related to the DVB loan facility amounted to $192,804 for the period from May 21, 2010 to June 30, 2010, (vii) interest expense related to the HSBC loan facility amounted to $156,380 for the period from May 21, 2010 to June 30, 2010, and (viii) interest expense related to the UOB loan facility amounted to $163,809 for the period from May 21, 2010 to June 30, 2010. Fees incurred for obtaining new loans, including related legal and other professional fees, are deferred and amortized using the effective interest method over the life of the related debt.
Interest and Finance Costs — Shareholders — Shareholders interest and finance costs for the three and six months ended June 30, 2009 amounted to $172,466 and $311,503, respectively. There is no such cost in 2010. This cost is for interest paid on a convertible secured promissory note, in the principal amount of $28,250,000, to a shareholder in connection with our August 2008 business combination. On August 19, 2009, we amended the convertible promissory note to reduce the conversion price, from the original rate of $12.50 per share, exercisable on August 28, 2010, to the average price of our stock for the five trading days commencing on August 19, 2009, ($4.45 per share) exercisable only on August 19, 2009, after which any conversion rights would be forfeited. The holders of the note accepted the amendment and have converted the principal amount of the note and all accrued but unpaid fees and interest due, totaling $1,352,000, into 6,585,868 Seanergy newly issued shares of common stock.
Interest Income — Interest income increased by $30,655, or 26%, to $146,889 for the three months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $116,235 for the same period in 2009. Interest income increased by $25,168, or 10%, to $280,732 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $255,564 for the same period in 2009.The increase in interest income is a result of the increase of our levels of cash.
Loss on financial instruments — Loss on financial instruments for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 amounted to $1,467,859 and $2,760,771, respectively, and is attributable to the loss on the interest rate swaps under BET and MCS. The Company had no financial instruments in 2009.
Income taxes — Income taxes for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 amounted to $31,000 and relate to MCS. There were no taxes in 2009.
Year ended December 31, 2009 as compared to year ended December 31, 2008
Vessel Revenue — Related Party, Net — Vessel revenue, related party, during 2009 increased by $48,570,000, or 137%, to $83,903,000 from $35,333,000, before address commissions of $2,226,000 and $880,000 for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. The increase in net vessel revenue — related party, is a result of the operation for the full year in 2009 of the six vessels we acquired in the third quarter of 2008 and the consolidation of BET's operations commencing on August 13, 2009.
Vessel Revenue, Net - Vessel revenue, net for the year ended December 31, 2009 was $6,340,000 before address commissions of $120,000 as compared to $0 and $0, respectively, for the comparable period in 2008. The increase in net vessel revenue from unrelated third parties is the result of the chartering of the Davakis G., Delos Ranger, African Oryx and the African Zebra to unrelated third parties commencing on September 6, 2009, October 1, 2009, July 17, 2009 and July 20, 2009, respectively.
Direct Voyage Expenses — Direct voyage expenses, which include bunkers and port expenses, increased by $602,000, or 399%, to $753,000 from $151,000 in 2008. The increase in direct voyage expenses is principally due to an increase in operating days, reflecting the operation for the full year in 2009 of the six vessels we acquired in the third quarter of 2008, the consolidation of BET's operations commencing on August 13, 2009, and also the expenses attributable to a voyage charter in 2009.
Vessel Operating Expenses — For the year ended December 31, 2009, our vessel operating expenses increased by $13,042,000, or 410%, to $16,222,000, or an average of $5,603 per ship per day from $3,180,000, or an average of $4,636 per ship per day for 2008. Vessel operating expenses include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, chemicals and lubricants, consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. The increase in operating expenses is attributable to the 322% increase in ownership days due to an average of 7.9 vessels for the year ended December 31, 2009, as compared to an average of 5.5 vessels for the year ended December 31, 2008, resulting from the operation for the full year in 2009 of the six vessels we acquired in the third quarter of 2008 and the consolidation of BET's operations commencing on August 13, 2009. Vessel operating expenses additionally increased due to insurance deductibles for hull and machinery claims for two of our vessels and also due to the additional repair costs incurred as a result of the dry-dock surveys for another two of our vessels in our fleet during 2009.
Voyage Expenses — Related Party — These expenses represent commissions charged in relation to the brokerage agreement we have with Safbulk, an affiliate, for the provision of chartering services up to May 20, 2010. Voyage expenses, related party, increased by $679,000, or 154%, to
$1,119,000 from $440,000 in 2008. The chartering commissions represent a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk on the collected vessel revenue; therefore, their increase is related to the increase in revenues.
Management Fees — Related Party — For the year ended December 31, 2009, management fees charged by EST, which is a related party, increased by $1,327,000, or 342%, to $1,715,000 from $388,000 in 2008. The increase was due to the same reasons described above. Management fees primarily relate to the management agreement we have with EST for the provision of technical management services for the Seanergy and BET fleets. The fixed daily fee per vessel was Euro 425 in 2009 and Euro 416 in 2008.
General and Administration Expenses — General and administrative expenses increased by $3,767,000, or 175%, to $5,928,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $2,161,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. Our general and administration expenses primarily include auditing and accounting fees of $1,159,000, legal services of $1,831,000 and salaries, BOD remuneration and other compensation of $2,086,000. Our general and administration expenses for 2009 were comparatively higher than those in the prior year due to the fact that we were operational for the entire year during 2009, whereas in 2008 we were operational after the business combination was consummated on August 28, 2008.
General and Administration Expenses — Related Party — Related party general and administrative expenses increased by $633,000, or 581%, to $742,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $109,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. Our related party general and administration expenses are primarily comprised of office rental fees of $726,000. Our related party general and administration expenses for 2009 were comparatively higher than those in the prior year due to the fact that we paid rent for the entire year during 2009, whereas in 2008 we paid rent for the period of November 18, 2008 (the date of the lease agreement) to December 31, 2008. In addition, a service agreement was signed with EST for consultancy services with respect to financing and dealing with relations with third parties and for assistance with the preparation of periodic reports to the shareholders for a fixed monthly fee of $5,000 through March 2, 2009 which amounted to $16,000 in 2009 and $21,000 in 2008.
Gain from Acquisition — For the year ended December 31, 2009, we recognized a gain from the BET acquisition of $6,813,000. The gain is a result of the difference between the purchase price we paid and the fair market value of the 50% interest in BET, which we acquired as of the closing date on August 12, 2009. The transaction occurred because of the seller's desire to divest itself of its shipping operations.
Depreciation — We depreciate our vessels based on a straight line basis over the expected useful life of each vessel. Up to June 30, 2009, we estimated the useful lives of our vessels at 25 years from the date of their delivery from the shipyard. In July 2009, a time charter contract was successfully executed for one of the vessels that expires on her 26th anniversary, and based on the projected necessary dry docking costs and understanding of the charterer's needs that it will complete the next dry-docking and be able to charter the vessel up to her 30th anniversary. Based on this event, as well as, considering that it is not uncommon for vessels to be operable to their 30th anniversary, effective July 1, 2009 we changed the estimated useful life of our fleet to 30 years. Depreciation is based on the cost of the vessel less its estimated residual value, which is estimated at $270 per lightweight ton. Secondhand vessels are depreciated from the date of their acquisition through their remaining estimated useful life. However, when regulations place limitations over the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, its useful life is adjusted to end at the date such regulations become effective. We constantly evaluate the useful life of our fleet based on market factors and specific facts and circumstances applicable to each vessel.
Depreciation expense increased by $16,883,000, or 170%, to $26,812,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $9,929,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. Our depreciation expense for 2009 was comparatively higher than that in the prior year due to the fact that (i) we were operational for the entire year during 2009, whereas in 2008 we were operational following the business combination consummating on August 28, 2008, and (ii) our fleet increased by an additional five vessels in August 2009 due to the BET acquisition, which resulted in additional depreciation expenses. This was partially offset by our change in the estimated useful life of our fleet from 25 years to 30 years, effective July 1, 2009. This change reduced depreciation expense by approximately $8 million for the year ended December 31, 2009.
Goodwill Impairment Loss — We performed our annual impairment testing of goodwill as at December 31, 2009, and concluded that no impairment existed. For the year ended December 31, 2008, we recorded an impairment charge related to goodwill of $44,795,000, which was a result of poor economic and market conditions, including the significant disruptions in the global credit markets. The fair value for goodwill impairment testing was estimated using the expected present value of future cash flows, applying judgments and assumptions that management believes were appropriate in the circumstances. The future cash flows from operations were determined by considering the charter revenues from existing time charters for the fixed fleet days and an estimated daily time charter equivalent for the non-fixed days (based on a combination of 2-year forward freight agreements and the 10-year average historical charter rates available for each type of vessel). The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) used was 7.6%.
Vessels' Impairment Loss — We evaluate the carrying amounts of vessels and related dry-dock and special survey costs and periods over which long-lived assets are depreciated to determine if events have occurred which would require modification to their carrying values or useful lives. In evaluating useful lives and the carrying values of long-lived assets, we review certain indicators of potential impairment, such as undiscounted projected operating cash flows, vessel sales and purchases, business plans and overall market conditions. We determine undiscounted projected net operating cash flows for each vessel and compare it to the vessel's carrying value. The projected net operating cash flows are determined by considering the charter revenues from existing time charters for the fixed fleet days (Seanergy's remaining charter agreement rates) and an estimated daily time charter equivalent for the unfixed days (based on a combination of Seanergy's remaining charter agreement rates, 2-year forward freight agreements and the 10-year average historical spot time charter rates (for 2009 testing) and the 10-year average historical 1-year time charter rates (for 2008 testing) available for each type of vessel) over the remaining economic life of each vessel, net of brokerage and address commissions, expected outflows for scheduled vessels' maintenance, vessel operating expenses, and management fees assuming an average annual inflation rate of 2%. Fleet utilization is assumed at 98.6% in our exercise, taking into account each vessel's off hire days based on other companies operating in the dry bulk industry and our historical performance.
We performed the annual impairment test as of December 31, 2009. No indication of impairment existed as of that date.
Interest and Finance Costs — Interest and finance costs increased by $3,335,000, or 86%, to $7,230,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $3,895,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. The significant increase in interest and finance costs is attributable to our revolving credit and term facilities, which we obtained in order to fund our business combination and vessel purchase and for working capital purposes, as well as the loan facility obtained through the BET acquisition and the increased spreads are a result of the waivers obtained under the BET supplemental agreement. More specifically (i) interest expense related to the revolving credit facility amounted to $1,659,000 and $799,000 for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively, (ii) interest expense related to the term facility amounted to $3,541,000 and $2,768,000 for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively, and (iii) interest expense related to the BET loan facility amounted to $1,154,000 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. In 2008, our interest expense primarily related to four months of operations since we drew down our credit facilities on August 28, 2008, and obtained our term loans in August and September 2008, respectively. In 2009, our interest expense also related to the loan facility obtained through the BET acquisition in August. Fees incurred for obtaining new loans, including related legal and other professional fees, are deferred and amortized using the effective interest method over the life of the related debt.
Interest and Finance Costs — Shareholders — Shareholders interest and finance costs increased by $204,000, or 112%, to $386,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $182,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. The increase is due to the fact that we paid interest for eight months in 2009 instead of four months in 2008 on a convertible secured promissory note, in the principal amount of $28,250,000, to a shareholder in connection with our August 2008 business combination. On August 19, 2009, we amended the convertible promissory note to reduce the conversion price, from the original rate of $12.50 per share, exercisable on August 28, 2010, to the average price of our stock for the five trading days commencing on August 19, 2009, ($4.45 per share) exercisable only on August 19, 2009, after which any conversion rights would be forfeited. The holders of the note accepted the amendment and have converted the principal amount of the note and all accrued but unpaid fees and interest due, totaling $1,352,000, into 6,585,868 Seanergy newly issued shares of common stock.
Interest Income — Money Market Funds — Interest income – money market funds decreased by $2,931,000, or 88%, to $430,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $3,361,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. The decrease in interest income is a result of the decrease of our money market funds that were used for our August 2008 business combination.
Net Income/(Loss) — We earned net income of $30,052,000 in 2009 as compared to a loss of $31,985,000 in 2008. The increase in our net income resulted primarily from a full year of operations in 2009 versus only four months of operations in 2008 following the closing of our business combination as well as the BET acquisition on August 12, 2009 For the year ended December 31, 2008 we incurred goodwill and vessel impairment charges of $44,795,000 and $4,530,000, respectively.
Year ended December 31, 2008, or fiscal 2008, as compared to year ended December 31, 2007, or fiscal 2007
Vessel Revenue — Related Party, Net — Net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2008 were $34,453,000 after address commissions of 2.5%, or $880,000, as compared to $0 in fiscal 2007. The increase in vessel revenue is a result of the closing of the business combination and the commencement of our operations on August 28, 2008. Our gross revenues were $35,333,000. Our vessels Davakis G., Delos Ranger and African Oryx commenced operations on August 28, 2008 for a daily charter fee of $60,000, $60,000 and $30,000, respectively. Our vessel, Bremen Max, commenced operations on September 11, 2008 for a daily charter fee of $65,000 and our vessels, Hamburg Max and African Zebra, commenced operations on September 25, 2008 for a daily charter fee of $65,000 and $36,000, respectively. Net revenues earned for the period from August 28, 2008 to December 31, 2008 for each of our vessels after address commissions amounted to $7,147,000 for the Davakis G.; $7,162,000 for the Delos Ranger; $3,661,000 for the African Oryx; $7,068,000 for the Bremen Max; $5,978,000 for the Hamburg Max; and $3,437,000 for the African Zebra. The vessels were employed under time charters with SAMC, an affiliate, with initial terms of 11-13 months, expiring in September 2009.
Direct Voyage Expenses — Direct voyage expenses, which include bunkers and port expenses, amounted to $151,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008 as compared to $0 for the comparable period in 2007. Direct voyage expenses consisted of port and bunker expenses of $44,000 and $107,000, respectively. The increase in direct voyage expenses is a result of the closing of the business combination and the commencement of our operations in August 2008.
Vessel Operating Expenses — For the year ended December 31, 2008, our vessel operating expenses were $3,180,000, or an average of $4,636 per ship per day, as compared to $0 in fiscal 2007. Vessel operating expenses included crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, chemicals and lubricants, consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. We operated an average of 5.5 vessels from the date of consummation of the business combination on August 28, 2008 through December 31, 2008. Vessel operating expenses increased as a result of the closing of the business combination and the commencement of our operations in August 2008.
Voyage Expenses — Related Party — Voyage expenses — related party represent commissions charged in relation to the brokerage agreement we have with Safbulk, an affiliate, for the provision of chartering services up to May 20, 2010. The chartering commissions represent a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk on the collected vessel revenue. For the year ended December 31, 2008, commissions charged amounted to $440,000 as compared to $0 in fiscal 2007, for the same reasons described above.
Management Fees — Related Party — For the year ended December 31, 2008, management fees charged by a related party amounted to $388,000 as compared to $0 in fiscal 2007. The increase was due to the same reasons described above. Management fees primarily relate to the management agreement we have with EST, an affiliate, for the provision of technical management services. The fixed daily fee per vessel in operation is Euro 416 per vessel until December 31, 2008. Thereafter the fixed daily fee was re-negotiated to be Euro 425 per vessel.
General and Administration Expenses — General and administrative expenses increased by $1,716,000, or 386%, to $2,161,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to $445,000 for the year ended December 31, 2007. Our general and administration expenses primarily include auditing and accounting costs of $695,000, professional fees of $830,000 and salaries, BOD remuneration and other compensation of $294,000. Our
general and administration expenses for 2008 were comparatively higher than those in the prior year due to the fact that we commenced our vessel operations after the business combination was consummated on August 28, 2008.
General and Administration Expenses — Related Party — Related party general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2008 amounted to $109,000, There is no such expense for the year ended December 31, 2007. Our related party general and administration expenses are primarily comprised of office rental fees of $88,000. In addition, a service agreement was signed with EST for consultancy services with respect to financing and dealing with relations with third parties and for assistance with the preparation of periodic reports to the shareholders for a fixed monthly fee of $5,000 through March 2, 2009 and amounted to $21,000.
Depreciation — We depreciate our vessels based on a straight line basis over the expected useful life of each vessel, which is 25 years from the date of their initial delivery from the shipyard. Depreciation is based on the cost of the vessel less its estimated residual value, which is estimated at $270 per lightweight ton. Secondhand vessels are depreciated from the date of their acquisition through their remaining estimated useful life. However, when regulations place limitations over the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, its useful life is adjusted to end at the date such regulations become effective. We constantly evaluate the useful life of our fleet based on the market factors and specific facts and circumstances applicable to each vessel.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, we recorded $9,929,000 of vessel depreciation charges as compared to $0 in fiscal 2007. These charges relate to our vessels of which three vessels were placed into operations on August 28, 2008 and the remaining three in September 2008.
Goodwill Impairment Loss — We performed our annual impairment testing of goodwill as at December 31, 2008. The current economic and market conditions, including the significant disruptions in the global credit markets, are having broad effects on participants in a wide variety of industries. Since September 2008, the charter rates in the dry bulk charter market have declined significantly, and dry bulk vessel values have also declined. The fair value for goodwill impairment testing was estimated using the expected present value of future cash flows, using judgments and assumptions that management believes were appropriate in the circumstances. The future cash flows from operations were determined by considering the charter revenues from existing time charters for the fixed fleet days and an estimated daily time charter equivalent for the unfixed days (based on a combination of Seanergy's remaining charter agreement rates, 2-year forward freight agreements and the most recent 10-year average historical 1 year time charter rates available for each type of vessel) assuming an average annual inflation rate of 2%. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) used was 8%. As a result, we recorded an impairment charge related to goodwill of $44,795,000 in 2008 as compared to no impairment charges in fiscal 2007 because we did not complete the business combination until 2008.
Vessels' Impairment Loss — We evaluate the carrying amounts of vessels and related dry-dock and special survey costs and periods over which long-lived assets are depreciated to determine if events have occurred which would require modification to their carrying values or useful lives. In evaluating useful lives and carrying values of long-lived assets, we review certain indicators of potential impairment, such as undiscounted projected operating cash flows, vessel sales and purchases, business plans and overall market conditions. The current economic and market conditions, including the significant disruptions in the global credit markets, are having broad effects on participants in a wide variety of industries. Since September 2008, the charter rates in the dry bulk charter market have declined significantly, and dry bulk vessel values have also declined. We determine undiscounted projected net operating cash flows for each vessel and compare it to the vessel's carrying value. The projected net operating cash flows are determined by considering the charter revenues from existing time charters for the fixed fleet days and an estimated daily time charter equivalent for the unfixed days (based on a combination of our remaining charter agreement rates, two-year forward freight agreements and the most recent 10-year average historical 1 year time charter rates available for each type of vessel) over the remaining economic life of each vessel, net of brokerage and address commissions, expected outflows for scheduled vessels' maintenance, and vessel operating expenses assuming an average annual inflation rate of 2%. Fleet utilization is assumed at 98.6% in our exercise, taking into account each vessel's off hire days based on other companies operating in the dry bulk industry and our historical performance.
A discount factor of 4.5% per annum, representing our incremental borrowing rate, was applied to the undiscounted projected net operating cash flows directly associated with and expected to arise as a direct result of the use and eventual disposition of the vessel, but only in the case where they were lower than the carrying value of vessels. This resulted in an impairment loss of $4,530,000 for fiscal 2008. There was no impairment loss in 2007 because we did not acquire our vessels until 2008.
Interest and Finance Costs — The significant increase in interest and finance costs of $4,077,000 in 2008 as compared to $58,000 in 2007 is primarily attributable to our revolving credit and term facilities, which we obtained in order to fund our business combination and vessel purchase and for working capital purposes. More specifically, interest expense related to the revolving credit facility amounted to $799,000 and interest on our term facility amounted to $2,768,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. In 2008, our interest expense primarily related to four months of operations since we drew down our credit facilities on August 28, 2008, and obtained our term loans in August and September 2008, respectively. Fees incurred for obtaining new loans, including related legal and other professional fees, are deferred and amortized using the effective interest method over the life of the related debt.
Interest Income — Money Market Funds — For the year ended December 31, 2008, we earned interest on our money market funds of $3,361,000 as compared to $1,948,000 for the year ended December 31, 2007. The increase in interest income of 72.5% is because we obtained our trust funds from our initial public offering on September 28, 2007 and therefore interest was earned for approximately three months in 2007 as compared to approximately eight months in 2008.
Net (Loss)/Income — We incurred a net loss of $31,985,000 in 2008 as compared to a profit of $1,445,000 in 2007. The increase in our loss is a result of our vessel operations commencing on August 28, 2008, income of $18,095,000 set off by goodwill and vessel impairment charges of $44,795,000 and $4,530,000, respectively, and set off by increased interest and finance costs, which resulted in $755,000 net finance expense in 2008 as compared to $1,890,000 net finance income in 2007.
Year Ended December 31, 2007 and the period from August 15, 2006 (Inception) to December 31, 2006
For the year ended December 31, 2007, we had a net income of $1,445,000. The net income consisted of $1,948,000 of interest income offset by operating expenses of $445,000 and interest expenses of $58,000 ($45,000 related to the underwriter and $13,000 related to shareholders). Operating expenses of $445,000 consisted of consulting and professional fees of $357,000, rent and office services expense of $22,000, insurance expense of $25,000, investor relations expense of $33,000, and other operating costs of $8,000.
For the period from August 15, 2006 (Inception) to December 31, 2006, we had a net loss of $4,372,000. The net loss consisted of $1,028,000 of interest income offset by interest expense of $824,000, accounting fees of $1,000,000, organization expenses of $3,450,000 and other operating expenses of $126,000.
B. Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our principal source of funds is our operating cash flows, and our revolving credit and term facilities. Our principal use of funds has primarily been capital expenditures to establish our fleet, close our business combination, maintain the quality of our dry bulk carriers, comply with international shipping standards and environmental laws and regulations, fund working capital requirements, and make principal repayments on our outstanding loan facilities.
We believe that our current cash balance and our operating cash flow will be sufficient to meet our current liquidity needs, although the dry bulk charter market has sharply declined since September 2008 and our results of operations may be adversely affected if market conditions do not improve. We expect to rely upon operating cash flow to meet our liquidity requirements going forward.
We are currently able to meet our working capital needs and debt obligations. The decline in charter rates should not affect our revenue as we have the charters locked in for 11 to 13 and 22 to 26 month periods including the BET and MCS vessels, with our longest charter expiring in February 2014. Time charters cover 93% of 2010 ownership days and 59% of 2011 ownership days. For the calculation of contract coverage, we are
using the latest expiration date of our vessels' time charters. In addition, we have not reflected the effect of any future vessel acquisitions. As a result, our actual vessel revenues may differ from anticipated amounts.
We will make use of our cash flows not committed to the repayment of the term loan and revolving facility mentioned above to meet our financial obligations. Accordingly, unless we are able to raise additional capital in other ways, such as through a rights offering or private placement or if our warrants are exercised, our ability to pursue acquisition opportunities will be limited by the proceeds of the equity offering we completed in February 2010. We cannot provide assurances that the warrants will be exercised, or if exercised, the quantity which will be exercised or the period in which they will be exercised. Exercise of the warrants is not likely considering current market prices.
Furthermore, our revolving credit facility is tied to the market value of the vessels and not to the prevailing (spot) market rates. For example, our existing term and revolving credit facilities require that the aggregate market value of the vessels and the value of any additional security must be at least 135% of the aggregate of the outstanding debt financing and any amount available for drawing under the revolving facility less the aggregate amount of all deposits maintained. If the percentage is below 135% then a prepayment of the loans may be required or additional security may be requested. A waiver from Marfin has been received with respect to this covenant through January 3, 2012.
Under the BET loan agreement, the BET subsidiaries are subject to operating and financial covenants that may affect BET's business. These restrictions may, subject to certain exceptions, limit the BET subsidiaries' ability to engage in many of its activities. Furthermore, the BET subsidiaries must assure the lenders that the aggregate market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount of the BET loan. If the market value of the vessels is less than this amount, the BET subsidiaries may at the request of the lender prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lenders. On September 30, 2009, BET entered into a supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC (see "Credit Facilities" below for further details).
We intend to continue to expand our fleet in the future. Growth will depend on locating and acquiring suitable vessels, identifying and consummating acquisitions or joint ventures, enhancing our customer base, obtaining required financing (debt or equity or a combination of both), and obtaining favorable terms in all cases.
In February 2009, our vessel African Zebra entered its scheduled dry-docking, which was completed on July 20, 2009. The delay was due to labor strikes in the repairing yard and other unforeseen events. The cost for this dry-dock was $3.2 million. On May 17, 2009, our vessel Hamburg Max commenced its scheduled dry-docking, which was completed on June 23, 2009 at a cost of $1.1 million. The BET Scouter's scheduled drydocking, which commenced on March 26, 2010, was completed on May 17, 2010. The total cost of the BET Scouter's drydocking amounted to $1.5 million. On May 14, 2010, the BET Prince commenced its scheduled drydocking, which was completed on June 28, 2010. The cost of the BET Prince's drydocking amounted to $1.0 million. BET Commander commenced its scheduled dry-docking in August 2009, which was completed in October 2009 at a cost of $2.7 million.
Two or our vessels are scheduled for dry-docking in 2010, namely the BET Fighter and the Clipper Grace in September and October 2010, respectively. The dry-docking costs related to 2010 and 2011 are estimated to be $2.1 million and $8.15 million, respectively. We plan to pay these costs with cash from operations.
Our short-term liquidity requirements relate to servicing our debt (including principal payments on our term loan), payment of operating costs, dry-docking costs of three vessels, funding working capital requirements and maintaining cash reserves against fluctuations in operating cash flows. Sources of short-term liquidity are primarily our revenues earned from our charters.
Our medium and long term liquidity requirements include repayment of long-term debt balances, debt interest payments and dry-docking costs. As of June 30, 2010, we had outstanding borrowings of $174,095,000 due to Marfin. We have drawn down $54,845,000 of our revolving credit facility. On August 28, 2010, the revolving facility was reduced to $60,000,000. This reduction will be followed by four consecutive annual reductions
of $12,000,000 and any outstanding balance will be fully repaid together with the balloon payment of the term loan. In the first six months of 2010, we made principal repayments on our Marfin term facility amounting to $10,500,000.
BET financed the acquisition of its vessels with the proceeds of a loan from Citibank International PLC, as agent for a syndicate of banks and financial institutions. The outstanding principal amount as of June 30, 2010 was $108,843,000. The loan is repayable in semi-annual installments of principal in the amount of $8,286,500 followed by a balloon payment due on maturity on June 30, 2015 in the amount of $43,668,000, as these installment amounts were revised after the BET Performer sale. Following BET's supplemental agreement dated September 30, 2009 and prepayment of $20 million the semi-annual installments of principal and the balloon payment amounted to $7,128,158 and $37,563,000, respectively.
MCS financed the acquisition of its vessels with the proceeds from three loan facilities with DVB, HSBC and UOB. The loan facility with DVB, as agent, comprised four loans and was used to finance a part of the cost of the acquisition of four vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans are repayable in thirty two quarterly installments, out of which the first four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.9 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.5 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.3 million each and the final twenty principal installments equal to an aggregate of $2.1 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $24.3 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 20, 2010 and prepayment of $7.4 million, no further principal installments are due until the second quarter of 2011, at which point $6.2 million will be paid. The next eight quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.1 million each, the next seven will be equal to an aggregate amount of $1.6 million each, the next quarterly installment will be equal to $1.6 million along with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $12.2 million, and the final quarterly installment will be equal to $0.5 million and a balloon payment amount of $6.1 million. The applicable margin before the supplemental agreement was USD LIBOR plus 1.10% per annum on the senior loan and USD LIBOR plus 2.85% per annum on the junior loan. The applicable margin following the supplemental agreement is USD LIBOR plus 2.10% per annum on the senior loan and USD LIBOR plus 4.90% per annum on the junior loan.
The second loan facility with HSBC, as agent, comprised two loans and was used to finance part of the cost of acquisition of two vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 65% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans were originally repayable in thirty two quarterly installments out of which the first sixteen principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.6 million each, the seventeenth through the thirty-second principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $1.2 million each, with the balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $5.3 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 21, 2010 and prepayment of $7.6 million, the remaining loan repayment period has been shortened to fourteen quarterly installments. Nine of the remaining fourteen quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.6 million each, the final five quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $1.2 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $11.1 million due concurrently with the final principal installment. The applicable margin to the later of July 21, 2011 and the date of compliance with the security requirement covenant is USD LIBOR plus 3.25% per annum and thereafter is USD LIBOR plus 2.75% per annum unless there is breach of the compliance of the security requirement or there is an event of default under the loan agreement.
The third loan facility with UOB comprised three loans used to finance part of the cost of the acquisition of three vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans are repayable in thirty two quarterly installments, out of which the first four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.3 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal an aggregate of $2.1 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $1.9 million each and the final twenty principal installments equal to an aggregate of $1.7 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $14.9 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 24, 2010, $10.0 million was converted into subordinated debt, $13.1 million was prepaid from the original loans, and the remaining loan amounts are repayable in twenty five quarterly installments, out of which one quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million, twenty two quarterly installments of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.7 million each, one quarterly installment of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.9 million concurrently with balloon payments
amounting to an aggregate of $11.1 million, and a final quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million concurrently with a balloon payment of $5.7 million. The applicable margin prior to the voluntary prepayment was USD LIBOR plus (i) 1.40% per annum if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 70%, (ii) 1.25% if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 60% but less than 70%, or (iii) 1.10% if the loan-to-value ratio was less than 60%. The applicable margin following the voluntary prepayment is USD LIBOR plus 2.50% per annum in relation to the senior loan and USD LIBOR plus 3.50% per annum in relation to the subordinated loan.
In the following 12 months ending June 30, 2011, we have principal repayments due of $14,850,000 and $14,256,317, $6,243,739, $10,422,360 and $2,812,500 on the Marfin, BET, DVB, HSBC and UOB loans, respectively.
As of June 30, 2010, we had available cash reserves of $81,094,312, which is shown as cash and cash equivalents. These amounts are not restricted.
Between January 1, 2008 and July 2008, we paid dividends amounting to $4,254,000 to our public shareholders. We currently have suspended the payment of dividends pursuant to the waiver received from Marfin and dividends will not be declared without the prior written consent of Marfin.
On January 28, 2010, we priced a public offering of 20,833,333 shares of common stock. We have granted the representatives of the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,125,000 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments. The shares were offered to the public at $1.20 per share. Four of our major shareholders affiliated with the Restis family purchased an additional 4,166,667 shares of common stock directly from the Company at the public offering price. The offering and the concurrent sale of 4,166,667 shares to entities affiliated with the Restis family settled and closed on February 3, 2010. The net proceeds were approximately $28 million. On March 19, 2010 the underwriters exercised the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1,945,000 shares of our common stock, which resulted in additional net proceeds to us of approximately $2.1 million. We plan to use the proceeds from offering to acquire one or more vessels. If we are unable to identify suitable vessels for acquisition or if we identify suitable vessels but are unable to acquire them for any reason, we may continue to search for suitable vessels or use some or all of the proceeds for other general corporate purposes.
Derivatives
Interest swap agreements: Through the BET and MCS acquisitions, we have seven interest swap agreements as of June 30, 2010. The agreements have the following characteristics: (i) From September 28, 2007 for a period of five years through September 28, 2012, for a total notional principal amount of $30,000,000. Under the provisions of the agreement the company pays a fixed rate of 4.84% and receives the six month USD LIBOR semiannually, (ii) From January 25, 2008 for a period of five years through January 25, 2013, for a total notional principal amount of $50,000,000. Under the provisions of the agreement the company pays a fixed rate of 3.13% and receives the six month USD LIBOR semiannually, (iii) From March 10, 2008 for a period of three years through March 10 2011, for a total notional principal amount of $50,000,000. Under the provisions of the agreement the company pays a fixed rate of 2.96% on a semiannual basis and receives the three month USD LIBOR quarterly, (iv) From October 26, 2007 for a period of three years through October 24, 2010, for a total notional principal amount of $24,192,000. Under the provisions of the agreement the company pays a fixed rate of 4.68% and receives the three month USD LIBOR quarterly, (v) From October 26, 2007 for a period of five years through October 24, 2012, for a total notional principal amount of $24,927,000. Under the provisions of the agreement the company pays a fixed rate of 4.80% and receives the three month USD LIBOR quarterly, (vi) From January 18, 2008 for a period of three years through January 17, 2011, for a total notional principal amount of $24,927,000. Under the provisions of the agreement the company pays a fixed rate of 3.2925% and receives the three month USD LIBOR quarterly, and (vii) From June 10, 2008 for a period of five years through June 10, 2013, for a total notional principal amount of $25,775,400. Under the provisions of the agreement the company pays a fixed rate of 3.96% and receives the three month USD LIBOR quarterly. As of June 30, 2010, the market value of the interest swaps was a liability of $10.6 million.
Cash Flows
Six months ended June 30, 2010, as compared to six months ended June 30, 2009
Operating Activities: Net cash from operating activities totaled $16,389,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $34,500,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2010. This decrease is due to the fact that (i) we had lower charter rates and higher operating expenses for the six month period ended June 30, 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009, (ii) we had increased interest expense of approximately $2,000,000 in 2010 due to additional loans resulting from the business acquisitions of BET and MCS and (iii) incurred loss on financial instruments in 2010, whereas we did not have financial instruments in 2009.
Investing Activities: Net cash provided by investing activities totaled $17,882,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to net cash used in investing activities of $21,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009. This is primarily a result of the cash assumed as part of the acquisition of MCS in 2010.
Financing Activities: Net cash used in financing activities totaled $26,980,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, as compared to net cash used in financing activities of $15,00,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009. The increase is mainly due to the increased repayment of long-term debt due to additional loans from MCS and BET offset by the proceeds from the issuance of our common stock of $28,526,000.
Year ended December 31, 2009 as compared to year ended December 31, 2008
Operating Activities: Net cash from operating activities totaled $43,208,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $25,700,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. This increase is due to the fact that (i) we were operational for the entire year during 2009, whereas in 2008 we were operational after the business combination was consummated on August 28, 2008, and (ii) our fleet increased by an additional five vessels in August 2009 as a result of the BET acquisition, resulting in additional depreciation expenses..
Net cash from operating activities totaled $25,700,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to $1,585,000 for the year ended December 31, 2007. This increase primarily reflected our revenue from time charters, which commenced on August 28, 2008 for three vessels and in September 2008 for the remaining three vessels, and the related vessel operating expenses.
Investing Activities: Net cash provided by investing activities totaled $36,353,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to net cash used in investing activities of $142,919,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. This is primarily a result of the completion of our August 2008 business combination.
Net cash used in investing activities decreased to $142,919,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008, as compared to $232,923,000 for the year ended December 31, 2007. This decrease is primarily a result of the use of $375,883,000 in connection with the consummation of our business combination, which was offset by using the funds held in trust of $232,923,000.
Financing Activities: Net cash used in financing activities totaled $43,497,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, as compared to net cash provided by financing activities of $142,551,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. In 2009, cash was used for the repayment of long-term debt as compared to 2008, during which we received proceeds from borrowings to finance our business combination and cash used for dividend payments and redemption of shares.
Net cash provided by financing activities totaled $142,551,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008, as compared to $233,193,000 for the year ended December 31, 2007. In 2008, cash was provided from the proceeds of our revolving credit and term facilities in the amount of $219,845,000 and from warrant exercises in the amount of $858,000, which was offset by the payment of $63,705,000 relating to the redemption of common shares in connection with the closing of our business combination, principal loan repayments of $7,500,000, debt issuance costs of $2,693,000 and dividends paid of $4,254,000.
Credit Facilities
Marfin Revolving Credit Facility
As of June 30, 2010, we had utilized $54,845,000 of the amount available under our revolving credit facility, which is equal to the lesser of $72,000,000 and an amount in dollars which when aggregated with the amounts already drawn down under the term facility does not exceed 70% of the aggregate market values of the vessels and other securities held in favor of the lender for the business combination and working capital purposes.
The revolving credit facility bore interest at LIBOR plus 2.25% per annum. As per the amended loan agreements and the addenda to the loan agreement dated September 9, 2009 and November 13, 2009, the revolving facility bore interest of LIBOR plus 3.50% until January 1, 2011. As per an addenda to the loan agreement dated June 2, 2010, the revolving facility bears interest of LIBOR plus 4.00% until January 3, 2012. After January 3, 2012, interest is reinstated at LIBOR plus 2.25% per annum. A commitment fee of 0.25% per annum is calculated on the daily aggregate un-drawn balance and un-cancelled amount of the revolving credit facility, payable quarterly in arrears from the date of the signing of the loan agreements.
The revolving facility is subject to five consecutive annual reductions of $12,000,000 and any outstanding balance must be fully repaid together with the balloon payment of the term loan.
Marfin Term Facility and Addenda
The initial vessel acquisition was financed with an amortizing term loan from Marfin equal to $165,000,000, representing 42% of the vessels' aggregate acquisition costs, excluding any amounts associated with the earn-out provision. The amount outstanding as of June 30, 2010, amounted to $119,250,000.
The loan is repayable commencing three months from the last drawdown, or March 31, 2009, whichever is earlier, through twenty-eight consecutive quarterly principal installments, of which the first four principal installments will be equal to $7,500,000 each, the next four principal installments will be equal to $5,250,000 each and the final twenty principal installments will be equal to $3,200,000 each, with a balloon payment equal to $50,000,000 due concurrently with the twenty-eighth principal installment. On September 9, 2009, we executed addendum no. 1 to the loan agreement. In connection with the amendment, Marfin accelerated the due date of installment no. 5 to September 25, 2009 and of installment nos. 6 and 7 to January 4, 2010.
The loan bore interest at an annual rate of 3 month-LIBOR plus 1.5%, if our ratio of total assets to total liabilities was greater than 165%, which was increased to 1.75% if the ratio is equal or less than 165%. As per the amended loan agreements dated September 9, 2009 and November 13, 2009, respectively the term facility bears interest at LIBOR plus 3.00% until January 1, 2011. As per addenda to the loan agreement, dated June 2, 2010, the term facility bears interest of LIBOR plus 3.50% until January 3, 2012. After January 3, 2012, interest is reinstated at 3 month-LIBOR plus 1.5%, if our ratio of total assets to total liabilities is greater than 165%, or 3 month-LIBOR plus 1.75% if the ratio is equal or less than 165%.
The term facility is secured by the following: a first priority mortgage on the vessels, on a joint and several basis; a first priority general assignment of any and all earnings, insurances and requisition compensation of the vessels and the respective notices and acknowledgements thereof; a first priority specific assignment of the benefit of all charters exceeding 12 calendar months duration and all demise charters in respect of the vessels and the respective notices and acknowledgements thereof to be effected in case of default or potential event of default to the absolute discretion of Marfin; assignments, pledges and charges over the earnings accounts held in the name of each borrower with the security trustee; undertakings by the technical and commercial managers of the vessels; and subordination agreement between Marfin and the holder of the Note. All of the aforementioned security will be on a full cross collateral basis.
The term facility includes covenants, among others, that require the borrowers and the corporate guarantor, to maintain vessel insurance for an aggregate amount greater than the vessels' aggregate market value or an amount equal to 130% of the aggregate of (a) the outstanding amount under both the revolving credit and term facilities and (b) the amount available for drawing under the revolving facility. The vessels' insurance is to
include as a minimum cover hull and machinery, war risk and protection and indemnity insurance, $1,000,000,000 for oil pollution and for excess oil spillage and pollution liability insurance. In relation to the protection and indemnity insurance, no risk should be excluded or the deductibles as provided by the P&I Association materially altered or increased to amounts exceeding $150,000 without the prior written consent of Marfin. In addition mortgagees' interest insurance on the vessels and the insured value must be at least 110% of the aggregate of the revolving credit and term facility.
In addition, if a vessel is sold or becomes a total loss or the mortgage on the vessel is discharged on its disposal, we are required to repay such part of the facilities as is equal to the higher of the amount related to such vessel or the amount necessary to maintain the security clause margin.
Other covenants include the following:
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not to borrow any money or permit such borrowings to continue other than by way of subordinated shareholders' loan or enter into any agreement for deferred terms, other than in any customary supplier's credit terms or any equipment lease or contract hire agreement other than in ordinary course of business;
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no loans, advances or investments in, any person, firm, corporation or joint venture or to any officer, director, shareholder or customer of any such person;
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not to assume, guarantee or otherwise undertake the liability of any person, firm, company;
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not to authorize any capital commitments;
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not to declare or pay dividends in any amount greater than 60% of the net cash flow of the Company and its subsidiaries, or the Group, as determined by the lender on the basis of the most recent annual audited financial statements provided, or repay any shareholder's loans or make any distributions in excess of the above amount without the lenders prior written consent (see below for terms of waiver obtained on December 31, 2008);
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not to change the Chief Executive Officer and/or Chairman of the corporate guarantor without the prior written consent of the lender;
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not to assign, transfer, sell or otherwise or dispose vessels or any of the property, assets or rights without prior written consent of the lender;
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to ensure that the members of the Restis and Koutsolioutsos families (or companies affiliated with them) own at all times an aggregate of at least 10% of the issued share capital of the corporate guarantor;
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no change of control in the corporate guarantor without the written consent of the lender;
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not to engage in any business other than the operation of the vessels without the prior written consent of the lender;
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not to violate the security margin clause, which provides that: the aggregate market values of the vessels and the value of any additional security shall not be less than (or at least) 135% of the aggregate of the outstanding amounts under the revolving credit and term facilities and any amount available for drawing under the revolving facility, less the aggregate amount of all deposits maintained. As of December 31, 2008, we would not have been in compliance with the security margin clause under the Marfin loan agreement had we not later obtained certain retroactive waivers from Marfin. During the first quarter of 2009, we obtained waivers from Marfin of our compliance with these various financial and other covenants, which waivers were effective as of December 31, 2008. These waivers expired in July 2009, when the first of our original charterers was replaced. On September 9, 2009, November 13, 2009 and June 2, 2010, we executed addenda no. 1, no. 2 and no. 3, respectively, to the loan agreement and obtained a waiver from Marfin through January 3, 2012. In connection with the amendment and waiver, Marfin made certain changes to our loan agreement including increasing the interest payable during the waiver period, accelerating the due dates of certain principal installments and limiting our ability to pay dividends without their prior consent. As a result of these waivers, we are not currently in default under our Marfin loan agreement.
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ensure that members of the Restis family and the family of our former chairman Mr. George Koutsolioutsos (or companies affiliated with them) together own at all times an aggregate of at least 10% of our issued share capital.
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Financial covenants include the following:
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ratio of financial indebtedness to earnings, before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) shall be less than 6.5:1 (financial indebtedness or net debt are defined is the sum of all outstanding debt facilities minus cash and cash equivalents). The covenant is to be tested quarterly on an LTM basis (the "last twelve months"). The calculation of the covenant is not applicable for the quarter ended December 31, 2008;
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the ratio of LTM EBITDA to net interest expense shall not be less than 2:1. The covenant is to be tested quarterly on a LTM basis. The calculation of the covenant is not applicable for the quarter ended December 31, 2008;
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the ratio of total liabilities to total assets shall not exceed 0.70:1;
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unrestricted cash deposits shall not be less than 2.5% of the financial indebtedness; and
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average quarterly unrestricted cash deposits, other than in favor of the lender, shall not be less than 5% of the financial indebtedness.
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The last three financial covenants listed above are to be tested on a quarterly basis, commencing on December 31, 2008 (where applicable). We were in compliance with our loan covenants as of June 30, 2010.
BET Loan Agreement and Supplemental Agreement
The six wholly-owned subsidiaries of BET financed the acquisition of their respective vessels with the proceeds of an amortizing loan from Citibank International PLC, as agent for the syndicate of banks and financial institutions set forth in the loan agreement, in the principal amount of $222,000,000. The loan agreement dated June 26, 2007 is guaranteed by BET. The BET subsidiaries drew down on agreed portions of the loan facility to acquire each of the original six vessels in the BET fleet. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loan bears interest at the annual rate of LIBOR plus 0.75%. As of June 30, 2010, the principal amount due under the BET loan was $108,843,000.
The loan is repayable commencing on December 28, 2007 through 15 equal semi-annual installments of principal in the amount of $8,286,500 followed by a balloon payment due six months thereafter in the amount of $43,668,000, as these installment amounts were revised after the BET Performer sale. Following BET's supplemental agreement dated September 30, 2009 and prepayment of $20 million, the semi-annual installments of principal and the balloon payment amount to $7,128,158 and $37,563,000, respectively. The borrowers are required to deposit one-sixth of the next principal payment in a retention account each month to fund each semi-annual principal payment. Interest in due and payable based on interest periods selected by BET equal to one month, two months, three months, six months, or a longer period up to 12 months. For interest periods longer than three months, interest is due in three-month installments.
The BET loan facility is secured by the following: the loan agreement, a letter agreement regarding payment of certain fees and expenses by BET; a first priority mortgage on each of the BET vessels; the BET guaranty of the loan; a general assignment or deed of covenant of any and all earnings, insurances and requisition compensation of each of the vessels; pledges over the earnings accounts and retention accounts held in the
name of each borrower; undertakings by the technical managers of the BET vessels; and the trust deed executed by Citibank for the benefit of the other lenders, among others.
The ship security documents include covenants, among others, that require the borrowers to maintain vessel insurance for an aggregate amount equal to the greater of the vessels' aggregate market value or an amount equal to 125% of the outstanding amount under the loan. The vessels' insurance is to include as a minimum cover fire and usual marine risks, war risk and protection and indemnity insurance, and $1,000,000,000 for oil pollution. In addition, the borrowers agree to reimburse the mortgagee for mortgagees' interest insurance on the vessels in an amount of up to 110% of the outstanding amount under the loan.
In addition, if a vessel is sold or becomes a total loss, BET is required to repay such part of the loan as is equal to the greater of the relevant amount for such vessel, or such amount as is necessary to maintain compliance with the minimum security covenant in the loan agreement. This covenant requires the borrowers to assure that the market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount under the loan. On July 10, 2008, BET, through its wholly owned subsidiary sold the BET Performer and paid an amount on the loan equal to $41,453,000, as required by the loan agreement.
The Borrowers also must assure that the aggregate market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount of the loan. If the market value of the vessels is less than this amount, the Borrowers must prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lender with a value sufficient to meet this requirement, which additional security must be acceptable to the lender. The value of the BET vessels shall be determined when requested by the lender, and such determination shall be made by any two of the lender's approved shipbrokers, one of which shall be nominated by the lender and one of which shall be nominated by the borrowers.
Other covenants include the following:
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Not to permit any lien to be created over all or any part of the borrowers' present or future undertakings, assets, rights or revenues to secure any present or future indebtedness;
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Not to merge or consolidate with any other person;
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Not to sell, transfer, dispose of or exercise direct control over any part of the borrowers' assets, rights or revenue without the consent of the lender;
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Not to undertake any business other than the ownership and operation of vessels and the chartering of vessels to third parties;
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Not to acquire any assets other than the BET vessels;
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Not to incur any obligations except under the loan agreement and related documents or contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
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Not to borrow money other than pursuant to the loan agreement, except that the borrowers may borrow money from their shareholders or directors or their related companies as long as such borrowings are subordinate to amounts due under the loan agreement;
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Not to guarantee, indemnify or become contingently liable for the obligations of another person or entity except pursuant to the loan agreement and related documents, except, in general, for certain guarantees that arise in the ordinary course of business;
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Not to make any loans or grant any credit to any person, except that the borrowers make loans to BET or the borrowers' related companies as long as they are made on an arm's length basis in the ordinary course of business and are fully subordinated to the rights of the lender;
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Not to redeem their own shares of stock;
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Not to permit any change in the legal or beneficial ownership of any of the borrowers or BET or cause any change in the shareholders' agreement or constitutional documents related to BET; and
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Not to enter into any related party transactions except on an arm's length basis and for full value.
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On September 30, 2009, BET entered into a supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC (as agent for the syndicate of banks and financial institutions set forth in the loan agreement) in connection with the $222,000,000 loan obtained by the six wholly owned subsidiaries of BET, which financed the acquisition of their respective vessels. The material terms of the supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC are as follow:
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the applicable margin for the period between July 1, 2009 and ending on June 30, 2010 (the amendment period) shall be increased to two per cent (2%) per annum and for the period commencing on 1 July 2010 and at all other times thereafter, zero point seven five per cent (0.75%) per annum;
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the borrowers shall pay a part of the loan in the amount of $20,000,000; and
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the borrowers and the corporate guarantor have requested and the creditors consented to:
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the temporary reduction of the security requirement during the amendment period from 125% to 100% and following the expiration of the amendment period the security requirement is 125%; and
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the temporary reduction of the minimum equity ratio requirement of the principal corporate guarantee to be amended from 0.30: 1.0 to 0.175:1.0 during the amendment period at the end of the accounting periods ending on December 31, 2009 and June 30, 2010 and following the expiration of the amendment period the minimum equity ratio requirement of the principal corporate guarantee is 0.30:1.0.
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Additionally, the Restis family (or companies affiliated with the Restis family) must be the beneficial owners of at least 50.1% of BET's issued share capital (or any lower percentage not less than 40% resulting solely from a rights issue or increase of our issued share capital) and must also be the beneficial owners of the remaining 50% of BET's issued shares that we do not own. Failure to satisfy this condition would constitute an event of default under the BET loan agreement.
Pursuant to a supplemental agreement dated August 4, 2010 with Citibank, BET has undertaken to maintain a minimum amount of no less than $7.5 million in the BET account with Citibank.
MCS DVB loan facility
The loan facility with DVB, as agent, comprised four loans and was used to finance a part of the cost of the acquisition of four vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans are repayable in thirty two quarterly installments, out of which the first four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.9 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.5 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.3 million each and the final twenty principal installments equal to an aggregate of $2.1 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $24.3 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 20, 2010 and prepayment of $7.4 million, no further principal installments are due until the second quarter of 2011, at which point $6.2 million will be paid. The next eight quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.1 million each, the next seven will be equal to an aggregate amount of $1.6 million each, the next quarterly installment will be equal to $1.6 million along with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $12.2 million, and the final quarterly installment will be equal to $0.5 million and a balloon payment amount of $6.1 million. The applicable margin before the supplemental agreement was USD LIBOR plus 1.10% per annum on the senior loan and USD LIBOR plus 2.85% per annum on the junior loan. The applicable margin following the supplemental agreement is USD LIBOR plus 2.10% per annum on the senior loan and USD LIBOR plus 4.90% per annum on the junior loan. The amount outstanding as of June 30, 2010, amounted to $54,640,743.
MCS HSBC loan facility
The loan facility with HSBC, as agent, comprised two loans and was used to finance part of the cost of acquisition of two vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 65% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans were originally repayable in thirty two quarterly installments out of which the first sixteen principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.6 million each, the seventeenth through the thirty-second principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $1.2 million each, with the balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $5.3 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 21, 2010 and prepayment of $7.6 million, the remaining loan repayment period has been shortened to fourteen quarterly installments. Nine of the remaining fourteen quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.6 million each, the final five quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $1.2 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $11.1 million due concurrently with the final principal installments. The applicable margin to the later of July 21, 2011 and the date of compliance with the security requirement covenant is USD LIBOR plus 3.25% per annum and thereafter is USD LIBOR plus 2.75% per annum unless there is breach of the compliance of the security requirement or there is an event of default under the loan agreement. The amount outstanding as of June 30, 2010, amounted to $40,500,870.
MCS UOB loan facility
The loan facility with UOB comprised three loans used to finance part of the cost of the acquisition of three vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans are repayable in thirty two quarterly installments, out of which the first four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.3 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal an aggregate of $2.1 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $1.9 million each and the final twenty principal installments equal to an aggregate of $1.7 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $14.9 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 24, 2010, $10.0 million was converted into subordinated debt, $13.1 million was prepaid from the original loans, and the remaining loan amounts are repayable in twenty five quarterly installments, out of which one quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million, twenty two quarterly installments of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.7 million each, one quarterly installment of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.9 million concurrently with balloon payments amounting to an aggregate of $11.1 million, and a final quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million concurrently with a balloon payment of $5.7 million. The applicable margin prior to the voluntary prepayment was USD LIBOR plus (i) 1.40% per annum if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 70%, (ii) 1.25% if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 60% but less than 70%, or (iii) 1.10% if the loan-to-value ratio was less than 60%. The applicable margin following the voluntary prepayment is USD LIBOR plus 2.50% per annum in relation to the senior loan and USD LIBOR plus 3.50% per annum in relation to the subordinated loan. The amount outstanding as of June 30, 2010, amounted to $43,501,736.
Promissory Note
As of June 30, 2009, we had the Note, a convertible unsecured promissory note, issued to certain Restis affiliate shareholders amounting in aggregate to $28.25 million (face value). The Note accrued interest at a rate of 2.9% per annum and matured in May 2010. The Note was initially convertible into common stock at the option of the holders at a conversion price of $12.50 per share. On August 19, 2009, we amended the Note to reduce the conversion price to the average closing price of our common stock for the five trading days commencing on the effective date of the amendment, which amounted to $4.45598 per share. As a condition to such amendment, the holders agreed to convert their Note at the time of the amendment. Upon conversion, the holders received 6,585,868 shares of our common stock and the Note was extinguished.
Debt Repayment and Terms
The annual principal payments on the Marfin term facility, the Marfin reducing revolving credit facility, the BET loan facility, the MCS UOB loan facility, the MCS HSBC loan facility and MCS DVB loan facility required to be made after June 30, 2010, is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reducing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Term
|
|
Revolving Credit
|
|
BET Loan
|
|
MCS
|
|
MCS
|
|
MCS
|
|
|
|
|
|
Facility
|
|
Facility
|
|
Facility
|
|
DVB
|
|
HSBC
|
|
UOB
|
|
Total
|
|
July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011
|
|
14,850
|
|
-
|
|
14,256
|
|
6,244
|
|
10,422
|
|
2,813
|
|
48,585
|
|
July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012
|
|
12,800
|
|
6,845
|
|
14,256
|
|
4,163
|
|
10,422
|
|
2,813
|
|
51,299
|
|
July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013
|
|
12,800
|
|
12,000
|
|
14,256
|
|
8,325
|
|
6,226
|
|
2,813
|
|
56,420
|
|
July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014
|
|
12,800
|
|
12,000
|
|
14,256
|
|
7,357
|
|
13,431
|
|
2,813
|
|
62,657
|
|
July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015
|
|
12,800
|
|
12,000
|
|
14,256
|
|
6,338
|
|
-
|
|
2,813
|
|
48,207
|
|
Thereafter
|
|
53,200
|
|
12,000
|
|
37,563
|
|
22,214
|
|
-
|
|
19,437
|
|
144,414
|
|
|
|
119,250
|
|
54,845
|
|
108,843
|
|
54,641
|
|
40,501
|
|
33,502
|
|
411,582
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In addition to the above annual principal payments required to be made after June 30, 2010, an amount of $13.8 million of the UOB loan facility was transferred to a subordinated loan during 2010 pursuant to the supplemental agreement with UOB dated May 24, 2010, out of which $3.8 million was prepaid on June 30, 2010. The remaining $10.0 million is classified to non-current portion and is repayable up to the final balloon payment date of the original UOB loan facility.
Capital Requirements
Our capital expenditures have thus far related solely to the purchase of our six vessels included in our business combination and the routine dry-docking of our vessels. We funded the business combination through our trust fund proceeds, our revolving credit and term facilities and the Note.
In addition, the following table summarizes our next anticipated dry-docks:
|
|
Next Scheduled
|
|
Estimated
|
Vessel
|
|
Drydock
|
|
Cost
|
African Oryx
|
|
January 2011
|
|
$900,000
|
African Zebra
|
|
February 2011
|
|
$1,000,000
|
Bremen Max
|
|
June 2011
|
|
$1,000,000
|
Hamburg Max
|
|
June 2012
|
|
$1,000,000
|
Davakis G.
|
|
May 2011
|
|
$500,000
|
Delos Ranger
|
|
August 2011
|
|
$500,000
|
BET Commander(1)
|
|
August 2011
|
|
$1,200,000
|
BET Fighter (1)
|
|
September 2011
|
|
$1,200,000
|
BET Prince(1)
|
|
June 2013
|
|
$1,200,000
|
BET Scouter(1)
|
|
May 2013
|
|
$1,200,000
|
BET Intruder(1)
|
|
March 2011
|
|
$1,000,000
|
African Joy
|
|
August 2011
|
|
$1,150,000
|
African Glory
|
|
June 2011
|
|
$900,000
|
Asian Grace
|
|
May 2012
|
|
$900,000
|
Clipper Glory
|
|
Jan. 2012
|
|
$900,000
|
Clipper Grace
|
|
Oct. 2010
|
|
$900,000
|
(1) Vessels owned by BET.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures of Market Risk
Interest rate risk
We are subject to interest-rate risk relating to the floating-rate interest on our revolving credit facility and on our term facility with Marfin as well as on our BET and MCS loans. These facilities bear interest at LIBOR plus a spread. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the weighted average interest rate was 3.840% and 3.338% for revolving facility and term facility with Marfin respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the
weighted average interest rate on the BET loan was 2.273%. For the period from May 21, 2010 to June 30, 2010, the weighted average interest rate for the MCS facilities with DVB, HSBC and UOB were 3.001%, 3.315% and 3.180%, respectively. A 1% increase in LIBOR would have resulted in an increase in interest expense for the six months ended June 30, 2010 of approximately $0.6 million and $0.6 million on the Marfin term loan and on the BET loan, respectively. The resulted increase in interest expense on the Marfin revolving loan for the six months ended June 30, 2010 of a 1% increase in LIBOR would be $0.3 million. A 1% increase in LIBOR would have resulted in an increase in interest expense for the period from May 21, 2010 to June 30, 2010 of approximately $0.1 million, $0.1 million and $0.1 million on the MCS facilities with DVB, HSBC and UOB, respectively.
Currency and Exchange Rates
We generate all of our revenue in U.S. dollars. The majority of our operating expenses are in U.S. dollars except primarily for our management fees and our executive office rental expenses which are denominated in Euros. This difference could lead to fluctuations in net income due to changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the Euro, but we do not expect such fluctuations to be material.
As of June 30, 2010, we had no open foreign currency exchange contracts.
Inflation
We do not consider inflation to be a significant risk to direct expenses in the current and foreseeable future.
Off-balance Sheet Arrangements
As of June 30, 2010, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments
The following tables summarize our contractual obligations as of June 30, 2010, based on the contractual terms of the arrangements as modified by a waiver received from one of our lenders and a supplemental agreement entered into with another of our lenders. Based on the waiver, the table does not reflect any potential acceleration due to non-compliance with covenant terms. The waiver expires on January 3, 2012.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual Obligations
|
|
Total
|
|
less than 1 year
|
|
1-3 years
|
|
3-5 years
|
|
more than 5 years
|
Long-term debt (1)
|
|
$ 411,582
|
|
$ 48,585
|
|
$ 107,719
|
|
$ 110,864
|
|
$ 144,414
|
Interest expense (2)
|
|
60,919
|
|
15,772
|
|
26,953
|
|
15,840
|
|
2,354
|
Property lease (3)
|
|
1,891
|
|
1,651
|
|
240
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
Total
|
|
$ 474,392
|
|
$ 66,008
|
|
$ 134,912
|
|
$ 126,704
|
|
$ 146,768
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
In addition to the above, an amount of $10.0 million of UOB subordinated loan is outstanding as of June 30, 2010, and is repayable up to the final balloon payment date of the original UOB loan facility.
|
2.
|
The original revolving credit facility bore interest at LIBOR plus 2.25% per annum. As per the amended loan agreements dated September 9, 2009 and November 13, 2009, the revolving credit facility bore interest at LIBOR plus 3.50% until January 1, 2011. As per addenda to the loan agreement dated June 2, 2010, the revolving facility bears interest of LIBOR plus 4.00% until January 3, 2012. After January 3, 2012, interest is reinstated at LIBOR plus 2.25% per annum. The term facility bears interest at an annual rate of 3 month-LIBOR plus 1.5%, if the Company's ratio of total assets to total liabilities is greater than 165%, which is to be increased to 1.75% if the ratio is equal or less than 165%. As part of the new waiver, the spread has been increased to 3.50% until expiration of the waiver period. The BET facility bears interest at a three-month LIBOR plus a spread of 0.75%. Pursuant to the supplemental agreement, the spread increased to 2% until July 1, 2010. In addition, the interest payments include the estimated net settlement of our interest rate swaps. The DVB facility bears interest before the supplemental agreement of LIBOR plus 1.10%
|
|
per annum on the senior loan and LIBOR plus 2.85% per annum on the junior loan and following the supplemental agreement of LIBOR plus 2.10% per annum on the senior loan and LIBOR plus 4.90% per annum on the junior loan. The HSBC facility bears interest from March 12, 2010 to the later of July 21, 2011 and the date of compliance with the security requirement covenant of LIBOR plus 3.25% per annum and thereafter of LIBOR plus 2.75% per annum unless there is breach of the compliance of the security requirement or there is an event of default under the loan agreement The UOB facility bears interest prior to the voluntary prepayment of LIBOR plus (i) 1.40% per annum if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 70%, (ii) 1.25% if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 60% but less than 70%, or (iii) 1.10% if the loan-to-value ratio was less than 60% and following the voluntary prepayment of LIBOR plus 2.50% per annum in relation to the senior loan and LIBOR plus 3.50% per annum in relation to the subordinated loan.
|
3.
|
The property lease reflects (i) our lease agreement with Waterfront for the lease of our executive offices. The initial lease term is for a period of three years with an option to extend for one more year. The lease payments are Euro 42,000 per month. The monthly payment due under the property lease in U.S. dollars has been computed by using a Euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate as of June 30, 2010, which was €1.00:$1.224 and taking into account an annual inflation of 1.2% and (ii) the MCS lease agreement for the office located in Hong Kong. The rent is $88,862 per month. The agreement expires on June 15, 2011.
|
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR
BULK ENERGY TRANSPORT (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
The following management's discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB, included elsewhere in this prospectus, of BET. This discussion relates to the operations and financial condition of BET including its wholly owned subsidiaries prior to the time we acquired a 50% interest in BET. We control BET through our right to appoint a majority of the BET board of directors. Although, BET charters the vessels it owns and earns revenue from charter hire, as it did prior to the time we purchased a controlling interest in BET, we have chartered some of the vessels to different charterers on different terms than existed prior to our acquisition of a controlling interest in BET. The pre-acquisition expense structure of BET was also different from ours, as BET, which was a joint venture between Constellation and an affiliate of the Restis family, did not employ any executive officers or staff except crew on board each of its vessels. Certain vessel-related fees, such as management fees, will also vary from the amount that was previously paid by BET. As a result, BET's financial statements and this discussion may not be indicative of what our historical results of operations would have been for the comparable periods had we owned a 50% interest in BET at that time. In addition, BET's results of operations and financial condition may not be indicative of what our results of operations and financial condition might be in the future.
This discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, such as those set forth in the section entitled "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this prospectus.
General
BET is a provider of worldwide ocean transportation services through the ownership of five dry bulk carriers. BET was incorporated in December 2006 under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, as a joint venture between Constellation and Mineral Transport.
The operations of BET's vessels were managed by EST, which is an affiliate of members of the Restis family and which manages our other vessels. Following our acquisition of a 50% interest in BET, EST is continuing to manage BET's vessels pursuant to a management agreement. EST provides BET with a wide range of shipping services. These services include, at a daily fee per vessel (payable monthly), the required technical management, such as managing day-to-day vessel operations including supervising the crewing, supplying, maintaining and dry-docking of the vessels. Constellation Energy Commodities Group Limited, a company affiliated with Constellation, provided commercial brokerage services to BET and earned fees in connection with the charter of the vessels prior to our acquisition of an interest in BET. Following our acquisition of a 50% interest in BET, Safbulk Maritime is providing these services to BET pursuant to a brokerage agreement.
The following table details the vessels owned by BET:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel Name
|
|
Dwt
|
|
Vessel Type
|
|
Built
|
|
Date of Delivery
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BET Commander
|
|
|
149,507
|
|
Capesize
|
|
|
1991
|
|
December 17, 2007
|
BET Scouter
|
|
|
171,175
|
|
Capesize
|
|
|
1995
|
|
July 23, 2007
|
BET Fighter
|
|
|
173,149
|
|
Capesize
|
|
|
1992
|
|
August 29, 2007
|
BET Intruder
|
|
|
69,235
|
|
Panamax
|
|
|
1993
|
|
March 20, 2008
|
BET Prince
|
|
|
163,554
|
|
Capesize
|
|
|
1995
|
|
January 7, 2008
|
Important Measures for Analyzing BET's Results of Operations
BET believes that the important non-GAAP/non-IFRS measures and definitions for analyzing its results of operations consist of the following:
|
·
|
Ownership days. Ownership days are the total number of calendar days in a period during which BET owned each vessel in its fleet. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of the fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses recorded during that period.
|
|
·
|
Available days. Available days are the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that a company's vessels are off-hire due to major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of ownership days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
|
|
·
|
Operating days. Operating days are the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
|
|
·
|
Fleet utilization. Fleet utilization is determined by dividing the number of operating days during a period by the number of ownership days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company's efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels and minimizing the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for any reason excluding scheduled repairs, vessel upgrades, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys.
|
|
·
|
Off-hire. The period a vessel is unable to perform the services for which it is required under a charter.
|
|
·
|
Time charter. A time charter is a contract for the use of a vessel for a specific period of time during which the charterer pays substantially all of the voyage expenses, including port costs, canal charges and fuel expenses. The vessel owner pays the vessel operating expenses, which include crew wages, insurance, technical maintenance costs, spares, stores and supplies and commissions on gross voyage revenues. Time charter rates are usually fixed during the term of the charter. Prevailing time charter rates do fluctuate on a seasonal and year-to-year basis and may be substantially higher or lower from a prior time charter agreement when the subject vessel is seeking to renew the time charter agreement with the existing charterer or enter into a new time charter agreement with another charterer. Fluctuations in time charter rates are influenced by changes in spot charter rates.
|
|
·
|
TCE. Time charter equivalent or TCE rates are defined as our time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our operating days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel oil and diesel oil) expenses, canal charges and commissions.
|
Revenues
BET's revenues were driven primarily by the number of vessels it operated, the number of operating days during which its vessels generated revenues, and the amount of daily charter hire that its vessels earned under charters. These, in turn, were affected by a number of factors, including the following:
|
·
|
The nature and duration of BET's charters;
|
|
·
|
The amount of time that BET's spent repositioning its vessels;
|
|
·
|
The amount of time that BET's vessels spent in dry-dock undergoing repairs;
|
|
·
|
Maintenance and upgrade work;
|
|
·
|
The age, condition and specifications of BET's vessels;
|
|
·
|
The levels of supply and demand in the dry bulk carrier transportation market; and
|
|
·
|
Other factors affecting charter rates for dry bulk carriers under voyage charters.
|
A voyage charter is generally a contract to carry a specific cargo from a load port to a discharge port for an agreed-upon total amount. Under voyage charters, voyage expenses such as port, canal and fuel costs are paid by the vessel owner. A time charter trip and a period time charter or period charter are generally contracts to charter a vessel for a fixed period of time at a set daily rate. Under time charters, the charterer pays voyage expenses. Under both types of charters, the vessel owners pay for vessel operating expenses, which include crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs. The vessel owners are also responsible for each vessel's dry-docking and intermediate and special survey costs.
Vessels operating on period time charters provide more predictable cash flows, but can yield lower profit margins than vessels operating in the spot charter market for single trips during periods characterized by favorable market conditions.
Vessels operating in the spot charter market generate revenues that are less predictable, but can yield increased profit margins during periods of improvements in dry bulk rates. Spot charters also expose vessel owners to the risk of declining dry bulk rates and rising fuel costs. BET's vessels were chartered on spot and period time charters during the six months ended June 30, 2009, and during fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2007.
A standard maritime industry performance measure is the "time charter equivalent" or "TCE." TCE revenues are voyage revenues minus voyage expenses divided by the number of operating days during the relevant time period. Voyage expenses primarily consist of port, canal and fuel costs that are unique to a particular voyage and that would otherwise be paid by a charterer under a time charter. Some companies in our industry believe that the daily TCE neutralizes the variability created by unique costs associated with particular voyages or the employment of dry bulk carriers on time charter or on the spot market and presents a more accurate representation of the revenues generated by dry bulk carriers. BET's average TCE rates for 2008 and 2007 were $32,604 and $13,622, respectively.
Vessel Operating Expenses
Vessel operating expenses include management fees, crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, the costs of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. Vessel operating expenses generally represent costs of a fixed nature. Some of these expenses are required, such as insurance costs and the cost of spares.
Depreciation
During the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2009, BET depreciated its vessels on a straight-line basis over their then remaining useful lives after considering the residual value of the vessels. The residual value for the six months ended June 30, 2009 was $265 per light weight tonnage and for fiscal 2008 was $500 per light weight tonnage and for fiscal year 2007 was $175 per light weight tonnage. The estimated useful lives as of June 30, 2009 were 25 years, based on an industry-wide accepted estimated useful life of 25 years from the original build dates of the vessels, for financial statement purposes. BET's total costs associated with dry-docking and special surveys were deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of between two to five years.
Seasonality
Coal, iron ore and grains, which are the major bulks of the dry bulk shipping industry, are somewhat seasonal in nature. The energy markets primarily affect the demand for coal, with increases during hot summer periods when air conditioning and refrigeration require more electricity and towards the end of the calendar year in anticipation of the forthcoming winter period. The demand for iron ore tends to decline in the summer months because many of the major steel users, such as automobile makers, reduce their level of production significantly during the summer holidays. Grains are completely seasonal as they are driven by the harvest within a climate zone. Because three of the five largest grain producers (the United States of America, Canada and the European Union) are located in the northern hemisphere and the other two (Argentina and Australia) are located in the southern hemisphere, harvests occur throughout the year and grains require dry bulk shipping accordingly.
Principal Factors Affecting BET's Business
The principal factors that affected BET's financial position, results of operations and cash flows included the following:
|
·
|
Number of vessels owned and operated;
|
|
·
|
Charter market rates and periods of charter hire;
|
|
·
|
Vessel operating expenses and voyage costs, which were incurred in both U.S. dollars and other currencies, primarily Euros;
|
|
·
|
Cost of dry-docking and special surveys;
|
|
·
|
Depreciation expenses, which were a function of the cost, any significant post-acquisition improvements, estimated useful lives and estimated residual scrap values of sellers' vessels;
|
|
·
|
Financing costs related to indebtedness associated with the vessels;
|
|
·
|
Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates; and
|
|
·
|
Impairment losses on vessels.
|
Performance Indicators
BET believes that the unaudited information provided below is important for measuring trends in its results of operations. The figures shown below are statistical ratios/non-GAAP/non-IFRS financial measures and definitions used by management to measure performance of the vessels. They are not included in financial statements prepared under IFRS.
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
|
Twelve Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
Fleet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average number of vessels(1)
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
5.3
|
|
|
|
1.1
|
|
Ownership days(2)
|
|
|
905
|
|
|
|
1,937
|
|
|
|
397
|
|
Available days(3)
|
|
|
905
|
|
|
|
1,937
|
|
|
|
397
|
|
Operating days(4)
|
|
|
892
|
|
|
|
1,811
|
|
|
|
392
|
|
Fleet utilization(5)
|
|
|
98.6
|
%
|
|
|
93.5
|
%
|
|
|
98.71
|
%
|
Average Daily Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average TCE rate(6)
|
|
|
16,768
|
|
|
|
32,604
|
|
|
|
13,622
|
|
Vessel operating expenses(7)
|
|
|
5,997
|
|
|
|
6,196
|
|
|
|
7,091
|
|
Management fees(8)
|
|
|
799
|
|
|
|
1,002
|
|
|
|
1,111
|
|
Total vessel operating expenses
|
|
|
6,796
|
|
|
|
7,198
|
|
|
|
8,202
|
|
(1)
|
|
Average number of vessels is the number of vessels that constituted BET's fleet for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was a part of BET's fleet during the relevant period divided by the number of calendar days in the relevant period.
|
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Ownership days are the total number of days in a period during which the vessels in a fleet have been owned. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of BET's fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses that BET recorded during a period.
|
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Available days are the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of ownership days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
|
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Operating days are the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
|
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that BET's vessels were generating revenue, and is determined by dividing operating days by ownership days for the relevant period.
|
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
Time charter equivalent, or TCE, rates are defined as the time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our operating days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel oil and diesel oil) expenses, canal charges and commissions.
|
(7)
|
|
Average daily vessel operating expenses, which includes crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs, are calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant time periods:
|
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
Daily management fees are calculated by dividing total management fees by ownership days for the relevant time period.
|
|
|
The following table is unaudited and includes information that is extracted directly from the financial statements, as well as other information used by BET for monitoring performance.
|
|
|
Six Months
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Twelve Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands except per diem amounts)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel revenues
|
|
|
17,481
|
|
|
|
61,027
|
|
|
|
5,362
|
|
Voyage expenses
|
|
|
2,524
|
|
|
|
1,981
|
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net operating revenues
|
|
|
14,957
|
|
|
|
59,046
|
|
|
|
5,340
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating days
|
|
|
892
|
|
|
|
1,811
|
|
|
|
392
|
|
Average TCE daily rate
|
|
|
16,768
|
|
|
|
32,604
|
|
|
|
13,622
|
|
|
|
Six Months
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Twelve Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands except per diem amounts)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel operating expenses
|
|
|
5,427
|
|
|
|
12,001
|
|
|
|
2,815
|
|
Ownership days
|
|
|
905
|
|
|
|
1,937
|
|
|
|
397
|
|
Daily vessel operating expense
|
|
|
5,997
|
|
|
|
6,196
|
|
|
|
7,091
|
|
Critical Accounting Policies
The discussion and analysis of BET's financial condition and results of operations is based upon its financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with IFRS. The preparation of those financial statements requires BET to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of its financial statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Critical accounting policies are those that reflect significant judgments or uncertainties, and potentially result in materially different results under different assumptions and conditions. BET has described below what it believes are the estimates and assumptions that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognized in its financial statements. These estimates and assumptions relate to useful lives of its vessels, valuation and impairment losses on vessels, and dry-docking costs because BET believes that the shipping industry is highly cyclical, experiencing volatility in profitability, vessel values and charter rates resulting from changes in the supply of and demand for shipping capacity. In addition, the dry bulk market is affected by the current international financial crisis which has slowed down world trade and caused drops in charter rates. The lack of financing, global steel production cuts and outstanding agreements between iron ore producers and Chinese industrial customers have temporarily brought the market to a stagnation.
Useful Lives of Vessels. BET evaluated the periods over which its vessels were depreciated to determine if events or changes in circumstances had occurred that would require modification to their useful lives. In evaluating the useful lives of its vessels, BET reviewed certain indicators of potential impairment, such as the age of the vessels. BET depreciated each of its vessels on a straight-line basis over its estimated useful life, which during the year ended December 31, 2008 was estimated to be 25 years. Depreciation was based on cost less the estimated residual scrap value. Furthermore, BET estimated the residual values of its vessels to be $265, $500 and $175 per lightweight ton in fiscal years 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. An increase in the useful life of a vessel or in the residual value would have the effect of decreasing the annual depreciation charge and extending it into later periods. A decrease in the useful life of the vessel or in the residual value would have the effect of increasing the annual depreciation charge. However, when regulations place limitations on the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, the vessel's useful life was adjusted to end at the date such regulations become effective.
Valuation of Vessels and Impairment. BET originally valued its vessels at cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Vessels were subsequently measured at fair value on an annual basis. Increases in an individual vessel's carrying amount as a result of the revaluation were recorded in recognized income and expense and accumulated in equity under the caption revaluation reserve. The increase was recorded in the statements of income to the extent that it reversed a revaluation decrease of the related asset. Decreases in an individual vessel's carrying amount were recorded in the statements of income as a separate line item. However, the decrease was recorded in recognized income and expense to the extent of any credit balance existing in the revaluation reserve in respect of the related asset. The decrease recorded in recognized income and expense reduced the amount accumulated in equity under the revaluation reserve. The fair value of a vessel was determined through market value appraisal, on the basis of a sale for prompt, charter-free delivery, for cash, on normal commercial terms, between willing sellers and willing buyers of a vessel with similar characteristics, without physical inspection of the vessel.
BET considers this to be a critical accounting policy because assessments need to be made due to the shipping industry being highly cyclical, experiencing volatility in profitability, vessel values and fluctuation in charter rates resulting from changes in the supply of and demand for shipping capacity. In the current time the dry bulk market is affected by the current international financial crisis which has slowed down world trade and caused drops in charter rates. The lack of financing, global steel production cuts and outstanding agreements between iron ore producers and Chinese industrial customers have temporarily brought the market to a stagnation.
To determine whether there was an indication of impairment, BET compared the recoverable amount of the vessel, which is the greater of the fair value less costs to sell or value in use. Fair value represents the market price of a vessel in an active market, and value in use is based on estimations on future undiscounted cash flows resulting from the use of each vessel less operating expenses and its eventual disposal. The assumptions to be used to determine the greater of the fair value or value in use required a considerable degree of estimation on the part of BET's management team. Actual results could differ from those estimates, which could have a material effect on the recoverability of the vessels.
The most significant assumptions used were: the determination of the possible future new charters, future charter rates, on-hire days which were estimated at levels that are consistent with the on-hire statistics, future market values, and time value of money. Estimates were based on market studies and appraisals made by leading independent shipping analysts and brokers, and assessment by management on the basis of market information, shipping newsletters, chartering and sale of comparable vessels reported in the press and historical charter rates for similar vessels.
An impairment loss was recognized if the carrying value of the vessel exceeded its estimated recoverable amount, as was the case between December 31, 2008 and August 12, 2009, the date we acquired a 50% interest in BET.
Dry-docking Costs. From time to time BET's vessels were required to be dry-docked for inspection and re-licensing at which time major repairs and maintenance that could not be performed while the vessels were in operation were generally performed (generally every 2.5 years). At the date of acquisition of a second hand vessel, management estimated the component of the cost that corresponds to the economic benefit to be derived from capitalized dry-docking cost, until the first scheduled dry-docking of the vessel under the ownership of BET, and this component was depreciated on a straight-line basis over the remaining period to the estimated dry-docking date.
Six months ended June 30, 2009 as compared to six months ended June 30, 2008
Vessel Revenues — Vessel revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2009 were $17,481,000, a decrease of $19,643,000, or 52.91%, from $37,124,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008. Revenues decreased primarily as a result of the substantial decrease in hire rates we earned over this period, and the decrease in average number of vessels operated, due to the sale of the M/V BET Performer on July 10, 2008.
Direct Voyage Expenses — Voyage expenses, which include bunker expenses, port expenses, tugs, commissions and fees, and agents and fees, totaled $2,524,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009, as compared to $1,880,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008, which represents an increase of 34.26%. This increase of $644,000 in direct voyage expenses primarily reflects the increase in voyage charters in 2009 compared to 2008.
Crew Costs — Crew costs were $2,346,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009, a decrease of $345,000, or 12.82%, over $2,691,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008. These expenses decreased in the six months ended June 30, 2009 primarily due to the decrease in the number of fleet operating days.
Management Fees — Related Party — Management fees — related party were $723,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009, a decrease of $277,000, or 27.7%, as compared to $1,000,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008. Management fees — related party decreased in the six months ended June 30, 2009 primarily due to the decrease in the number of fleet days.
Other Operating Expenses — Other operating expenses were $3,081,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009, a decrease of $594,000, or 16.16%, from $3,675,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008. Other operating expenses include the costs of lubricants, stores and chemicals, repairs and maintenance, insurance and administrative expenses for the vessels. These expenses decreased in the six months ended June 30, 2009 primarily due to the decrease in the number of fleet operating days.
Depreciation — For the six months ended June 30, 2009, depreciation expense totaled $14,484,000, as compared to $21,200,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008, which represented a decrease of $6,716,000 or 31.68%. This decrease is mainly attributable to the decrease in the average number of vessels and the lower depreciable asset base as a result of the impairment recognized at December 31, 2008.
Impairment Loss — During the six months ended June 30, 2009, due to changing market conditions, BET recorded an impairment loss of $64,440,000 associated with the value of each of the vessels. No such losses were incurred by BET during the six months ended June 30, 2008.
Results from Operating Activities — For the six months ended June 30, 2009, results from operating activities were a loss of $70,281,000, which represents a decrease of $76,959,000 compared to an operating profit of $6,678,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008. The primary reasons for the decrease in the results from operating activities were the decrease in revenues described above and the impairment loss, which were only partially offset by the decreased crew costs, management fees, other operating expenses and depreciation.
Net Finance Income/(Costs) — Net finance income for the six months ended June 30, 2009 was $405,000 as compared to net finance costs of $2,371,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008. The difference resulted primarily from the decreased interest rates in the first half of 2009.
Net (Loss)/Profit — The net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2009 was $69,876,000, as compared to a net profit of $4,307,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2008. This decrease of $74,183,000 is primarily due to the impairment loss of $64,604,000 recognized at June 30, 2009 and the substantially decreased hire rates.
Year ended December 31, 2008 ("fiscal 2008") as compared to year ended December 31, 2007 ("fiscal 2007")
Vessel Revenues — Vessel revenues for fiscal 2008 were $61,027,000, an increase of $55,665,000 or 1,038.1% over fiscal 2007. Revenues increased primarily as a result of the operation of three of BET's vessels for an entire twelve months as compared to less than five months of operations and the addition of two additional vessels during fiscal 2008, offset by the loss of revenue generated by the BET Performer, which was sold on July 10, 2008 and which operated for three months during 2007.
Voyage Expenses — Voyage expenses, which include classification fees and surveys, fuel expenses, port expenses, tugs, commissions and fees, and insurance and other voyage expenses, totaled $1,981,000 for fiscal 2008, as compared to $22,000 for fiscal 2007, which represents an increase of 89%. This increase of $1,959,000 in direct voyage expenses primarily reflects the increase in vessels operated in 2008.
Vessel Operating Expenses — Vessel operating expenses were $13,942,000 for fiscal 2008, an increase of $10,686,000, or 328.19%, over $3,256,000 for fiscal 2007. Vessel operating expenses include the costs of chemicals and lubricants, repairs and maintenance, insurance and administration expenses for the vessels. These expenses increased in fiscal 2008 primarily due to the increase in the number of operating days.
Gain on Sale of Vessels — During fiscal 2008, BET recorded a gain on sale of vessels of $59,068,000 resulting from the sale of the BET Performer on July 10, 2008. During fiscal 2007, BET did not sell any vessels.
Impairment Loss — At December 31, 2008, BET adjusted its vessels to fair value. During fiscal 2008, due to changing market conditions, BET recorded an impairment loss, which included a revaluation reserve of $142,239,000 associated with the value of each of the vessels, amounting in total to $2,649,000. No such losses were incurred by BET during fiscal 2007.
Depreciation and Amortization — For fiscal 2008, depreciation and amortization expense totaled $41,824,000, as compared to $4,350,000 for fiscal 2007, which represented an increase of $37,474,000 or 861.47%. This increase resulted from the increase in the number of vessels operated in 2008.
Results from Operating Activities — For fiscal 2008, results from operating activities were $59,699,000, which represents an increase of $61,965,000, or 2,734.6%, compared to an operating loss of $2,266,000 for fiscal 2007. The primary reasons for the increase in the results from operating activities were the increase in revenues as described above and the gain on the sale of the BET Performer, offset by the increased vessel operating expenses and depreciation and amortization.
Net Finance Costs — Net finance cost for fiscal 2008 was $14,996,000, which represents an increase of $12,508,000, or 503%, compared to $2,488,000 fiscal 2007. The net increase in finance costs resulted primarily from the increase in loan principal outstanding under the BET loan facility.
Net Profit — The net profit for fiscal 2008 was $44,703,000, as compared to a net loss of $4,754,000 for fiscal 2007. This increase of $49,457,000, or 1,041%, is primarily due to the gain on sale of the BET Performer and the increase in vessel revenue offset by the increase in vessel operating expenses and depreciation and amortization.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
BET's principal sources of funds have been equity provided by its shareholders, operating cash flows and long-term borrowings. Its principal uses of funds have been capital expenditures to acquire and maintain its fleet, payments of dividends, working capital requirements and principal repayments on outstanding loan facilities.
The six wholly-owned subsidiaries of BET financed the acquisition of their respective vessels with the proceeds of an amortizing loan from Citibank International PLC, as agent for a syndicate of banks and financial institutions set forth in the loan agreement, in the principal amount of $222,000,000. The loan agreement dated June 26, 2007 is guaranteed by BET. The BET subsidiaries drew down on agreed portions of the loan facility to acquire each of the original six vessels in the BET fleet. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loan bears interest at the annual rate of LIBOR plus 0.75%. On July 10, 2008, BET, through its wholly owned subsidiary, sold the BET Performer and paid an amount on the loan equal to $41,453,000, as required by the loan agreement.
The loan is repayable commencing on December 28, 2007 through 15 equal semi-annual installments of principal in the amount of $8,286,500 followed by a balloon payment due six months thereafter in the amount of $51,289,000, as these installment amounts were revised after the BET Performer sale. As of June 30, 2009, the outstanding loan facility was $142,472,000. Following BET's supplemental agreement dated September 30, 2009 and prepayment of $20 million, the semi-annual installments of principal and the balloon payment amount to $7,128,158 and $44,062,262, respectively. The borrowers are required to deposit one-sixth of the next principal payment in a retention account each month to fund each semi-annual principal payment. Interest is due and payable based on interest periods selected by BET equal to one month, two months, three months, six months, or a longer period up to 12 months. For interest periods longer than three months, interest is due in three-month installments.
The BET loan facility is secured by the following: the loan agreement, a letter agreement regarding payment of certain fees and expenses by BET; a first priority mortgage on each of the BET vessels; the BET guaranty of the loan; a general assignment or deed of covenant of any and all earnings, insurances and requisition compensation of each of the vessels; pledges over the earnings accounts and retention accounts held in the name of each borrower; undertakings by the technical managers of the BET vessels; and the trust deed executed by Citibank for the benefit of the other lenders, among others.
The Borrowers also must assure that the aggregate market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount of the loan. If the market value of the vessels is less than this amount, the Borrowers must prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lender with a value sufficient to meet this requirement, which additional security must be acceptable to the lender. The value of the BET vessels shall be determined when requested by the lender, and such determination shall be made by any two of the lender's approved shipbrokers, one of which shall be nominated by the lender and one of which shall be nominated by the borrowers.
Other covenants include the following:
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·
|
Not to permit any lien to be created over all or any part of the borrowers' present or future undertakings, assets, rights or revenues to secure any present or future indebtedness;
|
|
·
|
Not to merge or consolidate with any other person;
|
|
·
|
Not to sell, transfer, dispose of or exercise direct control over any part of the borrowers' assets, rights or revenue without the consent of the lender;
|
|
·
|
Not to undertake any business other than the ownership and operation of vessels and the chartering of vessels to third parties;
|
|
·
|
Not to acquire any assets other than the BET vessels;
|
|
·
|
Not to incur any obligations except under the loan agreement and related documents or contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
|
|
·
|
Not to borrow money other than pursuant to the loan agreement, except that the borrowers may borrow money from their shareholders or directors or their related companies as long as such borrowings are subordinate to amounts due under the loan agreement;
|
|
·
|
Not to guarantee, indemnify or become contingently liable for the obligations of another person or entity except pursuant to the loan agreement and related documents, except, in general, for certain guarantees that arise in the ordinary course of business;
|
|
·
|
Not to make any loans or grant any credit to any person, except that the borrowers make loans to BET or the borrowers' related companies as long as they are made on an arm's length basis in the ordinary course of business and are fully subordinated to the rights of the lender;
|
|
·
|
Not to redeem their own shares of stock;
|
|
·
|
Not to permit any change in the legal or beneficial ownership of any of the borrowers or BET or cause any change in the shareholders' agreement or constitutional documents related to BET; and
|
|
·
|
Not to enter into any related party transactions except on an arm's length basis and for full value.
|
On September 30, 2009, BET entered into a supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC (as agent for the syndicate of banks and financial institutions set forth in the loan agreement) in connection with the $222,000,000 amortized loan obtained by the six wholly owned subsidiaries of BET, which financed the acquisition of their respective vessels. The material terms of the supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC are as follows:
(1) the applicable margin for the period between July 1, 2009 and ending on June 30, 2010 (the amendment period) shall be increased to two per cent (2%) per annum;
(2) the borrowers to pay to the agent a restructuring fee of $286,198.91 and a part of the loan in the amount of $20,000,000; and
(3) the borrowers and the corporate guarantor have requested and the creditors consented to:
|
(a)
|
the temporary reduction of the security requirement during the amendment period from 125% to 100%; and
|
|
(b)
|
the temporary reduction of the minimum equity ratio requirement of the principal corporate guarantee to be amended from 0.30: 1.0 to 0.175:1.0 during the amendment period at the end of the accounting periods ending on December 31, 2009 and June 30, 2010.
|
Additionally, the Restis family (or companies affiliated with the Restis family) must be the beneficial owners of at least 50.1% of our issued share capital (or any lower percentage not less than 40% resulting solely from a rights issue or increase of our issued share capital) and must also be the beneficial owners of the remaining 50% of BET's issued share capital that we do not own. Failure to satisfy this condition would constitute an event of default under the BET loan agreement.
Cash Flows
Six months ended June 30, 2009 as compared to six months ended June 30, 2008
Operating Activities — Net cash from operating activities totaled $3,111,000 during the six months ended June 30, 2009, as compared to net cash from operating activities of $19,372,000 during the six months ended June 30, 2008. This decrease is primarily attributable to the net loss of $69,876,000, which reflects the impairment loss of $64,604,000 recognized at June 30, 2009, and the substantial decline in hire rates.
Investing Activities — Net cash used in investing activities was $22,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009 as compared to net cash used in investing activities of $96,552,000 in the six months ended June 30, 2008. This reflects the acquisition costs for the vessels M/V BET Prince and M/V BET Intruder in 2008.
Financing Activities — Net cash used in financing activities during the six months ended June 30, 2009 was $8,246,000, which includes $8,253,000 of repayments of long-term debt. Net cash provided by financing activities in the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $71,299,000, which reflects capital contributions from BET's shareholders of $8,186,000 and proceeds from long-term debt of $63,113,000.
Fiscal 2008 compared to fiscal 2007
Operating Activities — Net cash from operating activities totaled $32,363,000 during fiscal 2008, as compared to net cash used in operating activities of $2,684,000 during fiscal 2007. This increase reflected primarily the increase in vessels' revenue in fiscal 2008 compared to the prior year due to increased operations in the current year.
Investing Activities — Net cash from investing activities was $31,655,000 for fiscal 2008 as compared to net cash used in investing activities of $223,288,000 in fiscal 2007. This increase was primarily due to BET's acquisition of three vessels in 2007 versus two vessels in 2008 and the sale of the BET Performer in 2008.
Financing Activities — Net cash used in financing activities during fiscal 2008 was $55,573,000, which includes $53,888,000 of dividend payments to the shareholders of BET and $59,858,000 of repayments of long-term debt, partially offset by proceeds from long-term debt of $73,500,000 and capital contributions from shareholders of $8,185,000. Net cash provided by financing activities in fiscal 2007 was $252,637,000, which reflects capital contributions from BET's shareholders of $115,553,000 and proceeds from long-term debt of $148,500,000, partially offset by $11,416,000 of repayments of long-term debt.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures of Market Risk
Interest rate risk
BET's long-term debt in relation to its vessels bears an interest rate of LIBOR plus a spread of 0.75%. A 100 basis-point increase in LIBOR would result in an increase to the finance cost of $138,000 in the next year.
BET has entered into interest rate swap agreements denominated in U.S. dollars. The notional contract amount of the swaps at December 31, 2008 amounted to $130,000,000. The interest rate swap agreements mature over the next five years and have an average fixed swap rate of 3.46%. The swap agreements are classified as a financial instrument stated at their fair value since they do not qualify for hedge accounting.
Foreign exchange risk
BET generated revenue in U.S. dollars and incurred minimal expenditures relating to consumables in foreign currencies. The foreign currency risk was minimal.
Inflation
BET did not consider inflation to be a significant risk to direct expenses in the current and foreseeable future.
Capital Requirements
BET's capital requirements include only the routine dry docking of its vessels. BET anticipates capital expenditures of $2.7 million for the BET Commander during the year ending December 31, 2009, which will be funded from its operations.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 2008, BET did not have off-balance sheet arrangements.
Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments
The following table summarizes BET's contractual obligations as of June 30, 2009 based on the contractual terms of the arrangements as modified by BET's lenders. Based on the agreements, the table does not reflect any potential acceleration due to non-compliance with covenant terms. BET does not have any capital leases or operating leases.
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Payments Due by Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Than 1
|
|
|
1-2
|
|
|
2-5
|
|
|
Than 5
|
|
June 30, 2009
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Year
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
142,472
|
|
|
|
16,573
|
|
|
|
33,145
|
|
|
|
49,718
|
|
|
|
43,036
|
|
Interest on long-term debt
|
|
|
13,058
|
|
|
|
1,737
|
|
|
|
5,326
|
|
|
|
5,995
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
Management fees
|
|
|
8,518
|
|
|
|
1,350
|
|
|
|
2,785
|
|
|
|
4,383
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total obligations
|
|
|
164,048
|
|
|
|
19,660
|
|
|
|
41,256
|
|
|
|
60,096
|
|
|
|
43,036
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
A number of new standards, amendments to standards and interpretations were not yet effective for the year ended December 31, 2008, and were not applied in preparing BET's financial statements:
(i) IFRS 8 Operating Segments introduces the "management approach" to segment reporting. IFRS 8, which becomes mandatory for the financial statements of 2009, will require the disclosure of segment information based on the internal reports regularly reviewed by BET's Chief Operating Decision Maker in order to assess each segment's performance and to allocate resources to them. BET is evaluating the impact of this standard on the financial statements.
(ii) Revised IAS 23 Borrowing Costs removes the option to expense borrowing costs and requires that an entity capitalize borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of a qualifying asset as part of the cost of that asset. Currently, BET capitalize borrowing costs directly attributable to the construction of the vessels and therefore the revised IAS 23 which will become mandatory for BET's 2009 financial statements is not expected to have a significant effect.
(iii) IFRIC 11 IFRS 2 Group and Treasury Share Transactions requires a share-based payment arrangement in which an entity receives goods or services as consideration for its own equity instruments to be accounted for as an equity-settled share-based payment transaction, regardless of how the equity instruments are obtained. IFRIC 11 will become mandatory for BET's 2008 financial statements, with retrospective application required. This standard does not have an effect on the financial statements as it is not relevant to BET's operations.
(iv) IFRIC 12 Service Concession Arrangements provides guidance on certain recognition and measurement issues that arise in accounting for public-to-private service concession arrangements. IFRIC 12, which becomes mandatory for BET's 2008 financial statements. IFRIC 12 does not have an effect on the financial statements as it is not relevant to BET's operations.
(v) IFRIC 13 Customer Loyalty Programs addresses the accounting by entities that operate, or otherwise participate in, customer loyalty programs for their customers. It relates to customer loyalty programs under which the customer can redeem credits for awards such as free or discounted goods or services. IFRIC 13, which becomes mandatory for BET's 2009 financial statements, is not expected to have any impact on the financial statements.
(vi) IFRIC 14 IAS 19 The Limit on a Defined Benefit Asset, Minimum Funding Requirements and their Interaction clarifies when refunds or reductions in future contributions in relation to defined benefit assets should be regarded as available and provides guidance on the impact of minimum funding requirements (MFR) on such assets. It also addresses when a MFR might give rise to a liability. IFRIC 14 will become mandatory for BET's 2008 financial statements, with retrospective application required. IFRIC 14 does not have an effect on the financial statements as it is not relevant to BET's operations.
(vii) Revision to IAS 1, Presentation of Financial Statements: The revised standard is effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2009. The revision to IAS 1 is aimed at improving users' ability to analyze and compare the information given in financial statements. The changes made are to require information in financial statements to be aggregated on the basis of shared characteristics and to introduce a statement of comprehensive income. This will enable readers to analyze changes in equity resulting from transactions with owners in their capacity as owners (such as dividends and share repurchases) separately from 'non-owner' changes (such as transactions with third parties). In response to comments received through the consultation process, the revised standard gives preparers of financial statements the option of presenting items of income and expense and components of other comprehensive income either in a single statement of comprehensive income with sub-totals, or in two separate statements (a separate income statement followed by a statement of comprehensive income). Management is currently assessing the impact of this revision on BET's financial statements.
(viii) Revision to IFRS 3 Business Combinations and an amended version of IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements: These versions were issued by IASB on January 10, 2008, which take effect on July 1, 2009. The main changes to the existing standards include: (i)
minority interests (now called noncontrolling interests) are measured either as their proportionate interest in the net identifiable assets (the existing IFRS 3 requirement) or at fair value; (ii) for step acquisitions, goodwill is measured as the difference at acquisition date between the fair value of any investment in the business held before the acquisition, the consideration transferred and the net assets acquired (therefore there is no longer the requirement to measure assets and liabilities at fair value at each step to calculate a portion of goodwill); (iii) acquisition-related costs are generally recognized as expenses (rather than included in goodwill); (iv) contingent consideration must be recognized and measured at fair value at acquisition date with any subsequent changes in fair value recognized usually in the profit or loss (rather than by adjusting goodwill) and (v) transactions with noncontrolling interests which do not result in loss of control are accounted for as equity transactions. Management is currently assessing the impact that these revisions will have on BET.
(ix) Revision to IFRS 2 Share-based Payment: The revision is effective for annual periods on or after January 1, 2009 and provides clarification for the definition of vesting conditions and the accounting treatment of cancellations. It clarifies that vesting conditions are service conditions and performance conditions only. Other features of a share-based payment are not vesting conditions. It also specifies that all cancellations, whether by the entity or other parties, should receive the same accounting treatment. BET does not expect this standard to affect its financial statements as currently there are no share-based payment plans.
(x) IFRIC 15 — Agreements for the Construction of Real Estate: This interpretation is effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2009 and will not have any impact to the consolidated financial statements.
(xi) IFRIC 16 — Hedges of a Net Investment in a Foreign Operation: This interpretation is effective for annual periods beginning on or after October 1, 2008 and will not have any impact to the financial statements.
(xii) Reclassification of Financial Assets: Amendments to IAS 39 Financial Investments: Recognition and measurement and IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosure: These amendments are applicable from July 1, 2008 prospectively. Furthermore, amendments have been made to IFRS 7 to ensure disclosure is made of the above reclassifications, which are also applicable from July 1, 2008 and will not have any impact to the consolidated financial statements.
(xiii) Eligible Hedged Items Amendment to IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and measurement: These amendments are applicable retrospectively for annual periods beginning on or after July 1, 2009 and will not have any impact to the consolidated financial statements.
(xiv) IFRIC 17 — Distribution of Non-cash Assets to Owners: This interpretation is applicable prospectively for annual periods beginning on or after July 1, 2009. Retrospective application is not permitted and this IFRIC will not have any impact to the consolidated financial statements.
(xv) IFRIC 18 — Transfer of Assets from Customers: This interpretation should be applied prospectively to transfers of assets from customers received on or after July 1, 2009 and will not have any impact to the consolidated financial statements.
DIVIDEND POLICY
We had initially expressed an intent to pay dividends in the aggregate amount of $1.20 per common share on a quarterly basis during the one-year period commencing with the second full quarter following the initial closing of the acquisition of the six vessels that composed our initial fleet, which was the quarter ending March 31, 2009. We have, however, determined to temporarily suspend the payment of any dividends based on restrictions imposed on us by our senior lender. We have not yet determined when any dividend payments will be resumed, if at all. In the event we determine to resume any dividend payments, under the terms of the waiver obtained with respect to our loan facilities' security margin clause, the written approval of Marfin will be required before the payment of any dividends. The declaration and payment of any dividend is subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The timing and amount of dividend payments will be in the discretion of our board of directors and be dependent upon our earnings, financial condition, cash requirements and availability, fleet renewal and expansion, restrictions in our loan agreements, the provisions of Marshall Islands law affecting the payment of dividends to shareholders and other factors. Our board of directors may review and amend our dividend policy from time to time in light of our plans for future growth and other factors.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the Public Warrant Shares by the holders of the Public Warrants, the sale of the Underwriter Warrants or Underwriter Warrant Shares by the new underwriters, or the sale of the Unit Shares, Unit Warrants or the Unit Warrant Shares by the original underwriters.
We will receive proceeds from any non-cashless exercise of Public Warrants by their holders or any exercise of Underwriter Warrants by the new underwriters. In addition, we will receive proceeds from the sale of Units arising from the non-cashless exercise of the Unit Purchase Option and we will receive proceeds from any subsequent non-cashless exercise of the resulting Unit Warrants. We expect to use the proceeds, if any, for working capital. If all of the Public Warrants and Underwriter Warrants and the Unit Purchase Option were exercised in full and if the resulting Unit Warrants were exercised in full, the proceeds would be approximately $273.9 million, before expenses payable by us. We expect to use the proceeds, if any, for working capital.
We can make no assurances that any of the Public Warrants or Underwriter Warrants will be exercised, or if exercised, as to the quantity that will be exercised or the period in which they will be exercised. In addition, we can make no assurances that the Unit Purchase Option will be exercised, or if exercised, as to the quantity of Units that will be sold or the period in which they will be sold, and we can make no assurances that any of the resulting Unit Warrants will be exercised, or if exercised, as to the quantity that will be exercised or the period in which they will be exercised.
OUR BUSINESS
We were incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on January 4, 2008, originally under the name Seanergy Merger Corp., as a wholly owned subsidiary of Seanergy Maritime. We changed our name to Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. on July 11, 2008. We are an international company providing worldwide transportation of dry bulk commodities through our vessel-owning subsidiaries, BET and MCS. Our existing fleet of 20 dry bulk vessels, including BET's and MCS's vessels, consists of ten Handysize vessels, one Handymax vessel, two Supramax vessels, three Panamax vessels and four Capesize vessels. Our fleet carries a variety of dry bulk commodities, including coal, iron ore, and grains, as well as bauxite, phosphate, fertilizer and steel products.
We acquired our initial fleet of six dry bulk carriers on August 28, 2008 from the Restis family, one of our major shareholders. On July 14, 2009, we expanded our fleet by entering into a share purchase agreement with Constellation to acquire from Constellation a 50% ownership interest in BET for nominal cash consideration. The remaining 50% of BET is owned by Mineral Transport, a company controlled by members of the Restis family. We also entered into a shareholders' agreement with BET and Mineral Transport that allows us, among other things to appoint a majority of the members of the board of directors of BET. As a result, we control BET, whose fleet consists of four Capesize vessels and one Panamax vessel. On May 28, 2010, we further expanded our fleet by entering into a share purchase agreement with Maritime Capital, a company controlled by members of the Restis family, to acquire from Maritime Capital a 51% ownership interest in MCS. In September 2010, we acquired the remaining 49% of MCS from Maritime Capital through a share purchase agreement, resulting in our 100% ownership of MCS.
In our view, our acquisitions demonstrate both our ability to successfully grow through acquisitions and our strategy to grow quickly and achieve critical mass. By acquiring dry bulk carriers of various sizes, we are also able to serve a variety of needs of a variety of charterers. Finally, by capitalizing on our relationship with the Restis family and its affiliates, which have a proven track record of more than 40 years in dry bulk shipping, we are able to take advantage of economies of scale and efficiencies resulting from the use of Restis affiliates for the technical and commercial management of our fleet. See "Our Business — Management of the Fleet."
The Restis family has been engaged in the international shipping industry for more than 40 years, including the ownership and operation of more than 60 vessels in various segments of the shipping industry, with both operating and chartering interests. The family entered the dry bulk sector through its acquisition of SAMC in 1999, and today Restis-controlled entities collectively represent one of the largest independent shipowning and management groups in the shipping industry. The Restis family additionally has strategic minority holdings in companies that operate more than 100 additional vessels.
The entities controlled by the Restis family presently do business with over 100 customers, the majority of which have been customers since inception.
The group's main objective is to ensure responsible and ethical management of services and processes from the point of view of health, safety and environmental aspects. Towards this end it has increased its self regulation by adopting various models (EFQM, EBEN) standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001) and codes (ISM Code).
EST has earned a market reputation for excellence in the provision of services that is evident from the many awards and certifications earned over the years including International Safety Management Certificate (1993), ISO 9001 Certification for Quality Management (1995), ISO 14001 Certification for Environmental Management System (2002), US Coast Guard AMVER Certification, EFQM "Committed to Excellence" (2004), "Recognized for Excellence" Certification (2005) and "Recognized for Excellence-4 stars" Certification (2006), OHSAS 18001:1999 for Health and Safety (2007) and EBEN (European Business Ethics Network silver (2008) and gold (2009) awards.
Our Fleet
We control and operate, through our vessel-owning subsidiaries and BET, 20 dry bulk carriers that transport a variety of dry bulk commodities. The following table provides summary information about our fleet and its current employment:
Vessel/Flag
|
Type
|
Dwt
|
Year Built
|
Current Employment
|
|
Terms of Employment Period
|
|
Daily Charter
Hire Rate
|
|
Charterer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
African Oryx
/Bahamas
|
Handysize
|
24,110
|
1997
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$7,000 plus a 50% profit share calculated on the average spot Time Charter Routes derived from the Baltic Supramax Index
|
|
MUR Shipping B.V.
|
African Zebra
/Bahamas
|
Handymax
|
38,623
|
1985
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$7,500 plus a 50% profit share calculated on the average spot Time Charter Routes derived from the Baltic Supramax Index
|
|
MUR Shipping B.V.
|
Bremen Max
/Isle of Man
|
Panamax
|
73,503
|
1993
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2010
|
|
$15,500
|
|
SAMC
|
Hamburg Max
/Isle of Man
|
Panamax
|
72,338
|
1994
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring October 2012
|
|
$21,500 base rate and a ceiling of $25,500 with a 50% profit sharing arrangement to apply to any amount in excess of the ceiling
|
|
Mansel Ltd.
|
Davakis G./Bahamas (1)
|
Supramax
|
54,051
|
2008
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring January 2011
|
|
$21,000
|
|
Sangamon Transportation Group (Louis Dreyfus)
|
Delos Ranger
/Bahamas (1)
|
Supramax
|
54,051
|
2008
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring March 2011
|
|
$20,000
|
|
Bunge S.A.
|
BET Commander
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
149,507
|
1991
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring December 2011
|
|
$24,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Fighter
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
173,149
|
1992
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$25,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Prince
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
163,554
|
1995
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring January 2012
|
|
$25,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Scouter
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Capesize
|
171,175
|
1995
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring October 2011
|
|
$26,000
|
|
SAMC
|
BET Intruder
/Isle of Man (2)
|
Panamax
|
69,235
|
1993
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring September 2011
|
|
$15,500
|
|
SAMC
|
Fiesta
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,519
|
1997
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring November 2013
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
Pacific Fantasy
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,538
|
1996
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring January 2014
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
Pacific Fighter
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,538
|
1998
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring November 2013
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
Clipper Freeway
/Liberia
|
Handysize
|
29,538
|
1998
|
Bareboat Charter
|
|
Expiring February 2014
|
|
Baltic Handysize Index increased by 100.63% minus Opex
|
|
Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG
|
African Joy
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
26,482
|
1996
|
Spot
|
|
Expiring October 2010
|
|
$10,000
|
|
Austbulk Shipping International SA Panama
|
African Glory
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
24,252
|
1998
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring December 2010
|
|
$14,500
|
|
MUR Shipping B.V.
|
Asian Grace
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
20,412
|
1999
|
Spot
|
|
Expiring September 2010
|
|
$11,000
|
|
Swiss Singapore Middle East FZE
(M/S Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprise PTE Ltd.)
|
Clipper Glory
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
29,982
|
2007
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring August 2012
|
|
$25,000
|
|
CF Bulk Carriers Ltd.
(Clipper Bulk Shipping Limited)
|
Clipper Grace
/Hong Kong
|
Handysize
|
29,987
|
2007
|
Time Charter
|
|
Expiring August 2012
|
|
$25,000
|
|
CF Bulk Carriers Ltd.
(Clipper Bulk Shipping Limited)
|
Total
|
|
1,292,544
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Sister ships.
(2) Vessels owned by BET.
The global dry bulk carrier fleet is divided into four categories based on a vessel's carrying capacity. These categories are:
|
·
|
Capesize. Capesize vessels have a carrying capacity of 100,000-199,999 dwt. Only the largest ports around the world possess the infrastructure to accommodate vessels of this size. Capesize vessels are primarily used to transport iron ore or coal and, to a much lesser extent, grains, primarily on long-haul routes.
|
|
|
|
|
·
|
Panamax. Panamax vessels have a carrying capacity of between 60,000 and 100,000 dwt. These vessels are designed to meet the physical restrictions of the Panama Canal locks (hence their name "Panamax" — the largest vessels able to transit the Panama Canal, making them more versatile than larger vessels). These vessels carry coal, grains, and, to a lesser extent, minerals such as bauxite/alumina and phosphate rock. As the availability of Capesize vessels has dwindled, Panamaxes have also been used to haul iron ore cargoes.
|
|
|
|
|
·
|
Handymax/Supramax. Handymax vessels have a carrying capacity of between 30,000 and 60,000 dwt. These vessels operate on a large number of geographically dispersed global trade routes, carrying primarily grains and minor bulks. The standard vessels are usually built with 25-30 ton cargo gear, enabling them to discharge cargo where grabs are required (particularly industrial minerals), and to conduct cargo operations in countries and ports with limited infrastructure. This type of vessel offers good trading flexibility and can therefore be used in a wide variety of bulk and neobulk trades, such as steel products. Supramax are a sub-category of this category typically having a cargo carrying capacity of between 50,000 and 60,000 dwt.
|
|
|
|
|
·
|
Handysize. Handysize vessels have a carrying capacity of up to 30,000 dwt. These vessels are almost exclusively carrying minor bulk cargo. Increasingly, vessels of this type operate on regional trading routes, and may serve as trans-shipment feeders for larger vessels. Handysize vessels are well suited for small ports with length and draft restrictions. Their cargo gear enables them to service ports lacking the infrastructure for cargo loading and unloading.
|
The supply of dry bulk carriers is dependent on the delivery of new vessels and the removal of vessels from the global fleet. The demand for dry bulk carrier capacity is determined by the underlying demand for commodities transported in dry bulk carriers which in turn is influenced by trends in the global economy.
Employees
We currently have two executive officers, Mr. Dale Ploughman, our chief executive officer who is also the Chairman of our Board of Directors, and Ms. Christina Anagnostara, our chief financial officer. In addition, we employ Ms. Theodora Mitropetrou, our general counsel, and a support staff of nine employees. In the future, we intend to employ such number of additional shore-based executives and employees as may be necessary to ensure the efficient performance of our activities.
Management of Our Fleet
We outsource the commercial brokerage and management of a portion of our fleet to companies that are affiliated with members of the Restis family. The commercial brokerage of our initial fleet of six vessels and the BET fleet has been contracted out to Safbulk. The management of our initial fleet of six vessels and the BET fleet has been contracted out to EST. Safbulk and EST are controlled by members of the Restis family. MCS arranges its time and bareboat charters in-house and negotiates the terms of the charters based on market conditions. The commercial management of the MCS fleet with respect to its vessels under time charter is also carried out in-house while the technical management has been contracted out to M/S Fleet and Wallem, which are both unrelated third party management companies.
Management Agreements
Under the terms of the management agreement entered into by EST, as manager of all vessels owned by our subsidiaries, with Seanergy Management, and EST, as manager of all vessels owned by BET, and BET, EST performs certain duties that include general administrative and support services necessary for the operation and employment of all vessels owned by all subsidiaries of Seanergy and BET, including, without limitation, crewing and other technical management, insurance, freight management, accounting related to vessels, provisions, bunkering, operation and, subject to our instructions, sale and purchase of vessels.
Under the terms of the management agreement with Seanergy Management, EST was initially entitled to receive a daily fee of Euro 416 per vessel until December 31, 2008, which fee may thereafter be increased annually by an amount equal to the percentage change during the preceding period in the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices All Items for Greece published by Eurostat from time to time. Such fee is payable monthly in advance on the first business day of each following month. The fee has been increased to Euro 425 per vessel through December 31, 2009. Under the terms of the management agreement with BET, the management fee is also Euro 425 per vessel through December 31, 2009. The management fee under both agreements has been increased to Euro 436 per vessel for the year 2010.
Under the terms of our management agreements with M/S Fleet and Wallem, M/S and Wallem are entitled to receive an annual fee of $108,000 and $84,000 per vessel, respectively.
Vessel Employment
A vessel trading in the spot market may be employed under a voyage charter or a time charter of short duration, generally less than three months. A time charter is a contract to charter a vessel for an agreed period of time at a set daily rate. A voyage charter is a contract to carry a specific cargo for a per ton carry amount. Under voyage charters, Seanergy would pay voyage expenses such as port, canal and fuel costs. Under time charters, the charterer would pay these voyage expenses. Under both types of charters, Seanergy would pay for vessel operating expenses, which include crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs. Seanergy would also be responsible for each vessel's intermediate dry-docking and special survey costs. Alternatively, vessels can be chartered under "bareboat" contracts whereby the charterer is responsible for the vessel's maintenance and operations, as well as all voyage expenses. Four of MCS's vessels are chartered under bareboat charters.
Vessels operating on time charter provide more predictable cash flows, but can yield lower profit margins, than vessels operating in the spot market during periods characterized by favorable market conditions. Vessels operating in the spot market generate revenues that are less predictable but may enable Seanergy to increase profit margins during periods of increasing dry bulk rates. However, Seanergy would then be exposed to the risk of declining dry bulk rates, which may be higher or lower than the rates at which Seanergy chartered its vessels. Seanergy constantly evaluates opportunities for time charters, but only expects to enter into additional time charters if it can obtain contract terms that satisfy its criteria.
Pursuant to an addendum dated July 24, 2009 to the individual charter party agreements dated May 26, 2008 between SAMC and Martinique International Corp. (vessel Bremen Max), SAMC agreed to extend the existing charter party for the Bremen Max. Pursuant to the terms of the
addendum, the vessel will be chartered for a period of between 11-13 months, at the charterer's option. The charter commenced on July 27, 2009. The daily gross charter rates paid by SAMC is $15,500 for the Bremen Max. The charter rate is inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk Pty, as commercial broker and 2.5% to SAMC as charterer. SAMC sub-charters the vessel in the market and takes the risk that the rate it receives is better than the period rate it is paying us.
On July 14, 2009, the African Oryx and the African Zebra were chartered for a period of 22 to 25 months at charter rates equal to $7,000 per day and $7,500 per day, respectively. We are also entitled to receive a 50% adjusted profit share calculated on the average spot Time Charter Routes derived from the Baltic Supramax. The charters commenced on July 17, 2009 and July 20, 2009 for the African Oryx and the African Zebra, respectively. All charter rates are inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk as commercial broker.
Following the expiration of its charter party agreement in September 2009, the Delos Ranger was chartered in the spot market until January 14, 2010. On January 16, 2010, pursuant to a charter party agreement dated November 20, 2009, the vessel commenced employment for a period of 11 to 13 months with Bunge S.A. at a daily charter rate of $20,000, inclusive of a brokerage commission of 1.25% payable to each of Arrow Shipping (Monaco) S.A.M. and Safbulk Pty. and a charterer commission of 3.75%.
Following the expiration of its charter party agreement in November 2009, the Davakis G. commenced a charter for a period of 11 to 13 months with Sangamon Transportation Group (Louis Dreyfus) at a daily charter rate of $21,000, inclusive of a brokerage commission of 1.25% payable to each of SSY NY and Safbulk Pty, and a charterer commission of 3.75%.
Following the expiration of the previous charter party for the Hamburg Max in August 2010, pursuant to time charter party agreement dated August 24, 2010, the mv Hamburg Max 2010 is chartered to a first class charterer for a two year term under a time charter agreement with a profit sharing arrangement at a base rate of $21,500 per day and a ceiling of $25,500 per day, with a 50% profit sharing arrangement to apply to any amount in excess of the ceiling, inclusive of a brokerage commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk Pty and to Arrow Chartering Ltd. UK, each, and 3.75% payable to charterers.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated July 7, 2009, each of the BET Commander, the BET Prince, the BET Fighter, the BET Scouter and the BET Intruder are chartered to SAMC at daily charter rates of $24,000, $25,000, $25,000, $26,000 and $15,500, respectively, for charters expiring in December 2011, January 2012, September 2011, October 2011 and September 2011, respectively, assuming latest redelivery. All charter rates for the BET fleet are inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk Maritime as commercial broker and 3.75% to SAMC as charterer. SAMC sub-charters these vessels in the market and takes the risk that the rate it receives is better than the period rate it is paying BET.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated May 24, 2007, each of the Fiesta, Pacific Fighter, Pacific Fantasy and Clipper Freeway is chartered on a bareboat basis to Oldendorff Carriers at daily charter rates as per average time charter routes of the Baltic Handysize Index multiplied by 100.63% and reduced by fixed daily operating costs, as specified in the respective charter agreements, for charters expiring in November 2013, November 2013, January 2014 and February 2014, respectively, assuming latest redelivery. The charter party agreements for each of Fiesta, Pacific Fighter, and Pacific Fantasy were novated from their previous owners to each of the respective MCS shipowning subsidiaries on August 16, 2007 and the charter party agreement for the Clipper Freeway was novated from her previous owner to the respective MCS shipowning subsidiary on October 3, 2007.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated February 6, 2008 the African Glory is chartered to MUR Shipping BV at a daily charter rate of $14,500, as specified in the respective charter agreement, for a charter expiring in December 2010, assuming latest redelivery. The charter rate for this vessel is inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to HSBC Shipping Services Limited, London as commercial broker and 3.75% to MUR Shipping BV as charterer. The African Joy is currently under spot employment at a daily charter rate of $10,000 which commenced on August 24, 2010 and the Asian Grace is also currently under spot employment at a daily charter rate of $11,000 which commenced on August 10, 2010.
Pursuant to charter party agreements dated April 7, 2008, each of the Clipper Glory and Clipper Grace is chartered to CF Bulk Carriers Ltd. at a daily charter rate of $25,000, as specified in the respective charter agreements, for charters expiring in August 2012, assuming latest redelivery. All charter rates for these vessels are inclusive of a commission of 1.00% payable to Arrow Asia Shipbrokers Ltd. as commercial broker and 4.00% to CF Bulk Carriers Ltd. as charterer.
Brokerage Agreement
Under the terms of the brokerage agreements entered into by Safbulk Pty, as exclusive commercial broker, with Seanergy Management, for our initial fleet of six vessels, and Safbulk Maritime and BET for the BET fleet, Safbulk provides commercial brokerage services to our subsidiaries and the subsidiaries of BET, which include, among other things, seeking and negotiating employment for the vessels owned by the vessel-owning subsidiaries in accordance with the instructions of Seanergy Management and BET, as the case may be. Safbulk is entitled to receive a commission of 1.25% calculated on the collected gross hire/freight/demurrage payable when such amounts are collected. The brokerage agreement with Safbulk Pty was originally for a term of two years expiring in August 2010. The brokerage agreement with Safbulk Maritime was originally for a term of one year expiring in August 2010. Each brokerage agreement is automatically renewable for consecutive periods of one year, unless either party is provided with three months' written notice prior to the termination of such period. Both brokerage agreements have since been automatically renewed for another year, expiring in August 2011.
Shipping Committee
We have established a shipping committee. The purpose of the shipping committee is to consider and vote upon all matters involving shipping and vessel finance. The shipping industry often demands very prompt review and decision-making with respect to business opportunities. In recognition of this, and in order to best utilize the experience and skills that the Restis family board appointees bring to us, our board of directors has delegated all such matters to the shipping committee. Transactions that involve the issuance of our securities or transactions that involve a related party, however, will not be delegated to the shipping committee but instead will be considered by our entire board of directors. The shipping committee comprises three directors. In accordance with Amended and Restated Shipping Committee Charter, one of the directors is nominated by a majority of the Board of Directors and is an independent director of the Board. The members of the shipping committee are Messrs. Dale Ploughman and Kostas Koutsoubelis, who are the Restis affiliate shareholders' nominees, and Mr. Dimitris Panagiotopoulos, who is the Board's nominee.
Two of the members of the shipping committee also serve as our appointees to the BET board of directors. In the event that at any time the BET board of directors must vote upon a transaction with any of the BET affiliates, our appointees to the BET board shall present such transaction to our full board of directors for consideration. Our appointees to the BET board of directors shall then vote in accordance with the recommendation of our full board of directors.
BET Shareholder Agreement
In connection with the closing of our purchase of an interest in BET, we entered into a shareholder agreement with Mineral Transport, which sets forth, among other things, the parties' rights with respect to the corporate governance and control of BET's business and operations and the ownership and transfer of the stock owned by the two shareholders.
The shareholder agreement provides for a board of directors composed of five directors, of which we have the right to appoint three directors and Mineral Transport has the right to appoint two directors. If at any time the size of the board is increased, each of the shareholders has the right to appoint additional directors; provided, however, that we will always have the right to appoint one more director than Mineral Transport. Each shareholder has the right to remove, and appoint the replacement of, any of its board appointees. We also have the right to have one of our director appointees serve as BET's president or managing director, as applicable. The Board of Directors has the power to direct the operating, investing and financing activities of BET.
The shareholder agreement further provides that certain actions including but not limited to, the borrowing and repayment of funds from a shareholder, the increase in the authorized number of, or the acceptance of subscriptions for, shares of BET's common stock, and the dissolution and winding down of the affairs of BET, require the consent of both the shareholders.
Commencing one year after the effective date of the shareholder agreement, each shareholder, or the Offeror, has the right, by giving notice to BET and the other shareholder, or the Offeree, to force the Offeree to either sell all of its shares, or to buy all of the shares of the Offeror, at the price set by the Offeror. The Offeree shall have 60 days to make its election and the purchase and sale of the shares shall close no later than 30 days after the expiration of the 60-day period referenced above. During the pendency of any purchase and sale, all actions of the board of directors shall require the unanimous consent of the directors. In the event that the buyer of the shares does not close on the purchase the seller shall have the right by giving written notice to the buyer to (i) treat the offer price due for its shares as a debt and to take whatever action may be necessary and reasonable (including legal action) to recover such amounts; or (ii) purchase the shares of buyer at the offer price. If either the buyer or seller of shares defaults in its obligations to complete the purchase and sale in accordance with the preceding sentence, the shareholders agreement will be terminated and BET will commence winding down.
Our Corporate History
Incorporation of Seanergy and Seanergy Maritime
We were incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands pursuant to the BCA on January 4, 2008, originally under the name Seanergy Merger Corp., as a wholly owned subsidiary of Seanergy Maritime. We changed our name to Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. on July 11, 2008.
Seanergy Maritime was incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on August 15, 2006 as a blank check company formed to acquire, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition or other similar business combination, one or more businesses in the maritime shipping industry or related industries. Seanergy Maritime, up to the date of the business combination, had not commenced any business operations and was considered a development stage enterprise. Seanergy Maritime is our predecessor. See "— Dissolution and Liquidation."
Initial Public Offering of Seanergy Maritime
On September 28, 2007, Seanergy Maritime consummated its initial public offering of 23,100,000 units, including 1,100,000 units issued upon the partial exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option, with each unit consisting of one share of its common stock and one warrant. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one share of Seanergy Maritime common stock at an exercise price of $6.50 per share. The units sold in Seanergy Maritime's initial public offering were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $231,000,000. This resulted in a total of $227,071,000 in net proceeds, after deducting certain deferred offering costs that were held in the Seanergy Maritime Trust Account.
Business Combination
We acquired our initial fleet of six dry bulk carriers from the Restis family for an aggregate purchase price of (i) $367.0 million in cash, (ii) $28,250,000 (face value) in the form of the Note, and (iii) an aggregate of 4,308,075 shares of our common stock, subject to our meeting an EBITDA, target of $72.0 million to be earned between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009, which target was achieved and the additional consideration was recorded as an increase in goodwill of $17.3 million, equal to the fair value of the 4,308,075 shares. This acquisition was made pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Master Agreement dated May 20, 2008 by and among us, Seanergy Maritime, the several selling parties who are affiliated with members of the Restis family, and the several investing parties who are affiliated with members of the Restis family, and six separate MOAs between our vessel-owning subsidiaries and each seller, each dated as of May 20, 2008. The acquisition was completed with funds from the Seanergy Maritime Trust Account and with financing provided by Marfin.
On August 28, 2008, we completed our business combination and took delivery, through our designated nominees (which are wholly-owned subsidiaries) of three of the six dry bulk vessels, which included two 2008-built Supramax vessels and one 1997-built Handysize vessel, the M/V African Oryx, the M/V Davakis G and the M/V Delos Ranger. On September 11, 2008, we took delivery, through our designated nominee, of the fourth vessel, the M/V Bremen Max, a 1993-built Panamax vessel. On September 25, 2008, we took delivery, through our designated nominees, of the final two vessels, the M/V Hamburg Max, a 1994-built Panamax vessel, and the M/V African Zebra, a 1985-built Handymax vessel.
Dissolution and Liquidation
On August 26, 2008, shareholders of Seanergy Maritime also approved a proposal for the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, or the dissolution and liquidation, which was originally filed with the Commission on June 17, 2008, subsequently amended on July 31, 2008 and supplemented on August 22, 2008. Seanergy Maritime proposed the dissolution and liquidation because following the vessel acquisition described above, Seanergy Maritime was no longer needed and its elimination was expected to save substantial accounting, legal and compliance costs related to the U.S. federal income tax filings necessary because of Seanergy Maritime's status as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In connection with the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, on January 27, 2009, Seanergy Maritime filed Articles of Dissolution with the Registrar of Corporations of the Marshall Islands in accordance with Marshall Islands law and distributed to each holder of shares of common stock of Seanergy Maritime one share of our common stock for each share of Seanergy Maritime common stock owned by such shareholders. All outstanding warrants and the underwriter's unit purchase option of Seanergy Maritime concurrently become our obligations and became exercisable to purchase our common stock. Following the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, our common stock and warrants began trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on January 28, 2009. For purposes of this prospectus, all share data and financial information for the period prior to January 27, 2009 is that of Seanergy Maritime.
Purchase of Controlling Interest in BET
On July 14, 2009, we entered into a share purchase agreement with Constellation to acquire Constellation's 50% ownership interest in BET, a Marshall Islands corporation organized in December 2006, for nominal cash consideration. On August 12, 2009, we closed on the purchase for the 50% ownership interest in BET from Constellation. BET's other equity owner is Mineral Transport, which is an affiliate of members of the Restis family. We also entered into an agreement with Mineral Transport whereby we were granted a majority on the board of directors of BET, thus obtaining control of BET, whose fleet consists of four Capesize vessels and one Panamax vessel.
Since the consummation of the business combination and the dissolution of our predecessor, we provide global transportation solutions in the dry bulk shipping sector through our vessel-owning subsidiaries and BET for a broad range of dry bulk cargoes, including major bulks such as coal, iron ore, and grains, as well as minor bulks such as bauxite, phosphate, fertilizers and steel products.
Purchase of 100% Ownership Interest in MCS
On May 28, 2010, we purchased a 51% ownership interest in MCS from Maritime Capital, which is controlled by members of the Restis family. On September 15, 2010, we purchased from Maritime Capital the remaining 49% ownership interest in MCS.
Charter Hire Rates
Charter hire rates fluctuate by varying degrees among dry bulk carrier size categories. The volume and pattern of trade in a small number of commodities (major bulks) affect demand for larger vessels. Therefore, charter rates and vessel values of larger vessels often show greater volatility. Conversely, trade in a greater number of commodities (minor bulks) drives demand for smaller dry bulk carriers. Accordingly, charter rates and vessel values for those vessels are subject to less volatility.
Charter hire rates paid for dry bulk carriers are primarily a function of the underlying balance between vessel supply and demand, although at times other factors may play a role. Furthermore, the pattern seen in charter rates is broadly mirrored across the different charter types and the different dry bulk carrier categories. However, because demand for larger dry bulk vessels is affected by the volume and pattern of trade in a relatively small number of commodities, charter hire rates (and vessel values) of larger ships tend to be more volatile than those for smaller vessels.
In the time charter market, rates vary depending on the length of the charter period and vessel specific factors such as age, speed and fuel consumption.
In the voyage charter market, rates are influenced by cargo size, commodity, port dues and canal transit fees, as well as commencement and termination regions. In general, a larger cargo size is quoted at a lower rate per ton than a smaller cargo size. Routes with costly ports or canals generally command higher rates than routes with low port dues and no canals to transit. Voyages with a load port within a region that includes ports where vessels usually discharge cargo or a discharge port within a region with ports where vessels load cargo also are generally quoted at lower rates, because such voyages generally increase vessel utilization by reducing the unloaded portion (or ballast leg) that is included in the calculation of the return charter to a loading area.
Within the dry bulk shipping industry, the charter hire rate references most likely to be monitored are the freight rate indices issued by the Baltic Exchange. These references are based on actual charter hire rates under charters entered into by market participants as well as daily assessments provided to the Baltic Exchange by a panel of major shipbrokers.
Properties
We lease our executive office space in Athens, Greece pursuant to the terms of a sublease agreement between Seanergy Management and Waterfront, a company which is beneficially owned by Victor Restis. The sublease fee is Euro 504,000 per annum, or Euro 42,000 per month. The initial term is from November 17, 2008 to November 16, 2011. We have the option to extend the term until February 2, 2014. The premises are approximately 1,000 square meters in the southern suburbs of Athens. The agreement includes furniture and parking space. Seanergy Management has been granted Ministerial Approval (issued in the Greek Government Gazette) for the establishment of an office in Greece under Greek Law 89/67 (as amended).
Competition
We operate in markets that are highly competitive and based primarily on supply and demand. We compete for charters on the basis of price, vessel location, size, age and condition of the vessel, as well as on its reputation. Safbulk negotiates the terms of our charters (whether voyage charters, period time charters, bareboat charters or pools) based on market conditions. Ownership of dry bulk carriers is highly fragmented and is divided among state controlled and independent bulk carrier owners.
Environmental and Other Regulations
Government regulation significantly affects the ownership and operation of our vessels. We are subject to international conventions and treaties, national, state and local laws and regulations in force in the countries in which our vessels may operate or are registered relating to safety and health and environmental protection including the storage, handling, emission, transportation and discharge of hazardous and non-hazardous materials, and the remediation of contamination and liability for damage to natural resources. Compliance with such laws, regulations and other requirements entails significant expense, including vessel modifications and implementation of certain operating procedures.
A variety of government and private entities subject our vessels to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections. These entities include the local port authorities (United States Coast Guard, harbor master or equivalent), classification societies; flag state administrations (country of registry) and charterers, particularly terminal operators. Certain of these entities require us to obtain permits, licenses, certificates or approvals for the operation of our vessels. Failure to maintain necessary permits, licenses, certificates or approvals could require us to incur substantial costs or temporarily suspend the operation of one or more of our vessels.
We believe that the heightened level of environmental and operational safety concerns among insurance underwriters, regulators and charterers have led to greater inspection and safety requirements on all vessels and may accelerate the scrapping of older vessels throughout the drybulk shipping industry. Increasing environmental concerns have created a demand for vessels that conform to the stricter environmental standards. We are required to maintain operating standards for all of our vessels that emphasize operational safety, quality maintenance, continuous training of our officers and crews and compliance with United States and international regulations. We believe that the operation of our vessels is in substantial compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations and that our vessels have all material permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations necessary for the conduct of our operations. However, because such laws and regulations are frequently changed and may impose increasingly stricter requirements, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with these requirements, or the impact of these requirements on the resale value or useful lives of our vessels. In addition, a future serious marine incident that causes significant adverse environmental impact could result in additional legislation or regulation that could negatively affect our profitability.
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency for maritime safety and the prevention of pollution by ships, or the IMO, has adopted the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the related Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, which has been updated through various amendments, or the MARPOL Convention. The MARPOL Convention establishes environmental standards relating to oil leakage or spilling, garbage management, sewage, air emissions, handling and disposal of noxious liquids and the handling of harmful substances in packaged forms. The IMO adopted regulations that set forth pollution prevention requirements applicable to drybulk carriers. These regulations have been adopted by over 150 nations, including many of the jurisdictions in which our vessels operate.
In September 1997, the IMO adopted Annex VI to the MARPOL Convention, to address air pollution from ships. Effective May 2005, Annex VI sets limits on sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from all commercial vessel exhausts and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances (such as halons and chlorofluorocarbons), emissions of volatile compounds from cargo tanks, and the shipboard incineration of specific substances. Annex VI also includes a global cap on the sulfur content of fuel oil and allows for special areas to be established with more stringent controls on sulfur emissions. We believe that all our vessels are currently compliant in all material respects with these regulations. In October 2008, the IMO adopted amendments to Annex VI regarding emissions of sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide particulate matter and ozone depleting substances, which amendments are expected to enter into force on July 1, 2010. The amended Annex VI will reduce air pollution from vessels by, among other things, (i) implementing a progressive reduction of sulfur oxide emissions from ships, with the global sulfur cap reduced initially to 3.50% (from the current cap of 4.50%), effective from January 1, 2012, then progressively to 0.50%, effective from January 1, 2020, subject to a feasibility review to be completed no later than 2018; and (ii) establishing new tiers of stringent nitrogen oxide emissions standards for new marine engines, depending on their date of installation. The United States ratified the Annex VI amendments in October 2008, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, promulgated equivalent emissions standards in late 2009.
In March 2010, the IMO accepted the proposal by the United States and Canada to designate the area extending 200 nautical miles from the Atlantic/Gulf and Pacific coasts of the United States and Canada and the Hawaiian Islands as Emission Control Areas under the MARPOL Annex VI amendments, which will subject ocean-going vessels in these areas to stringent emissions controls and may cause us to incur additional costs. We cannot assure you that the jurisdictions in which our vessels operate will not adopt more stringent emissions standards independent of the IMO.
Safety Management System Requirements
The operation of our vessels is also affected by the requirements set forth in the IMO's International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS, and the International Convention on Load Lines, or the LL Convention, which impose a variety of standards that regulate the design and operational features of ships. The IMO periodically revises the SOLAS and LL Convention standards. We believe that all our vessels are in material compliance with SOLAS and LL Convention standards.
Under Chapter IX of SOLAS, the International Safety Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention, or ISM Code, our operations are also subject to environmental standards and requirements contained in the ISM Code promulgated by the IMO. The ISM Code requires the party with operational control of a vessel to develop an extensive safety management system that includes, among other things, the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for operating its vessels safely and describing procedures for responding to emergencies. We rely upon the safety management system that we and our technical manager have developed for compliance with the ISM Code. The failure of a ship owner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code may subject such party to increased liability, may decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports. All of the vessels in our operating fleet are ISM Code-certified.
The ISM Code requires that vessel operators obtain a safety management certificate for each vessel they operate. This certificate evidences compliance by a vessel's management with the ISM Code requirements for a safety management system. No vessel can obtain a safety management certificate unless its manager has been awarded a document of compliance, issued by each flag state, under the ISM Code. Our appointed ship managers have obtained documents of compliance for their offices and safety management certificates for all of our vessels for which such certificates are required by the IMO, which are renewed as required.
Noncompliance with the ISM Code or other IMO regulations may subject the ship owner or bareboat charterer to increased liability, may lead to decreases in available insurance coverage for affected vessels and may result in the denial of access to, or detention in, some ports. The U.S. Coast Guard and European Union authorities have indicated that vessels not in compliance with the ISM Code by the applicable deadlines will be prohibited from trading in U.S. and European Union ports, respectively.
Pollution Control and Liability Requirements
IMO has negotiated international conventions that impose liability for pollution in international waters and the territorial waters of the signatory to such conventions. For example, IMO adopted an International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, or the BWM Convention, in February 2004. The BWM Convention's implementing regulations call for a phased introduction of mandatory ballast water exchange requirements (beginning in 2009), to be replaced in time with mandatory concentration limits. The BWM Convention will not become effective until 12 months after it has been adopted by 30 states, the combined merchant fleets of which represent not less than 35% of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping. To date there has not been sufficient adoption of this standard for it to take force.
In March 2006, the IMO amended Annex I to MARPOL, including a new regulation relating to oil fuel tank protection, which became effective August 1, 2007. The new regulation will apply to various ships delivered on or after August 1, 2010. It includes requirements for the protected location of the fuel tanks, performance standards for accidental oil fuel outflow, a tank capacity limit and certain other maintenance, inspection and engineering standards.
The IMO adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, or the Bunker Convention, to impose strict liability on ship owners for pollution damage in jurisdictional waters of ratifying states caused by discharges of bunker fuel. The Bunker Convention, which became effective on November 21, 2008, requires registered owners of ships over 1,000 gross tons to maintain insurance for pollution damage in an amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national or international limitation regime (but not exceeding the amount calculated in accordance with the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims of 1976, as amended). With respect to non-ratifying states, liability for spills or releases of oil carried as fuel in ship's bunkers typically is determined by the national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the events or damages occur.
The IMO continues to review and introduce new regulations. It is impossible to predict what additional regulations, if any, may be passed by the IMO and what effect, if any, such regulations might have on our operations.
The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA, established an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from oil spills. OPA affects all owners and operators whose vessels trade in the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in U.S. waters, which includes the U.S. territorial sea and its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. The United States has also enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA, which applies to the discharge of hazardous substances other than oil, whether on land or at sea. Both OPA and CERCLA impact our operations.
Under OPA, vessel owners, operators and bareboat charterers are "responsible parties" and are jointly, severally and strictly liable (unless the spill results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war) for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from discharges or threatened discharges of oil from their vessels. OPA defines these other damages broadly to include:
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natural resources damage and the costs of assessment thereof;
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real and personal property damage;
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net loss of taxes, royalties, rents, fees and other lost revenues;
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lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to property or natural resources damage;
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net cost of public services necessitated by a spill response, such as protection from fire, safety or health hazards; and
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loss of subsistence use of natural resources.
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Effective July 31, 2009, the U.S. Coast Guard adjusted the limits of OPA liability for non-tank vessels to the greater of $1,000 per gross ton or $0.85 million per non-tank (e.g. drybulk) vessel that is over 3,000 gross tons (subject to periodic adjustment for inflation). CERCLA, which applies to owners and operators of vessels, contains a similar liability regime and provides for cleanup, removal and natural resource damages. Liability under CERCLA is limited to the greater of $300 per gross ton or $5 million for vessels carrying a hazardous substance as cargo and the greater of $300 per gross ton or $0.5 million for any other vessel. These OPA and CERCLA limits of liability do not apply if an incident was directly caused by violation of applicable U.S. federal safety, construction or operating regulations or by a responsible party's gross negligence or willful misconduct, or if the responsible party fails or refuses to report the incident or to cooperate and assist in connection with oil removal activities.
OPA and the U.S. Coast Guard also require owners and operators of vessels to establish and maintain with the U.S. Coast Guard evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet the limit of their potential liability under OPA and CERCLA. Vessel owners and operators may satisfy their financial responsibility obligations by providing a proof of insurance, a surety bond, self-insurance or a guaranty.
We currently maintain pollution liability coverage insurance in the amount of $1 billion per incident for each of our vessels. If the damages from a catastrophic spill were to exceed our insurance coverage it could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operation.
OPA specifically permits individual states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to oil pollution incidents occurring within their boundaries, and some states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for oil spills. In some cases, states which have enacted such legislation have not yet issued implementing regulations defining vessels owners' responsibilities under these laws. We intend to comply with all applicable state regulations in the ports where our vessels call. We believe that we are in substantial compliance with all applicable existing state requirements. In addition, we intend to comply with all future applicable state regulations in the ports where our vessels call.
Other Environmental Initiatives
The U.S. Clean Water Act, or CWA, prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances in U.S. navigable waters unless authorized by a duly-issued permit or exemption, and imposes strict liability in the form of penalties for any unauthorized discharges. The CWA also imposes substantial liability for the costs of removal and remediation and damages and complements the remedies available under OPA and CERCLA. In addition, most U.S. states that border a navigable waterway have enacted environmental pollution laws that impose strict liability on a person for removal costs and damages resulting from a discharge of oil or a release of a hazardous substance. These laws may be more stringent than U.S. federal law.
The EPA regulates the discharge of ballast water and other substances in U.S. waters under the CWA. Effective February 6, 2009, EPA regulations require vessels 79 feet in length or longer (other than commercial fishing and recreational vessels) to comply with a Vessel General Permit authorizing ballast water discharges and other discharges incidental to the operation of vessels. The Vessel General Permit imposes technology and water-quality based effluent limits for certain types of discharges and establishes specific inspection, monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements to ensure the effluent limits are met. U.S. Coast Guard regulations adopted under the U.S. National Invasive Species Act, or NISA, also impose mandatory ballast water management practices for all vessels equipped with ballast water tanks entering or operating in U.S. waters, and in 2009 the Coast Guard proposed new ballast water management standards and practices, including limits regarding ballast water releases. Compliance with the EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard regulations could require the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged or the implementation of other port facility disposal arrangements or procedures at potentially substantial cost, and/or otherwise restrict our vessels from entering U.S. waters.
European Union Regulations
In October 2009, the European Union amended a directive to impose criminal sanctions for illicit ship-source discharges of polluting substances, including minor discharges, if committed with intent, recklessly or with serious negligence and the discharges individually or in the aggregate result in deterioration of the quality of water. Criminal liability for pollution may result in substantial penalties or fines and increased civil liability claims.
Greenhouse Gas Regulation
In February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, which we refer to as the Kyoto Protocol, entered into force. Pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol, adopting countries are required to implement national programs to reduce emissions of certain gases, generally referred to as greenhouse gases, which are suspected of contributing to global warming. Currently, the emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping are not subject to the Kyoto Protocol. However, international negotiations are continuing with respect to a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which sets emission reduction targets through 2012, and restrictions on shipping emissions may be included in any new treaty. In December 2009, more than 27 nations, including the United States and China, signed the Copenhagen Accord, which includes a non-binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union has indicated that it intends to propose an expansion of the existing European Union emissions trading scheme to include emissions of greenhouse gases from vessels, if such emissions are not regulated through the IMO or the UNFCCC by December 31, 2010. In the United States, the EPA has issued a final finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health and safety, and has promulgated regulations governing the emission of greenhouse gases from motor vehicles. The EPA may decide in the future to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from ships and has already been petitioned by the California Attorney General to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from ocean-going vessels. Other federal and state regulations relating to the control of greenhouse gas emissions may follow, including
the climate change initiatives that are being considered in the U.S. Congress. In addition, the IMO is evaluating various mandatory measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping, including market-based instruments. Any passage of climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the EU, U.S., IMO or other countries where we operate that restrict emissions of greenhouse gases could require us to make significant financial expenditures that we cannot predict with certainty at this time.
Vessel Security Regulations
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there have been a variety of initiatives intended to enhance vessel security. On November 25, 2002, the U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or the MTSA came into effect. To implement certain portions of the MTSA, in July 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard issued regulations requiring the implementation of certain security requirements aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Similarly, in December 2002, amendments to SOLAS created a new chapter of the convention dealing specifically with maritime security. The new chapter became effective in July 2004 and imposes various detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities, most of which are contained in the International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code, or the ISPS Code. The ISPS Code is designed to protect ports and international shipping against terrorism. After July 1, 2004, to trade internationally, a vessel must attain an International Ship Security Certificate from a recognized security organization approved by the vessel's flag state. Among the various requirements are:
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on-board installation of automatic identification systems to provide a means for the automatic transmission of safety-related information from among similarly equipped ships and shore stations, including information on a ship's identity, position, course, speed and navigational status;
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on-board installation of ship security alert systems, which do not sound on the vessel but only alert the authorities on shore;
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the development of vessel security plans;
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ship identification number to be permanently marked on a vessel's hull;
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a continuous synopsis record kept onboard showing a vessel's history including the name of the ship and of the state whose flag the ship is entitled to fly, the date on which the ship was registered with that state, the ship's identification number, the port at which the ship is registered and the name of the registered owner(s) and their registered address; and
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compliance with flag state security certification requirements.
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The U.S. Coast Guard regulations, intended to align with international maritime security standards, exempt from MTSA vessel security measures non-U.S. vessels that have on board, as of July 1, 2004, a valid International Ship Security Certificate attesting to the vessel's compliance with SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code. Our vessels are in compliance with the various security measures addressed by the MTSA, SOLAS and the ISPS Code.
Inspection by Classification Societies
Every oceangoing vessel must be "classed" by a classification society. The classification society certifies that the vessel is "in class," signifying that the vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of the classification society and complies with applicable rules and regulations of the vessel's country of registry and the international conventions of which that country is a member. In addition, where surveys are required by international conventions and corresponding laws and ordinances of a flag state, the classification society will undertake them on application or by official order, acting on behalf of the authorities concerned.
The classification society also undertakes on request other surveys and checks that are required by regulations and requirements of the flag state. These surveys are subject to agreements made in each individual case and/or to the regulations of the country concerned.
For maintenance of the class certification, regular and extraordinary surveys of hull, machinery, including the electrical plant, and any special equipment classed are required to be performed as follows:
Annual Surveys. For seagoing ships, annual surveys are conducted for the hull and the machinery, including the electrical plant and where applicable for special equipment classed, at intervals of 12 months from the date of commencement of the class period indicated in the certificate.
Intermediate Surveys. Extended annual surveys are referred to as intermediate surveys and typically are conducted two and one-half years after commissioning and each class renewal. Intermediate surveys may be carried out on the occasion of the second or third annual survey.
Class Renewal Surveys. Class renewal surveys, also known as special surveys, are carried out for the ship's hull, machinery, including the electrical plant, and for any special equipment classed, at the intervals indicated by the character of classification for the hull. At the special survey the vessel is thoroughly examined, including audio-gauging to determine the thickness of the steel structures. Should the thickness be found to be less than class requirements, the classification society would prescribe steel renewals. The classification society may grant a one-year grace period for completion of the special survey. Substantial amounts of money may have to be spent for steel renewals to pass a special survey if the vessel experiences excessive wear and tear. In lieu of the special survey every four or five years, depending on whether a grace period was granted, a ship owner has the option of arranging with the classification society for the vessel's hull or machinery to be on a continuous survey cycle, in which every part of the vessel would be surveyed within a five-year cycle. At an owner's application, the surveys required for class renewal may be split according to an agreed schedule to extend over the entire period of class. This process is referred to as continuous class renewal.
All areas subject to survey as defined by the classification society are required to be surveyed at least once per class period, unless shorter intervals between surveys are prescribed elsewhere. The period between two subsequent surveys of each area must not exceed five years. Vessels under five years of age can waive drydocking in order to increase available days and decrease capital expenditures, provided that the vessel is inspected underwater. Most vessels are also drydocked every 30 to 36 months for inspection of the underwater parts and for repairs related to inspections. If any defects are found, the classification surveyor will issue a "recommendation" which must be rectified by the ship owner within prescribed time limits. The following table sets forth information regarding the next scheduled dry-dock for the existing vessels in the fleet and the estimated cost for each next scheduled dry-dock.
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Next Scheduled
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Estimated
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Vessel
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Drydock
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Cost
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African Oryx
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October 2010
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$900,000
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African Zebra
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February 2011
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$1,000,000
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Bremen Max
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September 2010
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$800,000
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Hamburg Max
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February 2012
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$1,000,000
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Davakis G.
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May 2011
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$500,000
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Delos Ranger
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August 2011
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$500,000
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BET Commander(1)
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August 2011
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$1,200,000
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BET Fighter(1)
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At dry dock
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$1,400,000
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BET Prince(1)
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June 2013
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$1,200,000
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BET Scouter(1)
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May 2013
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$1,200,000
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BET Intruder(1)
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At dry dock
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$1,300,000
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African Joy
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Sep. 2010
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$1,150,000
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African Glory
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Jun. 2011
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$900,000
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Asian Grace
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May 2012
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$900,000
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Clipper Glory
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Jan. 2012
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$900,000
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Clipper Grace
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Oct. 2010
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$900,000
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(1) Vessels owned by BET.
Most insurance underwriters make it a condition for insurance coverage that a vessel be certified as "in class" by a classification society which is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies, or IACS. All our vessels that we have purchased and may agree to purchase in the future must be certified as being "in class" prior to their delivery under our standard purchase contracts and memorandum of agreement. If the vessel is not certified on the date of closing, we have no obligation to take delivery of the vessel. We have all of our vessels, and intend to have all vessels that we acquire in the future, classed by IACS members.
Risk of Loss and Liability Insurance
General
The operation of any cargo vessel includes risks such as mechanical failure, physical damage, collision, property loss, cargo loss or damage and business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, hostilities and labor strikes. In addition, there is always an inherent possibility of marine disaster, including oil spills and other environmental mishaps, and the liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade. OPA, which imposes virtually unlimited liability upon owners, operators and demise charterers of any vessel trading in the United States exclusive economic zone for certain oil pollution accidents in the United States, has made liability insurance more expensive for ship owners and operators trading in the United States market. While we believe that our insurance coverage is adequate, not all risks can be insured, and there can be no guarantee that any specific claim will be paid, or that we will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates.
Hull and Machinery Insurance
We maintain marine hull and machinery and war risk insurance, which includes the risk of actual or constructive total loss, for all of its vessels. The vessels are covered up to at least fair market value, with deductibles in amounts of approximately $100,000 to $172,500.
We arrange, as necessary, increased value insurance for its vessels. With the increased value insurance, in case of total loss of the vessel, Seanergy will be able to recover the sum insured under the increased value policy in addition to the sum insured under the hull and machinery policy. Increased value insurance also covers excess liabilities which are not recoverable in full by the hull and machinery policies by reason of under insurance. We expect to maintain delay cover insurance for certain of our vessels. Delay cover insurance covers business interruptions that result in the loss of use of a vessel.
Protection and Indemnity Insurance
Protection and indemnity insurance is provided by mutual protection and indemnity associations, or P&I Associations, which cover our third-party liabilities in connection with our shipping activities. This includes third-party liability and other related expenses of injury or death of crew, passengers and other third parties, loss or damage to cargo, claims arising from collisions with other vessels, damage to other third-party property, pollution arising from oil or other substances, and salvage, towing and other related costs, including wreck removal. Protection and indemnity insurance is a form of mutual indemnity insurance, extended by protection and indemnity mutual associations.
Our protection and indemnity insurance coverage for pollution is $1.0 billion per vessel per incident. The 13 P&I Associations that comprise the International Group insure approximately 90% of the world's commercial tonnage and have entered into a pooling agreement to reinsure each association's liabilities. Each of Seanergy's vessels entered with P&I Associations of the International Group. Under the International Group reinsurance program, each P&I club in the International Group is responsible for the first $7.0 million of every claim. In every claim the amount in excess of $7.0 million and up to $50.0 million is shared by the clubs under a pooling agreement. In every claim the amount in excess of $50.0 million is
reinsured by the International Group under the general excess of loss reinsurance contract. This policy currently provides an additional $3.0 billion of coverage. Claims which exceed this amount are pooled by way of "overspill" calls. As a member of a P&I Association, which is a member of the International Group, Seanergy is subject to calls payable to the associations based on its claim records as well as the claim records of all other members of the individual associations, and members of the pool of P&I Associations comprising the International Group. The P&I Associations' policy year commences on February 20th. Calls are levied by means of estimated total costs, or ETC, and the amount of the final installment of the ETC varies according to the actual total premium ultimately required by the club for a particular policy year. Members have a liability to pay supplementary calls which might be levied by the board of directors of the club if the ETC is insufficient to cover amounts paid out by the club.
Legal Proceedings
We are not currently a party to any material lawsuit that, if adversely determined, would have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity.
Exchange Controls
Under Marshall Islands law, there are currently no restrictions on the export or import of capital, including foreign exchange controls or restrictions that affect the remittance of dividends, interest or other payments to non-resident holders of our common shares.
MANAGEMENT
Directors and Executive Officers
Set forth below are the names, ages and positions of our current directors and executive officers:
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Name
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Age
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Position
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Class
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Dale Ploughman
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62
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Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors
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B
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Christina Anagnostara
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38
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Chief Financial Officer and Director
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B
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Kostas Koutsoubelis
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55
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Director
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C
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Elias Culucundis
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66
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Director
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A
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George Taniskidis
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48
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Director
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A
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Kyriakos Dermatis
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62
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Director
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C
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Dimitris Panagiotopoulos
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49
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Director
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A
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George Tsimpis
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63
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Director
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B
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Dimitris Anagnostopoulos
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62
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Director
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A
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The business address of each of our directors and executive officers listed below is 1-3 Patriarchou Grigoriou; 166 74 Glyfada; Athens, Greece. Biographical information with respect to each of our directors and executive officers is set forth below.
Dale Ploughman has served as a member of our board of directors and our chief executive officer since May 20, 2008 and as the Chairman of our board of directors since July 21, 2010. He has over 45 years of shipping industry experience. Since 1999, Mr. Ploughman has been the chairman of South African Marine Corporation (Pty) Ltd., a dry bulk shipping company based in South Africa and affiliate to members of the Restis family, and the chairman of the Bahamas Ship Owners Association. In addition, Mr. Ploughman has served as president, chief executive officer and a director of Golden Energy Marine Corp. since February 2005. Mr. Ploughman also serves as president and chief executive officer of numerous private shipping companies controlled by members of the Restis family. From 1989 to 1999, Mr. Ploughman was the president of Great White Fleet, a fleet owned by Chiquita Brands International Inc., which was one of the largest shipping carriers to and from Central America. Mr. Ploughman has previously worked as president and chief executive officer of Lauritzen Reefers A.S., a shipping company based in Denmark, the managing director of Dammers and Vander Hiede Shipping and Trading Inc., a shipping company based in the Netherlands and as the chairman of Mackay Shipping, a shipping company based in New Zealand. He holds degrees in Business Administration and Personnel Management and Master's level Sea Certificates and was educated at the Thames Nautical Training College, HMS Worcester.
Christina Anagnostara has served as our chief financial officer since November 17, 2008 and as a member of our board of directors since December 2008. Prior to joining us, she served as chief financial officer and a board member for Global Oceanic Carriers Ltd, a dry bulk shipping company listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange, or AIM, since February 2007. Between 1999 and 2006, she was a senior manager at EFG Audit & Consulting Services, the auditors of the Geneva-based EFG Group, an international banking group specializing in global private banking and asset management. Prior to EFG Group, she worked from 1998 to 1999 in the internal audit group of Eurobank EFG, a bank with a leading position in Greece; and between 1995 and 1998 as a senior auditor at Ernst & Young Hellas, SA, Greece, the international auditing firm. Ms. Anagnostara studied Economics in Athens and has been a Certified Chartered Accountant since 2002.
Kostas Koutsoubelis has been a member of our board of directors since May 20, 2008. Mr. Koutsoubelis is the group financial director of the Restis group of companies and also the chief financial officer and secretary of Golden Energy Marine Corp. Furthermore, he is a member of the board of the directors of the following public listed companies: FreeSeas Inc., Hellenic Seaways S.A., FG Europe, Imperio Argo Group A.M.E. as well as in the following private companies: First Business Bank, South African Marine Corp. and Swissmarine Corporation Ltd. Before joining the Restis group he served as head of shipping of Credit Lyonnais, Greece. After graduating from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, he held various positions in Mobil Oil Hellas S.A. and after his departure he joined International Reefer Services, S.A., a major shipping company, as financial director. He is a governor in the Propeller Club — Port of Piraeus and member of the Board of the Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping.
Elias Culucundis has been a member of our board of directors since our inception. Since 2002, Mr. Culucundis has been a member of the board of directors of Folli Follie S.A. and since 2006 an executive member of the board of directors of Hellenic Duty Free Shops S.A. Since 1999, Mr. Culucundis has been president, chief executive officer and director of Equity Shipping Company Ltd., a company specializing in starting, managing and operating commercial and technical shipping projects. Additionally, from 1996 to 2000, he was a director of Kassian Maritime Shipping Agency Ltd., a vessel management company operating a fleet of ten bulk carriers. During this time, Mr. Culucundis was also a director of Point Clear Navigation Agency Ltd, a marine project company. From 1981 to 1995, Mr. Culucundis was a director of Kassos Maritime Enterprises Ltd., a company engaged in vessel management. While at Kassos, he was initially a technical director and eventually ascended to the position of chief executive officer, overseeing a large fleet of Panamax, Aframax and VLCC tankers, as well as overseeing new vessel building contracts, specifications and the construction of new vessels. From 1971 to 1980, Mr. Culucundis was a director and the chief executive officer of Off Shore Consultants Inc. and Naval Engineering Dynamics Ltd. Off Shore Consultants Inc. worked in Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel, or FPSO, design and construction and responsible for the technical and commercial supervision of a pentagon-type drilling rig utilized by Royal Dutch Shell plc. Seven FPSOs were designed and constructed that were subsequently utilized by Pertamina, ARCO, Total and Elf-Aquitaine. Naval Engineering Dynamics Ltd. was responsible for purchasing, re-building and operating vessels that had suffered major damage. From 1966 to 1971, Mr. Culucundis was employed as a Naval Architect for A.G. Pappadakis Co. Ltd., London, responsible for tanker and bulk carrier new buildings and supervising the technical operation of our fleet. He is a graduate of Kings College, Durham University, Great Britain, with a degree in Naval Architecture and Shipbuilding. He is a member of several industry organizations, including the Council of the Union of Greek Shipowners and American Bureau of Shipping. Mr. Culucundis is a fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and a Chartered Engineer.
George Taniskidis was the chairman and managing director of Millennium Bank from 2002 until 2010. Mr. Taniskidis is a member of the board of directors of Euroseas Limited, a shipping company, where he has served since 2005. He was also a member of the board of directors of Millennium Bank, Turkey and a member of the board of directors of the Hellenic Banks Association. From 2003 until 2005, he was a member of the board of directors of Visa International Europe, elected by the Visa issuing banks of Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Israel and Greece. From 1990 to 1998, Mr. Taniskidis worked at XIOSBANK (until its acquisition by Piraeus Bank in 1998) in various positions, with responsibility for the bank's credit strategy and network. Mr. Taniskidis studied law at the National University of Athens and at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he received an LL.M. After law school, he joined the law firm of Rogers & Wells in New York, where he worked from 1986 until 1989 and was also a member of the New York State Bar Association. He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization.
Kyriakos Dermatis has extensive experience in brokering and negotiating the sale and acquisition of commercial vessels, chartering, ship management and operations. He founded and became president of Intermodal Shipbrokers Co., a ship brokering company involved in ship sale and purchase, new building contracting and special project activities. Mr. Dermatis began his career in October 1965 as a deck apprentice on seagoing tankers vessels. He quickly climbed up to Chief mate with various shipping companies and ships until 1975 when he moved on shore and continued his career as a shipbroker with Thenamaris SA in July 1976. Later he joined "Balkanfracht Hamburg" as a shipbroker for approximately a year. He returned to Greece in October 1978 and joined "Balkanfracht Piraeus" as Senior Dry Cargo Broker. In 1976, he moved to "A. Bacolitsas S.A." — a shipowning company, operating a fleet of 18 ships of several types and sizes, as chartering manager and was soon promoted to General Manager of the subject company where he stayed until April 1983. From April 1983 until September 1983, he was chartering Director in Greece for European Navigation Fleet. In January 1985, he established "Intermodal Shipmanagement Inc.," a company specializing in the sale and purchase of ships, tanker chartering, management of small tankers and other more specialized projects. In 1992, the company was renamed "Intermodal Shipbrokers Co." In 2003, Mr. Dermatis moved the company's headquarters in North Athens and in 2005 he established a branch office in Shanghai, China in order to support the constantly rising new building activity. Since 2004, Intermodal has negotiated contracts for more than 120 ships in China and 6 Prototype RoRo-tankers in Romania for major Greek, as well as UAE, Argentinean, Malaysian and Italian, shipowners. Kyriakos Dermatis remains an active board member of The Hellenic Shipbrokers Association, a member of the Mediterranean committee of China Classification Society, a member of Shell Marine panel as an external
professional advisor to Shell for the past 20 years, and a member of marine club. Mr. Kyriakos Dermatis graduated from the University of Piraeus in March, 1973 by obtaining a B.Sc. in Economics and he attended the London School of Foreign Trade based in London from 1974-1975 where he obtained a diploma in Shipping Business. Then he completed the Post Graduate Diploma in Port & Shipping Administration in 1976 from the University of Wales with recommendation. In 1984, he received an MSC in maritime studies from Cardiff University.
Dimitrios Panagiotopoulos is the Head of Shipping and Yachting Finance of Proton Bank, a Greek private bank, where he has served since April 2004. From January 1997 to March 2004, he served as deputy head of the Greek shipping desk of BNP Paribas and before that for four years as senior officer of the shipping department of Credit Lyonnais Greece. From 1990 to 1993, he worked as chief accountant in Ionia Management, a Greek shipping company. He also served his obligatory military duty as an officer of the Greek Special Forces and today is a captain of the reserves of the Hellenic Army.
George Tsimpis served as shipping advisor at BNP Paribas, Greece, from 2006 through 2007, upon retiring as Head of the Greek Shipping Desk from BNP Paribas in 2006, a position he had held since 1992. From 1986 to 1992, Mr. Tsimpis served as chief financial officer of Pirelli Tyres. From 1978 to 1986, Mr. Tsimpis was Delegate Manager and Treasurer at Bank of America, Greece. Mr. Tsimpis joined Citibank, Greece in 1971, where he served as chief trader from 1974 to 1978. Mr. Tsimpis holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of Piraeus.
Dimitrios Anagnostopoulos has over forty years of experience in shipping and ship finance. His career began in the 1970's at Athens University of Economics followed by four years with the Onassis Group in Monaco. Mr. Anagnostopoulos also held various posts at the National Investment Bank of Industrial Development (ETEBA), Continental Illinois National Bank of Chicago, the Greyhound Corporation, and with ABN AMRO, where he has spent nearly two decades with the Bank as Senior Vice-President and Head of Shipping. In June 2010 he was elected a board member of the Aegean Baltic Bank S.A. Mr. Anagnostopoulos has been a speaker and panelist in various shipping conferences in Europe, and a regular guest lecturer at the City University Cass Business School in London and the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. He is a member (and ex-vice chairman) of the Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Greek Shipping. In 2008 he was named by the Lloyd's Organization as Shipping Financier of the Year.
On November 30, 2009, we announced the resignations of Messrs. Ioannis Tsigkounakis and Alexander Papageorgiou from our board. On May 20, 2010 and on July 20, 2010, Mr. Alexis Komninos and Mr. George Koutsolioutsos, respectively, resigned from our board. The Board reduced its size from thirteen to nine members and presently there are no vacancies on our board of directors.
Board Committees
Our board of directors has an audit committee, a compensation committee, a nominating committee and a shipping committee. Our board of directors has adopted a charter for each of these committees.
Audit Committee
Our audit committee consists of Messrs. Dimitris Anagnostopoulos, Dimitrios Panagiotopoulos and George Tsimpis, each of whom is an independent director. Mr. Dimitrios Panagiotopoulos has been designated the "Audit Committee Financial Expert" under the Commission's rules and the current listing standards of the NASDAQ Marketplace Rules.
The audit committee has powers and performs the functions customarily performed by such a committee (including those required of such a committee under the NASDAQ Marketplace Rules and the Commission). The audit committee is responsible for selecting and meeting with our independent registered public accounting firm regarding, among other matters, audits and the adequacy of our accounting and control systems.
Compensation Committee
Our compensation committee consists of Messrs. Kyriakos Dermatis, George Taniskidis and George Tsimpis, each of whom is an independent director. The compensation committee reviews and approves the compensation of our executive officers.
Nominating Committee
Our nominating committee consists of Messrs. Elias Culucundis, Dimitrios Panagiotopoulos and George Tsimpis, each of whom is an independent director. The nominating committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our board of directors.
Shipping Committee
We have established a shipping committee. The purpose of the shipping committee is to consider and vote upon all matters involving shipping and vessel finance. The shipping industry often demands very prompt review and decision-making with respect to business opportunities. In recognition of this, and in order to best utilize the experience and skills that the Restis family board appointees bring to us, our board of directors has delegated all such matters to the shipping committee. Transactions that involve the issuance of our securities or transactions that involve a related party, however, shall not be delegated to the shipping committee but instead shall be considered by the entire board of directors. The shipping committee is comprised of three directors. In accordance with the Amended and Restated Shipping Committee Charter, two of the directors are nominated by the Restis affiliate shareholders and one of the directors is nominated by a majority of our Board of Directors. The members of the shipping committee are Messrs. Dale Ploughman and Kostas Koutsoubelis, who are the Restis affiliate shareholders' nominees, and Mr. Dimitris Panagiotopoulos, who is the Board's nominee.
In order to assure the continued existence of the shipping committee, our board of directors has agreed that the shipping committee may not be dissolved and that the duties or composition of the shipping committee may not be altered without the affirmative vote of not less that 80% of our board of directors. In addition, the duties of our chief executive officer, which is currently Mr. Ploughman, may not be altered without a similar vote. These duties and powers include voting the shares of stock that Seanergy owns in its subsidiaries. The purpose of this provision is to ensure that we will cause each of its shipping-related subsidiaries to have a board of directors with members that are identical to the shipping committee. In addition to these agreements, we have amended certain provisions in its articles of incorporation and by-laws to incorporate these requirements. As a result of these various provisions, in general, all shipping- related decisions will be made by the Restis family appointees to our board of directors unless 80% of the board members vote to change the duties or composition of the shipping committee.
Two of the members of the shipping committee also serve as our appointees to the BET board of directors.
Director Independence
Our securities are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market and we are exempt from certain Nasdaq listing requirements including the requirement that our board be composed of a majority of independent directors. The board of directors has evaluated whether each of Messrs. Dimitris Anagnostopoulos, Elias M. Culucundis, Kyriakos Dermatis, Dimitrios N. Panagiotopoulos, George Taniskidis, and George Tsimpis is an "independent director" within the meaning of the listing requirements of the NASDAQ Global Market. The NASDAQ independence definition includes a series of objective tests, such as that the director is not our employee and has not engaged in various types of business dealings with us. In addition, as further required by the NASDAQ requirements, the board of directors made a subjective determination as to each of Messrs. Elias M. Culucundis, Kyriakos Dermatis, Dimitrios N. Panagiotopoulos, George Taniskidis, and George Tsimpis that no relationships exist which, in the opinion of the board of directors, would interfere with the exercise of his independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. In making this determination, the board of directors reviewed and discussed information provided by each of Messrs. Dimitris Anagnostopoulos, Elias M. Culucundis, Kyriakos Dermatis, Dimitrios N. Panagiotopoulos, George Taniskidis, and George Tsimpis with regard to his business and personal activities as they may relate to us and our management. After reviewing the information presented to it, our board of directors has determined that
each of Messrs. Dimitris Anagnostopoulos, Elias M. Culucundis, Kyriakos Dermatis, Dimitrios N. Panagiotopoulos, George Taniskidis, and George Tsimpis is "independent" within the meaning of such rules. Our independent directors will meet in executive session as often as necessary to fulfill their duties, but no less frequently than annually.
Our by-laws provide that transactions must be approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors (i.e., those directors that are not expected to derive any personal financial benefit from the transaction).
Code of Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a code of conduct and ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees in accordance with applicable federal securities laws and the NASDAQ Marketplace Rules.
Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers
For the period ended December 31, 2009, our executive officers and directors received compensation of $1.3 million. Our executive officers are employed by us pursuant to employment and consulting contracts as more fully described below. The contracts do not provide for benefits upon termination of employment, except that our CEO will receive 12 months salary if he is terminated without cause or resigns for "good reason," as defined in his contract.
All the members of the Board of Directors receive fees of $40,000 per year each. In addition, the three members of the Shipping Committee receive additional fees of $60,000 per year each. The amounts for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008 totaled $684,000 and $321,000, respectively.
Employment Agreements
We have entered into an employment agreement with our Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to which he receives an annual base salary of $400,000. His salary may be increased upon approval by the Compensation Committee. In addition, on January 4, 2010, our Compensation Committee approved a cash bonus of $400,000 for services rendered during 2009. The employment agreement expires in November 2012 and may be renewed for successive one-year terms. Seanergy Management entered into an employment agreement in March 2009 with its Chief Executive Officer. The total net annual remuneration amounts to Euro 30,800 subject to any increases made from time to time by the compensation committee. This amount forms part of the annual base salary described above.
On December 15, 2008, Seanergy Management entered into an agreement with CKA Company S.A., a Marshall Islands corporation. CKA Company S.A. is beneficially owned by our Chief Financial Officer. Under the agreement, CKA Company S.A. provides the services of the individual who serves as our Chief Financial Officer. The agreement provides for the payment of $220,000 per annum, payable monthly on the last working day of every month in twelve installments and is subject to increases as approved by the Compensation Committee. In addition, on January 4, 2010, our Compensation Committee approved a cash bonus of $250,000 for services rendered during 2009. In addition, Seanergy Management has entered into an employment agreement with our Chief Financial Officer. The total net annual remuneration amounts to Euro 23,800 subject to any increases made from time to time by Compensation Committee. Our Chief Financial Officer's contracts are indefinite but may be terminated on 6-months notice.
TAXATION
The following is a discussion of the material Marshall Islands, Liberian and U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to an investment decision by a U.S. Holder and a Non-U.S. Holder, each as defined below, with respect to the Units. This discussion does not purport to deal with the tax consequences of owning Units to all categories of investors, some of which, such as dealers in securities, investors whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar and investors that own, actually or under applicable constructive ownership rules, 10% or more of the Company's common shares, may be subject to special rules. This discussion deals only with holders who purchase Units in connection with this offering and hold the Units (or the common stock or warrants) as a capital asset. You are encouraged to consult your own tax advisors concerning the overall tax consequences arising in your own particular situation under U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law of the ownership of Units.
Marshall Islands Tax Considerations
In the opinion of Seward & Kissel LLP, the following are the material Marshall Islands tax consequences of the Company's activities to the Company and holders of Units. The Company is incorporated in the Marshall Islands. Under current Marshall Islands law, the Company is not subject to tax on income or capital gains, and no Marshall Islands withholding tax will be imposed upon payments of dividends by the Company to its shareholders.
Liberian Tax Considerations
Certain of the Company's subsidiaries are incorporated in the Republic of Liberia. The Republic of Liberia enacted a new income tax act generally effective as of January 1, 2001 ("New Act"). In contrast to the income tax law previously in effect since 1977 ("Prior Law"), which the New Act repealed in its entirety, the New Act does not distinguish between the taxation of non-resident Liberian corporations, such as the Company's Liberian subsidiaries, who conduct no business in Liberia and were wholly exempted from tax under Prior Law, and the taxation of ordinary resident Liberian corporations.
In 2004, the Liberian Ministry of Finance issued regulations pursuant to which a non-resident domestic corporation engaged in international shipping such as the Company will not be subject to tax under the new act retroactive to January 1, 2001 (the "New Regulations"). In addition, the Liberian Ministry of Justice issued an opinion that the new regulations were a valid exercise of the regulatory authority of the Ministry of Finance. Therefore, assuming that the New Regulations are valid, the Company's Liberian subsidiaries will be wholly exempt from Liberian income tax as under Prior Law.
If the Company's Liberian subsidiaries were subject to Liberian income tax under the New Act, the Company's Liberian subsidiaries would be subject to tax at a rate of 35% on their worldwide income. As a result, the Company's net income and cash flow would be materially reduced by the amount of the applicable tax.
If the Company's Liberian subsidiaries were subject to Liberian income tax under the New Act, then dividends paid by them would be subject to Liberian withholding tax at rates ranging from 15% to 20%.
In 2009, the Liberian Congress enacted the Economic Stimulus Taxation Act of 2009, which reinstates the treatment of non-resident Liberian corporations, such as our Liberian subsidiaries, under the Prior Law retroactive to January 1, 2001. This legislation will become effective when it is finally published by the Liberian government.
United States Taxation
The following discussion is based upon the provisions of the Code, existing and proposed U.S. Treasury Department regulations, administrative rulings, pronouncements and judicial decisions, all as of the date hereof. This discussion assumes that the Company does not have an office or other fixed place of business in the United States. Unless the context otherwise requires, the reference to Company below shall be meant to refer to both the Company and its vessel owning and operating subsidiaries.
Taxation of the Company's Shipping Income: In General
The Company anticipates that it will derive substantially all of its gross income from the use and operation of vessels in international commerce and that this income will principally consist of freight from the transportation of cargoes, hire or lease from time or voyage charters and the performance of services directly related thereto, which the Company refers to as "shipping income."
Shipping income that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States will be considered to be 50% derived from sources within the United States. Shipping income attributable to transportation that both begins and ends in the United States will be considered to be 100% derived from sources within the United States. The Company is not permitted by law to engage in transportation that gives rise to 100% U.S. source income. Shipping income attributable to transportation exclusively between non-U.S. ports will be considered to be 100% derived from sources outside the United States. Shipping income derived from sources outside the United States will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax.
Based upon the Company's anticipated shipping operations, the Company's vessels will operate in various parts of the world, including to or from U.S. ports. Unless exempt from U.S. taxation under Section 883 of the Code, the Company will be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, in the manner discussed below, to the extent its shipping income is considered derived from sources within the United States.
Application of Code Section 883
Under Section 883 of the Code and the final Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, or the final regulations, a foreign corporation will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation on its U.S.-source shipping income if:
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it is organized in a qualified foreign country which, as defined, is one that grants an "equivalent exemption" to corporations organized in the United States in respect of each category of shipping income for which exemption is being claimed under Section 883 and to which we refer to as the "Country of Organization Test"; and
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(A)
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more than 50% of the value of its stock is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by qualified shareholders which as defined includes individuals who are "residents" of a qualified foreign country which we refer to as the "50% Ownership Test," or
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its stock, or that of its 100% parent, is "primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market" in a qualified foreign country or in the U.S., which we refer to as the "Publicly-Traded Test."
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The Republic of the Marshall Islands, Liberia, Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands, the jurisdictions where the Company and its vessel-owning subsidiaries are incorporated, each has been officially recognized by the IRS as a qualified foreign country that grants the requisite equivalent exemption from tax in respect of each category of shipping income we and our subsidiaries earn and currently expect to earn in the future. Therefore, the Company and each of its wholly-owned subsidiaries will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation with respect to its U.S.-source shipping income if it satisfies either the 50% Ownership Test or the Publicly-Traded Test. The Company does not believe that it is able to satisfy the 50% Ownership Test due to the widely-held ownership of its stock. The Company's ability and that of its subsidiaries to qualify for exemption under Section 883 is solely dependent upon satisfaction of the Publicly-Traded Test as discussed below.
The final regulations provide, in pertinent part, that stock of a foreign corporation will be considered to be "primarily traded" on an established securities market if the number of shares of each class of stock that are traded during any taxable year on all established securities markets in that country exceeds the number of shares in each such class that are traded during that year on established securities markets in any other single country. The Company's common stock, which is its sole class of issued and outstanding stock, is "primarily traded" on the NASDAQ Global Market.
Under the final regulations, the Company's common stock will be considered to be "regularly traded" on an established securities market if one or more classes of the Company's stock representing more than 50% of the Company's outstanding shares, by total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote and total value, will be listed on the market, which we refer to as the listing threshold. Since the Company's common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market, it satisfies the listing requirement.
It is further required that with respect to each class of stock relied upon to meet the listing threshold (i) such class of stock is traded on the market, other than in minimal quantities, on at least 60 days during the taxable year or 1/6 of the days in a short taxable year; and (ii) the aggregate number of shares of such class of stock traded on such market during the taxable year is at least 10% of the average number of shares of such class of stock outstanding during such year or as appropriately adjusted in the case of a short taxable year. The Company did not satisfy the trading volume test during 2009 and may not be treated as having satisfied the trading frequency test during 2009, but expects to satisfy both of these tests in 2010. Even though the Company did not satisfy the trading volume test in 2009, the final regulations under Section 883 provide that the trading frequency and trading volume tests will be deemed satisfied if, as is the case with the Company's common stock, such class of stock is traded on an established market in the United States and such stock is regularly quoted by dealers making a market in such stock. Therefore, the Company intends to take the position that it satisfied the trading frequency and trading volume tests during 2009.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the final regulations provide, in pertinent part, that a class of stock will not be considered to be "regularly traded" on an established securities market for any taxable year in which 50% or more of the issued and outstanding shares of such class of stock are owned, actually or constructively under specified stock attribution rules, on more than half the days during the taxable year by persons who each own 5% or more of the vote and value of such class of stock, which we refer to as the "5 Percent Override Rule."
For purposes of being able to determine the persons who own 5% or more of the Company's common stock, or 5% Shareholders, the final regulations permit the Company to rely on those persons that are identified on Schedule 13G and Schedule 13D filings with the Commission as having a 5% or more beneficial interest in the Company's common stock. The final regulations further provide that an investment company identified on a Commission Schedule 13G or Schedule 13D filing which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, will not be treated as a 5% Shareholder for such purposes.
After this offering, the Company should not be subject to the 5% Override Rule. However, if the Company's 5% Shareholders were to come to own a majority of its common stock on more than half the days of the taxable year, then the Company will be subject to the 5% Override Rule unless it can establish that among the closely-held group of 5% Shareholders, there are sufficient 5% Shareholders that are qualified shareholders for purposes of Section 883 to preclude non-qualified shareholders in the closely-held group from owning 50% or more of the Company's common stock for more than half the number of days during the taxable year. In order to establish this, sufficient 5% Shareholders that are qualified shareholders would have to comply with certain documentation and certification requirements designed to substantiate their identity as qualified shareholders. The Company's 5% Shareholders are expected to own approximately 70.7% of the Company's common stock following this offering and approximately 38.3% of the Company's common stock following the offering in connection with the fourth resale registration statement the Company intends to file, as described below under "Related Party Transactions – Registration Rights." The Company believes that each of the ultimate beneficial individual owners of each of the Company's 5% Shareholders is a resident of Greece within the meaning of the Section 883 regulations. If necessary, the Company believes that could obtain the certifications necessary from such beneficial owners to substantiate their identity as qualified shareholders. However, it should be noted these requirements are onerous and there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to satisfy them.
Taxation in Absence of Internal Revenue Code Section 883 Exemption
To the extent the benefits of Section 883 are unavailable with respect to any item of U.S. source shipping income, to the extent not considered to be "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, as described below, the Company and each of its subsidiaries would be
subject to a 4% tax imposed on such income by Section 887 of the Code on a gross basis, without the benefit of deductions, which we refer to as the "4% Tax". Since under the sourcing rules described above, no more than 50% of the Company's shipping income would be treated as being derived from U.S. sources, the maximum effective rate of U.S. federal income tax on the Company's shipping income would never exceed 2% under the 4% Tax.
To the extent the benefits of the Section 883 exemption are unavailable and the Company's U.S.-source shipping income is considered to be "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, as described below, any such "effectively connected" U.S.-source shipping income, net of applicable deductions, would be subject to the U.S. federal corporate income tax currently imposed at rates of up to 35%. In addition, the Company may be subject to the 30% "branch profits" taxes on earnings effectively connected with the conduct of such trade or business, as determined after allowance for certain adjustments, and on certain interest paid or deemed paid attributable to the conduct of its U.S. trade or business.
The Company's U.S.-source shipping income would be considered "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business only if:
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the Company has, or is considered to have, a fixed place of business in the United States involved in the earning of shipping income; and
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substantially all of its U.S.-source shipping income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation, such as the operation of a vessel that follows a published schedule with repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points for voyages that begin or end in the United States.
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The Company does not intend to have, or permit circumstances that would result in having any vessel operating to the United States on a regularly scheduled basis. Based on the foregoing and on the expected mode of the Company's shipping operations and other activities, the Company believes that none of its U.S.-source shipping income will be "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
United States Federal Income Taxation of the BET Fleet
On August 12, 2009, the Company acquired a 50% controlling interest in BET from Constellation. During the course of Mineral Transport's joint venture with Constellation and its parent corporation, Constellation Energy Group, Inc., for the operation of the BET fleet, BET failed to timely file an election to be treated as a disregarded entity for US tax purposes, which is commonly referred to as a "check-the-box" election. Without this check-the-box election, the U.S.-source shipping income of each ship-owning corporation in the BET fleet will be subject to the 4% Tax on its U.S.-source shipping income for the 2008 and 2009 tax years since the ship-owning corporations cannot otherwise qualify for Section 883 relief under the Section 883 regulations.
Subsequent to the acquisition, BET applied for and obtained the IRS's permission to make a check-the-box election after the fact as if the check-the-box election was made at the formation of BET. As a result of obtaining this ruling from the IRS, the Company believes that the BET Fleet qualified for tax exemption for the 2008 and 2009 tax years and should continue to qualify for such exemption in future years.
United States Federal Income Taxation of the MCS Fleet
The Company owns 100% of MCS, which the Company acquired from Maritime Capital. Prior to Maritime Capital's acquisition of MCS on April 30, 2010 and the Company's subsequent acquisition of a controlling interest in MCS from Maritime Capital in May 2010, there is considerable doubt that the ship-owning corporations controlled by MCS prior to our acquisition qualify for exemption from the 4% tax pursuant to Section 883. In light of this doubt, the Company has taken a reserve against taxes, interest and penalties that may be due on the U.S. source gross transportation income of the MCS ship-owning subsidiaries for tax years prior to 2010 as disclosed on the financial statements included in this Prospectus. The subsidiaries controlled by MCS will qualify for exemption from the 4% Tax for 2010 based on our controlling interest. The Company expects to continue to qualify for exemption from the 4% Tax in future years.
Gain on Sale of Vessels
Regardless of whether the Company qualifies for exemption under Section 883, the Company will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation with respect to gain realized on a sale of a vessel, provided the sale is considered to occur outside of the United States under U.S. federal income tax principles. In general, a sale of a vessel will be considered to occur outside of the United States for this purpose if title to the vessel, and risk of loss with respect to the vessel, pass to the buyer outside of the United States. It is expected that any sale of a vessel by the Company will be considered to occur outside of the United States.
Taxation of U.S. Holders
The following is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to an investment decision by a U.S. Holder, as defined below, with respect to the Company's Units (including the common shares and warrants). This discussion does not purport to deal with the tax consequences of owning Units to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special rules. You are encouraged to consult your own tax advisors concerning the overall tax consequences arising in your own particular situation under U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law of the ownership of Units (including common shares or warrants).
As used herein, the term "U.S. Holder" means a beneficial owner of Units (or common shares or warrants)that (i) is a U.S. citizen or resident, a U.S. corporation or other U.S. entity taxable as a corporation, an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust and (ii) owns the Units (or common shares or warrants) as a capital asset, generally, for investment purposes.
If a partnership holds Units (or common shares or warrants), the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding Units (or common shares or warrants), you are encouraged to consult your own tax advisor on this issue.
Allocation of Purchase Price
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the amount of cash paid for a Unit must be allocated between the common shares and warrants comprising the Unit on the basis of their relative fair market values. The allocation of the purchase price of the Units is relevant to the timing and manner of inclusion of income with respect to the common shares as discussed below.
Distributions
Subject to the discussion of passive foreign investment companies below, any distributions made by the Company with respect to common shares to a U.S. Holder will generally constitute dividends, which may be taxable as ordinary income or "qualified dividend income" as described in more detail below, to the extent of the Company's current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of the Company's earnings and profits will be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Holder's tax basis in his common shares on a dollar-for-dollar basis and thereafter as capital gain. Because the Company is not a U.S. corporation, U.S. Holders that are corporations will not be entitled to claim a dividends-received deduction with respect to any distributions they receive from the Company.
Dividends paid on common shares to a U.S. Holder which is an individual, trust, or estate (a "U.S. Non-Corporate Holder") will generally be treated as "qualified dividend income" that is taxable to such shareholders at preferential U.S. federal income tax rates (currently through 2010) provided that (1) the common shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States (such as the NASDAQ Global Market on which the common shares are listed); (2) the Company is not a passive foreign investment company for the taxable year during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding taxable year (which the Company does not believe it is, has been or will be); and (3) the U.S. Non-Corporate Holder has owned the common shares for more than 60 days in the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the date on which the common shares become ex-dividend.
Legislation has been previously introduced in the U.S. Congress which, if enacted in its present form, would preclude the dividends paid by the Company from qualifying for such preferential rates prospectively from the date of the enactment. Any dividends paid by the Company which are not eligible for these preferential rates will be taxed as ordinary income to a U.S. Holder. Further, in the absence of legislation extending the term of the preferential tax rates for qualified dividend income, all dividends received by a taxpayer in tax years beginning on January 1, 2011 or later will be taxed at ordinary graduated tax rates.
Special rules may apply to any ''extraordinary dividend''—generally, a dividend in an amount which is equal to or in excess of 10% of a shareholder's adjusted basis in a common share—paid by the Company. If the Company pays an "extraordinary dividend" on its common stock that is treated as "qualified dividend income," then any loss derived by a U.S. Non-Corporate Holder from the sale or exchange of such common stock will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of such dividend.
Sale, Exchange or other Disposition of Common Shares
Assuming the Company does not constitute a passive foreign investment company for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of the Company's common shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized by the U.S. Holder from such sale, exchange or other disposition and the U.S. Holder's tax basis in such stock. Such gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder's holding period in the common shares is greater than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition. A U.S. Holder's ability to deduct capital losses is subject to certain limitations.
Exercise or Sale, Retirement or Other Taxable Disposition of Warrants
Neither the Company nor a U.S. Holder of a warrant will recognize gain or loss as a result of the U.S. Holder's receipt of common shares upon exercise of a warrant. A U.S. Holder's adjusted tax basis in the common shares received will be an amount equal to the sum of (i) the U.S. Holder's adjusted tax basis in the warrant exercised plus (ii) the amount of the exercise price for the warrant. If the warrants lapse without exercise, a U.S. Holder will recognize capital loss in the amount equal to the U.S. Holder's adjusted tax basis in the warrants. A U.S. Holder's holding period for common shares received upon exercise of a warrant will commence on the date the warrant is exercised.
Upon the sale, retirement or other taxable disposition of a warrant (other than an exercise of the warrant in exchange for common shares), a U.S. Holder will generally recognize gain or loss to the extent of the difference between the sum of the cash and the fair market value of any property received in exchange therefor and the U.S. Holder's tax basis in the warrant. Any such gain or loss recognized by a holder upon the sale, retirement or other taxable disposition of a warrant will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the warrant has been held for more than one year.
The exercise price of a warrant is subject to adjustment under certain circumstances. If an adjustment increases a proportionate interest of the holder of a warrant in the fully diluted common stock without proportionate adjustments to the holders of our common stock, U.S. Holder of the warrants may be treated as having received a constructive distribution, which may be taxable to the U.S. Holder as a dividend.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Status and Significant Tax Consequences
Special U.S. federal income tax rules apply to a U.S. Holder that holds stock in a foreign corporation classified as a PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, the Company will be treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder if, for any taxable year in which such holder held the Company's common shares, either:
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at least 75% of the Company's gross income for such taxable year consists of passive income (e.g., dividends, interest, capital gains and rents derived other than in the active conduct of a rental business), or
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at least 50% of the average value of the assets held by the corporation during such taxable year produce, or are held for the production of, passive income.
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For purposes of determining whether the Company is a PFIC, the Company will be treated as earning and owning its proportionate share of the income and assets, respectively, of any of its subsidiary corporations in which it owns at least 25% of the value of the subsidiary's stock (including, for example, BET). Income earned, or deemed earned, by the Company in connection with the performance of services would not constitute passive income. By contrast, rental income would generally constitute "passive income" unless the Company is treated under specific rules as deriving its rental income in the active conduct of a trade or business.
Based on the Company's current operations and future projections, the Company does not believe that it is, nor does it expect to become, a PFIC with respect to any taxable year. Although there is no legal authority directly on point, the Company's belief is based principally on the position that, for purposes of determining whether the Company is a PFIC, the gross income the Company derives or is deemed to derive from the time chartering and voyage chartering activities of its wholly-owned subsidiaries should constitute services income, rather than rental income. On the other hand, the income that the Company derives from bareboat charters will constitute "passive income," and the assets that the Company owns and operates in connection with the production of that income will constitute passive assets. Correspondingly, the Company believes that its time charter and voyage charter income does not constitute passive income, and the assets that the Company or its wholly-owned subsidiaries own and operate in connection with the production of such income, in particular, the vessels, do not constitute passive assets for purposes of determining whether the Company is a PFIC. The Company believes there is substantial legal authority supporting its position consisting of case law and IRS pronouncements concerning the characterization of income derived from time charters and voyage charters as services income for other tax purposes. However, there is also authority which characterizes time charter income as rental income rather than services income for other tax purposes. It should be noted that in the absence of any legal authority specifically relating to the statutory provisions governing PFICs, the Internal Revenue Service or a court could disagree with this position. In addition, although the Company intends to conduct its affairs in a manner to avoid being classified as a PFIC with respect to any taxable year, there can be no assurance that the nature of its operations will not change in the future.
As discussed more fully below, if the Company were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder would be subject to different taxation rules depending on whether the U.S. Holder makes an election to treat the Company as a "Qualified Electing Fund," which election is referred to as a "QEF election." As an alternative to making a QEF election, a U.S. Holder should be able to make a "mark-to-market" election with respect to the common shares, as discussed below. In addition, if the Company were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year after 2010, a U.S. Holder would be required to file an annual report with the IRS for that year with respect to such U.S. Holder's common stock.
If the Company is treated as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then a U.S. Holder of warrants would be subject to the PFIC rules with respect to his ownership of the warrants. It should be noted that a U.S. Holder of a warrant will not be permitted to make a QEF election or a mark-to-market election with respect to the warrants.
Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a Timely QEF Election
If a U.S. Holder makes a timely QEF election, which U.S. Holder is referred to as an "Electing Holder," the Electing Holder must report each year for U.S. federal income tax purposes his pro rata share of the Company's ordinary earnings and its net capital gain, if any, for the Company's taxable year that ends with or within the taxable year of the Electing Holder, regardless of whether or not distributions were received from the Company by the Electing Holder. The Electing Holder's adjusted tax basis in the common shares will be increased to reflect taxed but undistributed earnings and profits. Distributions of earnings and profits that had been previously taxed will result in a corresponding reduction in the adjusted tax basis in the common shares and will not be taxed again once distributed. An Electing Holder would generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, exchange or other disposition of the common shares. A U.S. Holder may not make a QEF election with respect to its ownership of a warrant.
Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a "Mark-to-Market" Election
Alternatively, if the Company were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year and, as anticipated, the common shares is treated as "marketable stock," a U.S. Holder would be allowed to make a "mark-to-market" election with respect to the Company's common shares. If that election is made, the U.S. Holder generally would include as ordinary income in each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the common shares at the end of the taxable year over such holder's adjusted tax basis in the common shares. The U.S. Holder would also be permitted an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of the U.S. Holder's adjusted tax basis in the common shares over its fair market value at the end of the taxable year, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. A U.S. Holder's tax basis in his common shares would be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amount. Gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of the common shares would be treated as ordinary income, and any loss realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of the common shares would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent that such loss does not exceed the net mark-to-market gains previously included by the U.S. Holder. A U.S. Holder may not make a mark-to-market election with respect to its ownership of warrants.
Taxation of U.S. Holders Not Making a Timely QEF or Mark-to-Market Election
Finally, if the Company were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder who does not make either a QEF election or a "mark-to-market" election for that year, whom is referred to as a "Non-Electing Holder," would be subject to special rules with respect to (1) any excess distribution (i.e., the portion of any distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder on the common shares in a taxable year in excess of 125% of the average annual distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder in the three preceding taxable years, or, if shorter, the Non-Electing Holder's holding period for the common shares), and (2) any gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of the common shares or warrants. Under these special rules:
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the excess distribution or gain would be allocated ratably over the Non-Electing Holders' aggregate holding period for the common shares or warrants;
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the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable years before the Company became a PFIC would be taxed as ordinary income; and
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the amount allocated to each of the other taxable years would be subject to tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the applicable class of taxpayer for that year, and an interest charge for the deemed deferral benefit would be imposed with respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other taxable year.
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These penalties would not apply to a pension or profit sharing trust or other tax-exempt organization that did not borrow funds or otherwise utilize leverage in connection with its acquisition of the common shares or warrants. If a Non-Electing Holder who is an individual dies while owning the common shares or warrants, such holder's successor generally would not receive a step-up in tax basis with respect to such stock.
U.S. Federal Income Taxation of "Non-U.S. Holders"
A beneficial owner of common shares or warrants that is not a U.S. Holder (other than a partnership) is referred to herein as a "Non-U.S. Holder."
Dividends on Common Shares
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on dividends received from us with respect to our common shares, unless that income is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder's conduct of a trade or business in the United States. If the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of a U.S. income tax treaty with respect to those dividends, that income is taxable only if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States.
Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Shares or Warrants
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on any gain realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common shares or warrants, unless:
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the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder's conduct of a trade or business in the United States. If the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of an income tax treaty with respect to that gain, that gain is taxable only if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States; or
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the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of disposition and other conditions are met.
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If the Non-U.S. Holder is engaged in a U.S. trade or business for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the income from the common shares and warrants, including dividends and the gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of the shares that is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business will generally be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax in the same manner as discussed in the previous section relating to the taxation of U.S. Holders. In addition, if you are a corporate Non-U.S. Holder, your earnings and profits that are attributable to the effectively connected income, which are subject to certain adjustments, may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, or at a lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
A Non-U.S. Holder will not recognize any gain or loss on the exercise or lapse of the warrants.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
In general, dividend payments, or other taxable distributions, made within the United States to a holder will be subject to information reporting requirements. Such payments will also be subject to "backup withholding" if paid to a non-corporate U.S. Holder who:
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fails to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number;
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is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that he has failed to report all interest or dividends required to be shown on his federal income tax returns; or
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in certain circumstances, fails to comply with applicable certification requirements.
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If a holder sells his common shares or warrants to or through a U.S. office or broker, the payment of the proceeds is subject to both U.S. backup withholding and information reporting unless the holder establishes an exemption. If a holder sells his common shares or warrants through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker and the sales proceeds are paid to the holder outside the United States then information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to that payment. However, U.S. information reporting requirements, but not backup withholding, will apply to a payment of sales proceeds, including a payment made to a holder outside the United States, if the holder sells his common shares or warrants through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is a U.S. person or has some other contacts with the United States.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, a taxpayer generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under backup withholding rules that exceed the taxpayer's income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS.
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Master Agreement
On August 26, 2008, shareholders of Seanergy Maritime approved a proposal to acquire six dry bulk carriers from six individual sellers controlled by members of the Restis family, including two newly built vessels. This acquisition was made pursuant to the Master Agreement and the several MOAs in which Seanergy agreed to purchase these vessels for an aggregate purchase price of (i) $367.0 million in cash to the sellers, (ii) $28,250,000 in the form of the Note, which was convertible into 2,260,000 shares of Seanergy's common stock, issued to the Restis affiliate shareholders as nominees for the sellers, and (iii) up to an aggregate of 4,308,075 shares of common stock of Seanergy issued to the Restis affiliate shareholders as nominees for the sellers, subject to our meeting an EBITDA target of $72.0 million to be earned between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009, which target was achieved and the additional consideration was recorded as an increase in goodwill of $17.3 million, equal to the fair value of the 4,308,075 shares. On August 19, 2009, in connection with an amendment to the Note to reduce the conversion price, the holders of the Note converted it to 6,585,868 shares of our common stock. The Restis affiliate shareholders, United Capital Investments Corp., Atrion Shipholding S.A., Plaza Shipholding Corp., and Comet Shipholding Inc., and the sellers are owned and controlled by the following members of the Restis family: Victor Restis, Bella Restis, Katia Restis and Claudia Restis. The Restis affiliate shareholders are four personal investment companies. Each company is controlled by one of these four individuals. Each seller is a single purpose entity organized for the purpose of owning and operating one of the six dry bulk carriers sold pursuant to the terms of the Master Agreement and the individual related MOA. Following the sale of the vessels under the Master Agreement and related MOAs, the sellers have had no further operations. The Restis affiliate shareholders purchased shares of Seanergy's common stock from two of our original founders, Messrs. Panagiotis and Simon Zafet, and were the nominees of the sellers for purposes of receiving payments under the Note and the common shares we issued upon meeting the EBITDA target described above. The Restis affiliate shareholders do not have any direct participation in our operations as they are not officers, directors or employees of Seanergy Maritime or Seanergy.
The Master Agreement also provided that Seanergy Maritime and Seanergy cause their respective officers to resign as officers, other than Messrs. Ploughman and Koutsolioutsos, and the Restis affiliate shareholders have the right to appoint such other officers as they deem appropriate in their discretion. Pursuant to the Master Agreement, Seanergy Maritime and Seanergy also established shipping committees of three directors and delegated to them the exclusive authority to consider and vote upon all matters involving shipping and vessel finance, subject to certain limitations. Messrs. Ploughman, Koutsoubelis and Culucundis were appointed to such committees. See "Our Business – Shipping Committee." In addition, in connection with the Master Agreement, Seanergy entered into the Management Agreement and the Brokerage Agreement, whereby Seanergy agreed to outsource the management and commercial brokerage of its fleet to affiliates of the Restis family.
Registration Rights
Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement, no later than thirty days from the effective date of the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, we were obligated to file a registration statement with the Commission registering the resale of the 5,500,000 common shares in the aggregate owned by Seanergy Maritime's founding shareholders and the Restis affiliate shareholders, 16,016,667 common share purchase warrants that were issued in a private transaction, to which we refer as the Insider Warrants, and the 16,016,667 common shares underlying the Insider Warrants. In addition, we agreed to register for resale in such registration statement an aggregate of 6,568,075 common shares, consisting of the 4,308,075 common shares issued to the Restis affiliate shareholders upon achievement of the earnings targets and the 2,260,000 common shares originally issuable upon conversion of the Note. We filed such registration statement, to which we refer as the original resale registration statement, with the Commission (File No. 333-157270) and it was declared effective on February 19, 2009. The 5,500,000 shares were in escrow for a period of 12 months after the vessel acquisition and in September 2009, they were released by the escrow agent.
On August 28, 2009, in connection with the amendment to the Note, we filed a registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act (File No. 333-161595), or the second resale registration statement, for the additional 4,325,868 common shares issued upon conversion of the Note, as amended. The securities we registered pursuant to the original resale registration statement and the second resale
registration statement were again registered pursuant to a registration statement on Form F-3 we filed with the Commission on May 10, 2010 (File No. 333-166697), or the third resale registration statement. The holders of such securities are also entitled to certain "piggy-back" registration rights on registration statements filed subsequent to such date. We have since withdrawn the original resale registration statement and the second resale registration statement.
On September 15, 2010, we entered into a registration rights agreement in connection with the Company's acquisition of a 49% interest in MCS, as part of the purchase price for the acquisition was paid through the issuance of 24,761,905 shares of the Company common stock to the Restis affiliate shareholders as nominees of the seller, Maritime Capital. Pursuant to this registration rights agreement, no later than 120 days from the execution of the registration rights agreement, we are obligated to file a registration statement with the Commission registering the resale of such 24,761,905 common shares issued to and held by the Restis affiliate shareholders, to which we refer as the fourth resale registration statement.
Management of Our Fleet
We outsource the commercial brokerage and management of our fleet to companies that are affiliated with members of the Restis family. The commercial brokerage of our initial fleet of six vessels and the BET fleet has been contracted out to Safbulk. The management of our fleet has been contracted out to EST. These entities are controlled by members of the Restis family.
Management Agreement
Under the terms of the management agreement entered into by EST, as manager of all vessels owned by our subsidiaries, with Seanergy Management, and EST, as manager of all vessels owned by BET, and BET, EST performs certain duties that include general administrative and support services necessary for the operation and employment of all vessels owned by all subsidiaries of Seanergy and BET, including, without limitation, crewing and other technical management, insurance, freight management, accounting related to vessels, provisions, bunkering, operation and, subject to our instructions, sale and purchase of vessels.
Under the terms of the management agreement with Seanergy Management, EST was initially entitled to receive a daily fee of Euro 416 per vessel until December 31, 2008, which fee may thereafter be increased annually by an amount equal to the percentage change during the preceding period in the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices All Items for Greece published by Eurostat from time to time. Such fee is payable monthly in advance on the first business day of each following month. The fee has been increased to Euro 425 per vessel through December 31, 2009. Under the terms of the management agreement with BET, the management fee is also Euro 425 per vessel through December 31, 2009. The management fee under both agreements has been increased to Euro 436 per vessel for the year 2010.
Brokerage Agreement
Under the terms of the brokerage agreements entered into by Safbulk Pty, as exclusive commercial broker, with Seanergy Management, for our initial fleet of six vessels, and Safbulk Maritime and BET for the BET fleet, Safbulk provides commercial brokerage services to our subsidiaries and the subsidiaries of BET, which include, among other things, seeking and negotiating employment for the vessels owned by the vessel-owning subsidiaries in accordance with the instructions of Seanergy Management and BET, as the case may be. Safbulk is entitled to receive a commission of 1.25% calculated on the collected gross hire/freight/demurrage payable when such amounts are collected. The brokerage agreement with Safbulk Pty was originally for a term of two years expiring in August 2010. The brokerage agreement with Safbulk Maritime was originally for a term of one year expiring in August 2010. Each brokerage agreement is automatically renewable for consecutive periods of one year, unless either party is provided with three months' written notice prior to the termination of such period. Both brokerage agreements have been automatically renewed for another year expiring in August 2011.
Shipping Committee
We have established a shipping committee. The purpose of the shipping committee is to consider and vote upon all matters involving shipping and vessel finance. The shipping industry often demands very prompt review and decision-making with respect to business opportunities. In recognition of this, and in order to best utilize the experience and skills that the Restis family board appointees bring to us, our board of directors has delegated all such matters to the shipping committee. Transactions that involve the issuance of our securities or transactions that involve a related party, however, shall not be delegated to the shipping committee but instead shall be considered by the entire board of directors. The shipping committee is comprised of three directors. In accordance with the Amended and Restated Shipping Committee Charter, two of the directors are nominated by the Restis affiliate shareholders and one of the directors is nominated by a majority of our Board of Directors.. The members of the shipping committee are Messrs. Dale Ploughman and Kostas Koutsoubelis, who are the Restis affiliate shareholders' nominees, and Mr. Dimitris Panagiotopoulos, who is the Board's nominee.
In order to assure the continued existence of the shipping committee, our board of directors has agreed that the shipping committee may not be dissolved and that the duties or composition of the shipping committee may not be altered without the affirmative vote of not less that 80% of our board of directors. In addition, the duties of our chief executive officer, which is currently Mr. Ploughman, may not be altered without a similar vote. These duties include voting the shares of stock that Seanergy owns in its subsidiaries. The purpose of this provision is to ensure that we will cause each of its shipping-related subsidiaries to have a board of directors with members that are identical to the shipping committee. In addition to these agreements, we have amended certain provisions in its articles of incorporation and by-laws to incorporate these requirements. As a result of these various provisions, in general, all shipping-related decisions will be made by the Restis family appointees to our board of directors unless 80% of the board members vote to change the duties or composition of the shipping committee.
Two of the members of the shipping committee also serve as our appointees to the BET board of directors.
The Time Charters
In connection with our business combination, our relevant vessel-owning subsidiaries entered into time charter parties for our six initial vessels with SAMC, a company associated with members of the Restis family. Each charter party reflected rates for a period of 11 to 13 months as follows (inclusive of a total of 2.5% address and charter commission in favor of parties nominated by the sellers): (i) $30,000 per day for the African Oryx; (ii) $36,000 per day for the African Zebra; (iii) $60,000 per day for the Davakis G. (ex. Hull No. KA215); (iv) $60,000 per day for the Delos Ranger (ex. Hull No. KA216); (v) $65,000 per day for the Bremen Max; and (vi) $65,000 per day for the Hamburg Max, with some flexibility permitted with regard to the per vessel type charters secured by the sellers so long as the operating day and duration weighted average revenues are consistent with the foregoing.
On July 24, 2009, SAMC and Seanergy executed an addendum to the charter party relating to the Bremen Max pursuant to which the daily charter rate was reduced to $15,500 for the vessel and the charter period was extended for an additional 11-13 months commencing on July 27, 2009.
Following the expiration of the previous charter party for the Hamburg Max in August 2010, pursuant to time charter party agreement dated August 24, 2010, the mv Hamburg Max 2010 is chartered to a first class charterer for a two year term under a time charter agreement with a profit sharing arrangement at a base rate of $21,500 per day and a ceiling of $25,500 per day, with a 50% profit sharing arrangement to apply to any amount in excess of the ceiling, inclusive of a brokerage commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk Pty and to Arrow Chartering Ltd. UK, each, and 3.75% payable to charterers.
Upon expiration of the time charters for the BET Commander and the BET Prince in October 2009 and November 2009, respectively, pursuant to charter party agreements dated as of July 7, 2009, the BET Commander and the BET Prince were chartered to SAMC at daily time charter rates of $24,000 and $25,000, respectively, for time charters expiring in December 2011 and January 2012, respectively.
Pursuant to time charter party agreements dated as of July 7, 2009, each of the BET Fighter, BET Scouter and the BET Intruder were chartered to SAMC at daily time charter rates of $25,000, $26,000 and $15,500, respectively, for charters expiring in September 2011, October 2011 and September 2011, respectively.
All time charter rates for the BET fleet are inclusive of a commission of 1.25% payable to Safbulk as commercial broker and 2.5% payable to SAMC as charterer.
SAMC is an affiliate of members of the Restis family. We believe the terms of the time charters with SAMC are at least as favorable to us as those we could have obtained from an unaffiliated third party.
Stock Purchase Agreement
On May 20, 2008, the Restis affiliate shareholders purchased the beneficial interests in all of the securities of Seanergy Maritime owned by Messrs. Panagiotis Zafet and Simon Zafet, the former chief executive officer and chief operating officer of Seanergy Maritime, respectively. The securities owned by the Zafets consisted of 2,750,000 founding shares and 8,008,334 private placement warrants. The aggregate purchase price for the founding shares and private placement warrants, which was negotiated between the Zafets and the Restis affiliate shareholders, was $25.0 million.
Because the securities purchased by the Restis affiliate shareholders were founding shares and private placement warrants, they were subject to a number of restrictions not applicable to Seanergy Maritime common stock and warrants. The founding shares were held in escrow and could not be transferred until 12 months after a business combination, which is why the Restis affiliate shareholders could only purchase the beneficial interests in such shares, including voting rights, as the founding shares remained in the registered names of the Zafets until September 7, 2009, when they were transferred into the names of the Restis affiliate shareholders and released from escrow. These securities have since been registered under the third resale registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act.
In connection with the purchase by the Restis affiliate shareholders of all of the Zafets' beneficial interest in the founding shares and private placement warrants, the Zafets agreed to resign as directors and officers of Seanergy Maritime and terminated all business relationships they had with Seanergy Maritime. Neither Seanergy nor Seanergy Maritime was a party to the stock purchase agreement and neither was involved in the negotiation of the purchase price. Accordingly, Seanergy and Seanergy Maritime believe that the fair value of the founding shares and private placement warrants sold by the Zafets to the Restis affiliate shareholders was the contractual purchase price of $25.0 million.
Vgenopoulos and Partners
Mr. Ioannis Tsigkounakis, a former member of our board of directors, is a partner of Vgenopoulos and Partners. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, Seanergy Maritime paid Mr. Tsigkounakis' law firm $20,465 and $340,000, respectively. On November 30, 2009, we announced that Mr. Tsigkounakis had resigned from our board of directors.
Sublease Agreement
We lease our executive office space in Athens, Greece pursuant to the terms of a sublease agreement between Seanergy Management and Waterfront, a company which is beneficially owned by Victor Restis. The sublease fee is Euro 504,000 per annum. The initial term is from November 17, 2008 to November 16, 2011. We have the option to extend the term until February 2, 2014. The premises are approximately 1,000 square meters in the southern suburbs of Athens. The agreement includes furniture and parking space.
Consultancy Agreement
On December 15, 2008, Seanergy Management entered into an agreement with CKA Company S.A., a related party entity incorporated in the Marshall Islands. CKA Company S.A. is beneficially owned by our chief financial officer. Under the agreement, CKA Company S.A. provides the
services of the individual who serves in the position of our chief financial officer. The agreement is for $220,000 per annum, payable monthly on the last working day of every month in twelve installments.
BET Shareholder Agreement
In connection with the closing of our purchase of an interest in BET, on August 12, 2009, we entered into a shareholder agreement with Mineral Transport, an affiliate of members of the Restis family, which sets forth, among other things, the parties' rights with respect to the corporate governance and control of BET's business and operations and the ownership and transfer of the stock owned by BET's two shareholders, us and Mineral Transport. See "Our Business – BET Shareholder Agreement."
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
The following table sets out certain information as of September 17, 2010 with respect to each person or group of affiliated persons who is currently known to us to be the beneficial owner of 5% or more of the shares of our common stock, as well as our officers and directors as a group:
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Name and
Address of
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Beneficial
Owner(1)
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Voting Power
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Georgios Koutsolioutsos
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9,568,380
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(2)(3)
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10.4
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%
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9,568,380
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(2)
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10.4
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%
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United Capital Investments Corp.
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18,621,257
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(4)(6)(7)(8)
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21.2
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%
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18,621,257
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(4)(5)(7)
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21.20
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%
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Atrion Shipholding S.A.
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15,827,783
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(6)(7)(8)
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18.2
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%
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15,827,783
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(7)
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18.2
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%
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Plaza Shipholding Corp.
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15,891,377
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(4)(6)(7)(8)
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18.4
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%
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15,891,377
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(4)(5)(7)
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18.4
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%
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Comet Shipholding Inc.
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15,828,073
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(6)(7)(8)
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18.2
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%
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15,828,073
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(7)
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18.2
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%
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All directors and executive officers as a group (9 individuals)
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150,000
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*
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150,000
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*
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*
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Less than 1%.
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(1)
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Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the shareholders is 1-3 Patriarchou Grigoriou, 166 74 Glyfada, Athens, Greece.
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(2)
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Includes 6,727,000 shares of our common stock for Mr. Koutsolioutsos issuable upon exercise of warrants, as to which Mr. Koutsolioutsos has sole voting and dispositive power.
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(3)
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Includes 38,700 shares of our common stock, as to which Mr. Koutsolioutsos has sole voting power.
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(4)
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Includes 70,000 shares of common stock owned by Argonaut SPC, a fund managed by Oxygen Capital AEPEY, which is an entity affiliated with Victor Restis and Katia Restis.
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(5)
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None of the Restis affiliate shareholders, other shareholders who are affiliates of the Restis family, or Seanergy Maritime's founding shareholders has shared investment power with respect to any of the shares beneficially owned, except for 70,000 shares included for Plaza Shipholding Corp. as to which each of United and Plaza have shared investment power.
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(6)
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Each of United Capital Investments Corp., Atrion Shipholding S.A., Plaza Shipholding Corp. and Comet Shipholding Inc. is an affiliate of members of the Restis family. The address of each of United Capital Investments Corp., Atrion Shipholding S.A., Plaza Shipholding Corp., and Comet Shipholding Inc., is c/o 11 Poseidonos Avenue, 16777 Elliniko, Athens, Greece, Attn: Evan Breibart.
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(7)
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Includes 2,002,038, 2,002,084, 2,002,083 and 2,826,584 shares of our common stock for Atrion, Plaza, Comet and United Capital Investments, respectively, in connection with the exercise of the warrants, as to which each of Atrion, Plaza, Comet and United Capital Investments has sole voting power.
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(8)
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Following the initial acquisition of an aggregate of 2,750,000 shares of our common stock on May 20, 2009, each of United Capital Investments, Atrion, Plaza and Comet and their affiliates have continued to make additional purchases of shares of our common stock as follows: (i) during the period between June 5, 2008 and August 11, 2008, they collectively purchased an aggregate of 8,929,781 shares of our common stock in a combination of open market purchases and private block transaction for prices ranging from $9.8711 to $10.00 per share; and (ii) during the period between October 13, 2008 and August 21, 2009, they collectively purchased an aggregate of 4,937,634 shares of our common stock in open market purchases for prices ranging from $4.78 to $6.99 per share.
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All shares owned by the shareholders listed in the table above have the same voting rights as other shares of our common stock. To the best of our knowledge, except as disclosed in the table above, we are not owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by another corporation or by any foreign government. To the best of our knowledge, there are no agreements in place that could result in a change of control of us.
As of September 17, 2010, 39,942,060, or 47.0%, were held of record by three persons with U.S. addresses of record, including 39,938,960 shares owned of record in CEDE & Co., a nominee of The Depository Trust Company. As a nominee, we believe that the shares held by CEDE & Co. include shares of common stock beneficially owned by both holders in and outside the United States.
DESCRIPTION OF INDEBTEDNESS
Marfin Revolving Credit Facility
As of June 30, 2010, we had utilized $54.8 million of the amount available under our revolving credit facility, which is equal to the lesser of $72.0 million and an amount in dollars which when aggregated with the amounts already drawn down under the term facility does not exceed 70% of the aggregate market values of the vessels and other securities held in favor of the lender for the business combination and working capital purposes.
The original revolving credit facility bears interest at LIBOR plus 2.25% per annum. As per the amended loan agreements dated September 9, 2009 and November 13, 2009, the revolving credit facility bears interest at LIBOR plus 3.50% until January 1, 2011. As per addenda to the loan agreement dated June 2, 2010, the revolving credit facility bears interest of LIBOR plus 4.00% until January 3, 2012. After January 3, 2012, interest is reinstated at LIBOR plus 2.25% per annum. A commitment fee of 0.25% per annum is calculated on the daily aggregate un-drawn balance and un-cancelled amount of the revolving credit facility, payable quarterly in arrears from the date of the signing of the loan agreements.
The revolving facility is subject to five consecutive annual reductions of $12.0 million and any outstanding balance must be fully repaid together with the balloon payment of the term loan.
Marfin Term Facility and Addenda
The initial vessel acquisition was financed with an amortizing term loan from Marfin equal to $165.0 million representing 42% of the vessels' aggregate acquisition costs, excluding any amounts associated with the earn-out provision. The amount outstanding as of June 30, 2010, amounted to $119.3 million.
The loan is repayable commencing three months from the last drawdown, or March 31, 2009, whichever is earlier, through twenty-eight consecutive quarterly principal installments, of which the first four principal installments will be equal to $7.5 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to $5.3 million each and the final twenty principal installments will be equal to $3.2 million each, with a balloon payment equal to $50.0 million due concurrently with the twenty-eighth principal installment. On September 9, 2009, we executed addendum no. 1 to the loan agreement. In connection with the amendment, Marfin accelerated the due date of installment no. 5 to September 25, 2009 and of installment nos. 6 and 7 to January 4, 2010.
The loan bears interest at an annual rate of 3 month-LIBOR plus 1.5%, if our ratio of total assets to total liabilities is greater than 165%, which is to be increased to 1.75% if the ratio is equal or less than 165%. As per the amended loan agreements dated September 9, 2009 and November 13, 2009, respectively, the term facility bears interest at LIBOR plus 3.00% until January 1, 2011. As per addenda to the loan agreement dated June 2, 2010, the term facility bears interest of LIBOR plus 3.50% until January 3, 2012. After January 3, 2012, interest is reinstated at 3 month-LIBOR plus 1.5% if our ratio of total assets to total liabilities is greater than 165%, or 3 month-LIBOR plus 1.75% if the ratio is equal or less than 165%.
The term facility is secured by the following: a first priority mortgage on the vessels, on a joint and several basis; a first priority general assignment of any and all earnings, insurances and requisition compensation of the vessels and the respective notices and acknowledgements thereof; a first priority specific assignment of the benefit of all charters exceeding 12 calendar months duration and all demise charters in respect of the vessels and the respective notices and acknowledgements thereof to be effected in case of default or potential event of default to the absolute discretion of Marfin; assignments, pledges and charges over the earnings accounts held in the name of each borrower with the security trustee; undertakings by the technical and commercial managers of the vessels; and subordination agreement between Marfin and the holder of the Note. All of the aforementioned security will be on a full cross collateral basis.
The term facility includes covenants, among others, that require the borrowers and the corporate guarantor, to maintain vessel insurance for an aggregate amount greater than the vessels' aggregate market value or an amount equal to 130% of the aggregate of (a) the outstanding amount under both the revolving credit and term facilities and (b) the amount available for drawing under the revolving facility. The vessels' insurance is to
include as a minimum cover hull and machinery, war risk and protection and indemnity insurance, $1.0 billion for oil pollution and for excess oil spillage and pollution liability insurance. In relation to the protection and indemnity insurance, no risk should be excluded or the deductibles as provided by the P&I Association materially altered or increased to amounts exceeding $150,000 without the prior written consent of Marfin. In addition mortgagees' interest insurance on the vessels and the insured value must be at least 110% of the aggregate of the revolving credit and term facility.
In addition, if a vessel is sold or becomes a total loss or the mortgage on the vessel is discharged on its disposal, we are required to repay such part of the facilities as is equal to the higher of the amount related to such vessel or the amount necessary to maintain the security clause margin.
Other covenants include the following:
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not to borrow any money or permit such borrowings to continue other than by way of subordinated shareholders' loan or enter into any agreement for deferred terms, other than in any customary supplier's credit terms or any equipment lease or contract hire agreement other than in ordinary course of business;
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no loans, advances or investments in, any person, firm, corporation or joint venture or to any officer, director, shareholder or customer of any such person;
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not to assume, guarantee or otherwise undertake the liability of any person, firm, company;
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not to authorize any capital commitments;
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not to declare or pay dividends in any amount greater than 60% of the net cash flow of the Group as determined by the lender on the basis of the most recent annual audited financial statements provided, or repay any shareholder's loans or make any distributions in excess of the above amount without the lenders prior written consent (see below for terms of waiver obtained on December 31, 2008);
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not to change the Chief Executive Officer and/or Chairman of the corporate guarantor without the prior written consent of the lender;
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not to assign, transfer, sell or otherwise or dispose vessels or any of the property, assets or rights without prior written consent of the lender;
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to ensure that the members of the Restis and Koutsolioutsos families (or companies affiliated with them) own at all times an aggregate of at least 10% of the issued share capital of the corporate guarantor;
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no change of control in the corporate guarantor without the written consent of the lender;
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not to engage in any business other than the operation of the vessels without the prior written consent of the lender;
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not to violate the security margin clause, which provides that: the aggregate market values of the vessels and the value of any additional security shall not be less than (or at least) 135% of the aggregate of the outstanding amounts under the revolving credit and term facilities and any amount available for drawing under the revolving facility, less the aggregate amount of all deposits maintained. As of December 31, 2008, we would not have been in compliance with the security margin clause under the Marfin loan agreement had we not later obtained certain retroactive waivers from Marfin. During the first quarter of 2009, we obtained waivers from Marfin of our compliance with these various financial and other covenants, which waivers were effective as of December 31, 2008. These waivers expired in July 2009, when the first of our original charterers was replaced. On September 9, 2009 and
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November 13, 2009, we executed addenda no. 1 and no. 2, respectively, to the loan agreement and obtained a waiver from Marfin through January 1, 2011. In connection with the amendment and waiver, Marfin made certain changes to our loan agreement including increasing the interest payable during the waiver period, accelerating the due dates of certain principal installments and limiting our ability to pay dividends without their prior consent. As a result of these waivers, we are not currently in default under our Marfin loan agreement.
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·
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ensure that members of the Restis family and the family of our former chairman Mr. George Koutsolioutsos (or companies affiliated with them) together own at all times an aggregate of at least 10% of our issued share capital.
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Financial covenants include the following:
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·
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ratio of financial indebtedness to earnings, before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) shall be less than 6.5:1 (financial indebtedness or net debt are defined is the sum of all outstanding debt facilities minus cash and cash equivalents). The covenant is to be tested quarterly on an LTM basis (the "last twelve months"). The calculation of the covenant is not applicable for the quarter ended December 31, 2008;
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·
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the ratio of LTM EBITDA to net interest expense shall not be less than 2:1. The covenant is to be tested quarterly on a LTM basis. The calculation of the covenant is not applicable for the quarter ended December 31, 2008;
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·
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the ratio of total liabilities to total assets shall not exceed 0.70:1;
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·
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unrestricted cash deposits shall not be less than 2.5% of the financial indebtedness; and
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·
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average quarterly unrestricted cash deposits, other than in favor of the lender, shall not be less than 5% of the financial indebtedness.
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The last three financial covenants listed above are to be tested on a quarterly basis, commencing on December 31, 2008 (where applicable). We were in compliance with our loan covenants as of June 30, 2010.
Citibank Loan Agreement and Supplemental Agreement
The six wholly-owned subsidiaries of BET financed the acquisition of their respective vessels with the proceeds of an amortizing loan from Citibank International PLC, as agent for the syndicate of banks and financial institutions set forth in the loan agreement, in the principal amount of $222.0 million. The loan agreement dated June 26, 2007 is guaranteed by BET. The BET subsidiaries drew down on agreed portions of the loan facility to acquire each of the original six vessels in the BET fleet. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loan bears interest at the annual rate of LIBOR plus 0.75%. As of June 30, 2010, the principal amount due under the Citibank loan was $108.8 million.
The loan is repayable commencing on December 28, 2007 through 15 equal semi-annual installments of principal in the amount of $8.3 million followed by a balloon payment due six months thereafter in the amount of $43.7 million, as these installment amounts were revised after the BET Performer sale. Following BET's supplemental agreement dated September 30, 2009 and prepayment of $20.0 million, the semi-annual installments of principal and the balloon payment amount to $7.1 million and $37.6 million, respectively. The borrowers are required to deposit one-sixth of the next principal payment in a retention account each month to fund each semi-annual principal payment. Interest in due and payable based on interest periods selected by BET equal to one month, two months, three months, six months, or a longer period up to 12 months. For interest periods longer than three months, interest is due in three-month installments.
The Citibank loan facility is secured by the following: the loan agreement, a letter agreement regarding payment of certain fees and expenses by BET; a first priority mortgage on each of the BET vessels; the BET guaranty of the loan; a general assignment or deed of covenant of any and all earnings, insurances and requisition compensation of each of the vessels; pledges over the earnings accounts and retention accounts held in the
name of each borrower; undertakings by the technical managers of the BET vessels; and the trust deed executed by Citibank for the benefit of the other lenders, among others.
The ship security documents include covenants, among others, that require the borrowers to maintain vessel insurance for an aggregate amount equal to the greater of the vessels' aggregate market value or an amount equal to 125% of the outstanding amount under the loan. The vessels' insurance is to include as a minimum cover fire and usual marine risks, war risk and protection and indemnity insurance, and $1.0 billion for oil pollution. In addition, the borrowers agree to reimburse the mortgagee for mortgagees' interest insurance on the vessels in an amount of up to 110% of the outstanding amount under the loan.
In addition, if a vessel is sold or becomes a total loss, BET is required to repay such part of the loan as is equal to the greater of the relevant amount for such vessel, or such amount as is necessary to maintain compliance with the minimum security covenant in the loan agreement. This covenant requires the borrowers to assure that the market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount under the loan. On July 10, 2008, BET, through its wholly owned subsidiary sold the BET Performer and paid an amount on the loan equal to $41.5 million, as required by the loan agreement.
The Borrowers also must assure that the aggregate market value of the BET vessels is not less than 125% of the outstanding amount of the loan. If the market value of the vessels is less than this amount, the Borrowers must prepay an amount that will result in the market value of the vessels meeting this requirement or offer additional security to the lender with a value sufficient to meet this requirement, which additional security must be acceptable to the lender. The value of the BET vessels shall be determined when requested by the lender, and such determination shall be made by any two of the lender's approved shipbrokers, one of which shall be nominated by the lender and one of which shall be nominated by the borrowers.
Other covenants include the following:
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Not to permit any lien to be created over all or any part of the borrowers' present or future undertakings, assets, rights or revenues to secure any present or future indebtedness;
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·
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Not to merge or consolidate with any other person;
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·
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Not to sell, transfer, dispose of or exercise direct control over any part of the borrowers' assets, rights or revenue without the consent of the lender;
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·
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Not to undertake any business other than the ownership and operation of vessels and the chartering of vessels to third parties;
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·
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Not to acquire any assets other than the BET vessels;
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·
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Not to incur any obligations except under the loan agreement and related documents or contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
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·
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Not to borrow money other than pursuant to the loan agreement, except that the borrowers may borrow money from their shareholders or directors or their related companies as long as such borrowings are subordinate to amounts due under the loan agreement;
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·
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Not to guarantee, indemnify or become contingently liable for the obligations of another person or entity except pursuant to the loan agreement and related documents, except, in general, for certain guarantees that arise in the ordinary course of business;
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·
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Not to make any loans or grant any credit to any person, except that the borrowers make loans to BET or the borrowers' related companies as long as they are made on an arm's length basis in the ordinary course of business and are fully subordinated to the rights of the lender;
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·
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Not to make any loans or grant any credit to any person, except that the borrowers make loans to BET or the borrowers' related companies as long as they are made on an arm's length basis in the ordinary course of business and are fully subordinated to the rights of the lender;
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·
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Not to redeem their own shares of stock;
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·
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Not to permit any change in the legal or beneficial ownership of any of the borrowers or BET or cause any change in the shareholders' agreement or constitutional documents related to BET; and
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·
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Not to enter into any related party transactions except on an arm's length basis and for full value.
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On September 30, 2009, BET entered into a supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC (as agent for the syndicate of banks and financial institutions set forth in the loan agreement) in connection with the $222.0 million loan obtained by the six wholly owned subsidiaries of BET, which financed the acquisition of their respective vessels. The material terms of the supplemental agreement with Citibank International PLC are as follows:
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(1)
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the applicable margin for the period between July 1, 2009 and ending on June 30, 2010 (the amendment period) shall be increased to two per cent (2%) per annum and for the period commencing on 1 July 2010 and at all other times thereafter, zero point seven five per cent (0.75%) per annum;
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(2)
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the borrowers shall pay a part of the loan in the amount of $20.0 million; and
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(3)
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the borrowers and the corporate guarantor have requested and the creditors consented to:
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a)
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the temporary reduction of the security requirement during the amendment period from 125% to 100% and following the expiration of the amendment period the security requirement is 125%; and
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b)
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the temporary reduction of the minimum equity ratio requirement of the principal corporate guarantee to be amended from 0.30: 1.0 to 0.175:1.0 during the amendment period at the end of the accounting periods ending on December 31, 2009 and June 30, 2010 and following the expiration of the amendment period the minimum equity ratio requirement of the principal corporate guarantee is 0.30: 1.0.
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Additionally, the Restis family (or companies affiliated with the Restis family) must be the beneficial owners of at least 50.1% of BET's issued share capital (or any lower percentage not less than 40% resulting solely from a rights issue or increase of our issued share capital) and must also be the beneficial owners of the remaining 50% of BET's issued shares that we do not own. Failure to satisfy this condition would constitute an event of default under the Citibank loan agreement.
Pursuant to a supplemental agreement dated August 4, 2010 with Citibank, BET has undertaken to maintain a minimum amount of no less than $7.5 million in the BET account with Citibank.
UOB, HSBC and DVB Loan Agreements and Supplemental Agreements
MCS financed part of the cost of the acquisition of its vessels with the proceeds from three loan facilities. The first loan facility with UOB comprised three loans used to finance part of the cost of the acquisition of three vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans are repayable in thirty two quarterly installments, out of which the first four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.3 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal an aggregate of $2.1 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $1.9 million each and the final twenty principal installments equal to an aggregate of $1.7 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $14.9 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 24, 2010, $10.0 million was converted into subordinated debt, $13.1 million was prepaid from the original loans, and the remaining loan amounts are repayable in twenty five quarterly installments, out of which one quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million, twenty two quarterly installments of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.7 million each, one
quarterly installment of principal amounting to an aggregate of $0.9 million concurrently with balloon payments amounting to an aggregate of $11.1 million, and a final quarterly installment of principal amounting to $0.2 million concurrently with a balloon payment of $5.7 million The applicable margin prior to the voluntary prepayment was LIBOR plus (i) 1.40% per annum if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 70%, (ii) 1.25% if the loan-to-value ratio was equal to or greater than 60% but less than 70%, or (iii) 1.10% if the loan-to-value ratio was less than 60%. The applicable margin following the voluntary prepayment is LIBOR plus 2.50% per annum in relation to the senior loan and LIBOR plus 3.50% per annum in relation to the subordinated loan. As of June 30, 2010, the outstanding loan facility was $33.5 million and $10 million of subordinated debt.
The loan facility with DVB, as agent, comprised four loans and was used to finance a part of the cost of the acquisition of four vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 70% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans are repayable in thirty two quarterly installments, out of which the first four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.9 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.5 million each, the next four principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.3 million each and the final twenty principal installments equal to an aggregate of $2.1 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $24.3 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 20, 2010 and prepayment of $7.4 million, no further principal installments are due until the second quarter of 2011, at which point $6.2 million will be paid. The next eight quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.1 million each, the next seven will be equal to an aggregate amount of $1.6 million each, the next quarterly installment will be equal to $1.6 million along with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $12.2 million, and the final quarterly installment will be equal to $0.5 million and a balloon payment amount of $6.1 million. The applicable margin before the supplemental agreement was LIBOR plus 1.10% per annum on the senior loan and LIBOR plus 2.85% per annum on the junior loan. The applicable margin following the supplemental agreement is LIBOR plus 2.10% per annum on the senior loan and LIBOR plus 4.90% per annum on the junior loan. As of June 30, 2010, the outstanding loan facility was $54.6 million.
The third loan facility with HSBC, as agent, comprised two loans and was used to finance part of the cost of acquisition of two vessels. The amount of the loan for each vessel was less than or equal to 65% of the contractual purchase price for the applicable vessel. The loans were originally repayable in thirty two quarterly installments out of which the first sixteen principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $2.6 million each, the seventeenth through the thirty-second principal installments will be equal to an aggregate of $1.2 million each, with the balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $5.3 million due concurrently with the thirty-second principal installments. Following MCS's supplemental agreement dated May 21, 2010 and prepayment of $7.6 million, the remaining loan repayment period has been shortened to fourteen quarterly installments. Nine of the remaining fourteen quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $2.6 million each, the final five quarterly installments of principal will be equal to an aggregate of $1.2 million each, with balloon payments equal to an aggregate of $11.0 million due concurrently with the final principal installments. The applicable margin to the later of July 21, 2011 and the date of compliance with the security requirement covenant is LIBOR plus 3.25% per annum and thereafter is LIBOR plus 2.75% per annum unless there is breach of the compliance of the security requirement or there is an event of default under the loan agreement. As of June 30, 2010, the outstanding loan facility was $40.5 million.
The UOB, HSBC and DVB loan facilities are secured by the following: first priority mortgages on each of the MCS vessels; MCS guaranties on each of the loans; a general assignment or deed of covenant of any and all earnings, insurances and requisition compensation of each of the vessels; pledges over the earnings accounts and retention accounts held in the name of each borrower and undertakings by the technical managers of the MCS vessels, among others.
The ship security documents include covenants, among others, that require the borrowers to maintain vessel insurance for an aggregate amount equal to the greater of the vessels' aggregate market value or an amount equal to 100%, 125% and 133% of the outstanding amount under each of the UOB, HSBC and DVB loans as described above. The MCS borrowers have received from each of DVB, HSBC and UOB waivers from compliance of these security requirements until March 31, 2011, December 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011, respectively. The vessels' insurance is to include as a minimum cover fire and usual marine risks, war risk and protection and indemnity insurance, and oil pollution. In addition, the borrowers agree to reimburse the mortgagee for mortgagees' interest insurance on the vessels in an amount of 100% to 120%of the outstanding amount under the loan.
In addition, if a vessel is sold or becomes a total loss, MCS is required to repay such part of the loan as is equal to the greater of the relevant amount for such vessel, or such amount as is necessary to maintain compliance with the relevant minimum security covenant in the loan agreements.
Promissory Note
As of June 30, 2009, we had a convertible unsecured promissory note issued to certain Restis affiliate shareholders amounting in aggregate to $28.25 million (face value). The Note accrued interest at a rate of 2.9% per annum and matured in May 2010. The Note was initially convertible into common stock at the option of the holders at a conversion price of $12.50 per share. On August 19, 2009, we amended the Note to reduce the conversion price to the average closing price of our common stock for the five trading days commencing on the effective date of the amendment, which amounted to $4.45598 per share. As a condition to such amendment, the holders agreed to convert their Note at the time of the amendment. Upon conversion, the holders received 6,585,868 shares of our common stock and the Note was extinguished.
Debt Repayment and Terms
The annual principal payments on the Marfin term facility, the Marfin reducing revolving credit facility, the BET loan facility, the MCS UOB loan facility, the MCS HSBC loan facility and MCS DVB loan facility required to be made after June 30, 2010, is as follows:
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Reducing
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|
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|
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|
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Term
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Revolving Credit
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BET Loan
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MCS
|
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MCS
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MCS
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Facility
|
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Facility
|
|
Facility
|
|
DVB
|
|
HSBC
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|
UOB
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Total
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July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011
|
|
14,850
|
|
-
|
|
14,256
|
|
6,244
|
|
10,422
|
|
2,813
|
|
48,585
|
|
July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012
|
|
12,800
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|
6,845
|
|
14,256
|
|
4,163
|
|
10,422
|
|
2,813
|
|
51,299
|
|
July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013
|
|
12,800
|
|
12,000
|
|
14,256
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|
8,325
|
|
6,226
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|
2,813
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|
56,420
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|
July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014
|
|
12,800
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|
12,000
|
|
14,256
|
|
7,357
|
|
13,431
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|
2,813
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|
62,657
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|
July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015
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12,800
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12,000
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|
14,256
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6,338
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|
-
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2,813
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48,207
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Thereafter
|
|
53,200
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|
12,000
|
|
37,563
|
|
22,214
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|
-
|
|
19,437
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|
144,414
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|
|
|
119,250
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|
54,845
|
|
108,843
|
|
54,641
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|
40,501
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|
33,502
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|
411,582
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|
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|
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In addition to the above annual principal payments required to be made after June 30, 2010, an amount of $13.8 million of the UOB loan facility was transferred to a subordinated loan during 2010 pursuant to the supplemental agreement with UOB dated May 24, 2010, out of which $3.8 million was prepaid on June 30, 2010. The remaining $10.0 million is classified to non-current portion and is repayable up to the final balloon payment date of the original UOB loan facility.
Capital Requirements
Our capital expenditures have thus far related solely to the purchase of our six vessels included in our business combination and the routine dry-docking of our vessels. We funded the business combination through our trust fund proceeds, our revolving credit and term facilities and the Note.
In addition, the following table summarizes our next anticipated dry-docks:
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Next Scheduled
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Estimated
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Vessel
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Drydock
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Cost
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African Oryx
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October 2010
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$900,000
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African Zebra
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February 2011
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$1,000,000
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Bremen Max
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|
September 2010
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|
$800,000
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Hamburg Max
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|
February 2012
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|
$1,000,000
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Davakis G.
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May 2011
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|
$500,000
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Delos Ranger
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August 2011
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$500,000
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BET Commander(1)
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August 2011
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$1,200,000
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BET Fighter(1)
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|
At dry dock
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$1,400,000
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BET Prince(1)
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June 2013
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|
$1,200,000
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BET Scouter(1)
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May 2013
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|
$1,200,000
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BET Intruder(1)
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|
At dry dock
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|
$1,300,000
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African Joy
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Sep. 2010
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|
$1,150,000
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African Glory
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|
Jun. 2011
|
|
$900,000
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Asian Grace
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|
May 2012
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|
$900,000
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Clipper Glory
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|
Jan. 2012
|
|
$900,000
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Clipper Grace
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Oct. 2010
|
|
$900,000
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(1) Vessels owned by BET.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following description of our common stock, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the common stock offered under this prospectus. For the complete terms of our common stock, please refer to our amended and restated Articles of Incorporation and our amended and restated By-laws that are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The Marshall Islands Business Corporation Act, or BCA, may also affect the terms of these securities. The terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future common shares that we, the holders of our Public Warrants, the new underwriters or the original underwriter may offer.
Authorized Capitalization
Under our amended and restated articles of incorporation, we are authorized to issue 500,000,000 shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of which 84,962,075 are issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus and 1,000,000shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of which none are outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.
Common Stock
As of the date of this prospectus, we have 84,962,075 common shares outstanding out of 500,000,000 common shares authorized to be issued. In addition, we have 42,984,667 shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Unit Purchase Option and our warrants, including the 38,984,667 Public Warrant Shares. The Public Warrant Shares were originally registered pursuant to a registration statement, or the initial registration statement, that we filed with the Commission (File No. 333-154952) and that was declared effective on January 26, 2009. Upon the Commission declaring the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will as soon as practicable request the Commission to withdraw the initial registration statement.
Each outstanding share of common stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares of preferred stock, holders of shares of common stock are entitled to receive ratably all dividends, if any, declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. Holders of common stock do not have conversion, redemption or preemptive rights to subscribe to any of our securities. All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of preferred stock which we may issue in the future. There are no limitations on the right of non-residents of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to hold or vote shares of our common stock.
Our common shares are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol "SHIP".
Preferred Stock
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorizes the issuance of 1,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by our board of directors. Accordingly, our board of directors is empowered, without shareholder approval, to issue preferred stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights which could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The preferred stock could be utilized as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of us. Although there is no current intent to issue any shares of preferred stock, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future.
Purpose
Our purpose, as stated in our amended and restated articles of incorporation, is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may now or hereafter be organized under the BCA. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and by-laws do not impose any limitations on the ownership rights of our shareholders.
Directors
Our directors are elected by a majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote. There is no provision for cumulative voting.
Under our amended and restated by-laws, our board of directors must consist of at least one but no more than 13 members, as fixed by the board of directors. Our directors shall be divided into three classes: Class A, Class B and Class C. The number of directors in each class shall be as nearly equal as possible. At each annual meeting, directors to replace those directors whose terms expire at such annual meeting shall be elected to hold office until the third succeeding annual meeting. Each director shall serve his respective term of office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, except in the event of his death, resignation, removal, or the earlier termination of his term of office. Our board of directors has the authority to fix the amounts which shall be payable to the members of the board of directors for attendance at any meeting or for services rendered to us.
Interested Transactions
Our by-laws provide that a contract or transaction between us and one or more of our directors or officers, or between us and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are our directors or officers, or have a financial interest, will not be void or voidable, if the material facts as to the relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to our board of directors or its committee and the board of directors or the committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of disinterested directors, or, if the votes of the disinterested directors are insufficient to constitute an act of the board of directors as provided in the BCA, by unanimous vote of the disinterested directors.
Shareholder Meetings
Under our by-laws, annual shareholder meetings will be held at a time and place selected by our board of directors. Our board of directors may set a record date between 15 and 60 days before the date of any meeting to determine the shareholders that will be eligible to receive notice and vote at the meeting.
Dissenters' Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the BCA, our shareholders have the right to dissent from various corporate actions, including any plan of merger or consolidation to which we are a party or sale or exchange of all or substantially all of our property and assets not made in the usual course of our business, and receive payment of the fair value of their shares. In the event of any further amendment of our articles of incorporation, a shareholder also has the right to dissent and receive payment for his or her shares if the amendment alters certain rights with respect to those shares. The dissenting shareholder must follow the procedures set forth in the BCA to receive payment. In the event that we and any dissenting shareholder fail to agree on a price for the shares, the BCA procedures involve, among other things, the institution of proceedings in the high court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or in any appropriate court in any jurisdiction in which the company's shares are primarily traded on a local or national securities exchange.
Shareholders' Derivative Actions
Under the BCA, any of our shareholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the shareholder bringing the action is a holder of our common shares both at the time the derivative action is commenced and at the time of the transaction to which the action relates.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
The BCA authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors and officers to corporations and their shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors' fiduciary duties. Our by-laws include a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for actions taken as a director to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Our by-laws provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by law. We are also expressly authorized to advance certain expenses (including attorneys' fees) to our directors and officers and carry directors' and officers' insurance policies providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our articles of incorporation and by-laws may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.
Anti-Takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and By-laws
Several provisions of our articles of incorporation and by-laws, which are summarized below, may have anti-takeover effects. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, lessen our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize shareholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these anti-takeover provisions, which are summarized below, could also discourage, delay or prevent (1) the merger or acquisition of our Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise that a shareholder may consider in its best interest and (2) the removal of incumbent officers and directors.
Classified Board of Directors
Our articles of incorporation provide for the division of our board of directors into three classes of directors, with each class as nearly equal in number as possible, serving staggered, three year terms. Approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. This classified board provision could discourage a third party from making a tender offer for our common shares or attempting to obtain control of us. It could also delay shareholders who do not agree with the policies of our board of directors from removing a majority of our board of directors for two years.
Blank Check Preferred Stock
Our articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred stock and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the terms and rights of that series.
Election and Removal of Directors
Our by-laws require parties other than the board of directors to give advance written notice of nominations for the election of directors. Our by-laws also provide that our directors may be removed with or without cause by a majority vote of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. These provisions may discourage, delay or prevent the removal of incumbent officers and directors.
Limited Actions by Shareholders
Our by-laws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by our shareholders must be effected at an annual or special meeting of shareholders or by the unanimous written consent of our shareholders. Our by-laws also provide that our board of directors or Chief Executive Officer may call special meetings of our shareholders and the business transacted at the special meeting is limited to the purposes stated in the notice.
Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholders Proposals and Director Nominations
Our articles of incorporation and by-laws provide that shareholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of shareholders must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary. Generally, to be timely, a shareholder's notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days prior to the meeting of shareholders. Our articles of incorporation and by-laws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a shareholder's notice. These provisions may impede a shareholder's ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of shareholders.
Per Share Market Price Information
Our common shares are currently listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol "SHIP".
The table below sets forth the high and low closing prices for each of the periods indicated for our common shares on the American Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ Global Market. Seanergy Maritime's common shares were originally listed on the American Stock Exchange. On October 15, 2008, Seanergy Maritime's common shares commenced trading on the NASDAQ Global Market. Following the dissolution of Seanergy Maritime, our common shares started trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on January 28, 2009.
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|
High
|
|
Low
|
Annual Highs and Lows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2007
|
|
$
|
9.67
|
|
|
$
|
9.26
|
|
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2008
|
|
$
|
10.00
|
|
|
$
|
3.15
|
|
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2009
|
|
$
|
5.35
|
|
|
$
|
2.93
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the Quarter Ended
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2008
|
|
$
|
9.48
|
|
|
$
|
9.01
|
|
June 30, 2008
|
|
$
|
10.00
|
|
|
$
|
9.15
|
|
September 30, 2008
|
|
$
|
10.00
|
|
|
$
|
7.21
|
|
December 31, 2008
|
|
$
|
8.55
|
|
|
$
|
3.15
|
|
2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2009
|
|
$
|
5.35
|
|
|
$
|
3.68
|
|
June 30, 2009
|
|
$
|
4.50
|
|
|
$
|
3.25
|
|
September 30, 2009
|
|
$
|
4.94
|
|
|
$
|
3.56
|
|
December 31, 2009
|
|
$
|
4.50
|
|
|
$
|
2.93
|
|
2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2010
|
|
$
|
2.99
|
|
|
$
|
1.05
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
$
|
1.59
|
|
|
$
|
1.06
|
|
For the Month Ended
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 2010
|
|
$
|
1.20
|
|
|
$
|
1.12
|
|
April 2010
|
|
$
|
1.41
|
|
|
$
|
1.16
|
|
May 2010
|
|
$
|
1.59
|
|
|
$
|
1.13
|
|
June 2010
|
|
$
|
1.29
|
|
|
$
|
1.06
|
|
July 2010
|
|
$
|
1.22
|
|
|
$
|
1.06
|
|
August 2010
|
|
$
|
1.17
|
|
|
$
|
0.92
|
|
September 1 to September 22, 2010
|
|
$
|
1.10
|
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
As of September 17, 2010, we have 40,123,584 common stock purchase warrants issued and outstanding. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of our common stock. Our issued and outstanding warrants are distinguished as follows:
(a) 38,984,667 Public Warrants, including the 16,016,667 Insider Warrants we registered with the Commission on the third resale registration statement which has not yet been declared effective, featuring an exercise price of $6.50 per Public Warrant Share and expiring on September 24, 2011 at 5:00 p.m., New York City time; and
(b) 1,138,917 Underwriter Warrants featuring an exercise price of $1.32 per share, exercisable beginning on August 3, 2010 and expiring on February 2, 2015 at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, issued in a private transaction in connection with the public offering of our common shares that we completed on February 3, 2010.
In addition, up to 1,000,000 Unit Warrants, with an exercise price of $6.50 and identical in terms to the 38,984,667 Public Warrants, are issuable and will be outstanding in connection with the future exercise, if any, of the Unit Purchase Option.
The 16,016,667 Insider Warrants that compose part of our 38,984,667 Public Warrants were originally issued by Seanergy Maritime in a private placement on September 28, 2007, prior to the consummation of our public offering. In such private placement, all of Seanergy Maritime's executive officers purchased from Seanergy Maritime an aggregate of 16,016,667 warrants at $0.90 per warrant, and we assumed these 16,016,667 Seanergy Maritime warrants following the dissolution and liquidation of Seanergy Maritime, in the form of the Insider Warrants. The Insider Warrants are identical to all of our other Public Warrants, except that (i) the Insider Warrants are not subject to redemption if held by the initial holders or their permitted assigns and (ii) the Insider Warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis. Because the Insider Warrants were originally issued pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act, the holders of the Insider Warrants are able to exercise their Insider Warrants even if, at the time of exercise, a prospectus relating to the shares underlying the Insider Warrants is not current. As described below, the holders of our Public Warrants who acquired such Public Warrants in the initial public offering will not be able to exercise them unless we have a current registration statement covering the Public Warrant Shares.
Public Warrants
We may call the Public Warrants for redemption, in whole and not in part; at a price of $.01 per Public Warrant at any time; upon not less than 30 days' prior written notice of redemption to each Public Warrant holder; and if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the common stock equals or exceeds $14.25 per share, for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period ending on the third business day prior to the notice of redemption to Public Warrant holders provided that a current registration statement is effective under the Securities Act relating to the common shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants.
This criterion was established to provide Public Warrant holders with (i) adequate notice of exercise only after the then prevailing common share price is substantially above the Public Warrant exercise price and (ii) a sufficient differential between the then prevailing common share price and the Public Warrant exercise price so there is a reasonable cushion against a negative market reaction, if any, to our redemption call.
The exercise price and number of Public Warrant Shares issuable on exercise of the Public Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the Public Warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of common stock at a price below their exercise price.
The Public Warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the Public Warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the Public Warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full
payment of the exercise price, by certified check payable to us, for the number of Public Warrants being exercised. The Public Warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of common stock and any voting rights until they exercise their Public Warrants and receive Public Warrant Shares. After the issuance of the Public Warrant Shares, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each Public Warrant Shares held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.
No Public Warrants will be exercisable unless at the time of exercise a prospectus relating to the Public Warrant Shares is current and the common stock has been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants. Under the terms of the Public Warrant agreement, we have agreed to meet these conditions and use our best efforts to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Public Warrant Shares until the expiration of the Public Warrants. If we are unable to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement until the expiration of the Public Warrants, and therefore are unable to deliver registered shares, the Public Warrants may become worthless and, furthermore, we will not be required to net-cash settle the Public Warrants. In such a case, because the Unit Warrants have terms identical to those for the Public Warrants, the purchasers of Units will have paid the full purchase price of the Units solely for the Unit Shares. Additionally, the market for the Public Warrants may be limited if the prospectus relating to the Public Warrant Shares is not current or if the Public Warrant Shares are not qualified or exempt from qualification in the jurisdictions in which the holders of the Public Warrants reside. In no event will the registered holders of a Public Warrant be entitled to receive a net-cash settlement, stock, or other consideration in lieu of physical settlement in Public Warrant Shares.
No fractional Public Warrant Shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. If, upon exercise of the Public Warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a Public Warrant Share, we will, upon exercise, round up to the nearest whole number the Public Warrant Shares to be issued to the Public Warrant holder.
Underwriter Warrants
In connection with the public offering of our common shares that we completed on February 3, 2010, we agreed to issue to the new underwriters the 1,138,917 Underwriter Warrants. The exercise price of the Underwriter Warrants is $1.32, or 110% of the price per share paid by investors in such offering. The Underwriter Warrants are exercisable beginning on August 3, 2010 and expiring on February 2, 2015 at 5:00 p.m., New York City time. We may not call the Underwriter Warrants for redemption.
The exercise price and number of Underwriter Warrant Shares underlying the Underwriter Warrants to be issued to the new underwriters may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the Underwriter Warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of common stock at a price below their exercise price.
The Underwriter Warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the Underwriter Warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at our offices, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the Underwriter Warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price, by certified check payable to us, for the number of Underwriter Warrants being exercised. The Underwriter Warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of common stock or any voting rights until they exercise their Underwriter Warrants and receive the Underwriter Warrant Shares. After the issuance of the Underwriter Warrant Shares, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.
Pursuant to the agreement under which we issued the Underwriter Warrants, we have agreed to maintain the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part for a period of one year from the date the registration statement is declared effective by the Commission or six months after the date of issuance of the Underwriter Warrants to the new underwriters, whichever is later, subject to certain black out periods. In addition, we have granted the new underwriters certain "piggy-back" registration rights on registration statements filed prior to the expiration date of the Underwriter Warrants.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
The Units offered in this prospectus may be purchased by the original underwriter in any amount up to 1,000,000 at $12.50 per Unit. The Unit Purchase Option was acquired by the original underwriter, as the representative of the underwriters involved in the initial public offering of Seanergy Maritime, for $100, as additional compensation in that offering. The Unit Purchase Option expires on September 28, 2012.
For each Unit the original underwriter elects to purchase from us pursuant to the terms of the Unit Purchase Option, we will issue to the original underwriter one Unit Share and one Unit Warrant that will be identical to one share of our common stock and one Public Warrant, respectively.
The Unit Purchase Option contains a cashless exercise feature that allows the original underwriter the option to convert the value in the Unit Purchase Option (the fair market value of our common stock minus the exercise price of the Unit Purchase Option) into shares of our common stock. The fair market value of our common stock will be determined using the average reported last sales price of the common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third day prior to exercise of the option. The exercise price and number of Units issuable upon exercise of the Unit Purchase Option may be adjusted in certain circumstances, including in the event of a stock dividend, or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the Unit Purchase Option will not be adjusted for issuances of common stock at a price below its exercise price.
HOW THE SHARES, WARRANTS AND UNITS MAY BE DISTRIBUTED
The new underwriters and the original underwriter and any of their pledgees, donees, transferees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their securities offered in this prospectus on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the securities offered in this prospectus are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. The new underwriters and the original underwriter may use any one or more of the following methods when selling securities offered in this prospectus:
|
·
|
ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits investors;
|
|
·
|
block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the securities offered in this prospectus as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
|
|
·
|
purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;
|
|
·
|
an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
|
|
·
|
privately negotiated transactions;
|
|
·
|
to cover short sales made after the date that this registration statement is declared effective by the Commission;
|
|
·
|
broker-dealers may agree with the new underwriters or the original underwriter to sell a specified number of securities offered in this prospectus at a stipulated price per security;
|
|
·
|
a combination of any such methods of sale; and
|
|
·
|
any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
|
The new underwriters and the original underwriter may also sell securities under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
In connection with sales of securities offered in this prospectus, the new underwriters and the original underwriter may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the common stock in the course of hedging in positions they assume. The new underwriters and the original underwriter may also sell their securities offered in this prospectus short and deliver the securities covered by a prospectus filed as part of a registration statement to close out short positions and to return borrowed securities in connection with such short sales. The new underwriters and the original underwriter may also loan or pledge their securities offered in this prospectus to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such securities.
Broker-dealers engaged by the new underwriters and the original underwriter may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from such sellers (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. The new underwriters and the original underwriter do not expect these commissions and discounts to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved.
The new underwriters and the original underwriter may from time to time pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the securities offered in this prospectus owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell securities offered in this prospectus from time to time under this prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending the list of sellers to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as sellers under this prospectus.
Upon us being notified in writing by the new underwriters and the original underwriter that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale securities offered in this prospectus through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or secondary
distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer, an amendment to this prospectus will be filed, if required, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, disclosing (i) the name of each such seller and of the participating broker-dealer(s), (ii) the number of securities offered in this prospectus involved, (iii) the price at which such securities offered in this prospectus were sold, (iv) the commissions paid or discounts or concessions allowed to such broker-dealer(s), where applicable, (v) that such broker-dealer(s) did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out in this prospectus, and (vi) other facts material to the transaction. In addition, upon us being notified in writing by a seller that a donee or pledgee intends to sell more than 500 securities offered in this prospectus, an amendment to this prospectus will be filed if then required in accordance with applicable securities law.
The new underwriters and the original underwriter also may transfer the securities offered in this prospectus in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
The new underwriters and the original underwriter and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the securities offered in this prospectus may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the securities offered in this prospectus purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Discounts, concessions, commissions and similar selling expenses, if any, that can be attributed to the sale of securities will be paid by the seller and/or the purchasers.
If a seller uses this prospectus for any sale of securities offered in this prospectus, it will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The seller will be responsible to comply with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder promulgated, including, without limitation, Regulation M, as applicable to such sellers in connection with resales of their respective securities offered in this prospectus under the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
CERTAIN MARSHALL ISLANDS COMPANY CONSIDERATIONS
Our corporate affairs are governed by our articles of incorporation and by-laws and by the BCA. The provisions of the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of a number of states in the United States, including Delaware. While the BCA also provides that it is to be interpreted according to the laws of the State of Delaware and other states with substantially similar legislative provisions, there have been few, if any, court cases interpreting the BCA in the Marshall Islands, and we cannot predict whether Marshall Islands courts would reach the same conclusions as Delaware or other courts in the United States. Accordingly, you may have more difficulty in protecting your interests under Marshall Islands law in the face of actions by our management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a U.S. jurisdiction that has developed a substantial body of case law. The following table provides a comparison between statutory provisions of the BCA and the Delaware General Corporation Law relating to shareholders' rights.
Marshall Islands
|
|
Delaware
|
|
Shareholder Meetings
|
|
|
|
Held at a time and place as designated in the by-laws.
|
|
May be held at such time or place as designated in the certificate of incorporation or the by-laws, or if not so designated, as determined by the Board of Directors.
|
Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the Board of Directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by the articles of incorporation or by the by-laws.
|
|
Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the Board of Directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by the certificate of incorporation or by the by-laws.
|
|
|
|
May be held in or outside of the Marshall Islands.
|
|
May be held in or outside of Delaware.
|
|
|
|
Notice:
|
|
Notice:
|
Whenever shareholders are required to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and, unless it is an annual meeting, indicate that it is being issued by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting.
|
|
Whenever shareholders are required to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, and the means of remote communication, if any.
|
A copy of the notice of any meeting shall be given personally or sent by mail not less than 15 nor more than 60 days before the meeting.
|
|
Written notice shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the meeting.
|
|
Shareholders' Voting Rights
|
|
Any action required to be taken by a meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting if consent is in writing and is signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof.
|
|
Any action required to be taken by a meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a consent for such action is in writing and is signed by shareholders having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.
|
Marshall Islands
|
|
Delaware
|
Any person authorized to vote may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy.
|
|
Any person authorized to vote may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy.
|
|
|
|
Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation, a majority of shares entitled to vote constitutes a quorum. In no event shall a quorum consist of fewer than one-third of the common shares entitled to vote at a meeting.
|
|
For stock corporations, the certificate of incorporation or by-laws may specify the number of shares required to constitute a quorum but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one-third of shares entitled to vote at a meeting. In the absence of such specifications, a majority of shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum.
|
When a quorum is once present to organize a meeting, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any shareholders.
|
|
When a quorum is once present to organize a meeting, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any shareholders.
|
The articles of incorporation may provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
|
|
The certificate of incorporation may provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
|
|
Directors
|
|
The Board of Directors must consist of at least one member.
|
|
The Board of Directors must consist of at least one member.
|
Number of board members can be changed by an amendment to the by-laws, by the shareholders, or by action of the board under the specific provisions of a by-law.
|
|
Number of board members shall be fixed by, or in a manner provided by, the by-laws, unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, in which case a change in the number shall be made only by amendment to the certificate of incorporation.
|
If the Board of Directors is authorized to change the number of directors, it can only do so by a majority of the entire Board of Directors and so long as no decrease in the number shortens the term of any incumbent director.
|
|
|
|
Dissenter's Rights of Appraisal
|
|
Shareholders have a right to dissent from any plan of merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all assets not made in the usual course of business, and receive payment of the fair value of their shares.
|
|
Appraisal rights shall be available for the shares of any class or series of stock of a corporation in a merger or consolidation, subject to limited exceptions, such as a merger or consolidation of corporations listed on a national securities exchange in which listed stock is the offered consideration.
|
A holder of any adversely affected shares who does not vote on or consent in writing to an amendment to the articles of incorporation has the right to dissent and to receive payment for such shares if the amendment:
|
|
|
Alters or abolishes any preferential right of any outstanding shares having preference; or
|
|
|
· Creates, alters or abolishes any provision or right in respect to the redemption of any outstanding shares.
|
|
|
Alters or abolishes any preemptive right of such holder to acquire shares or other securities; or
|
|
|
Excludes or limits the right of such holder to vote on any matter, except as such right may be limited by the voting rights given to new shares then being authorized of any existing or new class.
|
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
|
Delaware
|
|
|
|
Shareholder's Derivative Actions
|
|
An action may be brought in the right of a corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, by a holder of shares or of voting trust certificates or of a beneficial interest in such shares or certificates. It shall be made to appear that the plaintiff is such a holder at the time the action is brought and that he was such a holder at the time of the transaction of which he complains, or that his shares or his interest therein devolved upon him by operation of law.
|
|
In any derivative suit instituted by a shareholder or a corporation, it shall be averred in the complaint that the plaintiff was a shareholder of the corporation at the time of the transaction of which he complains or that such shareholder's stock thereafter devolved upon such shareholder by operation of law.
|
|
|
|
A complaint shall set forth with particularity the efforts of the plaintiff to secure the initiation of such action by the Board of Directors or the reasons for not making such effort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Such action shall not be discontinued, compromised or settled without the approval of the High Court of the Republic of The Marshall Islands.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Attorneys' fees may be awarded if the action is successful.
|
|
|
A corporation may require a plaintiff bringing a derivative suit to give security for reasonable expenses if the plaintiff owns less than 5% of any class of stock and the common shares have a value of less than $50,000.
|
|
|
EXPENSES RELATING TO THIS OFFERING
Set forth below is an itemization of the total expenses that we expect to incur in connection with this distribution. With the exception of the Commission registration fee, all amounts are estimates.
Commission registration fee
|
|
$ |
19,529.34 |
* |
Blue sky fees and expenses
|
|
$ |
|
|
Printing expenses
|
|
$ |
|
|
Legal fees and expenses
|
|
$ |
|
|
Accounting fees and expenses
|
|
$ |
|
|
Transfer Agent fees
|
|
$ |
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
$ |
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
|
|
The above expenses will be paid by us.
* Previously paid.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus have been passed upon for us by Reeder & Simpson, P.C., Piraeus, Greece. Certain other legal matters relating to United States law have been passed upon for us by Seward & Kissel LLP, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Seanergy as of December 31, 2009 and for the year ended December 31, 2009 and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) as of December 31, 2009 included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers S.A., an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The consolidated financial statements of MCS as of December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008 and for the period from April 30, 2007 (Date of Incorporation) to December 31, 2007 included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The consolidated financial statements of Seanergy for the year ended December 31, 2008, have been included herein and in this registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG Certified Auditors AE, independent registered public accounting firm, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus and in the registration statement and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The consolidated financial statements of BET as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2008 and the period from December 18, 2006 (inception) to December 31, 2006 have been included herein and in this registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG Certified Auditors AE, independent registered public accounting firm, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus and in the registration statement and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements of Seanergy Maritime for the year ended December 31, 2007 included in this prospectus and in the registration statement have been audited by Weinberg & Company, P.A., independent registered public accounting firm, to the extent and for the period set forth in their report appearing elsewhere in this prospectus and in the registration statement. The financial statements and the report of Weinberg & Company, P.A. are included in reliance upon their report given upon the authority of Weinberg & Company, P.A. as experts in auditing and accounting.
INDEX TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA
|
|
Page
|
|
|
|
|
Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income of Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp., BET and MCS for the
Year Ended December 31, 2009
|
|
|
153
|
|
Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income of Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp., BET and MCS for the
Six Months Ended June 30, 2010
|
|
|
156
|
|
Unaudited Conversion of MCS Consolidated Statement of Income from IFRS to U.S. GAAP for the Year Ended December 31, 2009
|
|
|
158
|
|
Unaudited Conversion of MCS Consolidated Statement of Income from IFRS to U.S. GAAP for the Period Ended May 20, 2010
|
|
|
159
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SEANERGY, BET AND MCS UNAUDITED PRO FORMA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Accounting Treatment
The accompanying unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated statements of income give pro forma effect to (i) Seanergy's acquisition of a 50% ownership interest in BET, which was completed on August 12, 2009, (ii) Seanergy's acquisition of a 51% ownership interest in MCS, which was completed on May 20, 2010, and (iii) Seanergy's acquisition of the remaining 49% ownership interest in MCS, which was completed on September 15, 2010. We control BET through our right to appoint a majority of the BET board of directors. The acquisitions were accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting and accordingly, the net assets acquired have been recorded at their fair values.
Basis of Accounting — The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
The unaudited pro forma summary financial information is for illustrative purposes only. You should not rely on the unaudited pro forma condensed statement of income for December 31, 2009 or the six month period ended June 30, 2010 as being indicative of the historical financial position and results of income that would have been achieved had the business combination been consummated as of January 1, 2009.
The unaudited pro forma condensed statement of income for the year ended December 31, 2009 has been derived from (i) the audited (historical) statement of income of Seanergy and its subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2009 (ii) the the unaudited statement of income of BET for the six months ended June 30, 2009 as converted to U.S. GAAP from IFRS; (iii) the unaudited statement of income of BET for the period from July 1, 2009 to August 12, 2009; and (iv) the unaudited statement of income of MCS for the year ended December 31, 2009 converted to U.S. GAAP from IFRS. In addition, for MCS there are certain adjustments made to the pro forma statement of income to reflect the disposals of eight vessels for the year ended December 31, 2009, that were not part of the acquisition by Seanergy.
The unaudited pro forma condensed statement of income for the six month period ended June 30, 2010 has been derived from (i) the unaudited (historical) statement of income of Seanergy and its subsidiaries for the six month period ended June 30, 2010; and (ii) the unaudited statement of income of MCS for the period from January 1, 2010 to May 20, 2010 converted to U.S. GAAP from IFRS. In addition, for MCS there are certain adjustments made to the pro forma statement of income to reflect the disposals of eight vessels for the six month period ended June 30, 2010, that were not part of the acquisition by Seanergy.
The pro forma adjustments primarily relate to the allocation of the purchase price, including adjusting assets and liabilities to fair value with related changes in depreciation and amortization expense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp., Bulk Energy Transport (Holdings) Limited and Maritime Capital Shipping Limited
|
|
Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Statement of Income
|
|
For the year ended December 31, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
Bulk Energy
|
|
|
Maritime
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma
Including Fair
Value Adjustments
and adj for the
period 7/1-8/12/09
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seanergy (G1)
|
|
|
Transport (G2)
|
|
|
Capital
Shipping
|
|
|
Disposal of 8
vessels
|
|
Debit
|
|
|
Credit
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel revenue – related party
|
83,903
|
|
|
|
17,481
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
4,720
|
(G3)
|
|
|
106,104
|
|
Vessel revenue – non-related party
|
6,340
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
87,427
|
|
|
|
(33,538
|
) |
(N1)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
60,229
|
|
Commissions – related party
|
(2,226
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(2,226
|
)
|
Commissions –non related party
|
(120
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(120
|
)
|
Vessel revenue
|
87,897
|
|
|
|
17,481
|
|
|
|
87,427
|
|
|
|
(33,538
|
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,720
|
|
|
|
163,987
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct voyage expenses
|
(753
|
)
|
|
|
(2,524
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
639
|
(G3)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(3,916
|
)
|
Vessel operating expenses
|
(16,222
|
)
|
|
|
(5,592
|
)
|
|
|
(17,313
|
)
|
|
|
7,579
|
|
(N1)
|
|
|
1,195
|
(G3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(32,743
|
)
|
Voyage expenses – related party
|
(1,119
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(1,119
|
)
|
Management fees – non related party
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(1,044
|
)
|
|
|
473
|
|
(N1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(571
|
)
|
Management fees - related party
|
(1,715
|
)
|
|
|
(723
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
168
|
(G3)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(2,606
|
)
|
General and administration expenses
|
(5,928
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(2,524
|
)
|
|
|
85
|
|
(N1)
|
|
|
27
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(8,394
|
)
|
General and administration expenses – related party
|
(742
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(742
|
)
|
Depreciation
|
(26,812
|
)
|
|
|
(10,550
|
)
|
|
|
(25,735
|
)
|
|
|
14,617
|
|
(N1)
|
|
|
763
|
(G3)
|
|
|
5,560
|
(G4)
|
|
|
(41,706
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,977
|
(D1)
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of deferred dry-docking costs
|
(1,045
|
)
|
|
|
(1,180
|
)
|
|
|
(1,951
|
)
|
|
|
1,166
|
|
(N1)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,180
|
(G5)
|
|
|
(1,045
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
785
|
(D2)
|
|
|
|
|
Vessels' impairment loss
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(112,497
|
)
|
|
|
112,497
|
|
(N2)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Gain from acquisition
|
6,813
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
6,813
|
|
Operating Income (Loss)
|
40,374
|
|
|
|
(3,088
|
)
|
|
|
(73,637
|
)
|
|
|
102,879
|
|
|
|
|
2,792
|
|
|
|
14,222
|
|
|
|
77,958
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest and finance costs
|
(7,230
|
)
|
|
|
(1,953
|
)
|
|
|
(8,974
|
)
|
|
|
3,410
|
(N1)
|
|
|
1,519
|
(G6)
|
|
|
178
|
(D4)
|
|
|
(16,457
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
369
|
(D3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest and finance costs – shareholders
|
(386
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(386
|
)
|
Interest income – money market funds
|
430
|
|
|
|
2,358
|
|
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
(12
|
)(N1)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
212
|
(G3)
|
|
|
3,041
|
|
Loss on interest rate swaps
|
(1,575
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(8,356
|
)
|
|
|
4,282
|
(N1)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(5,649
|
)
|
Income tax
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(359
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(359
|
)
|
Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net
|
(44
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
7
|
(G3)
|
|
|
(37
|
)
|
Other Income (Expense)
|
(8,805
|
)
|
|
|
405
|
|
|
|
(17,636
|
)
|
|
|
7,680
|
|
|
|
1,888
|
|
|
|
397
|
|
|
|
(19,847
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
31,569
|
|
|
|
(2,683
|
)
|
|
|
(91,273
|
)
|
|
|
110,559
|
|
|
|
4,680
|
|
|
|
14,619
|
|
|
|
58,111
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Net Income/(Loss) Attributable to the Noncontrolling interest
|
1,517
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
2,356
|
(E1)
|
|
|
-
|
(E1)
|
|
|
(839
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income/(Loss) attributable to Seanergy
|
30,052
|
|
|
|
(2,683
|
)
|
|
|
(91,273
|
)
|
|
|
110,559
|
|
|
|
2,324
|
|
|
|
14,619
|
|
|
|
58,950
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income per common share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
1.16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.16
|
|
Diluted
|
1.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.07
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding
(Note 8)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
25,882,967
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,644,872
|
|
Diluted
|
30,529,281
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
55,291,186
|
|
Pro Forma Adjustments and Eliminations (in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated):
(G1) Derived from the consolidated statement of income of Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. and subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2009.
BET Acquisition
(G2) As reported under U.S. GAAP for the six months period ended June 30, 2009.
(G3)
|
Represents the additional revenue, operating and other expenses for the BET Vessels operating from July 1, 2009 to August 12, 2009.
|
(G4)
|
Represents adjustments to the depreciation expense for BET operating from July 1, 2009 to August 12, 2009.
|
(G5) To eliminate amortization of drydocking costs for BET due to fair value adjustments.
(G6)
|
To adjust interest and finance costs and deferred financing costs for BET of $1,519, as if the increased margin and prepayment was effective from January 1, 2009.
|
MCS Acquisition
(D1) |
To adjust depreciation expense based on the fair value of the vessels as of the date of acquisition. |
(D2) |
To eliminate the amortization of dry-docking costs due to fair value adjustments. |
(D3)
|
To adjust interest and finance costs, as if the increased margin was effective from January 1, 2009.
|
(D4)
|
To eliminate amortization of deferred financing costs.
|
Note 1: Subsequent to December 31, 2009, Maritime Capital Shipping disposed of eight vessels, the related debt and other assets and liabilities. These transactions have been adjusted in the pro forma schedule to be able to better reflect the business acquired by Seanergy and the pro forma impact.
(N1)
|
Reflects the operations of the 8 disposed vessels for the year ended December 31, 2009.
|
(N2)
|
For the year ended December 31, 2009, under US GAAP all impairment losses relate to the 8 disposed vessels.
|
(E1)
|
To reflect non controlling interest of 50% ownership in BET.
|
Basic:
|
|
2009
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
58,950
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average of common shares outstanding — basic
|
|
|
50,644,872
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per common share-basic
|
|
$
|
1.16
|
|
Diluted:
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
58,950
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding
|
|
|
50,644,872
|
|
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents
|
|
|
4,646,314
|
|
Pro forma weighted average number of common shares outstanding — diluted
|
|
|
55,291,186
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per common share-diluted
|
|
$
|
1.07
|
|
Thus, as of December 31, 2009, securities that could potentially dilute basic EPS in the future that were included in the computation of diluted EPS as mentioned above are:
Convertible note – to related party
|
|
|
1,424,110
|
|
Contingently-issuable shares – earn-out
|
|
|
3,222,204
|
|
Total
|
|
|
4,646,314
|
|
Thus, as of December 31, 2009, securities that could potentially dilute basic EPS in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS as mentioned above are:
Underwriters purchase options - common shares
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
Underwriters purchase options - warrants
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
Private warrants
|
|
|
16,016,667
|
|
Public warrants
|
|
|
22,968,000
|
|
Total
|
|
|
40,984,667
|
|
Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. and Maritime Capital Shipping Limited
Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Statement of Income
For the six months ended June 30, 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma Including
Fair Value Adjustments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seanergy
(G1)
|
|
|
|
|
(G2) |
|
|
Disposals
|
|
|
|
|
Debit
|
|
|
|
|
Credit
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Pro
Forma
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel revenue - related party
|
|
|
24,068 |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,068 |
|
Vessel revenue - non-related party
|
|
|
18,138 |
|
|
|
|
|
26,692 |
|
|
|
(5,571 |
) |
(G7) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39,259 |
|
Commissions - related party
|
|
|
(826 |
) |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(826 |
) |
Commissions - non-related party
|
|
|
(559 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(844 |
) |
|
|
147 |
|
(G7) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,256 |
) |
Vessel revenue, net
|
|
|
40,821 |
|
|
|
|
|
25,848 |
|
|
|
(5,424 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
61,245 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct voyage expenses
|
|
|
(535 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(50 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(585 |
) |
Vessel operating expenses
|
|
|
(12,090 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(4,657 |
) |
|
|
2,008 |
|
(G7) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(14,739 |
) |
Voyage expenses - related party
|
|
|
(449 |
) |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(449 |
) |
Management fees - non related party
|
|
|
(58 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(360 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(418 |
) |
Management fees - related party
|
|
|
(1,171 |
) |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,171 |
) |
General and administration expenses
|
|
|
(2,622 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1,415 |
) |
|
|
73 |
|
(G7) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3,964 |
) |
General and administration expenses -related party
|
|
|
(348 |
) |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
(348 |
) |
Depreciation
|
|
|
(12,917 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5,409 |
) |
|
|
2,510 |
|
(G7) |
|
|
|
253 |
|
(G3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(16,069 |
) |
Amortization of deferred drydocking costs
|
|
|
(1,467 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(475 |
) |
|
|
158 |
|
(G7) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
317 |
|
(G4) |
|
|
|
(1,467 |
) |
Operating Income
|
|
|
9,164 |
|
|
|
|
|
13,482 |
|
|
|
(675 |
) |
|
|
|
|
253 |
|
|
|
|
|
317 |
|
|
|
|
|
22,035 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest and finance costs
|
|
|
(5,412 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2,437 |
) |
|
|
511 |
|
(G7) |
|
|
|
861 |
|
(G8) |
|
|
|
124 |
|
(G5) |
|
|
|
(8,075 |
) |
Interest income
|
|
|
281 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
284 |
|
Loss on interest rate swaps
|
|
|
(2,761 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1,222 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
(3,983 |
) |
Income tax
|
|
|
(31 |
) |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
(31 |
) |
Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net
|
|
|
90 |
|
|
|
|
|
(13 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
77 |
|
Net Income
|
|
|
1,331 |
|
|
|
|
|
9,813 |
|
|
|
(164 |
) |
|
|
|
|
1,114 |
|
|
|
|
|
441 |
|
|
|
|
|
10.306 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Net (income) attributable to the NCI
|
|
|
(1,279 |
) |
|
(G6) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
(1,279 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income/(loss) attributable to Seanergy
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
|
|
|
9,813 |
|
|
|
(164 |
) |
|
|
|
|
1,114 |
|
|
|
|
|
441 |
|
|
|
|
|
9,027 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income per common share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
0.15 |
|
Diluted
|
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
0.15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
Diluted
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,276,226 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma Adjustments and Eliminations (in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated):
(G1)
|
Derived from the consolidated statement of income of Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. and subsidiaries for the six months ended June 30, 2010.
|
(G2)
|
Derived from the MCS conversion from IFRS to US GAAP of the unaudited consolidated statement of operations for the period ended May 20, 2010.
|
(G3)
|
To adjust MCS depreciation expense based on the fair value of the vessels as of the date of acquisition.
|
(G4)
|
To eliminate amortization of deferred financing costs due to fair value adjustments.
|
(G5)
|
To eliminate amortization of dry-docking costs due to fair value adjustments.
|
(G6)
|
To reflect non controlling interest of 50% ownership in BET and 49% ownership in MCS.
|
(G7)
|
Reflects the operations of the 8 disposed vessels during 2010 and prior to the acquisition.
|
(G8)
|
To adjust interest and finance costs for MCS, as if the increased margin was effective from January 1, 2010.
|
Basic:
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
9,027
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average of common shares outstanding — basic
|
|
|
60,276,226
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per common share-basic
|
|
$
|
0.15
|
|
Diluted:
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
9,027
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding
|
|
|
60,276,226
|
|
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents
|
|
|
-
|
|
Pro forma weighted average number of common shares outstanding — diluted
|
|
|
60,276,226
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per common share-diluted
|
|
$
|
0.15
|
|
Thus, as of June 30, 2010, securities that could potentially dilute basic EPS in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS as mentioned above are:
Underwriters purchase options - common shares
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
Underwriters purchase options - warrants
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
Private warrants
|
|
|
17,155,584
|
|
Public warrants
|
|
|
22,968,000
|
|
Total
|
|
|
42,123,584
|
|
Maritime Capital Shipping Limited
|
Unaudited Consolidated Statement of Income
|
Conversion From IFRS to US GAAP
|
For the year ended December 31, 2009
|
|
|
As Reported Under
|
|
Adjustments to Convert IFRS to US GAAP
|
|
As Presented Under
|
|
|
|
IFRS
|
|
Debit
|
|
Credit
|
|
US GAAP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues from vessels
|
|
87,427
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
87,427
|
|
Commissions
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
Cost of services
|
|
(50,715
|
)
|
-
|
|
32,358
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,357
|
(B1)
|
|
|
Vessel Revenue, net
|
|
36,712
|
|
-
|
|
50,715
|
|
87,427
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vessel operating expenses
|
|
-
|
|
18,357
|
(B1)
|
1,044
|
(B1)
|
(17,313
|
)
|
Management fees
|
|
-
|
|
1,044
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
(1,044
|
)
|
Administrative expenses
|
|
(2,622
|
)
|
-
|
|
98
|
(B1)
|
(2,524
|
)
|
Depreciation of assets
|
|
-
|
|
32,358
|
(B1)
|
4,770
|
(B2)
|
(25,735
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
98
|
(B1)
|
1,951
|
(B4)
|
|
|
Amortization of deferred drydocking costs
|
|
-
|
|
1,951
|
(B4)
|
-
|
|
(1,951
|
)
|
Impairment of assets
|
|
(258,977
|
)
|
-
|
|
146,480
|
(B3)
|
(112,497
|
)
|
Operating Income Loss
|
|
(224,887
|
)
|
53,808
|
|
205,058
|
|
(73,637
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finance costs
|
|
(17,330
|
)
|
-
|
|
8,356
|
(B1)
|
(8,974
|
)
|
Finance income
|
|
53
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
53
|
|
Loss on interest rate swaps
|
|
-
|
|
8,356
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
(8,356
|
)
|
Net Income Loss
|
|
(242,164
|
)
|
62,164
|
|
213,414
|
|
(90,914
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax expense
|
|
(359)
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
(359
|
)
|
Net Income Loss
|
|
(242,523
|
)
|
62,164
|
|
213,414
|
|
(91,273
|
)
|
Adjustments to Convert From IFRS to US GAAP (in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted):
(B1) |
Reclassification to align with presentation of Seanergy's financial statements presentation. |
(B2)
|
To adjust depreciation from 7/1 to 12/31/09 based on 30 years useful life in accordance with Seanergy's US GAAP accounting policy, as adopted on July 1, 2009.
|
(B3)
|
To reverse the impairment loss recorded under IFRS calculated for the 9 vessels acquired by Seanergy. US GAAP and IFRS utilize different methodologies for calculating impairment loss. Under US GAAP, if the undiscounted cash flows were used, there is no impairment loss for the nine vessels acquired.
|
(B4)
|
To reclassify the amortization of dry docking that is considered a component of vessel depreciation under IFRS.
|
Maritime Capital Shipping Limited
|
Unaudited Consolidated Statement of Income
|
Conversion From IFRS to US GAAP
|
For the period January 1, 2010 to May 20, 2010
|
|
|
As Reported Under
|
|
Adjustments to Convert IFRS
to US GAAP
|
|
As Presented Under
|
|
|
|
IFRS
|
|
Debit
|
|
Credit
|
|
US GAAP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues from vessels
|
|
29,616
|
|
2,924
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
26,692
|
|
Commissions
|
|
(650
|
)
|
194
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
(844
|
)
|
Vessel Revenue, net
|
|
28,966
|
|
3,118
|
|
-
|
|
25,848
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct voyage expenses
|
|
|
|
60
|
(B4)
|
10
|
(B1)
|
(50
|
)
|
Vessel operating expenses
|
|
(8,114
|
)
|
11
|
(B2)
|
2,924
|
(B1)
|
(4,657
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
10
|
(B1)
|
194
|
(B1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
360
|
(B1)
|
|
|
Management fees
|
|
-
|
|
360
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
(360
|
)
|
Administrative expenses
|
|
(1,528
|
)
|
-
|
|
40
|
(B3)
|
(1,415
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
60
|
(B4)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
(B1)
|
|
|
Depreciation of assets
|
|
(5,409
|
)
|
-
|
|
|
|
(5,409
|
)
|
Amortization of deferred drydocking costs
|
|
(475
|
)
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
(475
|
)
|
Operating Income
|
|
13,440
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,482
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finance costs
|
|
(3,740
|
)
|
-
|
|
1,222
|
(B1)
|
(2,437
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
81
|
(B1)
|
|
|
Finance income
|
|
3
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
3
|
|
Interest rate swap interest
|
|
-
|
|
1,222
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
(1,222
|
)
|
Other finance costs
|
|
81
|
|
81
|
(B1)
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
Foreign currency exchange losses
|
|
-
|
|
13
|
(B1)
|
|
|
(13
|
)
|
Net Income
|
|
9,784
|
|
4,875
|
|
4,904
|
|
9,813
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax expense
|
|
237
|
|
237
|
(B5)
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
Net Income
|
|
9,784
|
|
5,112
|
|
4,904
|
|
9,813
|
|
Adjustments to Convert From IFRS to US GAAP (in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted):
(B1)
|
Reclassification to align with presentation of Seanergy's financial statements presentation.
|
(B2)
|
Represents additional operating expenses.
|
(B3)
|
To eliminate administrative expenses.
|
(B4)
|
To reclass administrative expenses.
|
(B5)
|
To eliminate tax expense related to eight vessels sold.
|
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form F-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. For the purposes of this section, the term registration statement means the original registration statement and any and all amendments including the schedules and exhibits to the original registration statement or any amendment. Although this prospectus, which forms a part of the registration statement, contains all material information included in the registration statement, parts of the registration statement have been omitted as permitted by rules and regulations of the Commission. Each statement made in this prospectus concerning a document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement is qualified by reference to that exhibit for a complete statement of its provisions. The registration statement, including its exhibits and schedules, may be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the Commission at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling 1 (800) SEC-0330, and you may obtain copies at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at its principal office in Washington, D.C. 20549. The Commission maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the Commission.
We will furnish holders of our common shares with annual reports containing audited financial statements and a report by our independent public accountants. The audited financial statements will be prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and those reports will include a "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" section for the relevant periods. As a "foreign private issuer," we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements to shareholders. While we intend to furnish proxy statements to any shareholder in accordance with the rules of the NASDAQ Global Market, those proxy statements are not expected to conform to Schedule 14A of the proxy rules promulgated under the Exchange Act. In addition, as a "foreign private issuer," we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act relating to short swing profit reporting and liability.
Commission Position on Indemnification for Securities Act Liabilities
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been informed that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
GLOSSARY OF SHIPPING TERMS
The following are definitions of certain terms that are commonly used in the shipping industry.
1976 Convention—The Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (London 1976).
Annual Survey—The annual inspection of a vessel by a classification society, on behalf of a flag state.
Available Days—The total calendar days the vessels are in possession for the relevant period after subtracting for off-hire days associated with major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys.
Baltic Dry Bulk Index—A number tracking worldwide international shipping prices of dry bulk vessels issued daily by the London-based Baltic Exchange.
Bareboat Charter—Also known as "demise charter." The use of a vessel usually over longer periods of time ranging up to several years. All voyage related costs, including bunker and port dues as well as all vessel operating expenses, such as day-to-day operations, maintenance, crewing and insurance, are the charterer's responsibility. The owner of the vessel receives monthly charterhire payments on a per day basis and is responsible only for the payment of capital costs related to the vessel.
Bunkers—Heavy fuel oil used to power a vessel's engines.
Capesize—Capesize vessels have carrying capacities of 110,000 to 199,999 dwt. These vessels generally operate along long-haul iron ore and coal trade routes. Only the largest ports around the world possess the infrastructure to accommodate vessels of this size.
CERCLA—Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act.
Charter—The hire of a vessel for a specified period of time for a fixed fee or to carry a cargo in a single vessel for a fixed fee from a loading port to a discharging port.
Charterer—The individual or company hiring a vessel.
Charter hire—Money paid to the vessel-owner by a charterer for the use of a vessel under a time charter or bareboat charter. Such payments are usually made during the course of the charter every 15 or 30 days in advance or in arrears by multiplying the daily charter rate times the number of days and, under a time charter only, subtracting any time the vessel was deemed to be off-hire. Under a bareboat charter such payments are usually made monthly and are calculated on a 360 or 365 day calendar year basis.
Charter rate—The amount of money agreed between the charterer and the vessel-owner accrued on a daily or monthly basis that is used to calculate the vessel's charter hire.
Classification Society—An independent organization which certifies that a vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of such organization and complies with the applicable rules and regulations of the flag country of such vessel and the international conventions of which that country is a member.
Contract of Affreightment, or COA—A contract to carry specified amounts of cargo over prescribed shipping routes, at fixed or variable prices, during a specified period. COAs provide shipowners with greater operating flexibility than time or voyage charters by enabling them to use different vessels to perform individual voyages. Essentially, a COA constitutes a number of voyage charters to carry a specified amount of cargo during a specified time period (i.e., the term of the COA), which can span for months or years. All of a vessel's operating and voyage expenses when trading under a COA are typically borne by the shipowner.
Deadweight Ton, or dwt—A unit of a vessel's capacity for cargo, fuel oil, stores and crew, measured in metric tons of 1,000 kilograms. A vessel's total dwt or total deadweight is the maximum weight the vessel can carry when loaded to a particular load line.
Dry bulk—Non-liquid cargoes of commodities shipped in an unpackaged state.
Dry bulk Carriers—Vessels which are specially designed and built to carry large volumes of cargo in dry bulk cargo form.
Drydocking—An out-of-service period used to remove a vessel from the water for mandatory Classification Society inspection and for planned repairs and maintenance.
Fleet Calendar Days—The total days the vessels are possessed in the fleet for the relevant period, including off-hire days associated with major repairs, dry-dockings or special or intermediate surveys.
Fleet Utilization—The percentage of time that vessels are available for revenue generating available days. Fleet utilization is determined by dividing available days by the fleet calendar for the relevant period.
General and Administrative Expenses—Salaries and other related costs of the executive officers and other employees, office rent, legal and auditing costs, regulatory compliance costs and other miscellaneous office expenses.
Gross Ton—Unit of 100 cubic feet or 2.831 cubic meters used in arriving at the calculation of gross tonnage.
Handymax—Vessels with a carrying capacity of between 40,000 and 59,999 dwt. These vessels operate on a large number of geographically dispersed global trade routes, carrying primarily grains and minor bulks. Vessels below 60,000 dwt are sometimes built with onboard cranes enabling them to load and discharge cargo in countries and ports with limited infrastructure. Generally, this type of vessel offers good trading flexibility and can therefore be used in a wide variety of trades.
Hull—The shell or body of a vessel.
International Maritime Organization, or IMO—A United Nations agency that issues international trade standards for shipping.
Intermediate Survey—The inspection of a vessel by a classification society surveyor which takes place between two and three years before and after each Special Survey for such vessel pursuant to the rules of international conventions and classification societies.
ISM Code—The International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention, as adopted by the IMO.
ISPS Code— International Security Code for Ports and Ships, which enacts measures to detect and prevent security threats to vessels and ports.
ISSC—International Ship Security Certificate attesting to the vessel's compliance with SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code.
Kamsarmax—Vessels with a carrying capacity of between 80,000 and 83,000 dwt, with maximum length of 228.99 meters and a maximum breadth of 32.26 meters. These vessels carry coal, grains and, to a lesser extent, minor bulks, including steel products, forest products and fertilizers. Kamsarmax vessels are able to pass through the Panama Canal, making them more versatile than VLOC or Capesize vessels.
MTSA—The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002
Newbuilding—A newly-constructed vessel.
Off-hire— The period during which a vessel is unable to perform the services for which it is immediately required under a time charter. Off-hire periods include days spent on repairs, drydocking and surveys, whether or not scheduled.
OPA—The United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990, as amended.
Panamax—Vessels with a carrying capacity of between 60,000 and 79,999 dwt. These vessels carry coal, grains and, to a lesser extent, minor bulks, including steel products, forest products and fertilizers. Panamax vessels are able to pass through the Panama Canal, making them more versatile than VLOC or Capesize vessels.
Period Charter—A term referring to both time and bareboat charters. These charters are referred to as period charters or period market charters due to use of the vessel by the charterer over a specific period of time.
Protection and Indemnity Insurance—Insurance obtained through a mutual association formed by shipowners to provide liability insurance protection from large financial loss to one member through contributions towards that loss by all members.
Scrapping—The disposal of old or damaged vessel tonnage by way of sale as scrap metal.
Short-Term Time Charter—A time charter which lasts less than approximately 6 months.
Sister Ship— Vessels of the same type and specification.
SOLAS—The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974, as amended, adopted under the auspices of the IMO.
Special Survey—The inspection of a vessel by a classification society surveyor which takes place a minimum of every four years and a maximum of every five years.
Spot Charter—Relates to a vessel employment under a Short term time charter or under a voyage charter.
Spot Market—The market for immediate chartering of a vessel, usually for single voyages.
Strict Liability—Liability that is imposed without regard to fault.
Supramax—A sub-category of Handymax vessels with a carrying capacity between 50,000 and 59,999 dwt, normally offering cargo loading and unloading flexibility with onboard cranes, while at the same time possessing the cargo carrying capability approaching conventional Panamax dry bulk carriers.
Time Charter—The use of the vessel either for a number of months or years or for a trip between specific delivery and redelivery positions, known as a trip charter. The charterer pays all voyage related costs. The owner of the vessel receives semi-monthly charterhire payments on a per day basis and is responsible for the payment of all vessel operating expenses and capital costs of the vessel. Any delays at port or during the voyage are the responsibility of the charterer, save for certain specific exceptions such as loss of time arising from vessel breakdown and routine maintenance.
Time Charter Equivalent, or TCE—A standard shipping industry performance measure, representing the average daily revenues of a vessel. The TCE rate achieved on a given voyage is expressed in dollars per day and is generally calculated by subtracting voyage expenses, including bunkers and port charges, from voyage revenues and dividing the net amount (time charter equivalent revenues) by the round-trip voyage duration. TCE is a standard seaborne transportation industry performance measure used primarily to compare period-to-period changes in a seaborne transportation company's performance despite changes in the mix of charter types (i.e., voyage charters, time charters and bareboat charters) under which the vessels may be employed during specific periods.
Ton—A metric ton of 1,000 kilograms.
Total Vessel Operating Expenses, or TVOE—The sum of the vessel operating expenses and general administrative expenses.
Vessel Operating Expenses—The costs of operating a vessel, primarily consisting of crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs. Vessel operating expenses exclude fuel cost, port expenses, agents' fees, canal dues and extra war risk insurance, as well as commissions, which are included in "voyage expenses."
Voyage Charter—The shipment of a specific amount and type of cargo on a load-port to discharge-port basis, subject to various cargo handling terms. Most of these charters are of a single or spot voyage nature, as trading patterns do not encourage round voyage trading. The owner of the vessel receives one payment derived by multiplying the tons of cargo loaded on board by the agreed upon freight rate expressed on a per cargo ton basis. The owner is responsible for the payment of all expenses including voyage, operating and capital costs of the vessel.
Voyage Expenses—Expenses incurred in connection with a vessel's voyage from a loading port to a discharge port, and include port and canal charges, bunker (fuel oil) expenses, extra war risk insurance and brokerage commissions payable to third party brokers.
Deferred issuance fees relates to costs for the Company's registration statement for the public offering of 20,833,333 shares which was successfully completed on February 3, 2010, resulting in proceeds of $25,000.