Explanatory Note
Except as specifically amended and supplemented by this Amendment No. 19 (this “Amendment No. 19”), and by Amendment No. 1 filed on February 2, 2005, Amendment No. 2 filed on May 27, 2005, Amendment No. 3 filed on July 29, 2005, Amendment No. 4 filed on February 16, 2006, Amendment No. 5 filed on May 18, 2007, Amendment No. 6 filed on June 5, 2007, Amendment No. 7 filed on October 28, 2010, Amendment No. 8 filed on April 29, 2014, Amendment No. 9 filed on May 15, 2015, Amendment No. 10 filed on April 12, 2007, Amendment No. 11 filed on April 13, 2018, Amendment No. 12 filed on September 9, 2019, Amendment No. 13 filed on January 10, 2022, Amendment No. 14 filed on April 7, 2022, Amendment No. 15 filed on July 8, 2022, Amendment No. 16 filed on August 5, 2022, Amendment No. 17 filed on September 13, 2022 and Amendment No. 18 filed on September 13, 2023, all other disclosure contained in the Schedule 13D filed by the Reporting Persons on December 16, 2004 (the “Original Schedule 13D”) remain in full force and effect. The Original Schedule 13D together with each of the Amendments thereto is referred to herein as the “Schedule 13D.” Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the same meanings ascribed to them in the Original Schedule 13D.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
Item 3 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented to incorporate by reference the information set forth in Item 4 of this Amendment No. 19.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
Item 4 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented to include the following:
Merger Agreement
On October 22, 2023, the Issuer entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with N Logistics Holdings Corporation (“NLHC”), a company affiliated with Ms. Frangou, Navigation Merger Sub Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of NLHC (“Merger Sub”) and, for limited purposes, N Shipmanagement Acquisition Corp. (“NSC”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Issuer, with the Issuer continuing as the surviving corporation (the “Merger”). Upon consummation of the Merger, the Issuer will become wholly owned by NLHC.
The Merger Agreement was negotiated and unanimously approved by a special committee of the board of directors of the Issuer consisting solely of independent and disinterested directors (the “Special Committee”). The Merger Agreement was also approved by the Issuer’s board of directors by unanimous vote of the directors not affiliated with NLHC or its affiliates.
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), each share of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than shares of Common Stock held by (i) the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) NLHC or Merger Sub) will be converted into the right to receive $2.28 per share in cash, without interest and subject to any applicable withholding taxes. The consideration payable in the Merger will come from cash on hand held by NLHC and its affiliates.
The closing of the Merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including, among others, the approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger by the affirmative vote of the holders of outstanding shares of the Issuer representing a majority of the total votes entitled to be cast on the Merger by the holders of all outstanding shares of the Issuer.
Under the Merger Agreement, the Issuer has agreed to hold a special meeting of its stockholders (the “Issuer Stockholders’ Meeting”) to vote on the Merger Agreement and the Merger. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, unless the Special Committee withdraws its recommendation in favor of the Merger, NSC, the holder of shares of the Issuer representing a majority of the total votes entitled to be cast on the Merger by the holders of all outstanding shares of the Issuer, will be required to vote or cause to be voted the shares of the Issuer beneficially owned by it in favor of the Merger and the Merger Agreement at the Issuer Stockholders’ Meeting.
Upon consummation of the Merger, the shares of Common Stock will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange and will be deregistered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time.
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