UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of September 2010
Commission File Number: 000-29106
KNIGHTSBRIDGE TANKERS LIMITED
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
Par-la-Ville Place
14 Par-la-Ville Road,
Hamilton, HM 08, Bermuda
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F x or Form 40-F ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):¨
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):¨
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT
Attached hereto as Exhibit 1 is the Underwriting Agreement dated September 29, 2010 by and among Knightsbridge Tankers Limited (the “Company”), Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A thereto, for whom Merrill Lynch is acting as representative with respect to the offering of common shares by the Company.
This Report on Form 6-K and the exhibit hereto are hereby incorporated by reference as Exhibit 1.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-3 (Registration No. 333-164007) that was declared effective on March 15, 2010.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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| | | | KNIGHTSBRIDGE TANKERS LIMITED |
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Date: September 30, 2010 | | | | By: | | /s/ INGER M. KLEMP |
| | | | | | Name: | | Inger M. Klemp |
| | | | | | Title: | | Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 1
KNIGHTSBRIDGE TANKERS LIMITED
(a Bermudan exempted company)
4,250,000 Common Shares
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: September 29, 2010
KNIGHTSBRIDGE TANKERS LIMITED
(a Bermudan exempted company)
4,250,000 Common Shares
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
September 29, 2010
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
as Representative of the several Underwriters
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Knightsbridge Tankers Limited, a Bermudan exempted company (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of Common Shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Common Shares”) set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 637,500 additional Common Shares to cover overallotments, if any. The aforesaid 4,250,000 Common Shares (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 637,500 Common Shares subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-164007) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Securities, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”). Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;”provided,however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective
date” of such registration statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, and the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, and the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or its Interactive Data Electronic Applications system (“IDEA”).
Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the “Letter Agreement”) outlining the terms for the acquisition (the “Vessel Acquisition”) by the Company of all of the outstanding capital stock of Golden Zhejiang Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of Liberia that owns a Capesize dry bulk carrier, from Golden Ocean Group Limited in exchange for (a) $47 million in cash and (b) the issuance by the Company (the “Concurrent Issuance”) of such a number of restricted Common Shares having an aggregate value of $18.5 million based on the public offering price per share of the Securities (the “Concurrent Securities”) to Golden Ocean Group Limited or its nominee (the “Acquirer of the Concurrent Securities”). The Company is offering the Concurrent Securities directly to the Acquirer of the Concurrent Securities. The Underwriters will receive no commissions or discounts on the issuance or sale of the Concurrent Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees with the Underwriters that as between the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other, the Company is the sole beneficiary of the Concurrent Issuance and that none of the Underwriters has provided any services to the Company as to the structure or execution of the Concurrent Issuance.
Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company and Nordea Bank Norge ASA entered into a commitment letter (the “Facility Agreement Amendment Commitment Letter”) relating to an amendment to the $105.0 million Term Loan Facility Agreement, dated August 21, 2009 among the Company, as guarantor, KTL Belgravia I Inc. and KTL Belgravia II Inc., as borrowers, Nordea Bank Norge ASA, as Agent, Arranger, Underwriter and Bookrunner and the lenders listed in Schedule 1 thereto, providing for a senior secured term loan facility in aggregate principal amount of $175 million, comprised of a term loan tranche in the amount of $100 million and a revolving tranche in the amount of $75 million.
Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company and DnB NOR Bank ASA entered into a senior secured term loan facility (the “DnB Nor Credit Facility”) providing for a senior secured term loans in aggregate principal amount of $58.24 million.
Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company and ICB Shipping (Bermuda) Limited entered into an amended and restated General Management Agreement (the “General Management Agreement”) for the overall management of the Company, its subsidiaries and their respective assets and liabilities.
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Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company and Golden Ocean Management (Bermuda) Ltd. entered into a Commercial Management Agreement (the “Drybulk Commercial Management Agreement”, and together with the General Management Agreement, the “Management Agreements”) for the commercial management of the Company’s drybulk carriers.
The Letter Agreement, the Facility Agreement Amendment Commitment Letter, the DnB Nor Credit Facility and the Management Agreements are collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.”
As used in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 430 P.M., New York City time, on September 29, 2010 or such other time as agreed by the Company and Merrill Lynch.
“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that is included in the Registration Statement as of the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule C-1 hereto, all considered together.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C-2 hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “1934 Act”), incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time.
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SECTION 1.Representations and Warranties.
(a)Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i)Registration Statement and Prospectuses. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act. The Securities have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on the Registration Statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto), at the time it was filed, complied in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR or IDEA, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”).
(ii)Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were
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filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting–Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting–Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids,” and the information under the heading “Underwriting–Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares” in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).
(iii)Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.
(iv)Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or an Underwriter made abona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
(v)Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Public Accounting Oversight Board.
(vi)Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; and said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference therein, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable.
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(vii)No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) except for regular quarterly dividends on the Common Shares in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(viii)Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of Bermuda and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ix)Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Schedule H hereto.
(x)Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to the Concurrent Issuance, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
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(xi)The Concurrent Issuance. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to make the Concurrent Issuance and the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Letter Agreement and to perform its obligations thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization of the Concurrent Issuance and the due and proper execution and delivery by the Company of the Letter Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken. The Concurrent Issuance conforms, and will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act, the securities laws of any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction and any other applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Concurrent Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and will conform to the description thereof contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company shall be solely responsible for the contents of any disclosure documents used in the offering of the Concurrent Securities, and the Company represents, warrants and agrees that such documents will not, as of the date of any offer or sale of the Concurrent Securities, conflict with the information in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(xii)Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xiii)Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Common Shares conform to all statements relating thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.
(xiv)No Restrictions. There are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares under the laws of Bermuda.
(xv)Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933 Act.
(xvi)Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (A) in violation of its memorandum of association, bye-laws or similar organizational documents, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a
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Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any U.S. or non-U.S. arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations, including, without limitation, the International Maritime Organization (the “IMO”) (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, in the Transaction Documents and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Concurrent Issuance and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds” and the Concurrent Issuance) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the memorandum of association, bye-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any Subsidiary or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary.
(xvii)Enforceability of Agreements. Each of the Transaction Documents and the agreements listed on Schedule G hereto (the “Other Agreements”) has been duly authorized and has been or will, as of Closing Time, have been executed and delivered by each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries party thereto and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, constitutes or will, as of Closing Time, constitute a valid and binding agreement of each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries party thereto enforceable against each of the Company and the Subsidiaries party thereto in accordance with its terms. The Transaction Documents and the Other Agreements constitute valid and binding agreements of each of the Company and the Subsidiaries party thereto and each such other party thereto enforceable in all material respects against each such party in accordance with their respective terms;provided that, with respect to each agreement described in this Section 1(a)(xvii), the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). Any consent required to be obtained by the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any Transaction Document and any Other Agreement has been obtained. The Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus each contain a summary of the terms of each of the Transaction Documents and the Other Agreements, which summaries are accurate and fair in all material respects.
(xviii)Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors or managers, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(xix)Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, which if resolved or adjudicated against the Company or Subsidiary, as the case may be, might result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the Transaction Documents or the performance by the Company or any Subsidiary of its obligations hereunder or thereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx)Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.
(xxi)Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company or any Subsidiary of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the Concurrent Issuance or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Transaction Documents, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, state securities laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
(xxii)Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and each Subsidiary possesses such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by each of them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii)Title to Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not own in fee any real property nor do they have any leasehold interests in real property; the Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, and each entity identified on Schedule E (each such entity, a “Vessel Owning Subsidiary”) is the sole owner of the vessel set forth opposite its name on Schedule E, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims and all defects of the title of record, except such as (A) are described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with
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the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any Subsidiary; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any Subsidiary holds properties described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased properties under any such lease or sublease. Each vessel identified in Schedule E is duly registered under the laws of the jurisdiction set forth on Schedule E in the name of the applicable Vessel Owning Subsidiary identified in Schedule E, and each such vessel is in good standing with respect to the payment of past and current taxes, fees and other amounts payable under the laws of the jurisdiction where it is registered as would affect its registration with the ship registry of such jurisdiction.
(xxiv)Agreed Vessel. (A) Upon delivery to and acceptance by the relevant subsidiary of the Company to be formed for such purpose (the “Acquisition Subsidiary”) as contemplated by the Letter Agreement as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the vessel listed on Schedule F hereto (the “Agreed Vessel”) will be duly registered as a vessel under the laws of a generally accepted shipping industry flag jurisdiction in the sole ownership of such Subsidiary; on such date, such Acquisition Subsidiary will have good title to the Agreed Vessel, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims and all defects of the title of record, except for any mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests or claims arising under credit facilities which the Company or any Subsidiary or the Acquisition Subsidiary may enter into with respect to such vessel, as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such Agreed Vessel will be in good standing with respect to the payment of past and current taxes, fees and other amounts payable under the laws of the jurisdiction where it is registered as would affect its registration with the ship registry of such jurisdiction.
(A) The Company will use, and will cause its applicable Subsidiary to use, reasonable commercial efforts to ensure that the Agreed Vessel will be operated in compliance with the rules, codes of practice, conventions, protocols, guidelines or similar requirements or restrictions imposed, published or promulgated by any governmental authority, classification society or insurer applicable to the Agreed Vessel (collectively, “Maritime Guidelines”) and all applicable international, national, state and local conventions, laws, regulations, orders, governmental licenses and other requirements (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws (as defined below)), except where such failure to be in compliance would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and such Subsidiary will be qualified to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate the Agreed Vessel under all applicable international, national, state and local conventions, laws, regulations, orders, governmental licenses and other requirements (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws) and Maritime Guidelines, including the laws, regulations and orders of the Agreed Vessel’s flag state, except where such failure to be so qualified would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(B) The Agreed Vessel is or will be classed by one of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, American Bureau of Shipping, Det Norske Veritas or a classification society which is a full member of the International Association of Classification Societies and the Company will use reasonable commercial efforts to ensure the Agreed Vessel will be in class with valid class and trading certificates, without any overdue recommendations.
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(xxv)Transfer Taxes. There are no documentary, stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or other similar fees, duties or charges under U.S. Federal law or the laws of any state or any political subdivision thereof, Bermuda law or the laws of any political subdivision thereof, the Republic of the Marshall Islands law or the laws of any political subdivision thereof, or the Republic of Liberia law or the laws of any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the issuance or sale by the Company of the Securities (including the sale and delivery by the Company of the Securities to or for the respective accounts of the Underwriters or the sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Securities to the initial purchasers thereof) or the Concurrent Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Transaction Documents.
(xxvi)Dividends and Distributions. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends, from making any other distribution, from repaying any loans or advances or from transferring any of its property or assets. All dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the shares of capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary may, under the current laws and regulations of Bermuda, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Liberia and, in each case, any political subdivisions thereof, be paid in U.S. dollars and may be freely transferred out of Bermuda, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Liberia, and all such dividends and other distributions will not be subject to withholding or other taxes under the laws and regulations of Bermuda, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (so long as such dividends and other distributions are not paid to a citizen or resident of the Republic of the Marshall Islands) or the Republic of Liberia or, in each case, any political subdivision thereof, and are otherwise free and clear of any other tax, withholding or deduction and without the necessity of obtaining any consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, licenses, registrations, clearances and qualifications of or with any court or governmental agency or body in Bermuda, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Liberia.
(xxvii)Taxes. No capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters to Bermuda, to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (assuming that the Underwriters are not carrying on business or conducting transactions in the Republic of the Marshall Islands) or to the Republic of Liberia or, in each case, to any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with the sale and delivery by the Company of the Securities to or for the respective accounts of the Underwriters or the sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Securities to the initial purchasers thereof.
(xxviii)Distributions from Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no encumbrances or restrictions on the ability of any Subsidiary (A) to pay dividends or make other distributions on such Subsidiary’s capital stock or to pay any indebtedness to the Company, (B) to make loans or advances or pay any indebtedness to the Company or (C) to transfer any of its property or assets to the Company.
(xxix)PFIC Status. The Company is not a Passive Foreign Investment Company (“PFIC”) under U.S. Federal income tax law.
(xxx)Certain Relationships and Related Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any Subsidiary, on the one hand, and any director, officer, stockholder, customer or supplier of the Company, or the Subsidiaries or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which is not so described as
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required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of their respective family members. The Company has not, in violation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, directly or indirectly, including through a Subsidiary, extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary.
(xxxi)Immunity from Jurisdiction. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor any of their respective properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the United States, Bermuda, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Liberia or any political subdivisions thereof.
(xxxii)Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 17 of this Agreement has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of any Federal or state court in the State of New York, County of New York, and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 17 of this Agreement has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered, an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any Federal or state court in the State of New York.
(xxxiii)Forward-Looking Statements. Each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act or Section 21E of the 1934 Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed with a reasonable basis and has been disclosed in good faith.
(xxxiv)Commissions and Fees. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or, to the Company’s knowledge, any arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with respect to the Company or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees, subsidiaries or affiliates that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by FINRA.
(xxxv)Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and each Subsidiary own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any Subsidiary therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(xxxvi)Environmental Laws. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of any non-U.S. foreign or international treaty or convention or any U.S. Federal, state, local or non-U.S. statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface, subsurface strata, the marine environment and the climate) or marine life or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, ballast water, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, emission, discharge, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and the Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations, certifications and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws (collectively, “Environmental Permits”) and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (D) there are and have been no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity against or affecting, or any other liability of, the Company or any of the Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(xxxvii)Effect of Environmental Laws. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on its business, operations and properties, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for environmental remediation, for closure of properties or for compliance with Environmental Laws or Environmental Permits, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The costs and liabilities to be identified and evaluated pursuant to this Section 1(a)(xxxvii) shall not include potential costs and liabilities that may arise from reasonably unforeseen or unexpected future events such as accidents, calamities, outbreaks of hostilities or escalation thereof, piracy or acts of God.
(xxxviii)Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each Subsidiary maintains effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or
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is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and each Subsidiary maintains an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
(xxxix)Payment of Taxes. All U.S. Federal income tax returns of the Company and the Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The U.S. Federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 have been settled and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable non-U.S., state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and the Subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xl)Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The previous sentence shall include membership in a mutual protection and indemnity association or insurance club of such nature as is customary in the shipping industry. There are no material claims by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurer is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is currently required to make any payment, or is aware of any facts which would require the Company or any Subsidiary to make any payment, in respect of a call by, or a contribution to, any protection and indemnity association or insurance club. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any Subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither of the Company nor any Subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
(xli)Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and upon the issuance and sale of the Concurrent Securities and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
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(xlii)Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or the Concurrent Securities.
(xliii)Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xliv)Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(xlv)OFAC. None of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of the Subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other person, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(xlvi)Lending Relationship.Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities or the Concurrent Issuance to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.
(xlvii)Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.
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(b)Officer’s Certificates.Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2.Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a)Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as Merrill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(b)Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 637,500 Common Shares, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as Merrill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c)Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, 825 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York, 10019, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company.
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Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(d)Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representative in the City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.
SECTION 3.Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a)Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b)Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General
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Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
(c)Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d)Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e)Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
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(f)Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(g)Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(h)Listing. The Company will use its best commercial efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market.
(i)Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any Common Shares issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any Common Shares issued or options to purchase Common Shares granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (D) any Common Shares issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (E) the Concurrent Securities issued in the Concurrent Issuance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will issue an earnings release or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day restricted period, the restrictions imposed in this clause (j) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
(j)Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.
(k)Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative (which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld), it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule C-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has
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been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(l)Concurrent Issuance. The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Concurrent Securities are offered in connection with the Concurrent Issuance.
(m)Letter Agreement. Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company and Golden Ocean Group Limited shall have executed and delivered the Letter Agreement and satisfactory evidence of such execution and delivery shall have been provided to the Representative, and the Company will not amend or waive any provision thereof without the prior written consent of the Representative.
(n)Facility Agreement Amendment Commitment Letter. Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company and Nordea Bank Norge ASA shall have executed and delivered the Facility Agreement Amendment Commitment Letter and satisfactory evidence of such execution and delivery shall have been provided to the Representative, and the Company will not amend or waive any provision thereof without the prior written consent of the Representative.
(o)DnB Nor Credit Facility. Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company and DnB NOR Bank ASA shall have executed and delivered the DnB Nor Credit Facility and satisfactory evidence of such execution and delivery shall have been provided to the Representative, and the Company will not amend or waive any provision thereof without the prior written consent of the Representative.
(p)Offers in the Concurrent Issuance. The Company will sell 973,684 Common Shares to Golden Ocean Group Limited, or its nominee, in the Concurrent Issuance and will not terminate the Concurrent Issuance without the prior written consent of the Representative. Attached as Schedule B hereto is a schedule prepared by the Company, which sets forth all offers and sales of the Concurrent Securities.
SECTION 4.Payment of Expenses.
(a)Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under
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securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto (but in any event such fees to counsel shall not exceed $15,000), (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities (but in any event such fees to counsel shall not exceed $15,000), and (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market.
(b)Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii), Section 10 or Section 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters (or in the case of a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10, the non-defaulting Underwriters only) for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION 5.Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a)Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
(b)Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinions, dated as of Closing Time, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters, of each of the following counsel: (i) Seward & Kissel LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request; (ii) Mello Jones & Martin, special counsel for the Company with respect to matters of Bermudan law, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request; (iii) Seward & Kissel LLP, special counsel for the Company with respect to matters of Liberian law, to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request; and (iv) Seward & Kissel LLP, special counsel to the Company with respect to matters of Marshall Islands law, to the effect set forth in Exhibit D hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(c)Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other
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Underwriters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and the Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(d)Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.
(e)Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Moore Stephens, P.C. a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(f)Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from Moore Stephens, P.C. a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.
(g)Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Global Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(h)No Objection. FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.
(i)Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto signed by each of the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.
(j)Agreed Vessel Acquisition. The Letter Agreement, in the form delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect and, subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Time, neither the Letter Agreement nor the provisions thereof shall have been waived, amended or modified in any manner. The Letter Agreement as so delivered shall contemplate the Concurrent Issuance on the terms set forth in the disclosure package and Golden Ocean Group Limited, on behalf of itself and its affiliates, shall have furnished to the Representative a signed lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto.
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(k)Other Transaction Documents. Each of the Facility Agreement Amendment Commitment Letter, the DnB Nor Credit Facility and the Management Agreements, in the form delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect and, subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Time, none of such Transaction Documents or the provisions thereof shall have been waived, amended or modified in any manner.
(l)Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of the Subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representative shall have received:
(i)Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii)Opinion of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representative, the favorable opinion of Seward & Kissel LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, together with the favorable opinions of Mello Jones & Martin, special counsel for the Company with respect to matters of Bermudan law, Seward & Kissel LLP, special counsel to the Company with respect to matters of Liberian law, and Seward & Kissel LLP, special counsel for the Company with respect to matters of Marshall Islands law, each in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion of such firm required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iii)Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representative, the favorable opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(iv)Bring-down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Representative, a letter from Moore Stephens, P.C., in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(m)Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.
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(n)Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6.Indemnification.
(a)Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission;provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided,however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(b)Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section
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15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(c)Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d)Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(e)Indemnification in respect of the Concurrent Issuance.The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its Affiliates, its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to which they or any of them may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon the Concurrent Issuance.
SECTION 7.Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
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indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
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SECTION 8.Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
SECTION 9.Termination of Agreement.
(a)Termination. The Representative, in its absolute discretion, may terminate this Agreement without liability to the Company, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the NASDAQ Global Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the NASDAQ Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b)Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10.Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
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No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11.Default by the Company. If the Company shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any nondefaulting party;provided,however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16 and 17 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
SECTION 12.Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to Merrill Lynch at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department (Fax: (646) 855-3073), with a copy to ECM Legal (Fax: (212) 230-8730) and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Par-la-Ville Place, 14 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton, HM 08, Bermuda (Fax: (1) 441 295 3494), attention of Ola Lorentzon, with a copy to Seward & Kissel LLP, One Battery Park Plaza, New York, New York 10004 (Fax: 212-480-8421), attention of Gary J. Wolfe.
SECTION 13.No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of the Subsidiaries) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
SECTION 14.Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in
28
this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 15.Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 16.GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
SECTION 17.Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in the federal courts of the United States located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan, unless any such Federal court determines that it lacks jurisdiction over a Related Proceeding in which case such Related Proceeding shall be instituted in the courts of the State of New York, in each case located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company irrevocably appoints Seward & Kissel LLP as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and County of New York. Each party not located in the United States, other than the Company, irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and County of New York. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.
29
SECTION 18.TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 19.Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
SECTION 20.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
SECTION 21.Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
| | |
Very truly yours, |
|
KNIGHTSBRIDGE TANKERS LIMITED |
| |
By: | | /s/ Ola Lorentzon |
Title: | | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
| | |
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, |
as of the date first above written: |
|
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED |
| |
By: | | MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED |
| |
By | | /s/ Anne Walker |
| | Authorized Signatory |
For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
31
SCHEDULE A
The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $19.00.
The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $18.05, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $0.95 per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
| | |
Name of Underwriter | | Number of Initial Securities |
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated | | 3,187,500 |
DnB NOR Markets, Inc. | | 531,250 |
Nordea Bank Norge ASA | | 531,250 |
| | |
Total | | 4,250,000 |
| | |
Sch A-1
SCHEDULE B
| | |
Acquirer of the Concurrent Securities | | Number of Concurrent Securities To Be Acquired |
Golden Ocean Group Limited or its nominee | | 973,684 |
| | |
Total: | | 973,684 |
| | |
Sch B - 1
SCHEDULE C-1
Pricing Terms
1. The Company is selling 4,250,000 Common Shares.
2. The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 637,500 Common Shares.
3. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $19.00.
SCHEDULE C-2
Free Writing Prospectuses
None
Sch C - 1
SCHEDULE D
List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up
1. Ola Lorentzon
2. Douglas C. Wolcott
3. David M. White
4. Hans Petter Aas
5. Inger M. Klemp
6. Georgina Sousa
7. Herman Billung
8. ICB Shipping (Bermuda) Limited
9. Golden Ocean Management (Bermuda) Ltd.
10. Golden Ocean Group Limited
Sch D - 1
SCHEDULE E
VESSELS AND VESSEL OWNING SUBSIDIARIES
| | | | | | |
Vessel Owning Subsidiary | | Jurisdiction of Incorporation | | Jurisdiction of Vessel Registration | | Vessel Name |
KTL Camden, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia | | Marshall Islands | | Titan Venus (ex-Camden) |
KTL Mayfair, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia | | Marshall Islands | | Mayfair |
KTL Kensington, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia | | Marshall Islands | | Kensington |
KTL Hampstead, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia | | Marshall Islands | | Hampstead |
KTL Belgravia I, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia | | Marshall Islands | | Belgravia |
KTL Belgravia II, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia | | Marshall Islands | | Battersea |
Golden Future Inc. | | Republic of Liberia | | Hong Kong | | Golden Future |
Sch E - 1
SCHEDULE F
AGREED VESSEL
| | | | | | |
Owning Company | | Jurisdiction of Incorporation | | Jurisdiction of Vessel Registration | | Vessel Name |
Golden Zhejiang Inc. | | Liberia | | Hong Kong | | Golden Zhejiang |
Sch F - 1
SCHEDULE G
OTHER AGREEMENTS
1. | Bareboat Charter Party dated January 29, 2010 between KTL Camden Inc., as Owners, and Titan Storage Ltd., as Charterers, in respect of theCamden (renamedTitan Venus). |
2. | Charter Party dated May 24, 2007, as amended, between Golden Ocean Group Limited, as Agent for Knightsbridge Tankers Limited, the Owners, and The Sanko Steamship Co., Ltd., the Charterers, in respect of theBattersea. |
3. | Charter Party dated May 12, 2008, between Knightsbridge Tankers Limited, the Owners, and Jiangsu Shagang Group Co. Ltd., the Charterers, in respect of theBelgravia. |
4. | Charter Party dated May 31, 2006 between KTL Hampstead, Inc., as Owners, and Key Chartering Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of, and whose performance is fully guaranteed by Frontline Limited Bermuda, as Charterers, in respect of theHampstead. |
5. | Charter Party dated May 31, 2006 between KTL Kensington Inc., as Owners, and Key Chartering Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of, and whose performance is fully guaranteed by Frontline Limited Bermuda, as Charterers, in respect of theKensington. |
6. | Term Loan Facility Agreement dated August 21, 2009, as amended and restated on July 2, 2010, for KTL Belgravia I Inc., KTL Belgravia II Inc. and Knightsbridge Tankers Limited, as Borrowers; KTL Belgravia I Inc., KTL Belgravia II Inc.,, Knightsbridge Tankers Limited and Golden Future Inc., as Guarantors; and Nordea Bank Norge ASA, as Lender, Agent, Arranger, Underwriter and Bookrunner. |
7. | Amended and Restated Management Agreement between Knightsbridge Tankers Limited and ICB Shipping (Bermuda) Ltd., dated August 12, 2010. |
8. | Commercial Management Agreement by and among Knightsbridge Tankers Limited, Golden Ocean Management (Bermuda) Ltd., KTL Belgravia I Inc., KTL Belgravia II Inc. and Golden Future Inc., dated June 25, 2010. |
Sch G - 1
SCHEDULE H
SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY
| | |
| | Country of Incorporation |
| |
KTL Camden, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia |
KTL Kensington, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia |
KTL Hampstead, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia |
KTL Mayfair, Inc. | | Republic of Liberia |
KTL Belgravia I Inc. | | Republic of Liberia |
KTL Belgravia II Inc. | | Republic of Liberia |
Golden Future Inc. | | Republic of Liberia |
Sch G - 1
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF SEWARD & KISSEL LLP
COMPANY’S UNITED STATES COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
[Omitted]
A-1
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF MELLO JONES & MARTIN
COMPANY’S BERMUDA COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
[Omitted]
B-1
Exhibit C
FORM OF OPINION OF SEWARD & KISSSEL LLP
COMPANY’S LIBERIAN COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
[Omitted]
C-1
Exhibit D
FORM OF OPINION OF SEWARD & KISSEL LLP
COMPANY’S MARSHALL ISLANDS COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
[Omitted]
D-1
Exhibit E
[l], 2010
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated,
as Representative of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
| Re: | Proposed Public Offering by Knightsbridge Tankers Limited |
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of Knightsbridge Tankers Limited, a Bermudan exempted company (the “Company”), understands that Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) proposes to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with the Company providing for the public offering of shares (the “Securities”) of the Company’s common shares, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement that, during a period of 90 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-up Securities, or file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, provided that (i) Merrill Lynch receives a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the lockup period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (ii) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (iii) such transfers are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (iv) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:
(i) | as abona fide gift or gifts; or |
E-1
(ii) | to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or |
(iii) | as a distribution to limited partners or stockholders of the undersigned; or |
(iv) | to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:
(1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day lock-up period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or
(2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day lock-up period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day lock-up period,
The restrictions imposed by this lock-up agreement will continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless Merrill Lynch waives, in writing, such extension.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that written notice of any extension of the 90-day lock-up period pursuant to the previous paragraph will be delivered by Merrill Lynch to the Company (in accordance with the provisions for providing notices pursuant to the Purchase Agreement) and that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the period from the date of this lock-up agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial 90-day lock-up period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the 90-day lock-up period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this agreement shall terminate and be of no further force and effect if (i) prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement, Merrill Lynch or the Company decide not to proceed with the proposed offering of the Securities, which decision shall be set forth in writing and delivered to the undersigned, Merrill Lynch and the Company, or (ii) for any reason, the Purchase Agreement is terminated prior to the completion of the proposed offering of the Securities.
E-2
|
Very truly yours, |
|
Signature: |
|
Print Name: |
E-3