Exhibit 1.1

SAFE BULKERS, INC.

Common Stock
($0.001 par value per share)

AT-THE-MARKET EQUITY OFFERING SALES AGREEMENT

August 7, 2020

DNB MARKETS, INC.
200 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, New York 10166

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Safe Bulkers, Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company“), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time to or through DNB Markets, Inc. (the “Agent“), the Company’s shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $23,500,000 (any such Shares, the “Placement Shares”) on the terms set forth in Section 2 of this Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”). The Company agrees that whenever it determines to sell Placement Shares directly to the Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 3 of this Agreement.

Section 1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to the Agent that as of the date of this Agreement, any applicable Registration Statement Amendment Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Company Periodic Report Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(a) below) and each Settlement Date (as defined in Section 2 below):

(a)           Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on Form F-3 (File No. 333-239618 ), in respect of the Shares not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, has become effective and was prepared in conformity in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

The base prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus”; the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto and any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Shares prepared and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act is hereinafter called the “Prospectus Supplement”; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and incorporated therein, in each case after the date of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the

Registration Statement; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”.

No order preventing or suspending the use of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not contain 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” means, with respect to any Placement Shares, the time of sale of such Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement; the Prospectus and the applicable Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to such Applicable Time, taken together (collectively, and, with respect to any Placement Shares, together with the public offering price of such Placement Shares, the “General Disclosure Package”) as of each Applicable Time and each Settlement Date, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each applicable Issuer Free Writing Prospectus will not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the General Disclosure Package as of such Applicable Time, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(b)           Incorporation of Documents by Reference. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (b) at the time the Prospectus was issued and (c) on the date of this Agreement, did not contain 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.

(c)           Ineligible Issuer Status. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Placement Shares and (ii) at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the 1933 Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Shares, all as described in Rule 405.

(d)           No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise disclosed therein, (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”), nor any development or event that could reasonably be expected to result in 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, (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, other than to the Company, any Subsidiary (as defined in Section 1(f) hereof) on any class of its capital stock, and (D) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.

(e)           Good Standing of the Company. The Company is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its respective 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.

(f)           Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation 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 so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through wholly owned Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity except for those arising under Credit Facilities (as hereinafter defined) as disclosed in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such Subsidiary. The only vessel-owning Subsidiaries of the Company are the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule E-1 hereto. Other than the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule E-1 hereto, there are no material Subsidiaries of the Company.

(g)           Shares. The Placement Shares and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Placement Shares have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, such Placement Shares will have been validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and will conform to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of such Placement Shares contained in the Prospectus; the shareholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Placement Shares; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder; and, except as described in the General Disclosure Package, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, preemptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock of or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options and there are no restrictions on subsequent transfer of Shares under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the United States.

(h)           No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, 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 the Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

(i)           Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act.

(j)           Shareholders Rights Agreement. The Shareholders Rights Agreement between the Company and the rights agent party thereto constitutes a valid and binding agreement of each such party enforceable against each such party in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable 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 proceeding in equity or at law); and when issued in accordance with the terms of the Shareholders Rights Agreement, the preferred stock purchase rights constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, and the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain a summary of the terms of the Shareholders Rights Agreement, which summary is accurate and fair in all material respects.

(k)           Reserved.

(l)           Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court or any stock exchange authorities having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries) is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Terms Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company, except such as have been obtained or made, and such as may be required under state securities laws, the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations or laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

(m)           Ownership of Vessels. (A) All of the vessels described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are owned directly by Subsidiaries (other than as set forth on Schedule E-1); each of the vessels listed on Schedule E-1 hereto that are owned directly by Subsidiaries (the “Owned Vessels”) has been duly registered as a vessel under the laws and regulations and flag of the jurisdiction set forth opposite its name on Schedule E-1 in the sole ownership of the Subsidiary set forth opposite its name on Schedule E-1 and no other action is necessary to establish and perfect such entity’s title to and interest in such vessel as against any charterer or third party; each such Subsidiary has good title to the applicable Owned Vessel, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests and claims and all defects of the title of record except for those liens arising under Credit Facilities, each as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and such other encumbrances which would not, in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and each such Owned 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 registry with the ship registry of such jurisdiction except for failures to be in good standing which would not, in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(B) Each Owned Vessel is 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 respective 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), except where such failure to be in compliance would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each applicable Subsidiary are qualified to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate such vessels 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 each such vessel’s flag state, except where such failure to be so qualified would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(C) Each Owned Vessel is classed by any 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 each Owned Vessel is in class with valid class and trading certificates, without any overdue recommendations.

(n)           Title to Property. The Company and each Subsidiary has good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and Prospectus or (b) would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in

full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any 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 premises under any such lease or sublease in any material respect.

(o)           Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of its charter or by-laws or 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 property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) except for such violations or defaults, singly or in the aggregate, that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company) 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, (A) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (B) 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 property 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), or result in any violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations except for such violations that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. 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.

(p)           Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement have been duly authorized by the Company. This Agreement has been, and any Terms Agreement will be, executed and delivered by the Company.

(q)           Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and each Subsidiary possess such permits, licenses, certificates, approvals, financial assurances, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate international, national, state or local regulatory agencies or bodies (collectively, “Governmental Authorities”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by 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 are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such 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; and none of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such 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.

(r)           Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company, any of the Company’s affiliates 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, which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(s)           Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries 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 in any material respect, and none of the

Company or 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 (in the case of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(t)           Environmental Laws. (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable international, national, state or local convention, law, regulation, order, Governmental License or other requirement relating to pollution or protection of human health or safety (as they relate to exposure to Materials of Environmental Concern (as defined below)) or protection of the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or protection of natural resources, including without limitation, conventions, laws or regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products (collectively, “Materials of Environmental Concern”), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environmental Concern (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received any written communication, whether from a Governmental Authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company or any such Subsidiary is in violation of any Environmental Law or Governmental License required pursuant to Environmental Law; except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or Governmental Authority and no investigation, or other action with respect to which the Company or any Subsidiary has received written notice alleging potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental response costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, attorneys’ fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Subsidiary, now or in the past, or from any vessel owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Subsidiary, now or in the past (collectively, “Environmental Claim”), pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary or any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any Subsidiary has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that reasonably would be expected to result in a violation of any Environmental Law, require expenditures to be incurred pursuant to Environmental Law, or form the basis of an Environmental Claim against the Company, any Subsidiary or against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any Subsidiary has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iv) none of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject to any pending proceeding under Environmental Law to which a Governmental Authority is a party and which the Company reasonably believes is likely to result in monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more.

(u)           Effect of Environmental Laws. The Company has reasonably concluded that associated costs and liabilities arising under Environmental Laws and resulting from the business, operations or properties of the Company or any Subsidiary would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

(v)           Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Tax Considerations” and “Description of Capital Stock”, insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

(w)           Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.

(x)            Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

(y)           Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the 1934 Act) that complies with the requirements of the 1934 Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in 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, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the 1934 Act.

(z)           Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (I) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (II) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries maintain 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.

(aa)         Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) that are in effect and which the Company is required to comply with.

(bb)         F-3 Eligibility. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), the Company met the then applicable requirements for use of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act.

(cc)         Litigation. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; 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 property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(dd)         Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

(ee)         Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods shown, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted U.S. 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 documents in the General Disclosure Package and in the Registration Statement constitute a fair summary of the information purported to be summarized and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement. No other 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. 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.

(ff)          Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”).

(gg)         Accountants. Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S.A., who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are (i) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the 1933 Act and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the 1933 Act and (iii) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.

(hh)         Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering any downgrade in the rating of any debt securities of the Company or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating).

(ii)           PFIC Status. The Company was not a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for its most recently completed taxable year and, based on the Company’s current projected income, assets and activities, the Company does not expect to be classified as a PFIC for any subsequent taxable year.

(jj)           Payments in Foreign Currency. Except as disclosed 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, including the Common Stock, may, under the current laws and regulations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and any political subdivisions thereof, be paid in United States dollars and may be freely transferred out of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and all such dividends and other distributions will not be subject to withholding or other taxes under the laws and regulations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (so long as not paid to a citizen or resident of the Republic of the Marshall Islands) 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 or any stock exchange authority in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

(kk)         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 (other than any dividend payment that would trigger an “event of default” under any applicable financing arrangement of such Subsidiary) or to pay any indebtedness to the Company and any such dividends and other distributions, under the current laws and regulations of the jurisdictions where such Subsidiaries are organized, may be freely transferred out of such jurisdictions and all such dividends and other distributions will not be subject to withholding or other taxes under the laws and regulations of such jurisdictions, (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.

(ll)           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.

(mm)       Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 16 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 16 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.

(nn)         Money Laundering and Anti-Bribery Laws and Regulations. Each of the Company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and any of their respective officers, directors, supervisors, managers, agents, or employees, has not violated, its participation in the offering will not violate, and it has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance with each of the following laws: (a) anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act of 2010 or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purpose and scope; and (b) anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable Federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding anti-money laundering, including, without limitation, Title 18 U.S. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any executive order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder.

(oo)         Sanctions Laws. None of the Company, any subsidiary, director or officer nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company or any subsidiary (including joint venture) is currently the subject of any sanctions administered by the United States, the European Union or the United Nations, including the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), (collectively referred to as “Sanctions Laws”) or will directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary or joint venture partner of the Company or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person or entity or in any country or territory that, at the time of such financing, is the subject of any Sanctions Laws.

(pp)         Immunity from Jurisdiction. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary or 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, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Liberia, Cyprus or any political subdivisions thereof.

(qq)         Foreign Private Issuer Status. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act.

(rr)           Insurance. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably considers adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is generally maintained by companies or insurance clubs of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. 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 insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries 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 insurance club, except for any payment or claims which would not, in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any Subsidiary 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 Effect.

(ss)         Certain and Related Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any or its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand, which is required by the 1933 Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package.

(tt)           Transfer Taxes. No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Agent to Cyprus, Liberia or the Republic of the Marshall Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with the sale and delivery by the Company of the Placement Shares to or for the account of the Agent or the sale and delivery by the Agent of the Placement Shares to the initial purchasers of the Placement Shares.

(uu)         Tax Filings. Except as would not cause a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries have filed all U.S. Federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof and, except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith and for which they have provided adequate reserves; and there is no tax deficiency which has been or might reasonably be expected to be asserted or threatened against the Company or any subsidiary.

Section 2. Sale and Delivery of Shares.

(a)           Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell exclusively through the Agent acting as sales Agent or directly to the Agent acting as principal from time to time, and the Agent agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell as sales agent for the Company, the Placement Shares. Sales of the Placement Shares, if any, through the Agent acting as sales Agent or directly to the Agent acting as principal will be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), in negotiated transactions or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

(b)           The Placement Shares are to be sold on a daily basis or otherwise as shall be agreed to by the Company and the Agent on that trading day (other than a day on which the NYSE is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing time, each, a “Trading Day”) upon which the Company has satisfied its obligations under Section 6 of this Agreement and that the Company has instructed the Agent to make such sales. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing limitation shall not apply to issuances or sales of Shares or securities exercisable, exchangeable or convertible into Shares, solely to employees or security holders of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or to shipyards, or owners of vessels or affiliates thereof in connection with the acquisition of newbuilds or vessels, or to a trustee or other person acquiring such securities for the accounts of such persons in which DNB is acting for the Company in a capacity other than as the Agent under this Agreement. On any Trading Day, the Company may

instruct the Agent by telephone or email (if by telephone, confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by the Agent) as to the maximum number of Placement Shares of each class or series to be sold by the Agent on such day or during such greater number of Trading Days as specified in such instruction (in any event not in excess of the number available for issuance under the Prospectus and the currently effective Registration Statement) and the minimum price per Placement Share of each class or series at which such Placement Shares may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Agent shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell as sales agent all of the Placement Shares so designated by the Company. The Company and the Agent each acknowledge and agree that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in selling the Placement Shares, (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if they do not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as required by this Agreement, and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis except as otherwise specifically agreed by each of the Agent and the Company pursuant to a Terms Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement will control.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not authorize the issuance and sale of, and the Agent as sales agent shall not be obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell, any Placement Shares (i) at a price lower than the minimum price therefor authorized from time to time, if any, or (ii) in a number in excess of the number of Placement Shares authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement, if any, in each case, by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agent in writing. In addition, the Company may, upon notice to the Agent, suspend the offering of the Placement Shares or the Agent may, upon notice to the Company, suspend the offering of the Placement Shares with respect to which the Agent is acting as sales agent for any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice. Any notice given pursuant to the preceding sentence may be given by telephone or email (if by telephone, confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged).

(d) The gross sales price of any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement by the Agent acting as sales agent of the Company shall be the market price prevailing at the time of sale of the Company’s Shares sold by the Agent on the NYSE or otherwise, at prices relating to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The compensation payable to the Agent for sales of Placement Shares with respect to which the Agent acts as sales agent shall be equal to 2.0% of the gross sales price of the Placement Shares for amounts of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement. The Company may sell Placement Shares to the Agent, acting as principal, at a price agreed upon with the Agent at the relevant Applicable Time and pursuant to a separate Terms Agreement. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such Placement Shares (the “Net Proceeds”). The Agent shall notify the Company as promptly as practicable if any deduction referenced in the preceding sentence will be required.

(e) If acting as a sales agent hereunder, the Agent shall provide written confirmation to the Company following the close of trading on the NYSE on each day in which Shares are sold under this Agreement, setting forth the number of Shares of each class or series sold on such day, the aggregate gross sales proceeds of the Shares, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent with respect to such sales.

(f) Under no circumstances shall the aggregate offering price or number, as the case may be, of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement exceed the aggregate offering price or number, as the case may be, of Shares (i) set forth in the preamble paragraph of this Agreement, (ii) available for issuance under the Prospectus and the then currently effective Registration Statement or (iii) authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, or any individual to whom such authority has been duly and properly delegated by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agent in writing. In addition, under no circumstances shall any Shares with respect to which the Agent acts as sales agent be sold at a price lower than the minimum price therefor, if any, designated from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee

thereof, or any individual to whom such authority has been duly and properly delegated by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agent in writing.

(g)           Settlement for sales of Placement Shares pursuant to this Section 2 will occur on the third business day that is also a Trading Day following the trade date on which such sales are made, unless another date shall be agreed to by the Company and the Agent (each such day, a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date, the Placement Shares sold through the Agent for settlement on such date shall be delivered by the Company to the Agent against payment of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Placement Shares. Settlement for all Placement Shares shall be effected by book-entry delivery of Placement Shares to the Agent’s account at The Depository Trust Company against payment by the Agent of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Placement Shares in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company. If the Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on any Settlement Date, the Company shall (i) indemnify and hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii) pay the Agent any commission to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default.

(h)           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company and the Agent agree that no sales of Placement Shares shall take place, and the Company shall not request the sale of any Placement Shares that would be sold, and the Agent shall not be obligated to sell, during any period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information.

Section 3. Covenants. The Company agrees with the Agent:

(a)           During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of Placement Shares (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 153 or 172, or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act), (i) to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to any Settlement Date to which the Agent reasonably objects promptly after reasonable notice thereof and to advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof, (ii) to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act, (iii) to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, (iv) to advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Placement Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the form of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information, and (v) in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus in respect of the Placement Shares or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order; and in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such reasonable steps as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Placement Shares by the Agent, which may include, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration statement, at the Company’s expense (references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any such amendment or new registration statement).

(b)           Promptly from time to time to use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with a reasonable request from the Agent, to qualify the Placement Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Agent may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the sale of the Placement Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction; and to promptly advise the Agent of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offer or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.

(c)           During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rules 153 or 172, or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act) in

connection with the offering or sale of Placement Shares, the Company will make available to the Agent, as soon as practicable after the execution of this Agreement, and thereafter from time to time furnish to the Agent, copies of the most recent Prospectus in such quantities and at such locations as the Agent may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by the 1933 Act. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rules 153 or 172, or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act) in connection with the offering or sale of Shares, and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the 1934 Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, to notify the Agent and to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Agent as many written and electronic copies as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

(d)           To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the 1933 Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its Subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).

(e)           To use the Net Proceeds received by it from the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement in the manner specified in the General Disclosure Package.

(f)           In connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, the Company will file with the NYSE all documents and notices, and make all certifications, required by the NYSE of foreign private issuers that have securities that are listed or quoted on the NYSE and will maintain such listings or quotations.

(g)           To not take, directly or indirectly, and to cause its affiliates to refrain from taking, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the 1934 Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.

(h)           At each Applicable Time, Settlement Date, Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Periodic Report Date and each date on which Placement Shares are delivered to the Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation, warranty, covenant and other agreement contained in this Agreement. Any obligation of the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Placement Shares on behalf of the Company as sales agent shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 6 of this Agreement.

(i)            In each Annual Report on Form 20-F or Report on Form 6-K that includes financial statements in respect of the preceding fiscal quarter filed by the Company in respect of any quarter in which sales of Placement Shares were made by or through the Agent under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement (each date on which any such document is filed, and any date on which an amendment to any such document is filed or any Report on Form 6-K containing amended financial information incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement is filed, a “Company Periodic Report Date”), the Company shall set forth with regard to such quarter the number of Placement Shares sold through the Agent under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement and the Net Proceeds received by the Company with respect to sales of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement. The Company shall incorporate by reference into the Registration Statement each such Form 6-K that includes financial statements in respect of the preceding fiscal quarter.

(j)            Upon commencement of the offering of Placement Shares under this Agreement and each time the Placement Shares are delivered to the Agent as principal on a Settlement Date and promptly after each (i) date the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than (1) by an amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of the Placement Shares, (2) in connection with the

filing of any reports on Form 6-K (other than any reports on Form 6-K which contain financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data) or (3) by a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of other securities (including, without limitation, other Shares)) (each such date, a “Registration Statement Amendment Date”) and (ii) Company Periodic Report Date, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to the Agent a certificate dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the date of filing with the Commission of such supplement or other document, as the case may be, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Agent to the effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 6(e) of this Agreement which were last furnished to the Agent are true and correct at the time of such amendment, supplement or filing, as the case may be, as though made at and as of such time (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such time) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in said Section 6(e), but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented, or to the document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, to the time of delivery of such certificate. As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the date referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, promptly shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 3(j) shall be waived for any Registration Statement Amendment Date and Company Periodic Report Date occurring at a time at which no notice delivered to the Agent pursuant to Section 2(b) is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a placement notice pursuant to Section 2(b) and the next occurring Registration Statement Amendment Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Registration Statement Amendment Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 3(j), then before the Company delivers a placement notice pursuant to Section 2(b) or the Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate as required by this Section 3(j).

(k)           Upon commencement of the offering of Placement Shares under this Agreement and each time the Placement Shares are delivered to the Agent as principal on a Settlement Date, and promptly after each (i) Registration Statement Amendment Date and (ii) Company Periodic Report Date, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent and to counsel to the Agent the written opinion and letter of each counsel specified in Section 6(c) or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the date of filing with the Commission of such supplement or other document, as the case may be, in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, of the same tenor as the opinions and letters referred to in Section 6(c) of this Agreement, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented, or to the document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, to the time of delivery of such opinion and letter or, in lieu of such opinion and letter, counsel last furnishing such letter to the Agent shall furnish the Agent with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agent may rely on such last opinion and letter to the same extent as though each were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such letter authorizing reliance). As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the date referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, promptly shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time.

(l)            Upon commencement of the offering of Placement Shares under this Agreement and each time the Placement Shares are delivered to the Agent as principal on a Settlement Date, and promptly after each (i) Registration Statement Amendment Date and (ii) Company Periodic Report Date, the Company will cause Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S.A., or other independent accountants reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, to furnish to the Agent a letter, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the date of filing of such supplement or other document with the Commission, as the case may be, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and their counsel, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented, or to the document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, to the date of such letter. As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the date referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, promptly shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time.

(m)          The Company consents to the Agent trading in the Company’s Shares for the Agent’s own account and for the account of its clients, in each case in accordance with applicable law, at the same time as sales of Placement Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.

(n)           If, to the knowledge of the Company, all filings required by Rule 424 in connection with this offering shall not have been made or the representations in Section 1(a) shall not be true and correct on the applicable Settlement Date, the Company will offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Placement Shares from the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by the Agent the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares.

(o)           The Company will cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent or its counsel from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or in any Terms Agreement, including, without limitation, and upon reasonable notice, providing information and making available documents and appropriate corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request.

(p)           During each period commencing on the date on which the Company has given an instruction pursuant to Section 2(b) and ending on the close of business of the Settlement Date of the last Shares sold pursuant to such instruction, the Company will not, without (i) giving the Agent at least three business days’ prior written notice of a proposed sale or other transaction (which notice shall not be required to specify the nature of such proposed transaction) and (ii) the Agent’s suspending activity under this program for such period of time as requested by the Company or as deemed appropriate by the Agent in light of the proposed sale, (A) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, 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, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Shares or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the Shares (other than a shelf registration statement under Rule 415 under the 1933 Act or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement) or (B) enter into any swap or other agreement or any transaction that transfers in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequence of ownership of the Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Shares whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (w) the Shares to be offered and sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, (x) equity incentive awards approved by the board of directors of the Company or the compensation committee thereof or the issuance of Shares upon exercise thereof, and (y) issuances of Shares pursuant to the terms of a Company dividend reinvestment program and (z) Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations, joint ventures or strategic alliances occurring after the date of this Agreement which are not used for capital raising purposes.

(q)           If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Shares remain unsold, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Agent. If the Company is not eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Agent, and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective as promptly as practicable. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the issuance and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Shares. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.

Section 4. Free Writing Prospectus.

(a)           (i)             The Company represents and agrees that without the prior consent of the Agent, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act; and

(ii)           the Agent represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make, any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission.

(b)           The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the 1933 Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including any free writing prospectus identified in Section 4(a) hereof), including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending.

Section 5. Payment of Expenses. The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Agent; (ii) the cost of printing or producing this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 3(b) hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agent in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Surveys; (iv) any filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agent in connection with, any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (v) all fees and expenses in connection with listing or quoting the Shares on the NYSE; (vi) the cost of preparing the Shares; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent or registrar or any dividend distribution agent; (viii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agent in an aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000 (which amount shall include all fees and disbursements of such counsel described in clauses (iii) and (iv) above); and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Company’s obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section.

Section 6. Conditions of Agent’s Obligation. The obligations of the Agent hereunder shall be subject, in its discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof are true and correct as of the time of the execution of this Agreement, the date of any executed Terms Agreement and as of each Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Periodic Report Date, Applicable Time and Settlement Date, to the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a)           The Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act on or prior to the date hereof and in accordance with Section 3(a) hereof, any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the form of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act shall have been received; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Agent.

(b)           On every date specified in Section 3(k) hereof and on such other dates as reasonably requested by the Agent, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Agent, shall have furnished to the Agent such written opinion or opinions, dated as of such date, with respect to such matters as the Agent may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(c)           Upon the commencement of the offering of Placement Shares under this Agreement and each other time the Placement Shares are delivered to the Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement,

(i) Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, special U.S. counsel to the Company (“CWT”);

(ii) Cozen O’Connor, Marshall Islands counsel to the Company (“COZ”);

(iii) Cozen O’Connor, counsel on matters of Liberian law to the Company; and

(iii) Montanios & Montanios LLC, Cypriot counsel of the Company;

shall have furnished to the Agent a written opinion or opinions and, in the case of CWT, a negative assurance letter, dated as of such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent. On each other date specified in Section 3(k) hereof, each of CWT and COZ shall have furnished to the Agent a written opinion or opinions and, in the case of CWT, a negative assurance letter, dated as of such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

(d)           At the dates specified in Section 3(l) hereof, the independent accountants of the Company who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus shall have furnished to the Agent a letter dated as of the date of delivery thereof and addressed to the Agent in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(e)           (i) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and on such other dates as reasonably requested by the Agent, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished promptly to the Agent a certificate of an officer in a form satisfactory to the Agent stating the minimum price for the sale of such Shares of each class or series pursuant to this Agreement and the maximum number of Shares of each class or series that may be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement or, alternatively, maximum gross proceeds from such sales, as authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, or any individual to whom such authority has been duly and properly delegated by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, or, in connection with any amendment, revision or modification of such minimum price or maximum Share number or amount, a new certificate with respect thereto and (ii) on each date specified in Section 3(j) and on such other dates as reasonably requested by the Agent, the Agent shall have received a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who shall be the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer, or Executive Vice President in the area of capital markets and investments, dated as of the date thereof, to the effect that (A) there has not been a Material Adverse Effect since the date as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, (B) the representations and warranties in Section 1 hereof are true and correct in all material respects as of such date and (C) the Company has complied with all of the agreements entered into in connection with the transaction contemplated herein and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied.

(f)           Since the date of the latest audited financial statements then included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred.

(g)           The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 3(c) hereof with respect to the timely furnishing of prospectuses.

(h)           On such dates as reasonably requested by the Agent, the Company shall have conducted due diligence sessions, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.

(i)           All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the 1933 Act to have been filed by each Applicable Time or related Settlement Date shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424 (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)).

(j)           The Shares shall have received approval for listing on the NYSE prior to the first Settlement Date.

(k)           Prior to any Settlement Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such further information, documents or certificates as the Agent may reasonably request.

Section 7. Indemnification.

(a)           The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Agent against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Agent may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Agent for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Agent in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use therein or (ii) the bad faith, fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Agent.

(b)           The Agent will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

(c)           Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection except and then only to the extent such indemnifying party is materially prejudiced thereby. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action 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)           If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other from the offering of the Shares to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions received by the Agent. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Agent on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total compensation received by the Agent with respect to sales of the Shares sold by it to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Agent has otherwise been required to pay by reason of 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.

(e)           The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the directors, officers, employees, attorneys and agents of the Agent and to each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the 1933 Act and each broker dealer affiliate of the Agent; and the obligations of the Agent under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which the Agent may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director, officer, employee, attorney and agent of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act.

Section 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Agent, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of the Agent or any controlling person of the Agent, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

Section 9. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Agent is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of such offering) and (ii) the Agent has not assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iii) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Agent has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

Section 10. Termination.

(a)           The Company shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that (i) with respect to any pending sale through the Agent for the Company, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of the Agent, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination; and (ii) the provisions of Section 1, Section 5, Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

(b)           The Agent shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 1, Section 5, Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

(c)           This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until and unless terminated pursuant to Section 10(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided that any such termination by mutual agreement or pursuant to this clause (c) shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 1, Section 5, Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

(d)           Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(g) hereof.

(e)           In the case of any purchase by the Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Agent may terminate this Agreement at any time at or prior to the Settlement Date (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 Effect, 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 Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of Shares, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or if trading generally on the NYSE or Nasdaq 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 such system or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

Section 11. Notices. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Agent shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to:

DNB Markets, Inc.
200 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, New York 10166

Fax No. (212) 681-4121

Attention: Legal Department

with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

601 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Attention: Christian O. Nagler

E-mail: christian.nagler@kirkland.com

and if to the Company to:

Safe Bulkers, Inc.

Apt. D11

Les Acanthes

6, Avenue des Citronniers

MC98000 Monaco

Attention: Dr. Loukas Barmparis

with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

200 Liberty Street

New York, NY 10281

Attention: Richard M. Brand, Esq.; Joshua A. Apfelroth, Esq.

Email: richard.brand@cwt.com; joshua.apfelroth@cwt.com

Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

Section 12. Parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Agent and the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, the officers, directors, employees, attorneys and agents of the Company and the Agent and each person who controls the Company or the Agent, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of Shares through the Agent shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

Section 13. Time of the Essence. Time shall be of the essence in regards of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

Section 14. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and the Agent hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to jury trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 15. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.

The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company irrevocably appoints Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, New York, New York, as its authorized agent in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York upon which process may be served in any such suit or proceeding, and agrees that service of process upon such agent, and written notice of said service to the Company by the person serving the same to the address provided in Section 11, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any such suit or proceeding. The Company further agrees to take any and all action as may be necessary to maintain such designation and appointment of such agent in full force and effect for a period of seven years from the date of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.

The obligation of the Company pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any sum due to the Agent shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first

business day, following receipt by the Agent of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency, on which (and only to the extent that) the Agent may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency; if the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to the Agent hereunder, the Company agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Agent against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to the Agent hereunder, the Agent agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to the Agent hereunder.

Section 16. Counterparts. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be delivered by any party by facsimile or other electronic transmission.

Section 17. Severability. 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.

[Signature Page Follows]

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 between the Agent and the Company in accordance with its terms.

Accepted as of the date hereof:

DNB MARKETS, INC.

[Signature Page To At-The-Market Equity Offering Sales Agreement]

Annex 1

SAFE BULKERS, INC.

Common Stock
($0.001 par value per share)

TERMS AGREEMENT

DNB MARKETS, INC.
200 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, New York 10166

Attn: Legal Department

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Safe Bulkers, Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the At-the-Market Equity Offering Sales Agreement, dated August 7, 2020 (the “Sales Agreement”), between the Company and DNB Markets, Inc. (“Agent”), to issue and sell to the Agent the securities specified in the Schedule hereto (the “Purchased Securities”) [, and solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, to grant to the Agent the option to purchase the additional securities specified in the Schedule hereto (the “Additional Securities”)]*.

[The Agent shall have the right to purchase from the Company all or a portion of the Additional Securities as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Purchased Securities, at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Agent to the Company for the Purchased Securities. This option may be exercised by the Agent at any time (but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of shares of Additional Securities as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Additional Securities are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Time of Delivery (as set forth in the Schedule hereto) nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Securities shall be made at the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Purchased Securities.]*

Each of the provisions of the Sales Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the Agent, as agent of the Company, of offers to purchase securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [             ,] the Applicable Time [and any Option Closing Date]*, except that each representation and warranty in Section 1 of the Sales Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus (as therein defined) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date of the Sales Agreement in relation to the Prospectus, and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [,] the Settlement Date [and any Option Closing Date]* in relation to the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Securities.

An amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined in the Sales Agreement), or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Securities [and the Additional Securities]*, in the form heretofore delivered to the Agent is now proposed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Sales Agreement which are incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Agent and the latter agrees to purchase from the Company the number of shares of the Purchased Securities at the time and place and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule hereto.

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 between the Agent and the Company in accordance with its terms.

Title:

Accepted as of the date hereof:

DNB MARKETS, INC.