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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 3, 2018.

Registration Statement No. 333-225677

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Amendment No. 1

to

FORM F-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Navios Maritime Containers L.P. *

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

* The registrant is currently a private company named Navios Maritime Containers Inc. incorporated under the Republic of the Marshall Islands and will be converted into a limited partnership named Navios Maritime Containers L.P. organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in connection with the offering described in this registration statement.

 

 

 

Republic of the Marshall Islands   4412   N/A

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2

Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco

(011) +(377) 9798-2140

(Address and telephone number of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

C T Corporation System

111 8 th Avenue

New York, New York 10011

(212) 894-8800

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

 

Stuart H. Gelfond

John M. Bibona

Joshua Wechsler

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

One New York Plaza

New York, New York 10004

(212) 859-8000 (telephone number)

(212) 859-4000 (facsimile number)

 

Sean T. Wheeler

Latham & Watkins LLP

811 Main Street, Suite 3700

Houston, Texas 77002

(713) 546-5400 (telephone number)

(713) 546-5401 (facsimile number)

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are being offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.  ☒

If an emerging growth company that prepares financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

 

Proposed

Maximum
Aggregate

Offering Price (1)(2)

  Amount of
Registration Fee (3)

Common units representing limited partner interests

  $100,000,000   $12,450

 

 

(1) Includes common units issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ option.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o).
(3) Previously paid.

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to completion,

Preliminary Prospectus dated July 3, 2018.

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

 

LOGO

Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

            Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

 

This is an initial public offering of common units of Navios Maritime Containers L.P., or Navios Containers, in the United States, which we refer to as the offering.

The estimated initial public offering price is between $         and $         per unit.

We have applied to list our common units on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NMCI.”

The common shares of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. (the entity that will convert into Navios Containers in connection with the offering) are traded on the Norwegian OTC List, an over-the-counter market that is administered and operated by a subsidiary of the Norwegian Securities Dealers Association, under the symbol “NMCI.”

On                     , 2018, the closing price of the common shares of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. was                  Norwegian Kroner (“NOK”) per share, which was equivalent to approximately $         per share based on the Bloomberg Composite Rate of NOK                  per $1.00 in effect on that date.

We are a Marshall Islands limited partnership. Although we are organized as a partnership, we have elected to be treated as a corporation solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

 

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for future filings. See “Summary—Implication of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”

 

 

 

     Per
Common Unit
     Total  

Initial public offering price

   $                   $               

Underwriting discounts and commissions (1)

   $      $  

Proceeds to us, before expenses

   $      $  

 

(1) See “Underwriting” for a description of all underwriting compensation payable in connection with this offering.

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase from us up to                  additional common units.

Investing in our common units involves risks. See “ Risk Factors ” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares against payment in New York, New York on or about                     , 2018 through the book-entry facilities of The Depository Trust Company.

 

 

J.P. Morgan   BofA Merrill Lynch   Citigroup    Clarksons Platou Securities

S. Goldman Advisors LLC

 

 

                , 2018.


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You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where an offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

Overview

     2  

Description of Fleet

     3  

Market Opportunity

     5  

Our Competitive Strengths

     7  

Our Business Strategies

     8  

Recent Developments

     8  

Risk Factors

     10  

Implication of Being an Emerging Growth Company

     10  

Organizational Structure

     11  

Summary of Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties

     12  

Principal Executive Offices and Internet Address; SEC Filing Requirements

     13  

Other Information

     13  

SUMMARY OF THE OFFERING

     14  

SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA

     17  

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     19  

MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

     22  

RISK FACTORS

     23  

Risks Inherent in Our Business

     23  

Risks Inherent in an Investment in Us

     50  

Tax Risks

     60  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     63  

CAPITALIZATION

     64  

MARKET PRICE INFORMATION

     65  

DILUTION

     66  

OUR DISTRIBUTION POLICY

     67  

 

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SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA

     68  

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

     70  

Business Overview

     70  

Trends and Factors Affecting Our Future Results of Operations

     71  

Components of Our Operating Results

     71  

Operating Results

     73  

Liquidity and Cash Sources and Uses

     76  

Reconciliation of EBITDA from Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

     81  

Capital Expenditures

     87  

Trend Information

     88  

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

     88  

Contractual Obligations and Contingencies

     88  

Reduced Emerging Growth Company Requirements

     89  

Accounting for Vessel Acquisitions

     89  

Critical Accounting Policies

     91  

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risks

     94  

Inflation

     94  

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

     94  

THE INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER SHIPPING INDUSTRY

     95  

BUSINESS

     126  

Overview

     126  

Description of Fleet

     127  

Market Opportunity

     129  

Our Competitive Strengths

     130  

Our Business Strategies

     131  

Our Customers

     132  

Management of Ship Operations and Administration

     133  

Competition

     133  

Time Charters

     134  

Crewing

     135  

In-House Inspections

     135  

Classification, Inspection and Maintenance

     135  

Risk of Loss and Liability Insurance

     136  

Permits and Authorizations

     138  

Environmental and Other Regulations

     138  

Legal Proceedings

     146  

Properties

     146  

Exchange Controls

     146  

Taxation of the Partnership

     146  

MANAGEMENT

     151  

Management of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

     151  

Directors and Senior Management

     153  

Reimbursement of Expenses of Our General Partner

     155  

Executive Compensation

     155  

Compensation of Directors

     155  

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

     156  

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     157  

Payments to our General Partner and Its Affiliates; General Partner Interests

     157  

Agreements with the Navios Group

     157  

Other Related Party Transactions

     163  

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES

     164  

Conflicts of Interest

     164  

Fiduciary Duties

     167  

DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS

     170  

The Units

     170  

Transfer Agent and Registrar

     170  

Transfer of Common Units

     170  

THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

     172  

Organization and Duration

     172  

Purpose

     172  

Power of Attorney

     172  

Capital Contributions

     172  

Voting Rights

     172  

Limited Liability

     174  

Issuance of Additional Securities

     174  

Tax Status

     175  

Amendment of the Partnership Agreement

     175  

Action Relating to the Operating Subsidiaries

     177  

Merger, Sale, or Other Disposition of Assets

     177  

Termination and Dissolution

     178  

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

     178  

Withdrawal or Removal of our General Partner

     178  

Transfer of General Partner Interest

     179  

Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner

     179  

Change of Management Provisions

     179  

Limited Call Right

     179  

Management of the Partnership

     180  

Board of Directors

     180  

Meetings of Limited Partners; Voting

     180  

Status as Limited Partner or Assignee

     181  

Indemnification

     181  

Reimbursement of Expenses

     182  

Books and Reports

     182  

Right to Inspect Our Books and Records

     182  

Registration Rights

     183  

UNITS ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

     184  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     186  

Conversion to a Limited Partnership; Election to be Treated as a Corporation

     186  

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders

     187  

U.S. Federal Income Taxation on Non-U.S. Holders

     192  

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

     192  

 

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MARSHALL ISLANDS TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     194  

UNDERWRITING

     195  

Commissions and Discounts

     195  

Option to Purchase Additional Common Units

     196  

No Sales of Similar Securities

     196  

Listing

     197  

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

     197  

Electronic Distribution

     198  

Selling Restrictions

     198  

SERVICE OF PROCESS AND ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

     201  

LEGAL MATTERS

     202  

EXPERTS

     202  

EXPENSES RELATED TO THIS OFFERING

     203  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     203  

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     F-1  

APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

     A-1  

APPENDIX B: FORM OF AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

     B-1  

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the historical consolidated financial statements and the notes to those financial statements contained in this prospectus. The information presented in this prospectus assumes, unless otherwise noted, that the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units is not exercised. You should read “Risk Factors” for more information about important risks that you should consider carefully before making an investment in our common units. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “dollars” and “$” in this prospectus are to, and amounts are presented in, U.S. dollars. Unless otherwise indicated, all data regarding our fleet and the terms of our charters is as of May 30, 2018. We use the term “twenty foot equivalent unit”, or “TEU”, the international standard measure of containers, in describing the capacity of our containerships. For the definition of certain shipping terms used in this prospectus, see the “Glossary of Terms” included in this prospectus as Appendix A .

We were incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands as a private company named Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and we will convert into a limited partnership organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands named Navios Maritime Containers L.P., which we refer to as “Navios Containers,” in connection with this offering. References in this prospectus to “we,” “our,” “us” or similar terms refer to Navios Containers and any one or more of its subsidiaries, or to all of such entities, depending on the context. Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, all information in this prospectus reflects the conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. into Navios Containers at a conversion ratio of                  shares of common stock of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for each common unit of Navios Containers. In connection with the conversion, Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC, a Marshall Islands limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings (as defined below), will be admitted as our general partner and will hold a non-economic interest that does not provide the holder with any rights to profits or losses of, or distributions by, the partnership.

Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to:

 

    “Navios Holdings” refer, depending on the context, to Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. or any one or more of its subsidiaries;

 

    “general partner” refer to Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC, and because the general partner is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings, we may also refer to Navios Holdings as the “general partner” in this prospectus depending on the context;

 

    “Manager” refer to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings, which manages the commercial and technical operation of our fleet pursuant to a management agreement dated June 7, 2017, as amended on November 23, 2017, April 23, 2018 and June 1, 2018, which we refer to as the “Management Agreement,” and also provides administrative services to us pursuant to an administrative services agreement dated June 7, 2017, which we refer to as the “Administrative Services Agreement”;

 

    “Navios Partners” refer to Navios Maritime Partners L.P.; and

 

    “Navios Group” refer, depending on the context, to Navios Holdings, Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation, which we refer to as “Navios Acquisition,” Navios Partners, Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P., which we refer to as “Navios Midstream”, us and any one or more of our and their subsidiaries.

References in this prospectus to the acquisition of the five containerships that we intend to acquire with proceeds of this offering are forward-looking statements intended to provide you with an understanding of what we expect our asset profile to be following this offering. However, you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Although we have entered into agreements to acquire these additional vessels, the agreements are subject to certain conditions, including the completion of this offering, and there is no guarantee that we will acquire these vessels. In addition, we may be unable to secure debt financing for these acquisitions on terms satisfactory to us, or at all.



 

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Overview

We are a growth-oriented international owner and operator of containerships. We were formed in April 2017 by Navios Holdings, which owns, operates or manages one of the largest shipping fleets by capacity, to take advantage of acquisition and chartering opportunities in the container shipping sector. We generate our revenues by chartering our vessels to leading liner companies pursuant to fixed-rate time charters. Under the terms of our charters, we provide crewing and technical management, while the charterer is generally responsible for securing cargoes, fuel costs and voyage expenses. After giving effect to the acquisition of five containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, and including the two containerships of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, we will have grown our fleet to 30 vessels with an aggregate carrying capacity of 166,338 TEU and an average fleet age of 9.8 years. Additionally, we have options to acquire four additional containerships, which would expand our fleet further.

The Navios Group began focusing on a strategy to expand its platform in the container sector in 2013, and in 2017 established its core asset base at a time when it believed values were at attractive levels. We believe this is a favorable time to continue to expand in the containership sector by acquiring quality second-hand vessels for which we see attractive employment opportunities. Containership prices remain at levels that are significantly below their 15-year historical averages and the time charter market for containerships started to show signs of improvement in 2017 and has continued to do so in the first quarter of 2018.

We expect to be able to continue to acquire containerships at attractive prices and capitalize on our low-cost operating structure, which we believe will allow us to maximize the return on investment for our unit holders as a result of expected increased positive cash flow from operations and expected appreciation in the value of our vessels as the market continues to recover.

We also intend to leverage the scale, experience, reputation and relationships of Navios Holdings with maritime industry participants and global financial institutions to continue to expand our fleet through selective acquisitions of vessels and to enable us to sustain a lower than industry average cost structure.

We were initially formed as a corporation under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on April 28, 2017. In connection with our formation, we registered on the Norwegian Over-the-Counter market (the “N-OTC”) and completed four private placements of an aggregate of 34,603,100 common shares for total proceeds of approximately $180.3 million, as described in the notes to the historical consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus. In connection with this offering, we will convert into a limited partnership under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands at a ratio of                  shares of common stock of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for each common unit of Navios Containers.

Our Relationship with the Navios Group

One of our key strengths is our relationship with the Navios Group, which includes four publicly traded seaborne shipping companies which together operate 200 vessels as of April 2018, making it one of the largest global shipping groups. In a highly fragmented industry, we believe this relationship provides us with several advantages.

First, we are able to benefit from significant economies of scale not typically available to smaller owners resulting in efficient spreading of overhead and other costs, which in turn results in lower operating expenditures compared to the industry average. In particular, we derive cost efficiencies from Navios Holdings, a global, vertically integrated seaborne shipping and logistics company focused on the transport and transshipment of dry bulk commodities including iron ore, coal and grain. In addition, the key members of Navios Holdings’ management team have an average of over 20 years of experience in the shipping industry through which Navios Holdings provides entities within the Navios Group, and us, cost-efficient technical and commercial management, as well as administrative services.



 

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Second, our relationship with Navios Holdings provides us access to competitive expansion opportunities, including the right of first refusal to purchase containerships from members of the Navios Group pursuant to the Omnibus Agreement that we entered into on June 7, 2017 with Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc. (the “Omnibus Agreement”). See, “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with the Navios Group—Omnibus Agreement.”

Finally, Navios Holdings’ active and extensive involvement in the international shipping markets provides us with access to reliable, in-depth and up-to-date market information. In particular, we believe that our relationship with Navios Holdings will enhance our ability to enter into new charters, as well as expand our customer relationships and access to financing. Our relationship with Navios Holdings also provides us with opportunities to expand our fleet through third-party acquisitions at attractive prices, as demonstrated by our track record.

Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the Manager, a wholly owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings, provides commercial and technical management services to our vessels covering all of our vessels’ operating expenses other than certain extraordinary costs. Drydocking and special survey costs are paid to the Manager at cost. Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, the Manager also provides us with administrative services, which include bookkeeping, audit and accounting services, legal and insurance services, administrative and clerical services, banking and financial services, advisory services, client and investor relations and other services. Management fees for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $11.6 million and $16.5 million, respectively. General and administrative fees (inclusive of expense reimbursement) were $1.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017.

Description of Fleet

As of May 30, 2018, and after giving effect to the acquisition of five containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds of this offering, and including the two containerships of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, we will have a fleet of 30 containerships aggregating 166,338 TEUs and an average age of 9.8 years, which is below the current industry average of about 12.0 years, according to industry data. Our fleet includes three 3,450 TEU containerships, 19 containerships between 4,250 TEU and 4,730 TEU, one 6,800 TEU containership and seven containerships between 8,200 TEU and 10,000 TEU. As of May 30, 2018, and after giving effect to the acquisition of five containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds of this offering and including the two containerships of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, we will have charters covering 75.4% and 26.6% of available days for the remaining nine months of 2018 and for 2019, respectively.



 

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The following table provides summary information about our fleet as of May 30, 2018:

 

Owned Vessels

   TEU      Built      Charter
Expiration
Date (1)
  Charter-Out Rate (2)  

Navios Verano (3)

     3,450        2006      May 2018   $ 9,144  

Navios Summer (3)

     3,450        2006      August 2018   $ 9,000  

Navios Spring (3)

     3,450        2007      November 2018   $ 8,444  

Navios Vermillion (3)

     4,250        2007      August 2018   $ 9,000  

Navios Indigo (3)

     4,250        2007      October 2018   $ 8,133  

Navios Amaranth

     4,250        2007      July 2018   $ 7,093  

Navios Amarillo

     4,250        2007      June 2018   $ 7,575  
         June 2019   $ 12,545  

Navios Verde

     4,250        2007      August 2018   $ 9,381  

Navios Azure (3)

     4,250        2007      November 2018   $ 11,603  

Navios Domino (ex MOL Dominance)

     4,250        2008      November 2018   $ 9,500  

MOL Dedication

     4,250        2008      July 2018 (4)   $ 26,850  

MOL Delight

     4,250        2008      September 2018 (4)   $ 26,850  

MOL Destiny

     4,250        2009      November 2018 (4)   $ 26,850  

MOL Devotion

     4,250        2009      February 2019 (4)   $ 26,850  

Navios Lapis

     4,250        2009      July 2018   $ 7,604  

Navios Tempo

     4,250        2009      May 2018   $ 7,411  
         May 2019   $ 11,011  

Niledutch Okapi (ex Navios Dorado)

     4,250        2010      May 2019   $ 10,468  

Navios Felicitas

     4,360        2010      July 2018   $ 7,431  

APL Oakland

     4,730        2008      March 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

APL Los Angeles

     4,730        2008      April 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

APL Denver

     4,730        2008      May 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

APL Atlanta

     4,730        2008      June 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

YM Utmost

     8,204        2006      August 2018 (4)   $ 34,266  

YM Unity

     8,204        2006      October 2018 (4)   $ 34,266  

Navios Unison

     10,000        2010      March 2019   $ 26,663  

 

Vessels Identified for Purchase with Proceeds from

this Offering (5)

  

TEU

    

Built

     Charter
Expiration

Date (1)
  

Charter-Out Rate (2)

 

Hyundai Hongkong

     6,800        2006      December 2019    $ 24,095  
         December 2023    $ 30,119 (6)  

TBN 1

     10,000        2011      May 2019    $ 26,663  

TBN 2

     10,000        2011      June 2019    $ 26,663  

TBN 3

     10,000        2011      April 2019    $ 26,663  

TBN 4

     10,000        2011      April 2019    $ 26,663  

 

Vessels Underlying Purchase Option

   TEU      Built      Charter
Expiration

Date (1)
     Charter-Out Rate (2)  

Hyundai Busan

     6,800        2006        December 2019      $ 24,095  
           December 2023      $ 30,119 (6)  

Hyundai Shanghai

     6,800        2006        December 2019      $ 24,095  
           December 2023      $ 30,119 (6)  

Hyundai Singapore

     6,800        2006        December 2019      $ 24,095  
           December 2023      $ 30,119 (6)  

Hyundai Tokyo

     6,800        2006        December 2019      $ 24,095  
           December 2023      $ 30,119 (6)  

 

(1) Charter expiration dates shown reflect expected redelivery date based on the midpoint of the full redelivery period in the charter agreement, unless otherwise noted.
(2) Daily charter-out rate, net of commissions where applicable.


 

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(3) Since June 2018, the vessel is subject to a sale and leaseback transaction with Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. for a period of up to five years, at which time we have an obligation to purchase the vessel. See“—Recent Developments.”
(4) Charter expiration dates shown reflect earliest redelivery date of the full redelivery period in the charter agreement.
(5) On June 11, 2018, we entered into a share purchase agreement with Navios Partners to acquire one vessel for a purchase price of $36.0 million, consisting of $29.9 million in cash and $6.1 million of equity. The number of units issued will be                 , based on the assumed initial public offering price of $                , the mid-point of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The purchase price of the vessel was determined by an independent valuator. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Special Committee of the independent members of our Board of Directors. We intend to fund the cash portion of the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $15.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities. The share purchase agreement also provides us with the option to purchase up to four additional vessels from Navios Partners at a purchase price of $36.0 million per vessel. The option vessels will be financed in a manner similar to the vessel to be acquired with the proceeds of this offering.

In June 2018, we also entered into a binding agreement with an unrelated third party, to purchase four vessels for an aggregate purchase price of $210.0 million in cash. We intend to finance the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $126.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities.

The agreements are subject to certain conditions to closing, including the completion of this offering. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Risk Factors.”

 

(6) Does not include optional years (owner’s option) after 2023.

Market Opportunity

We believe that the following factors create opportunities for us to successfully execute our business plan and grow our business:

 

    Improving Containership Sector Fundamentals. According to industry data, 2018 and 2019 are expected to be the third and fourth consecutive years that containership trade growth exceeds the growth in supply of vessels. We expect the following factors to result in an improvement in both charter rates and asset values.

 

    Increasing Global Economic Growth and Demand for Seaborne Transportation of Container Shipments . Demand for container shipments declined significantly from 2008 to 2009 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis but has increased each year from 2009 to 2017. Data from the International Monetary Fund, or the IMF, shows further evidence of the global economic expansion as all major economies are growing simultaneously for the first time since the mid-2000s. The IMF has increased its forecasts for World GDP by 0.2% in 2018 to 3.9% and continued that pace for its 2019 forecast. Concurrently with the world economic growth, in 2017, the containership trade grew by 5.8% and has been projected to grow an additional 5.1% and 4.8% in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

 

    Decelerating Growth in Containership Supply through the Reduction in New Vessel Ordering and Increased Scrapping. Scrapping of older containerships continued in 2017 with about 400,000 TEU scrapped, and over 1.0 million TEU of containership capacity has been scrapped since the beginning of 2016, mainly attributable to intermediate size and smaller vessels. We expect net fleet capacity to grow by approximately 4.5% in 2018, which is below the current expected containership trade growth of approximately 5.1%. Deliveries in 2018 are expected to continue to be disproportionately weighted in favor of containerships with over 11,000 TEU in capacity, with minimal growth in deliveries of new intermediate-size containerships. Based on the current orderbook data, fleet growth is expected to be 2.8% in 2019, which is below the demand growth forecast of 4.8%, which would make 2019 the fourth straight year that demand growth exceeds supply growth.


 

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    Redeployment of Containerships Across Trade Lanes. Recent disruptions in the container trade, such as the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2016, have created favorable dynamics for certain vessel sizes that have benefited from the increased demand from redeployment across trade lanes, while their orderbooks remain low.

 

    Classic Panamaxes (3,450 - 4,730 TEU): Post the expansion of the Panama Canal, the deployment of Classic Panamaxes on their main trading route of Far East to U.S. East Coast declined by approximately 80%. Within the 4,000 – 5,100 TEU size in particular, the vessels with shorter lengths and shallower drafts (“Baby Panamaxes”) were able to be successfully redeployed into higher trade-growth trades in Africa and Intra-Asia where certain ports have physical infrastructure limitations that act as a natural barrier to entry for larger vessels. Vessels that were longer and had deeper drafts had far fewer redeployment options and, as a result, comprised of nearly 90% of all the scrapping for this size since 2015.

 

    New Panamaxes (7,500 - 10,000 TEU): As ship sizes have increased on the main Far East to North Europe trade lanes, New Panamaxes of 7,500 to 10,000 TEU have been increasing in importance in a large number of other markets, particularly in the Transpacific and North South trade routes. Approximately 60% of global trade utilizes vessels in this size range. Overall deployment has increased by 15%, from 3.5 million TEUs in January 2015 to 4.0 million TEUs by April 2018.

 

    Increased Availability of Distressed Acquisition Opportunities. We believe that there is an increased availability of attractive acquisition opportunities to buy containership assets at or near historically low prices resulting from a number of factors, including:

 

    the increasing willingness of banks seeking to completely exit from distressed, non-performing loans that they entered into at the peak of the market cycle;

 

    the reduction in availability of debt financing and the tightening of lending criteria applicable to many shipping companies resulting in certain owners being unable to refinance or comply with the terms of their existing financing; and

 

    the significant decline in the German KG system (German closed-end funds of private investors) which historically provided significant capital to the containership sector. A large number of the containerships contracted pre-2009 were financed by the KG (Kommanditgesellshaft) system, which allows tax benefits to private investors in certain shipowning companies. Typically these are companies set up to invest in one or a small number of vessels, financed mainly by private investors and bank financing. Funds from private investors were typically raised after the vessels have been ordered. Since 2009, there have been severe limitations to the ability of KG funds to collect the equity planned for investment in ships which are on order. As a result, just 9% of containerships ordered in 2013 to 2018 were contracted by German owners compared to 44% of containerships ordered in the ten years between 1999 and 2008.

Additionally, lenders and major liner companies are highly selective in their choice of containership operators with whom they conduct business, and have established strict operational and financial standards that they use to pre-qualify operators and managers. Only a select number of managers and operators are able to meet these pre-qualification criteria, which we expect to continue to meet and believe enhance our ability to acquire available vessels.

We can provide no assurance, however, that the industry dynamics described above will continue or that we will be able to capitalize on such business opportunities. For further discussion of the risks that we face, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.



 

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Our Competitive Strengths

We believe that we possess a number of competitive strengths that will allow us to capitalize on growth opportunities in the containership sector, including:

 

    Strategically Focused Fleet of Intermediate-Size Containerships . We are one of the largest independent owners of quality intermediate-size containerships that are between 3,000 and 10,000 TEU in capacity. We believe this sector size currently demonstrates the best relative fundamental outlook based on current market dynamics and is where we see significant demand from our customers. We believe our fleet of intermediate-size containerships provides us a competitive advantage when chartering these vessels with liner companies because we believe these vessels are well positioned to withstand recent disruptions in the containership trade, such as the recent expansion of the Panama Canal, and to capitalize on the redeployment of containerships across trade lanes as recent deliveries of containership newbuildings have been dominated by the largest-size containerships. Trade volumes continue to grow more rapidly on North-South and intra-regional trade lanes which traditionally have been served by intermediate-size and smaller containerships at the same time that net fleet growth, deliveries and the orderbook for intermediate-size containerships remain low. All of our 19 Classic Panamaxes are of a shorter length, which we believe allows them to be more versatile and capable to be deployed in these trade lanes post-Panama Canal expansion. For example, vessels between 4,000 and 4,999 TEU have seen the highest increase in their share of the deployment capacity in intra-Asia, growing from 13% of the capacity in 2012 to approximately 23% of the capacity by 2018, according to Alphaliner. During the same period, the share of capacity in intra-Asia by vessels between 100 and 999 TEU and 1,000 and 1,999 TEU has declined considerably.

 

    Relationships with Leading Charterers . We expect to benefit from the long-standing relationships of our Manager with leading liner companies such as Maersk Line A/S, Mediterranean Shipping CO. S.A., CMA CGM, Cosco Shipping Co Ltd, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Evergreen Marine Corp., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. and others. We believe that the experience of our management team, coupled with our Manager’s reputation for excellence, will assist us in securing employment for our vessels and will provide us with an established customer base to facilitate our future growth.

 

    Well-Positioned to Pursue Acquisitions. We believe that our liquidity, low leverage and access to bank financing and the capital markets through our relationship with Navios Holdings positions us with ship brokers, financial institutions and shipyards as a favored purchaser of quality containerships and will allow us to make additional near-term accretive acquisitions as quality secondhand vessel values remain below their historical 15-year averages. We intend to monitor vessel values and charter rates and expect to continue to pursue acquisitions that are consistent with our investment criteria. We will also have a right of first refusal as to all containerships within the Navios Group which provides us with a preferred position for acquisition opportunities as to a large fleet of containers.

 

    Experience Across Sectors and Growing Through Cycles . Executives of Navios Holdings have substantial experience with investing in and operating fleets in the drybulk, tanker and containership sectors. We believe that the strong reputations and relationships they have developed in these industries and with major financial institutions will continue to provide us with access to distressed situation transactions, vessel acquisition and employment opportunities, as well the ability to access financing to grow our business. Since 2004, the Navios Group has raised $13.0 billion in the equity and debt capital markets and in bank financing and we believe that these financings are indicative of the strong relationships the Navios Group has with the financial and investment communities. Through the shipping cycles over the past 13 years, the Navios Group has strategically grown its fleet from 27 vessels in 2005 to a total of 200 vessels as of April 2018.

 

   

Scale and Cost-Efficient Operations of our Manager . We believe that utilizing an affiliated manager provides us with operational scale, geographical flexibility and market-specific experience and



 

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relationships, which will allow us to manage our vessels in an efficient and cost-effective manner. By leveraging Navios Holdings’ established operating platform, we are able to take advantage of a disciplined management team that has been tested through multiple shipping cycles with a long track record of financial reporting, compliance and investor accountability in public markets.

Our Business Strategies

Our primary objectives are to continue to profitably grow our business, increase distributable cash flow per unit and maximize value to our unit holders by pursuing the following strategies:

 

    Continue to Capitalize on Low Vessel Prices to Pursue Accretive Acquisitions . We are focused on continuing to purchase containerships at favorable prices. We intend to grow our fleet using Navios Holdings’ global network of relationships and long experience in the maritime industry to make selective acquisitions of quality, second-hand containerships. We believe that the recent developments in the container shipping industry described above under “—Market Opportunity” have created significant opportunities to acquire vessels at near historically low prices on an inflation adjusted basis and we will analyze acquisitions based on whether they meet targeted return thresholds and are accretive to cash flow in addition to meeting our strategy of targeting intermediate-size containerships. As a recently formed company without a legacy fleet of highly leveraged vessels, we believe we are well-positioned to take advantage of the significant opportunities created by the developments in the container shipping sector.

 

    Continue to Actively Manage our Charter Portfolio . We intend to deploy our vessels on a mix of short-term, medium-term and long-term time charters, to leading liner companies according to our continuing assessment of market conditions. We believe that our chartering strategy will afford us opportunities to capture increased profits during strong charter markets while benefiting from the relatively stable cash flows and high utilization rates associated with longer term time charters. We believe our strategy will give us the flexibility to take advantage of rising charter rates if the charter markets improve as the global economy strengthens.

 

    Maintain a Strong Balance Sheet and Flexible Capital Structure . We intend to manage our balance sheet conservatively, targeting a modest amount of leverage, managing our maturity profile and maintaining an adequate level of liquidity. We believe that managing our balance sheet in a conservative manner will minimize our financial risk while providing a solid foundation for our future expansion and enhancing our ability to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

 

    Provide Superior Customer Service with High Standards of Performance, Reliability and Safety . Our customers seek transportation partners that have a reputation for high standards of performance, reliability and safety. We intend to use Navios Holdings’ excellent vessel safety record, compliance with rigorous health, safety and environmental protection standards, operational expertise and customer relationships to further expand a sustainable competitive advantage and consistent delivery of superior customer service.

We can provide no assurance, however, that we will be able to implement our business strategies described above. For further discussion of the risks that we face, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.

Recent Developments

In March 2018, we agreed to acquire the Navios Unison, a 2010-built 10,000 TEU containership from an unrelated third party for a purchase price of approximately $50.3 million. This vessel is employed on time charter



 

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with a net daily charter rate of $26,663 until March 2019. The acquisition of the vessel was financed through a $25.0 million loan from a commercial bank and the balance with available cash. We took delivery of the vessel on May 30, 2018.

In April 2018, we agreed to acquire the YM Utmost and the YM Unity, two 2006-built containerships of 8,204 TEU per vessel from Navios Partners for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $67.0 million. These vessels are employed on time charter with a net daily charter rate of $34,266 per vessel until August 2018 and October 2018, respectively. The acquisition of the two vessels was partially financed through a new $36.0 million loan from a commercial bank and the balance with available cash. Both vessels were delivered on July 2, 2018.

On May 25, 2018, we entered into a loan agreement with BNP Paribas, for an amount of up to $25.0 million to partially finance the purchase price of the Navios Unison. The loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 300 basis points. On May 29, 2018, we drew down the full $25.0 million under the loan. The loan is repayable in 20 equal consecutive quarterly installments each in the amount of $0.7 million, along with a final balloon payment of $11.1 million, payable together with the last installment, falling due in May 2023.

On May 25, 2018, we entered into a $119.0 million sale and leaseback transaction with Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. in order to refinance our outstanding credit facilities on 18 vessels maturing in the fourth quarter of 2019, with a combined balance of $92.4 million outstanding on March 31, 2018. Upon completion of the sale and leaseback transaction, we will be obligated to make 60 monthly payments in respect of all 18 vessels of approximately $1.4 million each. We also have an obligation to purchase the vessels at the end of the fifth year for $59.5 million. On June 29, 2018 we completed the sale and leaseback of the first six vessels for approximately $37.5 million. We expect to complete the sale and leaseback of the remaining 12 vessels during the third quarter of 2018.

On June 11, 2018, we entered into a share purchase agreement with Navios Partners to acquire one vessel for a purchase price of $36.0 million, consisting of $29.9 million in cash and $6.1 million of equity. The number of units issued will be based on the initial public offering price. The purchase price of the vessel was determined by an independent valuator. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Special Committee of the independent members of our Board of Directors. We intend to fund the cash portion of the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $15.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities. The share purchase agreement also provides us with the option to purchase up to four additional vessels from Navios Partners at a purchase price of $36.0 million per vessel. The option vessels will be financed in a manner similar to the vessel to be acquired with the proceeds of this offering.

In June 2018, we also entered into a binding agreement with an unrelated third party, to purchase four vessels for an aggregate purchase price of $210.0 million in cash. We intend to finance the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $126.0 million loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities.

On June 28, 2018, we entered into a facility agreement with HSH Nordbank AG and Alpha Bank A.E. for an amount of up to $36.0 million (divided in two tranches of $18.0 million each) to finance part of the purchase price of the two containerships acquired from Navios Partners referred to above. The facility is repayable in 16 consecutive quarterly installments out of which the first two will be equal to $1.0 million each, to be followed by 14 installments equal to $0.6 million each plus a final (balloon) installment of $7.6 million payable together with the last installment. The facility matures in July 2022 and bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 325 basis points per annum.

We intend to use a portion of the proceeds of this offering to acquire the five identified containerships for an aggregate purchase price of $246.0 million. Although we have entered into agreements to acquire these additional vessels, the agreements are subject to certain conditions, including the completion of this offering, and



 

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there is no guarantee that we will acquire these vessels. In addition, we may be unable to secure debt financing for these acquisitions on terms satisfactory to us, or at all.

If, for any reason, we are unable to acquire the identified vessels, or if the vessels that we acquire do not generate the revenues we anticipate, that could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders or repurchases of common units.

This offering is not conditioned upon the acquisition of the five identified vessels.

Risk Factors

An investment in our common units involves risks associated with our business, our partnership structure and the tax characteristics of our common units, including those set forth below. Please read carefully these and other risks described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.

Implication of Being an Emerging Growth Company

We had less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, which means that we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”). An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

 

    the ability to present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in a registration statement;

 

    exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of the emerging growth company’s internal controls over financial reporting;

 

    exemption from new or revised financial accounting standards applicable to public companies until such standards are also applicable to private companies; and

 

    exemption from compliance with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to our auditor’s report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and our financial statements.

We may take advantage of these provisions until the end of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of the offering or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.07 billion in “total annual gross revenues” during our most recently completed fiscal year, if we become a “large accelerated filer” with a public float of more than $700 million, or as of any date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt over the three year period to such date. For as long as we take advantage of the reduced reporting obligations, the information that we provide may be different from information provided by other public companies.



 

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Organizational Structure

The following diagram depicts our organizational structure after giving effect to the offering and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units. These diagrams are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all of our legal entities.

 

LOGO

 

(1) Includes             common units held by investors that acquired our common shares in private placement transactions prior to this offering and             common units to be sold to investors in this offering. After giving effect to this offering and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option, the common units sold in our private placement transactions and in this offering represent     % and     % of our outstanding common units, respectively.


 

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We were initially formed on April 28, 2017 as a corporation under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In connection with our formation, we registered on the N-OTC and completed four private placements of an aggregate of 34,603,100 common shares for total proceeds of approximately $180.3 million, as described in the notes to the historical consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus. In connection with the offering, we will convert into a limited partnership at a ratio of              shares of common stock of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for each common unit of Navios Containers, and we will sell              common units to the public, representing a     % limited partner interest in us.

We believe that conducting our operations through a publicly traded limited partnership will offer us the following advantages:

 

    access to the public equity and debt capital markets;

 

    lower cost of capital for expansion and acquisitions; and

 

    enhanced ability to use equity securities as consideration in future acquisitions.

We are a holding entity and will conduct our operations and business through subsidiaries, as is common with publicly traded limited partnerships, to maximize operational flexibility. Initially, two operating companies, both incorporated in the Marshall Islands, will be our only directly owned subsidiaries and we will conduct all of our operations through them and their subsidiaries.

Summary of Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties

Our general partner and our directors have a legal duty to manage us in a manner beneficial to our unit holders, subject to the limitations described below and under “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties.” This legal duty is commonly referred to as a “fiduciary” duty. Similarly, our directors and officers have fiduciary duties to manage us in a manner beneficial to us, our general partner and our limited partners. As a result of these relationships, conflicts of interest may arise in the future between us and our unit holders, on the one hand, and Navios Holdings and its other affiliates, including our general partner, on the other hand. In particular:

 

    certain of our executive officers and/or directors also serve as executive officers and/or directors of Navios Holdings and its affiliates or to the Navios Group;

 

    Navios Holdings, Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and their affiliates may compete with us; and

 

    we have entered into arrangements, and may enter into additional arrangements, with Navios Holdings, Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and certain of their subsidiaries, relating to the purchase of additional vessels, the provision of certain services and other matters. In the performance of their obligations under these agreements, Navios Holdings, Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and their subsidiaries are not held to a fiduciary duty standard of care to us, our general partner or our limited partners, but rather to the standard of care specified in these agreements.

See “Management—Directors and Executive Officers,” “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

Although a majority of our directors will over time be elected by common unit holders, our general partner will likely have substantial influence on decisions made by our board of directors.

For a more detailed description of the conflicts of interest and fiduciary duties of our general partner and its affiliates, see “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties.” For a description of our other relationships with our affiliates, see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”



 

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In addition, our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the standards to which our general partner and our directors would otherwise be held under Marshall Islands law. For example, our partnership agreement limits the liability and reduces the fiduciary duties of our general partner and our directors to our unit holders. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to unit holders. By purchasing a common unit, you are treated as having agreed to the modified standard of fiduciary duties and to certain actions that may be taken by our general partner, its affiliates or our directors, all as set forth in the partnership agreement. See “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties” for a description of the fiduciary duties that would otherwise be imposed on our general partner, its affiliates and our directors under Marshall Islands law, the material modifications of those duties contained in our partnership agreement and certain legal rights and remedies available to our unit holders under Marshall Islands law.

Principal Executive Offices and Internet Address; SEC Filing Requirements

Our principal executive offices are located at 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2, Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco, and our phone number is (011) +(377) 9798-2140. We expect to make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC available, free of charge, through our website at www.navios-containers.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website or any other website, including Navios Holdings’ website, is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus. Please read “Where You Can Find More Information” for an explanation of our reporting requirements as a foreign private issuer.

Other Information

Because we are organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, you may encounter difficulty protecting your interests as unit holders, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal court system may be limited. Please refer to the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Service of Process and Enforcement of Civil Liabilities” for more information.



 

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SUMMARY OF THE OFFERING

 

Issuer

Navios Maritime Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership.

 

Common Units Offered to the Public by Us

             common units (             common units, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full).

 

Units Outstanding After this Offering

             common units (             common units, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full).

 

Use of Proceeds

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately $        million from the offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units) after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses payable by us. This estimate is based on an assumed public offering price of $        per common unit, which is the mid-point of the range on the cover of this prospectus.

We intend to use the net proceeds of the offering to finance in part the acquisition of up to five identified containerships. Please see “Use of Proceeds”.

 

Underwriters’ Option

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to additional common units.

 

Distribution Policy

Subject to the completion of the offering and the sole discretion of our board of directors and the considerations discussed below, we intend to make cash distributions or common unit repurchases on a quarterly basis that will annually equal, in the aggregate, between      % and     % of our net income (adjusted for exceptional items). We intend to pay an initial quarterly distribution of $         per common unit effective upon completion of the closing and beginning with the quarter ending September 30, 2018. We will pro rate the initial quarterly distribution based upon the length of the period from the date of the closing of this offering through September 30, 2018.

 

Any future determination related to our distribution policy and cash distributions will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors, requirements of Marshall Islands law, our results of operations, financial condition and cash requirements and availability, our ability to obtain debt and equity financing on acceptable terms as contemplated by our growth strategy, the terms of our outstanding indebtedness, contractual restrictions, the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. See “Our Distribution Policy.”

 

Issuance of Additional Units

Our partnership agreement allows us to issue an unlimited number of units without the consent of our unit holders.

 

Board of Directors

We will hold a meeting of the limited partners every year to elect one or more members of our board of directors and to vote on any other matters that are properly brought before the meeting. Our general partner has the right to appoint three of the seven members of our



 

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board of directors who will serve as directors for terms determined by our general partner. At our 2019 annual meeting, the common unit holders will elect four of our seven directors. The four directors elected by our common unit holders at our 2019 annual meeting will be divided into three classes to be elected by our common unit holders annually on a staggered basis to serve for three-year terms.

 

Voting Rights

Each outstanding common unit is entitled to one vote on matters subject to a vote of common unit holders. If at any time, any person or group owns beneficially more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, any such units owned by that person or group in excess of 4.9% may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unit holders or calculating required votes (except for purposes of nominating a person for election to our board), determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under our partnership agreement, unless otherwise required by law. The voting rights of any such unit holders in excess of 4.9% will effectively be redistributed pro rata among the other unit holders of the same class that are not subject to this voting limitation. Our general partner, its affiliates, and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors will not be subject to this 4.9% limitation except with respect to voting their common units in the election of the elected directors. This 4.9% limitation is intended to help preserve our ability to qualify for the benefits of Section 883 of the Code.

 

  You will have no right to elect our general partner on an annual or other continuing basis. Our general partner may not be removed except by a vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding units, including any units owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class.

 

  See “The Partnership Agreement—Voting Rights.”

 

Limited Call Right

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the outstanding common units, our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the remaining common units at a price equal to the greater of (x) the average of the daily closing prices of the common units over the 20 trading days preceding the date three days before the notice of exercise of the call right is first mailed and (y) the highest price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for common units during the 90-day period preceding the date such notice is first mailed. Our general partner is not obligated to obtain a fairness opinion regarding the value of the common units to be repurchased by it upon the exercise of this limited call right.

 

U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.”

 

Exchange Listing

We have applied to list our common units on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ NMCI.”


 

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Risk Factors

Investment in our common units involves a substantial risk. You should carefully read and consider the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” and all other information set forth in this prospectus before investing in our common units.


 

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SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA

The following table presents summary historical consolidated financial data giving retroactive effect to our conversion from a corporation to a limited partnership, described in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements included herein. The summary historical financial data as of March 31, 2018 and for the three months ended March 31, 2018 have been derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, and should be read together with and are qualified in their entirety by reference to such consolidated financial statements. The summary historical financial data as of December 31, 2017 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, and should be read together with and are qualified in their entirety by reference to such consolidated financial statements. The following table should be read together with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2018 and for the three month period ended March 31, 2018 and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus and the audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”).

All references to our common units and per unit data included in the summary historical financial data below have been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the conversion ratio of                      shares of common stock of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for each common unit of Navios Containers in connection with the conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. into Navios Containers.

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for unit and per unit data.)    Three Months Ended
March 31, 2018 (1)
    Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017 (2)
 

Statement of Income Data:

    

Revenue

   $ 29,917     $ 39,188  

Time charter and voyage expenses

     (811     (1,257

Direct vessel expenses

     (228     (672

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)

     (11,639     (16,488

General and administrative expenses

     (1,690     (2,262

Depreciation and amortization

     (10,566     (13,578

Interest expense and finance cost, net

     (1,871     (2,268

Other expense, net

     (71     (25

Net income

   $ 3,041     $ 2,638  

Net earnings per unit, basic and diluted

   $     $  

Common unit, basic and diluted

   $     $  

Weighted average number of units, basic and diluted

    

Common units

    

 

(1) We had 22 vessels in our fleet during the three months ended March 31, 2018.

(2) We had 21 vessels in our fleet during the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017.



 

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     March 31, 2018      December 31, 2017  

Balance Sheet Data:

     

Total current assets

   $ 48,546      $ 21,371  

Vessels, net

     189,663        177,597  

Total assets

     296,529        266,811  

Total current liabilities

     50,015        49,559  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     73,700        76,534  

Total partners’ capital

   $ 172,814      $ 140,718  

 

    March 31, 2018     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017
 

Cash Flow Data:

   

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

  $ 7,381     $ 2,623  

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

  $ (12,788   $ (249,227

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

  $ 24,197     $ 260,825  

Increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash as applicable

  $ 18,790 (1)     $ 14,221  

Other Financial and Operating Data:

 

(in thousand of U.S dollars except days and per day TCE)

   Three Months
Ended
March 31, 2018
     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017
 

EBITDA (2)

   $ 15,706      $ 18,709  

Available days (3)

     1,907        2,411  

Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) per day (4)

     15,259        15,730  

 

(1) From January 1, 2018, reflects the adoption of ASU 2016-18.
(2) EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. The following is a reconciliation of EBITDA from net cash provided by operating activities, the most comparable U.S. GAAP liquidity measure, for the periods presented:

 

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    Three Months Ended
March 31, 2018
     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of
inception)

to December 31,
2017
 
     (unaudited)      (unaudited)  

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 7,381      $ 2,623  

Net increase in operating assets

     8,934        12,142  

Net increase in operating liabilities

     (2,209      (1,701

Payments for drydock and special survey

     —          3,807  

Deferred finance charges

     (271      (430

Net interest cost

     1,871        2,268  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

EBITDA

   $ 15,706      $ 18,709  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
(3) Available days for the fleet are total calendar days the vessels were in our possession for the relevant period after subtracting off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydocking or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a relevant period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
(4) TCE is defined as revenues less time charter and voyage expenses during a relevant period divided by the number of available days during the period.


 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included in this prospectus which are not historical facts (including our statements concerning plans and objectives of management for future operations or economic performance, or assumptions related thereto) are forward-looking statements. In addition, we and our representatives may from time to time make other oral or written statements which are also forward-looking statements. Such statements include, in particular, statements about our plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in our business, the markets in which we operate, and our ability to make cash distributions or make common unit repurchases in the future as described in this prospectus. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.

Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places and include statements with respect to, among other things:

 

    the favorable timing for acquisitions and chartering opportunities in the container shipping sector and our ability to take advantage of such opportunities;

 

    the value of container shipping vessels;

 

    our ability to identify container shipping vessels for acquisition at attractive prices, if at all, including the availability of distressed acquisition opportunities in the container shipping industry;

 

    the vessels we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering and the charter rates we expect to receive on these vessels;

 

    our ability to fund the intended vessel acquisitions;

 

    our ability to acquire and finance the option vessels;

 

    our ability to execute on a low-cost operating structure;

 

    our ability to achieve a return on investment for and to pay cash distributions to our unit holders or make common unit repurchases from our unit holders;

 

    the level of trade growth and recovery of charter rates and asset values in the container shipping industry;

 

    general market conditions and shipping industry trends, including charter rates, vessel values and the future supply of, and demand for, ocean-going containership shipping services;

 

    any advantages resulting from our strategic focus on intermediate-size containerships;

 

    our ability to leverage the scale, experience, reputation and relationships of the Manager and the Navios Group;

 

    our ability to maintain or develop new and existing customer relationships with existing charterers and new customers, including liner companies;

 

    our ability to successfully grow our business and our capacity to manage our expanding business;

 

    future levels of distributions, as well as our distribution policy;

 

    our current and future competitive strengths and business strategies and other plans and objectives for future operations;

 

    our future operating and financial results, our ability to identify and consummate desirable fleet acquisitions, business strategy, areas of possible expansion and expected capital expenditure or operating expenses;

 

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    container shipping industry trends, including charter rates and vessel values and factors affecting vessel supply and demand as well as trends and conditions in the newbuilding markets and scrapping of vessels;

 

    our future financial condition or results of operations and our future revenues and expenses, including our estimated adjusted cash flow;

 

    the loss of any customer or charter or vessel;

 

    the aging of our vessels and resultant increases in operation and drydocking costs;

 

    the ability of our vessels to pass classification, security and customs inspections;

 

    significant changes in vessel performance, including increased equipment breakdowns;

 

    the creditworthiness of our charterers and the ability of our contract counterparties to fulfill their obligations to us;

 

    our ability to maintain long-term relationships with major liner companies;

 

    our ability to retain key executive officers and our Manager’s ability to attract and retain skilled employees;

 

    our ability to access debt, credit and equity markets;

 

    changes in the availability and costs of funding due to conditions in the bank market, capital markets and other factors;

 

    our ability to repay outstanding indebtedness, to obtain additional financing and to obtain replacement charters for our vessels, in each case, at commercially acceptable rates or at all;

 

    estimated future acquisition, maintenance and replacement expenditures;

 

    future sales of our common units in the public market;

 

    potential liability from litigation and our vessel operations, including discharge of pollutants;

 

    our and the Navios Group’s performance in safety, environmental and regulatory matters;

 

    global economic outlook and growth and changes in general economic and business conditions;

 

    general domestic and international political conditions, including wars, acts of piracy and terrorism;

 

    changes in production of or demand for container shipments, either globally or in particular regions;

 

    changes in the standard of service or the ability of our Manager to be approved as required;

 

    increases in costs and expenses, including but not limited to, crew wages, insurance, technical maintenance costs, spares, stores and supplies, charter brokerage commissions on gross voyage revenues and general and administrative expenses;

 

    the adequacy of our insurance arrangements and our ability to obtain insurance and required certifications;

 

    the expected cost of, and our ability to comply with, governmental regulations and maritime self-regulatory organization standards, as well as standard regulations imposed by our charterers applicable to our business;

 

    the changes to the regulatory requirements applicable to the shipping and container transportation industry, including, without limitation, stricter requirements adopted by international organizations, such as the International Maritime Organization and the European Union, or by individual countries or charterers and actions taken by regulatory authorities and governing such areas as safety and environmental compliance;

 

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    the anticipated taxation of our partnership and our unit holders;

 

    potential liability and costs due to environmental, safety and other incidents involving our vessels; and

 

    the effects of increasing emphasis on environmental and safety concerns by customers, governments and others, as well as changes in maritime regulations and standards.

These and other forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s current plans, expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting us and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including those risks discussed in “Risk Factors”.

The forward-looking statements, contained in this prospectus, are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated.

The risks, uncertainties and assumptions involve known and unknown risks and are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.

We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of these factors. Further, we cannot assess the impact of each such factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

 

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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus concerning our industry and the market in which we operate, including our general expectations about our industry, market position, market opportunity and market size, is based on data from various sources including internal data and estimates as well as third party sources widely available to the public such as independent industry publications, government publications, reports by market research firms or other published independent sources. Internal data and estimates are based upon this information as well as information obtained from trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate and management’s understanding of industry conditions. This information, data and estimates involve a number of assumptions and limitations, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed above and in “Risk Factors.” You are cautioned not to give undue weight to such information, data and estimates. While we believe the market and industry information included in this prospectus to be generally reliable, we have not independently verified any third-party information or verified that more recent information is not available.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Risks Inherent in Our Business

Our profitability and growth depends upon world and regional demand for chartering containerships, and weakness in the global economy may impede our ability to generate cash flows, maintain liquidity and continue to grow our business.

The ocean-going container shipping industry is both cyclical and volatile in terms of charter rates, profitability and, consequently, vessel values. According to industry data, containership charter rates peaked in 2005, with the Containership Timecharter Rate Index (a $/day per TEU weighted average of 6-12 month time charter rates of Panamax and smaller vessels (1993=100)) reaching 172 points in March and April 2005, and generally stayed above 100 points until the middle of 2008, when the effects of the economic crisis began to affect global container trade, driving the Containership Timecharter Rate Index to a 10-year low of 32 points in the period from November 2009 to January 2010. As of the end of January 2018, the Containership Timecharter Rate Index stood at 54 points.

Demand for container shipments declined significantly from 2008 to 2009 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis but has increased each year from 2009 to 2017. From 2009 to 2011, there was improvement on the Far East-to-Europe and Trans-Pacific Eastbound container trade lanes, alongside improvements also witnessed on other, non-main lane, trade routes including certain intra-Asia and North-South trade routes. More recently, since the second half of 2015, a slowdown in demand in certain key container trade routes, including the Asia to Europe route at a time of increased vessel supply, has resulted in the highest annual scrapping on record. The oversupply in our market continued to prevent any significant rise in time charter rates for both short-term and long-term periods. Additional orders for large and very large containerships have been placed since 2014, both increasing the expected future supply of larger vessels and having a spillover effect on the market segment for smaller vessels. Ordering of container ships slowed significantly in 2016 and 2017. Since the middle of 2016, as economic growth returned to world markets and in combination with continued scrapping, time charter rates rose and have remained above their 2016 lows.

The continuation of this containership oversupply or any declines in container freight rates could negatively affect the liner companies to which we seek to charter our containerships. The decline in the containership market has affected the major liner companies and the value of container vessels, which follow the trends of freight rates and containership charter rates, and can affect the earnings on our charters, and similarly, our cash flows and liquidity. The decline in the containership charter market has had, and may continue to have, additional adverse consequences for the container industry, including a less active secondhand market for the sale of vessels and charterers not performing under, or requesting modifications of, existing time charters. Weak or volatile conditions in the containership sector may affect our ability to generate cash flows and maintain liquidity, as well as adversely affect our ability to obtain financing.

The factors affecting the supply and demand for containerships are outside of our control, and the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions are unpredictable. The factors that influence demand for containership capacity include:

 

    global and regional economic conditions;

 

    developments in international trade, including the effects of currency exchange rate changes;

 

    changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns, such as port congestion and canal closures or expansions;

 

    supply and demand for products shipped in containers;

 

    changes in global production of raw materials or products transported by containerships;

 

    the distance containers are to be moved by sea;

 

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    the globalization of manufacturing;

 

    carrier alliances, vessel sharing or container slot sharing that seek to allocate containership capacity on routes;

 

    armed conflicts and terrorist activities, including piracy;

 

    political, environmental and other regulatory developments, including but not limited to, governmental macroeconomic policy changes, import and export restrictions, central bank policies and pollution conventions or protocols;

 

    embargoes and strikes; and

 

    technical advances in ship design and construction.

The factors that influence the supply of containership capacity include:

 

    the number of vessels that are in or out of service;

 

    the scrapping rate of older vessels;

 

    the availability of finance or lack thereof for ordering newbuildings or for facilitating ship sale and purchase transactions;

 

    port and canal traffic and congestion, including canal improvements that can affect employment of ships designed for older canals;

 

    the number of newbuilding deliveries;

 

    vessel casualties;

 

    changes in environmental and other regulations and standards that limit the profitability, operations or useful lives of vessels;

 

    the availability of shipyard capacity;

 

    the price of steel, fuel and other raw materials; and

 

    the economics of slow steaming.

Our ability to re-charter our containerships upon the expiration or termination of their current time charters and the charter rates payable under any replacement or new time charters will depend upon, among other things, the prevailing state of the containership charter market, which can be affected by demand for products shipped in containers. If the charter market is depressed when our containerships’ time charters expire or when we are otherwise seeking new charters, we may be forced to charter our containerships at reduced or even unprofitable rates, or we may not be able to charter them at all and/or we may be forced to scrap them, which may reduce or eliminate our earnings or any future distribution or make our earnings volatile.

An oversupply of containership capacity may depress charter rates, as has happened in the past, or prolong the period of depressed charter rates, and adversely affect our ability to charter our containerships at profitable rates or at all.

From 2005 through 2010, the containership orderbook was at historically high levels as a percentage of the in-water fleet reaching a high of 61.3% in November 2007, according to industry data. Since that time, deliveries of previously ordered containerships increased substantially and ordering momentum slowed somewhat with the total orderbook declining as a percentage of the existing fleet from 20.8% in October 2015 to an all-time low of 12.7% as of February 2018. The orderbook remains significantly skewed towards vessels over 8,000 TEU. An oversupply of large newbuilding vessel and/or re-chartered containership capacity entering the market, combined with any decline in the demand for containerships, may prolong or further depress the current low charter rates and may decrease our ability to charter our containerships when we are seeking new or replacement charters other than for unprofitable or reduced rates, or we may not be able to charter our containerships at all.

 

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The market value of our vessels, which has declined from historically high levels, may fluctuate significantly, which could cause us to breach covenants in our credit facilities and result in the foreclosure on our mortgaged vessels. Additionally, if vessel values are low at a time when we are attempting to dispose of a vessel, we could incur a loss.

Containership vessel values remain below historical averages and may continue to remain at low, or lower, levels for a prolonged period of time and can fluctuate significantly over time due to a number of different factors. The factors that influence vessel values include:

 

    the number of newbuilding deliveries;

 

    prevailing economic conditions in the markets in which containerships operate;

 

    reduced demand for containerships, including as a result of a substantial or extended decline in world trade;

 

    the number of vessels scrapped or otherwise removed from the total fleet;

 

    changes in environmental and other regulations that may limit the useful life of vessels;

 

    types and sizes of vessels;

 

    the development of an increase in use of other modes of transportation;

 

    where the ship was built and as-built specification;

 

    lifetime maintenance record;

 

    the cost of vessel acquisitions;

 

    governmental or other regulations;

 

    prevailing level of charter rates;

 

    the availability of financing, or lack thereof, for ordering newbuildings or for facilitating ship sale and purchase transactions;

 

    general economic and market conditions affecting the shipping industry; and

 

    the cost of retrofitting or modifying existing ships to respond to technological advances in vessel design or equipment, changes in applicable environmental or other regulations or standards, or otherwise.

If the market value of our owned vessels decreases, we may be required to record an impairment charge in our financial statements that, among other things, could cause us to breach covenants contained in our credit facilities, which could adversely affect our results of operations. If we breach the covenants in our credit facilities and are unable to remedy any relevant breach, our lenders could accelerate our debt and foreclose on the collateral, including our vessels. Any loss of vessels would significantly decrease our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations and therefore service our debt. In addition, if the book value of a vessel is impaired due to unfavorable market conditions, or a vessel is sold at a price below its book value, we would incur a loss. If a charter expires or is terminated, we may be unable to re-charter the vessel at an acceptable rate and, rather than continue to incur costs to maintain the vessel, may seek to dispose of it. Our inability to dispose of a vessel at a reasonable price could result in a loss on its sale and could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Weak economic conditions throughout the world, particularly the Asia Pacific region, renewed terrorist activity, the growing refugee crises and protectionist policies which could affect advanced economies, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The global economy remains relatively weak, especially when compared to the period prior to the 2008-2009 financial crisis. The current global recovery is proceeding at varying speeds across regions and is still

 

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subject to downside economic risks stemming from factors like fiscal fragility in advanced economies, high sovereign and private debt levels, highly accommodative macroeconomic policies, the significant fall in the price of crude oil and other commodities and persistent difficulties in access to credit and equity financing as well as political risks such as the continuing war in Syria, renewed terrorist attacks around the world and the emergence of populist and protectionist political movements in advanced economies.

Concerns regarding new terrorist threats from groups in Europe and the growing refugee crisis may advance protectionist policies and may negatively impact globalization and global economic growth, which could disrupt financial markets, and may lead to weaker consumer demand in the European Union, the United States, and other parts of the world which could have a material adverse effect on our business. The deterioration in the global economy has caused, and may continue to cause, a decrease in worldwide demand for certain goods shipped in containerized form.

In recent years, China has been one of the world’s fastest growing economies in terms of gross domestic product, which has had a significant impact on shipping demand. However, if China’s growth in gross domestic product declines and other countries in the Asia Pacific region experience slower or negative economic growth in the future, this may negatively affect the fragile recovery of the economies of the United States and the European Union, and thus, may negatively impact container shipping demand. For example, the possibility of the introduction of impediments to trade within the European Union member countries in response to increasing terrorist activities, and the possibility of market reforms to float the Chinese renminbi, either of which development could weaken the Euro against the Chinese renminbi, could adversely affect consumer demand in the European Union. Moreover, the revaluation of the renminbi may negatively impact the United States’ demand for imported goods, many of which are shipped from China in containerized form. Any moves by either the United States or the European Union to levy additional tariffs on imported goods carried in containers as part of protectionist measures or otherwise could decrease container shipping demand. Such weak economic conditions or protectionist measures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Disruptions in global financial markets from terrorist attacks, regional armed conflicts, general political unrest and the resulting governmental action could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Terrorist attacks in certain parts of the world, such as the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 or more recently in Paris and London, and the continuing response of the United States and other countries to these attacks, as well as the threat of future terrorist attacks, continue to cause uncertainty and volatility in the world financial markets and may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, global financial markets and economic conditions have been severely disrupted and volatile in recent years and remain subject to significant vulnerabilities, such as the deterioration of fiscal balances and the rapid accumulation of public debt, continued deleveraging in the banking sector and a limited supply of credit. Credit markets as well as the debt and equity capital markets were exceedingly distressed during 2008 and 2009 and have been volatile since that time. The continuing refugee crisis in the European Union, the continuing war in Syria and advances of ISIS and other terrorist organizations in the Middle East, conflicts in Iraq, general political unrest in Ukraine, and political tension or conflicts in the Asia Pacific Region such as in the South China Sea and North Korea have led to increased volatility in global credit and equity markets. The resulting uncertainty and volatility in the global financial markets may accordingly affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. These uncertainties, as well as future hostilities or other political instability in regions where our vessels trade, could also affect trade volumes and patterns and adversely affect our operations, and otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows and cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Further, as a result of the ongoing political and economic turmoil in Greece resulting from the sovereign debt crisis and the related austerity measures implemented by the Greek government, the operations of our

 

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Manager located in Greece may be subjected to new regulations and potential shift in government policies that may require us to incur new or additional compliance or other administrative costs and may require the payment of new taxes or other fees. We also face the risk that strikes, work stoppages, civil unrest and violence within Greece may disrupt the shoreside operations of our Manager located in Greece.

Specifically, these issues, along with the re-pricing of credit risk and the difficulties currently experienced by financial institutions, have made, and will likely continue to make, it difficult to obtain financing. As a result of the disruptions in the credit markets and higher capital requirements, many lenders have increased margins on lending rates, enacted tighter lending standards, required more restrictive terms (including higher collateral ratios for advances, shorter maturities and smaller loan amounts), or have refused to refinance existing debt at all. Furthermore, certain banks that have historically been significant lenders to the shipping industry have reduced or ceased lending activities in the shipping industry. Additional tightening of capital requirements and the resulting policies adopted by lenders, could further reduce lending activities. We may experience difficulties obtaining financing commitments or be unable to fully draw on the capacity under our committed term loans in the future if our lenders are unwilling to extend financing to us or unable to meet their funding obligations due to their own liquidity, capital or solvency issues. We cannot be certain that financing will be available on acceptable terms or at all. If financing is not available when needed, or is available only on unfavorable terms, we may be unable to meet our future obligations as they come due. Our failure to obtain such funds could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units. In the absence of available financing, we also may be unable to take advantage of business opportunities or respond to competitive pressures.

We are dependent on our charterers and other counterparties fulfilling their obligations under agreements with us, and their inability or unwillingness to honor these obligations could significantly reduce our revenues and cash flow.

Payments to us by our charterers under time charters are and will be our sole source of operating cash flow. Weaknesses in demand for container shipping services and the oversupply of large containerships as well as the oversupply of smaller size vessels due to a cascading effect would place our liner company customers under financial pressure. Any declines in demand could result in worsening financial challenges to our liner company customers and may increase the likelihood of one or more of our customers being unable or unwilling to pay us contracted charter rates or going bankrupt.

If we lose a time charter because the charterer is unable to pay us or for any other reason, we may be unable to re-deploy the related vessel on similarly favorable terms or at all. Also, we will not receive any revenues from such a vessel while it is un-chartered, but we will be required to pay expenses necessary to maintain and insure the vessel and service any indebtedness on it. The combination of any surplus of containership capacity and the expected increase in the size of the world containership fleet over the next few years may make it difficult to secure substitute employment for any of our containerships if our counterparties fail to perform their obligations under the currently arranged time charters, and any new charter arrangements we are able to secure may be at lower rates. Furthermore, the surplus of containerships available at lower charter rates and lack of demand for our customers’ liner services could negatively affect our charterers’ willingness to perform their obligations under our time charters, particularly if the charter rates in such time charters are significantly above the prevailing market rates. Accordingly we may have to grant concessions to our charterers in the form of lower charter rates for the remaining duration of the relevant charter or part thereof, or to agree to re-charter vessels coming off charter at reduced rates compared to the charter then ended. Because we enter into short-term and medium-term time charters from time-to-time, we may need to re-charter vessels coming off of charter more frequently than some of our competitors, which may have a material adverse effect on business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

 

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The loss of any of our charterers, time charters or vessels, or a decline in payments under our time charters, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

In addition to charter parties, we may, among other things, enter into contracts for the sale or purchase of secondhand containerships or, in the future, shipbuilding contracts for newbuildings, provide performance guarantees relating to shipbuilding contracts to sale and purchase contracts or to charters, enter into credit facilities or other financing arrangements, accept commitment letters from banks, or enter into insurance contracts and interest or exchange rate swaps or enter into joint ventures. Such agreements expose us to counterparty credit risk. The ability and willingness of each of our counterparties to perform its obligations under a contract with us will depend upon a number of factors that are beyond our control and may include, among other things, general economic conditions, the state of the capital markets, the condition of the ocean-going container shipping industry and charter hire rates. Should a counterparty fail to honor its obligations under agreements with us, we could sustain significant losses, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

A limited number of customers operating in a consolidating industry comprise a large part of our revenues. The loss of these customers could adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows and competitive position and further consolidation among our customers will reduce our bargaining power.

Our customers in the containership sector consist of a limited number of liner companies. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, two customers, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and APL Bermuda Ltd represented 40.6% and 32.6% of our total revenues, respectively. For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, one customer, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines represented 71.0% of our total revenues. The tough economic conditions faced by liner companies and the intense competition among them has caused, and may in the future cause, certain liner companies to default and are also resulting in consolidation among liner companies. The number of leading liner companies which are our client base may continue to shrink and we may depend on an even more limited number of customers to generate a substantial portion of our revenues. The cessation of business with these liner companies or their failure to fulfill their obligations under the time charters for our containerships could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units. In addition to consolidations, alliances involving our customers could further increase the concentration of our business and reduce our bargaining power.

We could lose a customer or the benefits of our time charter arrangements for many different reasons, including if the customer is unable or unwilling to make charter hire or other payments to us because of a deterioration in its financial condition, disagreements with us or if the charterer exercises certain termination rights or otherwise. If any of these customers terminate its charters, chooses not to re-charter our ships after charters expire or is unable to perform under its charters and we are not able to find replacement charters on similar terms or are unable to re-charter our ships at all, we will suffer a loss of revenues that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and our ability to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units. See “Business—Our Customers.”

Our growth depends on our ability to expand relationships with existing charterers, establish relationships with new customers and obtain new time charters, for which we will face substantial competition from new entrants and established companies with significant resources.

One of our principal objectives is to acquire additional containerships in conjunction with entering into long-term, fixed-rate charters for these vessels. The process of obtaining new fixed-rate charters is highly competitive and generally involves an intensive screening process and competitive bids, and often extends for several months. Generally, we compete for charters based upon charter rate, customer relationships, operating expertise, professional reputation and containership specifications, including size, age and condition.

 

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In addition, as vessels age, it can be more difficult to employ them on profitable time charters, particularly during periods of decreased demand in the charter market. Accordingly, we may find it difficult to continue to find profitable employment for our vessels as they age.

We face substantial competition from a number of experienced companies, including state-sponsored entities and financial organizations. Some of these competitors have significantly greater financial resources than we do, and can therefore operate larger fleets and may be able to offer better charter rates. In the future, we may also face competition from reputable, experienced and well-capitalized marine transportation companies, including state-sponsored entities, that do not currently own containerships, but may choose to do so. Any increased competition may cause greater price competition for time charters, as well as for the acquisition of high-quality secondhand vessels and newbuilding vessels. Further, since the charter rate is generally considered to be one of the principal factors in a charterer’s decision to charter a vessel, the rates offered by our competitors can place downward pressure on rates throughout the charter market. On the other hand, consolidation among liner companies and the creation of alliances among liner companies have increased their negotiation power. As a result of these factors, we may be unable to charter our containerships, expand our relationships with existing customers or to obtain new customers on a profitable basis, if at all, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Due to our lack of diversification, adverse developments in the container shipping industry could reduce our ability to service our debt obligations and make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

We rely exclusively on the cash flow generated from charters for our containerships and our fleet is focused on a limited size and type of vessel. After giving effect to the acquisition of the five containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds of this offering, 22 of the 30 containerships we will own will be between 3,450 TEU and 4,730 TEU. The number of vessels with 10,000 or more TEU capacity has increased substantially since 2006, and as of April 1, 2018, vessels over 10,000 TEU account for nearly 30% of the world containership fleet in terms of fleet capacity, while vessels above 13,300 TEU represent 17% of fleet capacity. Based on containership order data, we expect the increase in containership vessel capacity will continue. Due to the current evolution to larger vessels there can be adjustments to trade patterns, particularly on the main trade lanes, as smaller replaced ships may cascade down to secondary trade lanes, as long as there is sufficient demand and the physical infrastructure is in place to accommodate them. Therefore, the development of large ships not only impacts the trade lanes in which these ships are used, but the entire maritime transport chain as well. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully renew the charters for our size vessels at favorable rates, if at all, which may have an adverse effect on our revenues, profitability, cash flows and our ability to comply with the financial covenants in our loan agreements.

In addition, under the Omnibus Agreement, we have agreed that we will own and operate only containerships. Due to our lack of diversification, an adverse development in the container shipping industry would have a significantly greater impact on our financial condition and results of operations than if we maintained more diverse assets or lines of business. An adverse development could also impair our ability to service debt or make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

We currently have a majority of our vessels on short-term and medium-term charters and we expect to continue to charter a portion of our fleet on short-term to medium-term charters in the future. As a result, the charter rates we obtain are less predictable than rates we would capture under longer-term charters, which may have an adverse impact on our growth. After giving effect to the containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, the current time charters for 16 of our 30 containerships, including the two containerships which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, will expire before the end of 2018. While we generally expect to be able to obtain time charters for our vessels within a reasonable period prior to their time charter expiry or delivery, as applicable, we cannot be assured that this will occur in any particular case, or at all. The

 

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current economic conditions have reduced the demand for long-term time charters while the supply of containerships has increased due to newbuilding deliveries and the ongoing consolidation among liner companies. In addition, even if a short-term time charter is secured it may be at unprofitable rates and may not be continuous, leaving the vessels idle for some days in between charters. If there is a downward trend in the market, we expect to have difficulty entering into multi-year, fixed-rate time charters for our containerships due to the increased supply of containerships and the possibility of lower rates in the spot market. We would then have to charter more of our containerships for shorter periods upon expiration or early termination of the current charters. As a result, our revenues, cash flows and profitability would then reflect fluctuations in the short-term charter market and become more volatile. It may also become more difficult or expensive to finance or re-finance vessels that do not have long-term employment at fixed rates. In addition, we may have to enter into charters based on changing market prices, as opposed to contracts based on fixed rates, which would increase the volatility of our revenues, cash-flows and profitability and, during a prolonged period of depressed charter rates, could also result in a decrease in our revenues, cash flows and profitability. If we are unable to re-charter these containerships or obtain new time charters at favorable rates or at all, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

An increase in trade protectionism and the unraveling of multilateral trade agreements could have a material adverse impact on our charterers’ business and, in turn, could cause a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Our operations expose us to the risk that increased trade protectionism will adversely affect our business. Recently, government leaders have declared that their countries may turn to trade barriers to protect or revive their domestic industries in the face of foreign imports, thereby depressing the demand for shipping. The United Kingdom recently resolved to leave the European Union, and it is not yet clear how it plans to approach international trade with the European Union and other trade partners. In the United States, the current administration has created significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and other exporting countries, including with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs. The U.S. presidential administration has stated that it rejects multilateral trade agreements in favor of bilateral relations and purports to seek more favorable terms in its dealings with its trade partners. The U.S. administration has indicated that it may resort to aggressive tactics, such as the imposition of punitive tariffs, in order to secure achieve these goals.

Restrictions on imports, including in the form of tariffs, could have a major impact on global trade and demand for shipping. Specifically, increasing trade protectionism in the markets that our charterers serve may cause an increase in (i) the cost of goods exported from exporting countries such as China and Mexico, (ii) the length of time required to deliver goods from exporting countries, (iii) the costs of such delivery and (iv) the risks associated with exporting goods. These factors may result in a decrease in the quantity of goods to be shipped. Protectionist developments, or the perception they may occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions, and may significantly reduce global trade, including trade between the United States and China. These developments would have an adverse impact on our charterers’ business, operating results and financial condition. This could, in turn, affect our charterers’ ability to make timely charter hire payments to us and impair our ability to renew charters and grow our business. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

A decrease in the level of China’s export of goods or an increase in trade protectionism could have a material adverse impact on our charterers’ business and, in turn, could cause a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

China exports considerably more goods than it imports. Our containerships are deployed on routes involving containerized trade in and out of emerging markets, and our charterers’ container shipping and business revenue

 

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may be derived from the shipment of goods from the Asia Pacific region, including China, to various overseas export markets including the United States and Europe. Any reduction in or hindrance to the output of China-based exporters could have a material adverse effect on the growth rate of China’s exports and on our charterers’ business. For instance, the government of China has implemented economic policies aimed at increasing domestic consumption of Chinese-made goods. This may have the effect of reducing the supply of goods available for export and may, in turn, result in a decrease of demand for container shipping. Additionally, while there is an increasing level of autonomy and a gradual shift in emphasis to a “market economy” and enterprise reform in China, many of the reforms, particularly some limited price reforms that result in the prices for certain commodities being principally determined by market forces, are unprecedented or experimental and may be subject to revision, change or abolition. The level of imports to and exports from China could be adversely affected by changes to these economic reforms by the Chinese government, as well as by changes in political, economic and social conditions or other relevant policies of the Chinese government.

In China, trade protectionism may cause (i) a decrease in cargoes available to our charterers in favor of Chinese charterers and Chinese owned ships and (ii) an increase in the risks associated with importing goods to China. Any increased trade barriers or restrictions on trade, especially trade with China, would have an adverse impact on our charterers’ business, operating results and financial condition and could thereby affect their ability to make timely charter hire payments to us and to renew and increase the number of their time charters with us.

In addition, China has enacted a new tax for non-resident international transportation enterprises engaged in the provision of services of passengers or cargo, among other items, in and out of China using their own, chartered or leased vessels, including any stevedore, warehousing and other services connected with the transportation. The new regulation broadens the range of international transportation companies which may find themselves liable for Chinese enterprise income tax on profits generated from international transportation services passing through Chinese ports. This tax or similar regulations by China may reduce our operating results and may also result in an increase in the cost of goods exported from China and the risks associated with exporting goods from China, as well as a decrease in the quantity of goods to be shipped from or through China, which would have an adverse impact on our charterers’ business, operating results and financial condition and could thereby affect their ability to make timely charter hire payments to us and to renew and increase the number of their time charters with us.

We conduct a substantial amount of business in China. The legal system in China has inherent uncertainties that could limit the legal protections available to us and could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Many of our vessels regularly call to ports in China and we have entered into a sale and leaseback transaction in respect of 18 of our vessels with a Chinese financial institution. Although our charters and sale and leaseback agreements are governed by English law, we may have difficulties enforcing a judgment rendered by an English court (or other non-Chinese court) in China. Such charters and any additional agreements that we enter into with Chinese counterparties, may be subject to new regulations in China that may require us to incur new or additional compliance or other administrative costs and pay new taxes or other fees to the Chinese government. Changes in laws and regulations, including with regards to tax matters, and their implementation by local authorities could affect our vessels chartered to Chinese customers as well as our vessels calling to Chinese ports and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

If we cannot complete the purchase of any of the containerships that we may acquire with the proceeds of this offering, we may use the proceeds of this offering for another purpose, with which you may not agree.

On June 11, 2018, we entered into a share purchase agreement with Navios Partners to acquire one vessel for a purchase price of $36.0 million, consisting of $29.9 million in cash and $6.1 million of equity. The number of units issued will be based on the initial public offering price. The purchase price of the vessel was determined by an

 

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independent valuator. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Special Committee of the independent members of our Board of Directors. We intend to fund the cash portion of the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $15.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities. The share purchase agreement also provides us with the option to purchase up to four additional vessels from Navios Partners at a purchase price of 36.0 million per vessel. The option vessels will be financed in a manner similar to the vessel to be acquired with the proceeds of this offering.

In June 2018, we also entered into a binding agreement with an unrelated third party, to purchase four vessels for an aggregate purchase price of $210.0 million in cash. We intend to finance the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $126.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities.

The agreements are subject to certain conditions to closing, including the completion of this offering. If the seller of the containerships that we have agreed to purchase fails to deliver the containerships to us as agreed, or if we cancel a purchase because a seller has not met its obligations, we will have the discretion to apply the proceeds of this offering, that we otherwise would have used to purchase those containerships, for another purpose, with which you may not agree. Moreover, if we are able to purchase replacement containerships, such containerships may not generate as much cash flow as the identified containerships, which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Such agreements for the purchase of the containerships are subject to conditions, and we cannot guarantee whether or when all the conditions to any such agreements will be satisfied or waived, permitting the respective acquisitions to be consummated when and as currently contemplated. The failure to consummate the acquisitions when and as currently contemplated would delay our receipt of revenues under the time charters for the new containerships, and could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

We must make substantial capital expenditures to acquire the five identified containerships and additional containerships we may acquire in the future. Any financing for the acquisition of the vessels would be subject to various conditions, which may not be satisfied.

In connection with our agreements to acquire the identified containerships, we will be obligated to make substantial capital expenditures to fund these commitments. We currently anticipate the purchase price for the five identified containerships to be approximately $246.0 million, which we plan to partially finance through loans from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities, the negotiations of which are in advanced stages. However, if we are unable to obtain loans from a commercial bank, or if our available cash balances, potential future borrowing capacity, net proceeds from this offering and anticipated cash flow from operations are insufficient to satisfy our liquidity requirements, we may be unable to acquire the five identified containerships, or may be required seek to sell common or preferred equity or debt securities or seek other debt financing, which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Additional capital may not be available to us at such times or in the amounts we need. Even if capital is available, it might be available only on unfavorable terms. Any issuance of additional equity or equity-linked securities could be dilutive to our unit holders, and any new equity securities could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of unit holders, including the common units sold in this offering. Debt financing, if available, may involve covenants restricting our operations or our ability to incur additional debt, pay distributions, repurchase our common units, make investments and engage in merger, consolidation or asset sale transactions.

 

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We may be unable to obtain additional debt financing for future acquisitions of vessels and to fund payments in respect of any newbuilding orders that we may place in the future.

Our ability to borrow against the ships in our existing fleet and any ships we may acquire in the future largely depends on the existence of time charter employment of the ship and on the value of the ships, which in turn depends in part on charter hire rates and the creditworthiness of our charterers. The actual or perceived credit quality of our charterers, any defaults by them, any decline in the market value of our fleet and the lack of long-term employment of our ships may materially affect our ability to obtain the additional capital resources that we will require to purchase additional vessels or may significantly increase our costs of obtaining such capital. Our inability to obtain additional financing or committing to financing on unattractive terms could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Our credit facilities or other financing arrangements contain payment obligations and restrictive covenants that may limit our liquidity and our ability to expand our fleet. A failure by us to meet our obligations under our credit facilities could result in an event of default under such credit facilities and foreclosure on our vessels.

Our credit facilities impose certain operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions in our existing credit facilities generally limit our and our subsidiaries’ ability to, among other things:

 

    incurring or guaranteeing indebtedness;

 

    entering into affiliate transactions other than on arm’s length terms;

 

    charging, pledging or encumbering our vessels;

 

    changing the flag, class, management or ownership of our vessels;

 

    acquiring any vessel or permitting any guarantor to acquire any further assets or make investments;

 

    purchasing or otherwise acquiring for value any shares of our capital;

 

    declaring or paying any distributions; or

 

    permitting any guarantor to form or acquire any subsidiaries.

Our credit facilities also require that our vessels comply with the ISM Code and ISPS Code and maintain safety management certificates and documents of compliance at all times. Additionally, our credit facilities require compliance with certain financial covenants, including maintenance covenants, such as loan-to-value ratio, minimum liquidity, net worth and ratio of liabilities-to-assets, as defined in the agreements governing our credit facilities. In addition, it is a requirement under our credit facilities that Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Angeliki Frangou and their respective affiliates collectively own at least 25% of us. After giving effect to this offering, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Angeliki Frangou and their respective affiliates will collectively own approximately     % of us.

A failure to meet our payment and other obligations could lead to defaults under our credit facilities. Our lenders could then accelerate our indebtedness and foreclose on the vessels in our fleet securing those credit facilities, which could result in the acceleration of other indebtedness that we may have at such time and the commencement of similar foreclosure proceedings by other lenders. If any of these events occur, we cannot guarantee that our assets will be sufficient to repay in full all of our outstanding indebtedness and we may be unable to find alternative financing. Even if we could obtain alternative financing, such financing may not be on terms that are favorable or acceptable. The loss of these vessels would have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition. For additional information, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Cash Sources and Uses—Credit Facilities.”

 

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Substantial debt levels may limit our ability to obtain additional financing and pursue other business opportunities.

As of March 31, 2018, we had outstanding indebtedness of approximately $115.8 million and we have incurred additional debt to acquire vessels after March 31, 2018. After giving effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds as described in “Use of Proceeds,” we would have had approximately $                 million of outstanding indebtedness as of March 31, 2018. For additional information, see “Capitalization”. We also expect to incur additional indebtedness as we grow our fleet or in order to cover its operational needs. This level of debt could have important consequences to us, including the following:

 

    our ability to obtain additional financing, if necessary, for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other purposes may be impaired or such financing may not be available on favorable terms;

 

    we may need to use a substantial portion of our cash from operations to make principal and interest payments on our debt, thereby reducing the funds that would otherwise be available for operations, future business opportunities, distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units;

 

    our debt level could make us more vulnerable than our competitors with less debt to competitive pressures or a downturn in our business or the economy generally; and

 

    our debt level may limit our flexibility in responding to changing business and economic conditions.

Our ability to service our debt depends upon, among other things, our future financial and operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic conditions and financial, business, regulatory and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. We may not be able to refinance all or part of our maturing debt on favorable terms, or at all. If our operating income is not sufficient to service our current or future indebtedness, we will be forced to take actions such as reducing or discontinuing distributions and repurchases of common units, reducing or delaying our business activities, acquisitions, investments or capital expenditures, selling assets, restructuring or refinancing our debt, or seeking additional equity capital or bankruptcy protection. We may not be able to effect any of these remedies on satisfactory terms, or at all.

In the future, we may change our operational and financial model by replacing amortizing debt in favor of non-amortizing debt with a higher fixed or floating rate without unit holder approval, which may increase our risk of defaulting on our indebtedness if market conditions become unfavorable.

We may have difficulty properly managing our growth through acquisitions of secondhand, or potentially new vessels, and we may not realize expected benefits from these acquisitions, which may negatively impact our cash flows, liquidity and our ability to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

We intend to grow our business through selective acquisitions of quality secondhand vessels to the extent that they are available and may order newbuilding vessels in the future. Our future growth will primarily depend on:

 

    the availability of employment for our vessels;

 

    locating and identifying suitable quality secondhand vessels;

 

    obtaining required financing on acceptable terms;

 

    consummating vessel acquisitions;

 

    enlarging our customer base;

 

    continuing to meet technical and safety performance standards;

 

    managing significant acquisitions and integrating newly acquired vessels into our fleet;

 

    the potential to identify and enter into shipbuilding contracts at acceptable prices; and

 

    the operations of the shipyards that build any newbuilding vessels that we may order in the future and any delays in delivery that may arise as a result.

 

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Vessel values are correlated with charter rates. During periods in which charter rates are high, vessel values are generally high as well, and it may be difficult to consummate ship acquisitions or potentially enter into shipbuilding contracts in the future at favorable prices. During periods in which charter rates are low and employment is scarce, vessel values are low and any vessel acquired without time charter attached will automatically incur additional expenses to operate, insure, maintain and finance the vessel thereby significantly increasing the acquisition cost. In addition, any vessel acquisition may not be profitable at or after the time of acquisition and may not generate cash flows sufficient to justify the investment. We may not be successful in executing any future growth plans and we cannot give any assurance that we will not incur significant expenses and losses in connection with such growth efforts. Other risks associated with vessel acquisitions that may harm our business, financial condition and operating results include the risks that we may:

 

    fail to realize anticipated benefits, such as new customer relationships, cost-savings or cash flow enhancements;

 

    decrease our liquidity by using a significant portion of available cash or borrowing capacity to finance acquisitions;

 

    significantly increase our interest expense or financial leverage if we incur additional debt to finance acquisitions;

 

    incur or assume unanticipated liabilities, losses or costs associated with any vessels or businesses acquired; or

 

    incur other significant charges, such as impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets, asset devaluation or restructuring charges.

Unlike newbuilding vessels, secondhand vessels typically do not carry warranties as to their condition. While we generally inspect existing vessels prior to purchase, such an inspection would normally not provide us with as much knowledge of a vessel’s condition as we would possess if it had been built for us and operated by us during its life. Repairs and maintenance costs for secondhand vessels are difficult to predict and may be substantially higher than for vessels we have operated since they were built. These costs could decrease our cash flows, liquidity and our ability to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Additionally, if the delivery of any vessel is materially delayed or cancelled, especially if we have committed the vessel to a charter for which we become responsible for substantial liquidated damages to the customer as a result of the delay or cancellation, our business, financial condition and results of operations, which would materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Unless we set aside reserves or are able to borrow funds for vessel replacement, at the end of the useful lives of our vessels our revenue will decline, which would adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our fleet of 30 containerships after giving effect to the containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, including two containerships which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, had an average age of 9.8 years. See “Business—Fleet.” Unless we maintain reserves or are able to borrow or raise funds for vessel replacement, we will be unable to replace the older vessels in our fleet. Our cash flows and income are dependent on the revenues earned by the chartering of our containerships. The inability to replace the vessels in our fleet upon the expiration of their useful lives could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

 

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The aging of our fleet may result in increased operating costs in the future, which could adversely affect our earnings.

Our fleet of 30 containerships after giving effect to the containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, including two containerships which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, had an average age of 9.8 years. In general, the cost of maintaining a vessel in good operating condition increases with the age of the vessel. As our fleet ages, we will incur increased costs. Older vessels may require longer and more expensive dry-dockings, resulting in more off-hire days and reduced revenue. Older vessels are typically less fuel efficient and more costly to maintain than more recently constructed vessels due to improvements in engine technology. In addition, older vessels are often less desirable to charterers. Governmental regulations and safety or other equipment standards related to the age of a vessel may also require expenditures for alterations or the addition of new equipment to our vessels and may restrict the type of activities in which our containerships may engage. See “Business—Fleet.” We cannot assure you that, as our vessels age, market conditions will justify such expenditures or will enable us to profitably operate our older vessels.

The Manager may be unable to attract and retain qualified, skilled employees or crew necessary to operate our vessels and business or may have to pay increased crew and other vessel operating costs.

Acquiring and renewing time charters with leading liner companies depends on a number of factors, including our ability to man our containerships with suitably experienced, high-quality masters, officers and crews. Our success will depend in part on the Manager’s ability to attract, hire, train and retain highly skilled and qualified personnel. In crewing our vessels, we require technically skilled employees with specialized training who can perform physically demanding work. Competition to attract, hire, train and retain qualified crew members is intense, and crew manning costs continue to increase. If we are not able to increase our hire rates to compensate for any crew cost increases, our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units may be adversely affected. Any inability we experience in the future to attract, hire, train and retain a sufficient number of qualified employees could impair our ability to manage, maintain and grow our business.

Fuel price fluctuations may have an adverse effect on our profits.

The cost of fuel is a significant factor in negotiating charter rates and can affect us in both direct and indirect ways. This cost will be borne by us when our containerships are not employed or are employed on voyage charters or contracts of affreightment. We currently have no voyage charters or contracts of affreightment, but we may enter into such arrangements in the future, and to the extent we do so, an increase in the price of fuel beyond our expectations may adversely affect our profitability. Even where the cost of fuel is borne by the charterer, which is the case with all of our existing time charters, that cost may affect the level of charter rates that charterers are prepared to pay. Rising costs of fuel will make our older and less fuel efficient vessels less competitive compared to the more fuel efficient newer vessels or compared with vessels which can utilize less expensive fuel and may reduce their charter hire, limit their employment opportunities and force us to employ them at a discount compared to the charter rates commanded by more fuel efficient vessels or not at all.

Falling costs of fuel may lead our charterers to abandon slow steaming, thereby releasing additional capacity into the market and exerting downward pressure on charter rates or may lead our charterers to employ older, less fuel efficient vessels which may drive down charter rates and make it more difficult for us to secure employment for our newer vessels.

The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable and fluctuates based on events outside our control, including geo-political developments, supply and demand for oil, actions by members of the OPEC and other oil and gas producers, economic or other sanctions levied against oil and gas producing countries, war and unrest in oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns and regulations.

 

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Our vessels may be subject to unbudgeted periods of off-hire, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Under the terms of the charter agreements under which our vessels operate, when a vessel is “off-hire,” or not available for service or otherwise deficient in its condition or performance, the charterer generally is not required to pay the hire rate, and we will be responsible for all costs (including the cost of bunker fuel) unless the charterer is responsible for the circumstances giving rise to the lack of availability. A vessel generally will be deemed to be off-hire if there is an occurrence preventing the full working of the vessel due to, among other things:

 

    operational deficiencies;

 

    the removal of a vessel from the water for repairs, maintenance or inspection, which is referred to as drydocking;

 

    equipment breakdowns;

 

    delays due to accidents or deviations from course;

 

    occurrence of hostilities in the vessel’s flag state or in the event of piracy;

 

    crewing strikes, labor boycotts, certain vessel detentions or similar problems; or

 

    our failure to maintain the vessel in compliance with its specifications, contractual standards and applicable country of registry and international regulations or to provide the required crew.

Under some of our charters, the charterer is permitted to terminate the time charter if the vessel is off-hire for an extended period, which is generally defined as a period of 90 or more consecutive off-hire days. Under some circumstances, an event of force majeure may also permit the charterer to terminate the time charter or suspend payment of charter hire.

As we do not maintain off-hire insurance except in cases of loss of hire up to a limited number of days due to war or piracy events any extended off-hire period could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

We must make substantial capital expenditures to maintain the operating capacity of our fleet and acquire vessels, which may reduce the amount of cash for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

We must make substantial capital expenditures to maintain the operating capacity of our fleet and replace, over the long-term, the operating capacity of our fleet and we generally expect to finance these maintenance capital expenditures with cash balances or credit facilities. In addition, we will need to make substantial capital expenditures to acquire vessels in accordance with our growth strategy. These expenditures could increase as a result of, among other things: the cost of labor and materials; customer requirements; the size of our fleet; the cost of replacement vessels; the length of charters; governmental regulations and maritime self-regulatory organization standards relating to safety, security or the environment; competitive standards; and the age of our ships. Significant capital expenditures, including to maintain and replace, over the long-term, the operating capacity of our fleet, as well as to comply with environmental and safety regulations, may reduce or eliminate the amount of cash available for distribution to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

We are a holding company and we depend on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us in order to satisfy our financial obligations and to make distributions and repurchases of common units.

We are a holding company and our subsidiaries conduct all of our operations and own all of our operating assets, including our ships. We have no significant assets other than the equity interests in our subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to pay our obligations and to make distributions and repurchases of common units depends

 

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entirely on our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. The ability of a subsidiary to make these distributions could be affected by a claim or other action by a third party, including a creditor, or by the law of their respective jurisdiction of incorporation which regulates the payment of distributions. If we are unable to obtain funds from our subsidiaries, our board of directors may exercise its discretion not to declare or make distributions and repurchases of common units.

The loss of key members of our senior management team could disrupt the management of our business.

We believe that our success depends on the continued contributions of the members of our senior management team, including Angeliki Frangou, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The loss of the services of Ms. Frangou or one of our other executive officers or senior management members could impair our ability to identify and secure new charter contracts, to maintain good customer relations and to otherwise manage our business, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance and our ability to compete.

We depend on Navios Holdings and its affiliates to assist us in operating and expanding our business.

Pursuant to the Management Agreement between us and the Manager, an affiliate of our general partner, the Manager provides to us significant commercial and technical management services (including the commercial and technical management of our vessels, vessel maintenance and crewing, purchasing and insurance and shipyard supervision). In addition, pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement between us and the Manager, the Manager provides to us significant administrative, financial and other support services. Our operational success and ability to execute our growth strategy will depend significantly upon the Manager’s satisfactory performance of these services. Our business will be harmed if the Manager fails to perform these services satisfactorily, if the Manager cancels either of these agreements, or if the Manager stops providing these services to us.

Our ability to enter into new charters and expand our customer relationships will depend largely on our ability to leverage our relationship with Navios Holdings and its reputation and relationships in the shipping industry. If Navios Holdings suffers material damage to its reputation or relationships, it may harm our ability to:

 

    renew existing charters upon their expiration;

 

    obtain new charters;

 

    successfully interact with shipyards during periods of shipyard construction constraints;

 

    obtain financing on commercially acceptable terms; or

 

    maintain satisfactory relationships with suppliers and other third parties.

If our ability to do any of the things described above is impaired, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and our ability to make cash distributions and repurchases of common units.

Technological innovation could reduce our charter hire income and the value of our vessels.

The charter hire rates and the value and operational life of a vessel are determined by a number of factors including the vessel’s efficiency, operational flexibility and physical life. Efficiency includes speed, fuel economy and the ability to load and discharge cargo quickly. Flexibility includes the ability to enter harbors, utilize related docking facilities and pass through canals and straits. The length of a vessel’s physical life is related to its original design and construction, its maintenance and the impact of the stress of operations. If new vessels are built that are more efficient or more flexible or have longer physical lives than our vessels, competition from these more technologically advanced vessels could adversely affect the amount of charter hire payments we receive for our vessels and the resale value of our vessels could significantly decrease. As a result, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

 

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Increased competition in technology and innovation could reduce our charter hire income and the value of our vessels.

The charter rates and the value and operational life of a vessel are determined by a number of factors, including the vessel’s efficiency, operational flexibility and physical life. Efficiency includes speed and fuel economy. Flexibility includes the ability to enter harbors, utilize related docking facilities and pass through canals and straits. Physical life is related to the original design and construction, maintenance and the impact of the stress of operations. If new ship designs currently promoted by shipyards as being more fuel efficient perform as promoted, or if new containerships are built in the future that are more efficient or flexible or have longer physical lives than our vessels, competition from these more technologically advanced containerships could adversely affect our ability to re-charter, the amount of charter hire payments that we receive for our containerships once their current time charters expire and the resale value of our containerships. This could adversely affect our revenues and cash flows, and our ability to service our debt or make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

We are subject to various laws, regulations and conventions, including environmental and safety laws that could require significant expenditures both to maintain compliance with such laws and to pay for any uninsured environmental liabilities including any resulting from a spill or other environmental incident.

The shipping business and vessel operation are materially affected by government regulation in the form of international conventions, national, state and local laws, and regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which vessels operate, as well as in the country or countries of their registration. Governmental regulations, safety or other equipment standards, as well as compliance with standards imposed by maritime self-regulatory organizations and customer requirements or competition, may require us to make capital and other expenditures. Because such conventions, laws and regulations are often revised, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with such conventions, laws and regulations, or the impact thereof on the fair market price or useful life of our vessels. In order to satisfy any such requirements, we may be required to take any of our vessels out of service for extended periods of time, with corresponding losses of revenues. In the future, market conditions may not justify these expenditures or enable us to operate our vessels, particularly older vessels, profitably during the remainder of their economic lives. This could lead to significant asset write downs. In addition, violations of environmental and safety regulations can result in substantial penalties and, in certain instances, seizure or detention of our vessels.

Additional conventions, laws and regulations may be adopted that could limit our ability to do business, require capital expenditures or otherwise increase our cost of doing business, which may materially adversely affect our operations, as well as the shipping industry generally. For example, in various jurisdictions, legislation has been enacted, or is under consideration, that would impose more stringent requirements on air pollution and effluent discharges from our vessels. For example, the International Maritime Organization (the “IMO”) periodically proposes and adopts amendments to revise the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”), such as the revision to Annex VI which came into force on July 1, 2010. The revised Annex VI implements a phased reduction of the sulfur content of fuel and allows for stricter sulfur limits in designated emission control areas (“ECAs”). Thus far, ECAs have been formally adopted for the Baltic Sea area (limits SOx emissions only); the North Sea area including the English Channel (limiting SOx emissions only) and the North American ECA (which came into effect on August 1, 2012 limiting SOx, NOx and particulate matter emissions). In October 2016, the IMO approved the designation of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as ECAs for NOx under Annex VI, which would take effect in January 2021. The U.S. Caribbean Sea ECA entered into force on January 1, 2013 and has been effective since January 1, 2014, limiting SOx, NOx and particulate matter emissions. In January 2015, the limit for fuel oil sulfur levels fell to 0.10% mass by mass (“m/m”) in ECAs established to limit SOx and particulate matter emissions.

After considering the issue for many years, the IMO announced on October 27, 2016 that it was proceeding with a requirement for 0.5% m/m sulfur content in marine fuel (down from current levels of 3.5%) outside the

 

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ECAs starting on January 1, 2020. Under Annex VI, the 2020 date was subject to review as to the availability of the required fuel oil. Annex VI required the fuel availability review to be completed by 2018 but was ultimately completed in 2016. In April 2018, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (“MEPC”) further prohibited the carriage of non-compliant fuel after 2020, unless a ship is fitted with an equivalent arrangement to reduce emissions, such as a scrubber. Therefore, by 2020, ships will be required to remove sulfur from emissions through the use of emission control equipment, or purchase marine fuel with 0.5% sulfur content, which may see increased demand and higher prices due to supply constraints. Installing pollution control equipment or using lower sulfur fuel could result in significantly increased costs to our company. Similarly MARPOL Annex VI requires Tier III standards for NOx emissions to be applied to ships constructed and engines installed in ships operating in NOx ECAs from January 1, 2016.

Certain jurisdictions have adopted more stringent requirements. For instance, California has adopted more stringent low sulfur fuel requirements within California-regulated waters. Compliance with new emissions standards could require modifications to vessels or the use of more expensive fuel. While it is unclear how new emissions standards will affect the employment of our vessels, over time it is possible that ships not retrofitted to comply with new standards may become less competitive.

In addition, the IMO, the United States and states within the United States have proposed or implemented requirements relating to the management of ballast water to prevent the harmful effects of foreign invasive species. In February 2004, the IMO adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (the “BWM Convention”). The BWM Convention’s implementing regulations call for a phased introduction of mandatory ballast water exchange requirements, to be replaced in time with mandatory concentration limits, as well as other obligations including recordkeeping requirements and implementation of a Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan. The BWM Convention stipulated that it would not enter into force until twelve months after it has been adopted by at least 30 states, the combined merchant fleets of which represent at least 35% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping. With Finland’s accession to the Agreement on September 8, 2016, the 35% threshold was reached, and the BWM convention entered into force on September 8, 2017. Thereafter, on October 19, 2016, Panama also acceded to the BWM convention, adding its 18.02% of world gross tonnage. As of February 7, 2017, the BWM Convention had 54 contracting states for 53.30% of world gross tonnage. Although new ships constructed after September 8, 2017 must comply on delivery with the BWM Convention, implementation of the BWM Convention has been delayed for existing vessels (constructed prior to September 8, 2017) for a further two years. For such existing vessels, installation of ballast water management systems must take place at the first renewal survey following September 8, 2017 (the date the BWM Convention entered into force). The BWM Convention requires ships to manage ballast water in a manner that removes, renders harmless or avoids the update or discharge of aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water and sediment. Recently updated Ballast Water and Sediment Management Plan guidance includes more robust testing and performance specifications. The entry of the BWM Convention and revised guidance, as well as similar ballast water treatment requirements in certain jurisdictions (such as the United States and states within the United States), will likely result in substantial compliance costs relating to the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged and other additional ballast water management and reporting requirements.

The operation of vessels is also affected by the requirements set forth in the International Safety Management Code (the “ISM Code”). The ISM Code requires ship owners and bareboat charterers to develop and maintain an extensive Safety Management System (the “SMS”) that includes the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for safe vessel operation and describing procedures for dealing with emergencies. Further to this, the IMO has introduced the first ever mandatory measures for an international greenhouse gas reduction regime for a global industry sector. These energy efficiency measures took effect on January 1, 2013 and apply to all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above. They include the development of a ship energy efficiency management plan (“SEEMP”), which is akin to a safety management plan, with which the industry will have to comply. The failure of a ship owner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code and IMO measures may subject such party to withdrawal of the permit to operate

 

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or manage the vessels, increased liability, decreased available insurance coverage for the affected vessels, and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports.

International liability for oil pollution is governed in part by the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (the “Bunker Convention”). In 2001, the IMO adopted the Bunker Convention, which imposes strict liability on ship owners for pollution damage and response costs incurred in contracting states caused by discharges, or threatened discharges, of bunker oil from all classes of ships not covered by the International Convention for Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (the “CLC”), which governs pollution from tankers. The Bunker Convention also requires registered owners of ships over a certain size to maintain insurance to cover their liability for pollution damage in an amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national or international limitation regime, including liability limits calculated in accordance with the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976, as amended (the “1976 Convention”), discussed in more detail in the following paragraph. The Bunker Convention became effective in contracting states on November 21, 2008. In non-contracting states, liability for such bunker oil pollution typically is determined by the national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the spillage occurs.

The Bunker Convention also provides vessel owners a right to limit their liability, depending on the applicable national or international regime. The 1976 Convention is the most widely applicable international regime limiting maritime pollution liability. Rights to limit liability under the 1976 Convention are forfeited where a spill is caused by a ship owner’s intentional or reckless conduct. Certain jurisdictions have ratified the IMO’s Protocol of 1996 to the 1976 Convention, referred to herein as the “Protocol of 1996.” The Protocol of 1996 provides for substantially higher liability limits in those jurisdictions than the limits set forth in the 1976 Convention. Finally, some jurisdictions, such as the United States, are not a party to either the 1976 Convention or the Protocol of 1996, and, therefore, a ship owner’s rights to limit liability for maritime pollution in such jurisdictions may be uncertain.

Environmental legislation in the United States merits particular mention as it is in many respects more onerous than international laws, representing a high-water mark of regulation with which ship owners and operators must comply, and of liability likely to be incurred in the event of non-compliance or an incident causing pollution. Though it has been eight years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (the “Deepwater Horizon incident”), such regulation may become even stricter because of the incident’s impact. In the United States, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (the “OPA 90”) establishes an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from cargo and bunker oil spills from vessels. The OPA 90 covers all owners and operators whose vessels trade in the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in U.S. waters, which includes the United States’ territorial sea and its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Under the OPA 90, vessel owners, operators and bareboat charterers are “responsible parties” and are jointly, severally and strictly liable (unless the spill results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war) for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from discharges or substantial threats of discharges, of oil from their vessels. The U.S. Congress has in the past considered bills to strengthen certain requirements of the OPA 90; similar legislation may be introduced in the future. Further, under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) and similar state laws, investigation and cleanup requirements for threatened or actual releases of hazardous substances may be imposed upon owners and operators of vessels, on a joint and several basis, regardless of fault or the legality of the original activity that resulted in the release of hazardous substances.

In addition to potential liability under the federal OPA 90 and CERCLA, vessel owners may in some instances incur liability on an even more stringent basis under state law in the particular state where the spillage occurred. For example, California regulations prohibit the discharge of oil, require an oil contingency plan be filed with the state, require that the ship owner contract with an oil response organization and require a valid certificate of financial responsibility, all prior to the vessel entering state waters.

 

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In recent years, the European Union has become increasingly active in the field of regulation of maritime safety and protection of the environment. In some areas of regulation the European Union has introduced new laws without attempting to procure a corresponding amendment to international law. Notably, in 2005 the European Union adopted a directive, as amended in 2009, on ship-source pollution, imposing criminal sanctions for pollution not only where pollution is caused by intent or recklessness (which would be an offence under MARPOL), but also where it is caused by “serious negligence.” The concept of “serious negligence” may be interpreted in practice to be little more than ordinary negligence. The directive could therefore result in criminal liability being incurred in circumstances where it would not be incurred under international law.

Criminal liability for a pollution incident could not only result in us incurring substantial penalties or fines, but may also, in some jurisdictions, facilitate civil liability claims for greater compensation than would otherwise have been payable.

We maintain insurance coverage for each owned vessel in our fleet against pollution liability risks in the amount of $1.0 billion in the aggregate for any one event. The insured risks include penalties and fines as well as civil liabilities and expenses resulting from accidental pollution. However, this insurance coverage is subject to exclusions, deductibles and other terms and conditions. If any liabilities or expenses fall within an exclusion from coverage, or if damages from a catastrophic incident exceed the aggregate liability of $1.0 billion for any one event, our cash flow, profitability and financial position would be adversely impacted.

Climate change and government laws and regulations related to climate change could negatively impact our financial condition.

We are and will be, directly and indirectly, subject to the effects of climate change and may, directly or indirectly, be affected by government laws and regulations related to climate change. A number of countries have adopted or are considering the adoption of, regulatory frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxides. In the U.S., the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has declared greenhouse gases to be dangerous pollutants and has issued greenhouse gas reporting requirements for emissions sources in certain industries (which currently do not include the shipping industry). The EPA does require owners of vessels subject to MARPOL Annex VI to maintain records for nitrogen oxides standards and in-use fuel specifications. In addition, while the emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping are not subject to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the “UNFCC”), which requires adopting countries to implement national programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the IMO intends to develop limits on greenhouse gases from international shipping. It has responded to the global focus on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions by developing specific technical and operational efficiency measures and a work plan for market-based mechanisms in 2011. These include the mandatory measures of the ship energy efficiency management plan (“SEEMP”), outlined above, and an energy efficiency design index (“EEDI”) for new ships. The IMO is also considering its position on market-based measures through an expert working group. Among the numerous proposals being considered by the working group are the following: a port state levy based on the amount of fuel consumed by the vessel on its voyage to the port in question; a global emissions trading scheme which would allocate emissions allowances and set an emissions cap; and an international fund establishing a global reduction target for international shipping, to be set either by the UNFCCC or the IMO.

At its 64th session (2012), the IMO’s MEPC indicated that 2015 was the target year for member states to identify market-based measures for international shipping. At its 66th session (2014), the MEPC continued its work on developing technical and operational measures relating to energy-efficiency measures for ships, following the entry into force of the mandatory efficiency measures on January 1, 2013. It adopted the 2014 Guidelines on the Method of Calculation of the Attained EEDI, applicable to new ships. It further adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI concerning the extension of the scope of application of the EEDI to Liquefied Natural Gas (“LNG”) carriers, ro-ro cargo ships (vehicle carriers), ro-ro cargo ships, ro-ro passenger ships and cruise passengers ships with nonconventional propulsion. At its 67th session (2014), the MEPC

 

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adopted the 2014 Guidelines on survey and certification of the EEDI, updating the previous version to reference ships fitted with dual-fuel engines using LNG and liquid fuel oil. The MEPC also adopted amendments to the 2013 Interim Guidelines for determining minimum propulsion power to maintain the maneuverability of ships in adverse conditions, to make the guidelines applicable to phase 1 (starting January 1, 2015) of the EEDI requirements. At its 68th session (2015), the MEPC amended the 2014 Guidelines on EEDI survey and certification as well as the method of calculating of EEDI for new ships, the latter of which was again amended at the 70th session (2016). At its 70th session, the MEPC also adopted mandatory requirements for ships of 5,000 gross tonnage or greater to collect fuel consumption data for each type of fuel used, and report the data to the flag State after the end of each calendar year.

In December 2011, UN climate change talks took place in Durban and concluded with an agreement referred to as the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. The Durban Conference did not result in any proposals specifically addressing the shipping industry’s role in climate change but the progress that has been made by the IMO in this area was widely acknowledged throughout the negotiating bodies of the UNFCCC process, and an ad hoc working group was established.

Although regulation of greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping industry was discussed during the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (the “Paris Conference”), the agreement reached among the 195 nations did not expressly reference the shipping industry. Following the Paris Conference, the IMO announced it would continue its efforts on this issue at the MEPC, and at its 70th session, the MEPC approved a Roadmap for developing a comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy for ships, which includes the goal of adopting an initial strategy and emission reduction commitments in 2018. In April 2018, the IMO’s MEPC adopted the initial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels, while pursuing efforts towards phasing them out entirely, as a pathway towards greenhouse gas emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals. The initial strategy is due to be revised and adopted by 2023.

The European Union announced in April 2007 that it planned to expand the European Union emissions trading scheme (“ETS”) by adding vessels as ETS-regulated businesses required to report on carbon emissions and subject to a credit trading system for carbon allowances. A proposal from the European Commission (“EC”) was expected if no global regime for reduction of seaborne emissions had been agreed to by the end of 2011. On October 1, 2012, the EC announced that it would propose measures to monitor, verify and report on greenhouse- gas emissions from the shipping sector. On June 28, 2013, the EC adopted a communication setting out a strategy for progressively including greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport in the European Union’s policy for reducing its overall greenhouse gas emissions. The first step proposed by the EC was an EU Regulation (as defined below) for an EU-wide system for the monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from large ships starting in 2018. The EU Regulation (2015/757) was adopted on April 29, 2015 and took effect on July 1, 2015, with monitoring, reporting and verification requirements beginning on January 1, 2018. This Regulation appears to be indicative of an intent to maintain pressure on the international negotiating process. The EC also adopted an Implementing Regulation, which entered into force in November 2016, setting templates for monitoring plans, emissions reports and compliance documents pursuant to Regulation 2015/757.

In February 2017, European Union member states met to consider independently regulating the shipping industry under the ETS. On February 15, 2017, European Parliament voted in favor of a bill to include maritime shipping in the ETS by 2023 if the IMO has not promulgated a comparable system by 2021. In November 2017, the Council of Ministers, the European Union’s main decision making body, agreed that the European Union should act on shipping emissions by 2023 if the IMO fails to deliver effective global measures. Last year, IMO’s urgent call to action to bring about shipping greenhouse gas emissions reductions before 2023 was met with industry push-back in many countries. Depending on how fast IMO and the European Union move on this issue, the ETS may result in additional compliance costs for our vessels.

We cannot predict with any degree of certainty what effect, if any possible climate change and government laws and regulations related to climate change will have on our operations, whether directly or indirectly.

 

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However, we believe that climate change, including the possible increase in severe weather events resulting from climate change, and government laws and regulations related to climate change may affect, directly or indirectly, (i) the cost of the vessels we may acquire in the future, (ii) our ability to continue to operate as we have in the past, (iii) the cost of operating our vessels, and (iv) insurance premiums, deductibles and the availability of coverage. As a result, our financial condition could be negatively impacted by significant climate change and related governmental regulation, and that impact could be material.

The smuggling of drugs or other contraband onto our vessels may lead to governmental claims against us.

We expect that our vessels will call in ports in South America and other areas where smugglers attempt to hide drugs and other contraband on vessels, with or without the knowledge of crew members. To the extent our vessels are found with contraband, whether inside or attached to the hull of our vessel and whether with or without the knowledge of any of our crew, we may face governmental or other regulatory claims or penalties which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Increased inspection procedures and tighter import and export controls could increase costs and disrupt our business.

International shipping is subject to various security and customs inspections and related procedures in countries of origin and destination. Inspection procedures can result in the seizure of contents of vessels, delays in the loading, offloading or delivery and the levying of customs, duties, fines and other penalties.

It is possible that changes to inspection procedures could impose additional financial and legal obligations on us. Furthermore, changes to inspection procedures could also impose additional costs and obligations on our future customers and may, in certain cases, render the shipment of certain types of cargo impractical. Any such changes or developments may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We rely on our information systems to conduct our business, and failure to protect these systems against security breaches could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Additionally, if these systems fail or become unavailable for any significant period of time, our business could be harmed.

The efficient operation of our business is dependent on computer hardware and software systems. Information systems are vulnerable to security breaches by computer hackers and cyber terrorists. We rely on industry accepted security measures and technology to securely maintain confidential and proprietary information maintained on our information systems. However, these measures and technology may not adequately prevent security breaches. In addition, the unavailability of the information systems or the failure of these systems to perform as anticipated for any reason could disrupt our business and could result in decreased performance and increased operating costs, causing our business and results of operations to suffer. Any significant interruption or failure of our information systems or any significant breach of security could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Governments could requisition our vessels during a period of war or emergency, resulting in loss of earnings.

A government of the jurisdiction where one or more of our containerships are registered could requisition for title or seize our containerships. Requisition for title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes its owner. Also, a government could requisition our containerships for hire. Requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a ship and effectively becomes the charterer at dictated charter rates. Generally, requisitions occur during a period of war or emergency, although governments may elect to requisition vessels in other circumstances. Although we would expect to be entitled to compensation in the event

 

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of a requisition of one or more of our vessels, the amount and timing of payment, if any, would be uncertain. Government requisition of one or more of our containerships may cause us to breach covenants in certain of our credit facilities, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels have recently increased in frequency, which could adversely affect our business.

Acts of piracy have historically affected ocean-going vessels trading in certain regions of the world, such as the South China Sea and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. Piracy continues to occur in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia and increasingly in the Gulf of Guinea. Although both the frequency and success of attacks have diminished recently, we still consider potential acts of piracy to be a material risk to the international container shipping industry, and protection against this risk requires vigilance. Our vessels regularly travel through regions where pirates are active. We may not be adequately insured to cover losses from these incidents, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to make distributions and repurchases of common units. Crew costs could also increase in such circumstances. We may not be adequately insured to cover losses from acts of terrorism, piracy, regional conflicts and other armed actions.

Risks inherent in the operation of ocean-going vessels could affect our business and reputation, which could adversely affect our expenses, net income, cash flow and the price of our common units.

The operation of ocean-going vessels carries inherent risks. These risks include the possibility of:

 

    marine disaster;

 

    piracy;

 

    environmental accidents;

 

    grounding, fire, explosions and collisions;

 

    cargo and property loss or damage;

 

    business interruptions caused by mechanical failure, human error, war, terrorism, disease and quarantine, political action in various countries, or adverse weather conditions; and

 

    work stoppages or other labor problems with crew members serving on our containerships, some of whom are unionized and covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Such occurrences could result in death or injury to persons, loss of property or environmental damage, delays in the delivery of cargo, loss of revenues from or termination of charter contracts, governmental fines, penalties or restrictions on conducting business, litigation with our employees, customers or third parties, higher insurance rates, and damage to our reputation and customer relationships generally. Although we maintain hull and machinery and war risks insurance, as well as protection and indemnity insurance, which may cover certain risks of loss resulting from such occurrences, our insurance coverage may be subject to caps or not cover such losses, and any of these circumstances or events could increase our costs or lower our revenues. The involvement of our vessels in an environmental disaster may harm our reputation as a safe and reliable vessel owner and operator. Any of these results could have a material adverse effect on business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Our insurance may be insufficient to cover losses that may occur to our property or result from our operations.

The operation of any vessel includes risks such as mechanical failure, collision, fire, contact with floating objects, property loss, cargo loss or damage and business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign

 

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countries, hostilities and labor strikes. In addition, there is always an inherent possibility of a marine disaster, including oil spills and other environmental mishaps. There are also liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade. We procure insurance for our fleet of containerships in relation to risks commonly insured against by vessel owners and operators. Our current insurance includes (i) hull and machinery and war risk insurance covering damage to our vessels’ hulls and machinery from, among other things, collisions and contact with fixed and floating objects, (ii) war risks insurance covering losses associated with the outbreak or escalation of hostilities and (iii) protection and indemnity insurance (which includes environmental damage) covering, among other things, third-party and crew liabilities such as expenses resulting from the injury or death of crew members, passengers and other third parties, the loss or damage to cargo, third-party claims arising from collisions with other vessels, damage to other third-party property and pollution arising from oil or other substances, and salvage, towing and other related costs, including wreck removal.

We can give no assurance that we are adequately insured against all risks or that our insurers will pay a particular claim. Even if our insurance coverage is adequate to cover our losses, we may not be able to obtain a timely replacement containership in the event of a loss of a containership. Under the terms of our credit facilities, we are subject to restrictions on the use of any proceeds we may receive from claims under our insurance policies. Furthermore, in the future, we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates for our fleet. For example, more stringent environmental regulations have led to increased costs for, and in the future may result in the lack of availability of, insurance against risks of environmental damage or pollution. We may also be subject to calls, or premiums, in amounts based not only on our own claim records but also the claim records of all other members of the protection and indemnity associations through which we receive indemnity insurance coverage. There is no cap on our liability exposure for such calls or premiums payable to our protection and indemnity association. Our insurance policies also contain deductibles, limitations and exclusions which, although we believe are standard in the shipping industry, may nevertheless increase our costs. A catastrophic oil spill or marine disaster could exceed our insurance coverage, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and our ability to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units. Any uninsured or underinsured loss could harm our business and financial condition. In addition, the insurance may be voidable by the insurers as a result of certain actions, such as vessels failing to maintain required certification.

Our charterers may in the future engage in legally permitted trading in locations which may still be subject to sanctions or boycott. However, no vessels in our fleet have called on ports in sanctioned countries or countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. State Department, including Iran, Syria, or Sudan. Our insurers may be contractually or by operation of law prohibited from honoring our insurance contract for such trading, which could result in reduced insurance coverage for losses incurred by the related vessels. Furthermore, our insurers and we may be prohibited from posting or otherwise be unable to post security in respect of any incident in such locations, resulting in the loss of use of the relevant vessel and negative publicity for our Company which could negatively impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and share price.

Maritime claimants could arrest our vessels, which could interrupt our cash flows.

Crew members, suppliers of goods and services to a vessel, shippers or receivers of cargo and other parties may be entitled to a maritime lien against a vessel for unsatisfied debts, claims or damages, including, in some jurisdictions, for debts incurred by previous owners. In many jurisdictions, a maritime lien-holder may enforce its lien by arresting a vessel. The arrest or attachment of one or more of our vessels, if such arrest or attachment is not timely discharged, could cause us to default on a charter or breach covenants in certain of our credit facilities, could interrupt our cash flows and could require us to pay large sums of money to have the arrest or attachment lifted. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

In addition, in some jurisdictions, such as South Africa, under the “sister ship” theory of liability, a claimant may arrest both the vessel that is subject to the claimant’s maritime lien and any “associated” vessel, which is

 

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any vessel owned or controlled by the same owner. Claimants could try to assert “sister ship” liability against one containership in our fleet for claims relating to another of our containerships.

Compliance with safety and other requirements imposed by classification societies may be very costly and may adversely affect our business.

The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be classed by a classification society. The classification society certifies that the vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the classification society. Moreover, every vessel must comply with all applicable international conventions and the regulations of the vessel’s flag state as verified by a classification society. Finally, each vessel must successfully undergo periodic surveys, including annual, intermediate and special surveys.

If any vessel does not maintain its class, it will lose its insurance coverage and be unable to trade, and the vessel’s owner will be in breach of relevant covenants under its financing arrangements. Failure to maintain the class of one or more of our containerships could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, as well as our cash flows, including cash available to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

Our international activities increase the compliance risks associated with economic and trade sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and other jurisdictions.

Our international operations and activities could expose us to risks associated with trade and economic sanctions prohibitions or other restrictions imposed by the United States or other governments or organizations, including the United Nations, the European Union and its member countries. Under economic and trade sanctions laws, governments may seek to impose modifications to, prohibitions/restrictions on business practices and activities, and modifications to compliance programs, which may increase compliance costs, and, in the event of a violation, may subject us to fines and other penalties.

Iran

During the last few years until January 2016, the scope of sanctions imposed against Iran, the government of Iran and persons engaging in certain activities or doing certain business with and relating to Iran was expanded by a number of jurisdictions, including the United States, the European Union and Canada. In 2010, the United States enacted the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and Divestment Act (“CISADA”), which expanded the scope of the former Iran Sanctions Act. The scope of U.S. sanctions against Iran were expanded subsequent to CISADA by, among other U.S. laws, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (the “2012 NDAA”), the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (“ITRA”), Executive Order 13662, and the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (“IFCA”). The foregoing laws, among other things, expanded the application of prohibitions to non-U.S. companies, such as our company, and introduced limits on the ability of non-U.S. companies and other non-U.S. persons to do business or trade with Iran when such activities relate to specific trade and investment activities involving Iran.

U.S. economic sanctions on Iran fall into two general categories: “Primary” sanctions, which prohibit U.S. persons or U.S. companies and their foreign branches, U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and persons within the territory of the United States from engaging in all direct and indirect trade and other transactions with Iran without U.S. government authorization, and “secondary” sanctions, which are mainly nuclear-related sanctions.

Most of the EU and U.S. nuclear-related sanctions with respect to Iran (including, inter alia, CISADA, ITRA, and IFCA) were suspended in 2016 through the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the “JCPOA”) entered into between the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council

 

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(China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) and Germany However, these U.S. (secondary) sanctions are scheduled to be reimposed as a result of the withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA.

EU sanctions remain in place in relation to the export of arms and military goods, missiles-related goods and items that might be used for internal repression. The main nuclear-related EU sanctions which remain in place include restrictions on:

 

  i. Graphite and certain raw or semi-finished metals such as corrosion-resistant high-grade steel, iron, aluminium and alloys, titanium and alloys and nickel and alloys (as listed in Annex VIIB to EU Regulation 267/2012 as updated by EU Regulation 2015/1861 (the “EU Regulation”);

 

  ii. Goods listed in the Nuclear Suppliers Group list (listed in Annex I to the EU Regulation);

 

  iii. Goods that could contribute to nuclear-related or other activities inconsistent with the JCPOA (as listed in Annex II to the EU Regulation); and

 

  iv. Software designed for use in nuclear/military industries (as listed in Annex VIIA to the EU Regulation).

Dealing with the above is no longer prohibited, but prior authorization must be obtained first and is granted on a case-by-case basis. The remaining restrictions apply to related actions, including the sale, supply, transfer or export, directly or indirectly to any Iranian person/for use in Iran, as well as the provision of technical assistance, financing or financial assistance in relation to the restricted activity. Certain individuals and entities remain sanctioned and the prohibition to make available, directly or indirectly, economic resources or assets to or for the benefit of sanctioned parties remains. “Economic resources” is widely defined and it remains prohibited to provide vessels for a fixture from which a sanctioned party (or parties related to a sanctioned party) directly or indirectly benefits. It is therefore still necessary to carry out due diligence on the parties and cargoes involved in fixtures involving Iran.

Russia/Ukraine

As a result of the crisis in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, both the United States and the European Union have implemented sanctions against certain persons and entities.

The European Union has imposed travel bans and asset freezes on certain persons and entities pursuant to which it is prohibited to make available, directly or indirectly, economic resources or assets to or for the benefit of the sanctioned parties. Certain Russian ports including Kerch Commercial Seaport; Sevastopol Commercial Seaport and Port Feodosia are subject to the above restrictions. Other entities are subject to sectoral sanctions which limit the provision of equity and debt financing to the listed entities. In addition, various restrictions on trade have been implemented which, amongst others, include a prohibition on the import into the European Union of goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol as well as restrictions on trade in certain dual-use and military items and restrictions in relation to various items of technology associated with the oil industry for use in deep water exploration and production, Arctic oil exploration and production or shale oil projects in Russia. As such, it is important to carry out due diligence on the parties and cargoes involved in fixtures relating to Russia.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions against certain designated Russian entities and individuals (“U.S. Russian Sanctions Targets”). These sanctions block the property and all interests in property of the U.S. Russian Sanctions Targets. This effectively prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in any economic or commercial transactions with the U.S. Russian Sanctions Targets unless the same are authorized by the U.S. Treasury Department. Similar to EU sanctions, U.S. sanctions also entail restrictions on certain exports from the United States to Russia and the imposition of Sectoral Sanctions which restrict the provision of equity and debt financing to designated Russian entities. While the prohibitions of these sanctions are not directly applicable to Navios, Navios has compliance measures in place to guard against transactions with U.S. Russian Sanctions

 

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Targets which may involve the United States or U.S. persons and thus implicate prohibitions. The United States also maintains prohibitions on trade with Crimea.

The U.S.’s “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act” (Public Law 115-44) (CAATSA), authorizes imposition of new sanctions on Iran, Russia, and North Korea. These sanctions prohibit a variety of activities involving Russia.

Venezuela-Related Sanctions

The U.S. sanctions with respect to Venezuela prohibit dealings with designated Venezuelan government officials, and curtail the provision of financing to PDVSA and other government entities. EU sanctions against Venezuela are primarily governed by EU Council Regulation 2017/2063 of 13 November 2017 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela. This includes financial sanctions and restrictions on listed persons, an arms embargo, and related prohibitions and restrictions including restrictions related to internal repression.

Other U.S. Economic Sanctions and Sanctions Targets

In addition to Iran and certain Russian entities and individuals, as indicated above, the United States maintains economic sanctions against Syria, Cuba, North Korea, and sanctions against entities and individuals (such as entities and individuals in the foregoing targeted countries, designated terrorists, narcotics traffickers) whose names appear on the List of SDNs and Blocked Persons maintained by the U.S. Treasury Department (collectively, the “Sanctions Targets”). We are subject to the prohibitions of these sanctions to the extent that any transaction or activity we engage in involves Sanctions Targets and a U.S. person or otherwise has a nexus to the United States.

Other EU Economic Sanctions Targets

The European Union also maintains sanctions against Syria, North Korea and certain other countries and against individuals listed by the EU. These restrictions apply to our operations and as such, to the extent that these countries may be involved in any business it is important to carry out checks to ensure compliance with all relevant restrictions and to carry out due diligence checks on counterparties and cargoes.

Compliance

Considering the aforementioned prohibitions of U.S. as well as EU sanctions and the nature of our business, there is a sanctions risk for us due to the worldwide trade of our vessels, which we seek to minimize by following our corporate written Economic Sanctions Compliance Policy and Procedures and our compliance with all applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations. Although we intend to maintain such compliance, there can be no assurance that we will be in compliance in the future, particularly as the scope of certain laws may be unclear and may be subject to changing interpretations, and the law may change. Moreover, despite, for example, relevant provisions in charter parties forbidding the use of our vessels in trade that would violate economic sanctions, our charterers may nevertheless violate applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations and those violations could in turn negatively affect our reputation and be imputed to us. In addition, given our relationship with the Navios Group, we cannot give any assurance that an adverse finding against any of the entities in the Navios Group by a governmental or legal authority or others with respect to the matters discussed herein or any future matter related to regulatory compliance by the Navios Group or ourselves will not have a material adverse impact on our business, reputation or the market price or trading of our common units.

We are constantly monitoring developments in the United States, the European Union and other jurisdictions that maintain economic sanctions against Iran, other countries, and other sanctions targets, including developments in implementation and enforcement of such sanctions programs. Expansion of sanctions programs,

 

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embargoes and other restrictions in the future (including additional designations of countries and persons subject to sanctions), or modifications in how existing sanctions are interpreted or enforced, could prevent our vessels from calling in ports in sanctioned countries or could limit their cargoes. If any of the risks described above materialize, it could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

To reduce the risk of violating economic sanctions, we have a policy of compliance with applicable economic sanctions laws and have implemented and continue to implement and diligently follow compliance procedures to avoid economic sanctions violations.

We could be materially adversely affected by violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act and anti-corruption laws in other applicable jurisdictions.

We are subject to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering and similar laws and regulations in various jurisdictions in which we conduct activities, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA), and other anti-corruption laws and regulations. In addition, we may be subject to the U.K. Bribery Act 2010. The FCPA and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 prohibit us and our officers, directors, employees and business partners acting on our behalf, including agents, from corruptly offering, promising, authorizing or providing anything of value to a “foreign official” for the purposes of influencing official decisions or obtaining or retaining business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment. The FCPA also requires companies to make and keep books, records and accounts that accurately reflect transactions and dispositions of assets and to maintain a system of adequate internal accounting controls. The UK Bribery Act also prohibits non-governmental “commercial” bribery and soliciting or accepting bribes. A violation of these laws or regulations could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation.

As an international shipping company, we operate in countries known to present heightened risks for corruption. In addition, our business requires us to interact with government officials, including port officials, harbor masters, maritime regulators, customs officials and pilots, and we have client relationships with state-owned enterprises. Both factors raise the risk of anticorruption issues.

Non-compliance with anti-corruption, anti-bribery or anti-money laundering laws could subject us to whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, and severe administrative, civil and criminal sanctions, collateral consequences, remedial measures and legal expenses, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation. Compliance with the FCPA, the U.K. Bribery Act and other applicable anti-corruption laws and related regulations and policies imposes potentially significant costs and operational burdens on us. Although we have policies and procedures in place to mitigate the risk of non-compliance with anti-corruption, anti-bribery or anti-money laundering laws, including our Code of Ethics and anti-bribery and anti-corruption policy, we may not be able to adequately prevent or detect all possible violations under applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption legislation, including by third-party agents.

Risks Inherent in an Investment in Us

Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners and Navios Midstream and their respective affiliates may compete with us.

Pursuant to the Omnibus Agreement that we entered into with Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners and Navios Midstream, Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and their controlled affiliates (other than us, our general partner and our subsidiaries) generally have agreed not to acquire or own any containerships. The Omnibus Agreement also provides us with rights of first offer on containerships. The Omnibus Agreement, however, contains significant exceptions that will allow Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream or any of their controlled affiliates to compete with us under specified circumstances which could materially harm our business.

 

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Unit holders have limited voting rights and our partnership agreement restricts the voting rights of unit holders owning more than 4.9% of our common units.

Holders of common units have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. We will hold a meeting of the limited partners every year to elect one or more members of our board of directors and to vote on any other matters that are properly brought before the meeting. Common unit holders may only elect four of the seven members of our board of directors. The elected directors will be elected on a staggered basis and will serve for three-year terms. Our general partner in its sole discretion has the right to appoint the remaining three directors and to set the terms for which those directors will serve. The partnership agreement also contains provisions limiting the ability of unit holders to call meetings or to acquire information about our operations, as well as other provisions limiting the unit holders’ ability to influence the manner or direction of management. Unit holders will have no right to elect our general partner and our general partner may not be removed except by a vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding units, including any units owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class.

Our partnership agreement further restricts unit holders’ voting rights by providing that if any person or group owns beneficially more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, any such units owned by that person or group in excess of 4.9% may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unit holders or calculating required votes (except for purposes of nominating a person for election to our board), determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes, unless required by law. The voting rights of any such unit holders in excess of 4.9% will effectively be redistributed pro rata among the other unit holders of the same class that are not subject to this voting limitation.

Our general partner, its affiliates and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors will not be subject to this 4.9% limitation except with respect to voting their common units in the election of the elected directors.

Our general partner and its affiliates own a significant interest in us and have conflicts of interest and limited fiduciary and contractual duties, which may permit them to favor their own interests to your detriment.

After giving effect to this offering, Navios Holdings will indirectly own and control our general partner and own a     % limited partner interest in us. The general partner interest and the limited partner interest are represented in units. The general partner unit, however, does not have the same economic rights as a common unit. The general partner unit will not entitle our general partner to participate in our distributions, profits or losses. The interests of Navios Partners or Navios Holdings may be different from your interests. This concentration of ownership may delay, deter or prevent acts that would be favored by our other unit holders or deprive unit holders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their common units as part of a sale of our business, and it is possible that the interests of the controlling unit holders may in some cases conflict with our interests and the interests of our other unit holders.

Further, certain of our executive officers and/or directors also serve as executive officers and/or directors of Navios Holdings and its affiliates or to the Navios Group and as such they have fiduciary duties to Navios Holdings, Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners and Navios Midstream that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners, Navios Holdings or Navios Midstream or which otherwise are not in the best interests of us or our unit holders. Conflicts of interest may arise between Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners, Navios Holdings, Navios Midstream and their affiliates, including our general partner on the one hand, and us and our unit holders, on the other hand. As a result of these conflicts, our general partner and its affiliates may favor their own interests over the interests of our unit holders. These conflicts include, among others, the following situations:

 

   

neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement requires our general partner or the other members of the Navios Group or their affiliates to pursue, in the operation of their businesses, a business strategy that favors us or utilizes our assets, and the officers and directors of the entities

 

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comprising the Navios Group (some of which hold officer or board positions with us) have a fiduciary duty to make decisions in the best interests of the stockholders of those entities, which may be contrary to our interests;

 

    our general partner and our directors have limited liabilities and reduced their fiduciary duties under the laws of the Marshall Islands, while the remedies available to our unit holders are also restricted, and, as a result of purchasing common units, unit holders are treated as having agreed to the modified standard of fiduciary duties and to certain actions that may be taken by our general partner and our directors, all as set forth in the partnership agreement;

 

    either or both of our general partner and our board of directors are involved in determining the amount and timing of our asset purchases and sales, capital expenditures, borrowings, issuances of additional partnership securities and reserves, each of which can affect the amount of cash that is available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units;

 

    our general partner is authorized to cause us to borrow funds in order to permit the payment of cash distributions and repurchases of common units;

 

    our general partner is entitled to reimbursement of all reasonable costs incurred by it and its affiliates for our benefit;

 

    our partnership agreement does not restrict us from paying our general partner or its affiliates for any services rendered to us on terms that are fair and reasonable or entering into additional contractual arrangements with any of these entities on our behalf; and

 

    our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase our common units if it and its affiliates own more than 80% of our common units.

Our officers face conflicts in the allocation of their time to our business.

Certain of our executive officers and/or directors also serve as executive officers and/or directors of Navios Holdings and their affiliates or to the Navios Group. Navios Partners, Navios Holdings, Navios Acquisition and Navios Midstream conduct substantial businesses and activities of their own in which we have no economic interest. If these separate activities are significantly greater than our activities, there will be material competition for the time and effort of our officers, who also provide services to the Navios Group. Our officers are not required to work full-time on our affairs and, in the future, we may have additional officers that also provide services to the Navios Group and their affiliates. Based solely on the anticipated relative sizes of our fleet and the fleet owned by the Navios Group and their affiliates over the next twelve months, we estimate that our officers, excluding our Chief Financial Officer, may spend a substantial portion of their monthly business time dedicated to the business activities of the Navios Group and their affiliates. However, the actual allocation of time could vary significantly from time to time depending on various circumstances and needs of the businesses, such as the relative levels of strategic activities of the businesses.

Our partnership agreement limits our general partner’s and our directors’ fiduciary duties to our unit holders and restricts the remedies available to unit holders for actions taken by our general partner or our directors.

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the standards to which our general partner and directors would otherwise be held by Marshall Islands law. For example, our partnership agreement:

 

   

permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner. Where our partnership agreement permits, our general partner may consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and in such cases it has no fiduciary duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting us, our affiliates or our unit holders. Decisions made by our general partner in its individual capacity will be made by its board of directors or members of its management. Specifically, pursuant to our partnership agreement, our

 

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general partner will be considered to be acting in its individual capacity if it exercises its call right, pre-emptive rights, consents or withholds consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership, appoints any directors or votes for the election of any director, votes or refrains from voting on amendments to our partnership agreement that require a vote of the outstanding units, voluntarily withdraws from the partnership, transfers (to the extent permitted under our partnership agreement) or refrains from transferring its units, general partner interest or votes upon the dissolution of the partnership;

 

    provides that our general partner and our directors are entitled to make other decisions in “good faith” if they reasonably believe that the decision is in our best interests;

 

    generally provides that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not approved by the conflicts committee of our board of directors and not involving a vote of unit holders must be on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or be “fair and reasonable” to us and that, in determining whether a transaction or resolution is “fair and reasonable,” our board of directors may consider the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly advantageous or beneficial to us; and

 

    provides that neither our general partner nor our officers or our directors are liable for monetary damages to us, our limited partners or assignees for any acts or omissions unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that our general partner or directors or our officers or directors or those other persons engaged in actual fraud or willful misconduct.

Fees and cost reimbursements, which the Manager determines for services provided to us, represent a significant percentage of our revenues, are payable regardless of profitability and reduce our cash available for distributions and repurchases of common units.

A large portion of the management, staffing and administrative services that we require to operate our business are provided to us by the Manager. We pay the Manager, a wholly owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings, a commercial and technical management fee under the Management Agreement, as well as an administrative services fee under the Administrative Services Agreement. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, these fees amounted to $13.2 million, or 44.1% of our revenue for such period. For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, these fees amounted to $18.4 million, or 46.9% of our revenue for such period.

Under the terms of our Management Agreement with the Manager, we will pay a daily fixed fee of $6,100 for containerships from 3,000 TEU up to 5,500 TEU, $6,700 for containerships from 5,500 TEU and up to 8,000 TEU and $7,400 for containerships from 8,000 TEU up to 10,000 TEU until June 2019 for technical and commercial management services provided to us by the Manager. This fixed daily fee covers all of our vessels’ operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs. Drydocking and special survey are paid to the Manager at cost. During the remaining three years of the term of the Management Agreement, we will reimburse the Manager for all of the actual operating costs and expenses it incurs in connection with the management of our fleet. The initial term of the Management Agreement expires in June 2022. The daily fee to be paid to the Manager includes all costs incurred in providing certain commercial and technical management services to us as described in this prospectus under “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.” We expect that we will reimburse the Manager for all dry-docking expenses it incurs in connection with the management of our fleet, which may result in significantly higher fees. All of the fees we are required to pay to the Manager under the Management Agreement will be payable to our manager without regard to our financial condition or results of operations. In addition, the Manager will provide us with administrative services, including the services of our officers and directors, pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement which has an initial term of five years, expiring in June 2022, and we will reimburse the Manager for all costs and expenses reasonably incurred by it in

 

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connection with the provision of those services. The exact amount of these future costs and expenses are unquantifiable at this time and they are payable regardless of our profitability. If we desire to terminate either of these agreements before its scheduled expiration, we must provide twelve months’ prior notice to the Manager. As a result, our ability to make short-term adjustments to manage our costs by terminating one or both these agreements may be limited which could cause our results of operations and ability to pay cash distributions and repurchases of common units to be materially and adversely affected.

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that may have the effect of discouraging a person or group from attempting to remove our current management or our general partner, and even if public unit holders are dissatisfied, they will be unable to remove our general partner without Navios Holdings’ consent, unless Navios Holdings’ ownership share in us is decreased; all of which could diminish the trading price of our common units.

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that may have the effect of discouraging a person or group from attempting to remove our current management or our general partner.

 

    The vote of the holders of at least 75% of all outstanding common units voting is required to remove the general partner. As of                 , 2018, after giving effect to our conversion from a corporation to a limited partnership, Navios Holdings owns     % of the total number of common units.

 

    Common unit holders elect only four of the seven members of our board of directors. Our general partner in its sole discretion has the right to appoint the remaining three directors.

 

    Election of the four directors elected by unit holders is staggered, meaning that the members of only one of three classes of our elected directors are selected each year. In addition, the directors appointed by our general partner will serve for terms determined by our general partner.

 

    A director appointed by our general partner may be removed from our board of directors at any time without cause only by our general partner and with cause by either our general partner, the vote of holders of a majority of all classes of equity interests in us voting as a single class or the majority vote of the other members of our board. A director elected by our common unit holders may be removed from our board of directors at any time without cause only by the majority vote of the other members of our board and with cause by the vote of holders of a majority of our outstanding common units or the majority vote of the other members of our board. “Cause” is narrowly defined to mean that a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding our general partner liable for actual fraud or willful or wanton misconduct in its capacity as our general partner. Cause does not include most cases of charges of poor business decisions such as charges of poor management of our business by the directors appointed by our general partner.

 

    Our partnership agreement contains provisions limiting the ability of unit holders to call meetings of unit holders, to nominate directors and to acquire information about our operations as well as other provisions limiting the unit holders’ ability to influence the manner or direction of management.

 

    Unit holders’ voting rights are further restricted by the partnership agreement provision providing that if any person or group owns beneficially more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, any such units owned by that person or group in excess of 4.9% may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unit holders or calculating required votes (except for purposes of nominating a person for election to our board), determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes, unless required by law. The voting rights of any such unit holders in excess of 4.9% will be effectively redistributed pro rata among the other unit holders of the same class that are not subject to this voting limitation. Our general partner, its affiliates and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors will not be subject to this 4.9% limitation except with respect to voting their common units in the election of the elected directors.

 

    We have substantial latitude in issuing equity securities without unit holder approval.

 

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Our general partner may transfer its general partner interest to, and the control of our general partner may be transferred to, a third party without unit holder consent.

Our general partner may transfer its general partner interest to a third party without the consent of the unit holders. In addition, our partnership agreement does not restrict the ability of a member of our general partner from transferring its membership interests in our general partner to a third party. A different general partner may make decisions or operate our business in a manner that that is different, and significantly less skilled and beneficial to the Company, and that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as our cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders.

The price of our securities may be volatile.

The price of our equity securities may be volatile and may fluctuate due to various factors including:

 

    actual or anticipated fluctuations in quarterly and annual results;

 

    fluctuations in the seaborne transportation industry, including fluctuations in the containership market;

 

    our making of distributions and repurchases of common units;

 

    mergers and strategic alliances in the shipping industry;

 

    changes in governmental regulations or maritime self-regulatory organization standards;

 

    shortfalls in our operating results from levels forecasted by securities analysts;

 

    announcements concerning us or our competitors;

 

    general economic conditions;

 

    terrorist acts;

 

    future sales of our common units or other securities;

 

    investors’ perceptions of us and the international container shipping industry;

 

    the general state of the securities markets; and

 

    other developments affecting us, our industry or our competitors.

The containership sector of the shipping industry has been highly unpredictable and volatile. Securities markets worldwide are experiencing significant price and volume fluctuations. The market price for our securities may also be volatile. This market volatility, as well as general economic, market or political conditions, could reduce the market price of our securities in spite of our operating performance. Consequently, you may not be able to sell our securities at prices equal to or greater than those at which you pay or paid.

Substantial future sales of our common units in the public market could cause the price of our common units to fall.

Under the partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner, our Chairman and CEO, Angeliki Frangou, or any of their current or future affiliates if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available or advisable. These registrations may be solely for sales of partnership securities by our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates, or may also register sales of partnership securities by us or, if we grant registration rights to a unitholder other than our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates, a third party. Following this offering, Navios Holdings will own              of our outstanding common units and Navios Partners will own              of our outstanding common units. Following their registration and sale under an applicable registration statement, those securities will become freely tradable. By exercising their registration rights and selling a large number of common units or other securities, these unit holders could cause the price of our common units to decline. Further, the issuance from time to time of new common units in any equity offering, or the perception that such sales may occur, could have the effect of depressing the market price of our common units. See “Units Eligible for Future Sale.”

 

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You will experience immediate and substantial dilution of $        per common unit.

The assumed initial public offering price of $        per common unit exceeds pro forma net tangible book value of $        per common unit. Based on the assumed initial public offering price, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution of $        per common unit. See “Dilution.”

You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings and other issuances of our common units or other securities.

In order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional common units or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common units, including convertible debt. We cannot predict the size of future issuances or sales of our common units, including those made in connection with future acquisitions or capital activities, or the effect, if any, that such issuances or sales may have on the market price of our common units. The issuance and sale of substantial amounts of common units, or announcement that such issuance and sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common units. In addition, we cannot assure you that we will be able to make future sales of our common units or other securities in any other offering at a price per unit that is equal to or greater than the price per unit paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights that are superior to existing unit holders. The price per unit at which we sell additional common units or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common units in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per unit in this offering, and could adversely impact the trading price of our common units.

Our management will have broad discretion with respect to the use of the proceeds resulting from the issuance of common units in this offering.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could spend such proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common units. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses and cause the price of our common units to decline. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.

There is no existing U.S. market for our common units, and a trading market that will provide you with adequate liquidity may not develop. The price of our common units may fluctuate significantly, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Prior to this offering, the public market for our securities has been very limited through the N-OTC. Immediately upon completion of this offering, there will be              common units outstanding. We do not know the extent to which investor interest will lead to an active U.S. trading market or how liquid that market might be. You may not be able to resell your common units at or above the price at which you acquired the common units. Additionally, the lack of liquidity may result in wide bid-ask spreads, contribute to significant fluctuations in the market price of the common units and limit the number of investors who are able to buy the common units.

We may issue additional equity securities and may do so without unit holder approval, which would dilute your ownership interests.

We may, without the approval of our unit holders, issue an unlimited number of additional units or other equity securities. The issuance by us of additional common units or other equity securities of equal or senior rank will have the following effects:

 

    our unit holders’ proportionate ownership interest in us will decrease;

 

    the amount of cash available for distribution on each common unit and repurchases of common units may decrease;

 

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    the relative voting strength of each previously outstanding unit may be diminished; and

 

    the market price of the common units may decline.

If we expand the size of our fleet in the future, we generally will be required to make significant installment payments for acquisitions of vessels prior to their delivery and generation of revenue. Depending on whether we finance our expenditures through cash from operations or by issuing debt or equity securities, our ability to make cash distributions and repurchases of common units may be diminished or our financial leverage could increase or our unit holders could be diluted.

We cannot assure you that our board of directors will declare cash distributions or unit repurchases in the foreseeable future.

While we initially expect to make quarterly cash distributions or unit repurchases, our board of directors may not declare cash distributions or unit repurchases in the future.

The declaration and payment of cash distributions or unit repurchases, if any, will always be subject to the discretion of our board of directors, restrictions contained in our credit facilities and the requirements of Marshall Islands law. The timing and amount of any cash distributions and unit repurchases declared will depend on, among other things, our earnings, financial condition and cash requirements and availability, our ability to obtain debt and equity financing on acceptable terms as contemplated by our growth strategy, the terms of our outstanding indebtedness and the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us. The containership sector of the shipping industry is highly volatile, and we cannot predict with certainty the amount of cash, if any, that will be available for distribution as cash distributions in any period. Also, there may be a high degree of variability from period to period in the amount of cash that is available for the payment of cash distributions and repurchases of common units.

We may incur expenses or liabilities or be subject to other circumstances in the future that reduce or eliminate the amount of cash that we have available for distribution as cash distributions and repurchases of common units, including as a result of the risks described herein. Our growth strategy contemplates that we will finance our acquisitions of additional vessels primarily through debt financings and/or the net proceeds of future equity issuances on terms acceptable to us. If financing is not available to us on acceptable terms, our board of directors may determine to finance or refinance acquisitions with cash from operations, which would reduce the amount of any cash available for distributions and repurchases of common units.

Our general partner has a limited call right that may require our unit holders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price.

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates, including Navios Partners, own more than 80% of the common units, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign to any of its affiliates or to us, but not the obligation, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the common units held by unaffiliated persons at a price not less than their then-current market price. As a result, unit holders may be required to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price and may not receive any return on their investment. Unit holders may also incur a tax liability upon a sale of their units.

After giving effect to this offering, our general partner and its affiliates, including Navios Partners, will own         % of our common units.

We can borrow money to make distributions and repurchases of common units, which would reduce the amount of credit available to operate our business.

Our partnership agreement will allow us to make borrowings to make distributions and repurchases of common units. Accordingly, we can make distributions on all our units and repurchases of common units even

 

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though cash generated by our operations may not be sufficient to pay such distributions and repurchases. Any borrowings by us to make distributions and unit repurchases will reduce the amount of borrowings we can make for operating our business.

Increases in interest rates may cause the market price of our common units to decline.

An increase in interest rates may cause a corresponding decline in demand for equity investments in general, and in particular for yield-based equity investments such as our common units. Any such increase in interest rates or reduction in demand for our common units resulting from other relatively more attractive investment opportunities may cause the trading price of our common units to decline. In addition, our interest expense will increase, since initially our debt will bear interest at a floating rate, subject to any interest rate swaps we may enter into the future.

Unit holders may have liability to repay distributions.

Under some circumstances, unit holders may have to repay amounts wrongfully returned or distributed to them. Under the Marshall Islands Act, we may not make a distribution to you if the distribution would cause our liabilities to exceed the fair value of our assets. Marshall Islands law provides that for a period of three years from the date of the impermissible distribution, limited partners who received the distribution and who knew at the time of the distribution that it violated Marshall Islands law will be liable to the limited partnership for the distribution amount. Assignees who become substituted limited partners are liable for the obligations of the assignor to make contributions to the partnership that are known to the assignee at the time it became a limited partner and for unknown obligations if the liabilities could be determined from the partnership agreement. Liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interest and liabilities that are non-recourse to the partnership are not counted for purposes of determining whether a distribution is permitted.

We have been organized as a limited partnership under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of partnership law; as a result, unit holders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests than would unit holders of a similarly organized limited partnership in the United States.

Our partnership affairs are governed by our partnership agreement and by the Marshall Islands Act. The provisions of the Marshall Islands Act resemble provisions of the limited partnership laws of a number of states in the United States, most notably Delaware. The Marshall Islands Act also provides that it is to be applied and construed to make it uniform with Delaware law and, so long as it does not conflict with the Marshall Islands Act or decisions of the Marshall Islands courts, interpreted according to the non-statutory law (or case law) of the State of Delaware. There have been, however, few, if any, court cases in the Marshall Islands interpreting the Marshall Islands Act, in contrast to Delaware, which has a fairly well-developed body of case law interpreting its limited partnership statute. Accordingly, we cannot predict whether Marshall Islands courts would reach the same conclusions as the courts in Delaware. For example, the rights of our unit holders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our general partner under Marshall Islands law are not as clearly established as under judicial precedent in existence in Delaware. As a result, unit holders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by our officers or directors than would unit holders of a similarly organized limited partnership in the United States.

Because we are organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands and our business is operated primarily from our office in Monaco, it may be difficult to serve us with legal process or enforce judgments against us, our directors or our management.

We are organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands, and all of our assets are located outside of the United States. Our business is operated primarily from our office in Monaco. In addition, our general partner is a Marshall Islands limited liability company, and our directors and officers generally are or will be non-residents

 

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of the United States, and all or a substantial portion of the assets of these non-residents are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for unit holders to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the United States if unit holders believe that their rights have been infringed under securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Marshall Islands, Monaco and of other jurisdictions may prevent or restrict unit holders from enforcing a judgment against our assets or the assets of our general partner or our directors or officers.

Unit holders may not have limited liability if a court finds that unit holder action constitutes control of our business.

As a limited partner in a partnership organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands, unit holders could be held liable for our obligations to the same extent as a general partner if you participate in the “control” of our business. Our general partner generally has unlimited liability for the obligations of the partnership, such as its debts and environmental liabilities, except for those contractual obligations of the partnership that are expressly made without recourse to our general partner.

We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our common units less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company”, as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies”. We cannot predict if investors will find our common units less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common units less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common units and our unit price may be more volatile.

In addition, under the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for so long as we are an emerging growth company. For as long as we take advantage of the reduced reporting obligations, the information that we provide unit holders may be different than information provided by other public companies.

The initial public offering price for the common units was determined by negotiations among us and the representatives of the underwriters.

There has been no public trading market for our common units prior to this offering. As a result, the initial public offering price for our common units was determined through negotiations among us and the representatives of the underwriters. We did not obtain an independent third-party valuation regarding the total value of the vessels in our initial fleet. In negotiating the initial public offering price for our common units, the underwriters, Navios Partners and Navios Holdings may have interests which differ from the interests of our unit holders. Accordingly, the initial public offering price may be different than the price that would have been determined based on an independent third-party valuation regarding the value of our initial fleet, or the market price of the common units that will prevail in the trading market. See “Use of Proceeds,” “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties” and “Underwriting.”

We have no operating history as a U.S. publicly-traded company, and our historical financial information is not necessarily representative of the results we would have achieved as a publicly-traded company and may not be a reliable indicator of our future results.

Following this offering, we will be responsible for the additional costs associated with being a U.S. publicly-traded company, including costs related to corporate governance, investor and public relations and public reporting. Therefore, our historical financial statements may not be indicative of our future performance as a publicly-traded company. We cannot assure you that our operating results will continue at a similar level when

 

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we are a publicly-traded company. For additional information about our past financial performance and the basis of presentation of our financial statements, see “Selected Historical Financial Data,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our historical financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Tax Risks

In addition to the following risk factors, you should read “Taxation of the Partnership,” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Marshall Islands Tax Considerations” for a more complete discussion of the expected material U.S. federal income tax and Marshall Islands tax considerations relating to us and the ownership and disposition of our common units.

We may be subject to taxes, which may reduce our cash available for distribution to our unit holders.

We and our subsidiaries may be subject to tax in the jurisdictions in which we are organized or operate, reducing the amount of cash available for distribution. In computing our tax obligation in these jurisdictions, we may be required to take various tax accounting and reporting positions on matters that are not entirely free from doubt and for which we have not received rulings from the governing authorities. We cannot assure you that upon review of these positions the applicable authorities will agree with our positions. A successful challenge by a tax authority could result in additional tax imposed on us or our subsidiaries, further reducing the cash available for distribution. In addition, changes in our operations or ownership could result in additional tax being imposed on us or our subsidiaries in jurisdictions in which operations are conducted.

In accordance with the currently applicable Greek law, foreign flagged vessels that are managed by Greek or foreign ship management companies having established an office in Greece are subject to duties towards the Greek state which are calculated on the basis of the relevant vessels’ tonnage. The payment of said duties exhausts the tax liability of the foreign ship owning company and the relevant manager against any tax, duty, charge or contribution payable on income from the exploitation of the foreign flagged vessel. As our Manager is located in Greece, we will have to pay these duties.

U.S. tax authorities could treat us as a “passive foreign investment company,” which could have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. unit holders.

A non-U.S. entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes will be treated as a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes if at least 75.0% of its gross income for any taxable year consists of certain types of “passive income,” or at least 50.0% of the average value of the entity’s assets produce or are held for the production of those types of “passive income.” For purposes of these tests, “passive income” generally includes dividends, interest, gains from the sale or exchange of investment property, and rents and royalties other than rents and royalties that are received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business. For purposes of these tests, income derived from the performance of services does not constitute “passive income.” U.S. unit holders of a PFIC are subject to a disadvantageous U.S. federal income tax regime with respect to the income derived by the PFIC, the distributions they receive from the PFIC, and the gain, if any, they derive from the sale or other disposition of their units in the PFIC, as well as additional U.S. federal income tax filing obligations.

Based on our current and projected method of operation, we believe that we will not be a PFIC for our current taxable year, and we expect that we will not become a PFIC with respect to any future taxable year. In this regard, we expect that all of the vessels in our fleet will be engaged in time or voyage chartering activities, and we intend to treat our income from those activities as non-passive income, and the vessels engaged in those activities as non-passive assets, for PFIC purposes. However, we cannot assure you that the method of our operations, or the nature or composition of our income or assets, will not change in the future and that we will not become a PFIC. Moreover, although there is legal authority for our position, there is also contrary authority

 

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and no assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), will accept our position. We express no belief regarding our PFIC status with respect to any U.S. Holder that acquired common units prior to this offering or any U.S. person that acquired common shares of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

We may have to pay tax on U.S. source income, which would reduce our earnings.

Under the Code, 50.0% of the gross transportation income of a vessel-owning or chartering corporation that is attributable to transportation that either begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States is characterized as U.S. source international transportation income. U.S. source international transportation income generally is subject to a 4.0% U.S. federal income tax without allowance for deduction or, if such U.S. source international transportation income is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, U.S. federal corporate income tax (presently imposed at a 21.0% rate) as well as a branch profits tax (presently imposed at a 30.0% rate on effectively connected earnings), unless the non-U.S. corporation qualifies for exemption from tax under Section 883 of the Code.

Based on certain assumptions, we intend to take the position that our common units will represent more than 50.0% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our equity interests entitled to vote and, therefore, that we will qualify for the statutory tax exemption under Section 883 of the Code, provided that our common units (i) represent more than 50.0% of the total value of all of our outstanding equity interests, (ii) satisfy certain listing and trading volume requirements, and (iii) are not subject to certain exceptions based on our common units being closely held. However, our position is based on certain assumptions regarding us, our units and the holders thereof, and there are factual circumstances, including some that may be beyond our control, which could cause us to fail to qualify for the benefit of this tax exemption. Furthermore, our board of directors or general partner could determine that it is in our best interests to take an action or actions that would result in this tax exemption not applying to us. In addition, our position that we qualify for this exemption is based upon legal authorities that do not expressly contemplate an organizational structure such as ours; specifically, although we intend to elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we are organized as a limited partnership under Marshall Islands law. We cannot give any assurance that we will qualify for this tax exemption for any taxable year or that the IRS will not take a different position regarding our qualification for this tax exemption.

If we were not entitled to the Section 883 exemption for any taxable year, we generally would be subject to a 4.0% U.S. federal income tax with respect to our gross U.S. source international transportation income or, if such U.S. source international transportation income were effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, U.S. federal corporate income tax as well as a branch profits tax for any such taxable year or years. Our failure to qualify for the Section 883 exemption could have a negative effect on our business and would result in decreased earnings available for distribution to our unit holders. See “Taxation of the Partnership.”

You may be subject to income tax in one or more non-U.S. countries, including Greece, as a result of owning our common units if, under the laws of any such country, we are considered to be carrying on business there. Such laws may require you to file a tax return with and pay taxes to those countries.

We intend that our affairs and the business of each of our subsidiaries will be conducted and operated in a manner that minimizes income taxes imposed upon us and our subsidiaries or which may be imposed upon you as a result of owning our common units. However, because we are organized as a partnership, there is a risk in some jurisdictions that our activities and the activities of our subsidiaries may be attributed to our unit holders for tax purposes and, thus, that you will be subject to tax in one or more non-U.S. countries, including Greece, as a result of owning our common units if, under the laws of any such country, we are considered to be carrying on business there. If you are subject to tax in any such country, you may be required to file a tax return with and to pay tax in that country based on your allocable share of our income. We may be required to reduce distributions to you on account of any withholding obligations imposed upon us by that country in respect of such allocation to you. The United States may not allow a tax credit for any foreign income taxes that you directly or indirectly incur.

 

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We believe we can conduct our activities in such a manner that our unit holders should not be considered to be carrying on business in Greece solely as a consequence of the acquisition, holding, disposition or redemption of our common units. However, the question of whether either we or any of our subsidiaries will be treated as carrying on business in any particular country, including Greece, will be largely a question of fact to be determined based upon an analysis of contractual arrangements, including the Management Agreement and the Administrative Services Agreement we entered into with the Manager, and the way we conduct business or operations, all of which may change over time. Furthermore, the laws of Greece or any other country may change in a manner that causes that country’s taxing authorities to determine that we are carrying on business in such country and are subject to its taxation laws. Any foreign taxes imposed on us or any subsidiaries will reduce our cash available for distribution.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately $        million from the offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units) after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses payable by us. This estimate is based on an assumed public offering price of $        per common unit, which is the mid-point of the range on the cover of this prospectus.

We intend to use the net proceeds of the offering to partially finance the acquisition of five identified containerships, as described below:

 

    one 2006-built 6,800 TEU containership from Navios Partners for a purchase price of $36.0 million. The purchase price of the vessel was determined by an independent valuator. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Special Committee of the independent members of our Board of Directors. We expect to partially finance the acquisition of the vessel with additional borrowings of approximately $15.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities and up to $6.1 million of equity. The number of units issued will be based on the initial public offering price; and

 

    four 2011-built 10,000 TEU containerships from an unrelated third party for an aggregate purchase price of $210.0 million. The acquisition of the four 10,000 TEU containerships will also be partially financed through additional borrowings of approximately $126.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank.

Although we have entered into agreements to acquire the vessels identified above, the agreements are subject to certain conditions, including the completion of this offering, and there is no guarantee that we will acquire these vessels. In addition, we may be unable to secure debt financing for these acquisitions on terms satisfactory to us, or at all.

If, for any reason, we are unable to acquire the identified vessels, or if the vessels that we acquire do not generate the revenues we anticipate, that could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, including cash available for distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

This offering is not conditioned upon the acquisition of the five identified vessels.

A $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed public offering price of $        per common unit, would cause the net proceeds from the offering, after deducting the estimated underwriting discount and commissions and offering expenses payable by us, to increase or decrease, respectively, by approximately $        million. In addition, we may also increase or decrease the number of common units we are offering. Each increase of 1.0 million common units offered by us, together with a concomitant $1.00 increase in the assumed public offering price to $        per common units, would increase net proceeds to us from the offering by approximately $        million. Similarly, each decrease of 1.0 million common units offered by us, together with a concomitant $1.00 decrease in the assumed initial offering price to $        per common unit, would decrease the net proceeds to us from the offering by approximately $        million.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of March 31, 2018:

 

    on a historical basis; and

 

    on an as adjusted basis after giving effect to:

 

    the new $25.0 million loan from a commercial bank to partially finance the acquisition of the Navios Unison and the new $36.0 million loan from commercial banks to partially finance the acquisitions of the YM Utmost and YM Unity;

 

    proceeds of $37.5 million for the sale and leaseback of the first six of a total of 18 vessels under the new $119.0 million sale and leaseback transaction that will refinance our outstanding credit facilities maturing in the fourth quarter of 2019, with a combined balance of $92.4 million outstanding on March 31, 2018; and

 

    a loan repayment of $15.1 million under our secured credit facility made subsequent to March 31, 2018, of which $14.2 million relate to our facilities maturing in the fourth quarter of 2019.

 

    on an as further adjusted basis after giving effect to the:

 

    issuance of the common units in the offering by us at an assumed initial public offering price of $        per common unit, which is the mid-point of the range on the cover of this prospectus, and the application of the use of proceeds as set forth in “Use of Proceeds”;

 

    issuance of common units to Navios Partners to partially finance the acquisition of the Hyundai Hongkong; and

 

    indebtedness incurred in connection with the acquisition of the five containerships to be acquired with the proceeds of this offering.

You should read this capitalization table together with the sections of this prospectus entitled “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     As of March 31, 2018  
     Historical      As Adjusted      As Further Adjusted  
(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    (unaudited)      (unaudited)     

(unaudited)

 

Long-term debt (including current portion):

        

Senior secured credit facilities

   $ 115,802      $ 199,230      $               
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total long-term debt (1)

   $ 115,802      $ 199,230      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Partners’ capital:

        

Common units held by public (                 units on a historical and as adjusted basis,          units on an as further adjusted basis)

   $ 105,202      $ 105,202      $  

Common units held by general partner and its affiliates (                     units on a historical and as adjusted basis,          units on an as further adjusted basis)

   $ 67,612      $ 67,612      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Navios Containers partners’ capital (2)

   $ 172,814      $ 172,814      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 288,616      $ 372,044      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) Total long-term debt (including current portion and the liability deriving from the sale and leaseback transaction) is presented gross of deferred financing costs of $1.4 million as of March 31, 2018.
(2) Partners’ capital, as adjusted, does not give effect to fees and estimated expenses relating to this offering.

 

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MARKET PRICE INFORMATION

The common shares of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. (the entity that will convert into Navios Maritime Containers L.P. in connection with this offering) have traded on the Norwegian OTC List, an over-the-counter market that is administered and operated by a subsidiary of the Norwegian Securities Dealers Association, since June 12, 2017 under the symbol “NMCI.” Following this offering, we intend to deregister from the Norwegian OTC List. We have applied to list our common units on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NMCI.”

The following tables set forth the high and low prices for the common shares of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for the calendar periods listed below. The following information gives effect to the conversion ratio of                  shares of common stock of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for each common unit of Navios Containers to be effected in connection with the conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. into Navios Containers.

Share prices on the Norwegian OTC List are presented in Norwegian Kroner (“NOK”). Share prices below are presented in U.S. Dollars per common share based on the Bloomberg Composite Rate on each day of measurement. On June 14, 2018, the exchange rate between the NOK and the U.S. dollar was NOK 8.1369 to one U.S. dollar based on the Bloomberg Composite Rate in effect on that date.

 

     Norwegian OTC List  
         High              Low      

For the Fiscal Year Ended

     

December 31, 2017 (from June 12, 2017)

   $ 5.86      $ 5.26  

 

     Norwegian OTC List  
         High              Low      

For the Calendar Quarter

     

Third Quarter 2018 (through July 2, 2018)

     —          —    

Second Quarter 2018

   $ 5.60      $ 5.10  

First Quarter 2018

   $ 6.12      $ 5.58  

Fourth Quarter 2017

   $ 5.86      $ 5.49  

Third Quarter 2017

   $ 5.52      $ 5.26  

Second Quarter 2017 (from June 12, 2017)

   $ 5.31      $ 5.31  

 

     Norwegian OTC List  
         High              Low      

For the Month

     

July 2018 (through July 2, 2018)

     —          —    

June 2018

   $ 5.41      $ 5.33  

May 2018

   $ 5.38      $ 5.10  

April 2018

   $ 5.60      $ 5.15  

March 2018

   $ 5.80      $ 5.62  

February 2018

   $ 6.00      $ 5.58  

January 2018

   $ 6.12      $ 5.70  

December 2017

   $ 5.86      $ 5.49  

November 2017

   $ 5.82      $ 5.60  

October 2017

   $ 5.69      $ 5.54  

September 2017

   $ 5.52      $ 5.36  

August 2017

     —          —    

July 2017

   $ 5.26      $ 5.26  

June 2017 (from June 12, 2017)

   $ 5.31      $ 5.31  

 

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DILUTION

Dilution is the amount by which the offering price will exceed the net tangible book value per common unit after this offering. Based on the assumed initial public offering price of $        per common unit, on a pro forma basis as of March 31, 2018, after giving effect to this offering of common units and the application of the net proceeds in the manner described under “Use of Proceeds,” our net tangible book value would have been $        million, or $        per common unit. Purchasers of common units in the offering will experience substantial and immediate dilution in net tangible book value per common unit for financial accounting purposes, as illustrated in the following table.

 

Assumed initial public offering price per common unit

   $               

Pro forma net tangible book value per common unit as of March 31, 2018

   $  

Increase in net tangible book value per common unit attributable to new investors in this offering

   $  

Less: Pro forma net tangible book value per common unit after this offering

   $  

Immediate dilution in net tangible book value per common unit to new investors in this offering

   $  

The following table sets forth the number of common units that we will issue and the total consideration contributed to us by the purchasers of common units in this offering upon consummation of this offering.

 

     Pro Forma Common Units
Outstanding
    Total Consideration     Average Price
Per Common
Unit
 
     Number      Percentage     Amount      Percentage    
           

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except percentages and per

common unit data)

 

Existing unit holders

                       $                                    $               

New investors

               $                       $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

        100   $        100   $  

 

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OUR DISTRIBUTION POLICY

Subject to the completion of the offering and the sole discretion of our board of directors and the considerations discussed below, we intend to make cash distributions or common unit repurchases on a quarterly basis that will annually equal, in the aggregate, between             % and             % of our net income (adjusted for exceptional items). We intend to pay an initial quarterly distribution of $             per common unit effective upon completion of the closing and beginning with the quarter ending September 30, 2018. We will pro rate the initial quarterly distribution based upon the length of the period from the date of the closing of this offering through September 30, 2018.

Any future determination related to our distribution policy and cash distributions will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors, requirements of Marshall Islands law, our results of operation, financial condition and cash requirements and availability, our ability to obtain debt and equity financing on acceptable terms as contemplated by our growth strategy, contractual restrictions, the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.

There is no guarantee that common unit holders will receive distributions from us or that we will make common unit repurchases. Our distribution policy may be changed at any time and is subject to certain risks and restrictions, including:

 

    Under Section 51 of the Marshall Islands Limited Partnership Act, we may not make a distribution to you if the distribution would cause our liabilities to exceed the fair value of our assets.

 

    We may lack sufficient cash to pay distributions to our common unit holders or make common unit repurchases due to decreases in net revenues or increases in operating expenses, principal and interest payments on outstanding debt, tax expenses, working capital requirements, capital expenditures or anticipated cash needs.

 

    Our distribution policy will be affected by restrictions on distributions under our existing credit facilities. Specifically, our credit facilities contain material financial tests that must be satisfied and we will not pay any distributions or make common unit repurchases that will cause us to violate our credit facilities or other debt instruments. These financial tests are described in this prospectus in ‘‘Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Revolving Credit Facility.’’ Should we be unable to satisfy these restrictions or if we are otherwise in default under our credit facilities, our ability to make cash distributions to you, notwithstanding our cash distribution policy, would be materially adversely affected.

 

    Our ability to make distributions to our unit holders or make common unit repurchases depends on the performance of our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. The ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us may be restricted by, among other things, the provisions of existing and future indebtedness, applicable partnership and limited liability company laws and other laws and regulations.

 

    We have a limited operating history upon which to rely with respect to whether we will have sufficient cash available for cash distributions or common unit repurchases.

 

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SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA

The following table presents summary historical consolidated financial data giving retroactive effect to our conversion from a corporation to a limited partnership described in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements included herein. The selected historical financial data as of March 31, 2018 and for the three months ended March 31, 2018 have been derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, and should be read together with and are qualified in their entirety by reference to such consolidated financial statements. The selected historical financial data as of December 31, 2017 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, and should be read together with and are qualified in their entirety by reference to such consolidated financial statements. The following table should be read together with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2018 and for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus and the audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP. Because we were formed in April 2017, we do not have financial results for any historical period that is comparative to the results of our operations reflected in our consolidated financial statements the three months ended March 31, 2018 or for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, included elsewhere in this prospectus.

All references to our common units and per unit data included in the selected historical financial data below have been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the conversion ratio of                      shares of common stock of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for each common unit of Navios Containers in connection with the conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. into Navios Containers.

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for unit and per unit data)    Three Months
Ended
March 31, 2018
     Period from
April 28, 2017

(date of inception)
to December 31, 2017
 

Statement of Income Data:

     

Revenue

   $ 29,917      $ 39,188  

Time charter and voyage expenses

     (811      (1,257

Direct vessel expenses

     (228      (672

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)

     (11,639      (16,488

General and administrative expenses

     (1,690      (2,262

Depreciation and amortization

     (10,566      (13,578

Interest expense and finance cost, net

     (1,871      (2,268

Other expense, net

     (71      (25

Net income

   $ 3,041      $ 2,638  

Net earnings per unit, basic and diluted

   $      $  

Common unit, basic and diluted

   $      $  

Weighted average number of units, basic and diluted

     

Common units

     

 

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     March 31, 2018      December 31, 2017  

Balance Sheet Data:

     

Total current assets

   $ 48,546      $ 21,371  

Vessels, net

     189,663        177,597  

Total assets

     296,529        266,811  

Total current liabilities

     50,015        49,559  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     73,700        76,534  

Total partners’ capital

   $ 172,814      $ 140,718  

 

     Three Months
Ended

March 31, 2018
    Period from April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017
 

Cash Flow Data:

    

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

   $ 7,381     $ 2,623  

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

   $ (12,788   $ (249,227

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

   $ 24,197     $ 260,825  

Increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash as applicable

   $ 18,790 (1)     $ 14,221  

Other Financial and Operating Data:

 

(in thousand of U.S dollars except days and per day TCE)

   Three Months
Ended

March 31, 2018
     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017
 

EBITDA (2)

   $ 15,706      $ 18,709  

Available days (3)

     1,907        2,411  

Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) per day (4)

     15,259        15,730  

 

(1) From January 1, 2018, reflects the adoption of ASU 2016-18.

 

(2) EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a reconciliation of EBITDA from net cash provided by operating activities, the most comparable U.S. GAAP liquidity measure, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Reconciliation of EBITDA from Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities.”

 

(3) Available days for the fleet are total calendar days the vessels were in our possession for the relevant period after subtracting off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydocking or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a relevant period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.

 

(4) TCE is defined as revenues less time charter and voyage expenses during a relevant period divided by the number of available days during the period.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with the historical consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus giving retroactive effect to our conversion from a corporation to a limited partnership, described in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Among other things, those financial statements include more detailed information regarding the basis of presentation for the following information. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and are presented in U.S. dollars.

Some of the information contained in this discussion includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Please read “Forward-Looking Statements” for more information. You should also review the “Risk Factors” for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. You should also carefully read the following discussion with “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements,” and “Selected Historical Financial Data.” We manage our business and analyze and report our results of operations in a single segment.

Business Overview

We are a growth-oriented international owner and operator of containerships. We were formed in April 2017 by Navios Holdings, which owns, operates or manages one of the largest shipping fleets by capacity, to take advantage of acquisition and chartering opportunities in the container shipping sector. We generate our revenues by chartering our vessels to leading liner companies pursuant to fixed-rate time charters. Under the terms of our charters, we provide crewing and technical management, while the charterer is generally responsible for securing cargoes, fuel costs and voyage expenses.

Because we were formed in April 2017, we do not have financial results for any historical period that is comparative to the results of our operations reflected in our consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2018 or the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, included elsewhere in this prospectus. We took delivery of our first vessels in our fleet in June 2017 and, after giving effect to the purchase of the containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, and including two containerships of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, we will have grown our fleet to 30 vessels with an aggregate carrying capacity of 166,338 TEU and an average fleet age of 9.8 years. Additionally, we have options to acquire four additional containerships, which would expand our fleet further.

The Navios Group began focusing on a strategy to expand its platform in the container sector in 2013, and in 2017 established its core asset base at a time when it believed values were at attractive levels. We believe this is a favorable time to continue to expand in the containership sector by acquiring quality second-hand vessels for which we see attractive employment opportunities. Containership prices remain at levels that are significantly below their 15-year historical averages and the time charter market for containerships started to show signs of improvement in 2017 and has continued to do so in the first quarter of 2018. Six to twelve month time charter rates for 4,400 TEU vessels increased from $7,300 per day in June 2017 to $13,300 per day by May 2018, while the average rate during the last 15 years was $20,388 per day. Rates for a six to twelve month time charter for 9,000 TEU vessels are at $30,500 per day as of May 2018, and the average rate for a three-year time charter during the last six years was $33,490 per day.

After giving effect to the containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, our fixed-term charters represented an aggregate of approximately $235.8 million of contracted revenue, assuming the redelivery dates set forth in the fleet table above in “Business—Fleet” and 365 revenue days per annum per containership.

The table below provides additional information about the charter coverage of our fleet, as of May 30, 2018, and after giving effect to the containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, the

 

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two containerships of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018 and as on a pro forma basis for 34 vessels as if we had acquired the four optional vessels from Navios Partners, for the remaining nine months of 2018 and for 2019. Except as indicated in the footnotes, it does not reflect events occurring after that date, including any charter contract we entered into after that date. The table assumes the midpoint redelivery dates under our containerships’ charters, unless otherwise indicated in the notes to our fleet table. See “Business—Fleet.”

 

     Fleet of
30 vessels
    Fleet of
34 vessels
 
     2018E     2019E     2018E     2019E  

Available Days (1)

     7,403       10,950       8,011       12,410  

Contracted Days

     5,584       2,918       6,192       4,378  

Contracted/Available Days

     75.4     26.6     77.3     35.3

 

(1) Available days for the fleet are total calendar days the vessels were in our possession for the relevant period after subtracting off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydocking or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a relevant period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.

Trends and Factors Affecting Our Future Results of Operations

We believe the principal factors that will affect our future results of operations are the economic, regulatory, political and governmental conditions that affect the shipping industry generally and that affect conditions in countries and markets in which our vessels engage in business. Other key factors that will be fundamental to our business, future financial condition and results of operations include:

 

    the demand for seaborne transportation services;

 

    the ability of our Manager’s commercial and chartering operations to successfully employ our vessels at economically attractive rates, particularly as our fleet expands and our charters expire;

 

    the effective and efficient technical management of our vessels by our Manager;

 

    our and our Manager’s ability to comply with governmental regulations, maritime organization regulations, as well as standard environmental, health and safety standards imposed by our charterers applicable to our business; and

 

    the strength of and growth in the number of our customer relationships, especially with liner companies.

In addition to the factors discussed above, we believe certain specific factors will impact our consolidated results of operations. These factors include:

 

    the fixed rates earned by our vessels under our charters;

 

    the length of time of the charters we are able to enter into;

 

    our access to capital required to acquire additional vessels and/or to implement our business strategy;

 

    our ability to acquire and sell vessels at prices we deem satisfactory;

 

    our level of debt and the related interest expense and amortization of principal; and

 

    the level of any distributions on and repurchases of our common units.

Components of Our Operating Results

Revenues: We generate our revenues by chartering our vessels to leading liner companies pursuant to fixed-rate time charters. Revenue is recorded when services are rendered, we have a signed charter agreement or other evidence of an arrangement, the price is fixed or determinable, and collection is reasonably assured.

 

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Time charters are available for varying periods, ranging from short-term to long-term charters. In general, a long-term time charter assures the vessel owner of a consistent stream of revenue. Operating the vessel under short-term charters, gives the owner greater market exposure, which may result in benefits from high rates when vessels are in high demand or low rates when vessel availability exceeds demand. We intend to operate our vessels through a mix of short-term and medium-term time charters, as well as some long-term time charters. Vessel charter rates are affected by world economics, international events, weather conditions, strikes, governmental policies, supply and demand and many other factors that might be beyond our control.

Time charter and voyage expenses: Time charter and voyage expenses comprise all expenses related to each particular voyage, bunkers, port charges, canal tolls, cargo handling, agency fees and brokerage commissions. Also included in time charter and voyage expenses are charterers’ liability insurances, provision for losses on time charters and voyages in progress at year-end and other miscellaneous expenses.

Direct vessel expenses: Direct vessel expenses comprise the amortization related to drydock and special survey costs of certain vessels of our fleet as well as any costs associated with the reactivation of laid-up vessels.

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions): Pursuant to the Management Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, as amended on November 23, 2017, April 23, 2018 and June 1, 2018, the Manager provides commercial and technical management services to our vessels, including commercial management, maintenance and crewing, purchasing and insurance. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. The fee for the ship management services provided by the Manager is a daily fixed fee of $6,100 for containerships from 3,000 TEU up to 5,500 TEU, $6,700 for containerships from 5,500 TEU up to 8,000 TEU and $7,400 for containerships from 8,000 TEU up to 10,000 TEU until June 2019. This fixed daily fee covers all of our vessels’ operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs. Drydocking and special survey are paid to the Manager at cost. During the remaining three years of the term of the Management Agreement, we will reimburse the Manager for all of the actual operating costs and expenses it incurs in connection with the management of our fleet.

General  & administrative expenses: General and administrative expenses include expenses incurred under the Administrative Services Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, pursuant to which the Manager provides administrative services to us, which include bookkeeping, audit and accounting services, legal and insurance services, administrative and clerical services, banking and financial services, advisory services, client and investor relations and other. The Manager is reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. General and administrative expenses also include legal, accounting and advisory fees. Total general and administrative fees charged are presented under “General and administrative expenses” in the consolidated statements of income. We expect our general and administrative expenses to increase following this offering as we incur additional costs as a result of operating as a public company, which will include the preparation of disclosure documents, legal and accounting costs, investor relation costs, incremental director and officer liability insurance costs, director and executive compensation and costs related to compliance with regulations applicable to being a public company, including Sarbanes-Oxley.

Depreciation and amortization: Depreciation is computed using the straight line method over the useful life of the vessels, after considering the estimated residual value. Management estimates the residual values of our containerships based on a scrap value of $340 per lightweight ton, as we believe these levels are common in the shipping industry. We estimate the useful life of our vessels to be 30 years from the vessel’s original construction. We also amortize the value of our favorable or unfavorable leases using a straight line method over the remaining life of the terms of the respective charter. Acquisitions of vessels with existing time charters can result in the recording of these intangible assets or intangible liabilities depending on whether the charter rate on the vessel acquired is higher or lower than market charter rates.

 

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Interest expense and finance cost, net: We incur interest expense on outstanding indebtedness under our existing credit facilities which we include in interest expense and finance cost, net. Interest expense and finance cost, net also include financing and legal costs in connection with establishing and amending those facilities, which are deferred and amortized during the life of the related debt using the effective interest method. Unamortized fees relating to loans repaid or refinanced, meeting the criteria of debt extinguishment, are expensed in the period the repayment or refinancing is made. We will incur additional interest expense in the future on our outstanding borrowings and under future borrowings.

Other expense, net: Other expense, net primarily includes non-recurring items that are not classified under the other categories of our consolidated income statement.

Operating Results

Three Months Ended March 31, 2018

The following table presents consolidated revenue and expense information for the three months ended March 31, 2018. This information was derived from our unaudited consolidated revenue and expense accounts for the respective period.

 

     Three Months
Ended March 31,
2018
 

Statement of Income Data:

  

Revenue

   $ 29,917  

Time charter and voyage expenses

     (811

Direct vessel expenses

     (228

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)

     (11,639

General and administrative expenses

     (1,690

Depreciation and amortization

     (10,566

Interest expense and finance cost, net

     (1,871

Other expense, net

     (71
  

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 3,041  
  

 

 

 

The following table reflects certain key indicators indicative of the performance of our operations and our fleet performance for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

 

     Three Months
Ended March 31,
2018
 

Fleet Data

  

Available days (1)

     1,907  

Operating days (2)

     1,877  

Fleet utilization (3)

     98.4

Vessels operating at period end

     22  

Average Daily Results

  

Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) per day (4)

   $ 15,259  

 

1) Available days for the fleet are total calendar days the vessels were in our possession for the relevant period after subtracting off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydocking or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a relevant period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
2) Operating days are the number of available days in the relevant period less the aggregate number of days that the vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a relevant period during which vessels actually generate revenues.

 

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3) Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that Navios Containers’ vessels were available for generating revenue, and is determined by dividing the number of operating days during a relevant period by the number of available days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company’s efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels.
4) TCE is defined as revenues less time charter and voyage expenses during a relevant period divided by the number of available days during the period.

Revenues: Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $29.9 million and consisted of time charter revenues. Following our acquisition of 22 vessels and based on the timing of the deliveries of these vessels into our fleet, we had 1,907 available days, with a TCE of $15,259.

Time charter and voyage expenses: Time charter and voyage expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $0.8 million, mainly relating to fuel and miscellaneous expenses.

Direct vessel expenses: Direct vessel expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $0.2 million and were related to the amortization of drydock and special survey costs, of certain vessels in our fleet.

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions): Management fees for the three months ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $11.6 million. Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the Manager, a wholly owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings, will provide commercial and technical management services to our vessels for a daily fixed fee of $6,100 for containerships from 3,000 TEU up to 5,500 TEU and $7,400 for containerships from 8,000 TEU up to 10,000 TEU, payable on the last day of each month, covering all of our vessels’ operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs.

General and administrative expenses:  General and administrative expenses were $1.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, the Manager also provides administrative services to us. The Manager is reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the expenses charged by the Manager for administrative fees were $1.6 million. The balance of $0.1 million of general and administrative expenses was related to legal and professional fees, as well as audit fees and directors’ fees.

Depreciation and amortization: Depreciation and amortization amounted to $10.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Vessel depreciation of $0.7 million is calculated using an estimated useful life of 30 years for containerships, from the date the vessel was originally delivered from the shipyard. Amortization of favorable lease terms that were recognized in relation to the acquisition of the rights on the time charter-out contracts of nine containerships was $9.9 million. The weighted average remaining useful lives are 1.5 years for time charters with favorable terms.

Interest expense and finance cost, net: Interest expense and finance cost, net for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $1.9 million. The weighted average interest rate under our credit facilities for the same period was 5.43%.

Other expense, net: Other expense for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was below $0.1 million, mainly attributable to miscellaneous expenses.

Net income: Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $3.0 million.

 

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Period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017

The following table presents consolidated revenue and expense information for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017. This information was derived from our audited consolidated revenue and expense accounts for the respective period.

 

     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of
inception) to
December 31,
2017
 

Statement of Income Data:

  

Revenue

   $ 39,188  

Time charter and voyage expenses

     (1,257

Direct vessel expenses

     (672

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)

     (16,488

General and administrative expenses

     (2,262

Depreciation and amortization

     (13,578

Interest expense and finance cost, net

     (2,268

Other expense, net

     (25
  

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 2,638  
  

 

 

 

The following table reflects certain key indicators indicative of the performance of our operations and our fleet performance for the period from which our initial vessels were delivered, June 8, 2017, through December 31, 2017.

 

     Period from
June 8, 2017 to
December 31,
2017
 

Fleet Data

  

Available days (1)

     2,411  

Operating days (2)

     2,268  

Fleet utilization (3)

     94.1

Vessels operating at period end

     21  

Average Daily Results

  

Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) per day (4)

   $ 15,730  

 

(1) Available days for the fleet are total calendar days the vessels were in our possession for the relevant period after subtracting off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydocking or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a relevant period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
(2) Operating days are the number of available days in the relevant period less the aggregate number of days that the vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a relevant period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
(3) Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that Navios Containers’ vessels were available for generating revenue, and is determined by dividing the number of operating days during a relevant period by the number of available days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company’s efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels.
(4) TCE is defined as revenues less time charter and voyage expenses during a relevant period divided by the number of available days during the period.

 

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Revenues: Revenues for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $39.2 million and consisted of time charter revenues. Following our acquisition of 21 vessels and based on the timing of the deliveries of these vessels into our fleet, we had 2,411 available days, with a TCE of $15,730.

Time charter and voyage expenses: Time charter and voyage expenses for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 were $1.3 million, mainly relating to fuel expenses.

Direct vessel expenses: Direct vessel expenses for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $0.7 million. The amortization of drydock and special survey costs, of certain vessels in our fleet amounted to $0.3 million and $0.4 million was related to the reactivation costs of four laid-up vessels.

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions): Management fees for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $16.5 million. Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the Manager, a wholly owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings, will provide commercial and technical management services to our vessels for a daily fixed fee of $6,100 until June 2019 for containerships up to 5,500 TEU, payable on the last day of each month, covering all of our vessels’ operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs.

General and administrative expenses:  General and administrative expenses were $2.3 million for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017. Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, the Manager also provides administrative services to us. The Manager is reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services. For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, the expenses charged by the Manager for administrative fees were $1.9 million. The balance of $0.4 million of general and administrative expenses was related to legal and professional fees, as well as audit fees and directors’ fees.

Depreciation and amortization: Depreciation and amortization amounted to $13.6 million for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017. Vessel depreciation of $0.6 million is calculated using an estimated useful life of 30 years for containerships, from the date the vessel was originally delivered from the shipyard. Amortization of favorable lease terms that were recognized in relation to the acquisition of the rights on the time charter-out contracts of nine containerships was $13.0 million. The weighted average remaining useful lives are 2.0 years for time charters with favorable terms.

Interest expense and finance cost, net: Interest expense and finance cost, net for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was $2.3 million. The weighted average interest rate under our credit facilities for the same period was 5.20%.

Other expense, net: Other expense for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was below $0.1 million, mainly attributable to miscellaneous expenses.

Net income: Net income for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was $2.6 million.

Liquidity and Cash Sources and Uses

Our primary short-term liquidity needs are to fund general working capital requirements, cash reserve requirements including those under our credit facilities and debt service, while our long-term liquidity needs primarily relate to capital expenditures, relating to vessel acquisitions, maintenance capital expenditures (relating primarily to drydocking expenditures) and debt repayment.

On June 11, 2018, we entered into a share purchase agreement with Navios Partners to acquire one vessel for a purchase price of $36.0 million, consisting of $29.9 million in cash and $6.1 million of equity. The number

 

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of units issued will be                 based on the assumed initial public offering price of $            , the mid-point of the range set forth on the cover of this prospectus. The purchase price of the vessel was determined by an independent valuator. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Special Committee of the independent members of our Board of Directors which considered, among other things, an appraisal from an independent valuator. We intend to fund the cash portion of the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $15.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities. The share purchase agreement also provides us with the option to purchase up to four additional vessels from Navios Partners at a purchase price of $36.0 million per vessel. The option vessels will be financed in a manner similar to the vessel to be acquired with the proceeds of this offering.

In June 2018, we also entered into an agreement with an unrelated third party to purchase four vessels for an aggregate purchase price of $210.0 million in cash. We intend to finance the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $126.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities.

We anticipate that our primary sources of funds for our short-term liquidity needs will be cash flows from operations, proceeds from this offering and bank borrowings. We have also recently entered into a sale and leaseback transaction which provided us an additional source of liquidity, and we may enter into similar transactions in the future. On March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, our current assets totaled $48.5 million and $21.4 million, respectively, while current liabilities totaled $50.0 million and $49.6 million, respectively, resulting in a negative working capital position of $1.5 million and $28.2 million, respectively. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, our current liabilities include $40.7 million and $42.5 million, respectively, related to installments due under our credit facilities. In May 2018, we entered into a sale and leaseback transaction for an amount of $119.0 million to refinance our outstanding credit facilities on 18 vessels maturing in the fourth quarter of 2019, with a combined balance of $92.4 million outstanding on March 31, 2018. We expect to be in a position to meet those loan obligations in part through our contracted revenue of $235.8 million (including contracted revenue to be generated by the seven vessels to be delivered in the second and third quarter of 2018), as of May 30, 2018. Generally, our long-term sources of funds derive from cash from operations, long-term bank borrowings and other debt or equity financings to fund acquisitions and expansion and investment capital expenditures, including opportunities we may pursue under the Omnibus Agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to raise the size of our credit facilities or obtaining additional funds on favorable terms.

Cash deposits and cash equivalents in excess of amounts covered by government provided insurance are exposed to loss in the event of non-performance by financial institutions. We maintain cash deposits and equivalents in excess of government provided insurance limits. We also minimize exposure to credit risk by dealing with a diversified group of major financial institutions.

On June 8, 2017, Navios Maritime Containers Inc. closed the initial private placement of 10,057,645 shares at a subscription price of $5.00 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $50.3 million. Navios Partners invested $30.0 million and received 59.7% of the equity, and Navios Holdings invested $5.0 million and received 9.9% of our equity. Each of Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the equity, respectively.

On August 29, 2017, Navios Maritime Containers Inc. closed a follow-on private placement of 10,000,000 shares at a subscription price of $5.00 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $50.0 million. Navios Partners invested $10.0 million and received 2,000,000 shares. Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the newly issued equity, respectively.

On November 9, 2017, Navios Maritime Containers Inc. closed a follow-on private placement of 9,090,909 shares at a subscription price of $5.50 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $50.0 million. Navios Partners invested $10.0 million and received 1,818,182 shares. Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the newly issued equity, respectively.

 

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On March 13, 2018, Navios Maritime Containers Inc. closed a follow-on private placement and issued 5,454,546 shares at a subscription price of $5.50 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $30.0 million. Navios Partners invested $14.5 million and received 2,629,095 shares and Navios Holdings invested $0.5 million and received 90,909 shares. Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the newly issued equity, respectively, at an exercise price of $5.50 per share.

As of March 31, 2018, Navios Maritime Containers Inc. had a total of 34,603,100 shares of common stock outstanding and a total of 2,941,264 warrants outstanding. Navios Partners holds 12,447,277 common shares representing 36.0% of the equity and Navios Holdings holds 1,090,909 common shares representing 3.2% of our equity. Each of Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also holds warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of our total equity, respectively.

In connection with this offering, Navios Maritime Containers Inc. was converted into a limited partnership named Navios Maritime Containers L.P. Upon such conversion, all of the warrants described above issued to Navios Partners and Navios Holdings expire.

Cash flows for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018:

The following table presents cash flow information for the three months ended March 31, 2018. This information was derived from our unaudited consolidated statement of cash flows for the respective period.

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    Three Months Ended
March 31, 2018
 

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 7,381  

Net cash used in investing activities

     (12,788

Net cash provided by financing activities

     24,197  

Increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

   $ 18,790  

Cash provided by operating activities for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018:

Net cash provided by operating activities amounted to $7.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. In determining net cash provided by operating activities, net income is adjusted for the effects of certain non-cash items which may be analyzed in detail as follows:

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    Three Months Ended
March 31, 2018
 

Net income

   $ 3,041  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

  

Depreciation and amortization

     10,566  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     271  

Amortization of deferred drydock and special survey costs

     228  
  

 

 

 

Net income adjusted for non-cash items

   $ 14,106  
  

 

 

 

Accounts receivable, net, amounted to $0.2 million as of March 31, 2018. The balance consisted of amounts due from charterers.

Amounts due from related parties, short-term, amounted to $12.6 million as of March 31, 2018. The balance mainly consisted of special survey and drydocking expenses for certain vessels of our fleet, as well as management fees, in accordance with the Management Agreement. Please refer to the relevant discussion below, under “Related Party Transactions”.

Inventories amounted to $0.9 million as of March 31, 2018. The balance consisted of bunkers on board our containerships.

 

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Amounts due from related parties, long-term, amounted to $6.3 million as of March 31, 2018, consisting of management fees, in accordance with the Management Agreement. Please refer to the relevant discussion below, under “Related Party Transactions”.

Accounts payable increased by $0.8 million at March 31, 2018. The balance mainly consisted of accounts payable relating to brokers and other service providers.

Accrued expenses increased by $0.7 million at March 31, 2018. The balance mainly consisted of: (i) $0.3 million accrued expenses; (ii) $0.3 million of accrued legal and professional fees and (iii) $0.1 million of accrued interest.

Deferred income and cash received in advance increased by $0.7 million at March 31, 2018. Deferred income primarily reflects charter-out amounts collected on voyages that have not been completed.

Cash used in investing activities for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018:

Cash used in investing activities was $12.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Cash used in investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2018 related to the acquisition of one containership and capitalized expenses in the first quarter of 2018.

Cash provided by financing activities for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018:

Cash provided by financing activities was $24.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was the result of (i) $6.0 million of loan proceeds to partially finance the acquisition of one containership; and (ii) $29.1 million proceeds from the issuance of 5,454,546 common shares, net of offering costs, related to the follow-on private placement in March 2018. Cash provided by financing activities was partially mitigated by $10.9 million of payments performed in connection with our outstanding indebtedness.

Cash flows for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017:

The following table presents cash flow information for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017. This information was derived from our audited consolidated statement of cash flows for the respective period.

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    Period from April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017
 

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 2,623  

Net cash used in investing activities

     (249,227

Net cash provided by financing activities

     260,825  

Increase in cash and cash equivalents

   $ 14,221  

 

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Cash provided by operating activities for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017:

Net cash provided by operating activities amounted to $2.6 million for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017. In determining net cash provided by operating activities, net income is adjusted for the effects of certain non-cash items which may be analyzed in detail as follows:

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    Period from April 28,
2017 (date of inception)
to December 31, 2017
 

Net income

   $ 2,638  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

  

Depreciation and amortization

     13,578  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     430  

Amortization of deferred drydock and special survey costs

     225  
  

 

 

 

Net income adjusted for non-cash items

   $ 16,871  
  

 

 

 

Accounts receivable, net, amounted to $0.6 million as of December 31, 2017. The balance consisted of amounts due from charterers.

Amounts due from related parties, short-term, amounted to $5.6 million as of December 31, 2017. The balance mainly consisted of special survey and drydocking expenses for certain vessels of our fleet, as well as management fees. Please refer to the relevant discussion below, under “Related Party Transactions”.

Inventories amounted to $0.5 million as of December 31, 2017. The balance consisted of bunkers on board our containerships.

Amounts due from related parties, long-term, amounted to $5.8 million as of December 31, 2017. The balance consisted of management fees. Please refer to the relevant discussion below, under “Related Party Transactions”.

Accounts payable increased by $0.5 million at December 31, 2017. The balance mainly consisted of accounts payable relating to brokers and other service providers.

Accrued expenses increased by $2.5 million at December 31, 2017. The balance mainly consisted of: (i) $1.1 million accrued expenses; (ii) $1.2 million of accrued legal and professional fees and (iii) $0.2 million of accrued interest.

Amounts due to related parties, short-term, decreased by $1.7 million as at December 31, 2017. The decrease was primarily due to the repayment of transaction costs related to the acquisition of the five 4,250 TEU containerships from Navios Partners.

Deferred income and cash received in advance increased by $0.3 million at December 31, 2017. Deferred income primarily reflects charter-out amounts collected on voyages that have not been completed.

Payments for drydock and special survey costs incurred at December 31, 2017 was $3.8 million and related to drydock and special survey costs incurred for certain vessels of the fleet.

Cash used in investing activities for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017:

Cash used in investing activities was $249.2 million for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017.

 

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Cash used in investing activities for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was the result of $254.7 million in payments relating to the acquisition of 21 containerships in 2017 partially mitigated by $5.5 million of cash acquired through an asset acquisition.

Cash provided by financing activities for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017:

Cash provided by financing activities was $260.8 million for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017.

Cash provided by financing activities for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was the result of (i) $126.9 million of loan proceeds (net of $2.1 million loan discounts and debt issuance costs) to partially finance the acquisition of 21 containerships; and (ii) $142.5 million proceeds from the issuance of 29,148,554 common shares, net of offering costs, related to the private placements in June, August and November 2017. Cash provided by financing activities was partially mitigated by (i) $8.3 million of payments performed in connection with our outstanding indebtedness; and (ii) $0.3 million increase in restricted cash related to the amounts held in retention accounts in order to service debt payments, as required by our credit facilities.

Reconciliation of EBITDA from Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    Three Months Ended
March 31, 2018
     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of
inception)

to December 31,
2017
 
     (unaudited)      (unaudited)  

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 7,381      $ 2,623  

Net increase in operating assets

     8,934        12,142  

Net increase in operating liabilities

     (2,209      (1,701

Payments for drydock and special survey

     —          3,807  

Deferred finance charges

     (271      (430

Net interest cost

     1,871        2,268  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

EBITDA (1)

   $ 15,706      $ 18,709  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)    Three Months Ended
March 31, 2018
     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of
inception) to
December 31,
2017
 

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 7,381      $ 2,623  

Net cash used in investing activities

   $ (12,788    $ (249,227

Net cash provided by financing activities

   $ 24,197      $ 260,825  

EBITDA : EBITDA represents net income before interest and finance costs, before depreciation and amortization and before income taxes. We use EBITDA as liquidity measure and reconcile EBITDA to net cash provided by operating activities, the most comparable U.S. GAAP liquidity measure. EBITDA is calculated as follows: net cash provided by operating activities adding back, when applicable and as the case may be, the effect of (i) net increase in operating assets, (ii) net (increase) in operating liabilities, (iii) net interest cost, (iv) deferred finance charges and (v) payments for drydock and special survey costs. We believe that EBITDA is a basis upon which liquidity can be assessed and represents useful information to investors regarding our ability to service

 

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and/or incur indebtedness, pay capital expenditures, meet working capital requirements and pay dividends. We also believe that EBITDA is used (i) by prospective and current lessors as well as potential lenders to evaluate potential transactions; (ii) to evaluate and price potential acquisition candidates; and (iii) by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry.

EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and therefore, should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the analysis of our results as reported under U.S. GAAP. Some of these limitations are: (i) EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, working capital needs; (ii) EBITDA does not reflect the amounts necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt and other financing arrangements; and (iii) although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized may have to be replaced in the future. EBITDA does not reflect any cash requirements for such capital expenditures. Because of these limitations, among others, EBITDA should not be considered as a principal indicator of our performance. Furthermore, our calculation of EBITDA may not be comparable to that reported by other companies due to differences in methods of calculation.

Borrowings

Our long-term third party borrowings are reflected in our balance sheet as “Long-term debt, net of current portion” and “Current portion of long-term debt, net”. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, total debt, net amounted to $114.4 million and $119.0 million, respectively. The current portion of long-term debt, net amounted to $40.7 million and $42.5 million, respectively, at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.

On June 30, 2017, we entered into a facility agreement with ABN AMRO BANK N.V. for an amount of up to $40.0 million (divided in three tranches of up to $34.3 million, $3.2 million and $2.5 million, respectively) to finance part of the purchase price of seven containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 385 basis points. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we have drawn the full amount and the outstanding loan amount under this facility was $28.8 million and $32.5 million, respectively. Pursuant to a supplemental agreement dated December 1, 2017, the outstanding loan amount as of March 31, 2018 is repayable in seven consecutive quarterly instalments, the first three each in an amount of $3.75 million and the subsequent four each in an amount of $1.0 million together with a final balloon payment of $13.4 million payable together with the last instalment, falling due on December 29, 2019.

On July 27, 2017, we entered into a facility agreement with ABN AMRO BANK N.V. for an amount of up to $21.0 million to finance part of the purchase price of seven containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 400 basis points. We have drawn the entire amount under this loan within the third quarter of 2017, net of the loan’s discount of $0.3 million. On December 1, 2017, we extended the facility dated July 27, 2017, for an additional amount of $50.0 million to finance part of the purchase price of four containerships. The additional loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 385 basis points. We have drawn the entire amount under the additional loan, within the fourth quarter of 2017, net of the loan’s discount of $0.6 million. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the total outstanding loan amount under this facility was $63.7 million and $70.2 million, respectively. As of March 31, 2018, the outstanding loan amount is repayable in seven consecutive quarterly installments each in an amount of $6.5 million along with a final balloon payment of $18.4 million payable together with the last instalment, falling due on November 30, 2019.

On June 29, 2018, we prepaid $4.0 million under the ABN AMBRO BANK N.V. facility dated July 27, 2017 in connection with the release of six containership vessels from that facility and the ABN AMBRO BANK N.V. facility dated June 30, 2017. On June 29, 2018, we also amended these facilities. The revised terms provide for: (i) margin of 400 basis points per annum applicable to all tranches and (ii) an amended repayment schedule and value maintenance covenants which will become effective upon completion of the IPO and satisfaction of certain conditions to closing.

On December 20, 2017, we entered into a facility agreement with BNP Paribas for an amount of up to $24.0 million (divided in four tranches of up to $6.0 million each) to finance part of the purchase price of four

 

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containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 300 basis points. As of March 31, 2018, we have drawn $24.0 million under this facility, net of the loan’s discount of $0.3 million. As of March 31, 2018, the outstanding loan amount of the three tranches under this facility was $17.4 million and is repayable in 19 equal consecutive quarterly installments, each in the amount of $0.6 million, along with a final balloon payment of $5.1 million, payable together with the last installment, falling due on December 22, 2022. The outstanding loan amount of the fourth tranche is $6.0 million and is repayable in 20 equal consecutive quarterly instalments each in the amount of $0.2 million, along with a final balloon payment of $1.7 million, payable together with the last installment falling due on February 28, 2023.

On May 25, 2018, we entered into a loan agreement with BNP Paribas, for an amount of up to $25.0 million to partially finance the purchase price of the Navios Unison. The loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 300 basis points. On May 29, 2018, we drew down the full $25.0 million under the loan. The loan is repayable in 20 equal consecutive quarterly installments each in the amount of $0.7 million, along with a final balloon payment of $11.1 million, payable together with the last installment, falling due in May 2023.

On June 28, 2018, we entered into a facility agreement with HSH Nordbank AG and Alpha Bank A.E. for an amount of up to $36.0 million (divided in two tranches of $18.0 million each) to finance part of the purchase price of two containerships. The facility is repayable in 16 consecutive quarterly installments out of which the first two will be equal to $1.0 million each, to be followed by 14 installments equal to $0.6 million each plus a final (balloon) installment of $7.6 million payable together with the last installment. The facility matures in July 2022 and bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 325 basis points per annum.

On May 25, 2018, we entered into a $119.0 million sale and leaseback transaction with Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. in order to refinance our outstanding credit facilities on 18 vessels maturing in the fourth quarter of 2019, with a combined balance of $92.4 million outstanding on March 31, 2018. Upon completion of the sale and leaseback transaction, we will be obligated to make 60 monthly payments in respect of all 18 vessels of approximately $1.4 million each. We also have an obligation to purchase the vessels at the end of the fifth year for $59.5 million. On June 29, 2018 we completed the sale and leaseback of the first six vessels for approximately $37.5 million. We expect to complete the sale and leaseback of the remaining 12 vessels during the third quarter of 2018.

Amounts drawn under the facilities are secured by first priority mortgages on our vessels. The credit facilities contain a number of restrictive covenants that limit our and/or our subsidiaries from, among other things: incurring or guaranteeing indebtedness; entering into affiliate transactions other than on arm’s length terms; charging, pledging or encumbering the vessels; changing the flag, class, management or ownership of our vessels; acquiring any vessel or permitting any guarantor to acquire any further assets or make investments; purchasing or otherwise acquiring for value any shares of our capital or declaring or paying any dividends; permitting any guarantor to form or acquire any subsidiaries. The majority of credit facilities also require the vessels to comply with the ISM Code and ISPS Code and to maintain safety management certificates and documents of compliance at all times.

Our credit facilities also require compliance with a number of financial covenants, including: (i) maintain a loan to value ratio ranging from 77% to 83%; (ii) minimum free consolidated liquidity of $11.0 million and $10.5 million, respectively, as at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 and equal to at least the product of $0.5 million and the total number of vessels wholly owned by us at that time; (iii) maintain a ratio of liabilities-to-assets (as defined in our credit facilities) of less than 0.80 : 1.00; and (iv) maintain a minimum net worth of at least $30.0 million. Among other events, it will be an event of default under our credit facilities if the financial covenants are not complied with. Following the release of six containership vessels on June 29, 2018 from the ABN AMBRO BANK N.V. facilities dated June 30, 2017 and July 27, 2017 as a result of the partial repayment of the facility dated July 27, 2017 with a portion of the proceeds from the sale and leaseback of the six released containerships, we amended these facilities. Under the amendments, we are required to maintain a loan to value ratio ranging from 77% to 50% for 2018 and the loan to value ratio further decreases gradually to 20%

 

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in 2019. The amendments will become effective upon completion of the IPO and satisfaction of certain conditions to closing.

In addition, it is a requirement under certain of our credit facilities that Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Angeliki Frangou and their respective affiliates collectively own at least 25% of us.

As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we were in compliance with all of the covenants under each of our credit facilities.

The weighted average interest rate of our total borrowings for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was 5.43% and 5.20%, respectively.

The maturity table below reflects the principal payments for the next five years and thereafter of all of our borrowings outstanding as of March 31, 2018, based on the repayment schedules of the respective loan facilities and the outstanding amount due under the debt securities.

 

Payment due by 12 month period ending

   Amount in
millions of
U.S. dollars
 

March 31, 2019

     41,574  

March 31, 2020

     57,729  

March 31, 2021

     3,429  

March 31, 2022

     3,429  

March 31, 2023

     9,641  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 115,802  
  

 

 

 

Illustrative Cash Flow

Below is an illustrative example of estimated cash flow generation in 2018 to provide an indication of the potential cash flow impact of the vessels we have recently acquired and expect to acquire with the proceeds from this offering. Our fleet has grown significantly since inception last year from five vessels at the end of the second quarter of 2017 to 21 vessels at the end of 2017. Our current fleet includes 25 containerships and we expect to have a fleet of 30 vessels following the completion of this offering. We have provided an illustrative indication of what our adjusted cash flow would be during 2018 if our vessels were employed on time charter on all of the currently open days during the year. We have calculated this cash flow for our current fleet of 25 vessels, as well as for a fleet of 30 vessels, assuming the additional five vessels we expect to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, and we have indicated what that cash flow would be assuming current time charter rates and at historical average time charter rates. We believe that the presentation of adjusted cash flow provides potential investors with useful information because it shows what cash flows our company could generate operating over the course of 2018.

Adjusted cash flow is not a financial measure determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income. For purposes of the illustration below, we define adjusted cash flow as revenues less total cash expenses. Total cash expenses include operating expenses, general and administrative expenses and debt service costs, but do not include time charter and voyage expenses or non-cash items, such as depreciation and amortization, during the period. We assume 365 days of expected operations for each vessel in our fleet. We consider open days to be those days during the period where the vessels in our fleet are not currently hired out under time charters.

When considering the illustrative example below, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements included under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” included

 

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elsewhere in this prospectus. Any of the risks discussed in this prospectus or unanticipated events could cause our actual results of operations, cash flows and financial condition to vary significantly from the example below and such variations may be material. Prospective investors are cautioned to not place undue reliance on our estimates or illustrative examples and should make their own independent assessment of our future results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

The illustrative example of estimated adjusted cash flow generation in 2018 included in this prospectus has been prepared by, and is the responsibility of, our management. Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A. has not audited, reviewed, examined, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the accompanying illustrative example of estimated cash flow generation in 2018 and, accordingly, Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A. does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto. Our independent auditors’ report included in this prospectus relates to our historical consolidated financial statements for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017. It does not extend to the illustrative example of estimated cash flow generation in 2018, or to the calculation of adjusted cash flow for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, and should not be read to do so.

Period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017

Because we were formed in April 2017, we do not have financial results for a historical period that is comparative to the results of our operations reflected in our illustrative cash flow. We have included the equivalent adjusted cash flow for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 as a reference below.

Revenues for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $39.2 million and consisted of time charter revenues from the employment of our vessels during the period. Based on the timing of the deliveries of the 21 vessels into our fleet we had 2,411 available days during the period. We had estimated total operating expenses, general and administrative expenses and debt service for our entire fleet of approximately $29.4 million, generating approximately $9.8 million in adjusted cash flow.

Twelve Months Ending December 31, 2018 with 25 Vessels

Assumptions

Our current fleet of 25 containerships has contracted revenues of approximately $ 118.4 million for 2018 based on the time charter agreements currently in place. We currently have 1,819 days open where we will seek to find time charter employment for our vessels and generate incremental revenue based on the rate of employment achieved. We have estimated total operating expenses, general and administrative expenses and debt service for our entire fleet to be approximately $83.2 million, generating approximately $35.2 million in net cash from our contracted days and assuming no contribution from our open days.

Our estimate of operating expenses is based on our assumption that expenses for each owned vessel will be equal to the number of days in the year, multiplied by a daily fixed fee of $6,100 for containerships from 3,000 TEU up to 5,500 TEU, $6,700 for containerships from 5,500 TEU up to 8,000 TEU, and $7,400 for containerships from 8,000 TEU up to 10,000 TEU, which reflects the terms of our existing Management Agreement for 2018. This fixed daily fee covers all of our vessels’ operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs. Drydocking and special survey are paid to the Manager at cost. Please read “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions-Management Agreement.” We have assumed we will incur no additional fees during 2018. Our assumption could vary significantly if any additional fees are incurred.

Our estimated general and administrative expenses include expenses incurred under the Administrative Services Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, pursuant to which the Manager provides administrative services to us, which include bookkeeping, audit and accounting services, legal and insurance services, administrative and

 

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clerical services, banking and financial services, advisory services, client and investor relations and other. The Manager is reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. General and administrative expenses also include legal, accounting and advisory fees. We have estimated our general and administrative expenses for the period will be $685 per vessel per day assuming normal operations, based on our review of the historical amounts we have reimbursed our Manager for the provision of these services.

Contribution from Open Days in 2018 at Current Charter Rates

Although we do not currently have time charters in place for the open days in 2018, if we are able to secure time charter employment for all of the 1,819 open days at the current time charter rates, we estimate that we could generate approximately an additional $27.4 million of revenue during the year, and an aggregate net cash from contracted days of $62.6 million. We have assumed current time charter rates of $13,300 per day for vessels between 3,450 and 4,730 TEU and $30,500 per day for vessels between 8,000 and 10,000 TEU which reflect the current 6-12 month time charter rates for 4,400 TEU and 9,000 TEU vessels, respectively.

Contribution from Open Days in 2018 at Historical Average Charter Rates

If we assume time charter employment for our open days at historical average time charter rates, we estimate that we would generate approximately $39.5 million of incremental revenue from open days, or total aggregate net cash from contracted days of approximately $74.7 million.

We have assumed historical average time charter rates of $20,388 per day for vessels between 3,450 and 4,730 TEU and $33,490 per day for vessels between 8,000 and 10,000 TEU which reflect the average rate during the last 15 years for 4,400 TEU vessels and the average rate for a 9,000 TEU vessel for a three-year timecharter during the last six years, as published in May 2018.

Twelve Months Ending December 31, 2018 with 30 Vessels, Including the Five Additional Vessels To Be Acquired with the Proceeds of This Offering

We intend to acquire five additional containerships with the proceeds from this offering. After giving effect to the acquisition of these vessels, we would have contracted revenues of approximately $139.0 million for 2018, including $76.3 million in the last six months of 2018 alone. We would have 1,819 open days during 2018, and we estimate our total operating expenses, general and administrative expenses and debt service would be approximately $95.9 million, generating approximately $43.1 million in net cash from contracted days.

If we are able to secure time charter employment for all of the 1,819 open days in 2018, including those relating to the five vessels to be acquired with proceeds from this offering, at the current time charter rates, we estimate that we could generate an additional $27.4 million of revenue in 2018, or total adjusted cash flow of approximately $70.5 million. Of those amounts $26.9 million of revenue from open days and $40.5 million adjusted cash flow, respectively, would have been generated in the last six months of 2018. If we assume time charter employment for our open days at the same historical average time charter rates as outlined above, we estimate that we could generate an additional $39.5 million of revenue in 2018, or total adjusted cash flow of approximately $82.6 million.

The foregoing is provided for illustrative purposes only. It is based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable with respect to the period as a whole. The assumptions and estimates used above are inherently uncertain and represent those that we believe are significant to the presentation. We believe that we have a reasonable objective basis for those assumptions. Further, we can make no assurance that we will be able to generate any revenue on any open days, and if we do, that we can secure rates at our current levels or higher historical levels. Our operations are subject to numerous risks that are beyond our control. There will likely be differences between illustration provided above and the actual results and those differences could be material.

 

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Capital Expenditures

Capital Expenditures Relating to Vessel Acquisitions

In June 2017, we agreed to acquire five 4,250 TEU containerships from Navios Partners for a total purchase price of $64.0 million. These vessels were previously acquired by Navios Partners from Rickmers Maritime Trust Pte. (“Rickmers Trust”) and are employed on charters with a net daily charter rate of $26,850 which expire in 2018 and early 2019.

In addition, we acquired all the rights under the acquisition agreements entered into between Navios Partners and Rickmers Trust to purchase nine additional containerships for a purchase price of $54.0 million plus certain delivery and other operating costs. All the nine containerships were delivered to our owned fleet in July and August 2017.

In September and October 2017, we agreed to acquire two 2009-built 4,250 TEU containerships, for an aggregate acquisition cost of approximately $19.9 million. The vessels were delivered to our owned fleet in November 2017.

In November 2017, we agreed to acquire four 2008-built 4,730 TEU containerships, for an aggregate acquisition cost of approximately $97.2 million. These vessels are employed on charters with a net daily charter rate of $27,156. The vessels were delivered to our owned fleet in November and December 2017.

In December 2017, we agreed to acquire one 2010-built 4,360 TEU containership, for an aggregate acquisition cost of approximately $11.5 million. The vessel was delivered to our owned fleet in December 2017. Refer also to “—Contractual Obligations and Contingencies.”

In March 2018, we acquired a 2010-built, 4,250 TEU containership for $11.78 million. The vessel was delivered to our owned fleet in March 2018.

In March 2018, we agreed to acquire the Navios Unison, a 2010-built 10,000 TEU containership from an unrelated third party, for an aggregate acquisition cost of approximately $50.3 million. This vessel is employed on time charter with a net daily charter rate of $26,663 until March 2019. The acquisition of the vessel was financed through a $25.0 million loan from a commercial bank and the balance with available cash. We took delivery of the vessel on May 30, 2018.

In April 2018, we agreed to acquire the YM Utmost and the YM Unity, two 2006-built containerships of 8,204 TEU per vessel from Navios Partners for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $67.0 million. These vessels are employed on time charter with a net daily charter rate of $34,266 per vessel until August 2018 and October 2018, respectively. The acquisition of the two vessels was financed through a new $36.0 million loan from a commercial bank and the balance with available cash. Both vessels were delivered on July 2, 2018. We assessed this and the transaction discussed above under ASC 805 “Business Combinations” and concluded that the transactions constitute asset acquisitions with an expected combined impact to the reported balance sheet line items reported at March 31, 2018, of $117.3 million on the reported total non-current assets and $61.0 million on the reported total liabilities.

We assess potential acquisition opportunities on a regular basis, including those that may be made in connection with the Omnibus Agreement. See “Business—Overview—Our Relationship with the Navios Group.”

Maintenance Capital Expenditures

Maintenance for our vessels and expenses related to drydocking expenses are reimbursed at cost by us to our Manager under the amended Management Agreement. Pursuant to a Management Agreement dated June 7, 2017 as amended on November 23, 2017, April 23, 2018 and June 1, 2018, the Manager provides commercial and

 

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technical management services to our vessels. The fee for the ship management services provided by the Manager is a daily fixed fee of $6,100 for containerships from 3,000 TEU up to 5,500 TEU, $6,700 for containerships from 5,500 TEU up to 8,000 TEU and $7,400 for containerships from 8,000 TEU up to 10,000 TEU until June 2019. This fixed daily fee covers all of our vessels operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs. Drydocking and special survey are paid to the Manager at cost.

Trend Information

Our results of operations depend primarily on the charter hire rates that we are able to realize for our vessels, which depend on the demand and supply dynamics characterizing the containership market at any given time. For other trends affecting our business please see other discussions in “—Trends and Factors Affecting Our Future Results of Operations” and “Prospectus Summary—Market Opportunity.”

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future material effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.

Contractual Obligations and Contingencies

The following table summarizes our long-term contractual obligations as of March 31, 2018:

 

     Payments due by period (Unaudited)  
     Less than
1 year
     1-3 years      3-5
years
     More than
5 years
     Total  
     (in thousands of U.S. dollars)  

Loan obligations (1)

   $ 41.6      $ 64.6      $ 9.6      $ —      $ 115.8  

Vessel acquisitions (2)

   $ 50.3      $ —      $ —      $ —      $ 50.3
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total contractual obligations

   $ 91.9      $ 64.6      $ 9.6      $ —      $ 166.1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) Represents principal payments on amounts drawn on our credit facilities that bear interest at applicable fixed interest rates ranging from 3.00% to 4.00% plus LIBOR per annum. The amounts in the table exclude expected interest payments of $5.7 million (less than 1 year), $3.7 million (1-3 years) and $1.0 million (3-5 years). Expected interest payments are based on outstanding principal amounts, applicable currently effective interest rates and margins as of March 31, 2018, timing of scheduled payments and the term of the debt obligations.
(2) The table above does not include the acquisition of YM Utmost and YM Unity vessels from Navios Partners or the acquisition of the five identified containerships.

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of March 31, 2018 on a pro forma basis. The pro forma information below has been adjusted to reflect: (i) the acquisition of the Navios Unison for $50.3 million, (ii) the assumption of $202.0 million of new debt relating to the acquisition of the Navios Unison, YM Utmost and YM Unity and the acquisition of the five identified containerships with the proceeds of this offering, (iii) the proceeds from the $37.5 million sale and leaseback transaction relating to six of our vessels, and (iv) the repayment of $15.1 million of debt under our existing facilities and their related amended repayment schedules.

 

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The table does not include the sale and leaseback transaction for the remaining 12 of the 18 vessels subject to that transaction that we expect to complete during the third quarter of 2018, which we expect will refinance our outstanding credit facilities maturing in the fourth quarter of 2019. The table below also does not assume any of the options to acquire four additional vessels are exercised.

 

     Payments due by period (Unaudited)  
     Less than
1 year
     1-3 years      3-5
years
     More than
5 years
     Total  
     (in thousands of U.S. dollars)  

Loan obligations

   $ 24.2      $ 127.7      $ 61.3      $ 89.5      $ 302.7  

Financial liability derived from sale and leaseback transaction

   $ 2.5      $ 7.1      $ 8.1      $ 19.8      $ 37.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Pro forma contractual obligations

   $ 26.7      $ 134.8      $ 69.4      $  109.3      $ 340.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The following table summarizes our long-term contractual obligations as of December 31, 2017:

 

     Payments due by period (Unaudited)  
     Less than
1 year
     1-3 years      3-5
years
     More than
5 years
     Total  
     (in thousands of U.S. dollars)  

Loan obligations (1)

   $ 43.4      $ 67.0      $ 10.3      $    $ 120.7  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total contractual obligations

   $ 43.4      $ 67.0      $ 10.3      $    $ 120.7  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) Represents principal payments on amounts drawn on our credit facilities that bear interest at applicable fixed interest rates ranging from 3.00% to 4.00% plus LIBOR per annum. The amounts in the table exclude expected interest payments of $5.5 million (less than 1 year), $3.9 million (1-3 years) and $0.7 million (3-5 years). Expected interest payments are based on outstanding principal amounts, applicable currently effective interest rates and margins as of December 31, 2017, timing of scheduled payments and the term of the debt obligations.

Reduced Emerging Growth Company Requirements

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies, as described in “Prospectus Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”

In addition, under the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section  404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for so long as we are an emerging growth company.

Accounting for Vessel Acquisitions

Although vessels are generally acquired free of charter, we have acquired (and may in the future acquire) some vessels with time charters. Where a vessel has been under a voyage charter, the vessel is usually delivered to the buyer free of charter. It is rare in the shipping industry for the last charterer of the vessel in the hands of the seller to continue as the first charterer of the vessel in the hands of the buyer. In most cases, when a vessel is under time charter and the buyer wishes to assume that charter, the vessel cannot be acquired without the charterer’s consent and the buyer’s entering into a separate direct agreement (called a “novation agreement”) with the charterer to assume the charter. Alternatively, the buyer may acquire the vessel-owning subsidiary which holds the charter. The purchase of a vessel itself does not transfer the charter because it is a separate service agreement between the vessel owner and the charterer.

 

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Where we identify any intangible assets or liabilities associated with the acquisition of a vessel, we record all identified assets or liabilities at fair value. Fair value is determined by reference to market data. We value any asset or liability arising from the market value of the time charters assumed when a vessel is acquired. The amount to be recorded as an asset or liability at the date of vessel delivery is based on the difference between the current fair market value of the charter and the net present value of future contractual cash flows. When the present value of the time charter assumed is greater than the current fair market value of such charter, the difference is recorded as prepaid charter revenue. When the opposite situation occurs, any difference, capped to the vessel’s fair value on a charter-free basis, is recorded as deferred revenue. Such assets and liabilities, respectively, are amortized as a reduction of, or an increase in, revenue over the period of the time charter assumed.

When we purchase a vessel and assume or renegotiate a related time charter, we must take the following steps, among others, before the vessel will be ready to commence operations:

 

    obtain the charterer’s consent to us as the new owner;

 

    obtain the charterer’s consent to a new technical manager;

 

    in some cases, obtain the charterer’s consent to a new flag for the vessel;

 

    arrange for a new crew for the vessel, and where the vessel is on charter, in some cases, the crew must be approved by the charterer;

 

    replace all hired equipment on board, such as gas cylinders and communication equipment;

 

    negotiate and enter into new insurance contracts for the vessel through our own insurance brokers;

 

    register the vessel under a flag state and perform the related inspections in order to obtain new trading certificates from the flag state;

 

    implement a new planned maintenance program for the vessel; and

 

    ensure that the new technical manager obtains new certificates for compliance with the safety and vessel security regulations of the flag state.

When we charter a vessel pursuant to a long-term time charter agreement with varying rates, we recognize revenue on a straight line basis, equal to the average revenue during the term of the charter.

The following discussion is intended to help you understand how acquisitions of vessels affect our business and results of operations.

Our business is mainly comprised of providing, through the Manager or otherwise, the following elements:

 

    employment and operation of our vessels; and

 

    management of the financial, general and administrative elements involved in the conduct of our business and ownership of our vessels.

The employment and operation of our vessels mainly require the following components, which may be provided by the Manager:

 

    vessel maintenance and repair;

 

    crew selection and training;

 

    vessel spares and stores supply;

 

    contingency response planning;

 

    onboard safety procedures auditing;

 

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    accounting;

 

    vessel insurance arrangement;

 

    vessel chartering;

 

    vessel security training and security response plans (ISPS);

 

    obtaining of ISM certification and audit for each vessel within the six months of taking over a vessel;

 

    vessel hiring management;

 

    vessel surveying; and

 

    vessel performance monitoring.

The management of financial, general and administrative elements involved in the conduct of our business and ownership of our vessels mainly requires the following components, which may be provided by the Manager:

 

    management of our financial resources, including banking relationships, i.e., administration of bank loans and bank accounts;

 

    management of our accounting system and records and financial reporting;

 

    administration of the legal and regulatory requirements affecting our business and assets; and

 

    management of the relationships with our service providers and customers.

For a discussion of the principal factors that affect our profitability, cash flows and the return on investment for our unit holders, please see “—Trends and Factors Affecting Our Future Results of Operations.”

Critical Accounting Policies

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates in the application of our accounting policies based on the best assumptions, judgments and opinions of management. Following is a discussion of the accounting policies that involve a higher degree of judgment and the methods of their application that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our financial statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Critical accounting policies are those that reflect significant judgments or uncertainties, and potentially result in materially different results under different assumptions and conditions. We have described below what we believe is our most critical accounting policies that involve a high degree of judgment and the methods of their application. For a description of all of our significant accounting policies, see Note 2 to the Notes to consolidated financial statements, included herein.

Use of Estimates: The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. On an on-going basis, management evaluates the estimates and judgments, including those related to uncompleted voyages, future drydock dates, the selection of useful lives for tangible assets, expected future cash flows from long-lived assets to support impairment tests, provisions necessary for accounts receivables, provisions for legal disputes and contingencies. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ from those estimates under different assumptions and/or conditions.

 

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Vessels, net: Vessels acquired in an asset acquisition or in a business combination are recorded at fair value. Vessels acquired from entities under common control are recorded at historical cost. Subsequent expenditures for major improvements and upgrading are capitalized, provided they appreciably extend the life, increase the earning capacity or improve the efficiency or safety of the vessels. Expenditures for routine maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.

Depreciation is computed using the straight line method over the useful life of the vessels, after considering the estimated residual value. Management estimates the residual values of our containerships based on a scrap value of $340 per lightweight ton, as we believe these levels are common in the shipping industry. Residual values are periodically reviewed and revised to recognize changes in conditions, new regulations or other reasons. Revisions of residual values affect the depreciable amount of the vessels and affect depreciation expense in the period of the revision and future periods.

Management estimates the useful life of our vessels to be 30 years from the vessel’s original construction. However, when regulations place limitations over the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, its useful life is re-estimated to end at the date such regulations become effective.

Impairment of Long Lived Assets: Vessels, other fixed assets and other long-lived assets held and used by Navios Containers are reviewed periodically for potential impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a particular asset may not be fully recoverable. Navios Containers’ management evaluates the carrying amounts and periods over which long-lived assets are depreciated to determine if events or changes in circumstances have occurred that would require modification to their carrying values or useful lives. In evaluating useful lives and carrying values of long-lived assets, certain indicators of potential impairment are reviewed, such as undiscounted projected operating cash flows, vessel sales and purchases, business plans and overall market conditions.

For the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, the management of Navios Containers after considering various indicators, including but not limited to the market price of its long-lived assets, its contracted revenues and cash flows and the economic outlook, concluded that no impairment analysis should be performed on the long-lived assets of Navios Containers.

Although management believes the underlying indicators supporting this conclusion are reasonable, if the circumstances associated with the long-lived assets change or significant events occur that would affect the recoverability of the carrying amount of our long-lived assets, management may be required to perform impairment analysis that could expose Navios Containers to material charges in the future.

 

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The table set forth below indicates the carrying value of each of our owned vessels as of December 31, 2017.

 

Vessel

   TEU      Year
built
     Carrying value
December 31, 2017
(in millions)
 

Navios Vermilion

     4,250        2007      $ 9.3  

Navios Amarillo

     4,250        2007        6.6  

Navios Azure

     4,250        2007        8.2  

Navios Verde

     4,250        2007        7.0  

Navios Indigo

     4,250        2007        6.9  

Navios Amaranth

     4,250        2007        7.2  

Navios Lapis

     4,250        2009        9.6  

Navios Tempo

     4,250        2009        10.2  

Navios Felicitas

     4,360        2010        11.5  

APL Oakland

     4,730        2008        24.0  

APL Los Angeles

     4,730        2008        24.0  

APL Denver

     4,730        2008        23.8  

APL Atlanta

     4,730        2008        23.9  

Navios Domino (ex MOL Dominance)

     4,250        2008        7.7  

MOL Dedication

     4,250        2008        8.7  

MOL Delight

     4,250        2008        9.4  

MOL Destiny

     4,250        2009        10.3  

MOL Devotion

     4,250        2009        11.2  

Navios Summer

     3,450        2006        6.8  

Navios Verano

     3,450        2006        6.7  

Navios Spring

     3,450        2007        6.8  
  

 

 

       

 

 

 

Total

     88,880         $ 239.8  

The estimated fair value of all of our vessels individually exceed their respective carrying value. On a vessel-by-vessel basis, as of December 31, 2017, the estimated fair value of our vessels (including the carrying value of the time charter, if any, on the specified vessel) exceeds the carrying value of those same vessels (including the estimated fair value of the time charter, if any, on the specified vessel) by an aggregate of approximately $81.2 million.

As of May 30, 2018, the estimated fair value of the 25 vessels in our fleet, including the two vessels of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, was approximately $452.0 million.

Deferred Drydock and Special Survey Costs: Our vessels are subject to regularly scheduled drydocking and special surveys which are carried out every 30 or 60 months to coincide with the renewal of the related certificates issued by the classification societies, unless a further extension is obtained in rare cases and under certain conditions. The costs of drydocking and special surveys is deferred and amortized over the above periods or to the next drydocking or special survey date if such date has been determined. Unamortized drydocking or special survey costs of vessels sold are written-off to the consolidated statement of operations in the year the vessel is sold.

Costs capitalized as part of the drydocking or special survey consist principally of the actual costs incurred at the yard, spare parts, paints, lubricants and services incurred solely during the drydocking or special survey period.

Time charters at favorable terms: When intangible assets or liabilities associated with the acquisition of a vessel are identified, they are recorded at fair value. Fair value is determined by reference to market data and the discounted amount of expected future cash flows. Where charter rates are higher than market charter rates, an asset is recorded, being the difference between the acquired charter rate and the market charter rate for an equivalent vessel. Where charter rates are less than market charter rates, a liability is recorded, being the

 

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difference between the assumed charter rate and the market charter rate for an equivalent vessel. The determination of the fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities requires us to make significant assumptions and estimates of many variables including market charter rates, expected future charter rates, the level of utilization of our vessels and our weighted average cost of capital. The use of different assumptions could result in a material change in the fair value of these items, which could have a material impact on our financial position and results of operations.

The amortizable value of favorable and unfavorable leases is amortized over the remaining life of the lease term and the amortization expense is included in the statement of income in the depreciation and amortization line item.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risks

Foreign Exchange Risk

Our functional and reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. We engage in worldwide commerce with a variety of entities. Although our operations may expose us to certain levels of foreign currency risk, our transactions are predominantly U.S. dollar denominated. Transactions in currencies other than U.S. dollar are translated at the exchange rate in effect at the date of each transaction. Differences in exchange rates during the period between the date a transaction denominated in a foreign currency is consummated and the date on which it is either settled or translated, are recognized. Expenses incurred in foreign currencies against which the U.S. dollar falls in value can increase thereby decreasing our income or vice versa if the U.S. dollar increases in value. For example, during the three months ended March 31, 2018, the value of U.S. dollar increased by approximately 2.7% as compared to the Euro.

Interest Rate Risk

Borrowings under our credit facilities bear interest at rate based on a premium over U.S. dollar LIBOR. Therefore, we are exposed to the risk that our interest expense may increase if interest rates rise. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, we paid interest on our outstanding debt at a weighted average interest rate of 5.43% and 5.20%, respectively. A 1% increase in LIBOR would have increased our interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 by $0.3 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments, which potentially subject us to significant concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of trade accounts receivable. We closely monitor our exposure to customers for credit risk. We have policies in place to ensure that we trade with customers with an appropriate credit history.

For the three months ended March 31, 2018, our most significant counterparties were Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd and APL Bermuda Ltd, which accounted for approximately 40.6% and 32.6%, respectively, of total revenues. For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, our most significant counterparty was Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, which accounted for approximately 71.0%, of total revenues.

Inflation

Inflation has had a minimal impact on vessel operating expenses, drydocking expenses and general and administrative expenses. Our management does not consider inflation to be a significant risk to direct expenses in the current and foreseeable economic environment.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

For a description of recent FASB accounting pronouncements applicable to Navios Containers, see Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, included herein.

 

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THE INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER SHIPPING INDUSTRY

All the information and data presented in this section, including the analysis of the international container shipping industry, has been provided by Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd, or “Drewry.” Drewry has advised us that the statistical and graphical information contained herein is drawn from its database and other third party sources. In connection therewith, Drewry has advised us that: (a) certain information in Drewry’s database is derived from estimates or subjective judgments; (b) the information in the databases of other maritime data collection agencies may differ from the information in Drewry’s database; and (c) while Drewry has taken reasonable care in the compilation of the statistical and graphical information and believes it to be accurate and correct, data compilation is subject to limited audit and validation procedures.

Overview

The maritime shipping industry is fundamental to international trade because it is the only practicable and cost-effective way of transporting large volumes of many essential commodities and semi-finished/finished goods over long distances. According to the International Maritime Organization, about 90% of world trade – in terms of volume – is transported by sea, and global seaborne trade has grown every year in the last three decades, except in 2009. Seaborne cargo is broadly categorised as either liquid or dry cargo. Dry cargo includes dry bulk cargo, containerised cargo and non-containerised cargo, which is often referred to as general cargo. Liquid cargo includes crude oil, refined petroleum products, vegetable oils, gases and chemicals.

The demand for shipping is a product of the physical quantity of the cargo to be shipped (measured, depending on the cargo, in terms of standard container sizes, tonnes, barrels, or cubic meters) and the distance the cargo needs to be carried. Generally, demand cycles move broadly in line with developments in the global economy, as well as with other factors, such as changes in regional raw material prices. Volumes on specific trade routes can also be affected by trade disagreements between individual countries and currency exchange rates.

Historically, the relationship between incremental supply and demand for shipping services has varied among different sectors of shipping because the drivers are different with respect to each sector. This means that at any point in time, different sectors of the seaborne transportation industry might be at different stages of their respective supply and demand cycle. We believe this is the case in 2018 – shipping segments are at different points in their business cycle, and we view container shipping as being in the initial phase of recovery, while other shipping industry sectors are experiencing different market conditions. Current trends indicate that the liner industry overall is in the early stages of improvement, driven primarily by consolidation in the industry, aggressive scrapping, and shipowners continuing to defer new vessel deliveries, as well as improved demand. Container shipping occupies an increasingly important position in world trade, with containerships constituting the principal channel to transfer finished and semi-finished goods. Container shipping has a direct impact on container ports’ activity.

 

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World Loaded Container Volumes

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

World Loaded Container Volume and Port Throughput

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

Global container trade traffic represents close to 17% of seaborne transported cargo by volume, but about 60% by value, as a consequence of being used for high-value-added finished and semi-finished goods. Container trade volumes have increased every year since the introduction of long-haul containerised shipping lanes in the late 1960s, except in 2009. Although container trade fell in terms of volume in 2009, it quickly recovered in 2010 as a result of renewed growth in world economy and inventory re-building. Between 2011 and 2017, container trade traffic grew steadily from 165 million TEU to 208.5 million TEU, respectively. Container traffic grew at a CAGR of 3.9% over the last decade on a TEU basis. Encouragingly, the world container traffic increased by 6.6% in 2017 to about 209 million TEU, compared with a growth of 3.2% in 2016 and 1.0% in 2015. The increase in container traffic buoyed the global throughput at container ports, which increased by 6.3% year-over-year to 746 million TEU in 2017.

The Advantages of Container Shipping

The containers used in maritime transportation are steel boxes of standard dimensions. The standard unit of measure of volume or capacity in container shipping is the 20-foot equivalent unit, or TEU, representing a

 

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container that is 20 feet long and typically 8.5 feet high and 8 feet wide. In recent years, 40-foot long high cube containers (9.5 feet high), equivalent to two TEU, have increasingly been used by large retailers to move lightweight, fast-moving consumer goods across the globe with less container moves. There are also specialised containers of both sizes to carry refrigerated perishables or frozen products, commonly referred to as reefers, as well as tank containers that carry liquids such as liquefied gases, spirits or chemicals.

A container shipment begins at the shipper’s premises with the delivery of an empty container. Once the container has been filled with cargo, it is transported by truck, rail or barge to a container port, where it is loaded onto a containership. The container is shipped either directly to the destination port or through an intermediate port where it is transferred to another vessel – an activity referred to as transshipment. When the container arrives at its destination port, it is off-loaded and delivered to the receiver’s premises by truck, rail or barge.

Container shipping has a number of advantages compared with other shipping methods, including:

 

    Less cargo-handling: Containers provide a secure environment for cargo. The contents of a container, once loaded, are not handled directly until they reach their final destination. Using other shipping methods, cargo might be loaded and unloaded several times, resulting in a greater risk of breakage and loss.

 

    Efficient port turnaround: With specialised cranes and other terminal equipment, containerships can be loaded and unloaded in significantly less time and at a lower cost than other cargo ships.

 

    Highly developed intermodal network: Onshore movement of containerised cargo, from points of origin, around container ports, to and from staging or storage areas, and to final destinations, benefits from the physical integration of the container with other transportation equipment, such as trucking chassis for road transport, railcars and other means of hauling the standard-sized containers. Sophisticated port and intermodal industries have developed to support container transportation.

 

    Usage of slow steaming to manage capacity and lower fuel bill: Containerships used to travel at a maximum speed of up to 25 knots, even in rough seas. However, since 2008, due to higher fuel prices and the negative effects of the global recession, most containership operators have reduced speeds to around 18 knots on some major routes and deployed more ships on some voyage strings, primarily in an effort to reduce bunker fuel consumption and reduce oversupply. This has also had a positive environmental effect as slow steaming has helped reduce ship emissions. This strategy, known as slow steaming, has become a new norm, and most ships built since 2011 now have a reduced maximum design speed of 21.5 knots, with optimized hull to reduce fuel consumption and emissions when sailing at or below such speed. In comparison, this strategy is less effective for bulk carriers as they already operate at a low speed. For instance, a loaded tanker or bulk vessel’s maximum speed is around 14 knots while its average speed is close to 10 knots.

Top Ten Liner Companies

The top 10 shipping lines own 44% of global TEU ship capacity. The three largest shipping lines are Maersk Line, Cosco and MSC, in terms of current total capacity. Asia-Europe/Med, Transpacific, Transatlantic and North-South are the principal routes on which these liner companies employ their vessels. Below is a list of the top 10 liner companies – in terms of the capacity – as of 1 January 2018.

 

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Top Ten Liner Companies (Owned Fleet) – Operational Statistics

 

                                                         On order  

Sl. No.

  

Company

  

Country

   < 4,000
TEU
     4,000-7,999
TEU
     8,000-9,999
TEU
     10,000+
TEU
     Total
TEU
     Ave age
(yrs.)
     No.      ’000
TEU
 

1

   Maersk Line    Denmark      196        572        542        863        2,172        11        34        274  

2

   Cosco    China      21        559        296        744        1,620        9        32        518  

3

   MSC    Switzerland      176        270        306        499        1,252        15        20        344  

4

   Hapag-Lloyd    Germany      46        172        244        578        1,040        9        0        0  

5

   CMA CGM    France      43        186        187        602        1,018        9        28        350  

6

   Evergreen Marine    Taiwan      46        247        254        0        547        13        32        308  

7

   NYK    Japan      30        124        100        98        353        9        13        182  

8

   PIL    Singapore      165        130        0        36        331        10        10        107  

9

   MOL    Japan      3        132        58        81        273        8        1        20  

10

   Yang Ming    Taiwan      28        113        83        0        224        10        6        84  
        

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 
   Total         755        2,504        2,070        3,500        8,828           176        2,189  
        

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

Notes – Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line) have merged their container operations and they are now known as One Network Express, or ONE.

Source: Drewry

Types of Containerships

Containerships are typically ‘cellular,’ which means they are equipped with metal guide rails to allow for rapid loading and unloading and to provide for more secure carriage. In some cases, small containerships, often referred to as ‘geared’ ships, will be equipped with their own cranes for loading and unloading. All large containerships (over 3,000 TEU) are ‘gearless,’ or without their own cranes, except certain recently-built wide-beam vessels. Other vessels are partly cellular, including roll-on/roll-off ships, or ‘ro-ro’ ships, designed to carry chassis and trailers, and multipurpose ships that can carry a variety of cargo including containers.

The main categories of containerships are:

 

    Small Feeder: Ships with a capacity of less than 2,000 TEU, which are usually employed as feeder ships on trades to and from hub ports or on small niche trades or domestic routes.

 

    Large Feeder: In this category, ships range in capacity between 2,000 and 3,000 TEU and usually operate on all trades, but commercially they are mainly used on intra-regional trades.

 

    Classic Panamax  & Wide-beam: Ships with a capacity between 3,000 to 5,300 TEU, which was the maximum size that the Panama Canal could handle before the recently completed expansion. While these ships were expected to be redundant following the expansion of the Panama Canal, they have seen a recovery since the second half of 2016.

 

    Small neo-Panamax: Ships categorised with a capacity of 5,300 to 10,000 TEU and are mainly deployed on various smaller or developing trade routes outside of the main East-West routes.

 

    Large neo-Panamax: Reasonably large ships with a capacity of 10,000 to 12,500 TEU and are primarily deployed on the Transpacific, Asia-Middle East, Transatlantic and Asia/Europe to Latin America trades.

 

    VLCV – Maxi neo-Panamax: VLCV Maxi neo-Panamax vessels are defined as those that can sail through the expanded Panama Canal despite their large size. This category of vessels has a capacity of 12,000 to 14,500 TEU with a 49 meter beam.

 

   

VLCV – Neo post-Panamax: VLCV Neo post-Panamax vessels denote ships that do not fit in the original canal locks and have a capacity of 13,000 to 18,000 TEU with a beam width greater than 49

 

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meters. Even with the larger locks that went into service in 2016, such ships cannot pass through the Panama Canal. Some of these vessels include names as Maersk E-class and Maersk Triple E class container ships.

 

    ULCV: ULCV stands for Ultra Large Container Vessels, and is the generic name for container ships with a nominal container capacity in excess of 18,000 TEU. They are deployed primarily on the Asia-North Europe and Mediterranean trades.

Since the first purpose-built container ships were built in the 1960s, there has been a steady increase in ship size as shown in the table below, as shipping companies sought to take advantage of scale effects. In addition, there has been increasing use of wider beam and more fuel-efficient ships. To add perspective, the slot cost per TEU for an 11,000 TEU vessel is around 20% higher than that of an 18,000 TEU vessel.

 

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The Evolution of Container Vessel Size

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

Based upon containership on order data, we expect the increase in container vessel capacity will continue. As of March 2018, there were outstanding orders for containerships with a capacity of up to 22,000 TEU, although such vessels are still within the maximum size accepted in all major ports and hubs where ULCVs are presently calling (400.0 meters long, 61.5 meters wide and 16.5 meters draft). During September 2017, MSC and CMA CGM had placed orders for 20 new 22,000 TEU ships (11 for MSC and 9 for CMA CGM) that are expected to be delivered between 2019 and 2021. We believe that more newbuild ordering should not be

 

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discounted as large operators may decide to place newbuild orders if they feel their market share is threatened by other expanding liner companies.

Nevertheless, while more newbuild ordering may happen, further orders, if placed, would likely be delivered in 2020 at the earliest. A disadvantage of vessels larger than 18,000 TEU is the limitation of routes and ports on which they can be accommodated, as these vessels exceed the current reach of cranes and have limited manoeuvrability in certain ports, such as Hamburg.

Type of Owners

Containerships are owned by two types of shipowners: (i) liner companies, which own and operate their own and chartered-in ships, and (ii) independent non-operating owners, which do not operate ships, but instead charter them out to liner companies, often referred to as ‘tonnage providers.’

According to Drewry, of the total global fleet of containerships in terms of TEU, 51.6% is owned by liner companies, and 48.4% is owned by independent non-operating owners. Chartering in tonnage provides a degree of flexibility to liner companies to adjust shipping capacity to the market conditions.

Historically, to ensure the best chances of securing and renewing charter contracts with liners and carriers, non-operating owners have tended to invest in the classic panamax (3,000 to 5,300 TEU) containerships and have generally stayed away from investing in route-specific ships or in the very large ships, unless backed by long-term charter contracts for such ships with major shipping lines. Non-operating owners have also tended to own a higher proportion of large feeder (2,000 to 3,000 TEU) containerships, whereas liner companies have tended to own a higher proportion of above-average size containerships, such as bigger than classic panamax sized vessels.

However, more recent trends suggest that large vessels are now experiencing a tailwind among non-operating owners. Big containerships until 2015 were predominantly only under direct ownership of operators or under the long-term charter agreement, but are now joining the main charter market.

Digitalisation and Its Impact on Container Shipping

The advent of digitalisation has changed the landscape of doing business worldwide, and the container shipping industry is no different. Container shipping companies aim to increase efficiencies through technology upgrades in their commercial and operational activities that include real-time traceability of goods and shipments, container handling at ports, and empty-container repositioning; providing an interactive user interface for customers; and document management and pricing.

Industry Consolidation

The liner industry has been through several rounds of consolidation since 2015, driven by a combination of factors, including the pursuit of industry participants to increase scale, operational efficiencies, enhancement of profitability and regional diversification.

Since 2015, about half of the top-20 industry participants have been either absorbed by mergers or, like Hanjin Shipping, have completely exited the business. The gap between the small and large players, as measured by their total carrying capacity, has widened markedly. Significant merger and acquisition transactions include the acquisition of Hamburg Süd by Maersk Line, United Arab Shipping Company by Hapag-Lloyd, Neptune Orient Lines by CMA CGM, the amalgamation of China Shipping Group (CSCL) and COSCO’s liner businesses as well as the merger of K-Line, MOL and NYK’s liner businesses into a new entity called Ocean Network Express (ONE).

In July 2017, COSCO announced an offer to acquire a 90% share in Hong-Kong based OOCL, with Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) acquiring the remaining shares. Similarly, Heung-A and Sinokor Merchant Marine signed a framework agreement for the integration of their container shipping businesses on April 3, 2018.

 

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The recent flurry of takeovers comes after a 10-year lull of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the container shipping industry. Following COSCO’s acquisition of OOCL and the completion of the Heung-A and Sinokor Merchant Marine integration, the leading seven carrier groups, inclusive of all subsidiaries, will control approximately 90% of the active containership fleet.

In the past, the main driver for acquisitions was the need to establish a presence on routes on which the acquirer had a limited or no presence. In more recent years, M&A activity has been focused on the pursuit of scale and global reach by reinforcing the acquirer’s network through a combination of capacity and market share. An example is Maersk’s takeover of Hamburg Süd, where Hamburg Süd’s primary strength on its North-South trade bolstered Maersk’s position in these trades. Another part of the surge in M&A activity came as highly leveraged smaller companies faced challenges in servicing their debt due to recurrent operating losses leading those smaller companies to be open to acquisition by larger competitors.

In addition to consolidation due to M&A activity, the competitive landscape has changed in the recent years because of bankruptcies of companies in the industry. Low vessel earnings in the past coupled with heightened debt levels led to the bankruptcy of Hanjin Shipping in August 2016. Nevertheless, the overall debt situation of the industry has generally improved over the past one year.

Consolidation has led the industry to become more concentrated than in past years, strengthening carriers’ bargaining power in rate negotiations, while also facilitating more prudent capacity management. While a more concentrated industry normally translates into greater profitability for all the players involved, the risk of destabilisation remains, given the history of aggressive capacity management by large players.

Consolidation in the Liner Industry (since 2015)

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

 

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Global Alliances

Alliances are agreements that cover vessel sharing arrangements between major liner companies. The principal purpose of these alliances is to offer comprehensive service networks, competitive sailing frequencies, extensive port coverage and an efficient integration of ships. Global alliances became useful as the industry suffered from an imbalance of global supply-demand, creating a host of problems for carriers and shippers alike.

Following the creation of alliances, the industry has experienced improved capacity management as well as the greater alignment of future vessel orders with demand forecasts. Better coordination has allowed alliance members to call on new ports or take advantage of new route opportunities. Carriers have avoided calling low volume, unprofitable ports and regions, thus resulting in lower operating costs and better profitability.

Currently, global alliances are focused mainly on the East-West corridor because large ships can be positioned on these routes. Deploying bigger ships on these routes allows carriers to operate at a lower cash break-even point, as it optimises costs for them to operate on trade lanes with greater cargo volume.

Some alliances are more formal than others, and in some cases, liners still negotiate their own individual terminal deals with ports. However, the main aim is to maximise the usage of the largest vessel assets in a group of carriers to maximise efficiency and to boost port coverage for shipper clients.

In April 2017, the industry underwent a reshuffling of carrier alliances, wherein the total number of major alliances reduced from four to three. As of April 2018, the three alliances in operation are called the 2M, the Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance. The vessel-sharing agreement between members of the 2M alliance remained largely unchanged compared with the prior operational alliance landscape, except for the addition of Hyundai Merchant Marine, or HMM, for selected services. HMM sublet some of its largest vessels to the 2M alliance and chartered a number of slots across various routes from Maersk and MSC as part of its alliance agreement. The Ocean Alliance expanded its capacity compared with its predecessor. Ocean 3 alliance, with the addition of COSCO, OOCL, NOL (acquired by CMA CGM) and Evergreen, despite losing United Arab Shipping Company, or UASC, when UASC agreed to merge with Hapag-Lloyd.

The amalgamation of Japanese carriers into ONE also shifts the balance of power within its new carrier grouping, THE Alliance. Previously, Hapag-Lloyd was the largest member of THE Alliance, but now ONE is expected to overtake it over the course of the next few years on the basis of vessel capacity. As ONE gains prominence, it may dictate where and when the alliance should call, which may lead THE Alliance to select more of ONE’s international terminals.

 

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Operational Consolidation

 

LOGO

OOCL is assumed to be a part of COSCO in 2018 and hence not shown separately as a part of Ocean Alliance.

Source: Drewry

The market share of each alliance on different routes is shown in the table below. 2M has the largest capacity share on the two key routes of Asia-Europe (41%) and Transatlantic (23%) while maintaining a sizeable presence on the Transpacific route (22%). The Ocean Alliance leads capacity share on the Transpacific route (38%) in addition to a sizable share (22%) on the Asia-Middle East/South Asia trade. THE Alliance ranks third among the major alliances in terms of total capacity deployed, but has a greater market share (18%) than Ocean Alliance (12%) on the Transatlantic route.

 

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Trade route market share for each alliance (March 2018) (1)

 

Trade route

  

Carrier

   Total
capacity TEU
     No. of
Ships
     % Share     Largest Vessel
Deployed
 

Transpacific

   2M (2)      915,698        99        22     14,036  
   Ocean Alliance      1,584,969        180        38     14,414  
   THE Alliance      861,317        110        21     13,870  
   Others (4)      782,430        125        19     11,923  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
   Total      4,144,414        514        100     14,414  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Asia-Europe

   2M (2)      1,895,784        118        41     20,568  
   Ocean Alliance      1,497,997        113        33     21,413  
   THE Alliance      1,065,323        81        23     20,150  
   Others (4)      115,084        24        3     5,610  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
   Total      4,574,188        336        100     21,413  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Transatlantic

   2M      207,038        30        23     8,827  
   Ocean Alliance      104,622        17        12     8,495  
   THE Alliance      161,678        34        18     6,881  
   Others (4)      427,109        111        47     9,400  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
   Total      900,447        192        100     9,400  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Asia-Middle East/South Asia

   2M (3)      0        0        0     N/A  
   Ocean Alliance      388,190        42        22     14,074  
   THE Alliance      80,519        6        5     13,470  
   Others (4)      1,279,182        233        73     13,100  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
   Total      1,747,891        281        100     14,074  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1) Based on dedicated loops only, and the total TEU capacity includes multi-trade services.
(2) Fleet of below services counted twice in above table because of multi-trade dedicated routings
  (a) 2M - AE12/TP2/Phoenix/Jaguar (Asia-Europe & Transpacific)
  (b) 2M - AE6/TP6/Lion/Pearl (Asia-Europe & Transpacific)
(3) 2M does not have any dedicated trade loops on the Asia-Middle East/South Asia route. However, 2M runs a few consortium services and has added Middle East/South Asia port calls on Asia to Europe services.
(4) Others also include services operated independently by alliance member.

 

Source: Drewry

While the three alliances discussed above are the major official alliances, there are also other forms of operational cooperation agreements such as vessel sharing agreements, slot swap or exchange agreements and slot charter agreements and also other less-binding operational cooperation frameworks between individual liner companies that are not commonly known by an industry title or name. As such, being a partner in one of the key alliances does not prevent a liner from entering into agreements on other trades with members of other alliances. Many carriers work with other liner companies in the intra-Asian market and agree to operate a service together with each liner company providing a certain number of ships. Other operational agreements are also prevalent in the Asia to East and West Coast South America lanes.

Additionally, liner companies can use official and informal alliances and cooperation agreements to increase their global coverage without having to deploy assets or charter new ships. For instance, Singapore-based PIL in March 2018 agreed to charter slots on the three Far East-West Coast South America services of CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping and Evergreen.

 

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Main Container Trades

There are four core trades in the container shipping industry: (i) transpacific, (ii) transatlantic, (iii) Asia-Europe and (iv) Asia-Middle East/South Asia. These trades are often referred to as the East-West routes. Trade along these routes is primarily driven by United States and European consumer demand for products made in Asia. The volume of trade between Asia and the Middle East is now larger than that on the transatlantic and it is now becoming a major East-West trade on which carriers can deploy very large ships. The East-West trades are generally served by the large to ultra large containerships. In 2016, Asia’s exports to destinations on most East-West routes increased, whereas exports to destinations on North-South trades remained weak.

The Main Container Trades (1)

(Million TEU)

 

LOGO

1 Based on 2016 numbers

Source: Drewry

 

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Containerized Seaborne Trade – Main East-West Routes (2)

 

LOGO

2 Based on 2016 numbers

Source: Drewry

Supporting the main East-West trades are the North-South trades and a network of regional trades, of which the largest is the intra-Asia market. Other regional trades include the Europe-Mediterranean, Caribbean-US, Asia-Australia and North America-South America trades. The North-South trades are generally served by the Panamax and Post-Panamax containerships, although in the last two to three years, more ships of around 8,000 to 9,000 TEU have been deployed in the North-South routes. Regional trades are generally served by feeder and Handysize containerships, but lately, large ships up to the Panamax size have been introduced.

Containerized Seaborne Trade – Main North-South Routes (3)

 

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3 Based on 2016 numbers

Source: Drewry

 

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Containerized Seaborne Trade – Main Intra-Regional Routes (4)

 

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4 Based on 2016

Source: Drewry

The following table depicts the trades on which different sizes of containerships may adequately be deployed. While bigger containerships can be deployed only on selected routes, ships in the size of 4,000 to 5,099 TEU can be deployed on all major routes. Following the opening of the expanded Panama Canal in June 2016, and as vessels trading from Asia to Europe are becoming larger, containerships with the size 4,000 to 5,099 TEU have been increasingly deployed on intra-Asia, transatlantic and some North-South routes. Smaller ships are now being deployed on the Asia-North Europe trade as well. Lower charter rates imply that classic Panamax vessels can make a profit in this trade populated with mega ships. Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) started the Asia Europe Express (AEX) in April 2018 to provide faster transit time to shippers with the departure of the 4,728-TEU Hyundai Forward from Busan.

Containerships - Typical Deployment by Size Category

 

    

Ship Size TEU

 

Trades

  

Routes

  100-1,999     2,000-2,999     3,000-3,999     4,000-5,099     5,100-7,499     7,500-9,999     10,000-12,999     13,000+  

East-West

   Asia-Europe           X       X       X       X       X  
   Transatlantic       X       X       X       X       X      
   Transpacific           X       X       X       X       X  
   Far East-Mid East           X       X       X       X       X  
   Asia-Red Sea             X       X       X       X  
   Asia-Africa       X       X       X       X       X       X       X  

Other

   Intra-Asia     X       X       X       X          
   North-South Routes       X       X       X       X       X       X       X  
   Other Intra-Regional Routes     X       X       X            

* All trade routes contain dedicated loops only

Source: Drewry

 

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Containership Demand

In general, trends in seaborne trade are influenced by the underlying demand for bulk commodities, raw material, semi-finished goods and finished goods, which, in turn, are influenced by the level of worldwide economic activity. Therefore, the world container trade growth is primarily driven by the growth in economic output, consumption, and changes in global sourcing and patterns of world trade. Generally, growth in GDP and industrial production correlate with changes in the demand for international container shipping, and GDP is one of the key indicators of prospective container volumes. Historically, between 1980 and 2007, container trade volumes have grown at a multiple of about three times the GDP growth. This multiple has been lower since 2008 and 2009 in part due to market changes, as noted below. The GDP growth-container volume growth multiple rebounded somewhat in 2010 on the back of a recovery in container volumes, but this improvement did not hold in subsequent years and the multiplier declined to 0.4x in 2015 and remained below 1.0x in 2016. However, it swung back to 1.7x in 2017, pointing to a significant turnaround in global container trade.

Container Demand and GDP Multiplier

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

One of the reasons for the decline from the long-term average multiple is that the outsourcing trend to China is reaching a stage of maturity. When China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, the outsourcing of manufacturing to China led to a huge boom in trade and a large orderbook for big container ships. However, China’s economy has cooled somewhat and international trade is becoming subject to increased pressures. Moreover, rising wages and production costs have exacerbated the problem. As a result, many companies have shifted their manufacturing activity to new low-cost production centers such as Eastern Europe, Mexico, South East Asia and South Asia.

Inexpensive and reliable container transport has facilitated manufacturing and distribution processes that have accompanied globalisation, allowing manufacturing to move away from traditionally high-cost production areas, such as Japan, Western Europe and North America, to lower-cost production areas, such as China, Vietnam and other parts of South East Asia. There has been little impact on quality of the distribution process to the primary consumer markets. As an illustration of the relatively low cost of container transportation, many technologically advanced countries are exporting component parts for assembly in other countries, and then re-importing the finished products. Manufacturers have also focused more on ‘just-in-time’ delivery methods, which are facilitated by fast transit times and frequent, reliable services offered by container liner companies and

 

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the container industry. However, this trend was significantly impacted by the onset of much higher fuel prices and liner slow steaming in the 2007-2008 time period. Average transit times in deep-sea trades are now much longer than they were a decade ago.

In addition to the levels of economic growth, there are several structural factors that also positively impact the growth of global container trade. An important structural factor is the continuing penetration in traditional shipping sectors by container shipping services. These include general cargo and refrigerated cargo markets and, to a limited extent, some dry and wet bulk commodities, which traditionally have been the preserve of the dry bulk carrier and oil tanker markets. Container operators have made significant inroads into the specialised refrigerated market in the last five to ten years, assisted by the lack of investment by general shipping companies in new reefer ships that has provided an opportunity for container operators to invest in the market to help meet demand.

Growth in the container market has, at times, outpaced investment in port and canal infrastructure, which has occasionally resulted in congestion in some parts of the transportation chain. Congestion increases ships’ time in transit and reduces overall efficiency. The largest containerships are deployed in major trades, and incremental tonnage is required to feed cargo to these mother ships from ports that do not have either the volume or the infrastructure to serve very large ships of over 10,000 TEU of capacity directly. In this context, both congestion and increased transhipment absorb shipping capacity, but do not represent incremental growth to the overall container market.

In recent years, economic growth in China, which has been one of the main drivers of container trade, has slowed. China’s annual real GDP growth has declined from about 10.6% in 2010 to 6.9% in 2017, and could likely dip further to 6.6% in 2018 as credit growth slows, according to the IMF’s estimates published in April 2018. China’s economic slowdown has mirrored the trade softness worldwide since the 2008 global financial crisis. The decline of growth in global container trade could be exacerbated if current threats of greater protectionism among the major trading economies come to fruition.

The Containership Fleet

As of April 1, 2018, the world fleet of fully cellular containerships consisted of 5,197 ships with total capacity of 21.15 million TEU. These numbers are net of vessels scrapped and exclude multipurpose and ro-ro ships with container-carrying capability. The average age of the existing fleet is approximately 12 years, with the large vessels generally being younger as a result of the increasing preference for these ships in recent years.

World Cellular Containership Fleet by Size (April 1, 2018)

 

Vessel Size (TEU)

   April 2018      % of Total      Average Age
(Yrs.)
 
     No      ’000 TEU      No.      TEU     

100-1,999

     2,278        2,386        43.8      11.3      14.7  

2,000-2,999

     629        1,594        12.1      7.5      12.6  

3,000-3,999

     238        822        4.6      3.9      11.0  

4,000-5,099

     650        2,929        12.5      13.8      10.4  

5,100-7,499

     468        2,901        9.0      13.7      11.9  

7,500-9,999

     480        4,226        9.2      20.0      7.6  

10,000-12,999

     140        1,509        2.7      7.1      5.2  

13,000+

     314        4,787        6.0      22.6      4.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     5,197        21,155        100.0      100.0      12.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Source: Drewry

The global containership fleet has expanded rapidly to meet the increased demand on account of greater trade and because of carriers’ preference to increase their fleet sizes with larger ships to reduce unit costs. Global

 

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fleet capacity has grown from 6.6 million TEU in 2003 to 21.15 million TEU in April 2018. In terms of capacity, the containership fleet increased by 3.8% in 2017, which was a jump from a nominal growth of 1.2% in 2016. The containership fleet has expanded by an average of around 6.0% per year since 2009. In 2003, the 4,000 to 5,099 TEU containerships accounted for nearly 17% of the world containership fleet. The fleet capacity of these vessels increased from 1.1 million TEU in 2003 to 3.2 million TEU in 2011, and the segment has seen an average growth of 13.3% per year during the period. However, with increasing preference for large ships, the growth rate for 4,000 to 5,099 TEU vessels dropped to an average growth rate of 2.3% per year between 2012 and 2014. From 2014, the fleet capacity of these vessels has been on decline, and in 2017, the fleet capacity dropped by 4% to 2.9 million TEU. As of April 1, 2018, the fleet capacity of 4,000 to 5,099 TEU vessels was 2.93 million TEU, which accounts for 13.8% of the world containership fleet.

Containership Fleet Development (’000 TEU, 2003 – April 1, 2018)

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

The average ship size of containerships has steadily increased in tandem with the rising capacity of the world containership fleet. The average size of containerships in service was around 4,000 TEU as of April 2018, compared with around 1,600 TEU in 1997.

 

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Increasing size of containerships (2003 – April 1, 2018)

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

The number of larger containerships, and their average size, has grown significantly, especially during the last decade. This increase in the number of larger containerships has also resulted in the growth of average ship capacity. Vessels with 10,000 or more TEU capacity are a relatively recent phenomenon in the global containership industry as they only began to join the global fleet in 2006. Since then, the number of large vessels increased substantially, and as of April 1, 2018, vessels with 10,000 or more TEU capacity account for nearly 30% of the world containership fleet in terms of fleet capacity.

Containership capacity is measured in different ways. The most common measure is the maximum number of 20 foot containers that the ship is able to carry. Another related measure is deadweight tonnage (dwt) although this measure is used more frequently for bulk carriers and tankers than for containerships.

The largest containerships are used on the trade lane between the Far East and North Europe. The average ship size on other trade lanes is lower. However, the ships on the other trade lanes can also be large enough to present challenges to ports. As ship sizes increase on the main trade lanes, the replaced ships cascade down to secondary trade lanes. This process is repeated in the secondary trade lanes. Therefore, the development of large ships not only impacts the trade lanes in which these ships are used, but the entire maritime transport chain as well.

The development of ever larger ships is driven by the desire to reduce unit costs. Considering that the container shipping industry is mainly driven by price competition, the decision by one shipping line to increase ship size invariably leads to a wave of similar orders by other shipping lines in order to maintain a competitive cost structure. The result has been a wave of investments in very large containerships that might make sense from the perspective of an individual company vis-à-vis its main competitors, but less so for an industry as whole as it results in the growth of global fleet capacity, which is not in line with demand.

Containership Orderbook

As of April 1, 2018, the global containership newbuilding orderbook was 2.68 million TEU – equivalent to 12.7% of the existing global containership fleet. The containership orderbook sparked back to life in the third quarter of 2017, driven mainly by transactions entered to purchase a combined 20 Ultra Large Container Vessels

 

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(ULCVs) with 22,000 TEU capacities signed by CMA CGM and MSC. In early 2018, Evergreen signed charters for twelve 11,850 TEU capacity vessels and placed orders for eight 11,000 TEU capacity vessels for delivery from the latter half of 2019. Nonetheless, the current orderbook-to-fleet ratio of 12.7% represents a significant reduction from the peak in January 2008, when the orderbook reached 60% of the existing global fleet. The number of vessels delivered has dropped over the past eight years, from 264 vessels delivered in 2010 to 152 delivered in 2017.

The orderbook mainly comprises of ships with capacity exceeding 10,000 TEU, which accounts for close to 83% of the overall orderbook in terms of TEU. The orders placed to date for the largest containerships have all been placed by major operators, which are likely to use such vessels to increase their market share and/or reduce their slot costs.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are fewer new orders for ships below 10,000 TEU, which account for nearly 17% of the orderbook in terms of TEU. The capacity of feeder ships is increasing and ships of 3,000 to 5,000 TEU are now providing feeder and transhipment services to the largest ships on the main East-West routes. However, quite recently, there has been an increased interest in the sub-3,000 TEU sector because of the possible rise in transhipment activity as a result of larger vessels being increasingly deployed on all major routes due to the new alliance structure.

Containership Orderbook and Delivery Schedule – April 1, 2018

 

Vessel Size

   Scheduled Deliveries      All Ships on
Order
     % of
Existing
Fleet by
TEU
 
     2018      2019      2020      2021      2022+        

(TEU)

   No.      ’000
TEU
     No.      ’000
TEU
     No.      ’000
TEU
     No.      ’000
TEU
     No.      ’000
TEU
     No.      Total
’000
TEU
    

100-1,999

     55        51.6        60        79.2        11        15.3        2        3.5        0        0.0        128        149.6        6.3

2,000-2,999

     43        110.9        32        81.4        11        26.5        2        4.0        1        2.0        89        224.8        14.1

3,000-3,999

     17        59.2        1        3.1        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        18        62.3        7.6

4,000-5,099

     0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        0.0

5,100-7,499

     4        21.2        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        4        21.2        0.7

7,500-9,999

     1        9.4        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        0        0.0        1        9.4        0.2

10,000-12,999

     13        142.3        9        104.8        9        99.0        11        121.0        0        0.0        42        467.1        31.0

13,000+

     36        604.7        35        616.0        26        497.1        2        28.1        0        0.0        99        1,745.8        36.5
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     169        999.4        137        884.4        57        637.9        17        156.6        1        2.0        381        2,680.2        12.7
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Source: Drewry

The size of the orderbook increased rapidly from 2005 to 2007, when strong freight rates and robust demand on the core East-West trades encouraged high levels of new ordering. However, the orderbook started contracting soon thereafter as there was an increased number of orderbook cancellations, slippage and vessel conversions. Since 2014, the orderbook-to-fleet ratio has fallen below 20% and is currently at around 13%. There is effectively no current orderbook for vessels sized from 4,000 to 5,099 TEU and from 7,500 to 9,999 TEU, with only one vessel currently on order.

 

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The Containership Orderbook (’000 TEU) – Ratio to Existing Fleet

 

LOGO

Note – Fleet data is net of vessels scrapped and 2018 data is until April 1

Source: Drewry

New orders grew by 217% in 2017 to reach 699,000 TEU, compared with only 220,000 TEU in 2016. The growth in 2017 is largely attributable to orders since the beginning of September 2017. Demand was particularly muted in the small vessel segments the second half of 2016 until September 2017, when only 60,000 TEU of capacity was ordered in these segments. New orders placed in the first three months of 2018 amount to 42.3% of the full year order figure in 2017. These new orders indicate rising confidence in the container market following Hanjin’s exit from the industry. Notable orders in 2018 include Evergreen’s order of 20 containerships (12 vessels of 11,850 TEU and 8 vessels of 11,000 TEU).

Containership New Orders (2010-2018*)

 

LOGO

* 2018 new orders are through April 1, 2018

Source: Drewry

 

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Deliveries & Slippage

Around 70% of newbuildings that were scheduled for 2017 delivery were delivered that year. The delivery rate is higher than in 2016, when only 65.4% of new ships were delivered as scheduled that year. Deferrals are expected to reduce after 2018 as the supply-demand pressure eases and shipyards become less willing to change terms as the container shipping sector recovers. We expect around 85% of the newbuildings scheduled for 2018 delivery to be delivered in 2018. On average, 331,000 TEU of new ships were delivered between 2008 and 2010 in the 4,000 to 5,099 TEU vessel category. Annual average deliveries dropped to 115,000 TEU between 2011 and 2015 in this category. On an average, only 6,500 TEU of new ships were delivered annually in both 2016 and 2017 in the 4,000 to 5,099 TEU category.

Containership Deliveries (’000 TEU)

 

Vessel Size (TEU)

   2008      2009      2010      2011      2012      2013      2014      2015      2016      2017      2018*      Total
(2008-17)
 

100-1,999

     226        115        84        59        71        51        54        54        53        67        18        833  

2,000-2,999

     159        78        47        32        19        22        17        46        43        58        23        519  

3,000-3,999

     75        43        56        13        18        81        60        37        3        16        11        401  

4,000-5,099

     317        347        329        98        180        179        87        33        5        8        0        1,581  

5,100-7,499

     243        173        193        163        82        93        98        42        0        7        0        1,094  

7,500-9,999

     299        170        258        288        240        441        350        531        186        104        9        2,867  

10,000-12,999

     173        109        115        195        96        0        192        174        143        179        35        1,375  

13,000+

     32        68        301        376        560        480        656        743        474        731        250        4,419  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     1,522        1,103        1,381        1,224        1,265        1,347        1,513        1,659        907        1,169        347        13,090  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

* 2018 data is through April 1, 2018.

Source: Drewry

In 2008, the slippage (non-delivery) of containerships was at 11.8%. However, the slippage increased substantially following the global financial crisis of 2008 to 2009 as shipowners opted to defer taking deliveries of new vessels in a market plagued by weak demand. The non-delivery in containerships peaked at 45.8% in 2009 and the average slippage between 2009 and 2013 was 31.3%. The newbuilding deliveries of containerships improved in 2014, following greater demand and improved market conditions. Accordingly, non-deliveries averaged 9.5% for both 2014 and 2015. In recent years, the actual deliveries have been significantly less than originally scheduled as the increasing number of large ships have created an oversupply in the market, and non-deliveries in recent years have again exceeded 30%. In 2010, almost all vessels that were scheduled to be delivered in 2010 in the 4,000 to 5,099 TEU class were delivered during the year. From 2011 to 2017 however, non-delivery of vessels in the 4,000 to 5,099 TEU class averaged 48.8%, which was substantially higher than the average of 22.4% for the world container fleet over the same period.

 

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Actual Deliveries and Slippage (’000 TEU)

 

Scheduled Deliveries

   2008     2009     2010     2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018*  

100-1,999 TEU

     298       260       182       118       98       81       56       54       73       95       25  

2,000-2,999 TEU

     201       156       106       51       29       58       34       84       120       134       82  

3,000-3,999 TEU

     77       105       88       66       47       103       69       48       55       55       25  

4,000-5,099 TEU

     349       445       329       197       257       309       130       67       18       21       0  

5,100-7,499 TEU

     329       417       362       238       122       185       158       58       7       33       11  

7,500-9,999 TEU

     376       280       407       225       269       430       380       649       307       122       9  

10,000-12,999 TEU

     82       197       272       244       232       138       230       102       254       297       99  

13,000+ TEU

     14       177       497       513       523       537       566       829       551       929       326  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

     1,725       2,036       2,242       1,652       1,578       1,840       1,624       1,889       1,386       1,686       576  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Actual Deliveries

   2008     2009     2010     2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018*  

100-1,999 TEU

     226       115       84       59       71       51       54       54       53       67       18  

2,000-2,999 TEU

     159       78       47       32       19       22       17       46       43       58       23  

3,000-3,999 TEU

     75       43       56       13       18       81       60       37       3       16       11  

4,000-5,099 TEU

     317       347       329       98       180       179       87       33       5       8       0  

5,100-7,499 TEU

     243       173       193       163       82       93       98       42       0       7       0  

7,500-9,999 TEU

     299       170       258       288       240       441       350       531       186       104       9  

10,000-12,999 TEU

     173       109       115       195       96       0       192       174       143       179       35  

13,000+ TEU

     32       68       301       376       560       480       656       743       474       731       250  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

     1,522       1,103       1,381       1,224       1,265       1,347       1,513       1,659       907       1,169       347  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Non - Delivery (%)

   2008     2009     2010     2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018*  

100-1,999 TEU

     24.4     55.7     54.2     50.0     27.9     36.9     4.2     0.3     26.9     29.3     27.1

2,000-2,999 TEU

     21.0     50.0     55.7     37.2     35.0     62.5     50.3     45.2     64.4     56.9     71.4

3,000-3,999 TEU

     3.2     58.7     36.7     79.9     62.3     21.7     13.5     22.5     94.4     71.5     54.8

4,000-5,099 TEU

     9.2     22.0     0.0     50.3     30.2     42.2     33.4     51.3     72.4     62.0     —    

5,100-7,499 TEU

     26.1     58.5     46.8     31.2     32.7     49.6     37.8     26.8     100.0     79.4     100.0

7,500-9,999 TEU

     20.4     39.0     36.7     -28.0     10.8     -2.6     7.9     18.2     39.5     15.3     0.0

10,000-12,999 TEU

     -110.7     44.8     57.9     20.0     58.4     100.0     16.5     -71.1     43.7     39.7     65.0

13,000+ TEU

     -134.2     61.6     39.4     26.8     -6.9     10.5     -15.9     10.4     14.1     21.3     23.2
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

     11.8     45.8     38.4     25.9     19.8     26.8     6.8     12.2     34.6     30.7     39.8
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

* 2018 data is through April 1, 2018.

Source: Drewry

Slippages in 2016 and, to a lesser extent, in the second half of 2017 were mainly driven by a number of reasons:

 

    Freight rates plummeted to record lows, especially in 2016, leading shipowners to postpone deliveries to avoid exacerbating operating losses.

 

    Many shipowners with outstanding orders were faced with uncomfortably high leverage or challenges securing financing (or both), causing the shipowner to defer deliveries. For instance, after reporting a loss in 2016, Maersk Line in February 2017 decided to delay delivery of nine 14,000 TEU vessels to decrease burdens on its cash flows.

 

    Orders were placed at ‘greenfield’ shipyards with no prior experience in building ships for international accounts. Some of these shipyards, due in part to lack of experience, were unable to obtain the requisite financing to carry out the order.

 

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    Shipowners cancelled orders despite the loss of sunk costs the cancellation entailed because the depressed business environment did not encourage the chartering out of ships.

Container Ship Fleet Age Profile

In the existing global containership fleet, about 85% of the vessels are less than 15 years old. Most of the bigger size vessels (more than 10,000 TEU) are less than 10 years of age. In the 4,000 to 4,999 size categories, 52.5% of the fleet is less than nine years old. Vessels in excess of 25 years of age are approaching the end of their useful trading lives. The breakdown of the container fleet by vessel size based on age is shown below.

Age Profile of the Container Fleet—1 April 2017

(% of Capacity)

 

Size range

     25+      20-24      15-19      10-14      5-9      0-4      Total  

100-1,999 TEU

       5.7      16.5      17.2      27.0      21.7      12.0      100.0

2,000-2,999 TEU

       3.2      7.4      20.5      36.0      20.0      12.9      100.0

3,000-3,999 TEU

       3.3      7.8      11.6      28.3      25.1      23.9      100.0

4,000-4,999 TEU

       0.8      2.8      10.5      33.5      42.5      10.0      100.0

5,000-7,499 TEU

       0.0      3.6      26.0      34.2      28.8      7.4      100.0

7,500-9,999 TEU

       0.0      0.5      4.0      29.2      29.7      36.7      100.0

10,000-12,999 TEU

       0.0      0.0      0.0      8.0      44.2      47.9      100.0

13,000+ TEU

       0.0      0.0      0.0      2.8      28.4      68.8      100.0
    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

       1.1      3.7      9.7      23.2      30.3      32.0      100.0
    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Source: Drewry

Scrapping

With the pick-up in the charter market, demolition of ships normalised in 2017 after peaking in 2016. In 2016, container operators were under pressure as they were unable to cover daily operating expenses. The demolished container vessels had an average age of 21 years and capacity of 2,800 TEU in 2017, compared with 19 years and 3,400 TEU in 2016. In line with the broader container vessel fleet, demolitions in the 4,000 to 5,099 TEU vessel size increased about 3.8 times in 2016 compared with 2015 and the pace of demolition decreased in 2017. Scrapping of ships increased between 2012 and 2014, driven by operators’ desire to utilize the most fuel-efficient tonnage as many older container ships were unable to provide owners and operators the cost structure they required. Another factor driving the scrapping activity in 2016 was the opening of the Panama Canal in 2016, which left many Panamaxes redundant.

Two important trends have emerged with regard to demolition: (i) the average age of containerships scrapped is decreasing; and (ii) the average size of the containerships scrapped is increasing. The average age of the ships demolished has declined from 29 years in 2008 to 21 years in 2017, while the average size of the ships being sent for demolition increased from 1,435 TEU in 2008 to 2,800 TEU in 2017.

 

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Containership Scrapping (’000 TEU, 2005-2018*)

 

LOGO

*Data through April 1, 2018.

Source: Drewry

Idle Tonnage

At any point in time, a proportion of the fleet can be idle or inactive. The volume of idle capacity will vary, depending on wider market conditions. The peak of idle tonnage in recent years was in 2009, when containership supply and demand were out of line by a large margin. The volume of idle tonnage subsequently declined until 2014. However, as vessel earnings started to weaken further in the second half of 2015, shipowners resumed idling their vessels at a rapid pace. The addition of Hanjin’s 600,000 TEU capacity to idle tonnage artificially increased the idle fleet because of the South Korean operator’s sudden exit from the industry, and the idle capacity increased to 8.6% in November 2016. The volume of idle ships decreased significantly in 2017, indicating improved market conditions. Hanjin Shipping units, which had gone idle, had either been scrapped or picked up by other owners and operators.

 

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Idle Capacity (’000 TEU) as a Percentage of Fleet (2008-2018*)

 

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*2018 data is as of April 1, 2018.

Source: Drewry

Containership Newbuilding Prices

The factors that influence newbuilding prices include ship type, shipyard capacity, demand for ships, ‘berth cover’, or the forward book of business of shipyards, buyer relationships with the yard, individual design specifications, including fuel efficiency or environmental features and the price of ship material, engine and machinery equipment and, particularly, the price of steel.

Newbuilding prices rose steadily from 2002 to 2008, owing to a shortage in newbuilding capacity during a period of high ordering and increased shipbuilders’ costs as a result of rising steel prices. However, in the second half of 2008, weak market conditions significantly slowed down new ordering, to the point that virtually no new orders were placed for containerships in 2009. In 2011, prices weakened across all size segments, and this weakness continued into 2013 as shipyards were forced to cut prices. However, towards the end of 2013, the price decline appeared to have abated as prices leveled out. In 2014, prices improved only to retreat towards end of the year, and thereafter declined marginally in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, prices remained steady on the back of a surge of new orders. New orders increased to 698,000 TEU in 2017, about three times the amount of new orders in 2016.

 

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Containership Newbuilding Prices, (USD million)

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

Containership Secondhand Prices

Ships are usually sold through specialised brokers that report transactions to the maritime transportation industry on a regular basis. The sale and purchase market for ships is usually quite transparent and liquid, with a number of ships changing hands annually. A large part of the interest in second-hand container ships arises from companies wishing to speculate in short term or spot market type opportunities, which is in contrast to newbuildings, where the interest is often long term in nature. Second-hand prices are also influenced if a charter contract is attached to the vessel, and the terms of the contract. A second-hand vessel already deployed on a long-term charter with a blue-chip customer at a profitable rate will command a higher price in the prevailing market than a similar vessel with no charter contract.

Second-hand values for containerships increased between 2005 and 2008, supported by a strong charter market, but prices collapsed in 2009 due to the economic crisis and the resulting overcapacity in container shipping. Prices recovered partly during 2010 and 2011 as charter rates returned closer to average historical levels, but in 2012, they weakened once again in the face of much softer charter rates. In mid-2013, prices for 2,500 and 3,500 TEU ships were around 50% below prices at the end of 2007. In 2014, second-hand values for most container vessels were below average values in 2013, and were steady until the fourth quarter of 2015. In 2016, the second-hand prices almost halved as a result of the decline in freight rates. In 2017, second-hand asset prices grew about 17% on an average for 2,500 TEU, 3,500 TEU and 4,000 TEU vessels, owing to a strong recovery in freight rates. Currently, second-hand values are still below historical norms, and until recently, many were priced only just above scrap levels. Interest in second-hand containerships has been sustained due to the number of ships being made available by distressed shipowners, which has enabled buyers to obtain very favorable pricing. In addition to encouraging interest in second-hand containerships, the availability of young and favorably-priced vessels in the second-hand market can also act to suppress newbuild orders.

 

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Containership Second-hand Prices, (5-Year old, USD million)

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

Supply-Demand Balance

Drewry’s global supply-demand index continued on a slow upward trend in 2017, increasing to 91.6 from 89.7 in 2016. An index measure of 100 represents equilibrium between supply and demand. Measures above 100 indicate that demand exceeds supply, and measures below 100 indicate that demand falls short of supply.

Supply-demand dynamics are most applicable at the trade route level, and can differ significantly across trade routes. Supply-demand dynamics are reflected by utilisation rates, which are correlated with freight rates. Freight rates may be adversely affected by either low cargo growth or high supply-side pressure (which can arise from the delivery of newbuild vessels, the failure of shipowners to take capacity management measures, or both).

Supply-demand fundamentals on East-West head-haul have been relatively stable between 2015 and 2017, with annual average utilisation ranging between 88% and 92%. The impact of newbuild capacity can cause a downward movement in spot rates, which is most evident in this year’s trend so far.

 

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East-West Trades Head-haul Supply/Demand Balance and Utilization Factors 2015-2017

 

     Capacity*
(’000 TEU)
     Change     Demand
(’000 TEU)
     Change     Supply-
demand gap
    Utilization     Slot/TEU     

TEU/slot

 

1Q15

     9,964          8,390            84.2     1.19        0.84  

2Q15

     10,635        6.7     9,312        11.0     -4.2     87.6     1.14        0.88  

3Q15

     10,916        2.6     9,714        4.3     -1.6     89.0     1.12        0.89  

4Q15

     10,433        -4.4     8,960        -7.8     3.4     85.9     1.16        0.86  

2015

     41,948        12.8     36,376        5.2     7.5     86.7     1.15        0.87  

1Q16

     10,314        -1.1     8,727        -2.6     1.5     84.6     1.18        0.85  

2Q16

     10,906        5.7     9,494        8.8     -3.1     87.1     1.15        0.87  

3Q16

     10,744        -1.5     9,997        5.3     -6.8     93.1     1.07        0.93  

4Q16

     10,377        -3.4     9,521        -4.8     1.4     91.7     1.09        0.92  

2016

     42,341        0.9     37,739        3.7     -2.8     89.1     1.12        0.89  

1Q17

     10,356        -0.2     9,033        -5.1     4.9     87.2     1.15        0.87  

2Q17

     11,293        9.0     10,208        13.0     -4.0     90.4     1.11        0.90  

3Q17

     11,453        1.4     10,684        4.7     -3.3     93.3     1.07        0.93  

4Q17

     11,416        -0.3     9,776        -8.5     8.2     85.6     1.17        0.86  

2017

     44,517        5.1     39,700        5.2     -0.1     89.2     1.12        0.89  

Capacity and demand is annualized for full year and quarterly figure per quarter; trade routes include Asia-Northern Europe, Asia-Mediterranean, Transpacific and Northern Europe & Mediterranean -North America

*Capacity is the deployed capacity and refers to total available slots on a particular trade route

Source: Drewry

North-South routes have also offered limited opportunity for favorable freight rate movement since 2016, as overall headhaul utilisation rates remained below 70% in 2017. Following Maersk’s acquisition of Hamburg Süd, however, market concentration is rising, particularly in Latin America, one of the key North South trades. Together, Maersk and MSC control more than 70% of effective capacity on North-South routes, and are especially strong on the northbound Europe to East Coast South America trade route. These concentrations could lead to more favorable freight rates in future periods.

North-South Head-haul Supply/Demand Balance and Utilization Factors, 2015-2017

 

     Capacity
(’000 TEU)
     Change     Demand
(’000 TEU)
     Change     Supply-
demand gap
    Utilization     Slot/TEU     

TEU/slot

 

1Q15

     5,467          3,981            72.8     1.37        0.73  

2Q15

     5,878        7.5     4,259        7.1     0.4     72.5     1.37        0.73  

3Q15

     6,063        3.1     4,320        1.7     1.5     71.3     1.39        0.72  

4Q15

     5,817        -4.1     4,088        -5.6     1.5     70.3     1.41        0.71  

2015

     23,225        n/a       16,648        2.3     n/a       72.2     1.36        0.73  

1Q16

     5,836        0.3     4,057        -0.8     1.1     69.5     1.45        0.69  

2Q16

     6,225        6.7     4,311        6.3     0.4     69.3     1.44        0.69  

3Q16

     6,228        0.1     4,404        2.2     -2.1     70.7     1.46        0.69  

4Q16

     6,091        -2.2     4,323        -1.8     -0.3     71.0     1.43        0.70  

2016

     24,380        4.9     17,095        2.7     2.2     70.1     1.43        0.70  

1Q17

     6,167        1.2     4,240        -1.9     3.1     68.8     1.50        0.67  

2Q17

     6,490        5.2     4,499        6.1     -0.9     69.3     1.49        0.67  

3Q17

     6,702        3.3     4,535        0.8     2.5     67.7     1.52        0.66  

4Q17

     6,754        0.8     4,605        1.5     -0.8     68.2     1.47        0.68  

2017

     26,113        7.1     17,879        4.6     2.5     68.5     1.46        0.68  

 

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Capacity and demand is annualized for full year and quarterly figure per quarter; Trade routes include Asia-ECSA, Europe-ECSA, Asia-West Africa, Northern Asia-Oceania; Asia-Mid-East; Asia-South Asia; Europe-Mid-East; Europe-South Asia

*Capacity is the deployed capacity and refers to total available slots on a particular trade route

Source: Drewry

Global Head-haul Supply/Demand Balance and Utilisation Factors, 2015-2017

 

     Capacity
(’000 TEU)
     Change     Demand
(’000 TEU)
     Change     Supply-
demand gap
    Utilization  

1Q15

     15,431          12,372            80.2

2Q15

     16,513        7.0     13,571        9.7     -2.7     82.2

3Q15

     16,979        2.8     14,034        3.5     -0.7     82.7

4Q15

     16,249        -4.3     13,047        -7.1     2.8     80.3

2015

     65,173        n/a       53,024        2.1     n/a       81.4

1Q16

     16,151        -0.6     12,784        -2.0     1.4     79.2

2Q16

     17,130        6.1     13,805        8.0     -1.9     80.6

3Q16

     16,972        -0.9     14,401        4.3     -5.2     84.9

4Q16

     16,468        -3.0     13,844        -3.9     0.9     84.1

2016

     66,721        2.4     54,834        3.4     -1.0     82.2

1Q17

     16,523        0.3     13,273        -4.1     4.5     80.3

2Q17

     17,783        7.6     14,707        10.8     -3.2     82.7

3Q17

     18,155        2.1     15,219        3.5     -1.4     83.8

4Q17

     18,170        0.1     14,380        -5.5     5.6     79.1

2017

     70,631        5.9     57,579        5.0     0.9     81.5

Capacity and demand is annualized for full year and quarterly figure per quarter; Trade routes include Europe-ECSA, Asia-ECSA, Asia-West Africa, Northern Asia-Australasia, Asia-Mid-East, Asia-South Asia, Europe-Mid-East, Europe-South Asia, Asia-Northern Europe, Asia- Mediterranean, Transpacific, Northern Europe-North America

*Capacity is the deployed capacity and refers to total available slots

Source: Drewry

Containership Time Charter Rates

A time charter involves the use of a vessel for a specified time period (which could range from a number of months to a number of years). The charterer pays all voyage related costs. Typically, the owner of the vessel receives monthly charter hire payments on a per day basis and is responsible for the payment of all vessel operating expenses and capital costs of the vessel.

A bareboat charter, a less common type of time charter, involves the use of a vessel generally over longer periods of time ranging up to several years and on a different pricing structure. In bareboat charters, all voyage related costs, including vessel fuel, or bunkers, and port dues, as well as all vessel operating expenses, such as day-to-day operations, maintenance, crewing and insurance are the responsibility of the charterer. The owner of the vessel receives monthly charter hire payments on a per day basis and is responsible only for the payment of capital costs related to the vessel.

Charter rates are mainly dependent on the prevailing supply and demand dynamics in the sector, especially for shorter contracts. For longer charter periods, i.e., those ranging from three years to ten years, charter rates tend to be more stable and less cyclical. Other factors affecting charter rates include the age and characteristics of the ships (including fuel consumption, speed, new design, whether geared or gearless, number of reefer plugs).

 

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The following chart indicates annual average charter rates for representative containerships with vessel sizes of 2,500 TEU to 3,500 TEU from 2006 to March 2018.

One-Year Containership Charter Rates, (Period averages USD/day)

 

LOGO

Source: Drewry

The chart above reflects the long-term trend of weakening of container charter rates since 2006, when supply increased faster than demand. Charter rates were above historical averages from 2006 to 2008, 2010 and 2011, and again in the latter part of 2014 and early 2015. Rates have generally been quite soft for the remaining periods.

Beginning in 2017 and continuing into 2018, there has been upward movement in charter rates, as short-term indicators and underlying fundamentals for charter rates have been more favorable than they have been for some time.

This reversal of the trend of charter rate pricing is reflective of a recent shift in the bargaining power from charterers to shipowners as the vessel oversupply issues subside, due to both strong demand and a diminishing idle fleet. For example, charter rates for Classic Panamax ships in early 2018 are being fixed at $11,000 to $12,000 per day, exceeding the peak of $10,000 last seen in 2015.

New Bunker Regulations

For many years, heavy fuel oil (HFO) has been the main fuel of choice for the shipping industry. It is relatively inexpensive and widely available, but it is ‘dirty’ from an environmental point of view.

The sulfur content of HFO is extremely high, and it is the reason that maritime shipping accounts for 8% of global emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), an important source for acid rain, as well as respiratory diseases. In some port cities, such as Hong Kong, shipping is the largest single source of SO2 emissions, as well as emissions of particulate matter (PM), which are directly tied to the sulphur content of the fuel.

The IMO, the governing body of international shipping, has made a decisive effort to diversify the industry away from HFO in to cleaner fuels. Effective in 2015, ships operating within the Emission Control Areas

 

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(ECAs), covering the Economic Exclusive Zone of North America, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the English Channel, are required to use marine gas oil with allowable sulfur content no higher than 1,000 parts per million (ppm). From 2020, ships sailing outside ECAs will switch to marine diesel oil with permitted sulfur content no higher than 5,000 ppm. This will create openings for a variety of new fuels, or capital expenditure for scrubbers to be retrofitted on existing ships. We expect that this transition will accelerate the scrapping of older ships.

Changes in bunker regulations from 2020

 

Where

  

Now

  

From January 1, 2020

At sea (outside SECA zones)

   Any fuel max 3.5% sulphur content (HSFO/HFO, LSFO, MGO, LNG)    Any fuel max 0.5% sulphur content (LSFO, MGO, LNG, or HSFO with scrubbers)

At sea (inside SECA zones)

   Any fuel max 0.1% sulphur content (MGO, LNG)    Any fuel max 0.1% sulphur content (MGO, LNG)

In port

   (MGO, LNG)    (MGO, LNG)

Notes - HSFO = High-Sulphur Fuel Oil is also known as Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO); LSFO = Low-Sulphur Fuel Oil; MGO = Marine Gas Oil (diesel + oil); LNG = Liquefied natural gas

 

Source: Drewry

The new regulations are expected to have a significant impact on the industry as current prices of low sulphur alternatives are about 50% greater than high sulphur fuel oil. Industry participants are exploring several options to comply with the new regulations. Among the options are investing in scrubbers that reduce sulphur emissions (which is not viable particularly for older vessels) and using LNG fuel (which option is burdened by the underdeveloped LNG bunkering infrastructure).

 

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BUSINESS

Overview

We are a growth-oriented international owner and operator of containerships. We were formed in April 2017 by Navios Holdings, which owns, operates or manages one of the largest shipping fleets by capacity, to take advantage of acquisition and chartering opportunities in the container shipping sector. We generate our revenues by chartering our vessels to leading liner companies pursuant to fixed-rate time charters. Under the terms of our charters, we provide crewing and technical management, while the charterer is generally responsible for securing cargoes, fuel costs and voyage expenses. After giving effect to the acquisition of five containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds from this offering, and including the two containerships of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018, we will have grown our fleet to 30 vessels with an aggregate carrying capacity of 166,338 TEU and an average fleet age of 9.8 years.

We believe this is a favorable time to invest in the containership sector by acquiring quality second-hand vessels for which we see attractive employment opportunities. Containership prices remain at levels that are significantly below their 15-year historical averages and the time charter market for containerships started to show signs of improvement in 2017 and has continued to do so in the first quarter of 2018.

We expect to be able to continue to acquire containerships at attractive prices and capitalize on our low-cost operating structure, which we believe will allow us to maximize the return on investment for our unit holders as a result of expected increased positive cash flow from operations and expected appreciation in the value of our vessels as the market continues to recover.

We also intend to leverage the scale, experience, reputation and relationships of Navios Holdings with maritime industry participants and global financial institutions to continue to expand our fleet through selective acquisitions of vessels and to enable us to sustain a lower than industry average cost structure.

We were initially formed as a corporation under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on April 28, 2017. In connection with our formation, we registered on the N-OTC and completed four private placements of an aggregate of 34,603,100 common shares for total proceeds of approximately $180.3 million, as described in the notes to the historical consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus. In connection with this offering, we will convert into a limited partnership under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands at a ratio of                  shares of common stock of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. for each common unit of Navios Containers.

Our Relationship with the Navios Group

One of our key strengths is our relationship with the Navios Group, which includes four publicly traded seaborne shipping companies which together operate 200 vessels as of April 2018, making it one of the largest global shipping groups. In a highly fragmented industry, we believe this relationship provides us with several advantages.

First, we are able to benefit from significant economies of scale not typically available to smaller owners resulting in efficient spreading of overhead and other costs, which in turn results in lower operating expenditures compared to the industry average. In particular, we derive cost efficiencies from Navios Holdings, a global, vertically integrated seaborne shipping and logistics company focused on the transport and transshipment of dry bulk commodities including iron ore, coal and grain. In addition, the key members of Navios Holdings’ management team have an average of over 20 years of experience in the shipping industry through which Navios Holdings provides entities within the Navios Group, and us, cost-efficient technical and commercial management, as well as administrative services.

Second, our relationship with Navios Holdings provides us access to competitive expansion opportunities, including the right of first refusal to purchase containerships from members of the Navios Group pursuant to the

 

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Omnibus Agreement. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with the Navios Group—Omnibus Agreement.”

Finally, Navios Holdings’ active and extensive involvement in the international shipping markets provides us with access to reliable, in-depth and up-to-date market information. In particular, we believe that our relationship with Navios Holdings will enhance our ability to enter into new charters, as well as expand our customer relationships and access to financing. Our relationship with Navios Holdings also provides us with opportunities to expand our fleet through third-party acquisitions at attractive prices, as demonstrated by our track record.

Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the Manager, a wholly owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings, provides commercial and technical management services to our vessels covering all of our vessels’ operating expenses other than certain extraordinary costs. Drydocking and special survey costs are paid to the Manager at cost. Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, the Manager also provides us with administrative services, which include bookkeeping, audit and accounting services, legal and insurance services, administrative and clerical services, banking and financial services, advisory services, client and investor relations and other services. Management fees for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $11.6 million and $16.5 million, respectively. General and administrative fees (inclusive of expense reimbursement) were $1.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017.

Description of Fleet

As of May 30, 2018, and after giving effect to the acquisition of five containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds of this offering, we will have a fleet of 30 containerships aggregating 166,338 TEUs and an average age of 9.8 years, which is below the current industry average of about 12.0 years, according to industry data, including two containerships of which we took delivery on July 2, 2018. Our fleet includes three 3,450 TEU containerships, 19 containerships between 4,250 TEU and 4,730 TEU, one 6,800 TEU containership and seven containerships between 8,200 TEU and 10,000 TEU. As of May 30, 2018, and after giving effect to the acquisition of five containerships that we intend to acquire with the proceeds of this offering, we will have charters covering 75.4% and 26.6% of available days for the remaining nine months of 2018 and for 2019, respectively.

The following table provides summary information about our fleet as of May 30, 2018:

 

Owned Vessels

   TEU      Built      Charter
Expiration
Date (1)
  Charter-Out
Rate (2)
 

Navios Verano (3)

     3,450        2006      May 2018   $ 9,144  

Navios Summer (3)

     3,450        2006      August 2018   $ 9,000  

Navios Spring (3)

     3,450        2007      November 2018   $ 8,444  

Navios Vermillion (3)

     4,250        2007      August 2018   $ 9,000  

Navios Indigo (3)

     4,250        2007      October 2018   $ 8,133  

Navios Amaranth

     4,250        2007      July 2018   $ 7,093  

Navios Amarillo

     4,250        2007      June 2018   $ 7,575  
         June 2019   $ 12,545  

Navios Verde

     4,250        2007      August 2018   $ 9,381  

Navios Azure (3)

     4,250        2007      November 2018   $ 11,603  

Navios Domino (ex MOL Dominance)

     4,250        2008      November 2018   $ 9,500  

MOL Dedication

     4,250        2008      July 2018 (4)   $ 26,850  

MOL Delight

     4,250        2008      September 2018 (4)   $ 26,850  

 

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Owned Vessels

   TEU      Built      Charter
Expiration
Date (1)
  Charter-Out
Rate (2)
 

MOL Destiny

     4,250        2009      November 2018 (4)   $ 26,850  

MOL Devotion

     4,250        2009      February 2019 (4)   $ 26,850  

Navios Lapis

     4,250        2009      July 2018   $ 7,604  

Navios Tempo

     4,250        2009      May 2018   $ 7,411  
         May 2019   $ 11,011  

Niledutch Okapi (ex Navios Dorado)

     4,250        2010      May 2019   $ 10,468  

Navios Felicitas

     4,360        2010      July 2018   $ 7,431  

APL Oakland

     4,730        2008      March 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

APL Los Angeles

     4,730        2008      April 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

APL Denver

     4,730        2008      May 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

APL Atlanta

     4,730        2008      June 2020 (4)   $ 27,156  

YM Utmost

     8,204        2006      August 2018 (4)   $ 34,266  

YM Unity

     8,204        2006      October 2018 (4)   $ 34,266  

Navios Unison

     10,000        2010      March 2019   $ 26,663  

 

 

Vessels Identified for Purchase with Proceeds

from this Offering (5)

   TEU      Built      Charter
Expiration

Date (1)
   Charter-Out
Rate (2)
 

Hyundai Hongkong

     6,800        2006      December 2019    $ 24,095  
         December 2023    $ 30,119 (6)  

TBN 1

     10,000        2011      May 2019    $ 26,663  

TBN 2

     10,000        2011      June 2019    $ 26,663  

TBN 3

     10,000        2011      April 2019    $ 26,663  

TBN 4

     10,000        2011      April 2019    $ 26,663  

 

Vessels Underlying Purchase Option

   TEU      Built      Charter
Expiration
Date (1)
   Charter-Out
Rate (2)
 

Hyundai Busan

     6,800        2006      December 2019      $24,095  
         December 2023    $ 30,119 (6)  

Hyundai Shanghai

     6,800        2006      December 2019      $24,095  
         December 2023    $ 30,119 (6)  

Hyundai Singapore

     6,800        2006      December 2019      $24,095  
         December 2023    $ 30,119 (6)  

Hyundai Tokyo

     6,800        2006      December 2019      $24,095  
         December 2023    $ 30,119 (6)  

 

(1) Charter expiration dates shown reflect expected redelivery date based on the midpoint of the full redelivery period in the charter agreement, unless otherwise noted.
(2) Daily charter-out rate, net of commissions where applicable.
(3) Since June 2018, the vessel is subject to a sale and leaseback transaction with Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. for a period of up to five years, at which time we have an obligation to purchase the vessel. See “Prospectus Summary—Recent Developments.”
(4) Charter expiration dates shown reflect earliest redelivery date of the full redelivery period in the charter agreement.
(5)

On June 11, 2018, we entered into a share purchase agreement with Navios Partners to acquire one vessel for a purchase price of $36.0 million, consisting of $29.9 million in cash and $6.1 million of equity. The number of units issued will be                 based on the assumed initial public offering price of $            , the mid-point of the range on the cover of this prospectus. The purchase price of the vessel was determined by an independent valuator. The transaction was unanimously

 

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  approved by the Special Committee of the independent members of our Board of Directors. We intend to fund the cash portion of the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $15.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities. The share purchase agreement also provides us with the option to purchase up to four additional vessels from Navios Partners at a purchase price of $36.0 million per vessel. The option vessels will be financed in a manner similar to the vessel to be acquired with the proceeds of this offering.

In June 2018, we also entered into a binding agreement with an unrelated third party, to purchase four vessels for an aggregate purchase price of $210.0 million in cash. We intend to finance the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $126.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities.

The agreements are subject to certain conditions to closing, including the completion of this offering. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Risk Factors.”

 

(6) Does not include optional years (owner’s option) after 2023.

Market Opportunity

We believe that the following factors create opportunities for us to successfully execute our business plan and grow our business:

 

    Improving Containership Sector Fundamentals. According to industry data, 2018 and 2019 are expected to be the third and fourth consecutive years that containership trade growth exceeds the growth in supply of vessels. We expect the following factors to result in an improvement in both charter rates and asset values.

 

    Increasing Global Economic Growth and Demand for Seaborne Transportation of Container Shipments . Demand for container shipments declined significantly from 2008 to 2009 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis but has increased each year from 2009 to 2017. Data from the IMF shows further evidence of the global economic expansion as all major economies are growing simultaneously for the first time since the mid-2000s. The IMF has increased its forecasts for World GDP by 0.2% in 2018 to 3.9% and continued that pace for its 2019 forecast. Concurrently with the world economic growth, in 2017, the containership trade grew by 5.8% and is projected to grow an additional 5.1% and 4.8% in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

 

    Decelerating Growth in Containership Supply through the Reduction in New Vessel Ordering and Increased Scrapping. Scrapping of older containerships continued in 2017 with about 400,000 TEU scrapped, and over 1.0 million TEU of containership capacity has been scrapped since the beginning of 2016, mainly attributable to intermediate size and smaller vessels. We expect net fleet capacity to grow by approximately 4.5% in 2018, which is below the current expected containership trade growth of approximately 5.1%. Deliveries in 2018 are expected to continue to be disproportionately weighted in favor of containerships with over 11,000 TEU in capacity, with minimal growth in deliveries of new intermediate-size containerships. Based on the current orderbook data, fleet growth is expected to be 2.8% in 2019, which is below the demand growth forecast of 4.8%, which would make 2019 the fourth straight year that demand growth exceeds supply growth.

 

    Redeployment of Containerships Across Trade Lanes. Recent disruptions in the container trade, such as the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2016, have created favorable dynamics for certain vessel sizes that have benefited from the increased demand from redeployment across trade lanes, while their orderbooks remain low.

 

   

Classic Panamaxes (3,450 - 4,730 TEU): Post the expansion of the Panama Canal, the deployment of Classic Panamaxes on their main trading route of Far East to U.S. East Coast declined by approximately 80%. Within the 4,000 – 5,100 TEU size in particular, the vessels with shorter

 

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lengths and shallower drafts (“Baby Panamaxes”) were able to be successfully redeployed into higher trade-growth trades in Africa and Intra-Asia where certain ports have physical infrastructure limitations that act as a natural barrier to entry for larger vessels. Vessels that were longer and had deeper drafts had far fewer redeployment options and, as a result, comprised of nearly 90% of all the scrapping for this size since 2015.

 

    New Panamaxes (7,500-10,000 TEU): As ship sizes have increased on the main Far East to North Europe trade lanes, New Panamaxes of 7,500 to 10,000 TEU have been increasing in importance in a large number of other markets, particularly in the Transpacific and North South trade routes. Approximately 60% of global trade utilizes vessels in this size range. Overall deployment has increased by 15%, from 3.5 million TEUs in January 2015 to 4.0 million TEUs by April 2018.

 

    Increased Availability of Distressed Acquisition Opportunities. We believe that there is an increased availability of attractive acquisition opportunities to buy containership assets at or near historically low prices resulting from a number of factors, including:

 

    the increasing willingness of banks seeking to completely exit from distressed, non-performing loans that they entered into at the peak of the market cycle;

 

    the reduction in availability of debt financing and the tightening of lending criteria applicable to many shipping companies resulting in certain owners being unable to refinance or comply with the terms of their existing financing; and

 

    the significant decline in the German KG system (German closed-end funds of private investors) which historically provided significant capital to the containership sector. A large number of the containerships contracted pre-2009 were financed by the KG (Kommanditgesellshaft) system, which allows tax benefits to private investors in certain shipowning companies. Typically these are companies set up to invest in one or a small number of vessels, financed mainly by private investors and bank financing. Funds from private investors were typically raised after the vessels have been ordered. Since 2009, there have been severe limitations to the ability of KG funds to collect the equity planned for investment in ships which are on order. As a result, just 9% of containerships ordered in 2013 to 2018 were contracted by German owners compared to 44% of containerships ordered in the ten years between 1999 and 2008.

Additionally, lenders and major liner companies are highly selective in their choice of containership operators with whom they conduct business, and have established strict operational and financial standards that they use to pre-qualify operators and managers. Only a select number of managers and operators are able to meet these pre-qualification criteria, which we expect to continue to meet and believe enhance our ability to acquire available vessels.

We can provide no assurance, however, that the industry dynamics described above will continue or that we will be able to capitalize on such business opportunities. For further discussion of the risks that we face, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe that we possess a number of competitive strengths that will allow us to capitalize on growth opportunities in the containership sector, including:

 

   

Strategically Focused Fleet of Intermediate-Size Containerships . We are one of the largest independent owners of quality intermediate-size containerships that are between 3,000 and 10,000 TEU in capacity. We believe this sector size currently demonstrates the best relative fundamental outlook based on current market dynamics and is where we see significant demand from our customers. We believe our fleet of intermediate-size containerships provides us a competitive advantage when chartering these vessels with liner companies because we believe these vessels are well positioned to withstand recent

 

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disruptions in the containership trade, such as the recent expansion of the Panama Canal, and to capitalize on the redeployment of containerships across trade lanes as recent deliveries of containership newbuildings have been dominated by the largest-size containerships. Trade volumes continue to grow more rapidly on North-South and intra-regional trade lanes which traditionally have been served by intermediate-size and smaller containerships at the same time that net fleet growth, deliveries and the orderbook for intermediate-size containerships remain low. All of our 19 Classic Panamaxes are of a shorter length, which we believe allows them to be more versatile and capable to be deployed in these trade lanes post-Panama Canal expansion. For example, vessels between 4,000 and 4,999 TEU have seen the highest increase in their share of the deployment capacity in intra-Asia, growing from 13% of the capacity in 2012 to approximately 23% of the capacity by 2018, according to Alphaliner. During the same period, the share of capacity in intra-Asia by vessels between 100 and 999 TEU and 1,000 and 1,999 TEU has declined considerably.

 

    Relationships with Leading Charterers . We expect to benefit from the long-standing relationships of our Manager with leading liner companies such as Maersk Line A/S, Mediterranean Shipping CO. S.A., CMA CGM, Cosco Shipping Co Ltd, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Evergreen Marine Corp., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. and others. We believe that the experience of our management team, coupled with our Manager’s reputation for excellence, will assist us in securing employment for our vessels and will provide us with an established customer base to facilitate our future growth.

 

    Well-Positioned to Pursue Acquisitions. We believe that our liquidity, low leverage and access to bank financing and the capital markets through our relationship with Navios Holdings positions us with ship brokers, financial institutions and shipyards as a favored purchaser of quality containerships and will allow us to make additional near-term accretive acquisitions as quality secondhand vessel values remain below their historical 15-year averages. We intend to monitor vessel values and charter rates and expect to continue to pursue acquisitions that are consistent with our investment criteria. We will also have a right of first refusal as to all containerships within the Navios Group which provides us with a preferred position for acquisition opportunities as to a large fleet of containers.

 

    Experience Across Sectors and Growing Through Cycles. Executives of Navios Holdings have substantial experience with investing in and operating fleets in the drybulk, tanker and containership sectors. We believe that the strong reputations and relationships they have developed in these industries and with major financial institutions will continue to provide us with access to distressed situation transactions, vessel acquisition and employment opportunities, as well the ability to access financing to grow our business. Since 2004, the Navios Group has raised $13.0 billion in the equity and debt capital markets and in bank financing and we believe that these financings are indicative of the strong relationships the Navios Group has with the financial and investment communities. Through the shipping cycles over the past 13 years, the Navios Group has strategically grown its fleet from 27 vessels in 2005 to a total of 200 vessels as of April 2018.

 

    Scale and Cost-Efficient Operations of our Manager . We believe that utilizing an affiliated manager provides us with operational scale, geographical flexibility and market-specific experience and relationships, which will allow us to manage our vessels in an efficient and cost-effective manner. By leveraging Navios Holdings’ established operating platform, we are able to take advantage of a disciplined management team that has been tested through multiple shipping cycles with a long track record of financial reporting, compliance and investor accountability in public markets.

Our Business Strategies

Our primary objectives are to continue to profitably grow our business, increase distributable cash flow per unit and maximize value to our unit holders by pursuing the following strategies:

 

   

Continue to Capitalize on Low Vessel Prices to Pursue Accretive Acquisitions . We are focused on continuing to purchase containerships at favorable prices. We intend to grow our fleet using Navios

 

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Holdings’ global network of relationships and long experience in the maritime industry to make selective acquisitions of quality, second-hand containerships. We believe that the recent developments in the container shipping industry described above under “—Market Opportunity” have created significant opportunities to acquire vessels at near historically low prices on an inflation adjusted basis and we will analyze acquisitions based on whether they meet targeted return thresholds and are accretive to cash flow in addition to meeting our strategy of targeting intermediate-size containerships. As a recently formed company without a legacy fleet of highly leveraged vessels, we believe we are well-positioned to take advantage of the significant opportunities created by the developments in the container shipping sector.

 

    Continue to Actively Manage our Charter Portfolio . We intend to deploy our vessels on a mix of short-term, medium-term and long-term time charters, to leading liner companies according to our continuing assessment of market conditions. We believe that our chartering strategy will afford us opportunities to capture increased profits during strong charter markets while benefiting from the relatively stable cash flows and high utilization rates associated with longer term time charters. We believe our strategy will give us the flexibility to take advantage of rising charter rates if the charter markets improve as the global economy strengthens.

 

    Maintain a Strong Balance Sheet and Flexible Capital Structure . We intend to manage our balance sheet conservatively, targeting a modest amount of leverage, managing our maturity profile and maintaining an adequate level of liquidity. We believe that managing our balance sheet in a conservative manner will minimize our financial risk while providing a solid foundation for our future expansion and enhancing our ability to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units.

 

    Provide Superior Customer Service with High Standards of Performance, Reliability and Safety . Our customers seek transportation partners that have a reputation for high standards of performance, reliability and safety. We intend to use Navios Holdings’ excellent vessel safety record, compliance with rigorous health, safety and environmental protection standards, operational expertise and customer relationships to further expand a sustainable competitive advantage and consistent delivery of superior customer service.

We can provide no assurance, however, that we will be able to implement our business strategies described above. For further discussion of the risks that we face, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.

Our Customers

We provide seaborne shipping services under short-term and medium-term time charters, as well as some long-term time charters, with customers that we believe are creditworthy. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, two customers, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and APL Bermuda Ltd represented 40.6% and 32.6%, respectively, of our total revenues. For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, one customer, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines represented 71.0% of our total revenues. No other customer accounted for 10% or more of total revenues for the period presented.

Although we believe that if any one of our charters were terminated, we could recharter the related vessel at the prevailing market rate relatively quickly, the permanent loss of a significant customer or a substantial decline in the amount of services requested by a significant customer could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations if we were unable to recharter our vessel on a favorable basis due to then-current market conditions, or otherwise.

 

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Management of Ship Operations and Administration

Navios Holdings through the Manager has expertise in various functions critical to our operations. Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement with the Manager, we have access to human resources, financial and other administrative functions, including:

 

    bookkeeping, audit, accounting, legal and insurance services;

 

    administrative and clerical services;

 

    banking and financial services; and

 

    client and investor relations and other.

The Manager is reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. Total general and administrative fees charged by the Manager for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $1.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

Technical and commercial management services of our vessels are also provided by the Manager under the Management Agreement, and include:

 

    commercial management of the vessel;

 

    vessel maintenance and crewing;

 

    purchasing and insurance; and

 

    shipyard supervision.

Competition

The global container shipping market is extensive, diversified, competitive and fragmented, divided among approximately 635 liner operators and independent owners. The world’s active containership fleet consists of approximately 5,200 vessels, aggregating approximately 21.2 million TEU as of April 1, 2018. As a general principle, the smaller the cargo carrying capacity of a containership, the more fragmented is its market, both with regard to charterers and vessel owner/operators. Even among the larger liner companies and independent containership owners and operators, whose vessels are mainly in the larger sizes, only nine companies are known to control, through vessel ownership and/or time charters, fleets of 100 vessels or more: AP Moller, Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC), China COSCO Shipping, CMA CGM, Evergreen, Pacific International Lines, Hapag Lloyd, Seaspan, Costamare and Peter Dohle. There are about 40 owners known to control, through vessel ownership and/or time charters, fleets of between 14 and 75 vessels. Liner companies, who control the movement of containers on land and at sea, own vessels directly and also charter-in vessels on short- and long-term charters. Many owners/managers of containerships charter their vessels out for extended periods but unlike the liner companies, do not control the movement of any containers. These owners/managers are often called tonnage providers. Liner companies may, at any given time, control a fleet many times the size of their owned tonnage. AP Moller and MSC are such liner operators; whereas Peter Dohle, Seaspan, Costamare and others, including us, are tonnage providers.

It is likely that we will face substantial competition for long-term charter business from a number of experienced companies. Many of these competitors will have significantly greater financial resources than we do. It is also likely that we will face increased numbers of competitors entering into the container transportation sector. Many of these competitors have strong reputations and extensive resources and experience. Increased competition may cause greater price competition, especially for long-term charters.

 

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We believe that the containership sector of the international shipping industry is characterized by the significant time required to develop the operating expertise and professional reputation necessary to obtain and retain customers. We believe that our development of an intermediate-size containerships fleet has enhanced our relationship with our principal charterers by enabling them to serve the East-West, North-South and Intra-regional trade routes efficiently, while enabling us to operate in the different rate environments prevailing for those routes. We also believe that our focus on customer service and reliability enhances our relationships with our charterers.

Time Charters

Overview

We provide seaborne shipping services under short-term and medium-term time charters, as well as some long-term time charters, with customers that we believe are creditworthy. A time charter is a contract under which a charterer pays a fixed daily hire rate on a semi-monthly or monthly basis for a fixed period of time for use of the vessel. Subject to any restrictions in the charter, the charterer decides the type and quantity of cargo to be carried and the ports of loading and unloading. Under a time charter the charterer pays substantially all of the voyage expenses, including any bunker fuel expenses, port fees, cargo loading and unloading expenses, canal tolls, garbage fees, agency fees, but excluding charter brokerage commissions. The vessel owner pays the vessel operating expenses, which include crew wages, insurance, technical maintenance costs, spares, stores and supplies and charter brokerage commissions on gross voyage revenues. Time charter rates are usually fixed during the term of the charter. Vessels operating on time charters for a certain period of time provide more predictable cash flows over that period of time, but can yield lower profit margins than vessels operating under short-term charters under market rates during periods characterized by favorable market conditions. Prevailing time charter rates fluctuate on a seasonal and year-to-year basis reflecting changes in spot charter rates, expectations about future charter rates and other factors. The degree of volatility in time charter rates is lower for longer term time charters as opposed to shorter term time charters.

Off-hire

Under a time charter, when the vessel is “off-hire,” or not available for service, the charterer generally is not required to pay the charter hire rate, and we will be responsible for all costs, including the cost of fuel bunkers unless the charterer is responsible for the circumstances giving rise to the lack of availability. A vessel generally will be deemed to be off-hire if there is an occurrence preventing the full working of the vessel due to, among other things:

 

    operational deficiencies;

 

    dry-docking for repairs, maintenance or inspection;

 

    equipment breakdowns;

 

    delays due to accidents;

 

    crewing strikes, labor boycotts, certain vessel detentions or similar problems; or

 

    our failure to maintain the vessel in compliance with its specifications and contractual standards or to man a vessel with the required crew.

Under time charters if a vessel is delayed, detained or arrested for over a specified number of consecutive days due to engine or essential gear breakdown, strikes, labor stoppages, boycotts or blockades, or is requisitioned, or other causes affecting the vessel’s schedule, other than grounding, collision or similar causes, we must charter a substitute vessel and we must pay any difference in hire cost of the charter for the duration of the substitution. The charterer may also have the right under these circumstances to terminate the charter.

 

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Termination

We are generally entitled to suspend performance under the time charters covering our vessels if the customer defaults in its payment obligations. Under some of our time charters, either party may terminate the charter in the event of war in specified countries or in locations that would significantly disrupt the free trade of the vessel. Some of our time charters covering our vessels require us to return to the charterer, upon the loss of the vessel, all advances paid by the charterer but not earned by us.

Crewing

The Manager crews its vessels primarily with Ukrainian, Polish, Filipino and Romanian officers and Filipino and Ethiopian seamen. For these nationalities, officers and seamen are referred to the Manager by local crewing agencies. The crewing agencies handle each seaman’s training while the Manager handles their travel and payroll. The Manager requires that all of its officers and seamen have the qualifications and licenses required to comply with international regulations and shipping conventions.

In-House Inspections

Our Manager will carry out ship audits and inspections of the ships on a regular basis. The results of these inspections, which will be conducted both in port and underway, will result in reports containing recommendations for improvements to the overall condition of the vessel, maintenance, safety and crew welfare. Based in part on these evaluations, our Manager will create and implement a program of continual maintenance for our vessels and their systems.

Classification, Inspection and Maintenance

Every sea going vessel must be “classed” by a classification society. The classification society certifies that the vessel is “in class,” signifying that the vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of the classification society and complies with applicable rules and regulations of the vessel’s country of registry and the international conventions of which that country is a member. In addition, where surveys are required by international conventions and corresponding laws and ordinances of a flag state, the classification society will undertake them on application or by official order, acting on behalf of the authorities concerned.

The classification society also undertakes, on request, other surveys and checks that are required by regulations and requirements of the flag state. These surveys are subject to agreements made in each individual case or to the regulations of the country concerned. For maintenance of the class, regular and extraordinary surveys of hull, machinery (including the electrical plant) and any special equipment classed are required to be performed as follows:

Annual Surveys. For seagoing ships, annual surveys are conducted for the hull and the machinery (including the electrical plant) and, where applicable, for special equipment classed, at intervals of 12 months from the date of commencement of the class period indicated in the certificate.

Intermediate Surveys. Extended annual surveys are referred to as intermediate surveys and typically are conducted two and a half years after commissioning and each class renewal. Intermediate surveys may be carried out on the occasion of the second or third annual survey.

Class  Renewal Surveys. Class renewal surveys, also known as special surveys, are carried out for the ship’s hull, machinery (including the electrical plant), and for any special equipment classed, at the intervals indicated by the character of classification for the hull. At the special survey, the vessel is thoroughly examined, including audio-gauging, to determine the thickness of its steel structure. Should the thickness be found to be less than class requirements, the classification society would prescribe steel renewals. The classification society may grant a one-year grace period for completion of the special survey. Substantial amounts of money may have to be spent

 

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for steel renewals to pass a special survey if the vessel experiences excessive wear and tear. In lieu of the special survey every four or five years, depending on whether a grace period was granted, a ship owner has the option of arranging with the classification society for the vessel’s integrated hull or machinery to be on a continuous survey cycle, in which every part of the vessel would be surveyed within a five-year cycle.

Risk of Loss and Liability Insurance

The operation of any cargo vessel includes risks such as mechanical failure, physical damage, collision, fire, contact with floating objects, property loss, cargo loss or damage, business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, hostilities, and labor strikes. In addition, there is always an inherent possibility of marine disaster, including oil spills and other environmental mishaps, and the liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade. OPA 90, which imposes virtually unlimited liability upon owners, operators and demise charterers of any vessel trading in the U.S. exclusive economic zone for certain oil pollution accidents in the United States, has made liability insurance more expensive for ship owners and operators trading in the U.S. market. While we believe that our present insurance coverage is adequate, not all risks can be insured, and there can be no guarantee that any specific claim will be paid, or that we will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates. Our current insurance includes the following:

Hull and Machinery and War Risk Insurance

We have marine hull and machinery and war risk insurance, which include coverage of the risk of actual or constructive total loss, for all of our owned vessels. Each of the owned vessels is covered up to at least fair market value, with a deductible of $0.1 million per containership for the hull and machinery insurance. We have also extended our war risk insurance to include war loss of hire for any loss of time to the vessel, including for physical repairs, caused by a warlike incident and piracy seizure for up to 270 days of detention / loss of time. There are no deductibles for the war risk insurance or the war loss of hire cover.

We have arranged, as necessary, increased value insurance for our vessels. With the increased value insurance, in case of total loss of the vessel, we will be able to recover the sum insured under the increased value policy in addition to the sum insured under the hull and machinery policy. Increased value insurance also covers excess liabilities that are not recoverable in full by the hull and machinery policies by reason of underinsurance. We do not expect to maintain loss of hire insurance for our vessels. Loss of hire insurance covers business interruptions that result in the loss of use of a vessel.

Protection and Indemnity Insurance

Protection and indemnity insurance is expected to be provided by mutual protection and indemnity associations (“P&I Associations”), who indemnify members in respect of discharging their tortious, contractual or statutory third-party legal liabilities arising from the operation of an entered ship. Such liabilities include but are not limited to third-party liability and other related expenses from injury or death of crew, passengers and other third parties, loss or damage to cargo, claims arising from collisions with other vessels, damage to other third-party property, pollution arising from oil or other substances, and salvage, towing and other related costs, including wreck removal. Protection and indemnity insurance is a form of mutual indemnity insurance, extended by protection and indemnity mutual associations and always provided in accordance with the applicable associations’ rules and members’ agreed terms and conditions.

Our fleet is currently entered for protection and indemnity insurance with International Group associations where, in line with all International Group Clubs, coverage for oil pollution is limited to $1.0 billion per event. The 13 P&I Associations that comprise the International Group insure approximately 95% of the world’s commercial tonnage and have entered into a pooling agreement to collectively reinsure each association’s liabilities. Each vessel that we acquire will be entered with P&I Associations of the International Group. Under the International Group reinsurance program for the current policy year, each P&I club in the International Group

 

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is responsible for the first $10.0 million of every claim. In every claim the amount in excess of $10.0 million and up to $80.0 million is shared by the clubs under the pooling agreement. Any claim in excess of $80.0 million is reinsured by the International Group in the international reinsurance market under the General Excess of Loss Reinsurance Contract. This policy currently provides an additional $2.0 billion of coverage for non-oil pollution claims. Further to this, an additional reinsurance layer has been placed by the International Group for claims up to $1.0 billion in excess of $2.08 billion, or $3.08 billion in total. For passengers and crew claims, the overall limit is $3.0 billion for any one event on any one vessel with a sub-limit of $2.0 billion for passengers. With the exception of pollution, passenger or crew claims, should any other P&I claim exceed Group reinsurance limits, the provisions of all International Group Club’s overspill claim rules will operate and members of any International Group Club will be liable for additional contributions in accordance with such rules. To date, there has never been an overspill claim, or one even nearing this level.

As a member of the P&I Associations that are members of the International Group, we will be subject to calls payable to the associations based on our individual fleet record, the associations’ overall its claim records as well as the claim records of all other members of the individual associations, and members of the pool of P&I Associations comprising the International Group. The P&I Associations’ policy year commences on February 20th. Calls are levied by means of Estimated Total Premiums (“ETP”) and the amount of the final installment of the ETP varies according to the actual total premium ultimately required by the club for a particular policy year. Members have a liability to pay supplementary calls which might be levied by the board of directors of the club if the ETP is insufficient to cover amounts paid out by the club. Should a member leave or entry cease with any of the associations, at the club’s manager’s discretion, they may be also be liable to pay release calls or provide adequate security for the same amount. Such calls are levied in respect of potential outstanding Club/Member liabilities on open policy years and include but are not limited to liabilities for deferred calls and supplementary calls.

Uninsured Risks

Not all risks are insured and not all risks are insurable. The principal insurable risks which nonetheless remain uninsured across our businesses are “loss of hire”, “strikes,” except in cases of loss of hire due to war or a piracy event, “defense,” and “credit risk. Specifically, we do not insure these risks because the costs are regarded as disproportionate. These insurances provide, subject to a deductible, a limited indemnity for hire that would not be receivable by the shipowner for reasons set forth in the policy. Should a vessel on time charter, where the vessel is paid a fixed hire day by day, suffer a serious mechanical breakdown, the daily hire will no longer be payable by the charterer. The purpose of the loss of hire insurance is to secure the loss of hire during such periods. In the case of strikes insurance, if a vessel is being paid a fixed sum to perform a voyage and the ship becomes strike bound at a loading or discharging port, the insurance covers the loss of earnings during such periods. However, in some cases when a vessel is transiting high risk war and/or piracy areas, we arrange war loss of hire insurance to cover up to 270 days of detention/loss of time. When our charterers engage in legally permitted trading in locations which may still be subject to sanctions or boycott, such as Iran, Syria and Sudan, our insurers may be contractually or by operation of law prohibited from honoring our insurance contract for such trading, which could result in reduced insurance coverage for losses incurred by the related vessels. However, no vessels in our fleet have called on ports in sanctioned countries or countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. State Department, including Iran, Syria, or Sudan. Furthermore, our insurers and we may be prohibited from posting or otherwise be unable to post security in respect of any incident in such locations, resulting in the loss of use of the relevant vessel and negative publicity for our Company which could negatively impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and share price.

There are no deductibles for the war loss of hire cover. We maintain strike insurance for our port terminal operations.

Even if our insurance coverage is adequate to cover our losses, if we suffer a loss of a containership, we may not be able to obtain a timely replacement for any lost containership. Furthermore, in the future, we may not

 

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be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates for our fleet. For example, more stringent environmental regulations have led to increased costs for, and in the future may result in the lack of availability of, insurance against risks of environmental damage or pollution. We may also be subject to calls, or premiums, in amounts based not only on our own claim records but also the claim records of all other members of the protection and indemnity associations through which we receive indemnity insurance coverage. A catastrophic oil spill or marine disaster could exceed our insurance coverage, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and our ability to make distributions to our unit holders and repurchases of common units. Any uninsured or underinsured loss could harm our business and financial condition. In addition, the insurance may be voidable by the insurers as a result of certain actions, such as vessels failing to maintain required certification.

Permits and Authorizations

We are required by various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain certain permits, licenses, financial assurances and certificates with respect to our containerships. The kinds of permits, licenses, financial assurances and certificates required will depend upon several factors, including the commodity transported, the waters in which the vessel operates, the nationality of the vessel’s crew and the type and age of the vessel. We have obtained all permits, licenses, financial assurances and certificates currently required to operate our vessels. Additional laws and regulations, environmental or otherwise, may be adopted which could limit our ability to do business or increase the cost of doing business.

Environmental and Other Regulations

Government regulation affects the ownership and operation of our vessels in a significant manner. We are subject to international conventions and national, port state and local laws and regulations applicable to international waters and/or territorial waters of the countries in which our vessels may operate or are registered, including those governing the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, the cleanup of oil spills and the management of other contamination, air emissions, and grey water and ballast water discharges. These laws and regulations include OPA 90, CERCLA, the U.S. Clean Water Act (the “CWA”), the U.S. Clean Air Act (the “CAA”) and regulations adopted by the IMO, including MARPOL, and the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (“SOLAS”), as well as regulations enacted by the European Union and other international, national and local regulatory bodies. Compliance with these laws, regulations and other requirements entails significant expense, including vessel modifications and implementation of certain operating procedures.

A variety of governmental and private entities subject our vessels to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections. These entities include the local port authorities, Port State Control (such as the U.S. Coast Guard, harbor master or equivalent), classification societies, flag state administration (country of registry) and charterers. Certain of these entities require us to obtain permits, licenses, financial assurances and certificates for the operation of our vessels. Failure to maintain necessary permits or approvals could require us to incur substantial costs or temporarily suspend the operation of one or more of our vessels in one or more ports.

We believe that the heightened level of environmental and quality concerns among insurance underwriters, regulators and charterers is leading to greater inspection and safety requirements for all vessels and may accelerate the scrapping of older vessels throughout the container shipping industry. Increasing environmental concerns have created a demand for vessels that conform to the strictest environmental standards. We will be required to maintain operating standards for all of our vessels that emphasize operational safety, quality maintenance, continuous training of our officers and crews and compliance with U.S. and international regulations. Our managers and our vessels are certified in accordance with ISO 9001-2008 and ISO 14001-2004 relating to quality management and environmental standards.

Our containerships are subject to standards imposed by the IMO, the United Nations’ agency for maritime safety and the prevention of pollution by ships. The IMO has adopted regulations that are designed to reduce

 

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pollution in international waters, both from accidents and from routine operations, and has negotiated international conventions that impose liability for oil pollution in international waters and a signatory’s territorial waters. For example, Annex III of MARPOL regulates the transportation of marine pollutants and imposes standards on packing, marking, labeling, documentation, stowage, quantity limitations and pollution prevention. These requirements have been expanded by the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, which imposes additional standards for all aspects of the transportation of dangerous goods and marine pollutants by sea. In September 1997, the IMO adopted Annex VI to MARPOL to address air pollution from vessels. Annex VI, which became effective on May 19, 2005, sets limits on sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from vessel exhausts and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons. Annex VI also includes a global cap on the sulfur content of fuel oil and allows for special areas to be established with more stringent controls on sulfur emissions. In October 2008, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (the “MEPC”) of the IMO adopted amendments to Annex VI regarding particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide emission standards that entered into force on July 1, 2010. The new standards seek to reduce air pollution from vessels by, among other things, establishing a series of progressive requirements to further limit the sulfur content of fuel oil that will be phased in through 2020 and by establishing new tiers of nitrogen oxide emission standards for new marine diesel engines, depending on their date of installation. Additionally, more stringent emission standards apply in the coastal areas designated ECAs. Thus far, ECAs have been formally adopted for the Baltic Sea area (limits SOx emissions only); the North Sea area including the English Channel (limiting SOx emissions only) and the North American ECA (which came into effect on August 1, 2012 limiting SOx, NOx and particulate matter emissions). In October 2016, the IMO approved the designation of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as ECAs for NOx under Annex VI, which would take effect in January 2021. The U.S. Caribbean Sea ECA entered into force on January 1, 2013 and has been effective since January 1, 2014, limiting SOx, NOx and particulate matter emissions. In January 2015, the limit for fuel oil sulfur levels fell to 0.10% m/m in ECAs established to limit SOx and particulate matter emissions.

After considering the issue for many years, the IMO announced on October 27, 2016 that it was proceeding with a requirement for 0.5% m/m sulfur content in marine fuel (down from current levels of 3.5%) outside the ECAs starting on January 1, 2020. Under Annex VI, the 2020 date was subject to review as to the availability of the required fuel oil. Annex VI required the fuel availability review to be completed by 2018 but was ultimately completed in 2016. In April 2018, the IMO’s MEPC further prohibited the carriage of non-compliant fuel after 2020, unless a ship is fitted with an equivalent arrangement to reduce emissions, such as a scrubber. Therefore, by 2020, ships will be required to remove sulfur from emissions through the use of emission control equipment, or purchase marine fuel with 0.5% sulfur content, which may see increased demand and higher prices due to supply constraints. Installing pollution control equipment or using lower sulfur fuel could result in significantly increased costs to our company. Similarly MARPOL Annex VI requires Tier III standards for NOx emissions to be applied to ships constructed and engines installed in ships operating in NOx ECAs from January 1, 2016. Certain jurisdictions have adopted more stringent requirements. For instance, California has also adopted more stringent low sulfur fuel requirements within California-regulated waters.

All our existing containerships are generally compliant with current Annex VI requirements. However, in the future, compliance with new emissions standards could require modifications to vessels, such as the installation of control equipment, or the use of more expensive fuel. While it is unclear how the new emissions standard will affect the employment of our vessels, over time it is possible that ships not retrofitted to comply with new standards may become less competitive.

In 2001, the IMO adopted the Bunker Convention, which imposes strict liability on vessel owners for pollution damage in jurisdictional waters of ratifying states caused by discharges of bunker fuel. The Bunker Convention also requires registered owners of vessels over 1,000 gross tons to maintain insurance in specified amounts to cover liability for bunker fuel pollution damage. The Bunker Convention became effective in contracting states on November 21, 2008. In non-contracting states, liability for such bunker oil pollution typically is determined by the national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the spillage occurs. The Bunker Convention also provides vessel owners a right to limit their liability, depending on the applicable

 

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national or international regime. The 1976 Convention is the most widely applicable international regime limiting maritime pollution liability. Rights to limit liability under the 1976 Convention are forfeited where a spill is caused by a ship owner’s intentional or reckless conduct. Certain jurisdictions have ratified the IMO’s Protocol of 1996 to the 1976 Convention (the “Protocol of 1996”). The Protocol of 1996 provides for substantially higher liability limits in those jurisdictions. Each of our containerships has been issued a certificate attesting that insurance is in force in accordance with the Bunker Convention.

In 2004, the IMO adopted the BWM Convention. The BWM Convention’s implementing regulations call for a phased introduction of mandatory ballast water exchange requirements, to be replaced in time with mandatory concentration limits. The BWM Convention stipulated that it would not enter into force until 12 months after it had been adopted by 30 states, the combined merchant fleets of which represent not less than 35% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping. With Finland’s accession to the Agreement on September 8, 2016, the 35% threshold was reached, and the BWM convention entered into force on September 8, 2017. Thereafter, on October 19, 2016, Panama acceded to the BWM convention, adding its 18.02% of world gross tonnage. As of February 7, 2017, the BWM Convention had 54 contracting states for 53.30% of world gross tonnage. Although new ships constructed after September 8, 2017 must comply on delivery with the BWM Convention, implementation of the BWM Convention has been delayed for existing vessels (constructed prior to September 8, 2017) for a further two years. For such existing vessels, installation of ballast water management systems must take place at the first renewal survey following September 8, 2017 (the date the BWM Convention entered into force). The BWM Convention requires ships to manage ballast water in a manner that removes, renders harmless or avoids the update or discharge of aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water and sediment. Recently updated Ballast Water and Sediment Management Plan guidance includes more robust testing and performance specifications. The entry of the BWM Convention and revised guidance, as well as similar ballast water treatment requirements in certain jurisdictions (such as the United States and states within the United States), will likely result in substantial compliance costs relating to the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged and other additional ballast water management and reporting requirements.

The operation of our vessels is also affected by the requirements set forth in the IMO’s Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention (the “ISM Code”). The ISM Code requires vessel owners, bareboat charterers and management companies to develop and maintain an extensive SMS that includes the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy, sets forth instructions and procedures for safe operation and describes procedures for dealing with emergencies. The ISM Code requires that vessel operators obtain a safety management certificate for each vessel they operate from the government of the vessel’s flag state. The certificate verifies that the vessel operates in compliance with its approved SMS. Noncompliance by a vessel owner, manager or bareboat charterer with the ISM Code may subject such party to withdrawal of the permit to operate or manage the vessels, increased liability, invalidate existing insurance or decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports. Our Manager and each of our containerships is ISM Code-certified.

United States Requirements

OPA 90 established an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection of the environment from oil spills and cleanup of oil spills. OPA 90 applies to discharges of any oil from a vessel, including discharges of fuel and lubricants. OPA 90 affects all owners and operators whose vessels trade in the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in U.S. waters, which include the United States’ territorial sea and its two hundred nautical mile exclusive economic zone. While we do not carry oil as cargo, we do carry fuel in our containerships, making them subject to the requirements of OPA 90.

Under OPA 90, vessel owners, operators and bareboat charterers are “responsible parties” and are jointly, severally and strictly liable (unless the discharge of pollutants results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war) for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from

 

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discharges or threatened discharges, of pollutants from their vessels, including bunkers. OPA 90 defines these other damages broadly to include:

 

    natural resource damages and the costs of assessment thereof;

 

    real and personal property damage;

 

    net loss of taxes, royalties, rents, fees and other lost revenues;

 

    lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to property or natural resource damages; and

 

    net cost of public services necessitated by a spill response, such as protection from fire, safety or health hazards, and loss of subsistence use of natural resources.

OPA 90 preserves the right to recover damages under other existing laws, including maritime tort law.

Effective March 16, 2016, the U.S. Coast Guard adjusted the limits of OPA 90 liability to the greater of $1,100 per gross ton or $939,800 per incident for non-tank vessels, which is subject to potential adjustment every three years. These limits of liability do not apply if an incident was directly caused by violation of applicable U.S. safety, construction or operating regulations or by a responsible party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, or if the responsible party fails or refuses to report the incident or to cooperate and assist in connection with oil removal activities. As a result of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico resulting from the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig (which was owned and operated by third parties not affiliated with us), bills have been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress to increase the limits of OPA 90 liability for all vessels, including non-tank vessels. Such legislation has not yet become adopted; however, similar legislation may be introduced in the future.

CERCLA applies to spills or releases of hazardous substances other than petroleum or petroleum products whether on land or at sea. CERCLA, as well as certain state laws that may also apply to petroleum or petroleum products, imposes joint and several liability, without regard to fault, on the owner or operator of a vessel, vehicle or facility from which there has been a release, along with other specified parties. Costs recoverable under CERCLA include cleanup and removal costs, natural resource damages and governmental oversight costs. Liability under CERCLA is generally limited to the greater of $300 per gross ton or $5.0 million for vessels carrying any hazardous substances, such as cargo or residue, or $0.5 million for any other vessel, per release of or incident involving hazardous substances. These limits of liability do not apply if the incident is caused by gross negligence, willful misconduct or a violation of certain regulations, in which case liability is unlimited.

All owners and operators of vessels over 300 gross tons are required to establish and maintain with the U.S. Coast Guard evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet their potential liabilities under OPA 90 and CERCLA. Under the U.S. Coast Guard regulations, vessel owners and operators may evidence their financial responsibility by showing proof of insurance, surety bond, guarantee, letter of credit or self-insurance. An owner or operator of a fleet of vessels is required only to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility in an amount sufficient to cover the vessel in the fleet having the greatest maximum liability under OPA 90 and CERCLA. Under the self-insurance provisions, the vessel owner or operator must have a net worth and working capital, measured in assets located in the United States against liabilities located anywhere in the world, that exceeds the applicable amount of financial responsibility.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s regulations concerning certificates of financial responsibility provide, in accordance with OPA 90, that claimants may bring suit directly against an insurer or guarantor that furnishes certificates of financial responsibility. In the event that such insurer or guarantor is sued directly, it is prohibited from asserting any contractual defense that it may have had against the responsible party and is limited to asserting those defenses available to the responsible party and the defense that the incident was caused by the willful misconduct of the responsible party. Certain organizations, which had typically provided certificates of financial responsibility under pre-OPA 90 laws, including the major P&I Associations, have declined to furnish evidence

 

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of insurance for vessel owners and operators if they are subject to direct actions or required to waive insurance policy defenses. This requirement may have the effect of limiting the availability of the type of vessel coverage required by the U.S. Coast Guard and could increase our costs of obtaining this insurance for our fleet, as well as the costs of our competitors that also require such coverage.

OPA 90 specifically permits individual states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to oil pollution incidents occurring within their boundaries, and some states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for oil spills. For example, California regulations prohibit the discharge of oil, require an oil contingency plan be filed with the state, require that the ship owner contract with an oil response organization and require a valid certificate of financial responsibility, all prior to the vessel entering state waters. In some cases, states which have enacted such legislation have not yet issued implementing regulations defining vessels owners’ responsibilities under these laws. We intend to comply with all applicable state regulations in the ports where our vessels call.

We will maintain, for each of our containerships, oil pollution liability coverage insurance in the amount of $1.0 billion per vessel per incident. In addition, we carry hull and machinery and protection and indemnity insurance to cover the risks of fire and explosion. Although our containerships will only carry bunker fuel, a spill of oil from one of our vessels could be catastrophic under certain circumstances. Losses as a result of fire or explosion could also be catastrophic under some conditions. While we believe that our present insurance coverage is adequate, not all risks can be insured, and if the damages from a catastrophic spill exceeded our insurance coverage, the payment of those damages could have an adverse effect on our business or the results of our operations.

Title VII of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 (the “CGMTA”) amended OPA 90 to require the owner or operator of any non-tank vessel of 400 gross tons or more that carries oil of any kind as a fuel for main propulsion, including bunker fuel, to prepare and submit a response plan for each vessel. These vessel response plans include detailed information on actions to be taken by vessel personnel to prevent or mitigate any discharge or substantial threat of such a discharge of oil from the vessel due to operational activities or casualties. Where required, each of our containerships has an approved response plan.

The CWA prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances in navigable waters and imposes liability in the form of penalties for any unauthorized discharges. It also imposes substantial liability for the costs of removal, remediation and damages and complements the remedies available under the more recently enacted OPA 90 and CERCLA, discussed above. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) regulates the discharge of ballast water and other substances under the CWA. Effective February 6, 2009, EPA regulations require vessels 79 feet in length or longer (other than commercial fishing vessels) to obtain coverage under a Vessel General Permit (“VGP”) authorizing discharges of ballast waters and other wastewaters incidental to the operation of vessels when operating within the three-mile territorial waters or inland waters of the United States. The VGP requires vessel owners and operators to comply with a range of best management practices and reporting and other requirements for a number of incidental discharge types. On March 28, 2013 the EPA adopted the 2013 VGP which took effect on December 19, 2013. The 2013 VGP is valid for five years and expires at the end of 2018. The VGP imposes a numeric standard to control the release of non-indigenous invasive species in ballast water discharges. On October 5, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit found the EPA was arbitrary and capricious in issuing the ballast water provisions of the VGP, finding that the EPA failed to adequately explain why stricter technology-based effluent standards should not be applied. The court instructed EPA to reconsider these issues but held the 2013 VGP remains in effect until the EPA addresses the issues. If the EPA establishes more stringent numeric standards for ballast water discharges, we may incur costs to modify our vessels to comply with new standards. In addition, through the CWA certification provisions that allow U.S. states to place additional conditions on use of the VGP within state waters, a number of states have proposed or implemented a variety of stricter ballast water requirements including, in some states, specific treatment standards. We have obtained coverage under the VGP for all of our containerships that operate in U.S. waters. Because the VGP expires at the end of this year, there may be new

 

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U.S. federal and state requirements that could require the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged or the implementation of other port facility disposal arrangements or procedures at potentially substantial cost, and/or otherwise restrict our vessels from entering U.S. waters.

The U.S. Coast Guard regulations adopted under the U.S. National Invasive Species Act also impose mandatory ballast water management practices for all vessels equipped with ballast water tanks entering or operating in U.S. waters. As of June 21, 2012, the U.S. Coast Guard adopted revised ballast water management regulations that established standards for allowable concentrations of living organisms in ballast water discharged from ships in U.S. waters. The U.S. Coast Guard must approve any technology before it is placed on a vessel, but to date has approved only a handful of technologies necessary for vessels to meet the foregoing standards.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of January 1, 2014, vessels are technically subject to the phasing-in of these standards. As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard in the past provided waivers to vessels which could not install the then unapproved ballast water treatment technology, but has begun to deny requests for waivers in light of its recent approval of a handful of technologies. In March 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard published guidance on the limited circumstances in which it would authorize extension of a ship’s compliance date and further indicated that extensions will generally not be granted for more than twelve months. The EPA, on the other hand, has taken a different approach to enforcing ballast discharge standards under the VGP. On December 27, 2013, the EPA issued an enforcement response policy in connection with the new VGP in which the EPA indicated that it would take into account the reasons why vessels do not have the requisite technology installed, but will not grant any waivers.

A number of bills relating to ballast water management have been introduced in the U.S. Congress, but it is difficult to predict which, if any, will be enacted. Several states, including Michigan and California, have adopted legislation or regulations relating to the permitting and management of ballast water discharges. California has extended its ballast water management program to the regulation of “hull fouling” organisms attached to vessels and adopted regulations limiting the number of organisms in ballast water discharges. Other states could adopt similar requirements that could increase the costs of operation in state waters.

The CAA requires the EPA to promulgate standards applicable to emissions of volatile organic compounds and other air contaminants. Our vessels are subject to CAA vapor control and recovery standards (“VCSs”) for cleaning fuel tanks and conducting other operations in regulated port areas, and to CAA emissions standards for so-called “Category 3” marine diesel engines operating in U.S. waters. In April 2010, EPA adopted regulations implementing the provision of MARPOL Annex VI regarding emissions from Category 3 marine diesel engines. Under these regulations, both U.S. and foreign-flagged ships must comply with the applicable engine and fuel standards of Annex VI, including the stricter North America ECA standards which took effect in August 2012, when they enter U.S. ports or operate in most internal U.S. waters, including the Great Lakes.

Also under the CAA, since 1990 the U.S. Coast Guard has regulated the safety of VCSs that are required under EPA and state rules. Our vessels operating in regulated port areas have installed VCSs that are compliant with EPA, state and U.S. Coast Guard requirements. On July 16, 2013, the U.S. Coast Guard adopted regulations that made its VCS requirements more compatible with new EPA and state regulations, reflected changes in VCS technology, and codified existing U.S. Coast Guard guidelines. We may incur costs in complying with all applicable state and U.S. federal regulations in the U.S. ports where our vessels call.

European Union Requirements

European Union regulations in the maritime sector are in general based on international law. However, since the Erika incident in 1999, the European Union has become increasingly active in the field of regulation of maritime safety and protection of the environment. The European Union has adopted legislation that (1) requires member states to refuse access to their ports to certain sub-standard vessels, according to vessel type, flag and

 

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number of previous detentions, (2) obliges member states to inspect at least 25% of vessels using their ports annually and provides for increased surveillance of vessels posing a high risk to maritime safety or the marine environment, (3) provides the European Union with greater authority and control over classification societies, including the ability to seek to suspend or revoke the authority of negligent societies, and (4) requires member states to impose criminal sanctions for certain pollution events, such as the unauthorized discharge of tank washings. It has also considered legislation that could affect the operation of vessels and the liability of owners for oil pollution.

Notably, in 2005 the European Union adopted a directive, as amended in 2009, on ship-source pollution, imposing criminal sanctions for pollution not only where pollution is caused by intent or recklessness (which would be an offence under MARPOL), but also where it is caused by “serious negligence.” The concept of “serious negligence” may be interpreted in practice to be little more than ordinary negligence. The European Union has also recently adopted a regulation that seeks to facilitate the ratification of the IMO Recycling Convention and sets forth rules relating to vessel recycling and management of hazardous materials on vessels. The new regulation contains requirements for the recycling of vessels at approved recycling facilities that must meet certain requirements, so as to minimize the adverse effects of recycling on human health and the environment. The new regulation also contains rules for the control and proper management of hazardous materials on vessels and prohibits or restricts the installation or use of certain hazardous materials on vessels. The new regulation applies to vessels flying the flag of a member state and certain of its provisions apply to vessels flying the flag of a third country calling at a port or anchorage of a member state. For example, when calling at a port or anchorage of a member state, a vessel flying the flag of a third country will be required, among other things, to have on board an inventory of hazardous materials that complies with the requirements of the new regulation and the vessel must be able to submit to the relevant authorities of that member state a copy of a statement of compliance issued by the relevant authorities of the country of the vessel’s flag verifying the inventory. The new regulation is to apply no later than December 31, 2018, although certain of its provisions are to apply at different stages, with certain of them applicable from December 31, 2020. Pursuant to this regulation, the EU Commission has recently published the first version of a European List of approved ship recycling facilities meeting the requirements of the regulation, as well as four further implementing decisions dealing with certification and other administrative requirements set out in the regulation.

Other Regional Requirements

The environmental protection regimes in certain other countries, such as Canada, resemble those of the United States. To the extent we operate in the territorial waters of such countries or enter their ports, our containerships would typically be subject to the requirements and liabilities imposed in such countries. Other regions of the world also have the ability to adopt requirements or regulations that may impose additional obligations on our containerships and may entail significant expenditures on our part and may increase the costs of our operations. These requirements, however, would apply to the industry operating in those regions as a whole and would also affect our competitors. However, it is difficult to predict what legislation, if any, may be promulgated by the United States, the European Union or any other country or authority.

Climate Control Initiatives

In February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the “Kyoto Protocol”) entered into force. Although the Kyoto Protocol requires adopting countries to implement programs to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, emissions from international shipping are not subject to the Kyoto Protocol. International or multi-national bodies or individual countries may adopt their own climate change regulatory initiatives that include restrictions on shipping emissions in the future, however.

The Paris Agreement, which was adopted in 2015 by a large number of countries and entered into force on November 4, 2016, deals with greenhouse gas emission reduction measures and targets from 2020 to limit the global average temperature increase to well below 2° Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Although regulation of

 

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greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping industry was discussed during the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, the Paris Agreement did not expressly reference the shipping industry. Following the Paris Agreement, the IMO announced it would continue its efforts on this issue at the MEPC, and at its 70th session, the MEPC approved a Roadmap for developing a comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy for ships, which includes the goal of adopting an initial strategy and emission reduction commitments in 2018, with a goal of adopting a revised strategy in 2023 to include short-, mid- and long-term reduction measures and schedules for implementation. In April 2018, the IMO’s MEPC adopted an initial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels, while pursuing efforts towards phasing them out entirely, as a pathway towards greenhouse gas emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals.

The European Union, Canada, the United States and other individual countries, states and provinces also have or are evaluating various measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping, which may include some combination of market-based instruments, a carbon tax or other mandatory reduction measures. The European Union recently adopted Regulation (EU) 2015/757 concerning the monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from vessels (the “MRV Regulation”) which entered into force on July 1, 2015 (as amended by Regulation (EU) 2016/2071). The MRV Regulation applies to all vessels over 5,000 gross tonnage (except for a few types, including, but not limited to, warships and fish-catching or fish-processing vessels), irrespective of flag, in respect of carbon dioxide emissions released during voyages within the European Union as well as voyages coming into and going out of the European Union. The first reporting period commenced on January 1, 2018. The monitoring, reporting and verification system adopted by the MRV Regulation may be the precursor to a market-based mechanism to be adopted in the future.

Further, in February 2017, European Union member states met to consider independently regulating the shipping industry under the ETS. On February 15, 2017, European Parliament voted in favor of a bill to include maritime shipping in the ETS by 2023 if the IMO has not promulgated a comparable system by 2021. In November 2017, the Council of Ministers, the European Union’s main decision making body, agreed that the European Union should act on shipping emissions by 2023 if the IMO fails to deliver effective global measures. Last year, IMO’s urgent call to action to bring about shipping greenhouse gas emissions reductions before 2023 was met with industry push-back in many countries. Depending on how fast IMO and the European Union move on this issue, the ETS may result in additional compliance costs for our vessels.

Any passage of climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the IMO, European Union, Canada, the United States or other individual jurisdictions where we operate, that restrict emissions of greenhouse gases from vessels, could require us to make significant capital expenditures and may materially increase our operating costs.

Vessel Security Regulations

A number of initiatives have been introduced in recent years intended to enhance vessel security. On November 25, 2002, the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (the “MTSA”) was signed into law. To implement certain portions of the MTSA, the U.S. Coast Guard issued regulations in July 2003 requiring the implementation of certain security requirements aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Similarly, in December 2002, amendments to SOLAS created a new chapter of the convention dealing specifically with maritime security. This new chapter came into effect in July 2004 and imposes various detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities, most of which are contained in the newly created International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code (the “ISPS Code”). Among the various requirements are:

 

    on-board installation of automatic information systems to enhance vessel-to-vessel and vessel-to-shore communications;

 

    on-board installation of ship security alert systems;

 

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    the development of vessel security plans; and

 

    compliance with flag state security certification requirements.

The U.S. Coast Guard regulations, intended to align with international maritime security standards, exempt non-U.S. vessels from MTSA vessel security measures, provided such vessels have on board a valid “International Ship Security Certificate” that attests to the vessel’s compliance with SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code. We have implemented the various security measures required by the IMO, SOLAS and the ISPS Code and have approved ISPS certificates and plans certified by the applicable flag state on board all our containerships.

Legal Proceedings

We have not been involved in any legal proceedings that we believe may have a significant effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or liquidity, and we are not aware of any proceedings that are pending or threatened that may have a material effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or liquidity. From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business, principally property damage and personal injury claims. We expect that these claims would be covered by insurance, subject to customary deductibles. However, those claims, even if lacking merit, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources.

Properties

Our office and principal place of business is located at 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2, Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco. We believe that our office facilities are suitable and adequate for our business as it is presently conducted.

Exchange Controls

Under Marshall Islands law, there are currently no restrictions on the export or import of capital, including foreign exchange controls or restrictions that affect the remittance of dividends, interest or other payments to non-resident holders of our common units.

Taxation of the Partnership

Marshall Islands

Because we and our subsidiaries are non-resident entities and do not and will not conduct business or operations in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, neither we nor our subsidiaries will be subject to income, capital gains, profits or other taxation under current Marshall Islands law, and we do not expect this to change in the future. As a result, distributions we receive from the operating subsidiaries are not expected to be subject to Marshall Islands taxation.

United States Taxation

The following is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to us. This discussion is based upon provisions of the Code, Treasury Regulations thereunder, and administrative rulings and court decisions, all as in effect as of the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretation, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. The following discussion is for general information purposes only and does not address any U.S. state or local tax considerations and does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all of the U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to us.

 

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Conversion to a Limited Partnership; Election to be Treated as a Corporation . As discussed under “Prospectus Summary—Organizational Structure,” we are currently a private company incorporated under the laws of the Marshall Islands, Navios Maritime Containers Inc., and we will be converted into a limited partnership organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands, Navios Maritime Containers L.P. In connection with this offering, Navios Maritime Containers L.P. will elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, with effect from the date of the conversion. As a result, we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our income to the extent it is from U.S. sources or is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the Unites States as discussed below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in the discussion below to “we,” “our” or “us” are references to Navios Maritime Containers L.P. and any subsidiaries included in its consolidated financial statements.

Taxation of Operating Income . Under the Code, income derived from, or in connection with, the use (or hiring or leasing for use) of a vessel, or the performance of services directly related to the use of a vessel, is treated as “Transportation Income.” Transportation Income that is attributable to transportation that either begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States is considered to be 50.0% derived from sources within the United States (“U.S. Source International Transportation Income”). Transportation Income attributable to transportation that both begins and ends in the United States is considered to be 100.0% derived from sources within the United States (“U.S. Source Domestic Transportation Income”). Transportation Income that is attributable to transportation exclusively between non-U.S. destinations is considered to be 100.0% derived from sources outside the United States. Transportation Income derived from sources outside the United States generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax.

We expect that substantially all of our gross income will be attributable to the ownership and operation of containerships and, accordingly, that substantially all of our gross income will constitute Transportation Income. Based on our current plans and expectations regarding our organization and operations, we do not expect to earn U.S. Source Domestic Transportation Income. However, certain of our activities could give rise to U.S. Source International Transportation Income, and future expansion of our operations could result in an increase in the amount thereof, which generally would be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, unless the exemption from U.S. federal income taxation under Section 883 of the Code (the “Section 883 Exemption”) applied.

The Section  883 Exemption . In general, the Section 883 Exemption provides that if a non-U.S. corporation satisfies the requirements of Section 883 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder (the “Section 883 Regulations”), it will not be subject to the net basis and branch profit taxes or the 4.0% gross basis tax described below on its U.S. Source International Transportation Income. The Section 883 Exemption applies only to U.S. Source International Transportation Income and does not apply to U.S. Source Domestic Transportation Income.

We qualify for the Section 883 Exemption if, among other matters, we meet the following three requirements:

 

    We are organized in a jurisdiction outside the United States that grants an equivalent exemption from tax to corporations organized in the United States with respect to the types of U.S. Source International Transportation Income that we earn (an “Equivalent Exemption”);

 

    We satisfy the Publicly Traded Test (as described below) or the Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test (as described below); and

 

    We meet certain substantiation, reporting and other requirements.

We are organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The U.S. Treasury Department has recognized the Republic of the Marshall Islands as a jurisdiction that grants an Equivalent Exemption with respect to the type of income that we have earned and are expected to earn. Consequently, our U.S. Source International Transportation Income will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation provided we meet the Publicly Traded Test or the Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test and we satisfy certain substantiation, reporting and other requirements.

 

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In order to meet the Publicly Traded Test, the equity interests in the non-U.S. corporation at issue must be “primarily traded” and “regularly traded” on an established securities market either in the United States or in a jurisdiction outside the United States that grants an Equivalent Exemption. The Section 883 Regulations generally provide, in pertinent part, that equity of a non-U.S. corporation will be considered to be “primarily traded” on one or more established securities markets in a given country if, with respect to the class or classes of equity relied upon to meet the “regularly traded” requirement described below, the number of units of each such class that are traded during any taxable year on all established securities markets in that country exceeds the number of units in each such class that are traded during that year on established securities markets in any other single country. Following this offering, although not free from doubt, we expect that the number of our common units traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, which is considered to be an established securities market for purposes of these rules, will exceed the number of common units that are traded on an established securities market in any other single country and, accordingly, that our common units will be “primarily traded” on an established securities market for purposes of the Publicly Traded Test.

Equity interests in a non-U.S. corporation will be considered to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market under the Section 883 Regulations provided one or more classes of such equity interests representing more than 50.0% of the aggregate vote and value of all of the outstanding equity interests in the non-U.S. corporation satisfy certain listing and trading volume requirements. These requirements are satisfied with respect to a class of equity interests listed on an established securities market, provided that trades in such class are effected, other than in de minimis quantities, on such market on at least 60 days during the taxable year and the aggregate number of units in such class that are traded on such market or markets during the taxable year are at least 10.0% of the average number of units outstanding in that class during the taxable year (with special rules for short taxable years). In addition, a class of equity interests traded on an established securities market in the United States will be considered to satisfy the listing and trading volume requirements if the equity interests in such class are “regularly quoted by dealers making a market” in such class (within the meaning of the Section 883 Regulations). We intend to take the position that our common units will represent more than 50.0% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our equity interests entitled to vote, although there is no legal authority that specifically contemplates an organizational structure such as ours and, consequently, this conclusion is not free from doubt. Accordingly, provided that our common units (i) represent more than 50.0% of the total value of all of our outstanding equity interests, (ii) satisfy the listing and trading volume requirements described above and (iii) are not subject to the Closely Held Block Exception described below, we intend to take the position that our common units will be considered to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market.

Notwithstanding these rules, a class of equity that would otherwise be treated as “regularly traded” on an established securities market will not be so treated if, for more than half of the number of days during the taxable year, one or more “5.0% unit holders” (i.e., unit holders owning, actually or constructively, at least 5.0% of the vote and value of that class) own in the aggregate 50.0% or more of the vote and value of that class (the “Closely Held Block Exception”), unless the corporation can establish that a sufficient proportion of such 5.0% unit holders are Qualified Shareholders (as defined below) so as to preclude other persons who are 5.0% unit holders from owning 50.0% or more of the value of that class for more than half the days during the taxable year.

We expect that our common units will not lose eligibility for the Section 883 Exemption as a result of the Closely Held Block Exception. In this regard, our partnership agreement provides that any person or group that beneficially owns more than 4.9% of any class of our units then outstanding (other than our general partner, its affiliates and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors) generally will be treated as owning only 4.9% of such units for purposes of voting for directors, although there can be no assurance that this limitation will be effective to eliminate the possibility that we will have any 5.0% unit holders for purposes of the Closely Held Block Exception.

The expectations and beliefs described above are based upon legal authorities that do not expressly contemplate an organizational structure such as ours. In particular, although we intend to elect to be treated as a

 

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corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we will be organized as a limited partnership under Marshall Islands law. Accordingly, while we expect that, assuming satisfaction of the factual requirements described above, our common units will be considered to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market and we will satisfy the requirements for the Section 883 Exemption, it is possible that the IRS would assert that our common units do not meet the “regularly traded” test. In addition, as described previously, our ability to satisfy the Publicly Traded Test depends upon factual matters that are subject to change. Should any of the factual requirements described above fail to be satisfied, we may not be able to satisfy the Publicly Traded Test. Furthermore, our board of directors could determine that it is in our best interests to take an action that would result in our not being able to satisfy the Publicly Traded Test in the future.

As an alternative to satisfying the Publicly Traded Test, we will be able to qualify for the Section 883 Exemption if we are able to satisfy the Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test. The Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test generally is satisfied if more than 50.0% of the value of the outstanding equity interests in the non-U.S. corporation is owned, or treated as owned after applying certain attribution rules, for at least half of the number of days in the taxable year by:

 

    individual residents of jurisdictions that grant an Equivalent Exemption;

 

    non-U.S. corporations organized in jurisdictions that grant an Equivalent Exemption and that meet the Publicly Traded Test; or

 

    certain other qualified persons described in the Section 883 Regulations (collectively, “Qualified Shareholders”).

We currently do not expect to be able to satisfy the Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test for any taxable year, because we do not expect that Qualified Shareholders will own more than 50.0% of the value of our outstanding equity interests for at least half of the number of days in such year and provide us with certain information that we need in order to claim the benefits of the Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test.

Eligibility for the Section 883 Exemption is required to be determined separately with respect to any subsidiary that has not elected to be disregarded as separate from us for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, because stock owned by a non-U.S. corporation meeting the Publicly Traded Test is treated as owned by a Qualified Shareholder for purposes of the Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test, in the event that we are able to satisfy the Publicly Traded Test described above for a taxable year, we expect that any non-disregarded subsidiary that is included in our consolidated financial statements would satisfy the Qualified Shareholder Stock Ownership Test for such taxable year.

We cannot give any assurance that we will qualify for the Section 883 Exemption for any taxable year or that the IRS will not take a different position regarding our qualification for this exemption.

The Net Basis Tax and Branch Profits Tax . If we earn U.S. Source International Transportation Income and the Section 883 Exemption does not apply, the U.S. source portion of such income may be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States (“Effectively Connected Income”) if we have a fixed place of business in the United States and substantially all of our U.S. Source International Transportation Income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation or, in the case of bareboat charter income, is attributable to a fixed place of business in the United States. Based on our current operations, none of our potential U.S. Source International Transportation Income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation or is received pursuant to bareboat charters. As a result, we do not anticipate that any of our U.S. Source International Transportation Income will be treated as Effectively Connected Income. However, there is no assurance that we will not earn income pursuant to regularly scheduled transportation or bareboat charters attributable to a fixed place of business in the United States in the future, which would result in such income being treated as Effectively Connected Income. In addition, any U.S. Source Domestic Transportation Income generally will be treated as Effectively Connected Income.

 

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Any income we earn that is treated as Effectively Connected Income would be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax (currently imposed at a rate of 21.0%) as well as 30.0% branch profits tax imposed under Section 884 of the Code. In addition, a 30.0% branch interest tax could be imposed on certain interest paid or deemed paid by us.

On the sale of a vessel that has produced Effectively Connected Income, we could be subject to the net basis U.S. federal corporate income tax as well as branch profits tax with respect to the gain recognized up to the amount of certain prior deductions for depreciation that reduced Effectively Connected Income. Otherwise, we would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to gain realized on the sale of a vessel, provided the sale is considered to occur outside of the United States (as determined under U.S. tax principles) and the gain is not attributable to an office or other fixed place of business maintained by us in the United States under U.S. federal income tax principles.

The 4.0% Gross Basis Tax . If the Section 883 Exemption does not apply and the net basis tax does not apply, we would be subject to a 4.0% U.S. federal income tax on our U.S. Source International Transportation Income, without benefit of deductions.

Other Tax Jurisdictions

In accordance with the currently applicable Greek law, foreign flagged vessels, that are managed by Greek or foreign ship management companies having established an office in Greece, are subject to duties towards the Greek state which are calculated on the basis of the relevant vessels’ tonnage. The payment of said duties exhausts the tax liability of the foreign ship owning company and the relevant manager against any tax, duty, charge or contribution payable on income from the exploitation of the foreign flagged vessel.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Management of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will oversee and direct our operations, management and policies on an exclusive basis other than certain powers delegated to, or shared with, our board of directors. The General Partner’s exclusive management authority includes, but is not limited to, the power to cause us to:

 

    make any expenditures, lend or borrow money, and assume or guarantee indebtedness and other liabilities, including indebtedness that is convertible into partnership securities; and incur any other obligations;

 

    make tax, regulatory and other filings;

 

    acquire, dispose, mortgage, pledge, encumber, hypothecate or exchange any or all of our assets;
    use our assets (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of the partnership agreement, including the financing of the conduct of our operations;

 

    negotiate, execute and perform any contracts, conveyances or other instruments; and

 

    form, or acquire an interest in, and contribute property and make loans to, any limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other relationships.

Our executive officers will manage our day-to-day activities consistent with the policies and procedures adopted by our general partner. Certain of our executive officers and/or directors also serve as executive officers and/or directors of Navios Holdings and its affiliates or to the Navios Group.

Our board of directors currently consists of five members and, at the time of our conversion into a limited partnership, will be increased to seven members, all of whom will be initially appointed by our general partner. Our general partner intends to appoint each of the current members of the board, as well as                      and                     . Following our first annual meeting of unit holders, our board of directors will continue to consist of seven members, three persons who will be appointed by our general partner in its sole discretion and four who will be elected by the common unit holders. The three directors holding seats filled by general partner appointment, Angeliki Frangou, Ted Petrone and                 , will serve as directors for terms determined by our general partner. Directors elected by our common unit holders will be divided into three classes serving staggered three-year terms. Four of the initial seven directors appointed by Navios Holdings will serve until our annual meeting in 2019. At our annual meeting in 2019, our common unit holders will elect four directors. Two of the four directors elected by our common unit holders will be designated as a Class I elected director and will serve until our annual meeting of unit holders in 2020, another of the four directors will be designated as a Class II elected director and will serve until our annual meeting of unit holders in 2021 and the remaining elected director will be designated as a Class III elected director and will serve until our annual meeting of unit holders in 2022. At each subsequent annual meeting of unit holders, directors will be elected to succeed the class of directors whose terms have expired by a plurality of the votes of the common unit holders. Directors elected by our common unit holders will be nominated by the board of directors or by any limited partner or group of limited partners that holds at least 25% of the outstanding common units. The three directors appointed by our general partner will serve until their respective successors are duly appointed by the general partner or until the director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. A director appointed by our general partner may be removed from our board of directors at any time without cause only by our general partner and with cause by either our general partner, the vote of holders of a majority of all classes of equity interests in us voting as a single class or the majority vote of the other members of our board. A director elected by our common unit holders may be removed from our board of directors at any time without cause only by the majority vote of the other members of our board and with cause by the vote of holders of a majority of our outstanding common units or the majority vote of the other members of our board.

Each outstanding common unit is entitled to one vote on matters subject to a vote of common unit holders. If at any time, any person or group owns beneficially more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, any

 

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such units owned by that person or group in excess of 4.9% may not be voted. The voting rights of any such unit holders in excess of 4.9% will effectively be redistributed pro rata among the other unit holders of the same class that are not subject to this voting limitation. Our general partner, its affiliates and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors will not be subject to this 4.9% limitation except with respect to voting their common units in the election of the elected directors. This 4.9% limitation is intended to help preserve our ability to qualify for the benefits of Section 883 of the Code. For more information, please read “The Partnership Agreement—Voting Rights.”

The Nasdaq Global Select Market does not require a listed limited partnership or foreign private issuer like us to have a majority of independent directors on our board of directors or to establish a compensation committee or a nominating/corporate governance committee. Prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors will consist of seven members, four of whom will meet the applicable independence standards of the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Three independent members of our board of directors will serve on a conflicts committee to review specific matters that the board believes may involve conflicts of interest. The initial members of our conflicts committee will be John Halvatzis, Ifigeneia Tzavela and Konstantinos Maratos, who will act as Chairman. The conflicts committee will determine if the resolution of the conflict of interest is fair and reasonable to us. The members of the conflicts committee may not be officers or employees of our general partner or directors, officers or employees of its affiliates, and must meet the independence standards established by the Nasdaq Global Select Market to serve on an audit committee of a board of directors and certain other requirements. Any matters approved by the conflicts committee will be deemed to be fair and reasonable to us, approved by all of our partners, and not a breach by our directors, our general partner or its affiliates of any duties any of them may owe us or our unit holders. For additional information about the conflicts committee, please read “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties—Conflicts of Interest.”

In addition, we have an audit committee of at least three directors who meet the independence criteria for audit committee members applicable to foreign private issuers, comprised of John Halvatzis, Ifigeneia Tzavela and Konstantinos Maratos, who will act as Chairman. Konstantinos Maratos qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” for purposes of SEC rules and regulations. The audit committee, among other things, reviews our external financial reporting, engages our external auditors and oversees our internal audit activities and procedures and the adequacy of our internal accounting controls.

Employees of the Manager, a subsidiary of Navios Holdings, provide assistance to us and our operating subsidiaries pursuant to the Management Agreement and the Administrative Services Agreement. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements Governing the Transactions—Management Agreement” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements Governing the Transactions—Administrative Services Agreement.”

Our Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Angeliki Frangou, allocates her time between managing our business and affairs and the business and affairs of the entities comprising the Navios Group. Ms. Frangou allocates her business time between our business and those other businesses depending on various circumstances and the respective needs of the businesses, such as their relative levels of strategic activities.

Our officers and the other individuals providing services to us or our subsidiaries may face a conflict regarding the allocation of their time between our business and the other business interests of the entities comprising the Navios Group. We expect our officers to devote as much time to the management of our business and affairs as is necessary for the proper conduct of our business and affairs.

We have no employees other than the executive officers listed in this prospectus.

Our general partner owes a fiduciary duty to our unit holders, subject to limitations described under “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties.” Our general partner will be liable, as general partner, for all of our

 

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debts (to the extent not paid from our assets), except for indebtedness or other obligations that are expressly non-recourse to it. Our partnership agreement authorizes our general partner to negotiate agreements on behalf of the partnership, so that indebtedness or other obligations of the partnership are non-recourse to our general partner, even if obtaining that limitation results in terms that are less favorable to the partnership than would otherwise be the case.

Whenever our general partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take an action in its individual capacity rather than in its capacity as our general partner, it is entitled to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or any limited partner, and is not required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by our partnership agreement or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law. Specifically, our general partner will be considered to be acting in its individual capacity if it exercises its call right, pre-emptive rights or registration rights, consents or withholds consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership, appoints any directors or votes for the appointment of any director, votes or refrains from voting on amendments to our partnership agreement that require a vote of the outstanding units, voluntarily withdraws from the partnership, transfers (to the extent permitted under our partnership agreement) or refrains from transferring its units, general partner interest or votes upon the dissolution of the partnership. Actions of our general partner, which are made in its individual capacity, will be made by Navios Holdings, as sole member of our general partner.

Directors and Senior Management

Set forth below are the names, ages and positions of our directors and executive officers. The business address of each of our directors and executive officers is 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2, Monte Carlo, Monaco.

 

Name

  

Age

  

Position

Angeliki Frangou

   53    Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief
Executive Officer

Chris Christopoulos

   40    Chief Financial Officer

Vasiliki Papaefthymiou

   49    Secretary

John Halvatzis

   62    Director

Konstantinos Maratos

   45    Director

Ted C. Petrone

   62    Director

Ifigeneia Tzavela

   56    Director

Angeliki Frangou has been our Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer since our inception. Ms. Frangou has also been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Navios Holdings (NYSE: NM) since August 2005. In addition, Ms. Frangou has been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Navios Partners (NYSE: NMM), an affiliated limited partnership, since August 2007, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Navios Acquisition (NYSE: NNA), an affiliated corporation, since March 2008 and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Navios Midstream (NYSE: NAP), an affiliated corporation, since March 2014. Ms. Frangou has been the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Navios South American Logistics Inc. since its inception in December 2007. Ms. Frangou is the Chairman of IRF European Finance Investments Ltd., listed on the SFM of the London Stock Exchange, and is also a Member of the Board of the United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited. Since 2015, she has also been a Board Member of the Union of Greek Shipowners, as well as on the Board of Trustees of Fairleigh Dickinson University. Since 2013, Ms. Frangou has been a Member of the Board of Visitors of the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science. Ms. Frangou also acts as Vice Chairman of the China Classification Society Mediterranean Committee, and is a member of the International General Committee and of the Hellenic and Black Sea Committee of Bureau Veritas, and is also a member of the Greek Committee of Nippon Kaiji Kyokai. Ms. Frangou received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, summa cum laude, from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University.

 

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Chris Christopoulos  has been our Chief Financial Officer since our inception. Mr. Christopoulos has been Senior Vice President—Financial Business Development of Navios Corporation since joining the Navios Group in 2017. Mr. Christopoulos has over 15 years of experience in financial markets and shipping. Before joining us he was a Director in the investment banking division of Bank of America Merrill Lynch where he led the origination, structuring and execution of advisory and capital markets transactions for companies in the transportation sector. Previously he was part of the transportation investment banking team at Merrill Lynch, and the industrials investment banking team at CIBC World Markets which he joined in 2004. Mr. Christopoulos received a bachelor of arts degree in Economics from Yale University.

Vasiliki Papaefthymiou  has been our Secretary since our inception. She has been Executive Vice President—Legal and a member of Navios Holdings’ board of directors since its inception, and prior to  that was a member of the board of directors of ISE. Ms. Papaefthymiou has also held various officer and director  positions at Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and Navios South American Logistics. Ms. Papaefthymiou has also served as General Counsel for Maritime Enterprises Management S.A. since October 2001, where she has advised the company on shipping, corporate and finance legal matters. Ms. Papaefthymiou provided similar services as General Counsel  to Franser Shipping from October 1991 to September 2001. Ms. Papaefthymiou received her undergraduate  degree from the Law School of the University of Athens and a master’s degree in maritime law from Southampton University in the United Kingdom. Ms. Papaefthymiou is admitted to practice law before the Bar in Piraeus, Greece.

John Halvatzis has been a member of our board of directors since our inception. Mr. Halvatzis is a certified auditor and has worked for over 30 years in the internal audit and finance capacities at a variety of institutions, affording him a great depth of experience. Mr. Halvatzis received his B.Sc. in Mathematical Economics, London University-Queen Mary College. Mr. Halvatzis is a member of our Audit and Conflicts committees and is an independent director.

Konstantinos Maratos has been a member of our board of directors since our inception. Mr. Maratos is currently a Managing Director for a Swiss bank in London, prior to which he worked for both Barclays Bank and Eurobank EFG in the private banking area. Mr. Maratos is a Visiting Professor and Visiting Lecturer on topics such as economics and wealth management for King’s College and Queen Mary in London. Mr. Maratos holds both a B.Sc. in Economics and Politics and a M.Sc. in Financial Management from the University of London, together with a CFA qualification. Mr. Maratos is an independent director of the Company, member and chairman of our Audit committee and a member of our Conflicts committee.

Ted C. Petrone  has been a member of our board of directors since our inception. Mr. Petrone has been a member of the Board of Directors of Navios Acquisition since its inception and was also President since its inception until December 2014. He has also been a director of Navios Holdings since May 2007, and served as President of Navios Corporation from September 2006 until December 2014. He currently also serves as Navios Corporation’s Vice Chairman, a position he has held since December 2014. Mr. Petrone has served in the maritime industry for 40 years, 36 of which he has spent with Navios Holdings. After joining Navios Holdings as an assistant vessel operator, Mr. Petrone worked there in various operational and commercial positions. Mr. Petrone was previously responsible for all the aspects of the daily commercial activity, encompassing the trading of tonnage, derivative hedge positions and cargoes. Mr. Petrone graduated from New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler with a bachelor in science degree in maritime transportation. He has also served aboard U.S. Navy (Military Sealift Command) tankers.

Ifigeneia Tzavela has been a member of our board of directors since our inception. Upon receiving her M.B.A., Ms. Tzavela joined INTEC S.A. a company specialized in the Petroleum Refining and Marine Industries in Greece. Beginning as a Sales Manager with the firm, Ms. Tzavela rose to Managing Director and co-owner of the Company, a title she has held since 1998. Ms. Tzavela received her B.Sc. in Chemistry from the National Kapodistrian University of Athens and her M.B.A. from Stern School of Business at New York University. Ms. Tzavela is a member of our Audit and Conflicts committees and is an independent director.

 

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Reimbursement of Expenses of Our General Partner

Our general partner will not receive any management fee or other compensation for services from us, although it will be entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred on our behalf. In addition, we will reimburse the Manager and certain affiliates for expenses incurred pursuant to the management and Administrative Services Agreement we will enter into with the Manager.

See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements Governing the Transactions—Management Agreement” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements Governing the Transactions—Administrative Services Agreement.” Our general partner and its other affiliates will be reimbursed for expenses incurred on our behalf. These expenses include all expenses necessary or appropriate for the conduct of our business and allocable to us, as determined by our general partner.

Executive Compensation

Because our executive officers are employees of Navios Holdings, their compensation is set and paid by Navios Holdings, and we will reimburse Navios Holdings for time they spend on partnership matters pursuant to the administrative services agreement. Under the terms of the administrative agreement, we reimburse Navios Holdings for the actual costs and expenses it incurs in providing administrative support services to us. The amount of our reimbursements to Navios Holdings for the time of our officers will depend on an estimate of the percentage of time our officers spent on our business and will be based on a percentage of the salary and benefits that Navios Holdings will pay to such officers after the closing of this offering. Our officers, and officers and employees of affiliates of our general partner, may participate in employee benefit plans and arrangements sponsored by Navios Holdings, our general partner or their affiliates, including plans that may be established in the future. Our board of directors may establish such plans without the approval of our limited partners.

For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, the fee charged by the Manager for administrative expenses was approximately $1.9 million.

Compensation of Directors

Our officers who also serve as our directors will not receive additional compensation for their service as directors. Non-management directors receive a director fee of $0.04 million per year. Ms. Frangou receives a fee of $0.15 million per year for acting as a director and as our Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of our audit committee receives an additional fee of $0.02 million per year and the Chairman of our conflicts committee receives an additional fee of $0.02 million per year. In addition, each director is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses in connection with attending meetings of the board of directors or committees. Each director is fully indemnified by us for actions associated with being a director to the extent permitted under Marshall Islands law.

For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, the aggregate compensation paid to our directors was approximately $0.1 million.

 

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of units of Navios Maritime Containers L.P. held by beneficial owners of 5.0% or more of the units, each of our directors and officers and all of our directors and our executive officers as a group as of June 30, 2018, prior to this offering, and after giving effect to the consummation of this offering. The following table assumes the issuance of                  common units at an assumed initial offering price of $                , the mid-point of the range on the cover of this prospectus, to Navios Partners to partially finance the acquisition of the Hyundai Hongkong.

 

     Common Units Beneficially Owned
Prior to the Offering
    Common Units to be Beneficially
Owned After the Offering
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

   Number     Percentage     Number     Percentage (1)  

Navios Partners (2)

                      

Angeliki Frangou (3)

                                    

Chris Christopoulos

                                    

Vasiliki Papaefthymiou

                                    

John Halvatzis

                                    

Konstantinos Maratos

                                    

Ted C. Petrone

                                    

Ifigeneia Tzavela

                                    

All directors and executive officers as a group (seven (7) persons)

                      

 

* Less than 1%.
(1) Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option. If the underwriters exercise their option in full, Navios Partners’ percentage of total common units to be beneficially owned will decrease to             %.
(2) Navios Partners is a U.S. public company controlled by its board of directors, which consists of the following seven members: Angeliki Frangou, George Achniotis, Shunji Sasada, Serafeim Kriempardis, Robert Pierot, Lampros Theodorou and Orthodoxia Zisimatou.
(3) Excludes units owned by Navios Partners, on the board of which serves our Chief Executive Officer, Angeliki Frangou. In addition, Ms. Frangou is Navios Partners’ Chief Executive Officer and our Secretary Vasiliki Papaefthymiou is Navios Partners’ Secretary.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

After giving effect to this offering, Navios Holdings, as our general partner, will have exclusive management authority over our operations, control the appointment of three of the seven members of our board of directors and have veto rights over certain significant actions we may take. In addition, Navios Holdings will own              common units, representing a     % limited partner interest in us. Navios Partners, an affiliate of Navios Holdings, will own              common units, representing a     % limited partner interest in us, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option. As a result, Navios Holdings, together with its affiliates, will have the ability to exercise significant influence regarding our management.

Payments to our General Partner and Its Affiliates; General Partner Interests

The following table summarizes the payments to be made by us to our general partner and its affiliates in connection with our formation, ongoing operation and any liquidation. These payments were determined by and among affiliated entities and, consequently, are not the result of arms’-length negotiations.

 

Payments to our general partner and its affiliates   

Our general partner will not receive a management fee or other compensation for services from us. Our general partner and its other affiliates will be entitled to reimbursement for all direct and indirect expenses they incur on our behalf. In addition, we will pay fees to the Manager, a subsidiary of Navios Holdings, for commercial and technical management services and administrative services, as provided under the Management Agreement and the Administrative Services Agreement. Please read “—Agreements with the Navios Group.”

 

Withdrawal or removal of our general partner   

If our general partner withdraws or is removed, it is not entitled to any distribution from or payment by us in respect of its general partner interest.

 

Agreements with the Navios Group

Omnibus Agreement

On June 7, 2017, we entered into an Omnibus Agreement with Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc., or Navios Containers Finance. The following discussion describes certain provisions of the Omnibus Agreement.

Noncompetition

Under the Omnibus Agreement, Navios Holdings and the controlled affiliates (other than us, our general partner, Navios Containers Finance and our subsidiaries) of Navios Holdings, Navios Acquisition, Navios Partners and Navios Midstream, or together the Navios Maritime Entities, agreed not to acquire any containerships. However, this restriction will not prevent such entities from:

(1) owning a containership that was already owned by such Navios Maritime Entity at the time of the agreement;

(2) acquiring a containership if such Navios Maritime Entity offers to sell it to us for fair market value in accordance with the procedures established in the agreement;

(3) acquiring a non-controlling interest in any company, business or pool of assets;

(4) acquiring or owning a containership if we do not fulfill our obligations under any written agreement with Navios Partners that requires us to purchase such containership;

(5) acquiring or owning a containership that is subject to an offer to sell such containership to us, as described in paragraph (2), pending our determination whether to accept such offers and pending the closing of any offers we accept;

 

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(6) providing ship management services relating to any vessel whatsoever; or

(7) acquiring or owning a containership if we have previously advised such Navios Maritime Entity that we consent to such acquisition or ownership.

In addition, under the Omnibus Agreement, we and our subsidiaries agreed to acquire, own, operate or charter only containerships (any vessels that are not containerships will in the following be referred to as the “Non-Restricted Vessels”). This restriction will not prevent us or any of our subsidiaries from:

(1) acquiring a Non-Restricted Vessel as part of the acquisition of a controlling interest in a business or package of assets and owning and operating or chartering those vessels, provided, however, that:

(a) if less than a majority of the value of the total assets or business acquired is attributable to a Non-Restricted Vessel, as determined in good faith by us, we must offer to sell such Non-Restricted Vessel to the Navios Maritime Entities for their fair market value plus any additional tax or other similar costs to us that would be required to transfer the Non-Restricted Vessel to the Navios Maritime Entities separately from the acquired business; and

(b) if a majority or more of the value of the total assets or business acquired is attributable to a Non-Restricted Vessel, as determined in good faith by us, we shall notify the Navios Maritime Entities in writing of the acquisition. The Navios Maritime Entities shall, not later than the 15th calendar day following receipt of such notice, notify us if it wishes to acquire the Non-Restricted Vessel forming part of the business or package. If no Navios Maritime Entity notifies us of its intent to pursue the acquisition within 15 calendar days, then the Navios Maritime Entities shall be deemed to have waived the right to acquire such Non-Restricted Vessel pursuant to this paragraph (b).

(2) owning, operating or chartering a Non-Restricted Vessel subject to the offer to the Navios Maritime Entities described in paragraph (2) above, pending its determination whether to accept such offer and pending the closing of any offer it accepts; or

(3) acquiring, operating or chartering a Non-Restricted Vessel if the Navios Maritime Entities have previously advised us that it consents to such acquisition, operation or charter; or

(4) acquiring, operating or chartering a Non-Restricted Vessel already owned by us.

Upon a change of control of us or our general partner, the noncompetition provisions of the Omnibus Agreement will terminate immediately. Upon a change of control of Navios Holdings, the noncompetition provisions of the Omnibus Agreement will terminate one year following the date of the change of control of Navios Holdings.

Rights of First Offer

Under the Omnibus Agreement, the Navios Maritime Entities granted to us a right of first offer on any proposed sale, transfer or other disposition by the Navios Maritime Entities of any containership owned or acquired by any of the Navios Maritime Entities.

Prior to engaging in any negotiation regarding any vessel disposition with respect to a containership with a non-affiliated third-party, the applicable Navios Maritime Entity will deliver a written notice to us setting forth the material terms and conditions of the proposed transaction. During the 15-day period after the delivery of such notice, we and the applicable Navios Maritime Entity will negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement on the transaction. If we do not reach an agreement within such 15-day period, the applicable Navios Maritime Entity will be able within the next 180 calendar days to sell, transfer, dispose or re-charter the vessel to a third party (or to agree in writing to undertake such transaction with a third party) on terms generally no less favorable to the applicable Navios Maritime Entity than those offered pursuant to the written notice.

Upon a change of control of us or our general partner, the right of first offer provisions of the Omnibus Agreement will terminate immediately. Upon a change of control of Navios Holdings, the right of first offer

 

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provisions of the Omnibus Agreement will terminate one year following the date of the change of control of Navios Holdings.

Amendments

The Omnibus Agreement may not be amended without the prior approval of the conflicts committee of our board of directors if the proposed amendment will, in the reasonable discretion of our board of directors, adversely affect holders of our common units.

Management Agreement

On June 7, 2017, we entered into a Management Agreement with the Manager, a subsidiary of Navios Holdings, pursuant to which the Manager provides certain commercial and technical management services to us. These services are to be provided in a commercially reasonable manner in accordance with customary ship management practice and under our direction. The Manager provides these services to us directly but may subcontract for certain of these services with other entities, including other Navios Holdings subsidiaries.

The commercial and technical management services include:

 

    the commercial and technical management of the vessels: managing day-to-day vessel operations including negotiating charters and other employment contracts with respect to the vessels and monitoring payments thereunder, ensuring regulatory compliance, arranging for the vetting of vessels, procuring and arranging for port entrance and clearance, appointing counsel and negotiating the settlement of all claims in connection with the operation of each vessel, appointing adjusters and surveyors and technical consultants as necessary, and providing technical support;

 

    vessel maintenance and crewing: including supervising the maintenance and general efficiency of vessels, and ensuring the vessels are in seaworthy and good operating condition, arranging our hire of qualified officers and crew, arranging for all transportation, board and lodging of the crew, negotiating the settlement and payment of all wages; and

 

    purchasing and insurance: purchasing stores, supplies and parts for vessels, arranging insurance for vessels (including marine hull and machinery insurance, protection and indemnity insurance and war risk and oil pollution insurance).

The initial term of the Management Agreement expires on June 7, 2022, with respect to each vessel in our initial fleet and all vessels of a similar size and type that we acquire and entrust to the Manager. Pursuant to the terms of the Management Agreement, we are paying the Manager a fixed daily fee of $6,100 for containerships from 3,000 TEU up to 5,500 TEU, $6,700 for containerships from 5,500 TEU up to 8,000 TEU and $7,400 for containerships from 8,000 TEU up to 10,000 TEU until June 2019. This fixed daily fee covers all of our vessel operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs. Drydocking and special survey are paid to the Manager at cost. During the remaining three years of the term of the Management Agreement, we will reimburse the Manager for all of the actual operating costs and expenses it incurs in connection with the management of our fleet. Actual operating costs and expenses will be determined in a manner consistent with how the fixed fees were determined. Management fees under the Management Agreement for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $11.6 million and $16.5 million, respectively.

The Management Agreement may be terminated prior to the end of its initial term by us upon 120 days’ notice if there is a change of control of the Manager or by the Manager upon 120 days’ notice if there is a change of control of us or our general partner, but only after our conversion to a limited partnership. In addition, the Management Agreement may be terminated by us or by the Manager upon 120 days’ notice if:

 

    the other party breaches the agreement in any material respect which remains unremedied;

 

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    a receiver is appointed for all or substantially all of the property of the other party;

 

    an order is made to wind up the other party;

 

    a final judgment, order or decree that materially and adversely affects the other party’s ability to perform the agreement is obtained or entered and not vacated, discharged or stayed; or

 

    the other party makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, files a petition in bankruptcy or liquidation, is adjudged insolvent or bankrupt or commences any reorganization proceedings.

Furthermore, at any time after the first anniversary of the Management Agreement, the Management Agreement may be terminated prior to the end of its initial term by us or by the Manager upon 365 days’ notice for any reason other than those described above.

In addition to the fixed daily fees payable under the Management Agreement, the Management Agreement provides that the Manager will not be responsible for paying any extraordinary fees and costs resulting from:

 

    repairs, refurbishment or modifications, including those not covered by the guarantee of the shipbuilder or by the insurance covering the vessels, resulting from maritime accidents, collisions, other accidental damage or unforeseen events (except to the extent that such accidents, collisions, damage or events are due to the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Manager, its employees, agents or subcontractors, unless and to the extent otherwise covered by insurance);

 

    any improvement, upgrade or modification to, structural changes with respect to the installation of new equipment aboard any vessel that results from a change in, an introduction of new, or a change in the interpretation of, applicable laws, at the recommendation of the classification society for that vessel or otherwise; and

 

    any increase in administrative costs and expenses or crew employment expenses resulting from an introduction of new, or a change in the interpretation of, applicable laws or resulting from the early termination of the charter of any vessel.

Additionally, the Manager is entitled to receive additional remuneration for:

 

    time spent on insurance, average and salvage claims (at a rate of $1,000 per man per day of eight hours) in respect of the preparation and prosecution of claims, the supervision of repairs and the provision of documentation relating to adjustments; and

 

    time spent vetting and pre-vetting the vessels by any charterers in excess of 10 days per vessel per year (at a rate of $750 per man per day of eight hours).

We are also required to pay:

 

    the deductible of any insurance claims relating to the vessels or for any claims that are within such deductible range;

 

    any significant increase in insurance premiums which are due to factors outside the control of the Manager such as “acts of God”;

 

    any taxes, dues or fines imposed on the vessels or the Manager due to the operation of the vessels;

 

    any expenses incurred in connection with the sale or acquisition of a vessel such as inspections and technical assistance;

 

    any costs, liabilities and expenses similar to those for which the Manager is entitled to remuneration or that we are required to pay that were not reasonably contemplated by us and the Manager as being encompassed by or a component of the fixed daily fees at the time the fixed daily fees were determined; and

 

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    any hire expense adjustment incurred in connection with any time charter of our containerships to the Navios Maritime Entities or its affiliates.

Under the Management Agreement, neither we nor the Manager will be liable for failure to perform any of our or its obligations, respectively, under the Management Agreement by reason of any cause beyond our or its reasonable control.

In addition, the Manager will have no liability to us for any loss arising in the course of the performance of the commercial and technical management services under the Management Agreement unless and to the extent that such loss is proved to have resulted solely from the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Manager or its employees, in which case (except where such loss has resulted from the Manager’s intentional personal act or omission and with knowledge that such loss would probably result) the Manager’s liability will be limited to $3.0 million for each incident or series of related incidents.

Further, under our Management Agreement, we have agreed to indemnify the Manager and its employees and agents against all actions which may be brought against them under the Management Agreement including, without limitation, all actions brought under the environmental laws of any jurisdiction, or otherwise relating to pollution or the environment, and against and in respect of all costs and expenses they may suffer or incur due to defending or settling such action, provided however that such indemnity excludes any or all losses which may be caused by or due to the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Manager or its employees or agents, or any breach of the Management Agreement by the Manager.

Administrative Services Agreement

On June 7, 2017, we entered into an Administrative Services Agreement with the Manager, pursuant to which the Manager provides certain administrative management services to us. The agreement has an initial term of five years from June 7, 2017.

The Administrative Services Agreement may be terminated prior to the end of its term by us upon 120 days’ notice if there is a change of control of the Manager or by the Manager upon 120 days’ notice if there is a change of control of us or our general partner, but only after our conversion to a limited partnership. In addition, the Administrative Services Agreement may be terminated by us or by the Manager upon 120 days’ notice if:

 

    the other party breaches the agreement in any material respect which remains unremedied;

 

    a receiver is appointed for all or substantially all of the property of the other party;

 

    an order is made to wind up the other party;

 

    a final judgment, order or decree that materially and adversely affects the other party’s ability to perform the Management Agreement is obtained or entered and not vacated, discharged or stayed; or

 

    the other party makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, files a petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation, is adjudged insolvent or bankrupt or commences any reorganization proceedings.

Furthermore, at any time after the first anniversary of the Administrative Services Agreement, the Administrative Services Agreement may be terminated by us or by the Manager upon 365 days’ notice for any reason other than those described above.

The administrative services include:

 

    bookkeeping, audit and accounting services: assistance with the maintenance of our corporate books and records, assistance with the preparation of our tax returns and arranging for the provision of audit and accounting services;

 

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    legal and insurance services: arranging for the provision of legal, insurance and other professional services and maintaining our existence and good standing in necessary jurisdictions;

 

    administrative and clerical services: assistance with office space, arranging meetings for our common unit holders pursuant to the partnership agreement, arranging the provision of IT services, providing all administrative services required for subsequent debt and equity financings and attending to all other administrative matters necessary to ensure the professional management of our business;

 

    banking and financial services: providing cash management including assistance with preparation of budgets, overseeing banking services and bank accounts, arranging for the deposit of funds, negotiating loan and credit terms with lenders and monitoring and maintaining compliance therewith;

 

    advisory services: assistance in complying with United States and other relevant securities laws;

 

    client and investor relations: arranging for the provision of, advisory, clerical and investor relations services to assist and support us in our communications with our common unit holders;

 

    integration of any acquired businesses; and

 

    client and investor relations.

We reimburse the Manager for costs and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the provision of these services within 15 days after the Manager submits to us an invoice for such costs and expenses, together with any supporting detail that may be reasonably required. Total general and administrative expenses under the Administrative Services Agreement for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $1.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

Under the Administrative Services Agreement, we have agreed to indemnify the Manager, its employees and agents against all actions which may be brought against them under the Administrative Services Agreement including, without limitation, all actions brought under the environmental laws of any jurisdiction, and against and in respect of all costs and expenses they may suffer or incur due to defending or settling such actions; provided, however that such indemnity excludes any or all losses which may be caused by or due to the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Manager or its employees or agents.

Stock Purchase Agreement

On June 7, 2017, we entered into a stock purchase agreement with Navios Partners and Navios Partners Containers Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Partners. Pursuant to the stock purchase agreement, we purchased all of the shares of common stock of Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Partners, which had acquired five vessels from Rickmers Trust Management Pte. Ltd (“Rickmers”) and had the right to acquire nine additional vessels from Rickmers. Under the Stock Purchase Agreement we paid an aggregate consideration of $118.0 million, of which $24 million was in the form of a seller’s credit from Navios Partners for a period of up to 90 days at LIBOR plus 375 bps.

Pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement, Navios Partners agreed to indemnify us with respect to the initial five vessels that it owned prior to the sale of those vessels to us, up to $5.0 million for certain environmental losses; losses relating to our ability to own our operate the vessels; and certain tax liabilities.

Share Purchase Agreement

On June 11, 2018, we entered into a share purchase agreement with Navios Partners to acquire one vessel for a purchase price of $36.0 million, consisting of $29.9 million in cash and $6.1 million of equity. The number of units issued will be                 based on the assumed initial public offering price of $            , the mid-point of the range on the cover of this prospectus. The purchase price of the vessel was determined by an independent valuator. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Special Committee of the independent members of

 

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our Board of Directors. We intend to fund the cash portion of the purchase price with the proceeds of this offering together with additional borrowings of approximately $15.0 million under a new loan from a commercial bank on terms consistent with our existing credit facilities. The share purchase agreement also provides us with the option to purchase up to four additional vessels from Navios Partners at a purchase price of $36.0 million per vessel. The option vessels will be financed in a manner similar to the vessel to be acquired with the proceeds of this offering.

Registration Rights

Under the limited partnership agreement, we have granted registration rights to our general partner, our Chairman and CEO, Angeliki Frangou, and any of their current or future affiliates. Please read, “The Partnership Agreement— Registration Rights.”

Other Related Party Transactions

Balances due from related parties, short and long term: Balances due from related parties relate to amounts due from the Manager. The amounts due from the Manager as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 were $19.0 million and $11.4 million, respectively, which consisted of special survey and drydocking expenses for certain vessels of our fleet, as well as management fees, in accordance with the Management Agreement.

 

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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES

Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships between our general partner and its affiliates, including Navios Holdings, on the one hand, and us and our unaffiliated limited partners, on the other hand. Our general partner has a fiduciary duty to make any decisions relating to our management in a manner beneficial to us and our unit holders. Similarly, our board of directors and our officers have fiduciary duties to manage us in a manner beneficial to us, our general partner and our limited partners. Furthermore, certain of our executive officers and/or directors also serve as executive officers and/or directors of Navios Holdings and its affiliates or to the Navios Group and as such they have fiduciary duties to Navios Holdings or to the Navios Group that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit Navios Holdings or which otherwise are not in the best interests of us or our unit holders.

Our partnership affairs are governed by our partnership agreement and the Marshall Islands Act. The provisions of the Marshall Islands Act resemble provisions of the limited partnership laws of a number of states in the United States, most notably Delaware. We are not aware of any material difference in unit holder rights between the Marshall Islands Act and the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act. The Marshall Islands Act also provides that it is to be applied and construed to make it uniform with Delaware law and, so long as it does not conflict with the Marshall Islands Act or decisions of the Marshall Islands courts, interpreted according to the non-statutory law or “case law” of the courts of the State of Delaware. There have been, however, few, if any, court cases in the Marshall Islands interpreting the Marshall Islands Act, in contrast to Delaware, which has a fairly well-developed body of case law interpreting its limited partnership statute. Accordingly, we cannot predict whether Marshall Islands courts would reach the same conclusions as courts in Delaware. For example, the rights of our unit holders and fiduciary responsibilities of our general partner and its affiliates under Marshall Islands law are not as clearly established as under judicial precedent in existence in Delaware. Due to the less-developed nature of Marshall Islands law, our public unit holders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by our general partner, its affiliates or controlling unit holders than would unit holders of a limited partnership organized in the United States.

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that modify and limit the fiduciary duties of our general partner and our directors to the unit holders under Marshall Islands law. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to unit holders for actions taken by our general partner or our directors that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.

Neither our general partner nor our board of directors will be in breach of their obligations under the partnership agreement or their duties to us or the unit holders if the resolution of the conflict is:

 

    approved by the conflicts committee, although neither our general partner nor our board of directors are obligated to seek such approval;

 

    approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any common units owned by our general partner or any of its affiliates, although neither our general partner nor our board of directors are obligated to seek such approval;

 

    on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties, but neither our general partner nor our directors are required to obtain confirmation to such effect from an independent third party; or

 

    fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us.

Our general partner or our board of directors may, but are not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee of our board of directors or from the common unit holders. If neither our

 

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general partner nor our board of directors seek approval from the conflicts committee, and our board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the third and fourth bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors, including the board members affected by the conflict, acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. When our partnership agreement requires someone to act in good faith, it requires that person to reasonably believe that he is acting in the best interests of the partnership, unless the context otherwise requires. Please read “Management—Management of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.” for information about the composition and formation of the conflicts committee of our board of directors.

Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.

Neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement requires Navios Holdings, in the conduct of its business other than acting as our general partner, to pursue a business strategy that favors us or utilizes our assets or dictates what markets to pursue or grow. Navios Holding’s directors and executive officers have a fiduciary duty to make these decisions in the best interests of the common shareholders of Navios Holdings, which may be contrary to our interests.

Because certain of our executive officers and/or directors are also executive officers and/or directors of Navios Holdings and its affiliates or of the Navios Group, such officers and directors have fiduciary duties to Navios Holdings and its affiliates or to the Navios Group that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit Navios Holdings and its affiliates or the Navios Group or which otherwise are not in the best interests of us or our unit holders.

Our general partner is allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us, such as Navios Maritime Partners.

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by Marshall Islands fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner. This entitles our general partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and it has no duty or obligations to give any consideration to any interest of or factors affecting us, our affiliates or any unit holder. Under our partnership agreement, Navios Holdings is entitled to make decisions when acting it’s acting in its individual capacity. Specifically, our general partner will be considered to be acting in its individual capacity if it exercises its call right, pre-emptive rights or registration rights, consents or withholds consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership, appoints any directors or votes for the election of any director, votes or refrains from voting on amendments to our partnership agreement that require a vote of the outstanding units, voluntarily withdraws from the partnership, transfers (to the extent permitted under our partnership agreement) or refrains from transferring its units, general partner interest or votes upon the dissolution of the partnership.

Our officers face conflicts in the allocation of their time to our business.

Navios Holdings conducts businesses and activities of its own in which we have no economic interest. These activities are likely to remain significant and therefore there will be material competition for the time and effort of our officers, who also provide services to Navios Holdings and its affiliates. Our officers are not required to work full-time on our affairs and are required to devote time to the affairs of Navios Holdings and its affiliates. Our Chief Executive Officer is also an executive officer of Navios Holdings.

We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for expenses.

We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for costs incurred in managing and operating us, including costs incurred in rendering corporate staff and support services to us. Our partnership agreement

 

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provides that our general partner will determine the expenses that are allocable to us in good faith. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Management—Management of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.”

Our general partner intends to limit its liability regarding our obligations.

Our partnership agreement authorizes our general partner, while negotiating contractual arrangements on our behalf, to limit its liability in respect of the contractual arrangement and to require the contractual arrangement to provide that the other party has recourse only to our assets and not against our general partner or its assets or any affiliate of our general partner or its assets, even if we could have obtained terms that are more favorable without the limitation on liability. Our partnership agreement provides that the negotiation, execution and delivery of such an agreement on our behalf, is not a breach of the fiduciary duties of our general partner or our directors.

Common unit holders will have no right to enforce obligations of our general partner and its affiliates under agreements with us.

Any agreements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, will not grant to the unit holders, separate and apart from us, other than derivative actions, the right to enforce the obligations of our general partner and its affiliates in our favor.

Contracts between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, will not be the result of arms’-length negotiations.

Neither our partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts and arrangements between us and our general partner and its affiliates are or will be the result of arms’-length negotiations. Our partnership agreement generally provides that any affiliated transaction, such as an agreement, contract or arrangement between us and our general partner and its affiliates, must be:

 

    on terms no less favorable to us then those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or

 

    “fair and reasonable” to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us).

The Manager, which will provide certain management and administrative services to us, may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf; however, there is no obligation of any affiliate of the Manager to enter into any contracts of this kind.

Common units are subject to our general partner’s limited call right.

Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase common units as provided in the partnership agreement or assign this right to one of its affiliates or to us. Our general partner may use its own discretion, free of fiduciary duty restrictions, in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a common unit holder may have common units purchased from the unit holder at an undesirable time or price. See “The Partnership Agreement—Limited Call Right.”

We may choose not to retain separate counsel for ourselves or for the holders of common units.

The attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us have been retained by our general partner. Attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us are selected by our general partner or the conflicts committee and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We may or may not, in our sole discretion, retain separate counsel for ourselves or the holders of common units in

 

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the event of a conflict of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or the holders of common units, on the other, depending on the nature of the conflict. We do not intend to do so in most cases.

Our general partner’s affiliates, including Navios Acquisition, Navios Midstream and Navios Partners, may compete with us.

Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will be restricted from engaging in any business activities other than acting as our general partner and those activities incidental to its ownership of interests in us. In addition, our partnership agreement provides that our general partner, for so long as it is general partner of our partnership, will cause its affiliates not to engage in the businesses described above under the caption “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with the Navios Group—Omnibus Agreement—Noncompetition.” Except as provided in our partnership agreement and the Omnibus Agreement, affiliates of our general partner are not prohibited from engaging in other businesses or activities, including those that might be in direct competition with us.

Fiduciary Duties

Our general partner and certain of its affiliates are accountable to us and our unit holders as fiduciaries. Fiduciary duties owed to unit holders by our general partner and its affiliates are prescribed by law as modified by the partnership agreement. The Marshall Islands Act provides that Marshall Islands partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, restrict or expand the fiduciary duties owed by our general partner and its affiliates to the limited partners and the partnership. Our directors are subject to the same fiduciary duties as our general partner, as restricted or expanded by the partnership agreement.

In addition, we have entered into services agreements, and may enter into additional agreements with Navios Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries, including the Manager. In the performance of their obligations under these agreements, Navios Holdings and its subsidiaries are not held to a fiduciary standard of care but rather to the standards of care specified in the relevant agreement.

Our partnership agreement contains various provisions restricting the fiduciary duties that might otherwise be owed by our general partner or by our directors. We have adopted these provisions to allow our general partner and our directors to take into account the interests of other parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. We believe this is appropriate and necessary because our officers and directors have fiduciary duties to Navios Holdings as well as to our unit holders. These modifications disadvantage the common unit holders because they restrict the rights and remedies that would otherwise be available to unit holders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below. The following is a summary of:

 

    the fiduciary duties imposed on our general partner and our directors by the Marshall Islands Act;

 

    material modifications of these duties contained in our partnership agreement; and

 

    certain rights and remedies of unit holders contained in the Marshall Islands Act.

 

Marshall Islands law fiduciary duty standards

Fiduciary duties are generally considered to include an obligation to act in good faith and with due care and loyalty. The duty of care, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require a general partner and the directors of a Marshall Islands limited partnership to act for the partnership in the same manner as a prudent person would act on his own behalf. The duty of loyalty, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally prohibit a general

 

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partner or the directors of a Marshall Islands limited partnership from taking any action or engaging in any transaction where a conflict of interest is present.

 

Partnership agreement modified standards

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that waive or consent to conduct by our general partner and its affiliates and our directors that might otherwise raise issues as to compliance with fiduciary duties under the laws of the Marshall Islands. For example, sections of our partnership agreement provides that when our general partner is acting in its capacity as our general partner, as opposed to in its individual capacity, it must act in “good faith” and will not be subject to any other standard under the laws of the Marshall Islands, including due care or the duty of loyalty. In addition, when our general partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, it may act without any fiduciary obligation to us or the unit holders whatsoever. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner and our board of directors would otherwise be held. Our partnership agreement generally provides that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not involving a vote of unit holders and that are not approved by the conflicts committee of our board of directors must be:

 

    on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or

 

    “fair and reasonable” to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us).

 

  If our board of directors does not seek approval from the conflicts committee, and our board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, our board of directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. These standards reduce the obligations to which our board of directors would otherwise be held.

 

  In addition to the other more specific provisions limiting the obligations of our general partner and our directors, our partnership agreement further provides that our general partner and our officers and our directors, will not be liable for monetary damages to us or our limited partners for any acts or omissions unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that our general partner or our officers or our directors acted in bad faith or engaged in actual fraud or willful misconduct.

 

Rights and remedies of unit holders

The provisions of the Marshall Islands Act resemble the provisions of the limited partnership act of Delaware. For example, like Delaware,

 

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the Marshall Islands Act favors the principles of freedom of contract and enforceability of partnership agreements and allows the partnership agreement to contain terms governing the rights of the unit holders. The rights of our unit holders, including voting and approval rights and the ability of the partnership to issue additional units, are governed by the terms of our partnership agreement. See “The Partnership Agreement.”

As to remedies of unit holders, the Marshall Islands Act permits a limited partner to institute legal action on behalf of the partnership to recover damages from a third party where a general partner or a board of directors has refused to institute the action or where an effort to cause a general partner or a board of directors to do so is not likely to succeed. These actions include actions against a general partner for breach of its fiduciary duties or of the partnership agreement.

In becoming one of our limited partners, a common unit holder effectively agrees to be bound by the provisions in the partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. The failure of a limited partner or transferee to sign a partnership agreement does not render the partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.

Under the partnership agreement, we must indemnify our general partner and our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by our general partner or these other persons. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith, engaged in actual fraud or willful misconduct or acted with knowledge that their actions were unlawful. We also must provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings when our general partner or these other persons acted with no reasonable cause to believe that their conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner and our officers and directors could be indemnified for their negligent acts if they met the requirements set forth above. To the extent that these provisions purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is contrary to public policy and therefore unenforceable. See “The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification.”

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS

The Units

The common units represent limited partner interests in us. The holders of units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights and privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description our distribution policy please read this section and “Our Distribution Policy.” For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read “The Partnership Agreement.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. will serve as registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units, except the following, which must be paid by unit holders:

 

    surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges;

 

    special charges for services requested by a holder of a common unit; and

 

    other similar fees or charges.

There is no charge to unit holders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

Resignation or Removal

The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If a successor has not been appointed or has not accepted its appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may, at the direction of our board of directors, act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.

Transfer of Common Units

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:

 

    represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to become bound by our partnership agreement;

 

    automatically agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of, and is deemed to have executed, our partnership agreement; and

 

    gives the consents and approvals contained in our partnership agreement, such as the approval of all transactions and agreements we are entering into in connection with our formation and this offering.

A transferee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records. Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.

We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

 

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Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.

Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

 

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THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. The form of our partnership agreement is included in this prospectus as Appendix B . We will provide prospective investors with a copy of the agreement upon request at no charge.

We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

    with regard to the fiduciary duties of our general partner and our directors, please read “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties;” and

 

    with regard to the transfer of common units, please read “Description of the Common Units—Transfer of Common Units.”

The general partner interest, which is represented by a general partner unit, is a non-economic interest, meaning our general partner does not participate in our distributions, profits or losses by reason of owning its general partner interest.

Organization and Duration

We were initially organized on April 28, 2017 as a Marshall Islands corporation and will convert to a Marshall Islands limited partnership in connection with this offering and have perpetual existence.

Purpose

Our purpose under the partnership agreement is to engage in any business activities that may lawfully be engaged in by a limited partnership pursuant to the Marshall Islands Act.

Although our general partner has the ability to cause us, our operating subsidiary and its subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the marine transportation services, it has no current plans to do so. Our general partner will oversee and direct our operations, management and policies on an exclusive basis, other than certain powers delegated to, or shared with, our board of directors.

Power of Attorney

Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a common unit from a common unit holder grants to our the chairman and vice chairman of our board of directors and our chief executive officer and president and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our board of directors the authority to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, the partnership agreement.

Capital Contributions

Common unit holders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “—Limited Liability.”

Voting Rights

The following matters require the common unit holder vote specified below. Matters requiring the approval of a “unit majority” requires the approval of a majority of the outstanding common units.

Each outstanding common unit is entitled to one vote on matters subject to a vote of common unit holders. If at any time, any person or group owns beneficially more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, any

 

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such units owned by that person or group in excess of 4.9% may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unit holders or calculating required votes (except for purposes of nominating a person for election to our board, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under our partnership agreement, or unless otherwise required by law). The voting rights of any such unit holders in excess of 4.9% will effectively be redistributed pro rata among the other unit holders of the same class that are not subject to this voting limitation. Our general partner, its affiliates and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors will not be subject to this 4.9% limitation except with respect to voting their common units in the election of the elected directors. This 4.9% limitation is intended to help preserve our ability to qualify for the benefits of Section 883 of the Code.

We will hold a meeting of the limited partners every year to elect one or more members of our board of directors and to vote on any other matters that are properly brought before the meeting. Our general partner has the right to appoint three of the seven members of our board of directors with the remaining four directors being elected by our common unit holders beginning with the annual meeting of unit holders following the closing of this offering.

 

Action

  

Unit Holder Approval Required and Voting Rights

Issuance of additional units

   No approval rights by unit holders; general partner approval required for all issuances not reasonably expected to be accretive to equity or which would otherwise have a material adverse impact on the general partner or its interest in our partnership.

Amendment of the partnership agreement

   Certain amendments may be made by our board of directors without the approval of the unit holders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read “—Amendment of the Partnership Agreement.”

Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets

   Unit majority and approval of our general partner and our board of directors. Please read “—Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets.”

Dissolution of our partnership

   Unit majority and approval of our general partner and our board of directors. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.”

Reconstitution of our partnership upon dissolution

   Unit majority. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.”

Election of four of the seven members of our board of directors

   A plurality of the votes of the holders of the common units.

Withdrawal of the general partner

   No approval rights by unit holders. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”

Removal of the general partner

   Not less than 75% of the outstanding units, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”

Transfer of the general partner interest in us

   No approval required at any time. Please read “—Transfer of General Partner Interest.”

Transfer of ownership interests in the general partner

   No approval required at any time. Please read “—Transfer of Ownership Interests in General Partner.”

 

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Limited Liability

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Marshall Islands Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our partnership agreement, his liability under the Marshall Islands Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:

 

    to remove or replace our general partner;

 

    to elect four of our seven directors;

 

    to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement; or

 

    to take other action under our partnership agreement;

constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Marshall Islands Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Marshall Islands, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Marshall Islands Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Marshall Islands case law.

Under the Marshall Islands Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Marshall Islands Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the non-recourse liability. The Marshall Islands Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Marshall Islands Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Marshall Islands Act, a purchaser of units who becomes a limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of the transferor to make contributions to the partnership, except that the transferee is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

Maintenance of our limited liability may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating subsidiary and its subsidiaries conduct business, which may include qualifying to do business in those jurisdictions. Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partnership or limited liability company have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our membership interest in an operating subsidiary or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any jurisdiction without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace the general partner, to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement, or to take other action under the partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable, necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.

Issuance of Additional Securities

The partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited amount of additional partnership securities and rights to buy partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our

 

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board of directors without the approval of the unit holders. Our general partner will have the right to approve issuances of additional securities that are not reasonably expected to be accretive to equity within twelve months of issuance or which would otherwise have a material adverse impact on our general partner or its interest in us.

We intend to fund acquisitions using cash from operations, borrowings, the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities, and the issuance of debt securities. Lenders and holders of preferred equity securities will have a prior claim on our assets over common unit holders. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.

In accordance with Marshall Islands law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership securities that, as determined by our board of directors, have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled.

The partnership agreement provides that no partner will have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.

Tax Status

Our partnership agreement provides that we will elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Amendment of the Partnership Agreement

General

Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our board of directors. However, our board of directors will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, approval of our board of directors is required, as well as written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as we describe below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.

Prohibited Amendments

No amendment may be made that would:

(1) increase the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected;

(2) increase the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of the general partner, which may be given or withheld at its option;

(3) change the term of our partnership;

(4) provide that our partnership is not dissolved upon an election to dissolve our partnership by our general partner and our board of directors that is approved by the holders of a unit majority; or

(5) give any person the right to dissolve our partnership other than the right of our general partner and board of directors to dissolve our partnership with the approval of the holders of a unit majority.

 

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The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in clauses (1) through (5) above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates). Upon completion of this offering, the owner of our general partner will own     % of the total number of common, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option.

No Unit Holder Approval

Our board of directors may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:

(1) a change in our name, the location of our principal place of business, our registered agent or our registered office;

(2) the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;

(3) a change that our board of directors determines to be necessary or appropriate for us to qualify or to continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of the Marshall Islands;

(4) an amendment that is necessary, upon the advice of our counsel, to prevent us, our officers or directors or our general partner or their or its agents, or trustees from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, the U.S. Investment Advisors Act of 1940, or plan asset regulations adopted under the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed;

(5) an amendment that our board of directors determines to be necessary or appropriate for the authorization of additional partnership securities or rights to acquire partnership securities;

(6) any amendment expressly permitted in the partnership agreement to be made by our board of directors acting alone;

(7) an amendment effected, necessitated, or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of the partnership agreement;

(8) any amendment that our board of directors determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by us of, or our investment in, any corporation, partnership or other entity, as otherwise permitted by the partnership agreement;

(9) a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;

(10) certain conversions, mergers or conveyances as set forth in our partnership agreement; or

(11) any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in (1) through (10) above.

In addition, our board of directors may make amendments to the partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner if our board of directors determines that those amendments:

(1) do not adversely affect the limited partners (or any particular class of limited partners) in any material respect;

(2) are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions, or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any Marshall Islands authority or contained in any Marshall Islands statute;

 

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(3) are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed for trading;

(4) are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our board of directors relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of the partnership agreement; or

(5) are required to effect the intent expressed in this prospectus or the intent of the provisions of the partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by the partnership agreement.

Opinion of Counsel and Unit Holder Approval

Neither our general partner nor our board of directors will be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners if one of the amendments described above under “—No Unit Holder Approval” should occur. No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.

In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or privileges of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

Action Relating to the Operating Subsidiaries

We effectively control, manage and operate our operating subsidiaries by being its sole indirect member. Our officers manage our operating subsidiaries under the direction and supervision of our board of directors.

Merger, Sale, or Other Disposition of Assets

A merger or consolidation of us requires the approval of our board of directors and the consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our board of directors, without the prior approval of our general partner and the holders of units representing a unit majority, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation, or other combination, or approving on our behalf the sale, exchange, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries taken as a whole. Our board of directors may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate, or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without the prior approval of the holders of units representing a unit majority. Our general partner and our board of directors may also determine to sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without the approval of the holders of units representing a unit majority.

If conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our board of directors, with the consent of our general partner, may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey some or all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity. The unit holders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets, or any other transaction or event.

 

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Termination and Dissolution

We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated or converted under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:

(1) the election of our general partner and our board of directors to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority;

(2) at any time there are no limited partners unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with the Marshall Islands Act;

(3) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of us; or

(4) the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with the partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal following approval and admission of a successor.

Upon a dissolution under clause (4), the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in the partnership agreement by appointing as general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner.

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our board of directors that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation pro rata among all outstanding units.

The preceding paragraph is based on the assumption that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.

Withdrawal or Removal of our General Partner

Our general partner may withdraw without unit holder approval upon 90 days’ notice to the limited partners. In addition, the partnership agreement permits our general partner to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unit holders. Please read “—Transfer of General Partner Interest.”

Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period of time after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.”

Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 75% of the outstanding units, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability. The ownership of

 

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more than 25% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates or controlling our board of directors would provide the practical ability to prevent our general partner’s removal. At the closing of this offering, Navios Holdings and Navios Partners will each own     % and     % of the outstanding common units, respectively, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the successor general partner being approved by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units.

Upon the withdrawal or removal of our general partner, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, any employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.

Transfer of General Partner Interest

Our general partner and its affiliates may at any time transfer their general partner interest to one or more persons, without unit holder approval.

Transfer of Ownership Interests in General Partner

At any time, the members of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of their respective membership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unit holders.

Change of Management Provisions

The partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove Navios Holdings as our general partner or otherwise change management. If any person or group acquires beneficial ownership of or otherwise would have the right to vote more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units in excess of 4.9% of all such units. Our general partner, its affiliates and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors will not be subject to this 4.9% limitation except with respect to voting their common units in the election of the elected directors.

Limited Call Right

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates hold more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding partnership securities of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the remaining partnership securities of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by the general partner, on at least ten but not more than 60 days’ notice equal to the greater of (x) the average of the daily closing prices of the partnership securities of such class over the 20 trading days preceding the date three days before the notice of exercise of the call right is first mailed and (y) the highest price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for partnership securities of such class during the 90-day period preceding the date such notice is first mailed. Our general partner is not obligated to obtain a fairness opinion regarding the value of the common units to be repurchased by it upon the exercise of this limited call right.

As a result of the general partner’s right to purchase outstanding partnership securities, a holder of partnership securities may have the holder’s partnership securities purchased at an undesirable time or price. The tax consequences to a unit holder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unit holder of common units in the market. Please read “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders—Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Units” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders—Disposition of Units.”

 

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At the completion of this offering and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option, our general partner and its affiliates will own     % of the common units.

Management of the Partnership

Under our partnership agreement, our general partner has the authority to oversee and direct our operations, business and affairs, policies and management on an exclusive basis, other than certain powers delegated to or shared with, our board of directors.

Board of Directors

Our board of directors is comprised of seven persons, three of whom are appointed by our general partner in its sole discretion and four of whom are elected by the common unit holders.

Our board of directors nominates individuals to stand for election as elected board members on a staggered basis at an annual meeting of our limited partners. In addition, any limited partner or group of limited partners that holds beneficially 25% or more of the outstanding common units is entitled to nominate one or more individuals to stand for election as elected board members at the annual meeting by providing written notice to our board of directors not more than 120 days nor less than 90 days prior to the meeting. However, if the date of the annual meeting is not publicly announced by us at least 100 days prior to the date of the meeting, the notice must be delivered to our board of directors not later than ten days following the public announcement of the meeting date. The notice must set forth:

 

    the name and address of the limited partner or limited partners making the nomination or nominations;

 

    the number of common units beneficially owned by the limited partner or limited partners;

 

    the information regarding the nominee(s) proposed by the limited partner or limited partners as required to be included in a proxy statement relating to the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC;

 

    the written consent of the nominee(s) to serve as a member of our board of directors if so elected; and

 

    a certification that the nominee(s) qualify as elected board members. Our general partner may remove an appointed board member with or without cause at any time. “Cause” generally means a court’s finding a person liable for actual fraud or willful misconduct in his or her capacity as a director. Any and all of the board members may be removed at any time for cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the other board members. Any and all of the board members appointed by our general partner may be removed for cause at a properly called meeting of the limited partners by a majority of the outstanding units, voting as a single class. If any appointed board member is removed, resigns or is otherwise unable to serve as a board member, our general partner may fill the vacancy. Any and all of the board members elected by the common unit holders may be removed for cause at a properly called meeting of the limited partners by a majority vote of the outstanding common units. If any elected board member is removed, resigns or is otherwise unable to serve as a board member, the vacancy may be filled by a majority of the other elected board members then serving.

Meetings of Limited Partners; Voting

Except as described below regarding a person or group owning more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, unit holders who are record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited. In the case of common units held by our general partner on behalf of non-citizen assignees, our general partner will distribute the votes on those common units in the same ratios as the votes of limited partners on other units are cast.

 

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We will hold a meeting of the limited partners every year to elect one or more members of our board of directors and to vote on any other matters that are properly brought before the meeting. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unit holders may be taken either at a meeting of the unit holders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unit holders may be called by our board of directors or by unit holders owning at least 25% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unit holders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unit holders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.

Each record holder of a unit may vote according to the holder’s percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read “—Issuance of Additional Securities.” If at any time any person owns beneficially more than 4.9% of any class of units then outstanding, any such units owned by that person or group in excess of 4.9% may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unit holders or calculating required votes (except for purposes of nominating a person for election to our board), determining the presence of a quorum, or for other similar purposes under our partnership agreement, unless otherwise required by law. The voting rights of any such unit holders in excess of 4.9% will effectively be redistributed pro rata among the other unit holders of the same class that are not subject to this voting limitation. Our general partner, its affiliates and persons who acquired units with the prior approval of our board of directors will not be subject to this 4.9% limitation except with respect to voting their common units in the election of the elected directors. This 4.9% limitation is intended to help preserve our ability to qualify for the benefits of Section 883 of the Code. Units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.

Any notice, demand, request report, or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under the partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

Status as Limited Partner or Assignee

Except as described above under “—Limited Liability,” the common units will be “fully paid,” and unit holders will not be required to make additional contributions. By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records.

Indemnification

Under the partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:

(1) our general partner;

(2) any departing general partner;

(3) any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner;

(4) any person who is or was an officer, director, member or partner of any entity described in (1), (2) or (3) above;

(5) any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person at the request of our board of directors, our general partner or any departing general partner;

 

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(6) any person designated by our board of directors; and

(7) the members of our board of directors.

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under the partnership agreement.

Reimbursement of Expenses

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner and the members of our board of directors for all direct and indirect expenses they incur or payments they make on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner or the members of our board of directors in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf, and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our board of directors are entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.

Books and Reports

The partnership agreement requires us to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

We will furnish or make available to record holders of common units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.

Right to Inspect Our Books and Records

The partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand and at the limited partner’s own expense, have furnished to the limited partner:

(1) a current list of the name and last known address of each partner;

(2) information as to the amount of cash, and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other property contributed by a partner or that a partner has agreed to contribute;

(3) copies of the partnership agreement, the certificate of limited partnership of the partnership, related amendments and powers of attorney under which they have been executed;

(4) information regarding the status of our business and financial position; and

(5) any other information regarding our affairs as is just and reasonable.

Our board of directors may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners’ trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our board of directors believes in good faith is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.

 

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Registration Rights

Under the partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available or advisable. These registrations may be solely for sales of partnership securities by our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates, or may also register sales of partnership securities by us or, if we grant registration rights to a unitholder other than our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates, a third party. These registration rights continue for a period of two years after the later of (1) any withdrawal or removal of Navios Holdings as our general partner and (2) the date on which the holder ceases to be our affiliate; and, in either case, for so long thereafter as is required for the holder to sell all of the securities for which it has requested registration during the two year period. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions. Please read “Units Eligible for Future Sale.”

 

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UNITS ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Future sales of substantial amounts of our common units in the public market by us or existing unitholders could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time. This may adversely affect the prevailing market price and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

Upon completion of this offering, we will have             common units outstanding, or             common units outstanding assuming the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. Of these common units, the             common units, or             common units if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, sold in this offering will be freely transferable without restriction or registration under the Securities Act, except for any common units purchased by one of our existing “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. The remaining             common units existing may include “restricted shares” as defined in Rule 144 which may be sold in the public market only if registered or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.

In addition, the partnership agreement provides that we may issue an unlimited number of limited partner interests of any type without a vote of the unit holders. Any issuance of additional common units or other equity securities would result in a corresponding decrease in the proportionate ownership interest in us represented by, and could adversely affect the cash distributions to and market price of, common units then outstanding. See “The Partnership Agreement—Issuance of Additional Securities.”

Rule 144

In general, a person who has beneficially owned restricted common units for at least six months would be entitled to sell such securities, provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the 90 days preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Persons who have beneficially owned restricted common units of our common units for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the 90 days preceding, a sale would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of either of the following:

 

    1% of the number of common units of our common units then outstanding, which will equal approximately common units immediately after this offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units; or

 

    the average weekly trading volume of our common units on the Nasdaq during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale;

provided, in each case, that we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Such sales both by affiliates and by non-affiliates must also comply with the manner of sale, current public information and notice provisions of Rule 144 to the extent applicable.

Lock-up Agreements

We, our directors and executive officers, our subsidiaries, our general partner and its affiliates have agreed not to sell any common units for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions and extensions. Please read “Underwriting” for a description of these lock-up provisions.

 

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Registration Rights Agreement

Under the partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available or advisable. These registrations may be solely for sales of partnership securities by our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates, or may also register sales of partnership securities by us or, if we grant registration rights to a unitholder other than our general partner, Angeliki Frangou or any of their current or future affiliates, a third party. These registration rights continue for a period of two years after the later of (1) any withdrawal or removal of Navios Holdings as our general partner and (2) the date on which the holder ceases to be our affiliate; and, in either case, for so long thereafter as is required for the holder to sell all of the securities for which it has requested registration during the two year period. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions. Except as described above, our general partner and its affiliates may sell their units in private transactions at any time, subject to compliance with applicable laws.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to beneficial owners of our common units.

This discussion is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, (the “Code”), U.S. Treasury Regulations, and administrative rulings and court decisions, all as in effect or in existence on the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or a court, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences of ownership of our common units to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “we,” “our” or “us” are references to Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

The following discussion applies only to beneficial owners of common units that acquired the common units in this offering and own the common units as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment purposes). The following discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation which may be important to particular beneficial owners of common units in light of their individual circumstances, such as (i) beneficial owners of common units subject to special tax rules (e.g., banks or other financial institutions, real estate investment trusts, regulated investment companies, insurance companies, broker-dealers, traders that elect to mark-to-market for U.S. federal income tax purposes, tax-exempt organizations and retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and tax-deferred accounts, persons that acquire the common units as compensation or former citizens or long-term residents of the United States) or to persons that will hold the common units as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale, or other integrated transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (ii) S corporations, partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes or their shareholders or partners, (iii) U.S. Holders (as defined below) that have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar, or (iv) beneficial owners of common units that actually or constructively own 2.0% or more (by vote or value) of our common units or are otherwise entitled to claim a “participation exemption” with respect to our common units, all of whom may be subject to tax rules that differ significantly from those summarized below. If a partnership or other entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common units, the tax treatment of its partners generally will depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our common units, you should consult your own tax advisor regarding the tax consequences to you of the partnership’s ownership of our common units.

No ruling has been obtained or will be requested from the IRS, regarding any matter affecting us or prospective holders of our common units. The opinions and statements made herein may be challenged by the IRS and, if so challenged, may not be sustained upon review in a court.

This discussion does not contain information regarding any state or local, estate, gift or alternative minimum tax considerations concerning the ownership or disposition of common units.

Each prospective beneficial owner of our common units should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, state, local, and other tax consequences of the ownership or disposition of common units.

Conversion to a Limited Partnership; Election to be Treated as a Corporation

As discussed under “Prospectus Summary—Organizational Structure,” we are currently a private company incorporated under the laws of the Marshall Islands, Navios Maritime Containers Inc., and we will be converted into a limited partnership organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands, Navios Maritime Containers L.P. In connection with this offering, Navios Maritime Containers L.P. will elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes with effect from the date of the conversion. Since Navios Maritime Containers L.P. will be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, among other things, U.S. Holders will not

 

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directly be subject to U.S. federal income tax on their shares of our income, but rather will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on distributions received from us and dispositions of common units as described below.

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders

As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our common units that:

 

    is an individual U.S. citizen or resident (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes),

 

    a corporation (or other entity that is classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) organized under the laws of the United States or any of its political subdivisions,

 

    an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or

 

    a trust if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more “United States persons” (as defined in the Code) have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) the trust has a valid election in effect under current Treasury Regulations to be treated as a “United States person.”

Distributions

Subject to the discussion below of the rules applicable to a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”), any distributions to a U.S. Holder made by us with respect to our common units generally will constitute dividends, which will be taxable as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income” as described in more detail below, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its common units on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and thereafter as capital gain, which will be either long-term or short-term capital gain depending upon whether the U.S. Holder held the common units for more than one year. U.S. Holders that are corporations generally will not be entitled to claim a dividend received deduction with respect to distributions they receive from us. Dividends received with respect to the common units will be treated as foreign source income and generally will be treated as “passive category income” for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes.

Dividends received with respect to our common units by a U.S. Holder who is an individual, trust or estate (a “non-corporate U.S. Holder”) generally will be treated as “qualified dividend income” that is taxable to such non-corporate U.S. Holder at long-term capital gain tax rates, provided that: (i) our common units are traded on an “established securities market” in the United States (such as the Nasdaq Global Select Market where our common units will be traded) and are “readily tradeable” on such an exchange; (ii) we are not a PFIC for the taxable year during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding taxable year (which we do not believe we are or will be, as discussed below); (iii) the non-corporate U.S. Holder has owned the common units for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the date on which the common units become ex-dividend (and has not entered into certain risk limiting transactions with respect to such common units); and (iv) the non-corporate U.S. Holder is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Any dividends paid on our common units that are not eligible for these preferential rates will be taxed as ordinary income to a non-corporate U.S. Holder. In addition, a 3.8% tax may apply to certain investment income.   See “Medicare Tax” below.

Special rules may apply to any amounts received in respect of our common units that are treated as “extraordinary dividends.” In general, an extraordinary dividend is a dividend with respect to a common unit that is equal to or in excess of 10.0% of a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis (or fair market value upon the U.S. Holder’s election) in such common unit. In addition, extraordinary dividends include dividends received within a one-year period that, in the aggregate, equal or exceed 20.0% of a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis (or fair market value) in a common unit. If we pay an “extraordinary dividend” on our common units that is treated as “qualified dividend income,” then any loss recognized by a U.S. Individual Holder from the sale or exchange of such common units will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of such dividend.

 

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Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Units

Subject to the discussion of PFICs below, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common units in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized by the U.S. Holder from such sale, exchange or other disposition and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such units. The U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in the common units generally will be the U.S. Holder’s purchase price for the common units and that tax basis will be reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of any distributions on the common units that are treated as non-taxable returns of capital (as discussed under “—Distributions” above). Such gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period is greater than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition.

A corporate U.S. Holder’s capital gains, long-term and short-term, are taxed at ordinary income tax rates. If a corporate U.S. Holder recognizes a loss upon the disposition of our common units, such U.S. Holder is limited to using the loss to offset other capital gain. If a corporate U.S. Holder has no other capital gain in the tax year of the loss, it may carry the capital loss back three years and forward five years.

Long-term capital gains of non-corporate U.S. Holders are subject to the favorable tax rate of a maximum of 20%. In addition, a 3.8% tax may apply to certain investment income. See “Medicare Tax” below. A non-corporate U.S. Holder may deduct a capital loss resulting from a disposition of our common units to the extent of capital gains plus up to $3,000 ($1,500 for married individuals filing separate tax returns) annually and may carry forward a capital loss indefinitely.

PFIC Status and Significant Tax Consequences

In general, we will be treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder if, for any taxable year in which the holder held our common units, either:

 

    at least 75.0% of our gross income (including the gross income of our vessel-owning subsidiaries) for such taxable year consists of passive income (e.g., dividends, interest, capital gains and rents derived other than in the active conduct of a rental business), or

 

    at least 50.0% of the average value of the assets held by us (including the assets of our vessel-owning subsidiaries) during such taxable year produce, or are held for the production of, passive income.

Income earned, or deemed earned, by us in connection with the performance of services would not constitute passive income. By contrast, rental income generally would constitute “passive income” unless we were treated as deriving our rental income in the active conduct of a trade or business under the applicable rules. The PFIC provisions contain a look-through rule under which we will be treated as earning directly our proportionate share of any income, and owning directly our proportionate share of any assets, of another corporation if we own at least 25% of the value of the stock of such other corporation.

Based on our current and projected methods of operations, we believe that we will not be a PFIC for our current taxable year, and we expect that we will not become a PFIC with respect to any future taxable year. Our U.S. counsel, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, is of the opinion that, although there is no authority directly on point and, accordingly, the matter is not free from doubt, (1) the income we receive from the time chartering activities and assets engaged in generating such income should not be treated as passive income or assets, respectively, and (2) so long as our income from time charters exceeds 25.0% of our gross income for each taxable year after our initial taxable year and the value of our vessels contracted under time charters exceeds 50.0% of the average value of our assets for each taxable year after our initial taxable year, we should not be a PFIC. This opinion is based on representations and projections regarding our structure, assets, income and charters that we have provided to our U.S. counsel, and the validity of our U.S. counsel’s opinion is conditioned on the accuracy of such representations and projections. We express no belief and our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion regarding our PFIC status with respect to any U.S. Holder that acquired common units prior to this offering or any U.S. person that acquired common shares of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

 

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In addition, our U.S. counsel’s opinion is based principally on its conclusion that, for purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC, the gross income we derive or are deemed to derive from the time chartering activities of our wholly owned subsidiaries should constitute services income, rather than rental income. Correspondingly, such income should not constitute passive income, and the assets that we or our subsidiaries own and operate in connection with the production of such income, in particular, the vessels we or our subsidiaries own that are subject to time charters, should not constitute passive assets for purposes of determining whether we are or have been a PFIC.

We expect that all of the vessels in our fleet will be engaged in time chartering activities and intend to treat our income from those activities as non-passive income, and the vessels engaged in those activities as non-passive assets, for PFIC purposes. Our U.S. counsel has advised us that there is a significant amount of legal authority consisting of the Code, legislative history, IRS pronouncements and rulings supporting our position that the income from our time and voyage chartering activities constitutes services income (rather than rental income). There is, however, no direct legal authority under the PFIC rules addressing whether income from time or voyage chartering activities is services income or rental income. Moreover, in a case not interpreting the PFIC rules,  Tidewater Inc. v. United States , 565 F.3d 299 (5th Cir. 2009), the Fifth Circuit held that the vessel time charters at issue generated predominantly rental income rather than services income. However, the IRS stated in an Action on Decision (AOD 2010-001) that it disagrees with, and will not acquiesce to, the way that the rental versus services framework was applied to the facts in the  Tidewater  decision, and in its discussion stated that the time charters at issue in  Tidewater  would be treated as producing services income for PFIC purposes. The IRS’s AOD, however, is an administrative action that cannot be relied upon or otherwise cited as precedent by taxpayers.

The view of our U.S. counsel is not binding on the IRS or any court. Thus, there is a possibility that the IRS or a court could disagree with this position and the opinion of our U.S. counsel. In addition, the determination of whether we are a PFIC in any taxable year is fact specific and will depend upon the portion of our assets (including goodwill) and income that are characterized as passive under the PFIC rules and other factors, some of which may be beyond our control. In particular, because the total value of our assets for purposes of the asset test described above will generally be calculated using the market price of our common units, our PFIC status may depend in large part on the market price of our common units. Accordingly, fluctuations in the market price of the common units may cause us to become a PFIC. In addition, the composition of our income and assets will be affected by how, and how quickly, we use the cash generated by our business operations and any net proceeds that we receive from this offering and any future financing or capital transactions. The PFIC determination also depends on the application of complex U.S. federal income tax rules concerning the classification of our assets and income for this purpose, and these rules are uncertain in some respects. Further, the PFIC determination is made annually and, although we intend to conduct our affairs in a manner to avoid being classified as a PFIC with respect to any taxable year, we cannot assure you that the method of our operations, or the nature or composition of our income or assets, will not change in the future and that we will not become a PFIC.

As discussed more fully below, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year in which a U.S. Holder owned our common units, the U.S. Holder would be subject to different taxation rules depending on whether the U.S. Holder makes an election to treat us as a “Qualified Electing Fund,” which we refer to as a “QEF election.” As an alternative to making a QEF election, the U.S. Holder should be able to make a “mark-to-market” election with respect to our common units, as discussed below. In addition, if we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year in which a U.S. Holder owned our common units, the U.S. Holder generally would be required to file IRS Form 8621 with the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax return for each year to report the U.S. Holder’s ownership of such common units. Substantial penalties apply to any failure to timely file IRS Form 8621, unless the failure is shown to be due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect. In the event a U.S. Holder does not file IRS Form 8621, the statute of limitations on the assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes of such U.S. Holder for the related tax year will not close before the date which is three years after the date on which such report is filed.

 

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Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a Timely QEF Election

If we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, and a U.S. Holder makes a timely QEF election (any such U.S. Holder, an “Electing Holder”), the Electing Holder must report for U.S. federal income tax purposes its pro rata share of our ordinary earnings and net capital gain, if any, for our taxable year that ends with or within the Electing Holder’s taxable year, regardless of whether or not the Electing Holder received any distributions from us in that year. Such income inclusions would not be eligible for the preferential tax rates applicable to “qualified dividend income.” The Electing Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our common units will be increased to reflect taxed but undistributed earnings and profits. Distributions to the Electing Holder of our earnings and profits that were previously taxed will result in a corresponding reduction in the Electing Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our common units and will not be taxed again once distributed. The Electing Holder would not, however, be entitled to a deduction for its pro rata share of any losses that we incur with respect to any year. An Electing Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common units.

Even if a U.S. Holder makes a QEF election for one of our taxable years, if we were a PFIC for a prior taxable year during which the U.S. Holder owned our common units and for which the U.S. Holder did not make a timely QEF election, the U.S. Holder would also be subject to the more adverse rules described below under  “—Taxation of U.S. Holders Not Making a Timely QEF or Mark-to-Market Election.”  However, under certain circumstances, a U.S. Holder may be permitted to make a retroactive QEF election with respect to us for any open taxable years in the U.S. Holder’s holding period for our common units in which we are treated as a PFIC.

A U.S. Holder makes a QEF election with respect to any year that we are a PFIC by filing IRS Form 8621 with the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax return. If, contrary to our expectations, we were to determine that we are treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, we would notify all U.S. Holders and would provide all necessary information to any U.S. Holder that requests such information in order to make the QEF election described above with respect to us. A QEF election would not apply to any taxable year for which we are not a PFIC, but would remain in effect with respect to any subsequent taxable year for which we are a PFIC, unless the IRS consents to the revocation of the election.

Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a “Mark-to-Market” Election

If we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year and, as we anticipate, our common units were treated as “marketable stock,” then, as an alternative to making a QEF election, a U.S. Holder would be allowed to make a “mark-to-market” election with respect to our common units, provided the U.S. Holder completes and files IRS Form 8621 in accordance with the relevant instructions and related Treasury Regulations. If that election is made, the U.S. Holder generally would include as ordinary income in each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the U.S. Holder’s common units at the end of the taxable year over the holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common units. The U.S. Holder also would be permitted an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common units over the fair market value thereof at the end of the taxable year, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the U.S. Holder’s common units would be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss recognized. Gain recognized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common units would be treated as ordinary income, and any loss recognized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of the common units would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent that such loss does not exceed the net mark-to-market gains previously included in income by the U.S. Holder. A mark-to-market election would not apply to our common units owned by a U.S. Holder in any taxable year during which we are not a PFIC, but would remain in effect with respect to any subsequent taxable year for which we are a PFIC, unless our common units are no longer treated as “marketable stock” or the IRS consents to the revocation of the election.

Even if a U.S. Holder makes a “mark-to-market” election for one of our taxable years, if we were a PFIC for a prior taxable year during which the U.S. Holder owned our common units and for which the U.S. Holder did

 

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not make a timely mark-to-market election, the U.S. Holder would also be subject to the more adverse rules described below under  “—Taxation of U.S. Holders Not Making a Timely QEF or Mark-to-Market Election.”

Taxation of U.S. Holders Not Making a Timely QEF or Mark-to-Market Election

If we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder who does not make either a timely QEF election or a timely “mark-to-market” election for that year (i.e., the taxable year in which the U.S. Holder’s holding period commences), whom we refer to as a “Non-Electing Holder,” would be subject to special rules resulting in increased tax liability with respect to (1) any excess distribution (i.e., the portion of any distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder on our common units in a taxable year in excess of 125.0% of the average annual distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder in the three preceding taxable years, or, if shorter, the Non-Electing Holder’s holding period for the common units), and (2) any gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common units. Under these special rules:

 

    the excess distribution and any gain would be allocated ratably over the Non-Electing Holder’s aggregate holding period for the common units;

 

    the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any year prior to the year we were first treated as a PFIC with respect to the Non-Electing Holder would be taxed as ordinary income; and

 

    the amount allocated to each of the other taxable years would be subject to tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the applicable class of taxpayer for that year, and an interest charge for the deemed deferral benefit would be imposed with respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other taxable year.

If we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder would be treated as owning a proportionate amount of any shares that we own, directly or indirectly by application of certain attribution rules, in other PFICs (including any of our subsidiaries, if they are PFICs) and would be subject to the PFIC rules on a separate basis with respect to its indirect interests in any such PFICs. A mark-to-market election would not be available with respect to the shares of any such lower-tier PFICs. In addition, if we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year and a Non-Electing Holder who is an individual dies while owning our common units, such holder’s successor generally would not receive a step-up in tax basis with respect to such common units.

Medicare Tax

A U.S. Holder that is an individual or estate, or a trust that does not fall into a special class of trusts that is exempt from such tax, will generally be subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (i) the U.S. Holder’s “net investment income” for a taxable year and (ii) the excess of the U.S. Holder’s modified adjusted gross income for such taxable year over $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of joint filers). For these purposes, “net investment income” will generally include dividends paid with respect to our common units and net gain attributable to the disposition of our common units not held in connection with certain trades or businesses, but will be reduced by any deductions properly allocable to such income or net gain.

If we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, solely for purposes of this additional tax, distributions of previously taxed income will generally be treated as dividends and included in net investment income subject to the additional 3.8% tax. Additionally, to determine the amount of any net gain attributable to the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common units, solely for purposes of this additional tax, a U.S. Holder who has made a QEF election will generally be required to recalculate its adjusted tax basis in its common units excluding QEF election basis adjustments.

Alternatively, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder who made a QEF election may generally make an election to cause the rules applicable to inclusions of income and gain, receipt of distributions and adjustments to tax basis with respect to a QEF to apply for purposes of this additional 3.8% tax. This election is generally required to be made for the first taxable year for which the U.S. Holder is required to

 

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include an amount in gross income under the QEF rules with respect to an interest in us and is subject to the additional tax on net investment income (or would be subject to such tax absent this election). Once made, this election is effective with respect to all interests in us held by the U.S. Holder in that year or acquired by the U.S. Holder in future taxable years. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the applicability of this tax to any of their income or gains in respect of our common units.

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders

A beneficial owner of our common units (other than a partnership or an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. Holder is a “Non-U.S. Holder.”

Distributions

Distributions that we pay to a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax if the Non-U.S. Holder is not engaged in a U.S. trade or business. If the Non-U.S. Holder is engaged in a U.S. trade or business, distributions from us will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax to the extent that such distributions constitute income effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. trade or business (and a corporate Non-U.S. Holder may also be subject to U.S. federal branch profits tax). However, distributions paid to a Non-U.S. Holder who is engaged in a trade or business may be exempt from taxation under an income tax treaty if the income arising from the distribution is not attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder.

Disposition of Units

In general, a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on any gain resulting from the disposition of our common units provided the Non-U.S. Holder is not engaged in a U.S. trade or business. A Non-U.S. Holder that is engaged in a U.S. trade or business will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the event the gain from the disposition of units is effectively connected with the conduct of such U.S. trade or business (provided, in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder entitled to the benefits of an income tax treaty with the United States, such gain also is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment). However, even if not engaged in a U.S. trade or business, individual Non-U.S. Holders may be subject to tax on gain resulting from the disposition of our common units if they are present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year in which those units are disposed and meet certain other requirements.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

In general, payments to a non-corporate U.S. Holder of distributions (including distributions that we pay to a non-corporate U.S. Holder) or the proceeds of a disposition of common units may be subject to information reporting. These payments to a non-corporate U.S. Holder also may be subject to backup withholding (currently at a rate of 24%), if the non-corporate U.S. Holder:

 

    fails to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number;

 

    is notified by the IRS that he has failed to report all interest or corporate distributions required to be reported on his U.S. federal income tax returns; or

 

    in certain circumstances, fails to comply with applicable certification requirements.

A U.S. Holder generally is required to certify its compliance with the backup withholding rules on IRS Form W-9.

Non-U.S. Holders may be required to establish their exemption from information reporting and backup withholding by certifying their status on IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, W-8ECI or W-8IMY, as applicable.

 

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Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, a unitholder generally may obtain a credit for any amount withheld against his liability for U.S. federal income tax (and obtain a refund of any amounts withheld in excess of such liability) by filing a U.S. federal income tax return with the IRS.

Individual U.S. Holders (and to the extent specified in applicable Treasury Regulations, certain individual Non-U.S. Holders and certain U.S. Holders that are entities) that hold “specified foreign financial assets,” including our common units, whose aggregate value exceeds $75,000 at any time during the taxable year or $50,000 on the last day of the taxable year (or such higher amounts as prescribed by applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations) are required to file a report on IRS Form 8938 with information relating to the assets for each such taxable year. Specified foreign financial assets would include, among other things, our common units, unless such common units are held in an account maintained by a U.S. “financial institution” (as defined). Substantial penalties apply to any failure to timely file IRS Form 8938, unless the failure is shown to be due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect. Additionally, in the event an individual U.S. Holder (and to the extent specified in applicable Treasury Regulations, an individual Non-U.S. Holder or a U.S. entity) that is required to file IRS Form 8938 does not file such form, the statute of limitations on the assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes of such holder for the related tax year may not close until three years after the date that the required information is filed. U.S. Holders (including U.S. entities) and Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their reporting obligations.

 

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MARSHALL ISLANDS TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following discussion is based upon the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the current laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands applicable to persons who do not reside in, maintain offices in or engage in business in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Because we and our subsidiaries do not and do not expect to conduct business or operations in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, under current Marshall Islands law you will not be subject to Marshall Islands taxation or withholding on distributions, including upon distribution treated as a return of capital, we make to you as a unit holder. In addition, you will not be subject to Marshall Islands stamp, capital gains or other taxes on the purchase, ownership or disposition of common units, and you will not be required by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to file a tax return relating to your ownership of common units.

EACH UNIT HOLDER IS URGED TO CONSULT HIS OWN TAX, LEGAL AND OTHER ADVISORS REGARDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF OWNERSHIP OF COMMON UNITS UNDER THE UNIT HOLDER’S PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

 

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UNDERWRITING

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are acting as representatives of each of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement among us and the underwriters, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the number of common units set forth opposite its name below.

 

Underwriter

   Number of
Units
 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

  

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                      Incorporated

  

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

  

Clarksons Platou Securities, Inc.

  

S. Goldman Advisors LLC

  
  

 

 

 

Total

  
  

 

 

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase all of the common units sold under the underwriting agreement if any of these common units are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the nondefaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The underwriters are offering the common units, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the common units, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officer’s certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

Clarksons Platou Securities AS is not a US registered broker-dealer and, therefore, intends to participate in the offering outside of the United States and, to the extent that the offering by Clarksons Platou Securities AS is within the United States, Clarksons Platou Securities AS will offer to and place securities with investors through Clarksons Platou Securities, Inc., an affiliated US broker-dealer. The activities of Clarksons Platou Securities AS in the United States will be effected only to the extent permitted by Rule 15a-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Commissions and Discounts

The representatives have advised us that the underwriters propose initially to offer the common units to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $        per common unit. After the initial offering, the public offering price, concession or any other term of the offering may be changed.

 

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The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds before expenses to us. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares.

 

     Per Unit      Without Option      With Option  

Public offering price

   $                   $                   $               

Underwriting discount

   $      $      $  

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

   $      $      $  

We will also pay to S. Goldman Advisors LLC a structuring fee equal to             % of the gross proceeds of this offering for the evaluation analysis and structuring of the Partnership.

We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their expenses incurred in connection with the offering in an amount up to $                .

The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, are estimated at $        and are payable by us.

Option to Purchase Common Units

We have granted an option to the underwriters, exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to             common units at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount. If the underwriters exercise this option, each will be obligated, subject to conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, to purchase a number of additional common units proportionate to that underwriter’s initial amount reflected in the above table.

No Sales of Similar Securities

We, our executive officers and directors and our other existing security holders have agreed not to sell or transfer any common units or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with common units, for 180 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Specifically, we and these other persons have agreed, with certain limited exceptions, not to directly or indirectly

 

    offer, pledge, sell or contract to sell any common units,

 

    sell any option or contract to purchase any common units,

 

    purchase any option or contract to sell any common units,

 

    grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of any common units,

 

    lend or otherwise dispose of or transfer any common units,

 

    request or demand that we file a registration statement related to the common units, or

 

    enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequence of ownership of any common units whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of common units or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

This lock-up provision applies to common units and to securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with common units. It also applies to common units owned now or acquired later by the person executing the agreement or for which the person executing the agreement later acquires the power of disposition.

 

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Listing

We have applied to list the common units on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NMCI.” In order to meet the requirements for listing on that exchange, the underwriters have undertaken to sell a minimum number of common units to a minimum number of beneficial owners as required by that exchange.

Before this offering, there has been no public market for our common units. The initial public offering price will be determined through negotiations between us and the representatives. In addition to prevailing market conditions, the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price are

 

    the valuation multiples of publicly traded companies that the representatives believe to be comparable to us,

 

    our financial information,

 

    the history of, and the prospects for, our partnership and the industry in which we compete,

 

    an assessment of our management, its past and present operations, and the prospects for, and timing of, our future revenues,

 

    the present state of our development, and

 

    the above factors in relation to market values and various valuation measures of other companies engaged in activities similar to ours.

An active trading market for the common units may not develop. It is also possible that after the offering the common units will not trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

The underwriters do not expect to sell more than 5% of the common units in the aggregate to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

Until the distribution of the common units is completed, SEC rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing our common units. However, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the common units, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell our common units in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of common units than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units described above. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional common units or purchasing common units in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of common units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase common units through the option granted to them. “Naked” short sales are sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing common units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our common units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of common units made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased shares sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

 

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Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common units or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common units. As a result, the price of our common units may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common units. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

In connection with the offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses by electronic means, such as e-mail.

Selling Restrictions

Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia

This prospectus:

 

    does not constitute a product disclosure document or a prospectus under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Corporations Act”);

 

    has not been, and will not be, lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”), as a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act and does not purport to include the information required of a disclosure document under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act;

 

    does not constitute or involve a recommendation to acquire, an offer or invitation for issue or sale, an offer or invitation to arrange the issue or sale, or an issue or sale, of interests to a “retail client” (as defined in section 761G of the Corporations Act and applicable regulations) in Australia; and

 

    may only be provided in Australia to select investors who are able to demonstrate that they fall within one or more of the categories of investors, or Exempt Investors, available under section 708 of the Corporations Act.

The common units may not be directly or indirectly offered for subscription or purchased or sold, and no invitations to subscribe for or buy the common units may be issued, and no draft or definitive offering memorandum, advertisement or other offering material relating to any common units may be distributed in Australia, except where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act or is otherwise in compliance with all applicable Australian laws and regulations. By submitting an application for the common units, you represent and warrant to us that you are an Exempt Investor.

As any offer of common units under this document will be made without disclosure in Australia under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act, the offer of those securities for resale in Australia within 12 months may, under section 707 of the Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in section 708 applies to that resale. By applying for the common units you undertake to us that you will not, for a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the common units, offer, transfer, assign or otherwise alienate those securities to investors in Australia except in circumstances where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act or where a compliant disclosure document is prepared and lodged with ASIC.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Germany

This prospectus has not been prepared in accordance with the requirements for a securities or sales prospectus under the German Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz), the German Sales

 

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Prospectus Act (Verkaufsprospektgesetz), or the German Investment Act (Investmentgesetz). Neither the German Federal Financial Services Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht — BaFin) nor any other German authority has been notified of the intention to distribute the common units in Germany. Consequently, the common units may not be distributed in Germany by way of public offering, public advertisement or in any similar manner and this prospectus and any other document relating to this offering, as well as information or statements contained therein, may not be supplied to the public in Germany or used in connection with any offer for subscription of the common units to the public in Germany or any other means of public marketing. The common units are being offered and sold in Germany only to qualified investors which are referred to in Section 3, paragraph 2 no. 1, in connection with Section 2, no. 6, of the German Securities Prospectus Act, Section 8f paragraph 2 no. 4 of the German Sales Prospectus Act, and in Section 2 paragraph 11 sentence 2 no. 1 of the German Investment Act. This prospectus is strictly for use of the person who has received it. It may not be forwarded to other persons or published in Germany.

This offering of our common units does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation or an offer to sell the common units in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

The common units have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the common units has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to common units which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Netherlands

The common units may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the Netherlands, other than to qualified investors (gekwalificeerde beleggers) within the meaning of Article 1:1 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

The common units may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of, and has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the common units or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company, the common units have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of common units will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of common units has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (“CISA”). The investor protection

 

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afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of common units.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”) or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the common units in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.

 

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SERVICE OF PROCESS AND ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We are organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands as a limited partnership. Our general partner is organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands as a limited liability company. The Marshall Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides protections for investors to a significantly lesser extent.

Most of our directors and officers and those of our subsidiaries are residents of countries other than the United States. Substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets and a substantial portion of the assets of our directors and officers are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for U.S. investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us, our directors or officers, our general partner or our subsidiaries or to realize against us or them judgments obtained in U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. However, we have expressly submitted to the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts sitting in the City of New York for the purpose of any suit, action or proceeding arising under the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States, and we have appointed C T Corporation System, 111 8th Avenue, New York, New York 10011 to accept service of process on our behalf in any such action.

Reeder & Simpson P.C., our counsel as to Marshall Islands law, has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Marshall Islands would (i) recognize or enforce against us, our general partner or our directors or officers judgments of courts of the United States based on civil liability provisions of applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws or (ii) impose liabilities against us, our general partner or our directors and officers in original actions brought in the Marshall Islands, based on these laws.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the common units and certain other legal matters with respect to the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands will be passed upon for us by our counsel as to Marshall Islands law, Reeder & Simpson P.C. Certain tax matters will be passed upon for us by Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, New York, New York. Certain matters with respect to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins, Houston, Texas. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and Latham & Watkins LLP may rely on the opinion of Reeder & Simpson P.C. for all matters of Marshall Islands law.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Navios Maritime Containers L.P. as of December 31, 2017 and for the period from inception (April 28, 2017) through December 31, 2017 appearing in this Prospectus and Registration Statement have been audited by Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A., independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The address of Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A. is 8B Chimarras Street, 15125 Maroussi, Greece.

The discussion contained in the section of this prospectus entitled “The International Container Shipping Industry” has been reviewed by Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd., which has confirmed to us that it accurately describes the industry, subject to the reliability of the data supporting the statistical and graphical information presented in this prospectus.

The statistical and graphical information we use in this prospectus has been compiled by Drewry from its database. Drewry compiles and publishes data for the benefit of its clients. Its methodologies for collecting data, and therefore the data collected, may differ from those of other sources, and its data do not reflect all or even necessarily a comprehensive set of the actual transactions occurring in the market.

 

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EXPENSES RELATED TO THIS OFFERING

The following table sets forth the main costs and expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions and the financial advisory fee, in connection with this offering, which we will be required to pay.

 

SEC registration fee

   $ 12,450  

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. filing fee

     *  

The Nasdaq Global Select Market listing fee

     *  

Legal fees and expenses

     *  

Accounting fees and expenses

     *  

Printing and engraving costs

     *  

Transfer and distribution agent fees

     *  

Miscellaneous

     *  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $             *  
  

 

 

 

All amounts are estimated, except the SEC registration fee, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. filing fee and the Nasdaq Global Select Market listing fee.

 

* To be filed by amendment

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-1 regarding the common units. This prospectus does not contain all of the information found in the registration statement. For further information regarding us and the common units offered in this prospectus, you may wish to review the full registration statement, including its exhibits. The registration statement, including the exhibits, may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of this material can also be obtained upon written request from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E, Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates or from the SEC’s web site on the Internet at http://www.sec.gov free of charge. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on public reference room. Our registration statement can also be inspected and copied at the offices of              .

Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance therewith, we will be required to file with the SEC annual reports on Form 20-F within four months of our fiscal year-end, and provide to the SEC other material information on Form 6-K. These reports and other information may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC or obtained from the SEC’s website as provided above. We expect to make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC available, free of charge, through our website at www.navios-containers.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC.

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, certain rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our directors and executive officers and principal unit holders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, including the filing of quarterly reports or current reports on Form 8-K. However, we intend to furnish or make available to our unit holders annual reports containing our audited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and make available to our unit holders quarterly reports containing our unaudited interim financial information for the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year. Our

 

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annual report will contain a detailed statement of any transactions with our general partner or its affiliates, and of fees, commissions, compensation and other benefits paid or accrued to our general partner or its affiliates for the fiscal year completed, showing the amount paid or accrued to each recipient and the services performed.

 

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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

     Page  

Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

  

Audited Consolidated Financial Statements

  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-2  

Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2017

     F-3  

Consolidated Statements of Income for the Period April  28, 2017 (Date of Inception) to December 31, 2017

     F-4  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Period April  28, 2017 (Date of Inception) to December 31, 2017

     F-5  

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Partners’ Capital for the Period April 28, 2017 (Date of Inception) to December 31, 2017

     F-6  

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-7  

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

  

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2018 (unaudited) and December 31, 2017

     F-23  

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the Three Month Period Ended March 31, 2018

     F-24  

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Three Month Period Ended
March 31, 2018

     F-25  

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Partners’ Capital for the Three Month Period Ended March 31, 2018

     F-26  

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)

     F-27  

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Partners of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.:

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Navios Maritime Containers L.P. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in partners’ capital and cash flows for the period from inception (April 28, 2017) through December 31, 2017 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Navios Maritime Containers L.P. at December 31, 2017, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from inception (April 28, 2017) through December 31, 2017, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we were required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A.

We have served as Company’s auditor since 2018.

Athens, Greece

June 15, 2018

(except for Notes 1, 13 and 14 as to which the date is                 , 2018)

The foregoing report is in the form that will be signed upon the completion of the reorganization described in Note 1 to the financial statements and the finalization of capital accounts described in Notes 13 and 14 to the financial statements.

/s/ Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A.

Athens, Greece

July 2, 2018

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit data)

 

     Notes      December 31,
2017
 

ASSETS

     

Current assets

     

Cash and cash equivalents

     2,3      $ 14,221  

Restricted Cash

     2,3        280  

Accounts receivable, net

     4        642  

Balance due from related parties, current

     11        5,643  

Inventories

        536  

Prepaid and other current assets

        49  
     

 

 

 

Total current assets

        21,371  
     

 

 

 

Vessels, net

     5        177,597  

Intangible Assets

     6        58,496  

Deferred dry dock and special survey costs, net

        3,582  

Balance due from related parties, non-current

     8,11        5,765  
     

 

 

 

Total non-current assets

        245,440  
     

 

 

 

Total assets

      $ 266,811  
     

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

     

Current liabilities

     

Accounts payable

      $ 582  

Accrued expenses

        3,934  

Deferred income and cash received in advance

        2,544  

Current portion of long-term debt, net

     7,8        42,499  
     

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

        49,559  
     

 

 

 

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     7,8        76,534  
     

 

 

 

Total non-current liabilities

        76,534  
     

 

 

 

Total liabilities

        126,093  
     

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies

     10     

Partners’ capital

     

Common unit holders—         authorized common units,          issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2017

     14     

General Partner

     
     

 

 

 

Total Partners’ capital

        140,718  
     

 

 

 

Total liabilities and Partners’ capital

      $ 266,811  
     

 

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit and per unit data)

 

     Notes      Period from April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017
 

Revenue

     2        39,188  

Time charter and voyage expenses

     2        (1,257

Direct vessel expenses

        (672

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)

     11        (16,488

General and administrative expenses

     11        (2,262

Depreciation and amortization

     5,6        (13,578

Interest expense and finance cost, net

        (2,268

Other expense, net

        (25
     

 

 

 

Net income

      $ 2,638  
     

 

 

 

Net earnings per unit, basic and diluted

     13      $  

Common unit, basic and diluted

      $  

General Partner unit, basic and diluted

      $  

Weighted average number of units, basic and diluted

     13     

Common units

     

General Partner

     

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit data)

 

     Note      Period from April 28, 2017
(date of inception) to
December 31, 2017
 

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

     

Net income

      $ 2,638  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

     

Depreciation and amortization

     5,6        13,578  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

        430  

Amortization of deferred drydock and special survey costs

        225  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

     

Increase in accounts receivable

        (642

Increase in balance due from related companies, current

        (5,195

Increase in inventories

        (536

Increase in prepaid and other current assets

        (4

Increase in balance due from related parties, non-current

        (5,765

Increase in accounts payable

        536  

Increase in accrued expenses

        2,541  

Decrease in due to related companies

        (1,674

Increase in deferred income and cash received in advance

        298  

Payments for dry dock and special survey costs

        (3,807
     

 

 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

      $ 2,623  
     

 

 

 

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

     

Cash acquired through asset acquisition

        5,433  

Acquisition of vessels and time charters at favorable terms

     5,6        (254,660
     

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

      $ (249,227
     

 

 

 

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

     

Proceeds from long-term borrowings, net

     7        127,760  

Repayment of long term debt

        (8,340

Debt issuance costs

        (815

Increase in restricted cash

        (280

Proceeds from private placements, net of offering costs

     14        142,500  
     

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

        260,825  
     

 

 

 

Increase in cash and cash equivalents

        14,221  
     

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

        —    

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

      $ 14,221  
     

 

 

 
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION      

Cash paid for interest, net

      $ 1,599  

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit data)

For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017

 

            Limited Partners         
     General Partner      Common Unit
holders
        
     Units      Amount      Units      Amount      Total
Partners’
Capital
 

Balance, April 28, 2017 (date of inception)

             $                   $ —        $     

Proceeds from private placements, net of offering costs

                 142,503  

Deemed distribution

     —          —                (4,423

Net income

     —          —                2,638  

Balance, December 31, 2017

      $                    $                 $ 140,718  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NOTE 1: DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Navios Maritime Containers Inc. (“Navios Containers Inc.”) was incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on April 28, 2017. The Company is a growth vehicle dedicated to the container sector of the maritime industry.

Conversion and Initial Public Offering

On                     , 2018, in connection with the IPO, Navios Containers Inc. was converted into a limited partnership, Navios Maritime Containers L.P. (“Navios Containers L.P.” or the “Company”).

The financial statements of the Company have been presented giving retroactive effect to the conversion described above which was treated as a reorganization made within the context of the Company’s above-mentioned transactions. Accordingly, the consolidated financial statements include the historical financial statements of Navios Containers from April 28, 2017 (its date of incorporation) through December 31, 2017.

As of December 31, 2017, Navios Containers Inc. had a total of 29,148,554 shares of common stock outstanding and a total of 2,477,627 warrants outstanding. Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (“Navios Partners”) holds 9,818,182 common shares representing 33.7% of the equity and Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (“Navios Holdings”) holds 1,000,000 common shares representing 3.4% of the equity of Navios Containers Inc. Each of Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also holds warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the total equity of Navios Containers Inc., respectively.

Navios Containers Inc. also registered its shares for trading on the Norwegian Over-The-Counter Market (the “N-OTC”) on June 12, 2017 under the ticker NMCI.

The operations of Navios Containers L.P. are managed by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings (the “Manager”), from its offices in Piraeus, Greece, Singapore and Monaco.

NOTE 2: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

(a) Basis of Presentation: The accompanying consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). The Company had no items of other comprehensive income for the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017.

Based on internal forecasts and projections that take into account reasonably possible changes in our trading performance, management believes that the Company has adequate financial resources to continue in operation and meet its financial commitments, including but not limited to capital expenditures and debt service obligations, for a period of at least twelve months from the date of issuance of these consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, the Company continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.

Early Adoption of ASU 2017-01, “Business Combinations” (Topic 805): In January 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-01, “Business Combinations” to clarify the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisition (or disposals) of assets or businesses. Under current implementation guidance the existence of an integrated set of acquired activities (inputs and processes that generate outputs) constitutes an acquisition of business. This ASU provides a screen to determine when a set of assets and activities does not constitute a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. This update is effective for public entities with reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those years. The amendments of this ASU should be applied prospectively

 

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on or after the effective date. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period 1) for transactions for which the acquisition date occurs before the issuance date or effective date of the ASU, only when the transaction has not been reported in financial statements that have been issued or made available for issuance and 2) for transactions in which a subsidiary is deconsolidated or a group of assets is derecognized at a time before the issuance date or effective date of the amendments, only when the transaction has not been reported in financial statements that have been issued or made available for issuance. The Company elected to early adopt the requirements of ASU 2017-01 effective beginning the second quarter ending June 30, 2017. The early adoption of this ASU did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

(b) Principles of Consolidation: The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Navios Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership, and its subsidiaries that are all 100% owned. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated statements.

Subsidiaries: Subsidiaries are those entities in which the Company has an interest of more than one half of the voting rights or otherwise has power to govern the financial and operating policies. The acquisition method of accounting is used to account for the acquisition of subsidiaries. The cost of an acquisition is measured as the fair value of the assets given up, shares issued or liabilities undertaken at the date of acquisition. The excess of the cost of acquisition over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill. All subsidiaries included in the consolidated financial statements are 100% owned by Navios Containers L.P.

 

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Subsidiaries included in the consolidation:

 

Company Name

 

Nature

  Effective
Ownership
Interest
    Country of
Incorporation
    Statements of
Operations
 
                    2017  

Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

  Holding Company             Marshall Is.       04/28—12/31  

Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc.

  Sub-Holding Company     100     Marshall Is.       06/07—12/31  

Navios Partners Containers Inc.

  Sub-Holding Company     100     Marshall Is.       06/07—12/31  

Olympia II Navigation Limited

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       06/07—12/31  

Pingel Navigation Limited

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       06/07—12/31  

Ebba Navigation Limited

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       06/07—12/31  

Clan Navigation Limited

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       06/07—12/31  

Sui An Navigation Limited

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       06/07—12/31  

Bertyl Ventures Co.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       07/12—12/31  

Silvanus Marine Company

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       07/12—12/31  

Anthimar Marine Inc.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       07/17—12/31  

Enplo Shipping Limited

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       07/17—12/31  

Morven Chartering Inc.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       07/25—12/31  

Rodman Maritime Corp.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       08/03—12/31  

Isolde Shipping Inc.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       08/03—12/31  

Velour Management Corp.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       08/03—12/31  

Evian Shiptrade Ltd.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       08/03—12/31  

Boheme Navigation Company

  Sub-Holding Company     100     Marshall Is.       09/27—12/31  

Theros Ventures Limited

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       11/07—12/31  

Legato Shipholding Inc.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       11/09—12/31  

Inastros Maritime Corp.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       11/23—12/31  

Zoner Shiptrade S.A.

  Operating Company     100     Marshall Is.       11/24—12/31  

Jasmer Shipholding Ltd.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       12/05—12/31  

Thetida Marine Co.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       12/08—12/31  

Jaspero Shiptrade S.A.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       12/12—12/31  

Peran Maritime Inc.

  Vessel Owning Company     100     Marshall Is.       12/28—12/31  

 

(c) Use of Estimates: The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. On an on-going basis, management evaluates the estimates and judgments, including those related to uncompleted voyages, future drydock dates, the selection of useful lives for tangible assets, expected future cash flows from long-lived assets to support impairment tests, provisions necessary for accounts receivables, provisions for legal disputes and contingencies. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ from those estimates under different assumptions and/or conditions.

 

(d) Cash and Cash Equivalents: Cash and cash equivalents consist from time to time of cash on hand, deposits held on call with banks, and other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

 

(e) Restricted Cash: As of December 31, 2017, restricted cash consisted of $280 which related to amount held to retention account in order to service debt and interest payments, as required by certain credit facilities of Navios Containers.

 

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(f) Insurance Claims: Insurance claims at each balance sheet date consist of claims submitted and/or claims in the process of compilation or submission (claims pending). They are recorded on an accrual basis and represent the claimable expenses, net of applicable deductibles, incurred through last date of each reported period, which are probable to be recovered from insurance companies. Any remaining costs to complete the claims are included in accrued liabilities. The classification of insurance claims into current and non-current assets is based on management’s expectations as to their collection dates.

 

(g) Inventories: Inventories, which are comprised of bunkers (when applicable) on board of the vessels, are valued at cost as determined on the first-in, first-out basis.

 

(h) Vessels, net: Vessels acquired in an asset acquisition or in a business combination are recorded at fair value. Vessels acquired from entities under common control are recorded at historical cost. Subsequent expenditures for major improvements and upgrading are capitalized, provided they appreciably extend the life, increase the earning capacity or improve the efficiency or safety of the vessels. Expenditures for routine maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.

Depreciation is computed using the straight line method over the useful life of the vessels, after considering the estimated residual value. Management estimates the residual values of our containerships based on a scrap value of $340 per lightweight ton, as we believe these levels are common in the shipping industry. Residual values are periodically reviewed and revised to recognize changes in conditions, new regulations or other reasons. Revisions of residual values affect the depreciable amount of the vessels and affect depreciation expense in the period of the revision and future periods.

Management estimates the useful life of our vessels to be 30 years from the vessel’s original construction. However, when regulations place limitations over the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, its useful life is re-estimated to end at the date such regulations become effective.

 

(i) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: Vessels, other fixed assets and other long-lived assets held and used by Navios Containers L.P. are reviewed periodically for potential impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a particular asset may not be fully recoverable. Navios Containers L.P.’s management evaluates the carrying amounts and periods over which long-lived assets are depreciated to determine if events or changes in circumstances have occurred that would require modification to their carrying values or useful lives. In evaluating useful lives and carrying values of long-lived assets, certain indicators of potential impairment are reviewed, such as undiscounted projected operating cash flows, vessel sales and purchases, business plans and overall market conditions.

For the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, the management of Navios Containers L.P. after considering various indicators, including but not limited to the market price of its long-lived assets, its contracted revenues and cash flows and the economic outlook, concluded that no impairment analysis should be performed on the long-lived assets of Navios Containers L.P.

Although management believes the underlying indicators supporting this conclusion are reasonable, if the circumstances associated with the long-lived assets change or significant events occur that would affect the recoverability of the carrying amount of our long-lived assets, management may be required to perform impairment analysis that could expose Navios Containers L.P. to material charges in the future.

No impairment loss was recognized for the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017.

 

(j) Deferred Drydock and Special Survey Costs: The Company’s vessels are subject to regularly scheduled drydocking and special surveys which are carried out every 30 or 60 months to coincide with the renewal of the related certificates issued by the classification societies, unless a further extension is obtained in rare cases and under certain conditions. The costs of drydocking and special surveys is deferred and amortized over the above periods or to the next drydocking or special survey date if such date has been determined. Unamortized drydocking or special survey costs of vessels sold are written-off to the consolidated statement of operations in the year the vessel is sold.

 

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Costs capitalized as part of the drydocking or special survey consist principally of the actual costs incurred at the yard, spare parts, paints, lubricants and services incurred solely during the drydocking or special survey period. The amortization expense and the accumulated amortization for the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 were $225.

 

(k) Deferred Financing Costs: Deferred financing costs include fees, commissions and legal expenses associated with obtaining or modifying loan facilities. These costs are amortized over the life of the related debt using the effective interest rate method, and are included in interest expense and finance cost, net in the consolidated statements of income. The total deferred unamortized financing costs, net were $1,627 as of December 31, 2017, and were presented net under “Current portion of long-term debt, net” and “Long-term debt, net of current portion” in the consolidated balance sheets. Amortization costs for the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 were $430.

 

(l) Foreign Currency Translation: The Company’s functional and reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. The Company engages in worldwide commerce with a variety of entities. Although, its operations may expose it to certain levels of foreign currency risk, its transactions are predominantly U.S. dollar denominated. Transactions in currencies other than the functional currency are translated at the exchange rate in effect at the date of each transaction. Differences in exchange rates during the period between the date a transaction denominated in a foreign currency is consummated and the date on which it is either settled or translated, are recognized in the statements of income. The foreign currency losses recognized in the consolidated statement of income for the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was $3.

 

(m) Provisions: The Company, in the ordinary course of business, is subject to various claims, suits and complaints. Management, in consultation with internal and external advisers, will provide for a contingent loss in the financial statements if the contingency had occurred at the date of the financial statements, the likelihood of loss was probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. If the Company has determined that the reasonable estimate of the loss is a range and there is no best estimate within the range, the Company will provide the lower amount within the range. See Note 10, “Commitments and Contingencies” for further discussion.

 

(n) Revenue and Expense Recognition: Revenue is recorded when services are rendered, the Company has a signed charter agreement or other evidence of an arrangement, the price is fixed or determinable, and collection is reasonably assured. The Company generates revenue from time charter of vessels.

Revenues from time chartering of vessels are accounted for as operating leases and are thus recognized on a straight line basis as the average revenue over the rental periods of such charter agreements as service is performed, except for loss generating time charters, in which case the loss is recognized in the period when such loss is determined. A time charter involves placing a vessel at the charterer’s disposal for a period of time during which the charterer uses the vessel in return for the payment of a specified daily hire rate. Short period charters for less than three months are referred to as spot-charters. Charters extending three months to a year are generally referred to as medium term charters. All other charters are considered long-term. Under time charter agreements, operating costs such as for crews, maintenance and insurance are typically paid by the owner of the vessel whereas voyage expenses primarily consisting of port, canal and bunkers expenses that are unique to a particular charter are paid for by the charterer, except for commissions, which are always paid for by the Company, regardless of charter type.

Expenses related to our revenue-generating contracts are recognized as incurred.

 

(o) Deferred Income and Cash Received In Advance: Deferred voyage revenue primarily relates to cash received from charterers prior to it being earned. These amounts are recognized as revenue over the voyage or charter period.

 

(p) Time Charter and Voyage Expenses: Time charter and voyage expenses comprise all expenses related to each particular voyage, bunkers, port charges, canal tolls, cargo handling, agency fees and brokerage commissions. Also included in time charter and voyage expenses are charterers’ liability insurances, provision for losses on time charters and voyages in progress at year-end and other miscellaneous expenses.

 

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(q) Direct Vessel Expenses: Direct vessel expenses comprise the amortization related to drydock and special survey costs of certain vessels of Navios Containers L.P.’s fleet as well as the reactivation cost of the laid-up vessels.

 

(r) Prepaid Voyage Costs: Prepaid voyage costs relate to cash paid in advance for expenses associated with voyages. These amounts are recognized as expenses over the voyage or charter period.

 

(s) Financial Instruments: Financial instruments carried on the balance sheet include cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and payables, other receivables and other liabilities, and long-term debt. The particular recognition methods applicable to each class of financial instrument are disclosed in the applicable significant policy description of each item, or included below as applicable.

Financial Risk Management: The Company’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks including fluctuations in future freight rates, time charter hire rates, fuel prices and credit and interest rates risk. Risk management is carried out under policies approved by executive management. Guidelines are established for overall risk management, as well as specific areas of operations.

Credit Risk: Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of cash and cash equivalents and trade receivables. The Company places its cash and cash equivalents, consisting mostly of deposits, with high credit qualified financial institutions. The Company limits its credit risk with accounts receivable by performing ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition. Due to these factors, management believes that no additional credit risk beyond amounts provided for collection losses is inherent in the Company’s trade receivables. For the period April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017, one charterer has accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s revenue.

Liquidity Risk: Prudent liquidity risk management implies maintaining sufficient cash, the availability of funding through an adequate amount of committed credit facilities and the ability to close out market positions. The Company monitors cash balances adequately to meet working capital needs.

Foreign Exchange Risk: Foreign currency transactions are translated into the measurement currency at rates prevailing on the dates of the relevant transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses resulting from the settlement of such transactions and from the translation of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are recognized in the consolidated statement of income.

Fair Value Risk: See Note 2(w).

 

(t) Income Taxes: The Company is a Marshall Islands limited partnership. Pursuant to various treaties and the United States Internal Revenue Code, the Company believes that substantially all its operations are exempt from income taxes in the Marshall Islands and the United States of America.

In accordance with the currently applicable Greek law, foreign flagged vessels that are managed by Greek or foreign ship management companies having established an office in Greece are subject to duties towards the Greek state which are calculated on the basis of the relevant vessel’s tonnage. The payment of said duties exhausts the tax liability of the foreign ship owning company and the relevant manager against any tax, duty, charge or contribution payable on income from the exploitation of the foreign flagged vessel.

Marshall Islands do not impose a tax on international shipping income. Under the laws of Marshall Islands, the country of the companies’ incorporation and formation and vessels’ registration in addition to Panama and Liberia, the companies are subject to registration and tonnage taxes which have been included in daily management fee.

 

(u) Leases: Vessels’ leases, where Navios Containers L.P. is regarded as the lessor, are classified as either finance leases or operating leases based on an assessment of the terms of the lease.

For charters classified as finance type leases the minimum lease payments are recorded as the gross investment in the lease. The difference between the gross investment in the lease and the sum of the present values of the two components of the gross investment is recorded as unearned income which is amortized to

 

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the consolidated statement of income over the lease term as finance lease interest income to produce a constant periodic rate of return on the net investment in the lease.

For charters classified as operating leases, where Navios Containers L.P. is regarded as the lessor, refer to Note 2(n) “Revenue and Expense Recognition”.

 

(v) Accounts Receivable, net: The amount shown as accounts receivable, net, at the balance sheet date, includes trade receivables from charterers for hire. At each balance sheet date, all potentially uncollectible accounts are assessed individually for purposes of determining the appropriate provision for doubtful accounts. No provision for doubtful accounts has been made for the period presented.

 

(w) Financial Instruments and Fair Value: Guidance on Fair Value Measurements provides a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level I measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level III measurements).

A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. In determining the appropriate levels, the Company performs a detailed analysis of the assets and liabilities that are subject to guidance on Fair Value Measurements.

 

(x) Time Charters at Favorable Terms: When intangible assets or liabilities associated with the acquisition of a vessel are identified, they are recorded at fair value. Fair value is determined by reference to market data and the discounted amount of expected future cash flows. Where charter rates are higher than market charter rates, an asset is recorded, being the difference between the acquired charter rate and the market charter rate for an equivalent vessel. Where charter rates are less than market charter rates, a liability is recorded, being the difference between the assumed charter rate and the market charter rate for an equivalent vessel. The determination of the fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities requires the Company to make significant assumptions and estimates of many variables including market charter rates, expected future charter rates, the level of utilization of the Company’s vessels and the Company’s weighted average cost of capital. The use of different assumptions could result in a material change in the fair value of these items, which could have a material impact on the Company’s financial position and results of operations.

The amortizable value of favorable and unfavorable leases is amortized over the remaining life of the lease term and the amortization expense is included in the statement of income in the depreciation and amortization line item. For the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 the amortization expense amounted to $13,039.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements:

In August 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” (“ASU 2016-15”). This Update addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. The amendments are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for all entities. The adoption of this new standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 will apply to both types of leases—capital (or finance) leases and operating leases. According to the new Accounting Standard, lessees will be required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by all leases with terms of more than 12 months. ASU 2016—02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnotes disclosures.

In May 2014, the FASB issued the ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”), clarifying the method used to determine the timing and requirements for revenue recognition on

 

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the statements of income. Under the new standard, an entity must identify the performance obligations in a contract, the transaction price and allocate the price to specific performance obligations to recognize the revenue when the obligation is completed. The amendments in this update also require disclosure of sufficient information to allow users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flow arising from contracts. The new accounting guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will adopt the standard as of January 1, 2018 and will use the modified retrospective approach. The Company is considering the business assumptions, processes, systems and controls to fully determine revenue recognition and disclosure under the new standard. The adoption of this new standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

NOTE 3: CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH

Cash and cash equivalents consisted of the following:

 

     December 31,
2017
 

Cash on hand and at banks

   $ 14,221  

Cash deposits and cash equivalents in excess of amounts covered by government-provided insurance are exposed to loss in the event of non-performance by financial institutions. The Company does maintain cash deposits and equivalents in excess of government-provided insurance limits. The Company also minimizes exposure to credit risk by dealing with a diversified group of major financial institutions.

As of December 31, 2017, restricted cash included $280, which related to amounts held in a retention account in order to service debt and interest payments, as required by certain of Navios Containers L.P.’s credit facilities.

NOTE 4: ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET

Accounts receivable consisted of the following:

 

     December 31,
2017
 

Accounts receivable

   $ 642  

Less: Provision for doubtful accounts

     —    
  

 

 

 

Accounts receivable, net

   $ 642  
  

 

 

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject Navios Containers L.P. to concentrations of credit risk are accounts receivable. Navios Containers L.P. does not believe its exposure to credit risk is likely to have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

NOTE 5: VESSELS, NET

On June 8, 2017, the Company purchased from Navios Partners five containerships and the charter out contracts for a purchase price of $64,000, of which $40,000 was financed through the Company’s private placement and the remaining consideration of $24,000 was in the form of a sellers credit (see Note 11). The acquisition of these five containerships was effected through the acquisition of all of the capital stock of the respective vessel-owning companies, which held the ownership and other contractual rights and obligations related to each of the acquired vessels, including the respective charter-out contracts. Any favorable lease terms associated with these vessels were recorded as an intangible asset at the time of acquisition (Note 6). The vessel acquisitions were treated as a transaction between entities under common control, and as such, the transaction

 

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was recorded at historical cost. The historical cost of the vessels was $32,350 and the time charters of $26,662. The excess cash over the historical cost of the net assets acquired is a deemed distribution to controlling stockholder and is recorded in stockholders’ equity. These vessels were previously acquired by Navios Partners from Rickmers Maritime Trust Pte. (“Rickmers Trust”) and are employed on charters with a net daily charter rate of $26,850 which expire in 2018 and early 2019. The working capital acquired for the five vessels was $566. Management accounted for this acquisition as an asset acquisition under ASC 805 “Business Combinations”.

In addition, the Company acquired all the rights under the acquisition agreements entered into between Navios Partners and Rickmers Trust to purchase nine additional containerships for a purchase price of $54,000 plus certain delivery and other operating costs.

During the third quarter of 2017, the Company completed the acquisition of the nine additional containerships from Rickmers Trust for a purchase price of $54,000, of which $26,680 was financed through the net proceeds under the bank loans and the remaining consideration of $27,320 through Company’s available cash. Initial capitalized costs of $8,105 were also incurred in connection with that acquisition.

On September 21, 2017, the Company purchased from an unrelated third party the Navios Lapis, a 2009-built 4,250 TEU containership, for an acquisition cost of approximately $9,639.

On October 5, 2017, the Company purchased from an unrelated third party the Navios Tempo, a 2009-built 4,250 TEU containership, for an acquisition cost of approximately $10,274.

On November 14, 2017, the Company purchased from an unrelated third party the APL Denver, APL Los Angeles, APL Oakland and APL Atlanta, 2008-built 4,730 TEU containerships and the charter out contracts, for an acquisition cost of approximately $97,175. Any favorable lease terms associated with these vessels were recorded as an intangible asset at the time of acquisition (Note 6).

On December 14, 2017, the Company purchased from an unrelated third party the Navios Felicitas, a 2010-built 4,360 TEU containership, for an acquisition cost of approximately $11,466.

Vessels consist of the following:

 

Vessels

   Vessels’ Cost      Accumulated
Depreciation
     Net Book Value  

Vessel acquisition

   $ 178,136      $ —        $ 178,136  

Depreciation

     —          (539      (539
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance December 31, 2017

   $ 178,136      $ (539    $ 177,597  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

NOTE 6: INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Time charters with favorable terms consist of the charter out contracts acquired in relation to containerships purchased during the period (Note 5) and are analyzed as following:

 

Time charters with favorable terms

   December 31,
2017
 

Acquisition Cost

   $ 71,535  

Accumulated amortization

     (13,039
  

 

 

 

Time charters with favorable terms net book value

   $ 58,496  
  

 

 

 

Amortization expense for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $13,039.

 

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The remaining aggregate amortization of acquired intangibles as of December 31, 2017 was as follows:

 

Description

   Within one year      Year Two      Year Three      Total  

Time charters with favorable terms

   $ 33,140      $ 19,066      $ 6,290      $ 58,496  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total amortization

   $ 33,140      $ 19,066      $ 6,290      $ 58,496  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Intangible assets subject to amortization are amortized using straight line method over their estimated useful lives to their estimated residual value of zero. The weighted average remaining useful lives are 2.0 years for time charters with favorable terms.

NOTE 7: BORROWINGS

Borrowings consist of the following:

 

Navios Containers credit facilities    December 31,
2017
 

ABN AMRO Bank N.V. $40 million facility

   $ 32,500  

ABN AMRO Bank N.V. $71 million facility

     70,160  

BNP Paribas $24 million facility

     18,000  
  

 

 

 

Total loans

   $ 120,660  
  

 

 

 

 

Total loans    December 31,
2017
 

Total borrowings

   $ 120,660  

Less: current portion

     (42,499

Less: Deferred financing costs

     (1,627
  

 

 

 

Total long-term borrowings, net

   $ 76,534  
  

 

 

 

ABN AMRO BANK N.V: On June 29, 2017, the Company entered into a facility agreement with ABN AMRO BANK N.V. for an amount of up to $40,000 (divided in three tranches of up to $34,320, $3,180 and $2,500, respectively) to finance part of the purchase price of seven containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 385 basis points. As of December 31, 2017, the Company has drawn the full amount and the outstanding loan amount under this facility was $32,500. Pursuant to a supplemental agreement dated December 1, 2017, the outstanding loan amount is repayable in eight consecutive quarterly installments, the first four each in an amount of $3,750 and the subsequent four each in an amount of $1,035 together with a final balloon payment of $13,360 payable together with the last instalment, falling due on December 29, 2019.

On July 27, 2017, the Company entered into a facility agreement with ABN AMRO BANK N.V. for an amount of up to $21,000 to finance part of the purchase price of seven containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 400 basis points. The Company has drawn the entire amount under this loan, within the third quarter of 2017, net of the loan’s discount of $315. On December 1, 2017 the Company extended the facility dated July 27, 2017, for an additional amount of $50,000 to finance part of the purchase price of four containerships. The additional loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 385 basis points. The Company has drawn the entire amount under the additional loan, within the fourth quarter of 2017, net of the loan’s discount of $625. As of December 31, 2017, the outstanding loan amount under this facility was $70,160 and is repayable in eight consecutive quarterly installments each in an amount of $6,465 along with a final balloon payment of $18,440 payable together with the last instalment, falling due on November 30, 2019.

BNP Paribas: On December 20, 2017, the Company entered into a facility agreement with BNP Paribas for an amount of up to $24,000 (divided in four tranches of up to $6,000 each) to finance part of the purchase price

 

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of four containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 300 basis points. As of December 31, 2017, the Company has drawn $18,000 under this facility, net of the loan’s discount of $300 and $6,000 remains to be drawn. As of December 31, 2017, the outstanding loan amount under this facility was $18,000 and is repayable in 20 equal consecutive quarterly installments, each in the amount of $642.9 along with a final balloon payment of $5,142 payable together with the last installment, falling due on the earlier of either the date falling on the fifth anniversary of the relevant Drawdown Date or 28 February 2023.

Amounts drawn under the facilities are secured by first priority mortgages on the Company’s vessels. The credit facilities contain a number of restrictive covenants that limit the Company and/or its subsidiaries from, among other things: incurring or guaranteeing indebtedness; entering into affiliate transactions other than on arm’s length terms; charging, pledging or encumbering the vessels; changing the flag, class, management or ownership of the Company’s vessels; acquiring any vessel or permitting any guarantor to acquire any further assets or make investments; purchasing or otherwise acquiring for value any shares of its capital or declaring or paying any dividends; permitting any guarantor to form or acquire any subsidiaries. The majority of credit facilities also require the vessels to comply with the ISM Code and ISPS Code and to maintain safety management certificates and documents of compliance at all times. Additionally, the facilities require compliance with certain financial covenants including maintenance covenants, such as loan-to-value ratio, minimum liquidity, net worth and ratio of liabilities to assets as defined in the credit facilities. It is an event of default under the credit facilities if such covenants are not complied with.

The Company’s credit facilities also require compliance with a number of financial covenants, including: (i) maintain a required security amount ranging over 120% to 130%; (ii) minimum free consolidated liquidity of $10.5 million as at December 31, 2017 and at equal to at least the product of $0.5 million and the total number of vessels wholly owned by the Company at that time; (iii) maintain a ratio of liabilities-to-assets (as defined in the credit facilities) of less than 0.80 : 1.00; and (iv) maintain a minimum net worth of at least $30.0 million. Among other events, it will be an event of default under the credit facilities if the financial covenants are not complied with.

In addition, it is a requirement under the credit facilities that Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Angeliki Frangou and their respective affiliates collectively own at least 25% of the Company.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants under each of its credit facilities.

The weighted average interest rate of the Company’s total borrowings for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 was 5.20%.

The maturity table below reflects the principal payments for the next five years of all borrowings of the Company’s outstanding as of December 31, 2017 based on the repayment schedules of the respective loan facilities (as described above).

 

Year

   Amount in
thousands of
U.S. dollars
 

December 31, 2018

   $ 43,432  

December 31, 2019

     64,372  

December 31, 2020

     2,572  

December 31, 2021

     2,572  

December 31, 2022

     7,712  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 120,660  

 

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NOTE 8: FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Fair value of financial instruments

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument:

Cash and cash equivalents: The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets for interest bearing deposits approximate their fair value because of the short maturity of these investments.

Long-term debt: The book value has been adjusted to reflect the net presentation of deferred finance costs. The outstanding balance of the floating rate loans continues to approximate its fair value, excluding the effect of any deferred finance costs.

Balance due from related parties, non-current: The carrying amount of due from related parties long-term reported in the balance sheet approximates its fair value .

The estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments are as follows:

 

     December 31, 2017  
     Book Value      Fair Value  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 14,221      $ 14,221  

Long-term debt, including current portion, net

   $ (119,033    $ (120,660

Long-term receivable from related companies

   $ (5,765    $ (5,765

Fair Value Measurements

The estimated fair value of our financial instruments that are not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, categorized based upon the fair value hierarchy, are as follows:

Level I: Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that we have the ability to access. Valuation of these items does not entail a significant amount of judgment.

Level II: Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level I that are observable for the asset or liability through corroboration with market data at the measurement date.

Level III: Inputs that are unobservable.

 

     Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2017  
     Total     (Level I)      (Level II)     (Level III)  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 14,221     $ 14,221      $     $ —    

Long-term debt, including current portion, net (1)

   $ (120,660   $      $ (120,660   $ —    

Long-term receivable from related companies (2)

   $ (5,765   $      $ (5,765   $ —    

 

(1) The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt is estimated based on currently available debt with similar contract terms, interest rate and remaining maturities as well as taking into account the Company’s creditworthiness.
(2) The fair value of the Company’s receivable from related companies is estimated based on currently available debt with similar contract terms, interest rate and remaining maturities as well as taking into account the counterparty’s creditworthiness.

 

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NOTE 9: LEASES

The future minimum contractual lease income (charter-out rates is presented net of commissions), for which a charter party has been concluded, is as follows:

 

     Amount  

2018

     85,947  

2019

     40,722  

2020

     13,415  

2021

     —    

Thereafter

     —    
  

 

 

 

Total minimum lease revenue, net of commissions

   $ 140,084  
  

 

 

 

Revenues from time charters are not generally received when a vessel is off-hire, which includes time required for scheduled maintenance of the vessel.

NOTE 10: COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company is involved in various disputes and arbitration proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Provisions are recognized in the financial statements for all such proceedings where the Company believes that a liability may be probable, and for which the amounts are reasonably estimable, based upon facts known at the date the financial statements were prepared. While the ultimate disposition of these actions cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not believe the outcome, individually or in aggregate, of such actions will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

NOTE 11: TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES

Management fees: Pursuant to a Management Agreement dated June 7, 2017 and as amended on November 23, 2017, the Manager provides commercial and technical management services to the Company’s vessels. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. The fee for the ship management services provided by the Manager is a daily fee of US $6.1 per day for containerships up to 5,500 TEU. Drydocking expenses under this agreement are reimbursed by the Company at cost at occurrence. Total management fees included for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $16,488 and, and are presented under “Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)” in the consolidated statements of income.

General  & administrative expenses: Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement dated June 7, 2017, the Manager also provides administrative services to the Company, which include bookkeeping, audit and accounting services, legal and insurance services, administrative and clerical services, banking and financial services, advisory services, client and investor relations and other. The Manager is reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. Total general and administrative fees charged for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $1,868 and are presented under “General and administrative expenses” in the consolidated statements of income.

Balance due from related parties: Balance due from related parties as of December 31, 2017 was $11,408 and included the short-term and long-term amounts due from Navios Holdings. The balances mainly consisted of special survey and dry docking expenses for certain vessels of our fleet, as well as management fees, in accordance with the Management Agreement.

 

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Consideration payable to Navios Partners: The Company used the proceeds of the private placement on June 8, 2017, to acquire five 4,250 TEU vessels from Navios Partners for a total purchase price of $64,000. The payment terms included a $24,000 sellers’ credit by Navios Partners for a period of up to 90 days at LIBOR plus 375 bps. On June 30, 2017 and August 29, 2017, the Company paid to Navios Partners $10,000 and $14,000, respectively, in relation to this agreement. As of December 31, 2017, the amount due and the interest payable to Navios Partners related to this agreement was $0. Interest expense for the period from April 28, 2017 (date of inception) to December 31, 2017 amounted to $189, and is included in “Interest expense and finance cost, net” in the consolidated statements of income.

Omnibus Agreement: On June 7, 2017, the Company entered into an omnibus agreement with Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners and Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P. (“Navios Midstream”), pursuant to which Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and their controlled affiliates generally have granted a right of first refusal over any containerships to be sold or acquired in the future. The omnibus agreement contains significant exceptions that will allow Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners and Navios Midstream or any of their controlled affiliates to compete with the Company under specified circumstances.

NOTE 12: SEGMENT INFORMATION

The Company reports financial information and evaluates its operations by charter revenues. The Company does not use discrete financial information to evaluate operating results for each type of charter or by sector. As a result, management reviews operating results solely by revenue per day and operating results of the fleet and thus the Company has determined that it operates under one reportable segment.

Revenue by Geographic Region

Vessels operate on a worldwide basis and are not restricted to specific locations. Accordingly, it is not possible to allocate the assets of these operations to specific countries.

The following table sets out operating revenue by geographic region for the Company’s reportable segment. Revenue is allocated on the basis of the geographic region in which the customer is located. Revenues from specific geographic regions which contribute over 10% of total revenue are disclosed separately.

 

     Year Ended
December 31,
2017
 

Asia

   $ 34,233  

Europe

   $ 4,955  
  

 

 

 

Total Revenue

   $ 39,188  
  

 

 

 

NOTE 13: EARNINGS PER UNIT

The unit and per unit data included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements have been restated to reflect the Company’s conversion to a limited partnership, as discussed in Note 14 for the period presented.

Earnings per unit is calculated by dividing net income available to common unit holders by the weighted average number of common units of Navios Containers L.P. outstanding during the period.

 

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The calculations of the basic and diluted earnings per unit are presented below.

 

     Period from
April 28, 2017
(date of
inception) to

December 31,
2017
 

Numerator

  

Net income

   $           

Denominator:

  

Denominator for basic and diluted earnings per unit—weighted average units

  

Basic net earnings per unit and diluted

  

NOTE 14: PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

Navios Containers L.P.

Common units represent limited partnership interests in the Company. The holders of common units are entitled to participate pro rata in distributions from the Company and to exercise the rights or privileges that are available to common unit holders under the Company’s partnership agreement. The common unit holders have limited voting rights. The vote of the holders of at least 75% of all outstanding common units is required to remove the general partner.

Navios Containers Inc.

On June 8, 2017, Navios Containers Inc. closed its initial private placement and issued 10,057,645 shares at a subscription price of $5.00 per share resulting in gross proceeds of $50,288. Navios Partners invested $30,000 and received 6,000,000 shares, and Navios Holdings invested $5,000 and received 1,000,000 shares. Each of Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the equity, respectively, at an exercise price of $5.00 per share.

On August 29, 2017, Navios Containers Inc. closed a follow-on private placement and issued 10,000,000 shares at a subscription price of $5.00 per share resulting in gross proceeds of $50,000. Navios Partners invested $10,000 and received 2,000,000 shares. Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the newly issued equity, respectively, at an exercise price of $5.00 per share.

On November 9, 2017, Navios Containers Inc. closed a follow-on private placement and issued 9,090,909 shares at a subscription price of $5.50 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $50,000. Navios Partners invested $10,000 and received 1,818,182 shares. Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the newly issued equity, respectively, at an exercise price of $5.50 per share.

As of December 31, 2017, Navios Partners holds 9,818,182 common shares representing 33.7% of the total equity and Navios Holdings holds 1,000,000 common shares representing 3.4% of the total equity of Navios Containers. Each of Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also holds warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the total equity of Navios Containers Inc., respectively.

Following the private placements described above, Navios Containers Inc. had a total of 29,148,554 shares of common stock outstanding and a total of 2,477,627 warrants outstanding, as of December 31, 2017. The warrants entitle the holders to subscribe for new shares at the respective exercise prices, and shall vest ratably in three equal installments when the closing price of the common shares as quoted on the N-OTC or similar quotation system or association reaches or exceeds, for ten consecutive trading days, each of the following thresholds: (i) 125% of the respective warrant exercise price, (ii) 145% of the respective warrant exercise price and (iii) 165% of the respective warrant exercise price. The warrant exercise period will end on the earlier of

 

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either the date falling on the fifth anniversary of each respective warrant issuance or if prior to the fifth anniversary, when the Company converts from a corporation into a limited partnership organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands.

Navios Containers Inc. has classified these warrants as equity instruments in accordance with ASC-815.

On                     , 2018, the Company converted the issued common shares to common units.

NOTE 15: SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

In February 2018, the Company agreed to acquire one 2010-built 4,250 TEU containership for a purchase price of $11,780. The vessel is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2018. The Company expects to finance the acquisition with cash on its balance sheet and $6,000 from an existing credit facility.

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit data)

 

    Notes     March 31,
2018
    December 31,
2017
 
          (unaudited)        

ASSETS

     

Current assets

     

Cash and cash equivalents

    2,3     $ 32,914     $ 14,221  

Restricted Cash

    2       377       280  

Accounts receivable, net

    4       199       642  

Balance due from related parties, current

    10       12,648       5,643  

Inventories

      854       536  

Prepaid and other current assets

      1,554       49  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

      48,546       21,371  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Vessels, net

    5       189,663       177,597  

Intangible Assets

    6       48,651       58,496  

Deferred dry dock and special survey costs, net

      3,355       3,582  

Balance due from related parties, non-current

    8,10       6,314       5,765  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total non-current assets

      247,983       245,440  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

    $ 296,529     $ 266,811  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

     

Current liabilities

     

Accounts payable

    $ 1,416     $ 582  

Accrued expenses

      4,617       3,934  

Deferred income and cash received in advance

      3,235       2,544  

Current portion of long-term debt, net

    7,8       40,747       42,499  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

      50,015       49,559  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Long-term debt, net of current portion

    7,8       73,700       76,534  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total non-current liabilities

      73,700       76,534  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

      123,715       126,093  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies

    9      

Partners’ capital

     

Common unit holders—            and authorized common units,             issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively

    13      

General Partner

     
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Partners’ capital

      172,814       140,718  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and Partners’ capital

    $ 296,529     $ 266,811  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit data)

 

     Notes      Three Month Period Ended
March 31, 2018
 
            (unaudited)  

Revenue

        29,917  

Time charter and voyage expenses

        (811

Direct vessel expenses

        (228

Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)

     10        (11,639

General and administrative expenses

     10        (1,690

Depreciation and amortization

     5,6        (10,566

Interest expense and finance cost, net

        (1,871

Other expense, net

        (71
     

 

 

 

Net income

      $ 3,041  
     

 

 

 

Net earnings per unit, basic and diluted

     12      $               

Common unit, basic and diluted

      $               

General Partner unit, basic and diluted

      $               

Weighted average number of units, basic and diluted

     12     

Common units

     

General Partner units

     

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit data)

 

     Note      Three Month Period Ended
March 31, 2018
 
            (unaudited)  

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

     

Net income

      $ 3,041  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

     

Depreciation and amortization

     5,6        10,566  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

        271  

Amortization of deferred drydock and special survey costs

        228  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

     

Decrease in accounts receivable

        443  

Increase in balance due from related companies, current

        (7,005

Increase in inventories

        (318

Increase in prepaid and other current assets

        (1,505

Increase in balance due from related parties, non-current

        (549

Increase in accounts payable

        834  

Increase in accrued expenses

        684  

Increase in deferred income and cash received in advance

        691  
     

 

 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

      $ 7,381  
     

 

 

 

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

     

Acquisition of vessels

     5        (12,788
     

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

      $ (12,788 )  
     

 

 

 

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

     

Proceeds from long-term borrowings, net

     7        6,000  

Repayment of long term debt

        (10,858

Proceeds from private placements, net of offering costs

     13        29,055  
     

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

        24,197  
     

 

 

 

Increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

        18,790  
     

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period

        14,501  

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

     2      $ 33,291  
     

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION

     

Cash paid for interest, net

      $ 1,486  

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars—except for unit data)

For the period from December 31, 2017 to March 31, 2018

 

            Limited Partners         
     General Partner      Common Unit
holders
        
     Units      Amount      Units      Amount      Total
Partners’
Capital
 

Balance December 31, 2017

     —      $ —          —      $ —        $ 140,718

Proceeds from private placements, net of offering costs

                 29,055  

Net income

     —        —              3,041  

Balance, March 31, 2018

      $                   $                $ 172,814  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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NOTE 1: DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Navios Maritime Containers Inc. (“Navios Containers Inc.”) was incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on April 28, 2017.

Conversion into Limited Partnership

On                     , 2018, in connection with the IPO, Navios Containers Inc. was converted into a limited partnership, Navios Maritime Containers L.P. (“Navios Containers L.P.” or the “Company”). The Company is a growth vehicle dedicated to the container sector of the maritime industry.

The financial statements of the Company have been presented giving retroactive effect to the conversion described above which was treated as a reorganization made within the context of the Company’s above-mentioned transactions. Accordingly, the consolidated financial statements include the historical financial statements of Navios Containers for the three month period ended March 31, 2018.

As of March 31, 2018, the Company had a total of 34,603,100 shares of common stock outstanding and a total of 2,941,264 warrants outstanding. Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (“Navios Partners”) holds 12,447,277 common shares representing 36.0% of the equity and Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (“Navios Holdings”) holds 1,090,909 common shares representing 3.2% of the equity of the Company. Each of Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also holds warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the total equity of the Company, respectively.

The Company also registered its shares for trading on the Norwegian Over-The-Counter Market (N-OTC) on June 12, 2017 under the ticker NMCI.

The operations of the Company are managed by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Holdings (the “Manager”), from its offices in Piraeus, Greece, Singapore and Monaco.

NOTE 2: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

 

(a) Basis of presentation: The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited, but, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments for a fair statement of Company’s consolidated financial positions, statement of changes in equity, statements of income and cash flows for the period presented. For the comparative period Navios Containers L.P. had no information to report and therefore does not present comparative figures for the three month period ended March 31, 2017. The condensed balance sheet data as of December 31, 2017, was derived from audited financial statements, and as permitted by the requirements for interim financial statements, does not include information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) for complete financial statements. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. The footnotes are condensed as permitted by the requirements for interim financial statements and accordingly, do not include information and disclosures required under U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. All such adjustments are deemed to be of a normal recurring nature. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes as of December 31, 2017. Based on internal forecasts and projections that take into account reasonably possible changes in our trading performance, management believes that the Company has adequate financial resources to continue in operation and meet its financial commitments, including but not limited to capital expenditures and debt service obligations, for a period of at least twelve months from the date of issuance of these interim condensed consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, the Company continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.

 

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Beginning January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2016-18, “Statements of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash”

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash to amounts reported within the condensed consolidated balance sheet:

 

Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:

  

Current assets:

  

Cash and cash equivalents

     32,914  

Restricted cash

     377  
  

 

 

 

Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

   $ 33,291  
  

 

 

 

 

(b) Principles of Consolidation: The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Navios Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership, and its subsidiaries that are all 100% owned. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Subsidiaries: Subsidiaries are those entities in which the Company has an interest of more than one half of the voting rights or otherwise has power to govern the financial and operating policies. The acquisition method of accounting is used to account for the acquisition of subsidiaries. The cost of an acquisition is measured as the fair value of the assets given up, shares issued or liabilities undertaken at the date of acquisition. The excess of the cost of acquisition over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill.

 

(c) Recent Accounting Pronouncements:

Early adoption of recent accounting pronouncements:

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 will apply to both types of leases – capital (or finance) leases and operating leases. According to the new Accounting Standard, (a) lessees will be required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by all leases with terms of more than 12 months and (b) previous accounting standards for lessors will be updated to align certain requirements with the updates to lessee accounting standards and the revenue recognition accounting standards. ASU 2016 – 02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted.

In a recent update in January 2018, targeted improvements were proposed to the accounting standards that provides for (a) an optional new transition method for adoption that results in initial recognition of a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings in the year of adoption and (b) a practical expedient for lessors, under certain circumstances, to combine the lease and non-lease components of revenues for presentation purposes.

The Company has elected to early adopt the requirements of ASU 2016-02 effective January 1, 2018, through application of the alternative transition method, which is consistent, with the approach the Company has elected under the new revenue standard, and has elected the practical expedient for lessors for presentation purposes.

On the assumption that the proposed practical expedient mentioned above will be finally approved, goods and services embedded in a charter contract that may qualify as non-lease components will continue to be combined under a single lease component presentation. In the case that the proposed practical expedient for lessors will not be finally approved, the Company expects that it will required to separately disclose the value of the non-lease components embedded in a time charter. Revenues for other goods and services that are categorized as non-lease components will be recognized at either a point in time or over time based on the pattern of transfer of the underlying goods or services to the charterers. Although the ultimate effect on

 

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the consolidated financial statements of the amended standard when finalized, will be based on an evaluation of the contract specific facts and circumstances, the Company does not expect any changes to the timing of revenue recognition for the current contracts with customers.

All of the Company’s revenues for the three month period ended March 31, 2018 derive from operating leases.

Adoption of new accounting standards:

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” and the related amendments (“ASC 606” or “the new revenue standard”) using the modified retrospective method.

Under the new guidance, there is a five-step model to apply to revenue recognition. The five-steps consist of: (1) determination of whether a contract, an agreement between two or more parties that creates legally enforceable rights and obligations, exists; (2) identification of the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determination of the transaction price; (4) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognition of revenue when (or as) the performance obligation is satisfied.

As a result of adoption, there was no cumulative impact to the Company’s retained earnings at January 1, 2018. The comparative information has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods.

 

(d) Credit Risk: Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of cash and cash equivalents and trade receivables. The Company places its cash and cash equivalents, consisting mostly of deposits, with high credit qualified financial institutions. The Company limits its credit risk with accounts receivable by performing ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition. Due to these factors, management believes that no additional credit risk beyond amounts provided for collection losses is inherent in the Company’s trade receivables. For the period ended March 31, 2018, two customers represented 40.6% and 32.6% of the Company’s revenue.

NOTE 3: CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Cash and cash equivalents consisted of the following:

 

     March 31,
2018
     December 31,
2017
 

Cash on hand and at banks

   $ 32,914      $ 14,221  

Cash deposits and cash equivalents in excess of amounts covered by government-provided insurance are exposed to loss in the event of non-performance by financial institutions. The Company does maintain cash deposits and equivalents in excess of government-provided insurance limits. The Company also minimizes exposure to credit risk by dealing with a diversified group of major financial institutions.

NOTE 4: ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET

Accounts receivable consisted of the following:

 

     March 31,
2018
     December 31,
2017
 

Accounts receivable

   $ 199      $ 642  

Less: Provision for doubtful accounts

     —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accounts receivable, net

   $ 199      $ 642  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Financial instruments that potentially subject Navios Containers L.P. to concentrations of credit risk are accounts receivable. Navios Containers L.P. does not believe its exposure to credit risk is likely to have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

NOTE 5: VESSELS, NET

On March 14, 2018, the Company purchased from an unrelated third party the Niledutch Okapi, a 2010-built 4,250 TEU containership, for an acquisition cost of approximately $12,032 (including $252 capitalized expenses).

Vessels consist of the following:

 

Vessels

   Vessels’ Cost      Accumulated
Depreciation
     Net Book Value  

Balance December 31, 2017

   $ 178,136      $ (539    $ 177,597  

Additions

   $ 12,788      $ —        $ 12,788  

Depreciation

     —          (722      (722
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance March 31, 2018

   $ 190,924      $ ( 1,261 )      $ 189,663  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

NOTE 6: INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Time charters with favorable terms consist of the charter out contracts acquired in relation to containerships purchased and are analyzed as following:

 

Time charters with favorable terms

   March 31,
2018
     December 31,
2017
 

Acquisition Cost

   $ 71,535      $ 71,535  

Accumulated amortization

     (22,884      (13,039
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Time charters with favorable terms net book value

   $ 48,651      $ 58,496  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Amortization expense for the three month period ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $9,844.

The remaining aggregate amortization of acquired intangibles as of March 31, 2018 was as follows:

 

Description

   Within one year      Year Two      Year Three      Total  

Time charters with favorable terms

   $ 28,399      $ 18,460      $ 1,792      $ 48,651  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total amortization

   $ 28,399      $ 18,460      $ 1,792      $ 48,651  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Intangible assets subject to amortization are amortized using straight line method over their estimated useful lives to their estimated residual value of zero. The weighted average remaining useful lives are 1.5 years for time charters with favorable terms.

 

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NOTE 7: BORROWINGS

Borrowings consist of the following:

 

Navios Containers credit facilities    March 31,
2018
     December 31,
2017
 

ABN AMRO Bank N.V. $40 million facility

   $ 28,750      $ 32,500  

ABN AMRO Bank N.V. $71 million facility

     63,695        70,160  

BNP Paribas $24 million facility

     23,357        18,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total loans

   $ 115,802      $ 120,660  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Total loans    March 31,
2018
     December 31,
2017
 

Total borrowings

   $ 115,802      $ 120,660  

Less: current portion

     (40,747      (42,499

Less: Deferred financing costs

     (1,355      (1,627
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total long-term borrowings, net

   $ 73,700      $ 76,534  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

ABN AMRO BANK N.V: On June 29, 2017, the Company entered into a facility agreement with ABN AMRO BANK N.V. for an amount of up to $40,000 (divided in three tranches of up to $34,320, $3,180 and $2,500, respectively) to finance part of the purchase price of seven containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 385 basis points. As of March 31, 2018, the Company has drawn the full amount and the outstanding loan amount under this facility was $28,750. Pursuant to a supplemental agreement dated December 1, 2017, the outstanding loan amount is repayable in seven consecutive quarterly installments, the first three each in an amount of $3,750 and the subsequent four each in an amount of $1,035 together with a final balloon payment of $13,360 payable together with the last instalment, falling due on December 29, 2019.

On July 27, 2017, the Company entered into a facility agreement with ABN AMRO BANK N.V. for an amount of up to $21,000 to finance part of the purchase price of seven containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 400 basis points. The Company has drawn the entire amount under this loan, within the third quarter of 2017, net of the loan’s discount of $315. On December 1, 2017 the Company extended the facility dated July 27, 2017, for an additional amount of $50,000 to finance part of the purchase price of four containerships. The additional loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 385 basis points. The Company has drawn the entire amount under the additional loan, within the fourth quarter of 2017, net of the loan’s discount of $625. As of March 31, 2018, the outstanding loan amount under this facility was $63,695 and is repayable in seven consecutive quarterly installments each in an amount of $6,465 along with a final balloon payment of $18,440 payable together with the last instalment, falling due on November 30, 2019.

BNP Paribas : On December 20, 2017, the Company entered into a facility agreement with BNP Paribas for an amount of up to $24,000 (divided in four tranches of up to $6,000 each) to finance part of the purchase price of four containerships. This loan bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 300 basis points. As of March 31, 2018, the Company has drawn $24,000 under this facility, net of the loan’s discount of $300. As of March 31, 2018, the outstanding loan amount of the three tranches under this facility was $17,357 and is repayable in 19 equal consecutive quarterly instalments, each in the amount of $642.9 along with a final balloon payment of $5,142 payable together with the last installment, falling due on December 22, 2022. The outstanding loan amount of the fourth tranche is $6,000 and is repayable in 20 equal consecutive quarterly instalments each in the amount of $214.3 along with a final balloon payment of $1,714 payable together with the last installment falling due on February 28, 2023.

Amounts drawn under the facilities are secured by first priority mortgages on the Company’s vessels. The credit facilities contain a number of restrictive covenants that limit Navios Containers L.P. and/or its subsidiaries

 

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from, among other things: incurring or guaranteeing indebtedness; entering into affiliate transactions other than on arm’s length terms; charging, pledging or encumbering the vessels; changing the flag, class, management or ownership of the Company’s vessels; acquiring any vessel or permitting any guarantor to acquire any further assets or make investments; purchasing or otherwise acquiring for value any shares of its capital or declaring or paying any dividends; permitting any guarantor to form or acquire any subsidiaries. The majority of credit facilities also require the vessels to comply with the ISM Code and ISPS Code and to maintain safety management certificates and documents of compliance at all times. Additionally, the facilities require compliance with certain financial covenants including maintenance covenants, such as loan-to-value ratio, minimum liquidity, net worth and ratio of liabilities to assets as defined in the credit facilities. It is an event of default under the credit facilities if such covenants are not complied with.

The Company’s credit facilities also require compliance with a number of financial covenants, including: (i) maintain a loan to value ratio ranging from 77% to 83%; (ii) minimum free consolidated liquidity of $11,000 as at March 31, 2018 and equal to at least the product of $500 and the total number of vessels wholly owned by the Company at that time; (iii) maintain a ratio of liabilities-to-assets (as defined in the credit facilities) of less than 0.80 : 1.00; and (iv) maintain a minimum net worth of at least $30,000. Among other events, it will be an event of default under the credit facilities if the financial covenants are not complied with.

In addition, it is a requirement under the credit facilities that Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Angeliki Frangou and their respective affiliates collectively own at least 25% of the Company.

As of March 31, 2018, the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants under each of its credit facilities.

The weighted average interest rate of the Company’s total borrowings for the three month period ended March 31, 2018 was 5.43%.

The maturity table below reflects the principal payments for the next five years of all borrowings of Navios Containers L.P. outstanding as of March 31, 2018 based on the repayment schedules of the respective loan facilities (as described above).

 

Payment due by 12 month period ending

   Amount in
thousands of
U.S. dollars
 

March 31, 2019

   $ 41,574  

March 31, 2020

     57,729  

March 31, 2021

     3,429  

March 31, 2022

     3,429  

March 31, 2023

     9,641  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 115,802  
  

 

 

 

NOTE 8: FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Fair value of financial instruments

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument:

Cash and cash equivalents: The carrying amounts reported in the condensed consolidated balance sheets for interest bearing deposits approximate their fair value because of the short maturity of these investments.

Restricted cash: The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets for interest bearing deposits approximate their fair value because of the short maturity of these investments.

 

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Long-term debt: The book value has been adjusted to reflect the net presentation of deferred finance costs. The outstanding balance of the floating rate loans continues to approximate its fair value, excluding the effect of any deferred finance costs.

Balance due from related parties, non-current: The carrying amount of due from related parties non-current reported in the condensed balance sheet approximates its fair value .

The estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments are as follows:

 

     March 31, 2018     December 31, 2017  
     Book Value     Fair Value     Book Value     Fair Value  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 32,914     $ 32,914     $ 14,221     $ 14,221  

Restricted cash

   $ 377     $ 377     $ 280     $ 280  

Long-term debt, including current portion, net

   $ (114,447   $ (115,802   $ (119,033   $ (120,660

Balance due from related parties, non-current

   $ (6,314   $ (6,314   $ (5,765   $ (5,765

Fair Value Measurements

The estimated fair value of our financial instruments that are not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, categorized based upon the fair value hierarchy, are as follows:

Level I: Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that we have the ability to access. Valuation of these items does not entail a significant amount of judgment.

Level II: Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level I that are observable for the asset or liability through corroboration with market data at the measurement date.

Level III: Inputs that are unobservable.

 

     Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2018  
     Total     (Level I)      (Level II)     (Level III)  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 32,914     $ 32,914      $ —        $ —     

Restricted cash

   $ 377     $ 377      $ —        $ —     

Long-term debt, including current portion, net (1)

   $ (115,802   $ —         $ (115,802   $ —     

Balance due from related parties, non-current (2)

   $ (6,314   $ —         $ (6,314   $ —     

 

     Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2017  
     Total     (Level I)      (Level II)     (Level III)  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 14,221     $ 14,221      $ —        $ —     

Restricted cash

   $ 280     $ 280      $ —        $ —     

Long-term debt, including current portion, net (1)

   $ (120,660   $ —         $ (120,660   $ —     

Balance due from related parties, non-current (2)

   $ (5,765   $ —         $ (5,765   $ —     

 

(1) The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt is estimated based on currently available debt with similar contract terms, interest rate and remaining maturities as well as taking into account the Company’s creditworthiness.
(2) The fair value of the Company’s receivable from related companies is estimated based on currently available debt with similar contract terms, interest rate and remaining maturities as well as taking into account the counterparty’s creditworthiness.

 

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NOTE 9: COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES:

The Company is involved in various disputes and arbitration proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Provisions are recognized in the financial statements for all such proceedings where the Company believes that a liability may be probable, and for which the amounts are reasonably estimable, based upon facts known at the date the financial statements were prepared. While the ultimate disposition of these actions cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not believe the outcome, individually or in aggregate, of such actions will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In March 2018, the Company agreed to acquire the Navios Unison, a 2010-built 10,000 TEU containership from an unrelated third party for an aggregate acquisition cost of approximately $50,250. This vessel is employed on time charter with a net daily charter rate of $26,663 until March 2019. The acquisition of the vessel was financed through a $25,000 loan from a commercial bank and the balance with available cash. We took delivery of the vessel on May 30, 2018.

NOTE 10: TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES

Management fees: Pursuant to a management agreement dated June 7, 2017, as amended on November 23, 2017 and further amended on April 23, 2018, the Manager provides commercial and technical management services to the Company’s vessels. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. The fee for the ship management services provided by the Manager is a daily fee of US $6.1 for containerships from 3,000 TEU up to 5,500 TEU and $7.4 for containerships from 8,000 TEU up to 10,000 TEU. This fixed daily fee covers all of our vessels operating expenses, other than certain extraordinary fees and costs. Drydocking and special survey are paid to the Manager at cost. Total management fees included for the three month period ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $11,639, and are presented under “Management fees (entirely through related parties transactions)” in the condensed consolidated statements of income.

General  & administrative expenses: Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement dated June 7, 2017, the Manager also provides administrative services to Navios Containers L.P., which include bookkeeping, audit and accounting services, legal and insurance services, administrative and clerical services, banking and financial services, advisory services, client and investor relations and other. The Manager is reimbursed for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services. The term of this agreement is for an initial period of five years with an automatic extension for five years periods thereafter unless a notice for termination is received by either party. Total general and administrative fees charged for the three month period ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $1,545 (inclusive of expense reimbursement) and are presented under “General and administrative expenses” in the condensed consolidated statements of income.

Balance due from related parties: Balance due from related parties as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 was $18,962 and $11,408 respectively and included the short-term and long-term amounts due from Navios Holdings. The balances mainly consisted of special survey and dry docking expenses for certain vessels of our fleet, as well as management fees, in accordance with the Management Agreement.

Consideration payable to Navios Partners: The Company used the proceeds of the private placement on June 8, 2017, to acquire five 4,250 TEU vessels from Navios Partners for a total purchase price of $64,000. The payment terms included a $24,000 sellers’ credit by Navios Partners for a period of up to 90 days at LIBOR plus 375 bps. On June 30, 2017 and August 29, 2017, the Company paid to Navios Partners $10,000 and $14,000, respectively, in relation to this agreement. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the amount due and the interest payable to Navios Partners related to this agreement was $0.

Omnibus Agreement: On June 7, 2017, the Company entered into an omnibus agreement with Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation (“Navios Acquisition”), Navios Holdings, Navios Partners and Navios

 

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Maritime Midstream Partners L.P. (“Navios Midstream”), pursuant to which Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and their controlled affiliates generally have granted a right of first refusal over any containerships to be sold or acquired in the future. The omnibus agreement contains significant exceptions that will allow Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners and Navios Midstream or any of their controlled affiliates to compete with the Company under specified circumstances.

NOTE 11: SEGMENT INFORMATION

Navios Containers L.P. reports financial information and evaluates its operations by charter revenues. Navios Containers L.P. does not use discrete financial information to evaluate operating results for each type of charter or by sector. As a result, management reviews operating results solely by revenue per day and operating results of the fleet and thus Navios Containers L.P. has determined that it operates under one reportable segment.

Revenue by Geographic Region

Vessels operate on a worldwide basis and are not restricted to specific locations. Accordingly, it is not possible to allocate the assets of these operations to specific countries.

The following table sets out operating revenue by geographic region for the Company’s reportable segment. Revenue is allocated on the basis of the geographic region in which the customer is located. Revenues from specific geographic regions which contribute over 10.0% of total revenue are disclosed separately.

 

     Three Month
Period Ended
March 31,
2018
 

Asia

   $ 18,647  

Europe

   $ 11,270  
  

 

 

 

Total Revenue

   $ 29,917  
  

 

 

 

NOTE 12: EARNINGS PER UNIT

The unit and per unit data included in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been restated to reflect the Company’s conversion to a limited partnership, as discussed in Note 13 for the period presented.

Earnings per unit is calculated by dividing net income available to common unit holders by the weighted average number of common units of Navios Containers L.P. outstanding during the period.

The calculations of the basic and diluted earnings per unit are presented below.

 

     Three Month
Period Ended

March 31,
2018
 

Numerator

  

Net income

   $             

Denominator:

  

Denominator for basic and diluted earnings per unit—weighted average units

  

Basic net earnings per unit and diluted

  

 

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NOTE 13: PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

Navios Containers L.P.

Common units represent limited partnership interests in the Company. The holders of common units are entitled to participate pro rata in distributions from the Company and to exercise the rights or privileges that are available to common unit holders under the Company’s partnership agreement. The common unit holders have limited voting rights. The vote of the holders of at least 75% of all outstanding common units is required to remove the general partner.

Navios Containers Inc.

As of December 31, 2017, the company had 29,148,554 shares of common stock outstanding and a total of 2,477,627 warrants outstanding.

On March 13, 2018, Navios Containers Inc. closed a follow-on private placement and issued 5,454,546 shares at a subscription price of $5.50 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $30,000. Navios Partners invested $14,460 and received 2,629,095 shares and Navios Holdings invested $500 and received 90,909 shares. Navios Partners and Navios Holdings also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7% of the newly issued equity, respectively, at an exercise price of $5.50 per share.

Following the private placement described above, Navios Containers Inc. had a total of 34,603,100 shares of common stock outstanding and a total of 2,941,264 warrants outstanding as of March 31, 2018.

The warrants entitle the holders to subscribe for new shares at the respective exercise prices, and shall vest ratably in three equal installments when the closing price of the common shares as quoted on the N-OTC or similar quotation system or association reaches or exceeds, for ten consecutive trading days, each of the following thresholds: (i) 125% of the respective warrant exercise price, (ii) 145% of the respective warrant exercise price and (iii) 165% of the respective warrant exercise price. The warrant exercise period will end on the earlier of either the date falling on the fifth anniversary of each respective warrant issuance or, if prior to the fifth anniversary, when the Company converts from a corporation into a limited partnership organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands.

Navios Containers has classified these warrants as equity instruments in accordance with ASC-815.

On                , 2018, the Company converted the issued common shares to common units (see Note 14).

NOTE 14: SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

  a) On                , 2018, the Company converted the issued common shares to common units.

 

  b) In May 2018, the Company entered into a sale and leaseback agreement for an amount of up to $119.0 million to refinance its outstanding credit facilities on 18 vessels maturing in the fourth quarter of 2019, with a combined balance of $92.4 million outstanding on March 31, 2018.

 

  c) In April 2018, the Company agreed to acquire from Navios Partners the YM Utmost and the YM Unity, two 2006-built containerships of 8,204 TEU per vessel for a purchase price of approximately $67,000. These vessels are employed on time charter with a net daily charter rate of $34,266 per vessel until August 2018 and October 2018, respectively. The Company is expected to finance the acquisition with cash on its balance sheet and bank debt on terms consistent with its existing credit facilities. The Company expects to take delivery of the vessels within the second quarter of 2018. The Company assessed this and the acquisition of Navios Unison (see Note 9) under ASC 805 “Business Combinations” and concluded that the transactions constitute asset acquisitions with an expected combined impact to the reported balance sheet line items reported at March 31, 2018, of $117,250 on the reported total non-current assets and $61,000 on the reported total liabilities.

 

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  d) In June 2018, the Company entered into a share purchase agreement with Navios Partners to acquire one 6,800 TEU containership for a purchase price of $ 36.0 million, consisting of $29.9 million in cash and $6.1 million of equity (the number or units issued will be based on the initial public offering price). The share purchase agreement also provides the Company with the option to purchase up to four additional 6,800 TEU containerships from Navios Partners. These five containerships are employed on time charter with a net daily charter rate of $24,095 per vessel until December 2019 and afterwards with a net daily rate of $30,119 per vessel until December 2023. The share purchase agreement is subject to certain conditions to closing.

 

  e) In June 2018, the Company entered into a binding agreement with an unrelated third party, to purchase four 10,000 TEU containerships for an aggregate purchase price of $210.0 million in cash. The vessels are employed on time charters with a net daily rate of $26,663 that expire between April and June 2019. The agreement is subject to certain conditions to closing.

 

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APPENDIX A

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

The following are definitions of certain terms that are commonly used in the shipping industry and in this prospectus.

Annual survey. The inspection of a ship carried out at intervals of about 12 months for the purpose of maintaining class in accordance with the rules of the classification society.

Available days. For any period, the total number of days the vessels were controlled by the company less the aggregate number of days that the vessels are off-hire due to scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.

Ballast. A substance, usually water, used to improve the stability and control the draft of a ship.

Bareboat charterer. A bareboat charter is also known as a “demise charter” or a “time charter by demise” and involves the use of a vessel over long periods of time, usually ranging over several years. In this case, all voyage related costs, including vessel fuel “bunker” and port dues as well as all vessel operating expenses, such as day-to-day operations, maintenance, crewing and insurance, are paid by the charterer. The owner of the vessel receives monthly charter hire payments on a per day basis and is responsible only for the payment of capital costs related to the vessel.

Brokerage commission. Commission payable by the shipowner to the broker, expressed as a percentage of the freight or hire and is part of the charter.

Bunkers. Heavy fuel and diesel oil used to power a ship’s engines.

Charter. The hire of a ship for a specified period of time or to carry a cargo for a fixed fee from a loading port to a discharging port. The contract for a charter is commonly called a charter party.

Charterer. The party that hires a ship for a period of time.

Charter hire. A sum of money paid to the shipowner by a charterer for the use of a ship. Charter hire paid under an operating charter is also known as “freight”.

Charter-in. A lease of a vessel by which the owners of a vessel sublet or let the entire vessel, or some principal part of the vessel, to another party that uses the vessel for its own account under its charge.

Classification society. An independent organization that certifies that a ship has been built and maintained according to the organization’s rules for that type of ship and complies with the applicable rules and regulations of the country of the ship’s registry and the international conventions of which that country is a member. A ship that receives its certification is referred to as being “in-class”.

Closing price. The last sale price on a day, regular way, or in case no sale takes place on that day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on that day, regular way, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system for securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the units of that class are listed. If the units of that class are not listed on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price on that day. If no quoted price exists, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on that day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the Nasdaq Global Select Market or any other system then in use. If on any day the units of that class are not quoted by any organization of that type, the average of the closing bid and

 

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asked prices on that day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the units of the class selected by our general partner. If on that day no market maker is making a market in the units of that class, the fair value of the units on that day as determined reasonably and in good faith by our board of directors.

Code. The U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Containers. Metal boxes of standard dimensions, generally either 20 feet or 40 feet long, 8.5 feet high and 8 feet wide, used to transport various cargo.

Containership. Vessels which are specially designed and built to carry containers.

Drewry. Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd.

Drydocking. The removal of a ship from the water for inspection and repair of those parts of a ship that are below the water line. During drydocking, which is required to be carried out periodically, certain mandatory classification society inspections are carried out and relevant certifications are issued. Drydockings for containerships are generally required once every five years, as part of a Special Survey.

Flag state. The country where a vessel is registered.

Fleet utilization. Fleet utilization is obtained by dividing the number of operating days during a period by the number of available days during the period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company’s efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels and minimizing the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons other than scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades, special surveys or vessel positioning.

Gear. On-board equipment used to load and unload vessels.

General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses consist of employment costs of shoreside staff and cost of facilities, as well as legal, audit and other administrative costs.

Hire rate. The agreed sum or rate to be paid by the charterer for the use of the vessel.

Hull. Shell or body of a ship.

IMO. International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency that issues international regulations and standards for shipping.

Intermediate survey. The inspection of a ship by a classification society surveyor that takes place 24 to 36 months after each Special Survey.

Investment capital expenditures. Capital expenditures other than maintenance capital expenditures or expansion capital expenditures.

ISM Code. The International Management Code for the Safe Operations and for Pollution Prevention, as adopted by the International Maritime Organization.

ISPS Code. International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code, which enacts measures to detect and prevent security threats to ships and ports.

Lightweight Ton. (or “lwt”) A unit of a vessel’s physical weight. A vessel’s lightweight is the physical weight of the vessel and represents the amount of recoverable steel in the vessel. The value of a vessel to a shipbreaker or demolition yard is determined by multiplying the vessel’s lightweight by the price of scrap steel.

 

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Liner company. A company that operates ocean carriers that carry many different cargoes on the same voyage on regular schedules.

Newbuilding. A new ship under construction or just completed.

Off-hire. The period in which a ship is not available for service under a time charter and, accordingly, the charterer is generally not required to pay the hire rate. Off-hire periods can include days spent on repairs, drydocking and surveys, whether or not scheduled.

OPA 90. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 of the United States (as amended).

Operating costs. The costs of the vessels including crewing costs, insurance, repairs and maintenance, stores, spares, lubricants and miscellaneous expenses (but excluding capital costs and voyage costs).

Operating Days. The aggregate number of days in a period during which each vessel in the fleet is owned.

Orderbook. A reference to outstanding orders for the construction of vessels.

Panamax. The largest size of vessel capable of transiting the Panama Canal.

Protection and indemnity insurance. Insurance obtained through a mutual association formed by shipowners to provide liability indemnification protection from various liabilities to which they are exposed in the course of their business, and which spreads the liability costs of each member by requiring contribution by all members in the event of a loss.

Scrapping. The sale of a ship as scrap metal.

Short-term time charter. A time charter which lasts not more than 12 months.

SOLAS. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974, as amended, adopted under the auspices of the IMO.

Special survey. The inspection of a ship by a classification society surveyor that takes place every five years, as part of the recertification of the ship by a classification society.

Spot charter. A spot charter is an industry term referring to both voyage and trip time charters. These charters are referred to as spot charters or spot market charters due to their short-term duration, mostly constituting a single voyage between one load port and one discharge port.

Spot market. The market for charters of vessels with durations of less than one year.

TEU. Twenty-foot equivalent unit, the international standard measure for containers and containership capacity.

Time charter. A charter under which the shipowner hires out a ship for a specified period of time. The shipowner is responsible for providing the crew and paying vessel operating expenses while the charterer is responsible for paying the voyage expenses and additional operating insurance. The shipowner is paid charter hire, which accrues on a daily basis.

Tons. Metric tons.

 

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Vessel operating expenses. The costs of operating a ship, primarily consisting of crew wages and associated costs, insurance premiums, management fees, lubricants and spare parts and repair and maintenance costs. Vessel operating expenses exclude fuel cost, port expenses, agents’ fees, canal dues and extra war risk insurance.

Voyage charter. Contract for hire of a vessel under which a shipowner is paid freight on the basis of moving cargo from a loading port to a discharge port. The shipowner is responsible for paying both operating costs and voyage costs. The charterer is typically responsible for any delay at the loading or discharging ports.

Voyage expenses. Voyage expenses include port and canal charges and bunker (fuel) expenses, and brokerage commissions.

 

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APPENDIX B

FORM OF AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

                Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     B-1  
  Section 1.1      Definitions      B-1  
  Section 1.2      Construction      B-9  

ARTICLE II ORGANIZATION

     B-9  
  Section 2.1      Formation      B-9  
  Section 2.2      Name      B-9  
  Section 2.3      Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices      B-10  
  Section 2.4      Purpose and Business      B-10  
  Section 2.5      Powers      B-10  
  Section 2.6      Power of Attorney      B-10  
  Section 2.7      Term      B-11  
  Section 2.8      Title to Partnership Assets      B-11  

ARTICLE III RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

     B-12  
  Section 3.1      Limitation of Liability      B-12  
  Section 3.2      Management of Business      B-12  
  Section 3.3      Outside Activities of the Limited Partners      B-12  
  Section 3.4      Rights of Limited Partners      B-12  

ARTICLE  IV CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

     B-13  
  Section 4.1      Certificates      B-13  
  Section 4.2      Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates      B-13  
  Section 4.3      Record Holders      B-14  
  Section 4.4      Transfer Generally      B-14  
  Section 4.5      Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests      B-14  
  Section 4.6      Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest      B-15  
  Section 4.7     

Restrictions on Transfers

     B-15  

ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

     B-15  
  Section 5.1     

Initial General Partner Unit Issuances

     B-15  
  Section 5.2     

Initial Limited Partner Unit Issuances; Initial Offering Unit Issuances

     B-15  
  Section 5.3      Interest and Withdrawal      B-16  
  Section 5.4      Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities      B-16  
  Section 5.5      Limitations on Issuance of Additional Partnership Securities      B-17  
  Section 5.6      Limited Preemptive Right      B-17  
  Section 5.7      Splits and Combinations      B-17  
  Section 5.8      Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests      B-17  

ARTICLE VI DISTRIBUTIONS

     B-18  
  Section 6.1      Requirement and Characterization of Distributions      B-18  
  Section 6.2      Distributions to Record Holders      B-18  

 

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                Page  

ARTICLE VII MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

     B-18  
  Section 7.1      Management      B-18  
  Section 7.2      The Board of Directors; Election and Appointment; Term; Manner of Acting      B-20  
  Section 7.3      Nominations of Elected Directors      B-20  
  Section 7.4      Removal of Members of Board of Directors      B-21  
  Section 7.5      Resignations of Members of the Board of Directors      B-21  
  Section 7.6      Vacancies on the Board of Directors      B-21  
  Section 7.7      Meetings; Committees; Chairman      B-21  
  Section 7.8      Officers      B-22  
  Section 7.9      Compensation of Directors      B-24  
  Section 7.10      Certificate of Limited Partnership      B-24  
  Section 7.11      Restrictions on the Authority of the Board of Directors and the General Partner      B-24  
  Section 7.12      Reimbursement of the General Partner      B-25  
  Section 7.13      Outside Activities      B-25  
  Section 7.14      Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members      B-26  
  Section 7.15      Indemnification      B-27  
  Section 7.16      Liability of Indemnitees      B-28  
  Section 7.17      Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties      B-29  
  Section 7.18      Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and the Board of Directors      B-30  
  Section 7.19      Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities      B-31  
  Section 7.20      Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates      B-31  
  Section 7.21      Reliance by Third Parties      B-33  

ARTICLE VIII BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

     B-33  
  Section 8.1      Records and Accounting      B-33  
  Section 8.2      Fiscal Year      B-34  
  Section 8.3      Reports      B-34  

ARTICLE IX TAX MATTERS

     B-34  
  Section 9.1      Tax Elections and Information      B-34  
  Section 9.2      Withholding      B-34  
  Section 9.3      Conduct of Operations      B-35  

ARTICLE X ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

     B-35  
  Section 10.1      Admission of Initial Partners      B-35  
  Section 10.2      Admission of Additional Limited Partners      B-35  
  Section 10.3      Admission of Successor General Partner      B-35  
  Section 10.4      Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership      B-36  

ARTICLE XI WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

     B-36  
  Section 11.1      Withdrawal of the General Partner      B-36  
  Section 11.2      Removal of the General Partner      B-37  
  Section 11.3      Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner      B-37  
  Section 11.4      Withdrawal of Limited Partners      B-37  

 

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                Page  

ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

     B-37  
  Section 12.1      Dissolution      B-37  
  Section 12.2      Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution      B-38  
  Section 12.3      Liquidator      B-38  
  Section 12.4      Liquidation      B-39  
  Section 12.5      Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership      B-39  
  Section 12.6      Return of Contributions      B-39  
  Section 12.7      Waiver of Partition      B-39  

ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

     B-39  
  Section 13.1      Amendments to be Adopted Without Approval of the Limited Partners or the General Partner      B-39  
  Section 13.2      Amendment Procedures      B-41  
  Section 13.3      Amendment Requirements.      B-41  
  Section 13.4      Special Meetings      B-41  
  Section 13.5      Notice of a Meeting      B-42  
  Section 13.6      Record Date      B-42  
  Section 13.7      Adjournment      B-42  
  Section 13.8      Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes      B-42  
  Section 13.9      Quorum and Voting      B-42  
  Section 13.10      Conduct of a Meeting      B-43  
  Section 13.11      Action Without a Meeting      B-43  
  Section 13.12      Right to Vote and Related Matters      B-44  

ARTICLE XIV MERGER

     B-44  
  Section 14.1      Authority      B-44  
  Section 14.2      Procedure for Merger or Consolidation      B-44  
  Section 14.3      Approval by Limited Partners of Merger or Consolidation.      B-45  
  Section 14.4      Certificate of Merger      B-46  
  Section 14.5      Amendment of Partnership Agreement      B-46  
  Section 14.6      Effect of Merger      B-46  

ARTICLE XV RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

     B-47  
  Section 15.1      Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests.      B-47  

ARTICLE XVI GENERAL PROVISIONS

     B-48  
  Section 16.1      Addresses and Notices      B-48  
  Section 16.2      Further Action      B-48  
  Section 16.3      Binding Effect      B-48  
  Section 16.4      Integration      B-48  
  Section 16.5      Creditors      B-48  
  Section 16.6      Waiver      B-48  
  Section 16.7      Counterparts      B-48  
  Section 16.8      Applicable Law      B-49  
  Section 16.9      Invalidity of Provisions      B-49  
  Section 16.10      Consent of Partners      B-49  
  Section 16.11      Facsimile Signatures      B-49  
  Section 16.12      Third-Party Beneficiaries      B-49  

 

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AGREEMENT OF LIMITED

PARTNERSHIP OF NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

THIS AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P., dated as of [●], [●], is entered into by and between NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS GP LLC, a Marshall Islands limited liability company, as the General Partner, NAVIOS MARITIME HOLDINGS INC., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (or any permitted successors and assigns hereunder), as a Limited Partner, and the other Initial Limited Partners, together with any other Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1     Definitions . The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.

Acquisition ” means any transaction in which any Group Member acquires (through an asset acquisition, merger, stock acquisition or other form of investment) control over all or a portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for the purpose of increasing the operating capacity or asset base of the Partnership Group from the operating capacity or asset base of the Partnership Group existing immediately prior to such transaction; provided however, that any acquisition of properties or assets of another Person that is made solely for investment purposes shall not constitute an Acquisition under this Agreement.

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “ control ” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreed Value ” means the fair market value of the applicable property or other consideration at the time of contribution or distribution, as the case may be, as determined by the Board of Directors.

Agreement ” means this Agreement of Limited Partnership of Navios Maritime Containers L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Annual Meeting ” means the meeting of Limited Partners to be held every year commencing in 2019 to elect the Elected Directors as provided in Section 7.2 and to vote on any other matters brought before the meeting in accordance with this Agreement.

Appointed Directors ” means the members of the Board of Directors appointed by the General Partner in accordance with the provisions of Article VII.

Associate ” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person: (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.

 

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Audit Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed of a minimum of three members of the Board of Directors then serving who meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and meet the standards for audit committee composition established by the National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading.

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Partnership, composed of Appointed Directors and Elected Directors appointed or elected, as the case may be, in accordance with the provisions of Article VII and a majority of whom are not United States citizens or residents, which, pursuant to Section 7.1, and subject to Section 7.11, oversees and directs the operations, management and policies of the Partnership. The Board of Directors shall constitute a committee within the meaning of Section 30(2)(g) of the Marshall Islands Act.

Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of New York shall not be regarded as a Business Day.

Capital Contribution ” means any (a) with respect to any Partner, cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions) or (b) with respect to the General Partner only, (i) distributions of cash that the General Partner is entitled to receive but otherwise waives such that the Partnership retains such cash or (ii) Common Units that the General Partner contributes to the Partnership.

Cause ” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding a member of the Board of Directors has engaged in actual fraud or willful misconduct in his or her, as the case may be, capacity as a member of the Board of Directors.

Certificate ” means a certificate issued in global or book entry form in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Depositary or in such other form as may be adopted by the Board of Directors, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more Common Units or a certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the Board of Directors, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more other Partnership Securities.

Certificate of Limited Partnership ” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Marshall Islands as referenced in Section 7.10 as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

claim ” (as used in Section 7.20(c)) has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.20(c).

Closing Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.

Closing Price ” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of determination, the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the respective Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the last quoted price on such day or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by any quotation system then in use with respect to such Limited Partner Interests, or, if on any such day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Limited Partner

 

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Interests of such class selected by the Board of Directors, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the Board of Directors.

Code ” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Unit ” means a Partnership Security representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners, and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement.

Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed entirely of two or more directors who are not any of the following: (a) officers or employees of the General Partner, (b) officers, directors or employees of any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than any Group Member) or (c) holders of any ownership interest in the General Partner, its Affiliates or the Partnership Group (other than (x) Common Units or (y) awards granted pursuant to any long-term incentive plan, equity compensation plan or similar plan of any Group Member) and who also have been determined by the Board of Directors to meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by any National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading.

Contributed Property ” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Marshall Islands Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership.

Conversion Transaction ” means (a) a conversion of the Predecessor into a limited partnership pursuant to Section 25 of the Marshall Islands Act or (b) an exchange offer of limited partner interests, or common units representing limited partner interests, in the Partnership, for common shares of the Predecessor, as a result of which exchange offer the Partnership succeeds to substantially all of the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of the Predecessor.

Current Market Price ” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of determination, the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.

Departing General Partner ” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2.

Depositary ” means, with respect to any Units issued in global form, The Depository Trust Company and its successors and permitted assigns.

Elected Directors ” means the members of the Board of Directors who are elected or appointed as such in accordance with the provisions of Article VII and at least three (or such greater number so as to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors to the extent the Partnership is required by applicable law to have a majority of independent directors) of whom are not (a) officers or employees of the General Partner, (b) officers or employees of any Affiliate of the General Partner, (c) holders of any ownership interest in the Partnership Group (other than Common Units or awards granted to such director under any long-term incentive plan of any Group Member) and who also meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by any National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading or (d) United States citizens or residents.

 

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Event of Withdrawal ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(a).

Exchange Act ” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

General Partner ” means [Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC], a Marshall Islands limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Maritime Holdings, that Navios Maritime Holdings designated to receive the General Partner Unit issued in the Conversion Transaction, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).

General Partner Interest ” means the non-economic management interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner and without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it), which is evidenced by the General Partner Unit and includes any and all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. The General Partner Interest does not include any rights to profit or loss or allocations of items of income, gain, loss or deduction, or any rights to receive any distributions from the Partnership’s operations or upon the liquidation or winding up of the Partnership.

General Partner Unit ” means the General Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to the General Partner Interest. A General Partner Unit is not a Unit.

Group ” means a Person that, including with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates, has any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons) or disposing of any Partnership Securities with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Securities.

Group Member ” means a member of the Partnership Group.

Group Member Agreement ” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or similar organizational documents) of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, in each case as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Hedge Contract ” means any exchange, swap, forward, future, cap, floor, collar or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into for the purpose of hedging the Partnership Group’s exposure to fluctuations in the price of interest rates, currencies or commodities in their operations and not for speculative purposes.

Holder ” as used in Section 7.20, has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.20(a).

Indemnified Persons ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.20(c).

Indemnitee ” means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of any Person which any of the preceding clauses of this definition describes, (e) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing

 

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General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner as an officer, director, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another Person ( provided , however , that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services), (f) the members of the Board of Directors, (g) the Officers, and (h) any other Person the Board of Directors designates as an “ Indemnitee ” for purposes of this Agreement.

Initial Common Units ” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.

Initial Limited Partners ” means Navios Maritime Holdings and the other Persons holding Predecessor Shares immediately prior to the Conversion Transaction, in each case upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1.

Initial Offering ” means the initial public offering and sale of Common Units to the public, as described in the Registration Statement, including any Common Units sold pursuant to the exercise of the Underwriters’ Option.

Initial Unit Price ” means (a) with respect to the Common Units, the initial public offering price per Common Unit at which the Underwriters first offered the Common Units to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus included as part of the Registration Statement and first issued at or after the time the Registration Statement first became effective or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the Board of Directors, in each case adjusted as the Board of Directors determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.

Issue Price ” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership, after deducting any sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the Partnership.

Limited Partner ” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each Initial Limited Partner and each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership. Limited Partners may include custodians, nominees or any other individual or entity in its own or any representative capacity.

Limited Partner Interest ” means the Partnership Interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units or other Partnership Securities or a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Liquidation Date ” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.

Liquidator ” means one or more Persons selected by the Board of Directors to perform the functions described in Section 12.4.

Marshall Islands Act ” means the Limited Partnership Act of The Republic of the Marshall Islands, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

Merger Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.

Navios Maritime Acquisition ” means Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation, a Marshall Islands corporation.

 

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Navios Maritime Holdings ” means Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation.

Navios Maritime Midstream Partners ” means Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands partnership.

Navios Maritime Partners ” means Navios Maritime Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands partnership.

National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act.

Net Agreed Value ” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed, and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Agreed Value of such property, reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution.

Notice of Election to Purchase ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(b).

Officers ” means the Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), the Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, any Assistant Secretaries or Assistant Treasurers, and any other officer of the Partnership appointed by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.8.

Omnibus Agreement ” means that Omnibus Agreement, dated as of June 7, 2017, among Navios Maritime Acquisition, Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners, Navios Maritime Midstream Partners, the Predecessor, the Partnership (by joinder agreement), the General Partner and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc., as heretofore amended or modified, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Operating Company ” means each of Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation, Boheme Navigation Company, a Marshall Islands corporation, and any successors thereto.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the Board of Directors.

Outstanding ” means, with respect to Partnership Securities, all Partnership Securities that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s books and records as of the date of determination; provided , however , that if at any time any Person or Group beneficially owns more than 4.9% of the voting power of the Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding (or would own such percentage after application of this limitation), all Partnership Securities owned by such Person or Group in excess of 4.9% of the voting power of the Outstanding Partnership Securities shall not be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes (except for purposes of nominating a Person for election to the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.3), determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Partnership Securities so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(ii) (such Partnership Securities shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership Securities for purposes of this Agreement); provided , further , that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to either of the following (other than when voting their Common Units as provided in Section 7.2(a)(ii)) (i) the General Partner or its Affiliates or (ii) any Person or Group who acquired more than 4.9% of any Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership with the prior approval of the Board of Directors after considering the potential tax effects of such approval on the Partnership.

Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.

 

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Partnership ” means Navios Maritime Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership, and any successors thereto.

Partnership Group ” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, including the Operating Companies, treated as a single entity.

Partnership Interest ” means a Partner’s aggregate rights in the Partnership, including: (a) the Partner’s right to a share of the profits and losses of the Partnership; (b) the Partner’s right to receive distributions from the Partnership; and (c) the Partner’s right to vote and participate in the management of the Partnership.

Partnership Security ” means any class or series of equity Partnership Interest (but excluding any options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity Partnership Interest), including Common Units.

Percentage Interest ” means as of any date of determination (a) as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage, if any, applicable to clause (b) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (B) the total number of all Outstanding Units, and (b) as to the holders of other Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.4, the percentage established as a part of such issuance (and which may or may not contemplate participation in profits, losses or distributions otherwise made to holders of Common Units). The Percentage Interest with respect to the General Partner Unit shall at all times be zero.

Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, governmental agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Predecessor ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation.

Predecessor Share ” means a share of common stock, par value of $0.0001, of the Predecessor.

Pro Rata ” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any other Partnership Securities, apportioned equally among all designated Units or other Partnership Securities in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, and (b) when used with respect to Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests.

Purchase Date ” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.

Quarter ” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter, or, with respect to the first fiscal quarter including the Closing Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date, of the Partnership.

Record Date ” means the date established by the Board of Directors or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.

Record Holder ” means (a) the Person in whose name a Common Unit is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day, or (b) with respect to other Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered on the books that the Board of Directors has caused to be kept as of the opening of business on such Business Day.

 

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Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (Registration No. 333-225677) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Offering.

Securities Act ” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

Special Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee.

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person, or (d) any other Person in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) less than a majority ownership interest or (ii) less than the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person, provided that (A) such Person, one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding this subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of the determination, has at least a 20% ownership interest in such other Person, (B) such Person accounts for such other Person (under U.S. GAAP, as in effect on the later of the date of investment in such other Person or material expansion of the operations of such other Person) on a consolidated or equity accounting basis, (C) such Person has directly or indirectly material negative control rights regarding such other Person including over such other Person’s ability to materially expand its operations beyond that contemplated at the date of investment in such other Person, and (D) such other Person is (i) other than with respect to an Operating Company, formed and maintained for the sole purpose of owning or leasing, operating and chartering vessels, and (ii) obligated under its constituent documents, or as a result of a unanimous agreement of its owners, to distribute to its owners all of its income on at least an annual basis (less any cash reserves that are approved by such Person).

Surviving Business Entity ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.2(b).

Trading Day ” means, for the purpose of determining the Current Market Price of any class of Limited Partner Interests, a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is listed is open for the transaction of business or, if Limited Partner Interests of a class are not listed on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York City generally are open.

transfer ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).

Transfer Agent ” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the Partnership to act as registrar and transfer agent for the Common Units; provided , however , that if no Transfer Agent is specifically designated for any other Partnership Securities, the Board of Directors shall act in such capacity.

 

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Underwriting Agreement ” means the Underwriting Agreement dated [●], among the Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and [●], to be entered into in connection with the Initial Offering and providing for the purchase of the Common Units by the Underwriters.

Underwriter ” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.

Underwriters’ Option ” means the option granted to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

Unit ” means a Partnership Security that is designated as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units, including Common Units held by the General Partner in a Limited Partner capacity, but shall not include the General Partner Unit (or the General Partner Interest represented thereby).

Unitholders ” means the holders of Units.

Unit Majority ” means at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.

Unit Register ” means the register of the Partnership for the registration and transfer of Limited Partnership Interests as provided in Section 4.5.

U.S. GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.

Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(b)(ii).

Section 1.2     Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the term “include” or “includes” means includes, without limitation, and “including” means including, without limitation; and (d) the terms “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

ORGANIZATION

Section 2.1     Formation . The Partnership was originally formed as the Predecessor, a Marshall Islands corporation, on April 28, 2017. On [●], 2018, the Predecessor continued its existence and converted into a Marshall Islands limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Marshall Islands Act. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Marshall Islands Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes and a Partner has no interest in specific Partnership property.

Section 2.2     Name . The name of the Partnership is “Navios Maritime Containers L.P.” The Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the Board of Directors. The words “Limited Partnership” or the letters “L.P.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The Board of Directors may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time in compliance with the requirements of the Marshall Islands Act and shall notify the General Partner and the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.

 

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Section 2.3     Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices . Unless and until changed by the Board of Directors, the registered office of the Partnership in the Marshall Islands shall be located at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Island, Ajeltake Road, Majuro, Marshall Islands MII 96960 and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the Marshall Islands at such registered office shall be The Trust Company of the Marshall Islands, Inc. Unless and until changed by the Board of Directors, the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the United States shall be CT Corporation System located at 111 8 th Avenue, New York, New York 10011. The principal office of the Partnership shall be any place as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate by notice to the General Partner and the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the Marshall Islands as the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be at c/o Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. at 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2, Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.

Section 2.4     Purpose and Business . The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Marshall Islands Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member.

Section 2.5     Powers . The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary and appropriate for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.

Section 2.6     Power of Attorney .

(a)    Each Limited Partner hereby constitutes and appoints the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer and President (if any) of the Partnership and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to Section 12.3, the Liquidator, severally (and any successor to the Liquidator by merger, transfer, assignment, election or otherwise) and each of its authorized officers and attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power of substitution, as his true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in his name, place and stead, to:

(i)    execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments or restatements hereof or thereof) that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to form, qualify or continue the existence or qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the Marshall Islands and in all other jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct business or own property; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect, in accordance with its terms, any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal, removal or substitution of any Partner pursuant to, or other events described in, Articles IV, X, XI or XII; (E) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the determination of the rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series of Partnership Securities issued pursuant to Section 5.4; and (F) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including agreements and a certificate of merger) relating to a merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to Article XIV; and

 

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(ii)    execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots, consents, approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other instruments that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to (A) make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action that is made or given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent with the terms of this Agreement or (B) effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement; provided , however , that when required by Section 13.3 or any other provision of this Agreement that requires the consent of the Board of Directors or establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of any class or series required to take any action, the Board of Directors and the Liquidator may exercise the power of attorney made in this Section 2.6(a)(ii) only after the necessary consent of the Board of Directors or vote, consent or approval of the Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of such class or series, as applicable.

Nothing contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall be construed as authorizing the Board of Directors to make an amendment to this Agreement except in accordance with Article XIII or as may be otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement.

(b)    The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, not be affected by the subsequent death, incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination of any Limited Partner and the transfer of all or any portion of such Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest and shall extend to such Limited Partner’s heirs, successors, assigns and personal representatives. Each such Limited Partner hereby agrees to be bound by any representation made by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator acting in good faith pursuant to such power of attorney; and each such Limited Partner, to the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all defenses that may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator taken in good faith under such power of attorney. Each Limited Partner shall execute and deliver to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt of the request therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other instruments as the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to effectuate this Agreement and the purposes of the Partnership.

Section 2.7     Term . The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Marshall Islands Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Marshall Islands Act.

Section 2.8     Title to Partnership Assets . Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the Board of Directors may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided , however , that the General Partner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the Board of Directors determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably practicable; and, provided further , that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable

 

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efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to the Board of Directors. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.

ARTICLE III

RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

Section 3.1     Limitation of Liability . The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Marshall Islands Act.

Section 3.2     Management of Business . No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Marshall Islands Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall not be deemed to be participation in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 30 of the Marshall Islands Act) and shall not affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.

Section 3.3     Outside Activities of the Limited Partners . Subject to the provisions of Section 7.13 and the Omnibus Agreement, which shall continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons shall also be Limited Partners, any Limited Partner shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.

Section 3.4     Rights of Limited Partners .

(a)    In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand and at such Limited Partner’s own expense, to:

(i)    have furnished to him a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Partner;

(ii)    obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital Contribution by each Partner and which each Partner has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each became a Partner;

(iii)    have furnished to him a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto, together with a copy of the executed copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed;

(iv)    obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business and financial condition of the Partnership Group; and

(v)    obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as is just and reasonable.

 

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(b)    The Board of Directors may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the Board of Directors deems reasonable, (i) any information that the Board of Directors reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the Board of Directors in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).

ARTICLE IV

CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 4.1     Certificates . Notwithstanding anything otherwise to the contrary herein, unless the Board of Directors shall determine otherwise in respect of one or more classes of Partnership Securities, Partnership Securities shall not be evidenced by Certificates. Accordingly, any references in the Agreement, including in this Article IV, to Certificates shall be applicable only to the extent that the Board of Directors determines that one or more classes of Partnership Securities is to be evidenced by Certificates.

Certificates that may be issued may be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner (and by any appropriate officer of the General Partner on behalf of the General Partner) or any Officer. No Certificate evidencing Common Units shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided , however , that if the Board of Directors elects to issue Common Units in global form, the Common Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Common Units have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership.

Section 4.2     Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates .

(a)    If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate Officers on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Securities as the Certificate so surrendered.

(b)    The appropriate Officers on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued if the Record Holder of the Certificate:

(i)    makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the Partnership, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;

(ii)    requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the Partnership has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;

(iii)    if requested by the Partnership, delivers to the Partnership a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the Partnership, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the Board of Directors may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and

(iv)    satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the Board of Directors.

If a Limited Partner fails to notify the Partnership within a reasonable period of time after he has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.

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relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.

Section 4.3     Record Holders . The Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person, regardless of whether the Partnership shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons on the other, such representative Person shall be (a) the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest and (b) shall be bound by this Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Partner hereunder and as, and to the extent, provided for herein.

Section 4.4     Transfer Generally .

(a)    The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns its General Partner Interest to another Person, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited Partner Interest to another Person, including to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.

(b)    No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be null and void.

(c)    Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner of any or all of the shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in the General Partner.

Section 4.5     Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests .

(a)    The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership a register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the Partnership will provide for the registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests. The Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent for the purpose of registering Common Units and transfers of such Common Units as herein provided. The Partnership shall not recognize transfers of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner Interests unless such transfers are effected in the manner described in this Section 4.5. Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the appropriate Officers on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered.

(b)    The Partnership shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for registration of transfer. No charge shall be imposed by the Partnership for such transfer; provided , however , that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5, the Partnership may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto.

 

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(c)    The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their Common Units to one or more Persons.

Section 4.6     Transfer of the General Partner s General Partner Interest .

(a)    Subject to Section 4.6(b) below, the General Partner may transfer all or any of its General Partner Interest without Unitholder approval.

(b)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner or of any limited partner or member of any other Group Member and (iii) such transferee also agrees to accept and acquire all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest of the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.3, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.

Section 4.7     Restrictions on Transfers .

(a)    Except as provided in Section 4.7(b) below, but notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws, laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer or (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership or any Group Member under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation.

(b)    Nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 5.1     Initial General Partner Unit Issuances . In connection with the Conversion Transaction, the Partnership issued to Navios Maritime Holdings (or a designated wholly-owned subsidiary thereof), and Navios Maritime Holdings (or a designated wholly-owned subsidiary thereof) received, the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit).

Section 5.2     Initial Limited Partner Unit Issuances; Initial Offering Unit Issuances .

(a)    Pursuant to the Conversion Transaction and in consideration of the exchange of Predecessor Shares, the Partnership issued to the holders of Predecessor Shares immediately prior to the Conversion Transaction (including Navios Maritime Holdings) an aggregate of [●] Common Units.

(b)    On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Closing

 

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Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the number of Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter on the Closing Date.

(c)    Upon any exercise of the Underwriters’ Option, each Underwriter shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Option Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash contributions to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.

(d)     No Limited Partner Interests will have been issued as of or at the Closing Date other than (i) the Common Units issuable pursuant to subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.2 and (ii) if the Underwriters’ Option is exercised prior to the Closing Date the “Option Units,” as such term is used in the Underwriting Agreement, issuable upon exercise of the Underwriters’ Option pursuant to subparagraph (c) hereof.

Section 5.3     Interest and Withdrawal . No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination of the Partnership may be considered and permitted as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions.

Section 5.4     Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities .

(a)    The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to the Partnership Securities for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the Board of Directors shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners, but subject to the approval of the General Partner in the case where issuances of equity are not reasonably expected to be accretive to equity within twelve months of issuance or which would otherwise have a material adverse impact on the General Partner or the General Partner Interest.

(b)    Each additional Partnership Security authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Securities) as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors, including (i) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (ii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iii) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Security (including sinking fund provisions); (iv) whether such Partnership Security is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (v) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Security will be issued, evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; (vi) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Security; and (vii) the right, if any, of each such Partnership Security to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Security.

(c)    The Board of Directors shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 5.4, (ii) the issuance of the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit) pursuant to the terms of the Conversion Transaction, (iii) the admission of additional Limited Partners and (iv) all additional issuances of Partnership Securities. The Board of Directors

 

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shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Securities being so issued. The Board of Directors shall do all things necessary to comply with the Marshall Islands Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Securities pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Securities are listed or admitted to trading.

Section 5.5     Limitations on Issuance of Additional Partnership Securities . The Partnership may issue an unlimited number of Partnership Securities (or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights related thereto) pursuant to Section 5.4 without the approval of the Limited Partners; provided , however , that no fractional units shall be issued by the Partnership.

Section 5.6     Limited Preemptive Right . No Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Security, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created.

Section 5.7     Splits and Combinations .

(a)    Subject to Section 5.7(d), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Securities to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis or stated as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted.

(b)    Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities is declared, the Board of Directors shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice. The Board of Directors also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Securities to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The Board of Directors shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.

(c)    Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates to the Record Holders of Partnership Securities as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Securities held by such Record Holders, or the Board of Directors may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Securities Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.

(d)    The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of this Section 5.7(d), each fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Unit).

Section 5.8     Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests . All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by the Marshall Islands Act.

 

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ARTICLE VI

DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 6.1     Requirement and Characterization of Distributions .

(a)    Subject to the applicable provisions of the Marshall Islands Act, the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, declare, make and pay distributions of cash or other assets of the Partnership to the Partners Pro Rata. Subject to the terms of any additional Partnership Securities, distributions shall be paid to the Partners in accordance with their respective Partnership Interests as of the Record Date selected by the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding anything otherwise to the contrary herein, the Partnership shall not make or pay any distributions of cash or other assets with respect to the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit).

(b)    Notwithstanding Section 6.1(a), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all receipts received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4.

Section 6.2     Distributions to Record Holders .    Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.

ARTICL E VII

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

Section 7.1     Management .

(a)    The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner or Assignee shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.11, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the following:

(i)    the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into Partnership Securities, and the incurring of any other obligations;

(ii)    the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;

(iii)    the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.11);

(iv)    the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership

 

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Group; subject to Section 7.14(a), the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of the Partnership Group; and the making of capital contributions to any member of the Partnership Group;

(v)    the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if same results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);

(vi)    the distribution of Partnership cash consistent with the determination of the Board of Directors;

(vii)    the selection and dismissal of employees, including employees of any Group Members, (including employees having titles such as “president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;

(viii)    the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group and the Partners;

(ix)    the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other relationships (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 7.14;

(x)    the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;

(xi)    the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;

(xii)    the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under this Agreement);

(xiii)    unless restricted or prohibited by Section 5.5, the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Securities, or the issuance of additional options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities;

(xiv)    the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in any Group Member; and

(xv)    the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership.

(b)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Marshall Islands Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and the Assignees and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement of any other Group Member and the other agreements described in or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement; (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or through any officer of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the Assignees or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this

 

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Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XVI) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity.

Section 7.2     The Board of Directors; Election and Appointment; Term; Manner of Acting .

(a)    Upon the Closing Date, the Board of Directors shall consist of seven individuals, all of whom shall be Appointed Directors. Following the first annual meeting of Unitholders after the Closing Date, the Board of Directors shall consist of seven individuals, three of which are Appointed Directors and four of which are Elected Directors. The Elected Directors shall be divided into three classes: Class I, comprising two Elected Directors, Class II, comprising one Elected Director, and Class III, comprising one Elected Director. The vacancy among the Appointed Directors shall be filled as if an Appointed Director had resigned, in accordance with Section 7.6. The successors of the initial members of the Board of Directors shall be appointed or elected, as the case may be, as follows:

(i)    The Appointed Directors shall be appointed by the General Partner on the date of the 2019 Annual Meeting and each Appointed Director shall hold office until his or her successor is duly appointed by the General Partner and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal; and

(ii)    The Class I Elected Directors shall be elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting for a one-year term expiring on the date of the first succeeding Annual Meeting, the Class II Elected Director shall be elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting for a two-year term expiring on the second succeeding Annual Meeting and the Class III Elected Directors shall be elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting for a three-year term expiring on the third succeeding Annual Meeting, in each case by a plurality of the votes of the Outstanding Common Units present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting with each Outstanding Common Unit having one vote. At each Annual Meeting after the 2019 Annual Meeting, Elected Directors so classified who are elected to replace those whose terms expire at such Annual Meeting shall be elected to hold office until the third succeeding Annual Meeting.

(b)    Except as provided in paragraph (a)(ii) above with respect to Elected Directors elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting, each member of the Board of Directors appointed or elected, as the case may be, at an Annual Meeting shall hold office until the third succeeding Annual Meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected or appointed, as the case may be, and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

(c)    Each member of the Board of Directors shall have one vote. The vote of the majority of the members of the Board of Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. A majority of the number of members of the Board of Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, but if less than a quorum is present at a meeting, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors present at such meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

Section 7.3     Nominations of Elected Directors . The Board of Directors shall be entitled to nominate individuals to stand for election as Elected Directors at an Annual Meeting. In addition, any Limited Partner or Group of Limited Partners that beneficially owns 25% or more of the Outstanding Common Units shall be entitled to nominate one or more individuals to stand for election as Elected Directors at an Annual Meeting by providing written notice thereof to the Board of Directors not more than 120 days and not less than 90 days prior to the date of such Annual Meeting; provided , however , that in the event that the date of the Annual Meeting was not publicly announced by the Partnership by mail, press release or otherwise more than 100 days prior to the date of such meeting, such notice, to be timely, must be delivered to the Board of Directors not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the date on which the date of the Annual Meeting was announced. Such notice shall set forth (i) the name and address of the Limited Partner or Limited Partners making the

 

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nomination or nominations, (ii) the number of Common Units beneficially owned by such Limited Partner or Limited Partners, (iii) such information regarding the nominee(s) proposed by the Limited Partner or Limited Partners as would be required to be included in a proxy statement relating to the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the Commission had the nominee(s) been nominated or intended to be nominated to the Board of Directors, (iv) the written consent of each nominee to serve as a member of the Board of Directors if so elected and (v) a certification that such nominee(s) qualify as Elected Directors.

Section 7.4     Removal of Members of Board of Directors . Members of the Board of Directors may only be removed as follows:

(a)    Any Appointed Director may be removed at any time (i) without Cause, only by the General Partner and (ii) with Cause, by (x) the General Partner, (y) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, voting as a single class, at a properly called meeting of the Limited Partners or (z) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the other members of the Board of Directors.

(b)    Any and all of the Elected Directors may be removed at any time (i) without Cause, only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the other members of the Board of Directors and (ii) with Cause, by (x) the affirmative vote of a majority of the other members of the Board of Directors or (y) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units at a properly called meeting of the Limited Partners.

Section 7.5     Resignations of Members of the Board of Directors . Any member of the Board of Directors may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein.

Section 7.6     Vacancies on the Board of Directors . Vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled only as follows:

(a)    If any Appointed Director is removed, resigns or is otherwise unable to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, the General Partner shall, in its sole discretion, appoint an individual to fill the vacancy.

(b)    If any Elected Director is removed, resigns or is unable to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, the vacancy shall be filled by a majority of the Elected Directors then serving.

(c)    A director appointed or elected pursuant to this Section 7.6 to fill a vacancy shall be appointed or elected, as the case may be, for no more than the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office.

Section 7.7     Meetings; Committees; Chairman .

(a)    Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as shall be designated from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notice of such regular meetings shall not be required. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board of Directors and shall be called by the Secretary upon the written request of two members of the Board of Directors, on at least 48 hours prior written notice to the other members. Any such notice, or waiver thereof, need not state the purpose of such meeting except as may otherwise be required by law. Attendance of a member of the Board of Directors at a meeting (including pursuant to the penultimate sentence of this Section 7.7(a)) shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such member attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by all the members of the Board of Directors. Members of the Board of Directors may participate in and hold meetings by means of conference telephone, videoconference or similar communications equipment

 

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by means of which all Persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in such meetings shall constitute presence in person at the meeting. The Board of Directors may establish any additional rules governing the conduct of its meetings that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.

(b)    The Board of Directors shall appoint the Audit Committee to consist of a minimum of three of the Elected Directors then in office, and the Conflicts Committee to consist of a minimum of three of the Elected Directors then in office. The Audit Committee and the Conflicts Committee shall, in each case, perform the functions delegated to it pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and such other matters as may be delegated to it from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, by a majority of the whole Board of Directors, may appoint one or more additional committees of the Board of Directors, including an executive committee to consist of one or more members of the Board of Directors, which committee(s) shall have and may exercise such of the powers and authority of the Board of Directors (including in respect of Section 7.1) with respect to the management of the business and affairs of the Partnership as may be provided in a resolution of the Board of Directors. Any committee designated pursuant to this Section 7.7(b) shall choose its own chairman, shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors when requested, shall fix its own rules or procedures and shall meet at such times and at such place or places as may be provided by such rules or by resolution of such committee or resolution of the Board of Directors. At every meeting of any such committee, the presence of a majority of all the members thereof shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be necessary for the taking of any action. Subject to the first sentence of this Section 7.7(b), the Board of Directors may designate one or more members of the Board of Directors as alternate members of any committee who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee. Subject to the first sentence of this Section 7.7(b), in the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

(c)    The Appointed Directors may designate one of the members of the Board of Directors as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, if any, and if present and acting, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, another member of the Board of Directors chosen by the Appointed Directors shall preside. If, at any time, in accordance with Section 7.2(b), the Board of Directors consists solely of Elected Directors, the Board of Directors may elect one of its members as Chairman of the Board of Directors and shall, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors at a meeting of the Board of Directors, choose another member of the Board of Directors to preside at the meeting.

Section 7.8     Officers .

(a)    The Board of Directors, as set forth below, shall appoint agents of the Partnership, referred to as “Officers” of the Partnership as described in this Section 7.8. Unless provided otherwise by resolution of the Board of Directors, the Officers shall have the titles, power, authority and duties described below in this Section 7.8.

(b)    The Officers of the Partnership shall be the Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), the Chief Executive Officer, the President and any and all Vice Presidents, the Secretary and any and all Assistant Secretaries and any Treasurer and any and all Assistant Treasurers and any other Officers appointed pursuant to Section 7.8(k). There shall be appointed from time to time, in accordance with this Section 7.8, such Vice Presidents, Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Treasurers and Assistant Treasurers as the Board of Directors may desire. Any person may hold two or more offices.

(c)    The Officers shall be appointed by the Board of Directors at such time and for such terms as the Board of Directors shall determine. Any Officer may be removed, with or without Cause, only by the Board of Directors. Vacancies in any office may be filled only by the Board of Directors.

 

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(d)    The Board of Directors may elect one of its members as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be an Officer of the Partnership and shall have the powers, duties and authorities assigned by the Board of Directors.

(e)    The Board of Directors may elect one of its members as Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise, the Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, as the case may be, shall be an Officer of the Partnership and shall have the powers, duties and authority of the chief executive officer of the Partnership and, as such, shall be responsible for the general and active management and direction of the Partnership and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect.

(f)    Subject to the limitations imposed by this Agreement, any employment agreement, any employee plan or any determination of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, shall have the powers, duties and authority of the chief executive officer of the Partnership and, as such, shall be responsible for the management of the business and affairs of the Partnership, its other Officers, employees and agents, shall supervise generally the affairs of the Partnership and shall have full authority to execute all documents and take all actions that the Partnership may legally take. The Chief Executive Officer shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by this Agreement or the Board of Directors, including any duties and powers stated in any employment agreement approved by the Board of Directors.

(g)    Subject to the limitations imposed by this Agreement, any employment agreement, any employee plan or any determination of the Board of Directors, the President, subject to the direction of the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, shall have the powers, duties and authority of the chief operating officer of the Partnership and, as such, shall be responsible for the direction of the day-to-day operations of the Partnership. In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall have all of the powers and duties conferred upon the Chief Executive Officer, including the same power as the Chief Executive Officer to execute documents on behalf of the Partnership. The President shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Chief Executive Officer, this Agreement, or the Board of Directors, including any duties and powers stated in any employment agreement approved by the Board of Directors.

(h)    In the absence of the President, each Vice President appointed by the Board of Directors shall have all of the powers and duties conferred upon the President, including the same power as the President to execute documents on behalf of the Partnership. Each such Vice President shall perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the President.

(i)    The Secretary shall record or cause to be recorded in books provided for that purpose the minutes of the meetings or actions of the Board of Directors and Unitholders, shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and as required by law, shall be custodian of all records (other than financial), shall see that the books, reports, statements, certificates and all other documents and records required by law are properly kept and filed, and, in general, shall perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him by this Agreement, the Board of Directors or the President. The Assistant Secretaries shall exercise the powers of the Secretary during that Officer’s absence or inability or refusal to act.

(j)    The Treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Partnership and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Partnership in such form and as often as required by this Agreement, the Board of Directors or the President. The Treasurer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Partnership. The Treasurer shall perform all other duties commonly incident to his or her office and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as this Agreement, the Board of Directors or the President, shall designate from time to time. The Assistant Treasurers shall exercise

 

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the power of the Treasurer during that Officer’s absence or inability or refusal to act. Each of the Assistant Treasurers shall possess the same power as the Treasurer to sign all certificates, contracts, obligations and other instruments of the Partnership. If no Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer is appointed and serving or in the absence of the appointed Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, or such other Officer as the Board of Directors shall select, shall have the powers and duties conferred upon the Treasurer.

(k)    The Board of Directors may appoint such other Officers and agents as may from time to time appear to be necessary or advisable in the conduct of the affairs of the Partnership, who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

(l)    The Board of Directors may grant powers of attorney or other authority as appropriate to establish and evidence the authority of the Officers and other Persons.

(m)    Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, no Officer shall have the power or authority to delegate to any Person such Officer’s rights and powers as an Officer to manage the business and affairs of the Partnership.

Section 7.9     Compensation of Directors . The members of the Board of Directors who are not employees of the Partnership, the General Partner or its Affiliates shall receive such compensation for their services as members of the Board of Directors or members of a committee of the Board of Directors shall determine. In addition, the members of the Board of Directors shall be entitled to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in the course of their service hereunder.

Section 7.10     Certificate of Limited Partnership . The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Marshall Islands as required by the Marshall Islands Act. The General Partner shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the Marshall Islands or any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the Board of Directors determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the Marshall Islands or of any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.

Section 7.11     Restrictions on the Authority of the Board of Directors and the General Partner .

(a)    Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither the Board of Directors nor the General Partner may, without written approval of the specific act by holders of all of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests or by other written instrument executed and delivered by holders of all of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests subsequent to the date of this Agreement, take any action in contravention of this Agreement.

(b)    Except as provided in Articles XII and XIV, the Board of Directors may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way of merger, consolidation, other combination or sale of ownership interests in the Partnership’s Subsidiaries) or dissolve the Partnership without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority and the General Partner; provided , however , that this provision shall not preclude or limit the ability of the Board of Directors to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the

 

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assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance. The transfer of the General Partner Interest to and the election of a successor general partner of the Partnership shall be made in accordance with Sections 4.6, 11.1 and 11.2.

Section 7.12     Reimbursement of the General Partner .

(a)    Except as provided in this Section 7.12 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.

(b)    The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the Board of Directors may determine, for any direct and indirect expenses it incurs that are allocable to the Partnership Group or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group, which amounts shall also include reimbursement for any Common Units purchased to satisfy obligations of the Partnership under any of its equity compensation plans). The Board of Directors shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.15.

(c)    The Board of Directors, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Securities or options to purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Securities in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the Partnership, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of employees of the Partnership, the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate thereof, or any of them, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Securities that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any employees pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Securities purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership or in the open market to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.12(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.12(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.

Section 7.13     Outside Activities .

(a)    After the Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in the Partnership), (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or equity securities in any Group Member and (iii) except to the extent permitted in the Omnibus Agreement, shall not acquire or own Vessel Assets (as such term is defined in the Omnibus Agreement).

 

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(b)    Navios Maritime Acquisition, Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners, Navios Maritime Midstream Partners, the Predecessor, the Partnership, the General Partner and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc. have entered into the Omnibus Agreement, which agreement sets forth certain restrictions on the ability of Navios Maritime Holdings and certain of its Affiliates to acquire or own Vessel Assets (as such term is defined in the Omnibus Agreement). The Omnibus Agreement may be amended by the General Partner.

(c)    Except as specifically restricted by Section 7.13(a) or the Omnibus Agreement, each Indemnitee (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty expressed or implied by law to any Group Member or any Partner. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the possessing of competitive interests and engaging in competitive activities by any Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.13 is hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners and (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of any fiduciary duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of the General Partner or of any Indemnitee for the Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership.

(d)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to an Indemnitee (including the General Partner) and, subject to the terms of Section 7.13(a), Section 7.13(b), Section 7.13(c) and the Omnibus Agreement, no Indemnitee (including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Partnership shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and, subject to the terms of Section 7.13(a), Section 7.13(b), Section 7.13(c) and the Omnibus Agreement, such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person for breach of any fiduciary or other duty by reason of the fact that such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires such opportunity for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership.

(e)    The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership Securities in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Units or other Partnership Securities acquired by them. The term “Affiliates” as used in this Section 7.13(e) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.

(f)    The General Partner may make contributions to the Partnership and share in the profits, losses and distributions from the Partnership in its capacity as a Limited Partner. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the General Partner has the rights and powers, and is subject to the restrictions, of a Limited Partner to the extent of its participation in the Partnership is as a Limited Partner and may act in its capacity as a Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement.

Section 7.14     Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members .

(a)    The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may lend to and/or borrow from any Group Member, and any Group Member may lend to and/or borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner and the Board of Directors may determine; provided , however , that in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated

 

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lenders on comparable loans made on an arms’-length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner and the Board of Directors. The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this Section 7.14(a), Section 7.14(b) and Section 7.14(c), the term “Group Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member.

(b)    The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the Board of Directors.

(c)    No borrowing by any Group Member or the approval thereof by the General Partner or the Board of Directors shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty, expressed or implied, of the General Partner or its Affiliates or the Board of Directors to the Partnership or the Limited Partners by reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or indirectly to enable distributions to the General Partner or its Affiliates (including in their capacities as Limited Partners) to exceed the General Partner’s Percentage Interest of the total amount distributed to all partners.

Section 7.15     Indemnification .

(a)    To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee; provided , however , that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.15, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; and, provided further , that no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.15 shall be available to the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than a Group Member) with respect to its or their obligations incurred pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and the Omnibus Agreement. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.15 shall be made out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

(b)    To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.15(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a determination that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized, in this Section 7.15.

(c)    The indemnification provided by this Section 7.15 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

(d)    The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the Board of Directors and the General Partner, its Affiliates and such other Persons as the Board of Directors shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense

 

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that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement or law.

(e)    For purposes of this Section 7.15, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by the Indemnitee of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.15(a); and action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.

(f)    In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

(g)    An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.15 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

(h)    The provisions of this Section 7.15 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their heirs, successors, assigns and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.15 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.15 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.16     Liability of Indemnitees .

(a)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners or any other Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Securities, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was criminal.

(b)    Subject to their obligations and duties as members of the Board of Directors or the General Partner, respectively, set forth in Section 7.1(a), members of the Board of Directors and the General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to them and perform any of the duties imposed upon them hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the members of the Board of Directors and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the Board of Directors or the General Partner in good faith.

(c)    To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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(d)    Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.16 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.16 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.17     Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties .

(a)    Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any member of the Board of Directors, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other, any resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of a majority of the Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) fair and reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner and the Board of Directors may but shall not be required in connection with the resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval of such resolution, and the General Partner or the Board of Directors, as the case may be, may also adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval. If Special Approval is not sought and the Board of Directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) above, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision the Board of Directors, acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by any Limited Partner or by or on behalf of such Limited Partner or any other Limited Partner or the Partnership challenging such approval, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement are hereby approved by all Partners.

(b)    Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. In order for a determination or other action to be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement, the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action must reasonably believe that the determination or other action is in the best interests of the Partnership, unless the context otherwise requires.

(c)    Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, are entitled to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner, and the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrase, “at

 

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the option of the General Partner,” or some variation of that phrase, is used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or transfers its Units or the General Partner Unit , to the extent permitted under this Agreement, or refrains from voting or transferring its Units or the General Partner Unit, as appropriate, it shall be acting in its individual capacity. The General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a limited partnership.

(d)    Whenever the Board of Directors makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the Board of Directors, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. In order for a determination or other action to be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement, the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action must reasonably believe that the determination or other action is in the best interests of the Partnership, unless the context otherwise requires.

(e)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither the Board of Directors nor the General Partner and its Affiliates shall have a duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by the Board of Directors or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall, in each case, be at their option.

(f)    Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither the General Partner nor the Board of Directors or any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the Board of Directors or the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Board of Directors or the General Partner or such other Indemnitee.

(g)    The Unitholders hereby authorize the Board of Directors, on behalf of the Partnership as a partner or member of a Group Member, to approve of actions by the general partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 7.17.

Section 7.18     Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and the Board of Directors .

(a)    The General Partner and the Board of Directors may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

(b)    The General Partner and the Board of Directors may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by either of them, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner or the Board of Directors reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.

 

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(c)    The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership.

Section 7.19     Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities . The Board of Directors may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Securities. As long as Partnership Securities are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Securities shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner may purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Securities for its own account, subject to the provisions of Articles IV and X.

Section 7.20     Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates .

(a)    At any time after the of the Closing Date, if any of the General Partner, Angeliki Frangou or any Person who was an Affiliate of the General Partner or Angeliki Frangou on or after the date of this Agreement (each, a “ Holder ”) (i) holds Partnership Securities that it desires to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from registration is not available to enable such holder of Partnership Securities to dispose of the number of Partnership Securities it desires to sell at the time it desires to do so without registration under the Securities Act, then at the option and upon the request of the Holder, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective and remain effective for a period of not less than six months following its effective date or such shorter period as shall terminate when all Partnership Securities covered by such registration statement have been sold, a registration statement under the Securities Act registering the offering and sale of the number of Partnership Securities specified by the Holder; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be required to effect more than five registrations in total pursuant to this Section 7.20(a), no more than three of which shall be required to be made at any time that the Partnership is not eligible to use Form F-3 (or a comparable form) for the registration under the Securities Act of its securities; and, provided further , that if the Conflicts Committee determines in good faith that the requested registration would be materially detrimental to the Partnership and its Partners, then the Partnership shall have the right to postpone such requested registration for a period of not more than six months after receipt of the Holder’s request which delays shall not exceed six months over the life of the Partnership. The Partnership shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to resolve any deferral with respect to any such registration and/or filing. In connection with any registration pursuant to this Section 7.20(a), the Partnership shall (i) promptly prepare and file (A) such documents as may be necessary to register or qualify the securities subject to such registration under the securities laws of such states as the Holder shall reasonably request ( provided , however , that no such qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Partnership would become subject to general service of process or to taxation or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership doing business in such jurisdiction solely as a result of such registration), and (B) such documents as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the Partnership Securities subject to such registration on such National Securities Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and (ii) do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or appropriate to enable the Holder to consummate a public sale of such Partnership Securities in such states. Except as set forth in Section 7.20(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(b)    If the Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act for an offering of Partnership Securities for cash (other than an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan), the Partnership shall use all its commercially reasonable efforts to include such number or amount of Partnership Securities held by any Holder in such registration statement as the Holder shall request; provided , however , that the Partnership is not required to make any effort or take any action to so include the Partnership Securities of the Holder once the registration statement becomes or is declared effective by the Commission, including any registration statement providing for the offering from time to time of Partnership Securities pursuant to Rule 415

 

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of the Securities Act. If the proposed offering pursuant to this Section 7.20(b) shall be an underwritten offering, then, in the event that the managing underwriter or managing underwriters of such offering advise the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in their opinion the inclusion of all or some of the Holder’s Partnership Securities would adversely and materially affect the pricing of the offering, the Partnership shall include in such offering only that number or amount, if any, of Partnership Securities held by the Holder that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or managing underwriters, will not so adversely and materially affect the offering. Except as set forth in Section 7.20(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(c)    If the Partnership grants to a Unitholder other than a Holder the right to demand or request the Partnership file a registration statement under the Securities Act for an offering of Partnership Securities and the other Unitholder exercises such right, then each Holder, at its option and upon request shall have the right to participate in, and offer such Partnership Securities under such registration statement. The Partnership shall as promptly as practicable but in no event later than five days after the receipt of a demand or request by a Unitholder, give written notice thereof to each Holder, which notice shall specify the number of Partnership Securities subject to the request or demand, the method of disposition of such Partnership Securities and, subject to Section 7.20(d), include in the registration statement filed pursuant to such demand or request all of the Partnership Securities requested by such Holder for inclusion in such registration statement from whom the Partnership has received a written request for inclusion therein within ten days after the receipt by such Holder of such written notice described in this Section 7.20(c). Each such request by such Holder shall specify the number of Partnership Securities proposed to be registered. The failure of any Holder to respond within such ten day period provided for in this Section 7.20(c) shall be deemed to be a waiver of such Holder’s rights under this Section 7.20(c). Any Holder may waive its rights under this Section 7.20(c) prior to the expiration of such ten day period by giving written notice to the Partnership. If a Holder sends the Partnership a written request for inclusion of part or all of such Holder’s Partnership Securities in a registration, such Holder shall be entitled to withdraw such request by giving written notice to the Partnership of its intention to withdraw from such registration; provided, however, that such request for withdrawal must be made in writing prior to the execution of the underwriting agreement with respect to such registration. Except as set forth in Section 7.20(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(d)    If underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred to in this Section 7.20, the Partnership shall provide indemnification, representations, covenants, opinions and other assurance to the underwriters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such underwriters. Further, in addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under Section 7.15, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “ Indemnified Persons ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, actions, causes of action, assessments, damages, liabilities (joint or several), costs and expenses (including interest, penalties and reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements), resulting to, imposed upon, or incurred by the Indemnified Persons, directly or indirectly, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.20(c) as a “ claim ” and in the plural as “ claims ”) based upon, arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement under which any Partnership Securities were registered under the Securities Act or any state securities or Blue Sky laws, in any preliminary prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (if used prior to the effective date of such registration statement), or in any summary, free writing or final prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the period the Partnership is required to keep the registration statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement, such preliminary, summary, free writing or final prospectus or such amendment or

 

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supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

(e)    The provisions of Section 7.20(a), Section 7.20(b) and Section 7.20(c) shall continue to be applicable with respect to each Holder (and any of the Holder’s Affiliates) for a period of two years subsequent to the later of the (i) General Partner’s withdrawal or removal and (ii) date on which the Holder ceases to be an Affiliate, and for so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to sell all of the Partnership Securities with respect to which it has requested during such two-year period inclusion in a registration statement otherwise filed or that a registration statement be filed; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be required to file successive registration statements covering the same Partnership Securities for which registration was demanded during such two-year period. The provisions of Section 7.20(c) shall continue in effect thereafter.

(f)    The rights to cause the Partnership to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 7.20 may be assigned (but only with all related obligations) by a Holder to a transferee or assignee of such Partnership Securities, provided (i) the Partnership is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the Partnership Securities with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned, and (ii) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms set forth in this Section 7.20.

(g)    Any request to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 7.20 shall (i) specify the Partnership Securities intended to be offered and sold by the Person making the request, (ii) express such Person’s present intent to offer such Partnership Securities for distribution, (iii) describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership Securities, and (iv) contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and materials and take all action as may be required in order to permit the Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements in connection with the registration of such Partnership Securities.

Section 7.21     Reliance by Third Parties . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the Board of Directors, the General Partner and any Officer authorized by the Board of Directors to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Board of Directors, the General Partner, the Officers or representatives of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner or the Board of Directors shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.

ARTICLE VIII

BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

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and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the Record Holders of Units or other Partnership Securities, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided , however , that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Section 8.2     Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.

Section 8.3     Reports .

(a)    As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Partnership, the Partnership shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on the Partnership’s website), to each Record Holder of a Unit as of a date selected by the Board of Directors, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the Board of Directors.

(b)    As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the close of each Quarter except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the Partnership shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on the Partnership’s website), to each Record Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the Board of Directors, a report containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate.

ARTICLE IX

TAX MATTERS

Section 9.1     Tax Elections and Information .

(a)    The Partnership will elect to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Board of Directors shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.

(b)    The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders generally for U.S. federal and state income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable year shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable year ends.

(c)    Each Partner shall provide the Partnership with all information reasonably requested by the Partnership to enable the Partnership to claim the exemption from U.S. federal income tax under Section 883 of the Code.

Section 9.2     Withholding . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Board of Directors is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other U.S. federal, state, local or any non-U.S. law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442 and 1445 of the Code. To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the distribution of income to any Partner, the Board of Directors may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash to such Partner in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.

 

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Section 9.3     Conduct of Operations . The Board of Directors and the General Partner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct the business of the Partnership and its Affiliates in a manner that does not require a holder of Common Units to file a tax return in any jurisdiction with which the holder has no contact other than through ownership of Common Units.

ARTICLE X

ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

Section 10.1     Admission of Initial Partners . Upon the consummation of the Conversion Transaction and the issuance by the Partnership of the General Partner Unit and Common Units to the General Partner, Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners, and the other Initial Limited Partners as described in Sections 5.1 and 5.2, the Board of Directors shall admit each such Person to the Partnership (a) as general partner in respect of the General Partner Unit issued to it and (b) as Initial Limited Partner in respect of Common Units issued to it.

Section 10.2     Admission of Additional Limited Partners .

(a)    By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance with Article IV or the acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to Article V or pursuant to a merger or consolidation pursuant to Article XIV, each transferee of, or other such Person acquiring, a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when any such transfer, issuance or admission is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership and such Limited Partner becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred, (ii) shall become bound by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, (iv) grants the powers of attorney set forth in this Agreement and (v) makes the consents and waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Person. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may become a Limited Partner or Record Holder of a Limited Partner Interest without the consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner until such Person acquires a Limited Partner Interest and such Person is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest.

(b)    The name and mailing address of each Limited Partner shall be listed on the books and records of the Partnership maintained for such purpose by the Partnership or the Transfer Agent. The General Partner shall update the books and records of the Partnership from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable). A Limited Partner Interest may be represented by a Certificate, as provided in Section 4.1 hereof.

(c)    Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to receive distributions or to any other rights to which the transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section  10.2(a).

Section 10.3     Admission of Successor General Partner . A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit) pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner, pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit) pursuant to Section 4.6; provided , however , that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.

 

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Section 10.4     Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership . To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the Board of Directors shall take all steps necessary or appropriate under the Marshall Islands Act to amend the records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the Board of Directors shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership and the Board of Directors may for this purpose, among others, exercise the power of attorney granted to it pursuant to Section 2.6.

ARTICLE XI

WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

Section 11.1     Withdrawal of the General Partner .

(a)    The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “ Event of Withdrawal ”):

(i)    The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving at least 90 days’ advanced written notice to the other Partners;

(ii)    The General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner pursuant to Section 4.6;

(iii)    The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;

(iv)    The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary petition in bankruptcy; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A), (B) or (C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;

(v)    The General Partner is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, or has entered against it an order for relief in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding;

(vi)    (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, the filing of a certificate of dissolution, or its equivalent, for the corporation or the revocation of its charter and the expiration of 90 days after the date of notice to the corporation of revocation without a reinstatement of its charter; (B) in the event the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise in the event of the termination of the General Partner.

If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Sections 11.1(a)(iv), 11.1(a)(v) or 11.1(a)(vi)(A), 11.1(a)(vi)(B), 11.1(a)(vi)(C) or 11.1(a)(vi)(E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.

(b)    Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement if the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to:

(i)    Section 11.1(a)(i);

(ii)    Section 11.1(a)(ii); or

 

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(iii)    is removed pursuant to Section 11.2.

The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein or, if applicable, the Partnership does not receive an Opinion of Counsel (“ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or any Group Member, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.

Section 11.2     Removal of the General Partner . The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders holding at least 75% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates), voting as a single class. Any such action by such Unitholders or the Board of Directors for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the majority vote of the Outstanding Units, voting together as a single class. Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.3. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.3, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.

Section 11.3     Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner .

(a)    In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner or (ii) removal of the General Partner, the Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.12, including any employee-related liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the Departing General Partner for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members.

Section 11.4     Withdrawal of Limited Partners . No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided , however , that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.

ARTICLE XII

DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

Section 12.1     Dissolution . The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

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Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and the Board of Directors shall continue the business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall be wound up, upon:

(a)    an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner and our Board of Directors that is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;

(b)    at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Marshall Islands Act;

(c)    the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Marshall Islands Act; or

(d)    an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and an Opinion of Counsel is received as provided in Sections 11.1(b) or 11.2 and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.3.

Section 12.2     Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution . Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Sections 11.1(a)(i) or 11.1(a)(iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2, then within 90 days thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Sections 11.1(a)(iv), 11.1(a)(v) or 11.1(a)(vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:

(a)    the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII; and

(b)    the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement; provided , however , that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to reconstitute and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner.

Section 12.3     Liquidator . Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2, the Board of Directors shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the

 

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parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the Board of Directors and the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.11(b)) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.

Section 12.4     Liquidation . The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 60 of the Marshall Islands Act and the following:

(a)    The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value, and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.

(b)    Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.

(c)    All property and all cash in excess of that required to discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Unitholders in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.

Section 12.5     Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership . Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the Marshall Islands shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.

Section 12.6     Return of Contributions . The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.

Section 12.7     Waiver of Partition . To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

Section 13.1     Amendments to be Adopted Without Approval of the Limited Partners or the General Partner . The General Partner and each Limited Partner agree that the Board of Directors, without the approval of any Limited Partner or, subject to Section 5.4, the General Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement

 

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and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:

(a)    a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;

(b)    admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;

(c)    a change that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of the Marshall Islands;

(d)    a change that the Board of Directors determines (i) does not adversely affect the Limited Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any Marshall Islands authority (including the Marshall Islands Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 5.7 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed in the Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;

(e)    a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the Board of Directors shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;

(f)    an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, the members of the Board of Directors, or the General Partner or its or their directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such regulations are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;

(g)    an amendment that the Board of Directors, and if required by Section 5.4, the General Partner, determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization of issuance of any class or series of Partnership Securities pursuant to Section 5.4;

(h)    any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the Board of Directors acting alone;

(i)    an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved in accordance with Section 14.3;

(j)    an amendment that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other Person, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4;

(k)    a conversion, merger or conveyance pursuant to Section 14.3; or

(l)    any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.

 

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Section 13.2     Amendment Procedures . Except as provided in Sections 13.1 and 13.3, all amendments to this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the following requirements. Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by, or with the written consent of, the Board of Directors; provided , however , that the Board of Directors shall have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to propose an amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation. A proposed amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the Board of Directors and the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage is required under this Agreement or by the Marshall Islands Act. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the Board of Directors shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The Board of Directors shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any such proposed amendments.

Section 13.3     Amendment Requirements .

(a)    Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner or its Affiliates) required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of reducing such voting percentage unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

(b)    Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such enlargement shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c), (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld at the General Partner’s option, (iii) change Section 12.1(a), or (iv) change the term of the Partnership or, except as set forth in Section 12.1(a), give any Person the right to dissolve the Partnership.

(c)    Except as provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the Board of Directors’ authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Limited Partners as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class affected.

(d)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable law.

(e)    Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.

Section 13.4     Special Meetings . All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner, the Board of Directors or by Limited Partners owning 25% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering

 

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to the Board of Directors one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the general or specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called, it being understood that the purposes of such special meeting may only be to vote on matters that require the vote of the Unitholders pursuant to this Agreement. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the Board of Directors shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the mailing of notice of the meeting. Limited Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Marshall Islands Act or the law of any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.

Section 13.5     Notice of a Meeting . Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1. The notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written communication.

Section 13.6     Record Date . For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11, the Board of Directors may set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which Limited Partners are requested in writing by the Board of Directors to give such approvals. If the Board of Directors does not set a Record Date, then (a) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, and (b) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to give approvals without a meeting shall be the date the first written approval is deposited with the Partnership in care of the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 13.11.

Section 13.7     Adjournment . When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.

Section 13.8     Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes . The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove the consideration of matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at the meeting.

Section 13.9     Quorum and Voting . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 13.9, the holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a

 

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quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote and be present in person or by proxy at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a greater or different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be required. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units specified in this Agreement (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner). In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote of holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote at such meeting (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as provided in Section 13.7 or this Section 13.9. At any adjourned annual meeting of the Limited Partners that is a continuation of an annual meeting adjourned due to the absence of a quorum, the holders of Outstanding Units present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereat, shall constitute a quorum at such adjourned meeting for the transaction of any business brought before such adjourned meeting and the act of the Limited Partners holding a majority of the units represented in person or by proxy at such adjourned meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners.

Section 13.10     Conduct of a Meeting . The Board of Directors shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in writing.

Section 13.11     Action Without a Meeting . If authorized by the Board of Directors, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner) that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved the action in writing. The Board of Directors may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the Board of Directors. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Units held by the Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the Board of Directors, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care of the Board of Directors, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are deposited with the Partnership and (c) an

 

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Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the Board of Directors to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the applicable statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.

Section 13.12     Right to Vote and Related Matters.

(a)    Only those Record Holders of the Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “ Outstanding ”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.

(b)    With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), in whose name such Units are registered, such other Person shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section  4.3.

ARTICLE XIV

MERGER

Section 14.1     Authority . The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership)), pursuant to a written agreement of merger or consolidation (“ Merger Agreement ”) in accordance with this Article XIV.

Section 14.2     Procedure for Merger or Consolidation . Merger or consolidation of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the approval of the Board of Directors and the prior consent of the General Partner; provided , however , that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, neither the Board of Directors nor the General Partner shall have a duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger or consolidation, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. If the Board of Directors and the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the Board of Directors and the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:

(a)    the names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;

(b)    the name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “ Surviving Business Entity ”);

(c)    the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;

 

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(d)    the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (i) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other Person (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (ii) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other Person (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;

(e)    a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;

(f)    the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement ( provided , that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and

(g)    such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the Board of Directors and the General Partner determine to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 14.3     Approval by Limited Partners of Merger or Consolidation .

(a)    Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the Board of Directors, upon its and the General Partner’s approval of the Merger Agreement, shall direct that the Merger Agreement be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent.

(b)    Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority.

(c)    Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger or consolidation may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement.

(d)    Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the Board of Directors is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity which shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the Board of Directors has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner, (ii) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing instruments of the new

 

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entity provide the Limited Partners, the General Partner and the Board of Directors with the same rights and obligations as are herein contained.

(e)    Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the Board of Directors, with the prior consent of the General Partner, is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another entity if (i) the Board of Directors has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner, (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Securities to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Securities Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

Section 14.4     Certificate of Merger . Upon the required approval by the Board of Directors, the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement, a certificate of merger shall be executed and filed in conformity with the requirements of the Marshall Islands Act.

Section 14.5     Amendment of Partnership Agreement . Pursuant to Section 20(2) of the Marshall Islands Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with Section 20(2) of the Marshall Islands Act may (a) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for a limited partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.5 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.

Section 14.6     Effect of Merger .

(a)    At the effective time of the certificate of merger:

(i)    all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;

(ii)    the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;

(iii)    all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and

(iv)    all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.

(b)    A merger or consolidation effected pursuant to this Article shall not be deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to another.

 

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ARTICLE XV

RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

Section 15.1     Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests .

(a)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed.

(b)    If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the Transfer Agent notice of such election to purchase (the “ Notice of Election to Purchase ”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10, but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be published for a period of at least three consecutive days in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation printed in the English language and published in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the records of the Transfer Agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate shall not have been surrendered for purchase, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI and XII) shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive the applicable purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, on the record books of the Transfer Agent and the Partnership, and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the owner of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the owner of such Limited Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI and XII).

(c)    At any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his Certificate evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section 15.1(a), without interest thereon.

 

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ARTICLE XVI

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 16.1     Addresses and Notices .

(a)    Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Securities at his address as shown on the records of the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the records of the Partnership, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Securities by reason of any assignment or otherwise. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by a member of the Board of Directors, the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing on the books and records of the Transfer Agent or the Partnership is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner or the Board of Directors at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General Partner and the Board of Directors may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.

Section 16.2     Further Action . The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

Section 16.3     Binding Effect . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

Section 16.4     Integration . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.

Section 16.5     Creditors . None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.

Section 16.6     Waiver . No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

Section 16.7     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Limited Partner Interest, pursuant to Section 10.2(a) without execution hereof.

 

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Section 16.8     Applicable Law . This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of The Republic of the Marshall Islands, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.

Section 16.9     Invalidity of Provisions . If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected thereby.

Section 16.10     Consent of Partners . Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.

Section 16.11     Facsimile Signatures . The use of facsimile signatures affixed in the name and on behalf of the transfer agent and registrar of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.

Section 16.12     Third-Party Beneficiaries . Each Partner agrees that any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee.

[ Remainder of this page intentionally left blank, signature page follows ]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement of Limited Partnership as a Deed as of the date first written above.

 

GENERAL PARTNER:
Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
LIMITED PARTNERS:
All Limited Partners now and hereafter admitted as Limited Partners of the Partnership, pursuant to powers of attorney now and hereafter executed in favor of, and granted and delivered to the Board of Directors.
By:   Angeliki Frangou, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Navios Maritime Containers L.P., as attorney-in-fact for all Limited Partners pursuant to the Power of Attorney granted under Section 2.6

 

Name:   Angeliki Frangou
Title:   Attorney-in-Fact

[ Signature page to limited partnership agreement of Navios Maritime Container L.P. ]

 

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Common Units

 

LOGO

Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

Prospectus

 

 

J.P. Morgan   BofA Merrill Lynch   Citigroup   Clarksons Platou Securities

S. Goldman Advisors LLC

                    , 2018.

Through and including                     , 2018, (the 25 th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in the common units, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.

 

 

 


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 9 of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Revised Partnership Act provides as follows:

Indemnification . Subject to such standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its partnership agreement, a partnership may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against all claims and demands whatsoever.

The section of the prospectus entitled “The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification” discloses that we will generally indemnify our directors and officers and the other affiliates of our general partner to the fullest extent permitted by the law against all losses, claims, damages or similar events and is incorporated herein by this reference. Reference is also made to the Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement in which Navios Holdings and certain of the Navios entities will agree to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and to contribute to payments that may be required to be made in respect of these liabilities.

Item 7. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

Since our formation on April 28, 2017, we have made the following sales of unregistered securities:

On June 8, 2017, Navios Maritime Containers Inc. (“NMCI”) issued an aggregate of 10,057,645 shares to 19 investors, including Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (“Navios Partners”) and Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (“Navios Holdings”), which also received warrants, with a five-year term, for 6.8% and 1.7%, respectively, of the first $125 million of NMCI equity (excluding shares issued to Navios Partners and Navios Holdings).

On August 29, 2017, NMCI issued an aggregate of 10,000,000 shares to 24 investors, including Navios Partners.

On November 9, 2017, NMCI issued an aggregate of 9,090,909 shares to 20 investors, including Navios Partners.

On March 13, 2018, NMCI issued an aggregate of 5,454,546 shares to 20 investors, including Navios Partners and Navios Holdings.

The issuances of the securities in the transactions described above were deemed to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation S promulgated thereunder. The securities were issued directly by Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and did not involve a public offering or general solicitation. The recipients of such securities represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment purposes only and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, any distribution thereof.

There have been no other sales of unregistered securities since March 13, 2018.

Item 8. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  1.1*

   Form of Underwriting Agreement.

  2.1*

   Form of Amended and Restated Plan of Conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

 

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Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  2.2

   Form of Certificate of Conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

  3.1

   Form of Certificate of Limited Partnership of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

  3.2

   Form of Agreement of Limited Partnership of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

  3.3

   Certificate of Formation of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

  5.1*

   Opinion of Reeder & Simpson, P.C. as to the legality of the securities being registered

  8.1*

   Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP relating to certain tax matters

10.1

   Supplemental Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, to Facility Agreement, dated May 30, 2008, giving effect to Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.1.1

   Supplemental Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, to the Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.1.2

   Supplemental Agreement, dated December 1, 2017, to the Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.1.3

   Supplemental Agreement, dated June 29, 2018, to the Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.2

   Facility Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.2.1

   Supplemental Agreement, dated December 1, 2017, to the Facility Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.2.2

   Supplemental Agreement, dated June 29, 2018, to the Facility Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.3

   Loan Agreement, dated December 20, 2017, among Theros Ventures Limited, Legato Shipholding Inc., Peran Maritime Inc., Zoner Shiptrade S.A. and BNP Paribas.

10.4

   Loan Agreement, dated May 25, 2018, among Nefeli Navigation S.A., the banks and financial institutions listed therein and BNP Paribas.

10.5

   Loan Agreement, dated June 28, 2018, among Fairy Shipping Corporation, Limestone Shipping Corporation, the banks and financial institutions listed therein and HSH Nordbank AG.

10.6

   Omnibus Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, among Navios Maritime Containers Inc., Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc.

10.7

   Management Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.7.1

   Amendment No. 1 to Management Agreement, dated November 23, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

 

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Exhibit

Number

  

Description

10.7.2

   Amendment No. 2 to Management Agreement, dated April 23, 2018, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.7.3

   Amendment No. 3 to Management Agreement, dated June 1, 2018, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.8

   Administrative Services Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.9

   Share Purchase Agreement, dated June 11, 2018, between Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

21.1

   List of Subsidiaries of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

23.1

   Consent of Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A.

23.2**

   Consent of Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd.

23.3*

   Consent of Reeder & Simpson, P.C. (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

23.5*

   Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (contained in Exhibit 8.1)

24.1**

   Power of Attorney (listed on signature page to the registration statement)

 

* To be provided by amendment
** Previously filed.

Item 9. Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:

(1) for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2) for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

II-3


Table of Contents

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  1.1*

   Form of Underwriting Agreement.

  2.1*

   Form of Amended and Restated Plan of Conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

  2.2

   Form of Certificate of Conversion of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

  3.1

   Form of Certificate of Limited Partnership of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

  3.2

   Form of Agreement of Limited Partnership of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

  3.3

   Certificate of Formation of Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

  5.1*

   Opinion of Reeder & Simpson, P.C. as to the legality of the securities being registered

  8.1*

   Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP relating to certain tax matters

10.1

   Supplemental Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, to Facility Agreement, dated May 30, 2008, giving effect to Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June  30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.1.1

   Supplemental Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, to the Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.1.2

   Supplemental Agreement, dated December  1, 2017, to the Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.1.3

   Supplemental Agreement, dated June 29, 2018, to the Amended and Restated Facility Agreement, dated June 30, 2017, among Olympia II Navigation Limited, Sui An Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Clan Navigation Limited and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.2

   Facility Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.2.1

   Supplemental Agreement, dated December 1, 2017, to the Facility Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.2.2

   Supplemental Agreement, dated June 29, 2018, to the Facility Agreement, dated July 27, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

10.3

   Loan Agreement, dated December 20, 2017, among Theros Ventures Limited, Legato Shipholding Inc., Peran Maritime Inc., Zoner Shiptrade S.A. and BNP Paribas.

10.4

   Loan Agreement, dated May 25, 2018, among Nefeli Navigation S.A., the banks and financial institutions listed therein and BNP Paribas.

10.5

   Loan Agreement, dated June 28, 2018, among Fairy Shipping Corporation, Limestone Shipping Corporation, the banks and financial institutions listed therein and HSH Nordbank AG.

10.6

   Omnibus Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, among Navios Maritime Containers Inc., Navios Acquisition, Navios Holdings, Navios Partners, Navios Midstream and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc.

 

II-4


Table of Contents

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

10.7

   Management Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.7.1

   Amendment No. 1 to Management Agreement, dated November 23, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.7.2

   Amendment No. 2 to Management Agreement, dated April 23, 2018, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.7.3

   Amendment No. 3 to Management Agreement, dated June 1, 2018, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.8

   Administrative Services Agreement, dated June 7, 2017, between Navios Maritime Containers Inc. and Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

10.9

   Share Purchase Agreement, dated June 11, 2018, between Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

21.1

   List of Subsidiaries of Navios Maritime Containers L.P.

23.1

   Consent of Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A.

23.2**

   Consent of Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd.

23.3*

   Consent of Reeder & Simpson, P.C. (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

23.5*

   Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (contained in Exhibit 8.1)

24.1**

   Power of Attorney (listed on signature page to the registration statement)

 

* To be provided by amendment
** Previously filed.

 

II-5


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-1 and has duly caused this Registration Statement (No. 333-225677) on Form F-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Monte Carlo, Country of Monaco on the 3 rd day of July, 2018.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.
By:        

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement (No. 333-225677) has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

Angeliki Frangou

   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   July 3, 2018

/s/ Chris Christopoulos

Chris Christopoulos

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   July 3, 2018

*

Vasiliki Papaefthymiou

   Secretary   July 3, 2018

*

John Halvatzis

   Director   July 3, 2018

*

Konstantinos Maratos

   Director   July 3, 2018

*

Ted C. Petrone

   Director   July 3, 2018

*

Ifigeneia Tzavela

   Director   July 3, 2018
* By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

Angeliki Frangou

Attorney-in-Fact

    

 

II-6


Table of Contents

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, a duly authorized representative of Navios Maritime Containers Inc. in the United States, has signed the Registration Statement in the City of Newark, State of Delaware on the 3 rd day of July, 2018.

PUGLISI & ASSOCIATES

Authorized Representative
By:        

/s/ Donald J. Puglisi

  Name: Donald J. Puglisi
  Title: Managing Director

 

II-7

Exhibit 2.2

Certificate of Conversion

 

 

THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION

FROM A CORPORATION TO A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

Pursuant to Section 23 of the Limited Partnership Act of the Republic of Marshall Islands and Section 133 of the Business Corporations Act of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the undersigned, on behalf of Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands with Reg. No. 90521 (the “Corporation”), does hereby submit this Certificate of Conversion for the purpose of converting the Corporation to a limited partnership organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

1.    The name of the Corporation is “Navios Maritime Containers Inc.”
2.    The original articles of incorporation of the Corporation were filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on April 28, 2017 and the Corporation was thereby first incorporated on April 28, 2017.
3.    The name of the limited partnership into which the Corporation shall be converted as set forth in the certificate of limited partnership therefor being filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in accordance with Section 23 of the Limited Partnership Act of the Republic of Marshall Islands is “Navios Maritime Containers L.P.”
4.    The conversion of the Corporation into a limited partnership being effected pursuant to this Certificate (the “Conversion”) has been approved in accordance with Section 133 with of the Business Corporations Act of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
5.    The Conversion shall be effective as of the filing date of this Certificate of Conversion with the Registrar of Corporations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned being duly authorized to sign on behalf of the converting corporation has executed this Certificate on this                  day of                 , 20__.

 

Navios Maritime Containers Inc.

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

Exhibit 3.1

CERTIFICATE OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

OF

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

 

1. The name of the limited partnership is “Navios Maritime Containers L.P.”

 

2. The address of its registered office in the Republic of the Marshall Islands is Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Island, Ajeltake Road, Majuro, Marshall Islands MII 9696. The name of its registered agent at such address is the Trust Company of the Marshall Islands, Inc. Unless and until changed, the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the United States is CT Corporation System located at 111 8 th Avenue, New York, New York 10011.

 

3. The name and mailing address of the general partner is as follows:

 

Name

  

Address

Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC [or another wholly owned subsidiary designated by Navios Maritime Holdings Inc.]   

7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne,

Office 11B2

Monte Carlo, MC 98000

Monaco

 

4. This Certificate shall be effective at         

 

5. Following a dissolution of the Partnership and the general partner shall file a certificate of dissolution with the Registrar of Corporations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned being duly authorized to sign on behalf of the general partner of the limited partnership subject hereto has executed this Certificate on this                  day of                 , 20      .

 

Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC [or another wholly owned subsidiary designated by Navios Maritime Holdings Inc.]

By:

 
 

 

 

Name:  

 

Title:   

Exhibit 3.2

FORM OF AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

                Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     B-1  
  Section 1.1      Definitions      B-1  
  Section 1.2      Construction      B-9  

ARTICLE II ORGANIZATION

     B-9  
  Section 2.1      Formation      B-9  
  Section 2.2      Name      B-9  
  Section 2.3      Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices      B-10  
  Section 2.4      Purpose and Business      B-10  
  Section 2.5      Powers      B-10  
  Section 2.6      Power of Attorney      B-10  
  Section 2.7      Term      B-11  
  Section 2.8      Title to Partnership Assets      B-11  

ARTICLE III RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

     B-12  
  Section 3.1      Limitation of Liability      B-12  
  Section 3.2      Management of Business      B-12  
  Section 3.3      Outside Activities of the Limited Partners      B-12  
  Section 3.4      Rights of Limited Partners      B-12  

ARTICLE IV CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

     B-13  
  Section 4.1      Certificates      B-13  
  Section 4.2      Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates      B-13  
  Section 4.3      Record Holders      B-14  
  Section 4.4      Transfer Generally      B-14  
  Section 4.5      Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests      B-14  
  Section 4.6      Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest      B-15  
  Section 4.7     

Restrictions on Transfers

     B-15  

ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

     B-15  
  Section 5.1     

Initial General Partner Unit Issuances

     B-15  
  Section 5.2     

Initial Limited Partner Unit Issuances; Initial Offering Unit Issuances

     B-15  
  Section 5.3      Interest and Withdrawal      B-16  
  Section 5.4      Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities      B-16  
  Section 5.5      Limitations on Issuance of Additional Partnership Securities      B-17  
  Section 5.6      Limited Preemptive Right      B-17  
  Section 5.7      Splits and Combinations      B-17  
  Section 5.8      Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests      B-17  

ARTICLE VI DISTRIBUTIONS

     B-18  
  Section 6.1      Requirement and Characterization of Distributions      B-18  
  Section 6.2      Distributions to Record Holders      B-18  

 

i


                Page  

ARTICLE VII MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

     B-18  
  Section 7.1      Management      B-18  
  Section 7.2      The Board of Directors; Election and Appointment; Term; Manner of Acting      B-20  
  Section 7.3      Nominations of Elected Directors      B-20  
  Section 7.4      Removal of Members of Board of Directors      B-21  
  Section 7.5      Resignations of Members of the Board of Directors      B-21  
  Section 7.6      Vacancies on the Board of Directors      B-21  
  Section 7.7      Meetings; Committees; Chairman      B-21  
  Section 7.8      Officers      B-22  
  Section 7.9      Compensation of Directors      B-24  
  Section 7.10      Certificate of Limited Partnership      B-24  
  Section 7.11      Restrictions on the Authority of the Board of Directors and the General Partner      B-24  
  Section 7.12      Reimbursement of the General Partner      B-25  
  Section 7.13      Outside Activities      B-25  
  Section 7.14      Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members      B-26  
  Section 7.15      Indemnification      B-27  
  Section 7.16      Liability of Indemnitees      B-28  
  Section 7.17      Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties      B-29  
  Section 7.18      Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and the Board of Directors      B-30  
  Section 7.19      Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities      B-31  
  Section 7.20      Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates      B-31  
  Section 7.21      Reliance by Third Parties      B-33  

ARTICLE VIII BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

     B-33  
  Section 8.1      Records and Accounting      B-33  
  Section 8.2      Fiscal Year      B-34  
  Section 8.3      Reports      B-34  

ARTICLE IX TAX MATTERS

     B-34  
  Section 9.1      Tax Elections and Information      B-34  
  Section 9.2      Withholding      B-34  
  Section 9.3      Conduct of Operations      B-35  

ARTICLE X ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

     B-35  
  Section 10.1      Admission of Initial Partners      B-35  
  Section 10.2      Admission of Additional Limited Partners      B-35  
  Section 10.3      Admission of Successor General Partner      B-35  
  Section 10.4      Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership      B-36  

ARTICLE XI WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

     B-36  
  Section 11.1      Withdrawal of the General Partner      B-36  
  Section 11.2      Removal of the General Partner      B-37  
  Section 11.3      Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner      B-37  
  Section 11.4      Withdrawal of Limited Partners      B-37  

 

ii


                Page  

ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

     B-37  
  Section 12.1      Dissolution      B-37  
  Section 12.2      Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution      B-38  
  Section 12.3      Liquidator      B-38  
  Section 12.4      Liquidation      B-39  
  Section 12.5      Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership      B-39  
  Section 12.6      Return of Contributions      B-39  
  Section 12.7      Waiver of Partition      B-39  

ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

     B-39  
  Section 13.1      Amendments to be Adopted Without Approval of the Limited Partners or the General Partner      B-39  
  Section 13.2      Amendment Procedures      B-41  
  Section 13.3      Amendment Requirements.      B-41  
  Section 13.4      Special Meetings      B-41  
  Section 13.5      Notice of a Meeting      B-42  
  Section 13.6      Record Date      B-42  
  Section 13.7      Adjournment      B-42  
  Section 13.8      Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes      B-42  
  Section 13.9      Quorum and Voting      B-42  
  Section 13.10      Conduct of a Meeting      B-43  
  Section 13.11      Action Without a Meeting      B-43  
  Section 13.12      Right to Vote and Related Matters      B-44  

ARTICLE XIV MERGER

     B-44  
  Section 14.1      Authority      B-44  
  Section 14.2      Procedure for Merger or Consolidation      B-44  
  Section 14.3      Approval by Limited Partners of Merger or Consolidation.      B-45  
  Section 14.4      Certificate of Merger      B-46  
  Section 14.5      Amendment of Partnership Agreement      B-46  
  Section 14.6      Effect of Merger      B-46  

ARTICLE XV RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

     B-47  
  Section 15.1      Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests.      B-47  

ARTICLE XVI GENERAL PROVISIONS

     B-48  
  Section 16.1      Addresses and Notices      B-48  
  Section 16.2      Further Action      B-48  
  Section 16.3      Binding Effect      B-48  
  Section 16.4      Integration      B-48  
  Section 16.5      Creditors      B-48  
  Section 16.6      Waiver      B-48  
  Section 16.7      Counterparts      B-48  
  Section 16.8      Applicable Law      B-49  
  Section 16.9      Invalidity of Provisions      B-49  
  Section 16.10      Consent of Partners      B-49  
  Section 16.11      Facsimile Signatures      B-49  
  Section 16.12      Third-Party Beneficiaries      B-49  

 

iii


AGREEMENT OF LIMITED

PARTNERSHIP OF NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

THIS AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P., dated as of [●], [●], is entered into by and between NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS GP LLC, a Marshall Islands limited liability company, as the General Partner, NAVIOS MARITIME HOLDINGS INC., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (or any permitted successors and assigns hereunder), as a Limited Partner, and the other Initial Limited Partners, together with any other Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1     Definitions . The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.

Acquisition ” means any transaction in which any Group Member acquires (through an asset acquisition, merger, stock acquisition or other form of investment) control over all or a portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for the purpose of increasing the operating capacity or asset base of the Partnership Group from the operating capacity or asset base of the Partnership Group existing immediately prior to such transaction; provided however, that any acquisition of properties or assets of another Person that is made solely for investment purposes shall not constitute an Acquisition under this Agreement.

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “ control ” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreed Value ” means the fair market value of the applicable property or other consideration at the time of contribution or distribution, as the case may be, as determined by the Board of Directors.

Agreement ” means this Agreement of Limited Partnership of Navios Maritime Containers L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Annual Meeting ” means the meeting of Limited Partners to be held every year commencing in 2019 to elect the Elected Directors as provided in Section 7.2 and to vote on any other matters brought before the meeting in accordance with this Agreement.

Appointed Directors ” means the members of the Board of Directors appointed by the General Partner in accordance with the provisions of Article VII.

Associate ” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person: (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.

 

1


Audit Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed of a minimum of three members of the Board of Directors then serving who meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and meet the standards for audit committee composition established by the National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading.

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Partnership, composed of Appointed Directors and Elected Directors appointed or elected, as the case may be, in accordance with the provisions of Article VII and a majority of whom are not United States citizens or residents, which, pursuant to Section 7.1, and subject to Section 7.11, oversees and directs the operations, management and policies of the Partnership. The Board of Directors shall constitute a committee within the meaning of Section 30(2)(g) of the Marshall Islands Act.

Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of New York shall not be regarded as a Business Day.

Capital Contribution ” means any (a) with respect to any Partner, cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions) or (b) with respect to the General Partner only, (i) distributions of cash that the General Partner is entitled to receive but otherwise waives such that the Partnership retains such cash or (ii) Common Units that the General Partner contributes to the Partnership.

Cause ” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding a member of the Board of Directors has engaged in actual fraud or willful misconduct in his or her, as the case may be, capacity as a member of the Board of Directors.

Certificate ” means a certificate issued in global or book entry form in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Depositary or in such other form as may be adopted by the Board of Directors, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more Common Units or a certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the Board of Directors, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more other Partnership Securities.

Certificate of Limited Partnership ” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Marshall Islands as referenced in Section 7.10 as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

claim ” (as used in Section 7.20(c)) has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.20(c).

Closing Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.

Closing Price ” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of determination, the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the respective Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the last quoted price on such day or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by any quotation system then in use with respect to such Limited Partner Interests, or, if on any such day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Limited Partner

 

2


Interests of such class selected by the Board of Directors, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the Board of Directors.

Code ” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Unit ” means a Partnership Security representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners, and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement.

Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed entirely of two or more directors who are not any of the following: (a) officers or employees of the General Partner, (b) officers, directors or employees of any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than any Group Member) or (c) holders of any ownership interest in the General Partner, its Affiliates or the Partnership Group (other than (x) Common Units or (y) awards granted pursuant to any long-term incentive plan, equity compensation plan or similar plan of any Group Member) and who also have been determined by the Board of Directors to meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by any National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading.

Contributed Property ” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Marshall Islands Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership.

Conversion Transaction ” means (a) a conversion of the Predecessor into a limited partnership pursuant to Section 25 of the Marshall Islands Act or (b) an exchange offer of limited partner interests, or common units representing limited partner interests, in the Partnership, for common shares of the Predecessor, as a result of which exchange offer the Partnership succeeds to substantially all of the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of the Predecessor.

Current Market Price ” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of determination, the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.

Departing General Partner ” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2.

Depositary ” means, with respect to any Units issued in global form, The Depository Trust Company and its successors and permitted assigns.

Elected Directors ” means the members of the Board of Directors who are elected or appointed as such in accordance with the provisions of Article VII and at least three (or such greater number so as to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors to the extent the Partnership is required by applicable law to have a majority of independent directors) of whom are not (a) officers or employees of the General Partner, (b) officers or employees of any Affiliate of the General Partner, (c) holders of any ownership interest in the Partnership Group (other than Common Units or awards granted to such director under any long-term incentive plan of any Group Member) and who also meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by any National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading or (d) United States citizens or residents.

 

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Event of Withdrawal ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(a).

Exchange Act ” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

General Partner ” means [Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC], a Marshall Islands limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Navios Maritime Holdings, that Navios Maritime Holdings designated to receive the General Partner Unit issued in the Conversion Transaction, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).

General Partner Interest ” means the non-economic management interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner and without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it), which is evidenced by the General Partner Unit and includes any and all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. The General Partner Interest does not include any rights to profit or loss or allocations of items of income, gain, loss or deduction, or any rights to receive any distributions from the Partnership’s operations or upon the liquidation or winding up of the Partnership.

General Partner Unit ” means the General Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to the General Partner Interest. A General Partner Unit is not a Unit.

Group ” means a Person that, including with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates, has any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons) or disposing of any Partnership Securities with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Securities.

Group Member ” means a member of the Partnership Group.

Group Member Agreement ” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or similar organizational documents) of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, in each case as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Hedge Contract ” means any exchange, swap, forward, future, cap, floor, collar or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into for the purpose of hedging the Partnership Group’s exposure to fluctuations in the price of interest rates, currencies or commodities in their operations and not for speculative purposes.

Holder ” as used in Section 7.20, has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.20(a).

Indemnified Persons ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.20(c).

Indemnitee ” means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of any Person which any of the preceding clauses of this definition describes, (e) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing

 

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General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner as an officer, director, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another Person ( provided , however , that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services), (f) the members of the Board of Directors, (g) the Officers, and (h) any other Person the Board of Directors designates as an “ Indemnitee ” for purposes of this Agreement.

Initial Common Units ” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.

Initial Limited Partners ” means Navios Maritime Holdings and the other Persons holding Predecessor Shares immediately prior to the Conversion Transaction, in each case upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1.

Initial Offering ” means the initial public offering and sale of Common Units to the public, as described in the Registration Statement, including any Common Units sold pursuant to the exercise of the Underwriters’ Option.

Initial Unit Price ” means (a) with respect to the Common Units, the initial public offering price per Common Unit at which the Underwriters first offered the Common Units to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus included as part of the Registration Statement and first issued at or after the time the Registration Statement first became effective or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the Board of Directors, in each case adjusted as the Board of Directors determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.

Issue Price ” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership, after deducting any sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the Partnership.

Limited Partner ” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each Initial Limited Partner and each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership. Limited Partners may include custodians, nominees or any other individual or entity in its own or any representative capacity.

Limited Partner Interest ” means the Partnership Interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units or other Partnership Securities or a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Liquidation Date ” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.

Liquidator ” means one or more Persons selected by the Board of Directors to perform the functions described in Section 12.4.

Marshall Islands Act ” means the Limited Partnership Act of The Republic of the Marshall Islands, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

Merger Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.

Navios Maritime Acquisition ” means Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation, a Marshall Islands corporation.

 

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Navios Maritime Holdings ” means Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation.

Navios Maritime Midstream Partners ” means Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands partnership.

Navios Maritime Partners ” means Navios Maritime Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands partnership.

National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act.

Net Agreed Value ” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed, and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Agreed Value of such property, reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution.

Notice of Election to Purchase ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(b).

Officers ” means the Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), the Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, any Assistant Secretaries or Assistant Treasurers, and any other officer of the Partnership appointed by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.8.

Omnibus Agreement ” means that Omnibus Agreement, dated as of June 7, 2017, among Navios Maritime Acquisition, Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners, Navios Maritime Midstream Partners, the Predecessor, the Partnership (by joinder agreement), the General Partner and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc., as heretofore amended or modified, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Operating Company ” means each of Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation, Boheme Navigation Company, a Marshall Islands corporation, and any successors thereto.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the Board of Directors.

Outstanding ” means, with respect to Partnership Securities, all Partnership Securities that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s books and records as of the date of determination; provided , however , that if at any time any Person or Group beneficially owns more than 4.9% of the voting power of the Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding (or would own such percentage after application of this limitation), all Partnership Securities owned by such Person or Group in excess of 4.9% of the voting power of the Outstanding Partnership Securities shall not be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes (except for purposes of nominating a Person for election to the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.3), determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Partnership Securities so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(ii) (such Partnership Securities shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership Securities for purposes of this Agreement); provided , further , that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to either of the following (other than when voting their Common Units as provided in Section 7.2(a)(ii)) (i) the General Partner or its Affiliates or (ii) any Person or Group who acquired more than 4.9% of any Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership with the prior approval of the Board of Directors after considering the potential tax effects of such approval on the Partnership.

Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.

 

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Partnership ” means Navios Maritime Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership, and any successors thereto.

Partnership Group ” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, including the Operating Companies, treated as a single entity.

Partnership Interest ” means a Partner’s aggregate rights in the Partnership, including: (a) the Partner’s right to a share of the profits and losses of the Partnership; (b) the Partner’s right to receive distributions from the Partnership; and (c) the Partner’s right to vote and participate in the management of the Partnership.

Partnership Security ” means any class or series of equity Partnership Interest (but excluding any options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity Partnership Interest), including Common Units.

Percentage Interest ” means as of any date of determination (a) as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage, if any, applicable to clause (b) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (B) the total number of all Outstanding Units, and (b) as to the holders of other Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.4, the percentage established as a part of such issuance (and which may or may not contemplate participation in profits, losses or distributions otherwise made to holders of Common Units). The Percentage Interest with respect to the General Partner Unit shall at all times be zero.

Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, governmental agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Predecessor ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation.

Predecessor Share ” means a share of common stock, par value of $0.0001, of the Predecessor.

Pro Rata ” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any other Partnership Securities, apportioned equally among all designated Units or other Partnership Securities in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, and (b) when used with respect to Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests.

Purchase Date ” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.

Quarter ” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter, or, with respect to the first fiscal quarter including the Closing Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date, of the Partnership.

Record Date ” means the date established by the Board of Directors or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.

Record Holder ” means (a) the Person in whose name a Common Unit is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day, or (b) with respect to other Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered on the books that the Board of Directors has caused to be kept as of the opening of business on such Business Day.

 

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Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (Registration No. 333-225677) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Offering.

Securities Act ” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

Special Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee.

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person, or (d) any other Person in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) less than a majority ownership interest or (ii) less than the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person, provided that (A) such Person, one or more Subsidiaries (as defined, but excluding this subsection (d) of this definition) of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of the determination, has at least a 20% ownership interest in such other Person, (B) such Person accounts for such other Person (under U.S. GAAP, as in effect on the later of the date of investment in such other Person or material expansion of the operations of such other Person) on a consolidated or equity accounting basis, (C) such Person has directly or indirectly material negative control rights regarding such other Person including over such other Person’s ability to materially expand its operations beyond that contemplated at the date of investment in such other Person, and (D) such other Person is (i) other than with respect to an Operating Company, formed and maintained for the sole purpose of owning or leasing, operating and chartering vessels, and (ii) obligated under its constituent documents, or as a result of a unanimous agreement of its owners, to distribute to its owners all of its income on at least an annual basis (less any cash reserves that are approved by such Person).

Surviving Business Entity ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.2(b).

Trading Day ” means, for the purpose of determining the Current Market Price of any class of Limited Partner Interests, a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is listed is open for the transaction of business or, if Limited Partner Interests of a class are not listed on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York City generally are open.

transfer ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).

Transfer Agent ” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the Partnership to act as registrar and transfer agent for the Common Units; provided , however , that if no Transfer Agent is specifically designated for any other Partnership Securities, the Board of Directors shall act in such capacity.

 

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Underwriting Agreement ” means the Underwriting Agreement dated [●], among the Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and [●], to be entered into in connection with the Initial Offering and providing for the purchase of the Common Units by the Underwriters.

Underwriter ” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.

Underwriters’ Option ” means the option granted to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

Unit ” means a Partnership Security that is designated as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units, including Common Units held by the General Partner in a Limited Partner capacity, but shall not include the General Partner Unit (or the General Partner Interest represented thereby).

Unitholders ” means the holders of Units.

Unit Majority ” means at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.

Unit Register ” means the register of the Partnership for the registration and transfer of Limited Partnership Interests as provided in Section 4.5.

U.S. GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.

Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(b)(ii).

Section 1.2     Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the term “include” or “includes” means includes, without limitation, and “including” means including, without limitation; and (d) the terms “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

ORGANIZATION

Section 2.1     Formation . The Partnership was originally formed as the Predecessor, a Marshall Islands corporation, on April 28, 2017. On [●], 2018, the Predecessor continued its existence and converted into a Marshall Islands limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Marshall Islands Act. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Marshall Islands Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes and a Partner has no interest in specific Partnership property.

Section 2.2     Name . The name of the Partnership is “Navios Maritime Containers L.P.” The Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the Board of Directors. The words “Limited Partnership” or the letters “L.P.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The Board of Directors may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time in compliance with the requirements of the Marshall Islands Act and shall notify the General Partner and the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.

 

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Section 2.3     Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices . Unless and until changed by the Board of Directors, the registered office of the Partnership in the Marshall Islands shall be located at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Island, Ajeltake Road, Majuro, Marshall Islands MII 96960 and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the Marshall Islands at such registered office shall be The Trust Company of the Marshall Islands, Inc. Unless and until changed by the Board of Directors, the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the United States shall be CT Corporation System located at 111 8 th Avenue, New York, New York 10011. The principal office of the Partnership shall be any place as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate by notice to the General Partner and the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the Marshall Islands as the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be at c/o Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. at 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2, Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.

Section 2.4     Purpose and Business . The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Marshall Islands Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member.

Section 2.5     Powers . The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary and appropriate for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.

Section 2.6     Power of Attorney .

(a)    Each Limited Partner hereby constitutes and appoints the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer and President (if any) of the Partnership and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to Section 12.3, the Liquidator, severally (and any successor to the Liquidator by merger, transfer, assignment, election or otherwise) and each of its authorized officers and attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power of substitution, as his true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in his name, place and stead, to:

(i)    execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments or restatements hereof or thereof) that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to form, qualify or continue the existence or qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the Marshall Islands and in all other jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct business or own property; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect, in accordance with its terms, any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal, removal or substitution of any Partner pursuant to, or other events described in, Articles IV, X, XI or XII; (E) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the determination of the rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series of Partnership Securities issued pursuant to Section 5.4; and (F) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including agreements and a certificate of merger) relating to a merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to Article XIV; and

 

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(ii)    execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots, consents, approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other instruments that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to (A) make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action that is made or given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent with the terms of this Agreement or (B) effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement; provided , however , that when required by Section 13.3 or any other provision of this Agreement that requires the consent of the Board of Directors or establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of any class or series required to take any action, the Board of Directors and the Liquidator may exercise the power of attorney made in this Section 2.6(a)(ii) only after the necessary consent of the Board of Directors or vote, consent or approval of the Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of such class or series, as applicable.

Nothing contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall be construed as authorizing the Board of Directors to make an amendment to this Agreement except in accordance with Article XIII or as may be otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement.

(b)    The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, not be affected by the subsequent death, incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination of any Limited Partner and the transfer of all or any portion of such Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest and shall extend to such Limited Partner’s heirs, successors, assigns and personal representatives. Each such Limited Partner hereby agrees to be bound by any representation made by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator acting in good faith pursuant to such power of attorney; and each such Limited Partner, to the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all defenses that may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator taken in good faith under such power of attorney. Each Limited Partner shall execute and deliver to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt of the request therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other instruments as the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Partnership or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to effectuate this Agreement and the purposes of the Partnership.

Section 2.7     Term . The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Marshall Islands Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Marshall Islands Act.

Section 2.8     Title to Partnership Assets . Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the Board of Directors may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided , however , that the General Partner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the Board of Directors determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably practicable; and, provided further , that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable

 

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efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to the Board of Directors. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.

ARTICLE III

RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

Section 3.1     Limitation of Liability . The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Marshall Islands Act.

Section 3.2     Management of Business . No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Marshall Islands Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall not be deemed to be participation in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 30 of the Marshall Islands Act) and shall not affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.

Section 3.3     Outside Activities of the Limited Partners . Subject to the provisions of Section 7.13 and the Omnibus Agreement, which shall continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons shall also be Limited Partners, any Limited Partner shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.

Section 3.4     Rights of Limited Partners .

(a)    In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand and at such Limited Partner’s own expense, to:

(i)    have furnished to him a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Partner;

(ii)    obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital Contribution by each Partner and which each Partner has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each became a Partner;

(iii)    have furnished to him a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto, together with a copy of the executed copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed;

(iv)    obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business and financial condition of the Partnership Group; and

(v)    obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as is just and reasonable.

 

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(b)    The Board of Directors may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the Board of Directors deems reasonable, (i) any information that the Board of Directors reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the Board of Directors in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).

ARTICLE IV

CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 4.1     Certificates . Notwithstanding anything otherwise to the contrary herein, unless the Board of Directors shall determine otherwise in respect of one or more classes of Partnership Securities, Partnership Securities shall not be evidenced by Certificates. Accordingly, any references in this Agreement, including in this Article IV, to Certificates shall be applicable only to the extent that the Board of Directors determines that one or more classes of Partnership Securities is to be evidenced by Certificates.

Certificates that may be issued may be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner (and by any appropriate officer of the General Partner on behalf of the General Partner) or any Officer. No Certificate evidencing Common Units shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided , however , that if the Board of Directors elects to issue Common Units in global form, the Common Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Common Units have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership.

Section 4.2     Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates .

(a)    If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate Officers on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Securities as the Certificate so surrendered.

(b)    The appropriate Officers on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued if the Record Holder of the Certificate:

(i)    makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the Partnership, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;

(ii)    requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the Partnership has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;

(iii)    if requested by the Partnership, delivers to the Partnership a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the Partnership, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the Board of Directors may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and

(iv)    satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the Board of Directors.

If a Limited Partner fails to notify the Partnership within a reasonable period of time after he has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.

(c)    As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2, the Partnership may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in

 

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relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.

Section 4.3     Record Holders . The Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person, regardless of whether the Partnership shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons on the other, such representative Person shall be (a) the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest and (b) shall be bound by this Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Partner hereunder and as, and to the extent, provided for herein.

Section 4.4     Transfer Generally .

(a)    The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns its General Partner Interest to another Person, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited Partner Interest to another Person, including to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.

(b)    No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be null and void.

(c)    Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner of any or all of the shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in the General Partner.

Section 4.5     Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests .

(a)    The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership a register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the Partnership will provide for the registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests. The Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent for the purpose of registering Common Units and transfers of such Common Units as herein provided. The Partnership shall not recognize transfers of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner Interests unless such transfers are effected in the manner described in this Section 4.5. Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the appropriate Officers on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered.

(b)    The Partnership shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for registration of transfer. No charge shall be imposed by the Partnership for such transfer; provided , however , that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5, the Partnership may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto.

 

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(c)    The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their Common Units to one or more Persons.

Section 4.6     Transfer of the General Partner s General Partner Interest .

(a)    Subject to Section 4.6(b) below, the General Partner may transfer all or any of its General Partner Interest without Unitholder approval.

(b)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner or of any limited partner or member of any other Group Member and (iii) such transferee also agrees to accept and acquire all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest of the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.3, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.

Section 4.7     Restrictions on Transfers .

(a)    Except as provided in Section 4.7(b) below, but notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws, laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer or (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership or any Group Member under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation.

(b)    Nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 5.1     Initial General Partner Unit Issuances . In connection with the Conversion Transaction, the Partnership issued to Navios Maritime Holdings (or a designated wholly-owned subsidiary thereof), and Navios Maritime Holdings (or a designated wholly-owned subsidiary thereof) received, the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit).

Section 5.2     Initial Limited Partner Unit Issuances; Initial Offering Unit Issuances .

(a)    Pursuant to the Conversion Transaction and in consideration of the exchange of Predecessor Shares, the Partnership issued to the holders of Predecessor Shares immediately prior to the Conversion Transaction (including Navios Maritime Holdings) an aggregate of [●] Common Units.

(b)    On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Closing

 

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Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the number of Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter on the Closing Date.

(c)    Upon any exercise of the Underwriters’ Option, each Underwriter shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Option Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash contributions to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.

(d)     No Limited Partner Interests will have been issued as of or at the Closing Date other than (i) the Common Units issuable pursuant to subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.2 and (ii) if the Underwriters’ Option is exercised prior to the Closing Date the “Option Units,” as such term is used in the Underwriting Agreement, issuable upon exercise of the Underwriters’ Option pursuant to subparagraph (c) hereof.

Section 5.3     Interest and Withdrawal . No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination of the Partnership may be considered and permitted as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions.

Section 5.4     Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities .

(a)    The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to the Partnership Securities for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the Board of Directors shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners, but subject to the approval of the General Partner in the case where issuances of equity are not reasonably expected to be accretive to equity within twelve months of issuance or which would otherwise have a material adverse impact on the General Partner or the General Partner Interest.

(b)    Each additional Partnership Security authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Securities) as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors, including (i) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (ii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iii) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Security (including sinking fund provisions); (iv) whether such Partnership Security is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (v) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Security will be issued, evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; (vi) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Security; and (vii) the right, if any, of each such Partnership Security to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Security.

(c)    The Board of Directors shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 5.4, (ii) the issuance of the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit) pursuant to the terms of the Conversion Transaction, (iii) the admission of additional Limited Partners and (iv) all additional issuances of Partnership Securities. The Board of Directors

 

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shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Securities being so issued. The Board of Directors shall do all things necessary to comply with the Marshall Islands Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Securities pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Securities are listed or admitted to trading.

Section 5.5     Limitations on Issuance of Additional Partnership Securities . The Partnership may issue an unlimited number of Partnership Securities (or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights related thereto) pursuant to Section 5.4 without the approval of the Limited Partners; provided , however , that no fractional units shall be issued by the Partnership.

Section 5.6     Limited Preemptive Right . No Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Security, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created.

Section 5.7     Splits and Combinations .

(a)    Subject to Section 5.7(d), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Securities to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis or stated as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted.

(b)    Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities is declared, the Board of Directors shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice. The Board of Directors also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Securities to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The Board of Directors shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.

(c)    Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates to the Record Holders of Partnership Securities as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Securities held by such Record Holders, or the Board of Directors may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Securities Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.

(d)    The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of this Section 5.7(d), each fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Unit).

Section 5.8     Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests . All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by the Marshall Islands Act.

 

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ARTICLE VI

DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 6.1     Requirement and Characterization of Distributions .

(a)    Subject to the applicable provisions of the Marshall Islands Act, the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, declare, make and pay distributions of cash or other assets of the Partnership to the Partners Pro Rata. Subject to the terms of any additional Partnership Securities, distributions shall be paid to the Partners in accordance with their respective Partnership Interests as of the Record Date selected by the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding anything otherwise to the contrary herein, the Partnership shall not make or pay any distributions of cash or other assets with respect to the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit).

(b)    Notwithstanding Section 6.1(a), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all receipts received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4.

Section 6.2     Distributions to Record Holders .    Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.

ARTICLE VII

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

Section 7.1     Management .

(a)    The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner or Assignee shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.11, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the following:

(i)    the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into Partnership Securities, and the incurring of any other obligations;

(ii)    the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;

(iii)    the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.11);

(iv)    the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership

 

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Group; subject to Section 7.14(a), the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of the Partnership Group; and the making of capital contributions to any member of the Partnership Group;

(v)    the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if same results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);

(vi)    the distribution of Partnership cash consistent with the determination of the Board of Directors;

(vii)    the selection and dismissal of employees, including employees of any Group Members, (including employees having titles such as “president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;

(viii)    the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group and the Partners;

(ix)    the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other relationships (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 7.14;

(x)    the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;

(xi)    the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;

(xii)    the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under this Agreement);

(xiii)    unless restricted or prohibited by Section 5.5, the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Securities, or the issuance of additional options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities;

(xiv)    the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in any Group Member; and

(xv)    the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership.

(b)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Marshall Islands Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and the Assignees and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement of any other Group Member and the other agreements described in or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement; (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or through any officer of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the Assignees or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this

 

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Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XVI) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity.

Section 7.2     The Board of Directors; Election and Appointment; Term; Manner of Acting .

(a)    Upon the Closing Date, the Board of Directors shall consist of seven individuals, all of whom shall be Appointed Directors. Following the first annual meeting of Unitholders after the Closing Date, the Board of Directors shall consist of seven individuals, three of which are Appointed Directors and four of which are Elected Directors. The Elected Directors shall be divided into three classes: Class I, comprising two Elected Directors, Class II, comprising one Elected Director, and Class III, comprising one Elected Director. The vacancy among the Appointed Directors shall be filled as if an Appointed Director had resigned, in accordance with Section 7.6. The successors of the initial members of the Board of Directors shall be appointed or elected, as the case may be, as follows:

(i)    The Appointed Directors shall be appointed by the General Partner on the date of the 2019 Annual Meeting and each Appointed Director shall hold office until his or her successor is duly appointed by the General Partner and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal; and

(ii)    The Class I Elected Directors shall be elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting for a one-year term expiring on the date of the first succeeding Annual Meeting, the Class II Elected Director shall be elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting for a two-year term expiring on the second succeeding Annual Meeting and the Class III Elected Directors shall be elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting for a three-year term expiring on the third succeeding Annual Meeting, in each case by a plurality of the votes of the Outstanding Common Units present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting with each Outstanding Common Unit having one vote. At each Annual Meeting after the 2019 Annual Meeting, Elected Directors so classified who are elected to replace those whose terms expire at such Annual Meeting shall be elected to hold office until the third succeeding Annual Meeting.

(b)    Except as provided in paragraph (a)(ii) above with respect to Elected Directors elected at the 2019 Annual Meeting, each member of the Board of Directors appointed or elected, as the case may be, at an Annual Meeting shall hold office until the third succeeding Annual Meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected or appointed, as the case may be, and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

(c)    Each member of the Board of Directors shall have one vote. The vote of the majority of the members of the Board of Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. A majority of the number of members of the Board of Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, but if less than a quorum is present at a meeting, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors present at such meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

Section 7.3     Nominations of Elected Directors . The Board of Directors shall be entitled to nominate individuals to stand for election as Elected Directors at an Annual Meeting. In addition, any Limited Partner or Group of Limited Partners that beneficially owns 25% or more of the Outstanding Common Units shall be entitled to nominate one or more individuals to stand for election as Elected Directors at an Annual Meeting by providing written notice thereof to the Board of Directors not more than 120 days and not less than 90 days prior to the date of such Annual Meeting; provided , however , that in the event that the date of the Annual Meeting was not publicly announced by the Partnership by mail, press release or otherwise more than 100 days prior to the date of such meeting, such notice, to be timely, must be delivered to the Board of Directors not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the date on which the date of the Annual Meeting was announced. Such notice shall set forth (i) the name and address of the Limited Partner or Limited Partners making the

 

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nomination or nominations, (ii) the number of Common Units beneficially owned by such Limited Partner or Limited Partners, (iii) such information regarding the nominee(s) proposed by the Limited Partner or Limited Partners as would be required to be included in a proxy statement relating to the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the Commission had the nominee(s) been nominated or intended to be nominated to the Board of Directors, (iv) the written consent of each nominee to serve as a member of the Board of Directors if so elected and (v) a certification that such nominee(s) qualify as Elected Directors.

Section 7.4     Removal of Members of Board of Directors . Members of the Board of Directors may only be removed as follows:

(a)    Any Appointed Director may be removed at any time (i) without Cause, only by the General Partner and (ii) with Cause, by (x) the General Partner, (y) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, voting as a single class, at a properly called meeting of the Limited Partners or (z) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the other members of the Board of Directors.

(b)    Any and all of the Elected Directors may be removed at any time (i) without Cause, only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the other members of the Board of Directors and (ii) with Cause, by (x) the affirmative vote of a majority of the other members of the Board of Directors or (y) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units at a properly called meeting of the Limited Partners.

Section 7.5     Resignations of Members of the Board of Directors . Any member of the Board of Directors may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein.

Section 7.6     Vacancies on the Board of Directors . Vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled only as follows:

(a)    If any Appointed Director is removed, resigns or is otherwise unable to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, the General Partner shall, in its sole discretion, appoint an individual to fill the vacancy.

(b)    If any Elected Director is removed, resigns or is unable to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, the vacancy shall be filled by a majority of the Elected Directors then serving.

(c)    A director appointed or elected pursuant to this Section 7.6 to fill a vacancy shall be appointed or elected, as the case may be, for no more than the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office.

Section 7.7     Meetings; Committees; Chairman .

(a)    Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as shall be designated from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notice of such regular meetings shall not be required. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board of Directors and shall be called by the Secretary upon the written request of two members of the Board of Directors, on at least 48 hours prior written notice to the other members. Any such notice, or waiver thereof, need not state the purpose of such meeting except as may otherwise be required by law. Attendance of a member of the Board of Directors at a meeting (including pursuant to the penultimate sentence of this Section 7.7(a)) shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such member attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by all the members of the Board of Directors. Members of the Board of Directors may participate in and hold meetings by means of conference telephone, videoconference or similar communications equipment

 

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by means of which all Persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in such meetings shall constitute presence in person at the meeting. The Board of Directors may establish any additional rules governing the conduct of its meetings that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.

(b)    The Board of Directors shall appoint the Audit Committee to consist of a minimum of three of the Elected Directors then in office, and the Conflicts Committee to consist of a minimum of three of the Elected Directors then in office. The Audit Committee and the Conflicts Committee shall, in each case, perform the functions delegated to it pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and such other matters as may be delegated to it from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, by a majority of the whole Board of Directors, may appoint one or more additional committees of the Board of Directors, including an executive committee to consist of one or more members of the Board of Directors, which committee(s) shall have and may exercise such of the powers and authority of the Board of Directors (including in respect of Section 7.1) with respect to the management of the business and affairs of the Partnership as may be provided in a resolution of the Board of Directors. Any committee designated pursuant to this Section 7.7(b) shall choose its own chairman, shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors when requested, shall fix its own rules or procedures and shall meet at such times and at such place or places as may be provided by such rules or by resolution of such committee or resolution of the Board of Directors. At every meeting of any such committee, the presence of a majority of all the members thereof shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be necessary for the taking of any action. Subject to the first sentence of this Section 7.7(b), the Board of Directors may designate one or more members of the Board of Directors as alternate members of any committee who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee. Subject to the first sentence of this Section 7.7(b), in the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

(c)    The Appointed Directors may designate one of the members of the Board of Directors as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, if any, and if present and acting, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, another member of the Board of Directors chosen by the Appointed Directors shall preside. If, at any time, in accordance with Section 7.2(b), the Board of Directors consists solely of Elected Directors, the Board of Directors may elect one of its members as Chairman of the Board of Directors and shall, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors at a meeting of the Board of Directors, choose another member of the Board of Directors to preside at the meeting.

Section 7.8     Officers .

(a)    The Board of Directors, as set forth below, shall appoint agents of the Partnership, referred to as “Officers” of the Partnership as described in this Section 7.8. Unless provided otherwise by resolution of the Board of Directors, the Officers shall have the titles, power, authority and duties described below in this Section 7.8.

(b)    The Officers of the Partnership shall be the Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors (unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise), the Chief Executive Officer, the President and any and all Vice Presidents, the Secretary and any and all Assistant Secretaries and any Treasurer and any and all Assistant Treasurers and any other Officers appointed pursuant to Section 7.8(k). There shall be appointed from time to time, in accordance with this Section 7.8, such Vice Presidents, Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Treasurers and Assistant Treasurers as the Board of Directors may desire. Any person may hold two or more offices.

(c)    The Officers shall be appointed by the Board of Directors at such time and for such terms as the Board of Directors shall determine. Any Officer may be removed, with or without Cause, only by the Board of Directors. Vacancies in any office may be filled only by the Board of Directors.

 

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(d)    The Board of Directors may elect one of its members as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be an Officer of the Partnership and shall have the powers, duties and authorities assigned by the Board of Directors.

(e)    The Board of Directors may elect one of its members as Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise, the Executive Vice Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, as the case may be, shall be an Officer of the Partnership and shall have the powers, duties and authority of the chief executive officer of the Partnership and, as such, shall be responsible for the general and active management and direction of the Partnership and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect.

(f)    Subject to the limitations imposed by this Agreement, any employment agreement, any employee plan or any determination of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, shall have the powers, duties and authority of the chief executive officer of the Partnership and, as such, shall be responsible for the management of the business and affairs of the Partnership, its other Officers, employees and agents, shall supervise generally the affairs of the Partnership and shall have full authority to execute all documents and take all actions that the Partnership may legally take. The Chief Executive Officer shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by this Agreement or the Board of Directors, including any duties and powers stated in any employment agreement approved by the Board of Directors.

(g)    Subject to the limitations imposed by this Agreement, any employment agreement, any employee plan or any determination of the Board of Directors, the President, subject to the direction of the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, shall have the powers, duties and authority of the chief operating officer of the Partnership and, as such, shall be responsible for the direction of the day-to-day operations of the Partnership. In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall have all of the powers and duties conferred upon the Chief Executive Officer, including the same power as the Chief Executive Officer to execute documents on behalf of the Partnership. The President shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Chief Executive Officer, this Agreement, or the Board of Directors, including any duties and powers stated in any employment agreement approved by the Board of Directors.

(h)    In the absence of the President, each Vice President appointed by the Board of Directors shall have all of the powers and duties conferred upon the President, including the same power as the President to execute documents on behalf of the Partnership. Each such Vice President shall perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the President.

(i)    The Secretary shall record or cause to be recorded in books provided for that purpose the minutes of the meetings or actions of the Board of Directors and Unitholders, shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and as required by law, shall be custodian of all records (other than financial), shall see that the books, reports, statements, certificates and all other documents and records required by law are properly kept and filed, and, in general, shall perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him by this Agreement, the Board of Directors or the President. The Assistant Secretaries shall exercise the powers of the Secretary during that Officer’s absence or inability or refusal to act.

(j)    The Treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Partnership and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Partnership in such form and as often as required by this Agreement, the Board of Directors or the President. The Treasurer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Partnership. The Treasurer shall perform all other duties commonly incident to his or her office and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as this Agreement, the Board of Directors or the President, shall designate from time to time. The Assistant Treasurers shall exercise

 

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the power of the Treasurer during that Officer’s absence or inability or refusal to act. Each of the Assistant Treasurers shall possess the same power as the Treasurer to sign all certificates, contracts, obligations and other instruments of the Partnership. If no Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer is appointed and serving or in the absence of the appointed Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, or such other Officer as the Board of Directors shall select, shall have the powers and duties conferred upon the Treasurer.

(k)    The Board of Directors may appoint such other Officers and agents as may from time to time appear to be necessary or advisable in the conduct of the affairs of the Partnership, who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

(l)    The Board of Directors may grant powers of attorney or other authority as appropriate to establish and evidence the authority of the Officers and other Persons.

(m)    Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, no Officer shall have the power or authority to delegate to any Person such Officer’s rights and powers as an Officer to manage the business and affairs of the Partnership.

Section 7.9     Compensation of Directors . The members of the Board of Directors who are not employees of the Partnership, the General Partner or its Affiliates shall receive such compensation for their services as members of the Board of Directors or members of a committee of the Board of Directors shall determine. In addition, the members of the Board of Directors shall be entitled to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in the course of their service hereunder.

Section 7.10     Certificate of Limited Partnership . The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Marshall Islands as required by the Marshall Islands Act. The General Partner shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the Marshall Islands or any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the Board of Directors determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the Marshall Islands or of any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.

Section 7.11     Restrictions on the Authority of the Board of Directors and the General Partner .

(a)    Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither the Board of Directors nor the General Partner may, without written approval of the specific act by holders of all of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests or by other written instrument executed and delivered by holders of all of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests subsequent to the date of this Agreement, take any action in contravention of this Agreement.

(b)    Except as provided in Articles XII and XIV, the Board of Directors may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way of merger, consolidation, other combination or sale of ownership interests in the Partnership’s Subsidiaries) or dissolve the Partnership without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority and the General Partner; provided , however , that this provision shall not preclude or limit the ability of the Board of Directors to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the

 

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assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance. The transfer of the General Partner Interest to and the election of a successor general partner of the Partnership shall be made in accordance with Sections 4.6, 11.1 and 11.2.

Section 7.12     Reimbursement of the General Partner .

(a)    Except as provided in this Section 7.12 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.

(b)    The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the Board of Directors may determine, for any direct and indirect expenses it incurs that are allocable to the Partnership Group or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group, which amounts shall also include reimbursement for any Common Units purchased to satisfy obligations of the Partnership under any of its equity compensation plans). The Board of Directors shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.15.

(c)    The Board of Directors, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Securities or options to purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Securities in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the Partnership, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of employees of the Partnership, the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate thereof, or any of them, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Securities that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any employees pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Securities purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership or in the open market to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.12(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.12(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.

Section 7.13     Outside Activities .

(a)    After the Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in the Partnership), (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or equity securities in any Group Member and (iii) except to the extent permitted in the Omnibus Agreement, shall not acquire or own Vessel Assets (as such term is defined in the Omnibus Agreement).

 

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(b)    Navios Maritime Acquisition, Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners, Navios Maritime Midstream Partners, the Predecessor, the Partnership, the General Partner and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc. have entered into the Omnibus Agreement, which agreement sets forth certain restrictions on the ability of Navios Maritime Holdings and certain of its Affiliates to acquire or own Vessel Assets (as such term is defined in the Omnibus Agreement). The Omnibus Agreement may be amended by the General Partner.

(c)    Except as specifically restricted by Section 7.13(a) or the Omnibus Agreement, each Indemnitee (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty expressed or implied by law to any Group Member or any Partner. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the possessing of competitive interests and engaging in competitive activities by any Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.13 is hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners and (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of any fiduciary duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of the General Partner or of any Indemnitee for the Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership.

(d)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to an Indemnitee (including the General Partner) and, subject to the terms of Section 7.13(a), Section 7.13(b), Section 7.13(c) and the Omnibus Agreement, no Indemnitee (including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Partnership shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and, subject to the terms of Section 7.13(a), Section 7.13(b), Section 7.13(c) and the Omnibus Agreement, such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person for breach of any fiduciary or other duty by reason of the fact that such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires such opportunity for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership.

(e)    The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership Securities in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Units or other Partnership Securities acquired by them. The term “Affiliates” as used in this Section 7.13(e) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.

(f)    The General Partner may make contributions to the Partnership and share in the profits, losses and distributions from the Partnership in its capacity as a Limited Partner. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the General Partner has the rights and powers, and is subject to the restrictions, of a Limited Partner to the extent of its participation in the Partnership is as a Limited Partner and may act in its capacity as a Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement.

Section 7.14     Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members .

(a)    The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may lend to and/or borrow from any Group Member, and any Group Member may lend to and/or borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner and the Board of Directors may determine; provided , however , that in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated

 

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lenders on comparable loans made on an arms’-length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner and the Board of Directors. The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this Section 7.14(a), Section 7.14(b) and Section 7.14(c), the term “Group Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member.

(b)    The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the Board of Directors.

(c)    No borrowing by any Group Member or the approval thereof by the General Partner or the Board of Directors shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty, expressed or implied, of the General Partner or its Affiliates or the Board of Directors to the Partnership or the Limited Partners by reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or indirectly to enable distributions to the General Partner or its Affiliates (including in their capacities as Limited Partners) to exceed the General Partner’s Percentage Interest of the total amount distributed to all partners.

Section 7.15     Indemnification .

(a)    To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee; provided , however , that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.15, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; and, provided further , that no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.15 shall be available to the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than a Group Member) with respect to its or their obligations incurred pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and the Omnibus Agreement. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.15 shall be made out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

(b)    To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.15(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a determination that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized, in this Section 7.15.

(c)    The indemnification provided by this Section 7.15 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

(d)    The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the Board of Directors and the General Partner, its Affiliates and such other Persons as the Board of Directors shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense

 

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that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement or law.

(e)    For purposes of this Section 7.15, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by the Indemnitee of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.15(a); and action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.

(f)    In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

(g)    An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.15 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

(h)    The provisions of this Section 7.15 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their heirs, successors, assigns and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.15 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.15 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.16     Liability of Indemnitees .

(a)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners or any other Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Securities, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was criminal.

(b)    Subject to their obligations and duties as members of the Board of Directors or the General Partner, respectively, set forth in Section 7.1(a), members of the Board of Directors and the General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to them and perform any of the duties imposed upon them hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the members of the Board of Directors and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the Board of Directors or the General Partner in good faith.

(c)    To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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(d)    Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.16 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.16 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.17     Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties .

(a)    Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any member of the Board of Directors, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other, any resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of a majority of the Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) fair and reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner and the Board of Directors may but shall not be required in connection with the resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval of such resolution, and the General Partner or the Board of Directors, as the case may be, may also adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval. If Special Approval is not sought and the Board of Directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) above, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision the Board of Directors, acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by any Limited Partner or by or on behalf of such Limited Partner or any other Limited Partner or the Partnership challenging such approval, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement are hereby approved by all Partners.

(b)    Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. In order for a determination or other action to be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement, the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action must reasonably believe that the determination or other action is in the best interests of the Partnership, unless the context otherwise requires.

(c)    Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, are entitled to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner, and the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrase, “at

 

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the option of the General Partner,” or some variation of that phrase, is used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or transfers its Units or the General Partner Unit , to the extent permitted under this Agreement, or refrains from voting or transferring its Units or the General Partner Unit, as appropriate, it shall be acting in its individual capacity. The General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a limited partnership.

(d)    Whenever the Board of Directors makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the Board of Directors, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. In order for a determination or other action to be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement, the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action must reasonably believe that the determination or other action is in the best interests of the Partnership, unless the context otherwise requires.

(e)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither the Board of Directors nor the General Partner and its Affiliates shall have a duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by the Board of Directors or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall, in each case, be at their option.

(f)    Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither the General Partner nor the Board of Directors or any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the Board of Directors or the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Board of Directors or the General Partner or such other Indemnitee.

(g)    The Unitholders hereby authorize the Board of Directors, on behalf of the Partnership as a partner or member of a Group Member, to approve of actions by the general partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 7.17.

Section 7.18     Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and the Board of Directors .

(a)    The General Partner and the Board of Directors may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

(b)    The General Partner and the Board of Directors may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by either of them, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner or the Board of Directors reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.

 

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(c)    The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership.

Section 7.19     Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities . The Board of Directors may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Securities. As long as Partnership Securities are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Securities shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner may purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Securities for its own account, subject to the provisions of Articles IV and X.

Section 7.20     Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates .

(a)    At any time after the of the Closing Date, if any of the General Partner, Angeliki Frangou or any Person who was an Affiliate of the General Partner or Angeliki Frangou on or after the date of this Agreement (each, a “ Holder ”) (i) holds Partnership Securities that it desires to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from registration is not available to enable such holder of Partnership Securities to dispose of the number of Partnership Securities it desires to sell at the time it desires to do so without registration under the Securities Act, then at the option and upon the request of the Holder, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective and remain effective for a period of not less than six months following its effective date or such shorter period as shall terminate when all Partnership Securities covered by such registration statement have been sold, a registration statement under the Securities Act registering the offering and sale of the number of Partnership Securities specified by the Holder; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be required to effect more than five registrations in total pursuant to this Section 7.20(a), no more than three of which shall be required to be made at any time that the Partnership is not eligible to use Form F-3 (or a comparable form) for the registration under the Securities Act of its securities; and, provided further , that if the Conflicts Committee determines in good faith that the requested registration would be materially detrimental to the Partnership and its Partners, then the Partnership shall have the right to postpone such requested registration for a period of not more than six months after receipt of the Holder’s request which delays shall not exceed six months over the life of the Partnership. The Partnership shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to resolve any deferral with respect to any such registration and/or filing. In connection with any registration pursuant to this Section 7.20(a), the Partnership shall (i) promptly prepare and file (A) such documents as may be necessary to register or qualify the securities subject to such registration under the securities laws of such states as the Holder shall reasonably request ( provided , however , that no such qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Partnership would become subject to general service of process or to taxation or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership doing business in such jurisdiction solely as a result of such registration), and (B) such documents as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the Partnership Securities subject to such registration on such National Securities Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and (ii) do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or appropriate to enable the Holder to consummate a public sale of such Partnership Securities in such states. Except as set forth in Section 7.20(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(b)    If the Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act for an offering of Partnership Securities for cash (other than an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan), the Partnership shall use all its commercially reasonable efforts to include such number or amount of Partnership Securities held by any Holder in such registration statement as the Holder shall request; provided , however , that the Partnership is not required to make any effort or take any action to so include the Partnership Securities of the Holder once the registration statement becomes or is declared effective by the Commission, including any registration statement providing for the offering from time to time of Partnership Securities pursuant to Rule 415

 

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of the Securities Act. If the proposed offering pursuant to this Section 7.20(b) shall be an underwritten offering, then, in the event that the managing underwriter or managing underwriters of such offering advise the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in their opinion the inclusion of all or some of the Holder’s Partnership Securities would adversely and materially affect the pricing of the offering, the Partnership shall include in such offering only that number or amount, if any, of Partnership Securities held by the Holder that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or managing underwriters, will not so adversely and materially affect the offering. Except as set forth in Section 7.20(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(c)    If the Partnership grants to a Unitholder other than a Holder the right to demand or request the Partnership file a registration statement under the Securities Act for an offering of Partnership Securities and the other Unitholder exercises such right, then each Holder, at its option and upon request shall have the right to participate in, and offer such Partnership Securities under such registration statement. The Partnership shall as promptly as practicable but in no event later than five days after the receipt of a demand or request by a Unitholder, give written notice thereof to each Holder, which notice shall specify the number of Partnership Securities subject to the request or demand, the method of disposition of such Partnership Securities and, subject to Section 7.20(d), include in the registration statement filed pursuant to such demand or request all of the Partnership Securities requested by such Holder for inclusion in such registration statement from whom the Partnership has received a written request for inclusion therein within ten days after the receipt by such Holder of such written notice described in this Section 7.20(c). Each such request by such Holder shall specify the number of Partnership Securities proposed to be registered. The failure of any Holder to respond within such ten day period provided for in this Section 7.20(c) shall be deemed to be a waiver of such Holder’s rights under this Section 7.20(c). Any Holder may waive its rights under this Section 7.20(c) prior to the expiration of such ten day period by giving written notice to the Partnership. If a Holder sends the Partnership a written request for inclusion of part or all of such Holder’s Partnership Securities in a registration, such Holder shall be entitled to withdraw such request by giving written notice to the Partnership of its intention to withdraw from such registration; provided, however, that such request for withdrawal must be made in writing prior to the execution of the underwriting agreement with respect to such registration. Except as set forth in Section 7.20(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(d)    If underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred to in this Section 7.20, the Partnership shall provide indemnification, representations, covenants, opinions and other assurance to the underwriters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such underwriters. Further, in addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under Section 7.15, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “ Indemnified Persons ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, actions, causes of action, assessments, damages, liabilities (joint or several), costs and expenses (including interest, penalties and reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements), resulting to, imposed upon, or incurred by the Indemnified Persons, directly or indirectly, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.20(c) as a “ claim ” and in the plural as “ claims ”) based upon, arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement under which any Partnership Securities were registered under the Securities Act or any state securities or Blue Sky laws, in any preliminary prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (if used prior to the effective date of such registration statement), or in any summary, free writing or final prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the period the Partnership is required to keep the registration statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement, such preliminary, summary, free writing or final prospectus or such amendment or

 

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supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

(e)    The provisions of Section 7.20(a), Section 7.20(b) and Section 7.20(c) shall continue to be applicable with respect to each Holder (and any of the Holder’s Affiliates) for a period of two years subsequent to the later of the (i) General Partner’s withdrawal or removal and (ii) date on which the Holder ceases to be an Affiliate, and for so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to sell all of the Partnership Securities with respect to which it has requested during such two-year period inclusion in a registration statement otherwise filed or that a registration statement be filed; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be required to file successive registration statements covering the same Partnership Securities for which registration was demanded during such two-year period. The provisions of Section 7.20(c) shall continue in effect thereafter.

(f)    The rights to cause the Partnership to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 7.20 may be assigned (but only with all related obligations) by a Holder to a transferee or assignee of such Partnership Securities, provided (i) the Partnership is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the Partnership Securities with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned, and (ii) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms set forth in this Section 7.20.

(g)    Any request to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 7.20 shall (i) specify the Partnership Securities intended to be offered and sold by the Person making the request, (ii) express such Person’s present intent to offer such Partnership Securities for distribution, (iii) describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership Securities, and (iv) contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and materials and take all action as may be required in order to permit the Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements in connection with the registration of such Partnership Securities.

Section 7.21     Reliance by Third Parties . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the Board of Directors, the General Partner and any Officer authorized by the Board of Directors to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the Board of Directors, the General Partner or any such Officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Board of Directors, the General Partner, the Officers or representatives of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner or the Board of Directors shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.

ARTICLE VIII

BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

Section 8.1     Records and Accounting . The Partnership shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including all books

 

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and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the Record Holders of Units or other Partnership Securities, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided , however , that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Section 8.2     Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.

Section 8.3     Reports .

(a)    As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Partnership, the Partnership shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on the Partnership’s website), to each Record Holder of a Unit as of a date selected by the Board of Directors, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the Board of Directors.

(b)    As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the close of each Quarter except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the Partnership shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on the Partnership’s website), to each Record Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the Board of Directors, a report containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate.

ARTICLE IX

TAX MATTERS

Section 9.1     Tax Elections and Information .

(a)    The Partnership will elect to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Board of Directors shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.

(b)    The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders generally for U.S. federal and state income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable year shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable year ends.

(c)    Each Partner shall provide the Partnership with all information reasonably requested by the Partnership to enable the Partnership to claim the exemption from U.S. federal income tax under Section 883 of the Code.

Section 9.2     Withholding . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Board of Directors is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other U.S. federal, state, local or any non-U.S. law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442 and 1445 of the Code. To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the distribution of income to any Partner, the Board of Directors may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash to such Partner in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.

 

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Section 9.3     Conduct of Operations . The Board of Directors and the General Partner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct the business of the Partnership and its Affiliates in a manner that does not require a holder of Common Units to file a tax return in any jurisdiction with which the holder has no contact other than through ownership of Common Units.

ARTICLE X

ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

Section 10.1     Admission of Initial Partners . Upon the consummation of the Conversion Transaction and the issuance by the Partnership of the General Partner Unit and Common Units to the General Partner, Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners, and the other Initial Limited Partners as described in Sections 5.1 and 5.2, the Board of Directors shall admit each such Person to the Partnership (a) as general partner in respect of the General Partner Unit issued to it and (b) as Initial Limited Partner in respect of Common Units issued to it.

Section 10.2     Admission of Additional Limited Partners .

(a)    By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance with Article IV or the acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to Article V or pursuant to a merger or consolidation pursuant to Article XIV, each transferee of, or other such Person acquiring, a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when any such transfer, issuance or admission is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership and such Limited Partner becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred, (ii) shall become bound by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, (iv) grants the powers of attorney set forth in this Agreement and (v) makes the consents and waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Person. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may become a Limited Partner or Record Holder of a Limited Partner Interest without the consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner until such Person acquires a Limited Partner Interest and such Person is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest.

(b)    The name and mailing address of each Limited Partner shall be listed on the books and records of the Partnership maintained for such purpose by the Partnership or the Transfer Agent. The General Partner shall update the books and records of the Partnership from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable). A Limited Partner Interest may be represented by a Certificate, as provided in Section 4.1 hereof.

(c)    Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to receive distributions or to any other rights to which the transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.2(a).

Section 10.3     Admission of Successor General Partner . A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit) pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner, pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner Interest (represented by the General Partner Unit) pursuant to Section 4.6; provided , however , that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.

 

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Section 10.4     Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership . To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the Board of Directors shall take all steps necessary or appropriate under the Marshall Islands Act to amend the records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the Board of Directors shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership and the Board of Directors may for this purpose, among others, exercise the power of attorney granted to it pursuant to Section 2.6.

ARTICLE XI

WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

Section 11.1     Withdrawal of the General Partner .

(a)    The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “ Event of Withdrawal ”):

(i)    The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving at least 90 days’ advanced written notice to the other Partners;

(ii)    The General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner pursuant to Section 4.6;

(iii)    The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;

(iv)    The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary petition in bankruptcy; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A), (B) or (C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;

(v)    The General Partner is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, or has entered against it an order for relief in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding;

(vi)    (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, the filing of a certificate of dissolution, or its equivalent, for the corporation or the revocation of its charter and the expiration of 90 days after the date of notice to the corporation of revocation without a reinstatement of its charter; (B) in the event the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise in the event of the termination of the General Partner.

If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Sections 11.1(a)(iv), 11.1(a)(v) or 11.1(a)(vi)(A), 11.1(a)(vi)(B), 11.1(a)(vi)(C) or 11.1(a)(vi)(E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.

(b)    Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement if the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to:

(i)    Section 11.1(a)(i);

(ii)    Section 11.1(a)(ii); or

 

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(iii)    is removed pursuant to Section 11.2.

The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein or, if applicable, the Partnership does not receive an Opinion of Counsel (“ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or any Group Member, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.

Section 11.2     Removal of the General Partner . The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders holding at least 75% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates), voting as a single class. Any such action by such Unitholders or the Board of Directors for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the majority vote of the Outstanding Units, voting together as a single class. Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.3. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.3, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.

Section 11.3     Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner .

(a)    In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner or (ii) removal of the General Partner, the Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.12, including any employee-related liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the Departing General Partner for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members.

Section 11.4     Withdrawal of Limited Partners . No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided , however , that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.

ARTICLE XII

DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

Section 12.1     Dissolution . The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

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Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and the Board of Directors shall continue the business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall be wound up, upon:

(a)    an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner and our Board of Directors that is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;

(b)    at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Marshall Islands Act;

(c)    the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Marshall Islands Act; or

(d)    an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and an Opinion of Counsel is received as provided in Sections 11.1(b) or 11.2 and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.3.

Section 12.2     Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution . Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Sections 11.1(a)(i) or 11.1(a)(iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2, then within 90 days thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Sections 11.1(a)(iv), 11.1(a)(v) or 11.1(a)(vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:

(a)    the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII; and

(b)    the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement; provided , however , that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to reconstitute and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner.

Section 12.3     Liquidator . Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2, the Board of Directors shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the

 

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parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the Board of Directors and the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.11(b)) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.

Section 12.4     Liquidation . The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 60 of the Marshall Islands Act and the following:

(a)    The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value, and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.

(b)    Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.

(c)    All property and all cash in excess of that required to discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Unitholders in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.

Section 12.5     Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership . Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the Marshall Islands shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.

Section 12.6     Return of Contributions . The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.

Section 12.7     Waiver of Partition . To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

Section 13.1     Amendments to be Adopted Without Approval of the Limited Partners or the General Partner . The General Partner and each Limited Partner agree that the Board of Directors, without the approval of any Limited Partner or, subject to Section 5.4, the General Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement

 

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and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:

(a)    a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;

(b)    admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;

(c)    a change that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of the Marshall Islands;

(d)    a change that the Board of Directors determines (i) does not adversely affect the Limited Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any Marshall Islands authority (including the Marshall Islands Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 5.7 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed in the Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;

(e)    a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the Board of Directors shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;

(f)    an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, the members of the Board of Directors, or the General Partner or its or their directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such regulations are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;

(g)    an amendment that the Board of Directors, and if required by Section 5.4, the General Partner, determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization of issuance of any class or series of Partnership Securities pursuant to Section 5.4;

(h)    any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the Board of Directors acting alone;

(i)    an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved in accordance with Section 14.3;

(j)    an amendment that the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other Person, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4;

(k)    a conversion, merger or conveyance pursuant to Section 14.3; or

(l)    any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.

 

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Section 13.2     Amendment Procedures . Except as provided in Sections 13.1 and 13.3, all amendments to this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the following requirements. Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by, or with the written consent of, the Board of Directors; provided , however , that the Board of Directors shall have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to propose an amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation. A proposed amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the Board of Directors and the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage is required under this Agreement or by the Marshall Islands Act. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the Board of Directors shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The Board of Directors shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any such proposed amendments.

Section 13.3     Amendment Requirements .

(a)    Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner or its Affiliates) required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of reducing such voting percentage unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

(b)    Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such enlargement shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c), (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld at the General Partner’s option, (iii) change Section 12.1(a), or (iv) change the term of the Partnership or, except as set forth in Section 12.1(a), give any Person the right to dissolve the Partnership.

(c)    Except as provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the Board of Directors’ authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Limited Partners as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class affected.

(d)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable law.

(e)    Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.

Section 13.4     Special Meetings . All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner, the Board of Directors or by Limited Partners owning 25% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering

 

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to the Board of Directors one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the general or specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called, it being understood that the purposes of such special meeting may only be to vote on matters that require the vote of the Unitholders pursuant to this Agreement. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the Board of Directors shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the mailing of notice of the meeting. Limited Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Marshall Islands Act or the law of any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.

Section 13.5     Notice of a Meeting . Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1. The notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written communication.

Section 13.6     Record Date . For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11, the Board of Directors may set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which Limited Partners are requested in writing by the Board of Directors to give such approvals. If the Board of Directors does not set a Record Date, then (a) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, and (b) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to give approvals without a meeting shall be the date the first written approval is deposited with the Partnership in care of the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 13.11.

Section 13.7     Adjournment . When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.

Section 13.8     Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes . The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove the consideration of matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at the meeting.

Section 13.9     Quorum and Voting . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 13.9, the holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a

 

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quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote and be present in person or by proxy at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a greater or different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be required. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units specified in this Agreement (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner). In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote of holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote at such meeting (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as provided in Section 13.7 or this Section 13.9. At any adjourned annual meeting of the Limited Partners that is a continuation of an annual meeting adjourned due to the absence of a quorum, the holders of Outstanding Units present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereat, shall constitute a quorum at such adjourned meeting for the transaction of any business brought before such adjourned meeting and the act of the Limited Partners holding a majority of the units represented in person or by proxy at such adjourned meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners.

Section 13.10     Conduct of a Meeting . The Board of Directors shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in writing.

Section 13.11     Action Without a Meeting . If authorized by the Board of Directors, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner) that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved the action in writing. The Board of Directors may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the Board of Directors. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Units held by the Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the Board of Directors, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care of the Board of Directors, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are deposited with the Partnership and (c) an

 

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Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the Board of Directors to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the applicable statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.

Section 13.12     Right to Vote and Related Matters.

(a)    Only those Record Holders of the Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “ Outstanding ”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.

(b)    With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), in whose name such Units are registered, such other Person shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.

ARTICLE XIV

MERGER

Section 14.1     Authority . The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership)), pursuant to a written agreement of merger or consolidation (“ Merger Agreement ”) in accordance with this Article XIV.

Section 14.2     Procedure for Merger or Consolidation . Merger or consolidation of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the approval of the Board of Directors and the prior consent of the General Partner; provided , however , that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, neither the Board of Directors nor the General Partner shall have a duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger or consolidation, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Marshall Islands Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. If the Board of Directors and the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the Board of Directors and the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:

(a)    the names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;

(b)    the name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “ Surviving Business Entity ”);

(c)    the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;

 

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(d)    the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (i) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other Person (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (ii) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other Person (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;

(e)    a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;

(f)    the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement ( provided , that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and

(g)    such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the Board of Directors and the General Partner determine to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 14.3     Approval by Limited Partners of Merger or Consolidation .

(a)    Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the Board of Directors, upon its and the General Partner’s approval of the Merger Agreement, shall direct that the Merger Agreement be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent.

(b)    Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority.

(c)    Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger or consolidation may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement.

(d)    Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the Board of Directors is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity which shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the Board of Directors has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner, (ii) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing instruments of the new

 

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entity provide the Limited Partners, the General Partner and the Board of Directors with the same rights and obligations as are herein contained.

(e)    Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the Board of Directors, with the prior consent of the General Partner, is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another entity if (i) the Board of Directors has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner, (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Securities to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Securities Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

Section 14.4     Certificate of Merger . Upon the required approval by the Board of Directors, the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement, a certificate of merger shall be executed and filed in conformity with the requirements of the Marshall Islands Act.

Section 14.5     Amendment of Partnership Agreement . Pursuant to Section 20(2) of the Marshall Islands Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with Section 20(2) of the Marshall Islands Act may (a) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for a limited partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.5 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.

Section 14.6     Effect of Merger .

(a)    At the effective time of the certificate of merger:

(i)    all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;

(ii)    the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;

(iii)    all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and

(iv)    all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.

(b)    A merger or consolidation effected pursuant to this Article shall not be deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to another.

 

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ARTICLE XV

RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

Section 15.1     Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests .

(a)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed.

(b)    If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the Transfer Agent notice of such election to purchase (the “ Notice of Election to Purchase ”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10, but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be published for a period of at least three consecutive days in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation printed in the English language and published in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the records of the Transfer Agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate shall not have been surrendered for purchase, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI and XII) shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive the applicable purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, on the record books of the Transfer Agent and the Partnership, and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the owner of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the owner of such Limited Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI and XII).

(c)    At any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his Certificate evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section 15.1(a), without interest thereon.

 

47


ARTICLE XVI

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 16.1     Addresses and Notices .

(a)    Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Securities at his address as shown on the records of the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the records of the Partnership, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Securities by reason of any assignment or otherwise. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by a member of the Board of Directors, the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing on the books and records of the Transfer Agent or the Partnership is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner or the Board of Directors at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General Partner and the Board of Directors may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.

Section 16.2     Further Action . The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

Section 16.3     Binding Effect . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

Section 16.4     Integration . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.

Section 16.5     Creditors . None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.

Section 16.6     Waiver . No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

Section 16.7     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Limited Partner Interest, pursuant to Section 10.2(a) without execution hereof.

 

48


Section 16.8     Applicable Law . This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of The Republic of the Marshall Islands, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.

Section 16.9     Invalidity of Provisions . If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected thereby.

Section 16.10     Consent of Partners . Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.

Section 16.11     Facsimile Signatures . The use of facsimile signatures affixed in the name and on behalf of the transfer agent and registrar of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.

Section 16.12     Third-Party Beneficiaries . Each Partner agrees that any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee.

[ Remainder of this page intentionally left blank, signature page follows ]

 

49


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement of Limited Partnership as a Deed as of the date first written above.

 

GENERAL PARTNER:
Navios Maritime Containers GP LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
LIMITED PARTNERS:
All Limited Partners now and hereafter admitted as Limited Partners of the Partnership, pursuant to powers of attorney now and hereafter executed in favor of, and granted and delivered to the Board of Directors.
By:   Angeliki Frangou, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Navios Maritime Containers L.P., as attorney-in-fact for all Limited Partners pursuant to the Power of Attorney granted under Section 2.6

 

Name:   Angeliki Frangou
Title:   Attorney-in-Fact

[ Signature page to limited partnership agreement of Navios Maritime Container L.P. ]

 

50

Exhibit 3.3

 

LOGO

REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR OF CORPORATIONS CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION I HEREBY CERTIFY that Navios Maritime Containers Inc. Reg. No. 90521 is duly incorporated and has filed articles of incorporation under the provisions of the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act on April 28, 2017 WITNESS my hand and the official seal of the Registry on April 28, 2017. Deputy Registrar

Exhibit 10.1

Date 30 June 2017

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

and

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrowers

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as a Lender

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT

 

 

in relation to a Facility Agreement

dated as of 30 May 2008

as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed

dated 9 June 2010,

and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013 and 13 March 2014

INCE & CO

PIRAEUS


Index

 

Clause        Page No  

1

  INTERPRETATION      3  

2

  AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES      4  

3

  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT/CONDITIONS SUBSEQUENT      4  

4

  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      5  

5

  AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS      5  

6

  FURTHER ASSURANCES      6  

7

  FEES AND EXPENSES      7  

8

  NOTICES      7  

9

  SUPPLEMENTAL      7  

10

  LAW AND JURISDICTION      7  

SCHEDULE

     7  

APPENDIX 1 FORM OF EFFECTIVE DAY NOTICE

     9  

APPENDIX 2 FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED FACILITY AGREEMENT

     10  


THIS AGREEMENT is made on 30 June 2017

BETWEEN

 

(1) OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED , as joint and several Borrowers ;

 

(2) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Lenders; and

 

(3) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Agent, Security Trustee and Lead Arranger.

BACKGROUND

 

(A) By a facility agreement dated 30 May 2008 (the “ Original Agreement ” as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010, and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013 and 13 March 2014, together, the “ Facility Agreement ”) and made between (amongst others) the parties hereto the Lenders have made available to the Borrower a loan of up to USD288,000,000.

 

(B) By a transfer certificate dated 29 June 2017 the Lender has assumed all rights and obligations of the Lenders under the Facility Agreement, and is therefore lender of the whole of the Loan.

 

(C) The Agent and Security Trustee were appointed as such pursuant to a deed of resignation and a deed of appointment, each dated 30 June 2017.

 

(D) The Borrower has made a request to the Lenders that they agree to amend the Facility Agreement and this Agreement sets out the terms and conditions on which the Creditor Parties agree, with effect on and from the Effective Date, to make amendments to the Facility Agreement.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Defined expressions . Words and expressions defined in the Facility Agreement and the other Finance Documents shall have the same meanings when used in this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires.

 

1.2 Definitions.      In this Agreement, unless the contrary intention appears:

Commercial Manager ” means, in relation to each Ship, Navios Shipmanagement Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Effective Date ” means the date on which the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice;

Effective Date Notice ” means the written confirmation from the Agent to the Borrower that the Agent has received the documents and evidence specified in clause 3.1 in a form and substance satisfactory to it in the form of Appendix 1 to this Agreement;

Facility Agreement ” means the Facility Agreement referred to in Recital (A);

 

3


Mortgage Addendum ” means in respect of each Mortgage an addendum thereto executed or to be executed by the Borrower which is party to such Mortgage in such form as the Agent shall require;

New Guarantor ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960;

Original Agreement ” means the Original Agreement referred to in Recital (A).

 

1.3 Application of construction and Interpretation provisions of Facility Agreement. Clauses 1.3 to 1.7 (inclusive) of the Facility Agreement apply, with any necessary modifications, to this Agreement.

 

2 AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

 

2.1 Creditor Parties’ consent. The Creditor Parties hereby agree to amend the Facility Agreement on condition that:

 

2.1.1 the Agent, or its authorised representative, has received the documents and evidence specified in Clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; and

 

2.1.2 the representations and warranties contained in clause 4 are then true and correct as if each was made with respect to the facts and circumstances existing at such time.

 

3 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT AND CONDITIONS SUBSEQUENT

 

3.1 Conditions precedent. The conditions referred to in Clause 2.1.1 are that the Agent shall have received the following documents:

 

3.1.1 Corporate authorities

(i) duly legalized resolutions of the directors and shareholders of the Borrowers, the New Guarantor and the Commercial Manager approving such of this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda to which they are respectively a party and authorising the execution and delivery thereof and performance of their obligations thereunder, additionally certified by an officer of such Security Party as having been duly passed at a duly convened meeting of its directors and not having been amended, modified or revoked and being in full force and effect; and

(ii) duly legalized originals or Certified Copies of any powers of attorney issued by the Borrowers, the New Guarantor and the Commercial Manager pursuant to such resolutions;

 

3.1.2 Certificate of incumbency

a list of directors and officers and shareholders/members of the Borrowers, the New Guarantor and the Commercial Manager, specifying the names and positions of such persons, certified by an officer of the Borrowers, the New Guarantor and the Commercial Manager as the case may be to be true, complete and up to date;

 

3.1.3 Mortgage Addenda/Mortgage Assignments

evidence that each Mortgage Addendum has been duly executed and registered against the Ship which is the subject thereof in accordance with the laws of the Marshall Islands;

 

4


3.1.4 Laws of the Marshall Islands: opinion

a form of opinion of Messrs Reeder & Simpson special legal advisers to the Lender on Marshall Islands law in a form acceptable to the Agent;

 

3.1.5 Laws of England/Wales: opinion

a form of opinion of Messrs Ince & Co, special legal advisers to the Lender on English law in a form acceptable to the Agent;

 

3.1.6 Acknowledgment

an acknowledgement (in a letter or otherwise) signed by each Security Party (other than the Borrowers) in such form as the Agent may require in its sole discretion acknowledging the terms of this Agreement; and

 

3.1.7 Further opinions, etc

any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with this Agreement and the Finance Documents which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may request by notice to the Borrowers.

 

3.2 If the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of any of the documents and evidence set out in clause 3.1, the Borrowers must deliver all outstanding documents and evidence to or to the order of the Agent no later than the date specified by the Agent, and issue by the Agent of the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of all such documents and evidence shall not be construed as a waiver of the Creditor Parties’ right to receive all the documents and evidence required by clause 3.1.

 

3.3 Conditions subsequent . The Borrowers undertake to deliver or to cause to be delivered to the Agent on, or as soon as practicable after, the Effective Date such of the legal opinions specified in clause 3.1 as have not already been provided to the Agent.

 

4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

4.1 Repetition of Facility Agreement representations and warranties . The Borrowers represent and warrant to each Creditor Party that the representations and warranties in Clause 10 of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Agreement and updated with appropriate modifications to refer to this Agreement, remain true and not misleading if repeated on the date of this Agreement with reference to the circumstances now existing.

 

5 AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

 

5.1 Amendments to Facility Agreement. With effect on and from the Effective Date, the Facility Agreement shall be, and it is hereby, amended to read in accordance with the form of the amended and restated Facility Agreement set out in Schedule 2 ( Amended and Restated Facility Agreement ) and (as so amended) will continue to be binding upon the Creditor Parties and the Borrower in accordance with its terms as so amended and restated.

 

5.2 Amendments to Finance Documents. With effect on and from the Effective Date each of the Finance Documents other than the Facility Agreement, shall be, and shall be deemed by this Agreement to be, amended so that the definition of, and references throughout each of the Finance Documents to, the Facility Agreement shall be construed as if the same referred to the Facility Agreement as amended and supplemented by this Agreement.

 

5


5.3 Finance Documents to remain in full force and effect.

The Finance Documents shall remain in full force and effect as amended and supplemented by:

 

  (a) the amendments to the Finance Documents contained or referred to in Clauses 5.1 and 5.2; and

 

  (b) such further or consequential modifications as may be necessary to give full effect to the terms of this Agreement.

 

6 FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

6.1 Borrowers’ obligation to execute further documents etc. The Borrowers shall, and shall procure that any other party to any Security Document shall:

 

6.1.1 execute and deliver to the Agent (or as it may direct, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) any assignment, mortgage, power of attorney, proxy or other document, governed by the law of England or such other country as the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), in any particular case, specify; and

 

6.1.2 effect any registration or notarisation, give any notice or take any other step, which the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), by notice to the Borrowers or other party, reasonably specify for any of the purposes described in Clause 5 or for any similar or related purpose.

 

6.2 Purposes of further assurances. Those purposes are:

 

  (a) validly and effectively to create any Encumbrance or right of any kind which the Lenders intended should be created by or pursuant to the Facility Agreement or any other Security Document, each as amended and supplemented by this Agreement; and

 

  (b) implementing the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

 

6.3 Terms of further assurances. The Agent may specify the terms of any document to be executed by the Borrowers or any other party under Clause 6.1, and those terms may include any covenants, powers and provisions which the Security Trustee reasonably considers appropriate to protect its interests.

 

6.4 Obligation to comply with notice. The Borrowers shall comply with a notice under Clause 6.1 by the date specified in the notice.

 

6.5 Additional corporate action. At the same time as any Borrower or any other Security Party delivers to the Agent any document executed under Clause 6.1(a), the Borrowers or such other Security Party shall also deliver to the Agent a director’s certificate duly signed which shall:

 

  (a) set out the text of a resolution of the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s directors specifically authorising the execution of the document specified by the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), and

 

6


  (b) state that either the resolution was duly passed at a meeting of the directors validly convened and held throughout which a quorum of directors entitled to vote on the resolution was present or that the resolution has been signed by all the directors and is valid under the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s articles of association or other constitutional documents.

 

7 FEES AND EXPENSES

 

7.1 Expenses. The provisions of Clause 20 ( Fees and Expenses ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Agreement, shall apply to this Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

8 NOTICES

 

8.1 General. The provisions of clause 28 ( Notices ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Agreement, shall apply to this Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

9 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

9.1 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be original but which shall together constitute the same instrument.

 

9.2 Third party rights. A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Agreement.

 

10 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

10.1 Governing law. This Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

 

10.2 Incorporation of the Facility Agreement provisions. The provisions of Clause 31 ( Lawand Jurisdiction ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Agreement, shall apply to this Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Agreement with any necessary modifications.

IN WITNESS whereof the parties to this Agreement have caused this Agreement to be duly executed on the date first above written.

 

SIGNED as a deed by MARIA TRIVELA

   )

for and on behalf of

   )

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

   ) /s/ Maria Trivela

(as Borrower under and pursuant to

   )

a power of attorney dated 28 June 2017)

   )

SIGNED as a deed by MARIA TRIVELA

   )

for and on behalf of

   )

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

   ) /s/ Maria Trivela

(as Borrower under and pursuant to

   )

a power of attorney dated 28 June 2017)

   )

 

7


SIGNED as a deed by MARIA TRIVELA

   )

for and on behalf of

   )

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

   ) /s/ Maria Trivela

(as Borrower under and pursuant to

   )

a power of attorney dated 28 June 2017)

   )

SIGNED as a deed by MARIA TRIVELA

   )

for and on behalf of

   )

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

   ) /s/ Maria Trivela

(as Borrower under and pursuant to

   )

a power of attorney dated 28 June 2017)

   )

SIGNED as a deed by MARIA TRIVELA

   )

for and on behalf of

   )

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

   ) /s/ Maria Trivela

(as Borrower under and pursuant to

   )

a power of attorney dated 28 June 2017)

   )

SIGNED as a deed by RONAN LE DU

   )

for and on behalf of

   )

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

   ) /s/ Ronan Le Du

(as a Lender under and pursuant to

   )

a power of attorney dated 13 February 2017)

   )

SIGNED as a deed by RONAN LE DU

   )

for and on behalf of

   )

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

   ) /s/ Ronan Le Du

(as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee

   )

under and pursuant to

   )

a power of attorney dated 29 June 2017

   )

Witness to all the above

   )

Signatures:

   )

Name:

  

Address:

  

47-49 Akti Miaouli

  

Piraeus, Greece

  

 

8


Appendix 1

Form of

Effective Date Notice

 

To: OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED all of the Marshall Islands

We, ABN AMRO BANK N.V., refer to the supplemental agreement dated    June 2017 (the “ Supplemental Agreement ”) relating to a secured facility agreement 30 May 2008 (as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010, and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013 and [     ] 2014, the “ Facility Agreement ”) made between (amongst others) you as the Borrowers and ourselves as the Agent.

We hereby confirm that all conditions precedent referred to in Clause 3.1 of the Supplemental Agreement have been satisfied. In accordance with Clauses 1.2 and 2.1 of the Supplemental Agreement the Effective Date is the date of this confirmation and the amendments to the Facility Agreement are now effective.

Dated: [                 ] 2017

Signed:_______________________________

for and on behalf of

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

 

9


Appendix 2

Form of Amended and Restated Facility Agreement

 

10


EXECUTION VERSION

Date 30 May 2008

as amended and restated

on            June 2017

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

and

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

as joint and several Borrowers

- and –

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Mandated Lead Arrangers

-and-

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lenders

- and -

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Agent and as Security Trustee

 

 

FACILITY AGREEMENT

 

 


INDEX

 

Clause         Page  

1

   INTERPRETATION      3  

2

   FACILITY      22  

3

   POSITION OF THE LENDERS      23  

4

   DRAWDOWN      23  

5

   INTEREST      24  

6

   INTEREST PERIODS      26  

7

   DEFAULT INTEREST      27  

8

   REDUCTION, REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT      28  

9

   CONDITIONS PRECEDENT      30  

10

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      31  

11

   GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS      34  

12

   CORPORATE UNDERTAKINGS      39  

13

   INSURANCE      41  

14

   SHIP’S COVENANTS      45  

15

   SECURITY COVER      50  

16

   PAYMENTS AND CALCULATIONS      51  

17

   APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS      53  

18

   APPLICATION OF EARNINGS, LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS      54  

19

   EVENTS OF DEFAULT      56  

20

   FEES AND EXPENSES      61  

21

   INDEMNITIES      62  

22

   NO SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION      63  

23

   ILLEGALITY, ETC      64  

24

   INCREASED COSTS      65  

25

   SET-OFF      66  

26

   TRANSFERS AND CHANGES IN LENDING AND BOOKING OFFICES      67  


27

   VARIATIONS AND WAIVERS      70  

28

   NOTICES      71  

29

   JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY      72  

30

   SUPPLEMENTAL      73  

31

   LAW AND JURISDICTION      74  

SCHEDULE 1 BANKS AND COMMITMENT

     75  

SCHEDULE 2 DRAWDOWN NOTICE

     76  

SCHEDULE 3 CONDITION PRECEDENT DOCUMENTS

     77  

SCHEDULE 4 TRANSFER CERTIFICATE

     80  

SCHEDULE 5 FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

     84  

SCHEDULE 6 SHIP DETAILS

     86  

EXECUTION PAGE

     88  

 

2


THIS AGREEMENT is made on 30 May 2008 and amended and restated on                June 2017

BETWEEN

 

(1) OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED , as joint and several Borrowers ;

 

(2) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. , as Mandated Lead Arrangers ;

 

(3) THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS listed in Part A of Schedule 1, as Lenders ;

 

(4) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. , as Agent ; and

 

(5) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. , as Security Trustee .

BACKGROUND

 

(A) The Lenders have agreed to:

 

  (a) continue to make available to the Borrowers a term loan facility of up to US$35,000,000; and

 

  (b) make available to the Borrowers

 

  (i) Advance B for the purpose of enabling the Borrowers to on-lend the same to Collateral Guarantor A to finance its acquisition of Ship F; and

 

  (ii) Advance C for the purpose of enabling the Borrowers to on-lend the same to Collateral Guarantor B to finance its acquisition of Ship G,

 

(B) The Lenders have agreed to share pari passu in the security to be granted to the Security Trustee pursuant to this Agreement.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Definitions. Subject to Clause 1.5, in this Agreement (including in the above recitals):

Account Bank ” means ABN AMRO Bank N.V. acting through its branch at 93 Coolsingel, 3012 Rotterdam, the Netherlands or such other bank as may be designated by the Agent as the Account Bank for the purposes of this Agreement and which is of a rating acceptable to the Lenders, in their sole discretion;

Account Security Deed ” means a deed creating security in respect of the Earnings Accounts and the Retention Account in the Agreed Form;

Advance A ” means the advance equal to the lesser of (i) $34,320,000 and (ii) 80% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of the Chartered Ships no more than 30 days prior to the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance A, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of the Chartered Ships or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

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Advance B ” means, if drawn before Advance C, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $3,180,000 and (ii) 70% of the Fair Market Value of Vessel F and if drawn after Advance C, the lesser of (aa) the difference between $5,680,000 and the drawn amount of Advance C and (bb) an amount which, when added to Advance A and Advance C, will equal 70% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance B, no more than 30 days prior to the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance B, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship F or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance C ” means, if drawn before Advance B, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $3,180,000 and (ii) 70% of the Fair Market Value of Vessel G and if drawn after Advance B, the lesser of (i) the difference between $5,680,000 and the drawn amount of Advance B and (ii) an amount which, when added to Advance A and Advance B, will equal 70% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance C, no more than 30 days prior to the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance C, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship G or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advances ” means together, Advance A, Advance B and Advance C and, in the singular, means any of them;

Actual Delivery Date ” means, in relation to each Ship, the day on which such Ship is actually delivered by the relevant Seller to the relevant Borrower pursuant to the relevant MOA;

Affected Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.7;

Affiliate ” means, in relation to any person, a Subsidiary of that person or a Holding Company of that person or any other Subsidiary of that Holding Company;

Agency and Trust Deed ” means the agency and trust deed dated the same date as this Agreement and made between the same parties;

Agent ” means ABN AMRO Bank N.V., duly incorporated under the laws of Netherlands, having its registered office at Gustav Mahlerlaan 10, 1082 PP Amsterdam, The Netherlands, acting for the purposes of this Agreement through its office at Coolsingel 93, 3012, AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands (or of such other address as may last have been notified to the Borrowers) or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Deed;

Agreed Form ” means, in relation to any document, that document in the form approved in writing by the Agent or as otherwise approved in accordance with any other approved procedure specified in any relevant provision of any Finance Document;

Applicable Accounts ” means, as at the date of calculation or, as the case may be, in respect of an accounting period, the annual audited consolidated accounts and financial statements of the Group or the quarterly unaudited consolidated accounts and financial statements of the Group, in each case, which the Borrowers are obliged to deliver to the Agent pursuant to Clause 11.6;

Approved Broker ” means each of (i) H. Clarkson & Co. Ltd. of St Magnus House, 3 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6HE, England, (ii) Arrow Sale & Purchase (UK) Limited of Harbour House, Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XE, England, (iii) SSY Valuation Services Limited of Lloyds Chambers, 1 Portsoken Street, London E1 8PH, England, (iv) Fearnleys of P.O. Box 1158 Sentrum, 0107 Oslo, Norway, (v) Maersk Broker

 

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K/S, Midtermolen 1, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark, (vi) Braemar Seascope Limited of One Strand, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5HR, England, (vii) E.A. Gibson Shipbrokers Ltd., Audrey House, 16-20 Ely Place, London EC1N 6SN, England, (viii) BRS of 11 Boulevard Jean Mermoz, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France and (ix) Howe Robinson Partners of 3rd Floor, 40 Gracechurch St, London EC3V 0BT, United Kingdom, or such other reputable, independent and first class firm of shipbrokers specialising in the valuation of vessels of the relevant type appointed by the Bank and agreed with the Borrowers;

Approved Flag ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands or such other flag as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, in their absolute discretion, approve as the flag on which a Ship may be registered;

Approved Flag State ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands or any other country in which the Agent may with the authorisation of all the Lenders, approve that a Ship be registered;

Approved Time Charter Assignment ” means, in relation to a Ship, the assignment of each Approved Time Charter in the Agreed Form;

Availability Period ” means    for Advance B and Advance C, the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the earlier of (a) 31 December 2017, (b) the Delivery Date in respect of the second Collateral Ship to be delivered under a Collateral MOA and (c) any date on which (i) the aggregate of Advance B and Advance C is equal to the Total Commitments or (ii) the Total Commitments are reduced to zero; or, in each case, such later date as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, agree with the Borrowers;

Basel III ” means:

 

  (a) the agreements on capital requirements, a leverage ratio and liquidity standards contained in “Basel III: A global regulatory framework for more resilient banks and banking systems”, “Basel III: International framework for liquidity risk measurement, standards and monitoring” and “Guidance for national authorities operating the countercyclical capital buffer” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010, each as amended, supplemented or restated;

 

  (b) the rules for global systemically important banks contained in “Global systemically important banks: assessment methodology and the additional loss absorbency requirement—Rules text” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in November 2011, as amended, supplemented or restated; and

 

  (c) any further guidance or standards published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision relating to “Basel III”;

Basel IV means any amendment, replacement or refinement of Basel III known or to be known as “Basel IV”;

BNP ” means BNP Paribas, acting through its branch at 63/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central Hong-Kong;

BNP Account ” means, in relation to each Borrower, an account in the name of such Borrower with BNP designated “[ name of relevant Borrower ] - Earnings Account”;

BNP Account Security Deed ” means, in relation to each Borrower, a deed creating security in respect of its BNP Account in the Agreed Form (and “ BNP Account Security Deeds ” means all of them collectively);

 

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Borrower A ” means Olympia II Navigation Limited, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower B ” means Sui An Navigation Limited, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower C ” means Pingel Navigation Limited, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower D ” means Ebba Navigation Limited, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower E ” means Clan Navigation Limited, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower ” means each or, as the context may require, any of Borrower A, Borrower B, Borrower C, Borrower D and Borrower E (and “ Borrowers ” means all of them collectively);

Business Day ” means a day (other than a Saturday and a Sunday) on which commercial banks are open in Athens, Piraeus, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hong Kong and, in respect of a day on which:

 

  (a) LIBOR is to be determined, also in London; and

 

  (b) a payment is required to be made under a Finance Document in Dollars, also in New York City;

Change of Control Event ” means the occurrence after the Execution Date of any of the following:

 

  (i) the Permitted Owners sell any shares in the Corporate Guarantor which would reduce the proportion of issued shares owned by them in aggregate in the Corporate Guarantor to below 30%; or

 

  (ii) the Corporate Guarantor issues further shares which would reduce the proportion of issued shares in the Corporate Guarantor owned by the Permitted Owners in aggregate to below 30%;

Chartered Ships ” means, together, Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D and Ship E.

Collateral Account Security Deed ” means, in relation to each Collateral Guarantor, a deed creating security in respect of its Collateral Earnings Account in the Agreed Form (and “ Collateral Account Security Deeds ” means all of them collectively);

Collateral Charter Assignment ” means, in relation to any Extended Employment Contract over a Collateral Ship, the assignment thereof in the Agreed Form;

 

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Collateral Earnings Account ” means, in relation to each Collateral Guarantor, an account in the name of such Collateral Guarantor with the Account Bank designated “[ name of relevant Collateral Guarantor ] - Earnings Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank or with a bank or financial institution other than the Account Bank) which is designated by the Agent as such account in relation to that Collateral Guarantor for the purposes of this Agreement

Collateral General Assignment ” means, in relation to a Collateral Ship, a general assignment of its Earnings, Insurances and Requisition Compensation in the Agreed Form (and “ Collateral General Assignments ” means both of them collectively);

Collateral Guarantee ” means each guarantee executed or to be executed by the Collateral Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form(and “ Collateral Guarantees ” means both of them collectively);

Collateral Guarantees ” means both of them collectively);

Collateral Guarantor A ” means Velour Management Corp., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Collateral Guarantor B ” means Bertyl Ventures Co., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Collateral Guarantor ” means each or, as the context may require, either of Collateral Guarantor A or Collateral Guarantor B (and “ Collateral Guarantors ” means both of them collectively);

Collateral Manager’s Undertaking ” means a letter of undertaking from the Approved Manager in the Agreed Form;

Collateral Mortgage ” means, in relation to a Collateral Ship, the first preferred or, as the case may be, priority ship mortgage on the Ship under the relevant Approved Flag in the Agreed Form (and “ Collateral Mortgages ” means all of them collectively);

Collateral Shares Pledge ” means, in relation to each Collateral Guarantor, a deed creating security in respect of the issued share capital of that Collateral Guarantor executed or to be executed by the Corporate Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form (and “ Collateral Shares Pledges ” means all of them collectively);

Collateral Ship ” means each of Ship F and Ship G and in the plural means both of them;

Commitment ” means in relation to Advance B and Advance C, in relation to a Lender, the amount set opposite its name in the second column of Part A of Schedule 1, or, as the case may require, the amount specified in the relevant Transfer Certificate, as that amount may be reduced, cancelled or terminated in accordance with this Agreement (and “ Total Commitments ” means the aggregate of the Commitments of all the Lenders);

Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate in the form set out in Schedule 5 (or in any other form which the Agent, acting with the authorisation of all the Lenders, approves or requires);

Contractual Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.4;

Contribution ” means, in relation to a Lender, the part of the Loan which is owing to that Lender;

 

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Corporate Guarantee ” means the guarantee executed or to be executed by the Corporate Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form;

Corporate Guarantor ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960;

CRD IV ” means:

 

  (a) Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending regulation (EU) No. 648/2012;

 

  (b) Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2002/87/EC and repealing Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC; and

 

  (c) any other law or regulation which implements Basel III;

CRR ” means Regulations (EU) No. 575/2013 of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending regulation (EU) No. 648/2012

Creditor Party ” means the Agent, the Security Trustee, any Mandated Lead Arranger, or any Lender, whether as at the date of this Agreement or at any later time;

Delivery Date ” means, in relation to each Collateral Ships, the date on which title to and possession of such Collateral Ship is transferred to the relevant Collateral Guarantor;

Dollars ” and “ $ ” mean the lawful currency for the time being of the United States of America;

Drawdown Date ” means, for any Advance, the date requested by the Borrowers for that Advance to be made, or (as the context requires) the date on which that Advance is actually made;

Drawdown Notice ” means a notice in the form set out in Schedule 2 (or in any other form which the Agent approves or reasonably requires);

Earnings ” means, in relation to a Ship, all moneys whatsoever which are now, or later become, payable (actually or contingently) to the Borrower or the Collateral Guarantor owning such Ship or the Security Trustee and which arise out of the use or operation of such Ship, including (but not limited to):

 

  (a) except to the extent that they fall within paragraph (b):

 

  (i) all freight, hire and passage moneys;

 

  (ii) compensation payable to the Borrower or the Collateral Guarantor which owns that Ship or a Security Party in the event of requisition of that Ship for hire;

 

  (iii) remuneration for salvage and towage services;

 

  (iv) demurrage and detention moneys;

 

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  (v) damages for breach (or payments for variation or termination) of any charterparty or other contract for the employment of that Ship; and

 

  (vi) all moneys which are at any time payable under any Insurances relating to that Ship in respect of loss of hire; and

 

  (b) if and whenever that Ship is employed on terms whereby any moneys falling within paragraphs (i) to (vi) are pooled or shared with any other person, that proportion of the net receipts of the relevant pooling or sharing arrangement which is attributable to that Ship;

Earnings Account ” means, in relation to each Borrower and each Collateral Guarantor, an account in the name of such Borrower or Collateral Guarantor with the Account Bank designated “[ name of relevant Borrower/ Collateral Guarantor ] - Earnings Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank or with a bank or financial institution other than the Account Bank) which is designated by the Agent as such account in relation to that Borrower or Collateral Guarantor for the purposes of this Agreement;

Environmental Claim ” means:

 

  (a) any claim by any governmental, judicial or regulatory authority which arises out of an Environmental Incident or an alleged Environmental Incident or which relates to any Environmental Law; or

 

  (b) any claim by any other person which relates to an Environmental Incident or to an alleged Environmental Incident,

and “ claim ” means a claim for damages, compensation, fines, penalties or any other payment of any kind whether or not similar to the foregoing; an order or direction to take, or not to take, certain action or to desist from or suspend certain action; and any form of enforcement or regulatory action, including the arrest or attachment of any asset;

Environmental Incident ” means:

 

  (a) any release of Environmentally Sensitive Material from a Ship; or

 

  (b) any incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released from a vessel other than a Ship and which involves a collision between a Ship and such other vessel or some other incident of navigation or operation, in either case, in connection with which a Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested, attached, detained or injuncted and/or a Ship and/or any Borrower and/or a Collateral Guarantor and/or the Approved Manager or any operator or manager of a Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action; or

 

  (c) any other incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released otherwise than from a Ship and in connection with which a Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested and/or where any Borrower and/or a Collateral Guarantor and/or the Approved Manager and/or any operator or manager of a Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action;

Environmental Law ” means any law relating to pollution or protection of the environment, to the carriage of Environmentally Sensitive Material or to actual or threatened releases of Environmentally Sensitive Material;

 

9


Environmentally Sensitive Material ” means oil, oil products and any other substance (including any chemical, gas or other hazardous or noxious substance) which is (or is capable of being or becoming) polluting, toxic or hazardous;

Event of Default ” means any of the events or circumstances described in Clause 19.1;

Extended Employment Contract ” means, in respect of a Collateral Ship, any time charterparty, contract of affreightment or other contract of employment of such ship (including the entry of either Collateral Ship in any pool) which has a tenor exceeding twelve (12) months (including any options to renew or extend such tenor);

Fair Market Value ” means, in relation to a Ship, its market value determined in accordance with Clause 15.3;

FATCA ” means:

 

  (a) sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code or any associated regulations;

 

  (b) any treaty, law or regulation of any other jurisdiction, or relating to an intergovernmental agreement between the US and any other jurisdiction, which (in either case) facilitates the implementation of any law or regulation referred to in paragraph (a) above; or

 

  (c) any agreement pursuant to the implementation of any treaty, law or regulation referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) above with the US Internal Revenue Service, the US government or any governmental or taxation authority in any other jurisdiction.

FATCA Application Date ” means:

 

  (d) in relation to a “withholdable payment” described in section 1473(1)(A)(i) of the Code (which relates to payments of interest and certain other payments from sources within the US), 1 July 2014;

 

  (e) in relation to a “withholdable payment” described in section 1473(1)(A)(ii) of the Code (which relates to “gross proceeds” from the disposition of property of a type that can produce interest from sources within the US), 1 January 2019; or

 

  (f) in relation to a “passthru payment” described in section 1471(d)(7) of the Code not falling within paragraphs (a) or (b) above, 1 January 2019,

or, in each case, such other date from which such payment may become subject to a deduction or withholding required by FATCA as a result of any change in FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

FATCA Deduction ” means a deduction or withholding from a payment under a Finance Document required by or under FATCA;

FATCA Exempt Party ” means a party to a Finance Document that is entitled to receive payments free from any FATCA Deduction;

Finance Documents ” means collectively:

 

  (a) this Agreement;

 

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  (b) the Agency and Trust Deed;

 

  (c) the Corporate Guarantee;

 

  (d) the General Assignments;

 

  (e) the Mortgages;

 

  (f) the Account Security Deeds;

 

  (g) the BNP Account Security Deeds

 

  (h) the Approved Time Charter Assignments;

 

  (i) the Manager’s Undertaking;

 

  (j) the Shares Pledges;

 

  (k) the Collateral Guarantees;

 

  (l) the Collateral General Assignments;

 

  (m) the Collateral Mortgages;

 

  (n) the Collateral Charter Assignments;

 

  (o) the Collateral Manager’s Undertaking;

 

  (p) the Collateral Shares Pledges; and

 

  (q) any other document (whether creating a Security Interest or not) which is executed at any time by the Borrowers (or any of them) or any other person as security for, or to establish any form of subordination or priorities arrangement in relation to, any amount payable to the Creditor Parties under this Agreement or any of the other documents referred to in this definition

(and a “ Finance Document ” means each or, as the context may require, any of them);

Financial Indebtedness ” means, in relation to a person (the “ debtor ”), a liability of the debtor:

 

  (a) for principal, interest or any other sum payable in respect of any moneys borrowed or raised by the debtor;

 

  (b) under any loan stock, bond, note or other security issued by the debtor;

 

  (c) under any acceptance credit, guarantee or letter of credit facility or dematerialised equivalent made available to the debtor;

 

  (d) under a financial lease, a deferred purchase consideration arrangement or any other agreement having the commercial effect of a borrowing or raising of money by the debtor;

 

  (e) under any foreign exchange transaction, any interest or currency swap or any other kind of derivative transaction entered into by the debtor or, if the agreement under which any such transaction is entered into requires netting of mutual liabilities, the liability of the debtor for the net amount; or

 

11


  (f) under a guarantee, indemnity or similar obligation entered into by the debtor in respect of a liability of another person which would fall within paragraphs (a) to (e) if the references to the debtor referred to the other person

Financial Year ” means, each period of 12 months ending on 31 December other than in the case of the first year which may be such shorter period commencing from the date of incorporation of the relevant company or such other date as the Majority Lenders may agree (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld);

General Assignment ” means, in relation to a Ship, a general assignment of its Earnings, Insurances and Requisition Compensation in the Agreed Form (and “ General Assignments ” means all of them collectively);

Group ” means at any relevant time the Corporate Guarantor and its Subsidiaries but excluding any company which is publicly listed;

Group Member ” means any member of the Group;

“Holding Company” means, in relation to a company or corporation, any other company or corporation in respect of which it is a Subsidiary;

IACS ” means the International Association of Classification Societies;

IAPPC ” means, in relation to a Ship, a valid international air pollution prevention certificate for such Ship issued pursuant to the MARPOL Protocol;

Insurances ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) all policies and contracts of insurance, including entries of that Ship in any protection and indemnity or war risks association, which are effected in respect of that Ship, its Earnings or otherwise in relation to it; and

 

  (b) all rights and other assets relating to, or derived from, any of the foregoing, including any rights to a return of a premium;

Interest Period ” means a period determined in accordance with Clause 6;

ISM Code ” means the International Safety Management Code (including the guidelines on its implementation), adopted by the International Maritime Organisation as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time (and the terms “ safety management system ”, “ Safety Management Certificate ” and “ Document of Compliance ” have the same meanings as are given to them in the ISM Code);

ISPS Code ” means the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code as adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to time);

ISSC ” means a valid and current international ship security certificate issued under the ISPS Code;

Latest Accounts ” means, in respect of any financial quarter or year of the Group, the latest unaudited (in respect of each financial quarter) or audited (in respect of each financial year) financial statements required to be prepared pursuant to clause 11.6;

“Lender ” means, subject to Clause 26.6:

 

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  (a) a bank or financial institution listed in Part A of Schedule 1 and acting through its branch indicated in Part A of Schedule 1 (or through another branch notified to the Agent under Clause 26.14) unless it has delivered a Transfer Certificate or Certificates covering the entire amounts of its Commitment and its Contribution; and

 

  (b) the holder for the time being of a Transfer Certificate;

LIBOR ” means, in relation to any period for which an interest rate is to be determined under any provision of a Finance Document:

 

  (a) the applicable Screen Rate; or

 

  (b) if no Screen Rate is available for that period, the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be the arithmetic mean (rounded upwards to 4 decimal places) of the rates as supplied to the Agent at its request, quoted by each Reference Bank to leading banks in the London Interbank Market;

as of 11:00 am London time on the Quotation Day for dollars and for a period comparable to the Interest Period of the Loan, that part of the Loan or that Unpaid Sum and if any such rate is less than zero LIBOR shall be deemed to be zero;

Liquidity ” means:

 

  (a) cash in hand legally and beneficially owned by any Group Member; and

 

  (b) cash deposits legally and beneficially owned by any Group Member and which are deposited with (A) the Bank or (B) any other bank or financial institution,

which in each case is at the free and unrestricted disposal of the relevant Group Member by which it is owned including any funds held with any bank from time to time to satisfy minimum liquidity requirements;

Loan ” means the principal amount which has been advanced under this Agreement and which is outstanding for the time being;

Major Casualty ” means, in relation to a Ship, any casualty to such Ship in respect of which the claim or the aggregate of the claims against all insurers, before adjustment for any relevant franchise or deductible, exceeds $500,000 or the equivalent in any other currency;

Majority Lenders ” means:

 

  (a) before an Advance has been made, Lenders whose Commitments total 66.67 per cent. or more of the Total Commitments; and

 

  (b) after an Advance has been made, Lenders whose Contributions total 66.67 per cent. or more of the Loan;

Management Agreement ” means, in respect of each Ship, a management agreement made or to be made between the Approved Manager and the relevant Borrower in such form and substance acceptable to the Agent acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders (and “ Management Agreements ” means all of them collectively);

Manager’s Undertaking ” means a letter of undertaking from the Approved Manager in the Agreed Form;

 

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Mandatory Cost ” means in respect of any Interest Period the amount which the Lender certifies is the cost to it for making available the Loan for that Interest Period as a result of the Lender’s compliance with any regulation;

Margin ” means 3.85 per cent. per annum;

MARPOL Protocol ” means Annex VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 (as amended in 1978 and 1997);

Maturity Date ” means, the earlier of (i) the date falling 18 months after drawdown of the second one of Advance B and Advance C to be drawn down and (ii) 31 st December 2018;

Mortgage ” means, in relation to a Ship, the first preferred or, as the case may be, priority ship mortgage on the Ship under the relevant Approved Flag in the Agreed Form (and “ Mortgages ” means all of them collectively);

Negotiation Period ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.10;

Notifying Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 23.1 or 24.1 as the context requires;

Payment Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.4;

Permitted Owners ” means, in relation to the Corporate Guarantor, any one or more of Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., Navios Maritime Partners L.P., Mrs Angeliki Frangou and their respective Affiliates;

Permitted Security Interests ” means:

 

  (a) Security Interests created by the Finance Documents;

 

  (b) liens for unpaid master’s and crew’s wages in accordance with usual maritime practice;

 

  (c) liens for salvage;

 

  (d) liens arising by operation of law for not more than 2 months’ prepaid hire under any charter in relation to a Ship not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

  (e) liens for master’s disbursements incurred in the ordinary course of trading and any other lien arising by operation of law or otherwise in the ordinary course of the operation, repair or maintenance of a Ship, provided such liens do not secure amounts more than 60 days overdue (unless the overdue amount is being contested by the relevant Borrower in good faith by appropriate steps) and subject, in the case of liens for repair or maintenance, to Clauses 14.13(h);

 

  (f) any Security Interest created in favour of a plaintiff or defendant in any proceedings or arbitration as security for costs and expenses while the relevant Borrower is actively prosecuting or defending such proceedings or arbitration in good faith by appropriate steps;

 

  (g) Security Interests arising by operation of law in respect of taxes which are not overdue for payment or in respect of taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate steps and in respect of which appropriate reserves have been made; and

 

  (h) Any right of pledge and/or set off created pursuant to the general banking conditions ( algemene bankvoorwaarden ) of ABN AMRO Bank NV;

 

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Pertinent Document ” means:

 

  (a) any Finance Document;

 

  (b) any policy or contract of insurance contemplated by or referred to in Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

 

  (c) any other document contemplated by or referred to in any Finance Document; and

 

  (d) any document which has been or is at any time sent by or to the Agent or the Security Trustee in contemplation of or in connection with any Finance Document or any policy, contract or document falling within paragraphs (b) or (c);

Pertinent Jurisdiction ”, in relation to a company, means:

 

  (a) England and Wales;

 

  (b) the country under the laws of which the company is incorporated or formed;

 

  (c) a country in which the company has the centre of its main interests or in which the company’s central management and control is or has recently been exercised;

 

  (d) a country in which the overall net income of the company is subject to corporation tax, income tax or any similar tax;

 

  (e) a country in which assets of the company (other than securities issued by, or loans to, related companies) having a substantial value are situated, in which the company maintains a permanent place of business, or in which a Security Interest created by the company must or should be registered in order to ensure its validity or priority; and

 

  (f) a country the courts of which have jurisdiction to make a winding up, administration or similar order in relation to the company or which would have such jurisdiction if their assistance were requested by the courts of a country referred to in paragraphs (b) or (c);

Pertinent Matter ” means:

 

  (a) any transaction or matter contemplated by, arising out of, or in connection with a Pertinent Document; or

 

  (b) any statement relating to a Pertinent Document or to a transaction or matter falling within paragraph (a);

and covers any such transaction, matter or statement, whether entered into, arising or made at any time before the signing of this Agreement or on or at any time after that signing;

Potential Event of Default ” means an event or circumstance which, with the giving of any notice, the lapse of time, a determination of the Majority Lenders and/or the satisfaction of any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default;

Quotation Date ” means, in relation to any Interest Period (or any other period for which an interest rate is to be determined under any provision of a Finance Document), the day on which quotations would ordinarily be given by leading banks in the London Interbank Market for deposits in the currency in relation to which such rate is to be determined for delivery on the first day of that Interest Period or other period;

 

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Reference Banks ” means the branch of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. at 93 Coolsingel, 3012 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands and the London branch of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. or such other banks as may be appointed by the Bank in consultation with the Borrowers

Relevant Person ” has the meaning given in Clause 19.9;

Repayment Date ” means a date on which a repayment of the Loan is required to be made under Clause 8.1;

Requisition Compensation ” includes all compensation or other moneys payable by reason of any act or event such as is referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of “ Total Loss ”;

Restricted Person ” means a person that is:

 

  (a) listed on, or owned or controlled by a person listed on any Sanctions List;

 

  (b) located in, incorporated under the laws of, or owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, a person located in or organised under the laws of a country or territory that is the target of country-wide Sanctions; or

 

  (c) otherwise a target of Sanctions

Retention Account ” means an account in the joint names of the Borrowers and the Collateral Guarantors with the Account Bank designated “[Navios Maritime Containers] - Retention Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank or with a bank or financial institution other than the Account Bank) which is designated by the Agent as such account for the purposes of this Agreement;

Sanctions ” means any economic or trade sanctions laws, regulations, embargoes or restrictive measures administered, enacted or enforced by:

 

  (i) the United States government;

 

  (ii) the United Nations;

 

  (iii) the European Union or any of its Member States;

 

  (iv) the United Kingdom;

 

  (v) any country to which any Security Party or any other member of the Group or any of their Affiliates is bound; or

 

  (vi) the respective governmental institutions and agencies of any of the foregoing, including without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of Treasury (“ OFAC ”), the United States Department of State, and Her Majesty’s Treasury (“ HMT ”) (together “ Sanctions Authorities ” and each, “Sanctions Authority”);

Sanctions List ” means the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons” list issued by OFAC, the “Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and Investment Ban List” issued by HMT, or any similar list issued or maintained or made public by any of the Sanctions Authorities;

 

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Screen Rate ” means the London interbank offered rate administered by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or any other person which takes over the administration of that rate) for dollars for the relevant period displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen (or any replacement Reuters page which displays that rate), or on the appropriate page of such other information service which publishes that rate from time to time in place of Reuters. If such page or service ceases to be available, the Agent may specify another page or service displaying the appropriate rate after consultation with the Borrowers;

Secured Liabilities ” means all liabilities which the Borrowers, the Security Parties or any of them have, at the date of this Agreement or at any later time or times, under or in connection with any Finance Document or any judgment relating to any Finance Document; and for this purpose, there shall be disregarded any total or partial discharge of these liabilities, or variation of their terms, which is effected by, or in connection with, any bankruptcy, liquidation, arrangement or other procedure under the insolvency laws of any country;

Security Interest ” means:

 

  (a) a mortgage, charge (whether fixed or floating) or pledge, any maritime or other lien or any other security interest of any kind;

 

  (b) the security rights of a plaintiff under an action in rem ; and

 

  (c) any arrangement entered into by a person (A) the effect of which is to place another person (B) in a position which is similar, in economic terms, to the position in which B would have been had he held a security interest over an asset of A; but this paragraph (c) does not apply to a right of set off or combination of accounts conferred by the standard terms of business of a bank or financial institution;

Security Party ” means the Corporate Guarantor, the Collateral Guarantors, the Approved Manager and any other person (except a Creditor Party) who, as a surety or mortgagor, as a party to any subordination or priorities arrangement, or in any similar capacity, executes a document falling within the last paragraph of the definition of “ Finance Documents ”;

Security Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date on which the Agent notifies the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the Lenders anks that:

 

  (a) all amounts which have become due for payment by the Borrowers or any Security Party under the Finance Documents have been paid;

 

  (b) no amount is owing or has accrued (without yet having become due for payment) under any Finance Document;

 

  (c) neither the Borrowers or any Security Party has any future or contingent liability under Clause 20, 21 or 22 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

Security Trustee ” means ABN AMRO Bank N.V., duly incorporated under the laws of Netherlands, having its registered office at Gustav Mahlerlaan 10, 1082 PP Amsterdam, The Netherlands, acting for the purposes of this Agreement through its office at Coolsingel 93, 3012, AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands (or of such other address as may last have been notified to the Borrowers pursuant to clause 26.4) or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Deed;

 

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“Seller” means either Ship F Seller or Ship G Seller and “Sellers” refers to both;

“Shareholder” means, Navios Partners Containers Inc. a company incorporated in the Marshall Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960;

Shares Pledge ” means, in relation to each Borrower, a deed creating security in respect of the issued share capital of that Borrower executed or to be executed by the Shareholder in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form (and “ Shares Pledges ” means all of them collectively);

Ship ” means each or, as the context may otherwise require, any of Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D, Ship E, and (following their acquisition by the relevant Collateral Guarantors) the Collateral Ships (and “ Ships ” means all of them collectively);

SMC ” means a safety management certificate issued in respect of a Ship in accordance with Rule 13 of the ISM Code;

Total Loss ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) actual, constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of such Ship;

 

  (b) requisition for title or other compulsory acquisition including, if that ship is not released therefrom within the Relevant Period, capture, appropriation, forfeiture, seizure, detention, deprivation or confiscation howsoever for any reason (but excluding requisition for use or hire) by or on behalf of any Government Entity or other competent authority or by pirates, hijackers, terrorists or similar persons; “Relevant Period” means for the purposes of this definition of Compulsory Acquisition either (i) ninety (90) days or, (ii) if relevant underwriters confirm in writing (in terms satisfactory to the Bank) prior to the end of such ninety (90) day period that such capture, seizure, detention or confiscation will be fully covered (subject to any applicable deductible) by the relevant Owner’s war risks insurance if continuing for a further period exceeding ten (10) calendar months, the shorter of twelve (12) months and such period at the end of which cover is confirmed to attach; and

 

  (c) any arrest, capture, seizure or detention of such Ship (including any hijacking or theft) unless it is within 90 days redelivered to the full control of the Borrower owning such Ship;

Total Assets ” and “ Total Liabilities ” mean, respectively, the total assets and total liabilities of the Group as evidenced at any relevant time by the Latest Accounts;

Total Loss Date ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) in the case of an actual loss of such Ship, the date on which it occurred or, if that is unknown, the date when such Ship was last heard of;

 

  (b) in the case of a constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of such Ship, the earliest of:

 

  (i) the date on which a notice of abandonment is given to the insurers; and

 

  (ii) the date of any compromise, arrangement or agreement made by or on behalf of the Borrower owning such Ship with such Ship’s insurers in which the insurers agree to treat such Ship as a total loss; and

 

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  (c) in the case of any other type of total loss, on the date (or the most likely date) on which it appears to the Agent that the event constituting the total loss occurred;

Transfer Certificate ” has the meaning given in Clause 26.2; and

Trust Property ” has the meaning given in clause 3.1 of the Agency and Trust Deed; and

US GAAP ” means the generally accepted accounting principles applied from time to time in the United States of America.

Words and expressions defined in Schedule 6 (Ship Details) when used in this Agreement shall have the meanings given to them in Schedule 6 (Ship Details) as if the same were set out in full in this clause 1.1.

 

1.2 Construction of certain terms. In this Agreement:

administration notice ” means a notice appointing an administrator, a notice of intended appointment and any other notice which is required by law (generally or in the case concerned) to be filed with the court or given to a person prior to, or in connection with the appointment of an administrator;

approved ” means, for the purposes of Clause 13, approved in writing by the Agent;

asset ” includes every kind of property, asset, interest or right, including any present, future or contingent right to any revenues or other payment;

company ” includes any partnership, joint venture and unincorporated association;

consent ” includes an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing, registration, notarisation and legalisation;

contingent liability ” means a liability which is not certain to arise and/or the amount of which remains unascertained;

document ” includes a deed; also a letter or fax;

excess risks ” means, in relation to a Ship, the proportion of claims for general average, salvage and salvage charges not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies in respect of the Ship in consequence of its insured value being less than the value at which the Ship is assessed for the purpose of such claims;

expense ” means any kind of cost, charge or expense (including all legal costs, out-of-pocket expenses, charges and expenses) and any applicable value added or other tax;

law ” includes any order or decree, any form of delegated legislation, any treaty or international convention and any regulation or resolution of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the United Nations or its Security Council;

legal or administrative action ” means any legal proceeding or arbitration and any administrative or regulatory action or investigation;

liability ” includes every kind of debt or liability (present or future, certain or contingent), whether incurred as principal or surety or otherwise;

months ” shall be construed in accordance with Clause 1.3;

 

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obligatory insurances ” means, in relation to a Ship, all insurances effected or which the relevant Borrower is obliged to effect in respect of each Ship, under Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

parent company ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

person ” includes any company; any state, political sub-division of a state and local or municipal authority; and any international organisation;

policy ”, in relation to any insurance, includes a slip, cover note, certificate of entry or other document evidencing the contract of insurance or its terms;

protection and indemnity risks ” means the usual risks covered by a protection and indemnity association managed in London, including pollution risks and the proportion (if any) of any sums payable to any other person or persons in case of collision which are not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies by reason of the incorporation in them of clause 6 of the International Hull Clauses (01/11/02 or 01/11/03), clause 8 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/11/1995 or 1/10/83) or the Institute Amended Running Down Clause (1/10/71) or any equivalent provision;

regulation ” includes any present or future regulation, rule, directive, requirement, request or guideline (whether or not having the force of law) of any Government Entity, central bank or any self-regulatory or other supra-national authority (including, without limitation any present or future regulation, rule, directive, requirement, request or guideline (whether or not having the force of law) of any Government Entity, central bank or any self-regulatory or other supra-national authority (including, without limitation, any regulation implementing or complying with (1) the “International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards, a Revised Framework” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in June 2004, in the form existing on the date of this Agreement (“Basel II”) and/or (2) Basel III and/or (3) Basel IV and/or (4) any other law or regulation which, at any time and from time to time, implements and/or amends and/or supplements and/or re-enacts and/or supersedes, whether in whole or in part, Basel II and/or Basel III and/or Basel IV (including CRD IV and CRR), and whether such implementation, application or compliance is by a Government Entity, a lender or any company affiliated to it);

subsidiary ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

tax ” includes any present or future tax, duty, impost, levy or charge of any kind which is imposed by any state, any political sub-division of a state or any local or municipal authority (including any such imposed in connection with exchange controls), and any connected penalty, interest or fine; and

war risks ” includes the risk of mines and all risks excluded by clause 29 of the International Hull Clauses (1/11/02) or clause 24 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/11/1995) or clause 23 of the Institute Time Clause (Hulls) (1/10/83).

 

1.3 Meaning of “month”. A period of one or more “ months ” ends on the day in the relevant calendar month numerically corresponding to the day of the calendar month on which the period started (“ the numerically corresponding day ”), but:

 

  (a) on the Business Day following the numerically corresponding day if the numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day or, if there is no later Business Day in the same calendar month, on the Business Day preceding the numerically corresponding day; or

 

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  (b) on the last Business Day in the relevant calendar month, if the period started on the last Business Day in a calendar month or if the last calendar month of the period has no numerically corresponding day;

and “ month ” and “ monthly ” shall be construed accordingly.

 

1.4 Meaning of “subsidiary”. Subsidiary ” of a person means any company or entity directly or indirectly controlled by such person, and for this purpose “control” means the ownership of more than fifty per cent (50%) of the voting share capital (or equivalent rights of ownership) of such company or entity.

 

1.5 General Interpretation. In this Agreement:

 

  (a) references to, or to a provision of, a Finance Document or any other document are references to it as amended or supplemented, whether before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

  (b) references to, or to a provision of, any law include any amendment, extension, re-enactment or replacement, whether made before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

  (c) words denoting the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa; and

 

  (d) Clauses 1.1 to 1.5 apply unless the contrary intention appears.

 

1.6 Headings. In interpreting a Finance Document or any provision of a Finance Document, all clause, sub-clause and other headings in that and any other Finance Document shall be entirely disregarded.

 

1.7 Bail-in

Notwithstanding any other term of any Finance Document or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding between the Parties, each Party acknowledges and accepts that any liability of any Party to any other Party under or in connection with the Finance Documents may be subject to Bail-In Action by the relevant Resolution Authority and acknowledges and accepts to be bound by the effect of:

 

  (a) any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability, including (without limitation):

 

  (i) a reduction, in full or in part, in the principal amount, or outstanding amount due (including any accrued but unpaid interest) in respect of any such liability;

 

  (ii) a conversion of all, or part of any such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership that may be issued to, or conferred on, it; and

 

  (iii) a cancellation of any such liability; and

 

  (b) a variation of any term of any Finance Document to the extent necessary to give effect to any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability.

In this clause:

Bail-In Action ” means the exercise of any Write-down and Conversion Powers.

Bail-In Legislation ” means:

 

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  (a) in relation to an EEA Member Country which has implemented, or which at any time implements, Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms, the relevant implementing law or regulation as described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time; and

 

  (b) in relation to any other state, any analogous law or regulation from time to time which requires contractual recognition of any Write-down and Conversion Powers contained in that law or regulation.

EEA Member Country ” means any member state of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule ” means the document described as such and published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person) from time to time.

Resolution Authority ” means any body which has authority to exercise any Write-down and Conversion Powers.

Write-down and Conversion Powers ” means in relation to any Bail-In Legislation described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time, the powers described as such in relation to that Bail-In Legislation in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

2 FACILITY

 

2.1 Amount of facility. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Lenders shall make or, as the case may be, continue to make available to the Borrowers a loan facility of up to $40,000,000 in three Advances being:

 

(a) Advance A in the amount of up to the least of (i) $34,320,000 and (ii) 80% of the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Chartered Ships as at 30 June 2017;

 

(b) Advance B in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $3,180,000 and (ii) 70% of the Fair Market Value of Vessel F and if drawn after Advance C, the lesser of (aa) the difference between $5,680,000 and the drawn amount of Advance C and (bb) an amount which, when added to Advance A and Advance C, will equal 70% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance B, no more than 30 days prior to the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance B, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship F;

 

(c) Advance C in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $3,180,000 and (ii) 70% of the Fair Market Value of Vessel G and if drawn after Advance B, the lesser of (aa) the difference between $5,680,000 and the drawn amount of Advance B and (bb) an amount which, when added to Advance A and Advance B, will equal 70% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance C, no more than 30 days prior to the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance C, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship G.

 

2.2 Lenders’ participations in Advance. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall participate in each Advance in the proportion which, as at the relevant Drawdown Date, its Commitment bears to the Total Commitments.

 

2.3 Purpose of Advances. Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to use each Advance only for the purpose stated in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

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3 POSITION OF THE LENDERS

 

3.1 Interests several. The rights of the Lenders under this Agreement are several.

 

3.2 Individual right of action. Each Lender shall be entitled to sue for any amount which has become due and payable by any Borrower to it under this Agreement without joining the Agent, the Security Trustee, any other Lender as additional parties in the proceedings.

 

3.3 Proceedings requiring Majority Lender consent. Except as provided in Clause 3.2, no Lender may commence proceedings against the Borrowers or any Security Party in connection with a Finance Document without the prior consent of the Majority Lenders.

 

3.4 Obligations several. The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement are several; and a failure of a Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not result in:

 

  (a) the obligations of the other Lenders being increased; nor

 

  (b) the Borrowers, any Security Party, any other Lender being discharged (in whole or in part) from its obligations under any Finance Document;

and in no circumstances shall a Lender have any responsibility for a failure of another Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

4 DRAWDOWN

 

4.1 Request for Advance. Subject to the following conditions, the Borrowers may request Advance B and Advance C to be made by ensuring that the Agent receives a completed Drawdown Notice not later than 11.00 a.m. (Rotterdam time) 3 Business Days prior to the intended Drawdown Date of such Advance.

 

4.2 Availability. The conditions referred to in Clause 4.1 are that:

 

  (a) the Drawdown Date for an Advance has to be a Business Day during the Availability Period;

 

  (b) the amount of the Advance B and Advance C shall not exceed the amount set out in Clause 2.1; and

 

  (c) all applicable conditions precedent set out in Clause 9.1 shall have been fulfilled.

 

4.3 Notification to Lenders of receipt of a Drawdown Notice. The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders that it has received a Drawdown Notice and shall inform each Lender of:

 

  (a) the amount of the Advance and the Drawdown Date;

 

  (b) the amount of that Lender’s participation in the Advance; and

 

  (c) the duration of the Interest Period.

 

4.4 Drawdown Notice irrevocable. A Drawdown Notice must be signed by a director or an authorised signatory of the Borrowers; and once served, a Drawdown Notice cannot be revoked without the prior consent of the Agent, acting on the authority of the Majority Lenders.

 

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4.5 Lenders to make available Contributions. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall, on and with value on each Drawdown Date, make available to the Agent the amount due from that Lender under Clause 2.2.

 

4.6 Disbursement of Advance. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Agent shall on each Drawdown Date pay to the Borrowers for on-payment to the relevant Collateral; Guarantor the amounts which the Agent receives from the Lenders under Clause 4.5; and that payment to the Borrowers shall be made:

 

  (a) to the account which the Borrowers specify in the relevant Drawdown Notice; and

 

  (b) in the like funds as the Agent received the payments from the Lenders.

 

4.7 Disbursement of Advances to third party. A payment by the Agent under Clause 4.6 shall constitute the making of the relevant Advance and the Borrowers shall thereupon become indebted, as principal and direct obligor, to each Lender in an amount equal to that Lender’s Contribution.

 

4.8 Use of proceeds

 

  (a) the Bank shall have no responsibility for the Borrowers’ use of the proceeds of the Loan.

 

  (b) The Borrowers shall not, and shall procure that no Security Party or other Group Member or any affiliate of any of them shall, permit or authorise any other person to, directly or indirectly, use, lend, make payments of, contribute or otherwise make available, all or any part of the proceeds of the Loan or other transactions contemplated by this Agreement to fund or facilitate trade, business or other activities: (i) involving or for the benefit of any Restricted Person; or (ii) in any other manner that could result in a Borrower, any other Security Party or a Creditor Party being in breach of any Sanctions or becoming a Restricted Person.

 

4.9 Cancellation. If any part of the Commitment has not been drawn down under this Agreement at the end of the Availability Period, such undrawn portion shall, on the day following the last day of the applicable Availability Period, be permanently and irrevocably cancelled; it is hereby agreed that any undrawn portion of any part of the Total Commitments at the end of the Availability Period shall, on the day following the last day of the Availability Period, be permanently and irrevocably cancelled.

 

5 INTEREST

 

5.1 Payment of normal interest. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, interest on an Advance shall be paid by the Borrowers on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Advance.

 

5.2 Normal rate of interest. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the rate of interest on each Advance in respect of an Interest Period applicable to it shall be the aggregate of (a) the Margin, (b) LIBOR and (c) Mandatory Costs (if any) for that Interest Period.

 

5.3 Payment of accrued interest. In the case of an Interest Period of longer than 3 months, accrued interest shall be paid every 3 months during that Interest Period and on the last day of that Interest Period.

 

5.4 Notification of Interest Periods and rates of normal interest. The Agent shall notify the Borrowers and each Lender of:

 

  (a) each rate of interest; and

 

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  (b) the duration of each Interest Period;

as soon as reasonably practicable after each is determined.

 

5.5 Obligation of Reference Banks to quote. A Reference Bank which is a Lender shall use all reasonable efforts to supply any quotation required of it for the purposes of fixing a rate of interest under this Agreement.

 

5.6 Absence of quotations by Reference Banks. If any Reference Bank fails to supply a quotation when it is required to do so, the Agent shall determine the relevant LIBOR on the basis of the quotations supplied by the other Reference Bank or Banks; but if 2 or more of the Reference Banks fail to provide a quotation, the relevant rate of interest shall be determined by the Agent.

 

5.7 Market disruption. The following provisions of this Clause 5 apply if:

 

  (a) no Screen Rate is available for an Interest Period and 2 or more of the Reference Banks do not before 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date provide quotations to the Agent in order to fix LIBOR; or

 

  (b) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, Lenders having Contributions together amounting to more than 50 per cent. of the Loan (or, if no Advance has been drawn, Lenders having Commitments amounting to more than 50 per cent. of the aggregate of the Total Commitments) notify the Agent that by reason of changes affecting the London Interbank Market, adequate and fair means do not exist for determining the rate of interest on an Advance (or part of it) for that Interest Period at or about 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date for the Interest Period; or

 

  (c) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, the Agent is notified by a Lender (the “ Affected Lender ”) that for any reason it is unable to obtain Dollars in the London Interbank Market in order to fund its Contribution, as the case may be (or any part of it) during that Interest Period.

 

5.8 Notification of market disruption. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and each of the Lenders stating the circumstances falling within Clause 5.7 which have caused its notice to be given.

 

5.9 Suspension of drawdown. If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served before an Advance is to be made:

 

  (a) in a case falling within Clauses 5.7(a) or (b), the Lenders’ obligations to make that Advance;

 

  (b) in a case falling within Clause 5.7(c), the Affected Lender’s obligation to participate in that Advance,

(i) in the case of Clause 5.9(a), shall be made on the basis of an alternative interest rate and interest period which the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender may select as cost of funding of the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender, in Dollars or in any available currency of their or its Contribution plus the Margin and Clauses 5.10, 5.11, 5.12 and 5.13 shall apply; and (ii) in the case of Clause 5.9(b), shall be suspended while the circumstances referred to in the Agent’s notice continue and thereafter Clauses 5.10, 5.11, 5.12 and 5.13 shall apply.

 

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5.10 Negotiation of alternative rate of interest. If the Agent serves a notice under Clause 5.8, the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to agree, within the 30 days after the date on which the Agent serves its notice under Clause 5.8 (the “ Negotiation Period ”), an alternative interest rate or (as the case may be) an alternative basis for the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender to fund or continue to fund their or its Contribution during the Interest Period concerned.

 

5.11 Application of agreed alternative rate of interest. Any alternative interest rate or an alternative basis which is agreed during the Negotiation Period shall take effect in accordance with the terms agreed.

 

5.12 Alternative rate of interest in absence of agreement . If an alternative interest rate or alternative basis is not agreed within the Negotiation Period, and the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the Negotiation Period, then the Agent shall, with the agreement of each Lender or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender, set an interest period and interest rate representing the cost of funding of the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender in Dollars or in any available currency of their or its Contribution plus the Margin; and the procedure provided for by this Clause 5.12 shall be repeated if the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the interest period so set by the Agent.

 

5.13 Notice of prepayment. If the Borrowers do not agree with an interest rate set by the Agent under Clause 5.12, the Borrowers may give the Agent not less than 15 Business Days’ notice of their intention to prepay at the end of the interest period set by the Agent (in the case where a notice has been served under Clause 5.8 after an Advance has been made) or the Borrowers may notify the Agent of their intention not to proceed with the relevant drawdown (in the case where a notice has been served under Clause 5.8 prior to making an Advance).

 

5.14 Prepayment; termination of Commitments. A notice under Clause 5.13 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders or (as the case may require) the Affected Lender of the Borrowers’ notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

  (a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Total Commitments or (as the case may require) the Commitment of the Affected Lender so far as they relate to the relevant Advance shall be cancelled; and

 

  (b) on the last Business Day of the interest period set by the Agent, the Borrowers shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Loan or, as the case may be, the Affected Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

 

5.15 Application of prepayment. The provisions of Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

 

6 INTEREST PERIODS

 

6.1 Interest Periods. The first Interest Period applicable to Advance B and Advance C shall commence on its Drawdown Date and shall terminate simultaneously with the then current Interest Period for Advance A, and thereafter each subsequent Interest Period shall be applicable to both Advances and shall commence on the expiry of the preceding Interest Period and each Interest Period shall, be:

 

  (a) 3 months; or

 

  (b) such other period as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, agree with the Borrowers;

 

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provided that in respect of an amount due to be repaid under Clause 8.1 on a particular Repayment Date, an Interest Period relating to such Advance shall end on that Repayment Date.

 

6.2 Non-availability of matching deposits for Interest Period selected. If, after the Borrowers have selected and the Lenders have agreed an Interest Period longer than 3 months, any Lender notifies the Agent by 11.00 a.m. (Rotterdam time) on the third Business Day before the commencement of that Interest Period that it is not satisfied that deposits in Dollars for a period equal to that Interest Period will be available to it in the London Interbank Market when that Interest Period commences, that Interest Period shall be of 3 months.

 

7 DEFAULT INTEREST

 

7.1 Payment of default interest on overdue amounts. The Borrowers shall pay interest in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 7 on any amount payable by the Borrowers under any Finance Document which the Agent, the Security Trustee or the other designated payee does not receive on or before the relevant date, that is:

 

  (a) the date on which the Finance Documents provide that such amount is due for payment; or

 

  (b) if a Finance Document provides that such amount is payable on demand, the date on which the demand is served; or

 

  (c) if such amount has become immediately due and payable under Clause 19.4, the date on which it became immediately due and payable.

 

7.2 Default rate of interest. Interest shall accrue on an overdue amount from (and including) the relevant date until the date of actual payment (as well after as before judgment) at the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be 2 per cent. above:

 

  (a) in the case of an overdue amount of principal, the higher of the rates set out at Clauses 7.3(a) and (b); or

 

  (b) in the case of any other overdue amount, the rate set out at Clause 7.3(b).

 

7.3 Calculation of default rate of interest. The rates referred to in Clause 7.2 are:

 

  (a) the rate applicable to the overdue principal amount immediately prior to the relevant date (but only for any unexpired part of any then current Interest Period applicable to it);

 

  (b) the Margin plus and Mandatory Costs (if any) plus, in respect of successive periods of any duration (including at call) up to 3 months which the Agent may select from time to time:

 

  (i) LIBOR; or

 

  (ii) if the Agent determines that Dollar deposits for any such period are not being made available to any Reference Bank by leading banks in the London Interbank Market in the ordinary course of business, a rate from time to time determined by the Agent by reference to the cost of funds to the relevant Lenders from such other sources as the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Bank) may from time to time determine.

 

7.4 Notification of interest periods and default rates. The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the Borrowers of each interest rate determined by the Agent under Clause 7.3 and of each period selected by the Agent for the purposes of paragraph (b) of that Clause; but this shall not be taken to imply that the Borrowers are liable to pay such interest only with effect from the date of the Agent’s notification.

 

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7.5 Payment of accrued default interest. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, any interest due under this Clause shall be paid on the last day of the period by reference to which it was determined; and the payment shall be made to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Party to which the overdue amount is due.

 

7.6 Compounding of default interest. Any such interest which is not paid at the end of the period by reference to which it was determined shall thereupon be compounded.

 

8 REDUCTION, REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT

 

8.1 Repayment of Advances. The Borrowers shall repay:

 

(a) Advance A by six (6) consecutive three-monthly instalments as follows:

 

  (i) each in an amount equal to 9.375% of Advance A; and

 

  (ii) a balloon payment payable together with the last instalment in an amount equal to 43.75% of Advance A;

 

(b) Advance B by six (6) consecutive three-monthly instalments as follows:

 

  (i) each in an amount equal to 9.375% of Advance B; and

 

  (ii) a balloon payment payable together with the last instalment in an amount equal to 43.75% of Advance B,

 

(c) Advance C by six (6) consecutive three-monthly instalments as follows:

 

  (i) each in an amount equal to 9.375% of Advance C; and

 

  (ii) a balloon payment payable together with the last instalment in an amount equal to 43.75% of Advance C

Provided that if the Borrowers do not draw down either of Advance B or Advance C then they shall make a prepayment of the Loan on the last day of the Availability Period in an amount so that the Loan equals 70% of the aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of such prepayment of such of the Ships as is then subject to a Mortgage.

 

8.2 Repayment Dates. The first instalment under:

 

(a) Advance A shall be repaid on 30 September 2017 and the last instalment on the Maturity Date; and

 

(b) Advance B and Advance C shall be repaid on 30 September 2017 and the last instalment on the Maturity Date.

 

8.3 Final Repayment Date. On the final Repayment Date, the Borrowers shall additionally pay to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Parties all other sums then accrued or owing under any Finance Document.

 

8.4 Voluntary prepayment. Subject to the following conditions, the Borrowers may prepay the whole or any part of the Loan on the last day of an Interest Period.

 

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8.5 Conditions for voluntary prepayment. The conditions referred to in Clause 8.5 are that:

 

  (a) a partial prepayment shall be in an amount of $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $500,000;

 

  (b) the Agent has received from the Borrowers at least 10 Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the date on which the prepayment is to be made; and

 

  (c) the Borrowers have provided evidence satisfactory to the Agent that any consent required by any Borrower or any Security Party in connection with the prepayment has been obtained and remains in force, and that any requirement relevant to this Agreement which affects any Borrower or any Security Party has been complied with; and

 

  (d) each partial prepayment shall be applied pro rata against the Advances, and pro rata against the repayment instalments of each Advance (including the relevant balloon payment) which are at the time being outstanding, unless the Lenders agree otherwise in writing.

 

8.6 Effect of notice of prepayment. A prepayment notice may not be withdrawn or amended without the consent of the Agent, given with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, and the amount specified in the prepayment notice shall become due and payable by the Borrowers on the date for prepayment specified in the prepayment notice.

 

8.7 Notification of notice of prepayment. The Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon receiving a prepayment notice, and shall provide any Lender which so requests with a copy of any document delivered by the Borrowers under Clause 8.6(c).

 

8.8 Mandatory prepayment.

 

  (a) The Borrowers shall be obliged to prepay the portion of the Loan specified in Clause 8.9:

 

  (i) if a Ship is sold, on or before the date on which the sale is completed by delivery of such Ship to the relevant buyer; or

 

  (ii) if, after delivery, a Ship becomes a Total Loss, on the earlier of the date falling 120 days (or such longer period as the Agent, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders, may agree (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld)) after the Total Loss Date and the date of receipt by the Security Trustee of the proceeds of insurance relating to such Total Loss.

 

8.9 Amounts of mandatory prepayments. The amount of the Loan to be prepaid in the circumstances contemplated in Clause 8.8(a) is the greatest of:

 

  (a) the amount of the sale or total loss proceeds payable in respect of such sale or Total Loss;

 

  (b) an amount that, if the ratio set out in Clause 15.1 were applied immediately following the making of such prepayment, the Borrowers would not be obliged to provide additional security or prepay part of the Loan under that Clause; and

 

  (c) an amount so that if the ratio of (i) the aggregate of the Fair Market Values (determined as provided in Clause 15.3) of the Ships plus the net realisable value of any additional security previously provided under Clause 15 to (ii) the Loan is the same after such prepayment is made as it was before such prepayment is made.

 

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8.10 Mandatory prepayment – Loan . The Borrowers shall be obliged to prepay the whole Loan, and any undrawn part of the Total Commitment shall be cancelled upon:

 

(a) the circumstances referred to in Clause 23 (illegality) arising, and in accordance with that Clause; or

 

(b) there occurs any Change of Control Event.

 

8.11 Amounts payable on prepayment. A prepayment shall be made together with accrued interest (and any other amount payable under Clause 21 or otherwise) in respect of the amount prepaid and, if the prepayment is not made on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, together with any sums payable under Clause 21.1(c) but without premium or penalty.

 

8.12 Voluntary cancellation of Commitments. Subject to the following conditions, the Borrowers may cancel the whole or any part of the Total Commitment.

 

8.13 Conditions for cancellation of Commitments. The conditions referred to in Clause 8.12 are that:

 

  (a) a partial cancellation shall be $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $500,000;

 

  (b) the Agent has received from the Borrowers at least 10 Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the amount of the Total Commitments to be cancelled and the date on which the cancellation is to take effect.

 

8.14 Effect of notice of cancellation. The service of a cancellation notice given under Clause 8.13(b) shall cause the amount of the Total Commitments specified in the notice to be permanently cancelled, following which:

 

  (a) in the case of a permanent cancellation of part of the Total Commitments the Commitment of each Lender shall be permanently reduced pro rata; and

 

  (b) the amounts by which the Total Commitments shall be periodically reduced pursuant to Clause 8.16(a) shall be reduced pro rata by the amount by which the Total Commitments has been permanently cancelled.

 

8.15 No re-borrowing. No amount prepaid or cancelled under Clauses 8.5, 8.9 and 8.12 may be re-borrowed.

 

9 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

9.1 Documents, fees and no default. Each Lender’s obligation to contribute to an Advance is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

  (a) that before the service of the first Drawdown Notice, the Agent receives the documents described in Part A of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers;

 

  (b) that, on the Drawdown Date but prior to the making of Advance B and Advance C, the Agent receives the documents described in Part B of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to it and its lawyers;

 

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  (c) that, on or before the Drawdown Date, the Agent receives any fees that are due and payable under Clause 20.1 and has received payment of the expenses referred to in Clause 20.2;

 

  (d) that both at the date of each Drawdown Notice and at each Drawdown Date:

 

  (i) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default or any event in Clause 8.8 has occurred and is continuing or would result from the borrowing of the relevant Advance;

 

  (ii) the representations and warranties in Clause 10.1 and those of the Borrowers or any Security Party which are set out in the other Finance Documents would be true and not misleading if repeated on each of those dates with reference to the circumstances then existing; and

 

  (iii) none of the circumstances contemplated by Clause 5.7 has occurred and is continuing;

 

  (e) that, if the ratio set out in Clause 15.1 were applied immediately following the making of the Advance, the Borrowers would not be obliged to provide additional security or prepay part of the Loan under that Clause; and

 

  (f) that the Agent has received, and found to be acceptable to it, any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with the Finance Documents which the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, request by notice to the Borrowers prior to the relevant Drawdown Date.

 

9.2 Waiver of conditions precedent . If the Majority Lenders, at their discretion, permit an Advance to be borrowed before certain of the conditions referred to in Clause 9.1 are satisfied, the Borrowers shall ensure that those conditions are satisfied within such period and on such terms as the Agent may specify in writing.

 

10 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

10.1 General. Each Borrower represents and warrants to each Creditor Party as follows.

 

10.2 Status.

 

  (a) Each Borrower is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands;

 

  (b) The Corporate Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

10.3 Share capital and ownership. The legal title and beneficial ownership of all the issued shares in each Borrower are held by the Shareholder and the ultimate beneficial ownership of all the issued shares in each Borrower is held by the Corporate Guarantor, free of any Security Interest or other claim.

 

10.4 Corporate power. Each Borrower and each Security Party has the corporate capacity, and has taken all corporate action and obtained all consents necessary for it:

 

  (a) to execute the Finance Documents to which each Borrower and the relevant Security Party is a party; and

 

  (b) in the case of each Borrower, to make all the payments contemplated by, and to comply with, the Finance Documents to which it is a party.

 

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10.5 Consents in force. All the consents referred to in Clause 10.4 remain in force and nothing has occurred which makes any of them liable to revocation.

 

10.6 Legal validity; effective Security Interests. The Finance Documents to which each Borrower or a Security Party is a party, do now or, as the case may be, will, upon execution and delivery (and, where applicable, registration as provided for in the Finance Documents):

 

  (a) constitute that Borrower’s or that Security Party’s legal, valid and binding obligations enforceable against that Borrower or that Security Party in accordance with their respective terms; and

 

  (b) create legal, valid and binding Security Interests enforceable in accordance with their respective terms over all the assets to which they, by their terms, relate;

subject to any relevant insolvency laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

 

10.7 No third party Security Interests. Without limiting the generality of Clause 10.6, at the time of the execution and delivery of each Finance Document:

 

  (a) the relevant Borrower or the relevant Security Party which is party to that Finance Document will have the right to create all the Security Interests which that Finance Document purports to create; and

 

  (b) no third party will have any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) or any other interest, right or claim over, in or in relation to any asset to which any such Security Interest, by its terms, relates.

 

10.8 No conflicts. The execution by each Borrower and each Security Party of each Finance Document and each Approved Time Charter to which it is a party and (in the case of the Borrowers) the Management Agreements, and the borrowing by the Borrowers of the Loan and their and each Security Party’s compliance with each Finance Document to which it is a party will not involve or lead to a contravention of:

 

  (a) any law or regulation; or

 

  (b) the constitutional documents of any Borrower or any Security Party; or

 

  (c) any contractual or other obligation or restriction which is binding on the Borrowers (or any of them) or any of the assets of the Borrowers and the Security Parties.

 

10.9 No withholding taxes. All payments which any Borrower or any Security Party is liable to make under the Finance Documents to which it is a party may be made without deduction or withholding for or on account of any tax payable under any law of any Pertinent Jurisdiction.

 

10.10 No default. No Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

10.11 Information. All information which has been provided in writing by or on behalf of any Borrower or any Security Party to any Creditor Party in connection with any Finance Document satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.5; all audited and unaudited accounts which have been so provided satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.7; and there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or state of affairs of any Borrower or any Security Party from that disclosed in the latest of those accounts.

 

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10.12 No litigation. No legal or administrative action involving any Borrower or any Security Party (including action relating to any alleged or actual breach of the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or the MARPOL Protocol) has been commenced or taken or, to any Borrower’s knowledge, is likely to be commenced or taken which, in either case, would be likely to have a material adverse effect on that Borrower’s or that Security Party’s financial position or profitability.

 

10.13 Validity and completeness of documents. Each Approved Time Charter and each Management Agreement constitutes valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the relevant Borrower and (in the case of the Management Agreements) the Approved Manager in accordance with its terms and:

 

  (a) the copy of each Approved Time Charter and each Management Agreement delivered to the Agent before the date of this Agreement is a true and complete copy; and

 

  (b) no amendments or additions to any of the Approved Time Charters or any Management Agreement have been agreed nor has the relevant Borrower, the relevant Seller, the Approved Time Charterer or Approved Manager waived any of their respective rights under any of the Approved Time Charters or the Management Agreements.

 

10.14 Compliance with certain undertakings. At the date of this Agreement, each Borrower and each of the Security Parties are in compliance with Clauses 11.2, 11.4, 11.5, 11.9, 11.13, 11.14 and 11.15.

 

10.15 Taxes paid. Each Borrower and each Security Party has paid all taxes applicable to, or imposed on or in relation to that Borrower, that Security Party, its business or the Ships.

 

10.16 Compliance. All requirements of the ISM Code, the ISPS Code and the MARPOL Protocol as they relate to each Borrower, the Approved Manager, each Security Party and the Ships have been complied with.

 

10.17 No money laundering . Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 2.3, in relation to the borrowing by the Borrowers of the Loan, the performance and discharge of its obligations and liabilities under the Finance Documents, and the transactions and other arrangements effected or contemplated by the Finance Documents to which any Borrower is a party, each Borrower confirms (i) that it is acting for its own account, (ii) that it will use the proceeds of the Loan for its own benefit, under its full responsibility and exclusively for the purposes specified in this Agreement and (iii) that the foregoing will not involve or lead to contravention of any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat “money laundering” (as defined in Article 1 of the Directive (91/308/EEC) of the Council of the European Communities).

 

10.18 No immunity. No Borrower or Security Party benefits from any immunity from suit.

 

10.19 Disclosure of material facts. The Borrowers are not aware of any material facts or circumstances which have not already been disclosed to the Agent and which might, if disclosed to the Agent, adversely affect the decision of the Lenders to make the Loan available to the Borrowers.

 

10.20 Pari Passu. The obligations of each Borrower under the Finance Documents to which it is a party rank at least pari passu with all other unsecured indebtedness of that Borrower, other than indebtedness mandatorily preferred by law.

 

10.21 Governing law and enforcement . The choice of law as the governing law of any Finance Document will be recognised and enforced in the jurisdiction of incorporation of each Borrower and each relevant Security Party, and any judgment obtained in England in relation to any such Finance Document will be recognised and enforced in the jurisdiction of incorporation of each Borrower and each relevant Security Party.

 

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10.22 No filing or stamp tax . Under the laws of all Pertinent Jurisdiction relating to each Borrower and each relevant Security Party it is not necessary that the Finance Documents be filed, recorded or enrolled with any court or other authority in that jurisdiction (save for the Mortgages which are to be recorded with The Deputy Commissioner of Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Marshall Islands or the relevant Approved Flag State registry) or that any stamp, registration or similar tax be paid on or in relation the Finance Documents or the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents.

 

10.23 Sanctions. N o Security Party nor other Group Member nor any director, officer, agent, employee of any Security Party or other Group Member or any person acting on behalf of any Security Party or other Group Member, is a Restricted Person nor acts directly or indirectly on behalf of a Restricted Person.

 

10.24 Repetition. Each representation and warranty in this Clause 10 (other than this Clause 10.24) is deemed to be repeated by each Borrower by reference to the facts and circumstances then existing on each date during the Security Period.

 

11 GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS

 

11.1 General. Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 11 at all times during the Security Period, except as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit.

 

11.2 Title; negative pledge. Each Borrower will:

 

  (a) hold the legal title to and the entire beneficial interest in the Ship owned by it, such Ship’s Insurances and Earnings, free from all Security Interests and other interests and rights of every kind, except for those created by the Finance Documents and the effect of assignments contained in the Finance Documents and except for Permitted Security Interests;

 

  (b) not create or permit to arise any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) over any asset which is the subject matter of a Finance Document or over any of its shares;

 

  (c) not create or permit to arise, any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) over any other asset, present or future; and

 

  (d) procure that its liabilities under the Finance Documents to which it is a party do and will rank at least pari passu with all its other present and future unsecured liabilities, except for liabilities which are mandatorily preferred by law.

 

11.3 No disposal of assets. No Borrower will transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of:

 

  (a) all or a substantial part of its respective assets, whether by one transaction or a number of transactions, whether related or not; or

 

  (b) any debt payable to it or any other right (present, future or contingent right) to receive a payment, including any right to damages or compensation,

but paragraph (a) does not apply to any charter of a Ship to which Clause 14.13 applies.

 

11.4 No other liabilities or obligations to be incurred. No Borrower:

 

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  (a) shall incur any liability or obligation except liabilities and obligations under the Finance Documents, the Approved Time Charter and the Management Agreement to which it is a party and liabilities or obligations reasonably incurred in the ordinary course of operating and chartering the Ship owned by it; and

 

  (b) will incur any liability or obligation except liabilities and obligations;

 

  (i) under the Finance Documents to which it is a party;

 

  (ii) reasonably incurred in the ordinary course of that Borrower’s business of owning, operating, managing and/or chartering of ships and other ship-related business; and

 

  (iii) incurred in relation to or in connection with, the financing of ships owned or to be acquired by, members of the Group.

 

11.5 Information provided to be accurate. All financial and other information which is provided in writing by or on behalf of any Borrower under or in connection with any Finance Document will be true and not misleading and will not omit any material fact or consideration.

 

11.6 Provision of financial statements. The Borrowers will procure that there is sent to the Agent:

 

  (i) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 180 days after the end of each of its Financial Years, annual audited (prepared in accordance with US GAAP by a firm of accountants acceptable to the Agent) consolidated balance sheet and profit and loss accounts of the Corporate Guarantor (commencing with the Financial Year ending 31 December 2017), together with updated details (in a form acceptable to the Agent) of all off-balance sheet and time-charter hire commitments of each of the Ships and any other ship from time to time (whether before or after the date of this Agreement) owned, managed or crewed by, or chartered to, any Group Member;

 

  (b) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 90 days after the end of each of its first three financial quarters, commencing with the third financial quarter of 2017, the Corporate Guarantor’s unaudited consolidated balance sheet and profit and loss accounts for that 3 month period certified as to their correctness by its chief financial officer; and

 

  (c) such further financial information about the Borrowers, the Corporate Guarantor, the Ships (including, but not limited to, present and future revenues, charter arrangements, Financial Indebtedness, employment details, operating expenses and projected capital expenditure) as the Agent may require.

 

11.7 Form of financial statements. All accounts (audited and unaudited) delivered under Clause 11.6 will:

 

  (a) be prepared in accordance with all applicable laws and US GAAP;

 

  (b) fairly represent the state of affairs of the Group at the date of those financial statements and of its profit for the period to which those financial statements relate; and

 

  (c) fully disclose or provide for all significant liabilities of the Group.

 

11.8 Shareholder notices. The Borrowers will send to the Agent, at the same time as they are despatched, copies of all communications related to matters which could be considered material in the context of this Agreement and the other Finance Documents which are despatched to the Borrowers’ shareholders or any class of them, unless publicly announced or filed with a securities exchange.

 

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11.9 Consents. Each Borrower will, and shall procure that each Security Party will, maintain in force and promptly obtain or renew, and will promptly send certified copies to the Agent of, all consents required:

 

  (a) for each Borrower and each Security Party to perform its obligations under any Finance Document to which it is a party;

 

  (b) for the Approved Manager to perform its obligations under the Management Agreements;

 

  (c) for the validity or enforceability of any Finance Document to which it is a party;

 

  (d) for each Borrower, with effect from the Actual Delivery Date relating to its Ship, to acquire, register under an Approved Flag, own and operate the Ship to be owned by it;

 

  (e) for each Borrower to perform its obligations under the MOA and the Approved Time Charter and the Management Agreement to which it is or is to be a party;

and the Borrowers will, and shall procure that the Security Parties shall, comply with the terms of all such consents.

 

11.10 Maintenance of Security Interests. Each Borrower will:

 

  (a) at its own cost, do all that it reasonably can to ensure that each Finance Document validly creates the obligations and the Security Interests which it purports to create; and

 

  (b) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a), at its own cost, promptly register, file, record or enrol any Finance Document with any court or authority in all Pertinent Jurisdictions, pay any stamp, registration or similar tax in all Pertinent Jurisdictions in respect of any Finance Document, any MOA, any Approved Time Charter and any Management Agreement and give any notice or take any other step which to the best of its knowledge is or has become, or which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is or has become necessary or desirable for any Finance Document, any MOA, any Approved Time Charter and any Management Agreement to be valid, enforceable or admissible in evidence or to ensure or protect the priority of any Security Interest which any Finance Document creates.

 

11.11 Notification of litigation. The Borrowers will provide the Agent with details of any legal or administrative action involving any Borrower, any Security Party, the Approved Manager (to the best of its knowledge), the Approved Time Charterer, any MOA, any Approved Time Charter (to the best of its knowledge), any Ship, any Management Agreement, the Earnings or the Insurances as soon as such action is instituted or it becomes apparent to the Borrowers (or any of them) that it is likely to be instituted, unless it is clear that the legal or administrative action cannot be considered material in the context of any Finance Document.

 

11.12 Amendments to Approved Time Charters and Management Agreements. No Borrower will, without the prior written consent of the Agent acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), agree to any material amendment or supplement to, or waive any breach in relation to, the Approved Time Charter to which it is a party and will procure that the Approved Manager, will not, without the prior written consent of the Agent acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), agree to any material amendment or supplement to, or waive any breach in relation to any Management Agreement.

 

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11.13 Principal place of business. Each Borrower will maintain its place of business, and keep its corporate documents and records at the address stated in the definitions to this Agreement; and it will not establish, or do anything as a result of which it would be deemed to have, a place of business in any country other than the Republic of Marshall Islands.

 

11.14 Confirmation of no default. The Borrowers will, within 2 Business Days after service by the Agent of a written request, serve on the Agent a notice which is signed by a duly authorised director of each Borrower and which states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred.

The Agent may serve requests under this Clause 11.14 from time to time but only if asked to do so by a Lender or Lenders having Commitments exceeding 10 per cent of the Total Commitments; and this Clause 11.14 does not affect the Borrowers’ obligations under Clause 11.15.

 

11.15 Notification of default. Each Borrower will notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of the occurrence of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default and will keep the Agent fully up-to-date with all developments.

 

11.16 Provision of further information. Each Borrower will, as soon as practicable after receiving the request, provide the Agent with any additional financial or other information relating:

 

  (a) to it, the Security Parties, the Ships, the Earnings or the Insurances; or

 

  (b) to any other matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Finance Document or an Approved Time Charter or a Management Agreement;

which may be requested by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender at any time.

 

11.17 Provision of copies and translation of documents. The Borrowers will supply the Agent with a sufficient number of copies of the documents referred to above to provide a copy for each Creditor Party and, if the Agent so requires in respect of any of those documents, it will provide a certified English translation prepared by a translator approved by the Agent.

 

11.18 Sanctions . promptly upon becoming aware of them, provide to the Agent the details of any inquiry, claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation pursuant to Sanctions by any Sanctions Authority against a Security Party, any of the direct or indirect owners of a Security Party, any Affiliate of a Security Party, any of their joint ventures or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or representatives, as well as information on what steps are being taken with regards to answer or oppose the same.

 

11.19 Money laundering . Promptly upon the Agent’s request, the Borrowers will supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent in order for each Creditor Party to carry out and be satisfied with the results of all necessary “know your client” or other checks which it is required to carry out in relation to the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents and to the identity of any parties to the Finance Documents (other than Creditor Parties) and their directors and officers.

 

11.20 “Know your customer” checks . If:

 

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  (a) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation, administration or application of) any law or regulation made after the date of this Agreement;

 

  (b) any change in the status of any Borrower or any Security Party after the date of this Agreement; or

 

  (c) a proposed assignment or transfer by a Lender of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement,

obliges the Agent or any Lender (or, in the case of paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender) to comply with “know your customer” or similar identification procedures in circumstances where the necessary information is not already available to it, the Borrowers shall promptly upon the request of the Agent or the Lender concerned supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent (for itself or on behalf of any Lender) or the Lender concerned (for itself or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), on behalf of any new prospective new Lender) in order for the Agent, the Lender concerned or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender to carry out and be satisfied it has complied with all necessary “know your customer” or other similar checks under all applicable laws and regulations pursuant to the transactions contemplated in the Finance Documents.

 

11.21 Class records

The Borrowers shall arrange for the Bank to have access electronically to the class records of each Ship by either (i) arranging for the relevant Classification Society to give the Bank direct access to such class records or (ii) designating the Bank as a user or administrator of the Borrowers’ electronic accounts with the relevant Classification Society;

 

11.22 Insurance opinion

The Borrowers shall provide the Bank on request, at the Borrowers’ cost, with an opinion from insurance consultants on the insurances effected or to be effected in respect of each Vessel, confirming that each Vessel is insured on terms approved by the Bank or, if such insurance opinion has been obtained by the Bank, shall reimburse the Bank for the cost of such opinion;

 

11.23 Sanctions

The Borrowers shall

 

  (i) not be, and shall procure that each other Group Member and each Affiliate of any of them and any director, officer, agent, employee or person acting on behalf of the foregoing is not, a Restricted Person and does not act directly or indirectly on behalf of a Restricted Person;

 

  (ii) not, and shall procure that no other Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them shall, use any revenue or benefit derived from any activity or dealing with a Restricted Person in discharging any obligation due or owing to the Bank;

 

  (iii) procure that no proceeds from any activity or dealing with a Restricted Person are credited to any bank account held with the Bank in its name or in the name of any other member of the Group or any Affiliate of any of them;

 

  (iv) and shall procure that each other Group Member and any Affiliate of any of them will, to the extent permitted by law, promptly upon becoming aware of them, supply to the Bank details of any claim, action, suit, proceedings or investigation against it with respect to Sanctions by any Sanctions Authority;

 

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  (v) not, and shall procure that no other member of the Group or any Affiliate of any of them will, directly or indirectly, make available any proceeds of the Loan to fund or facilitate trade, business or other activities (i) involving or for the benefit of any Restricted Person or (ii) in any other manner that could result in either Borrower or the Bank being in breach of any Sanctions or becoming a Restricted Person, or permit or authorise any other person to do either of (i) or (ii) above;

 

11.24 Anti-bribery

the Borrowers shall ensure that neither they nor any of their respective Affiliates, officers, directors, employees or agents acting on its behalf will offer, give, insist on, receive or solicit any illegal payment or improper advantage to influence the action of any person in connection with any of its business.

 

11.25 Money Laundering

The Borrowers shall

 

  (i) provide the Agent with information, certificates and any documents required by the Agent to ensure compliance with any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat Money Laundering; and

 

  (ii) notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of any matters evidencing that a breach of any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat Money Laundering may or is about to occur or that the person(s) who have or will receive the commercial benefit of this Agreement have changed after the date of this Agreement.

 

12 CORPORATE UNDERTAKINGS

 

12.1 General. Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 12 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, otherwise consent.

 

12.2 Maintenance of status. Each Borrower will maintain its separate corporate existence under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands.

 

12.3 Negative undertakings. No Borrower will:

 

  (a) carry on any business other than the owning, operating, managing and/or chartering of ships and other ship-related business or (ii) own any ship other than its Ship; or

 

  (b) pay any dividend or make any other form of distribution or effect any form of redemption, purchase or return of share capital unless:

 

  (i) the Borrowers are not in breach of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents and no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred; and

 

  (ii) the Total Liabilities divided by the Total Assets (adjusted for market values of vessels calculated in accordance with Clause 15.3) is no greater than 60% both before and after such payment; and

 

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  (iii) the Liquidity of the Group is at least $1,000,000 multiplied by the number of vessels owned by any member of the Group both before and after such payment;

 

  (c) provide any form of credit or financial assistance to:

 

  (i) a person who is directly or indirectly interested in any Borrower’s share or loan capital; or

 

  (ii) any company in or with which such a person is directly or indirectly interested or connected;

or enter into any transaction with or involving such a person or company on terms which are, in any respect, less favourable to the Borrowers than those which it could obtain in a bargain made at arms’ length;

 

  (d) in relation to the Earnings of the Ship owned by it, open or maintain any account with any bank or financial institution except accounts with BNP, the Account Bank, the Agent or the Security Trustee for the purposes of the Finance Documents;

 

  (e) without the prior written consent of the Agent, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), enter into any form of amalgamation, merger or de-merger, name change or any form of reconstruction or reorganisation.

 

12.4 Financial covenants. At all times during the Security Period, by reference to the Applicable Accounts ensure that :

 

  (i) at no time shall the Liquidity of the Group be less than $500,000 multiplied by the number of vessels owned by any member of the Group;

 

  (ii) the Total Liabilities divided by the Total Assets (adjusted for market values of vessels calculated in accordance with Clause 15.3) shall be at all times less than 80%; and

 

  (b) there is standing to the credit of each Earnings Account and Collateral Earnings Account at all times throughout the Security Period while the Ship or Collateral Ship of the Owner of that account is subject to a Mortgage or Collateral Mortgage at least $500,000.

 

12.5 Compliance Check. Compliance with the undertakings contained in Clause 12.4 shall be determined by reference to the unaudited consolidated accounts for each consecutive quarter period in each Financial Year of the Corporate Guarantor, commencing with the third financial quarter of 2017 and the audited consolidated accounts for that Financial Year of the Corporate Guarantor delivered to the Agent pursuant to Clause 11.6 of this Agreement. Unless and until the Agent (acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders) otherwise agrees in writing, at the same time as it delivers those consolidated accounts for each consecutive quarter, the Borrowers shall deliver to the Agent a Compliance Certificate, signed by the chief financial officer of the Corporate Guarantor.

 

12.6 Change in accounting expressions and policies. If, by reason of change in format or US GAAP or other relevant accounting policies, the expressions appearing in any accounts and financial statements referred to in Clause 11.6 alter from those in the accounts and financial statements for the Group for the Financial Year ended 31 December 2017, the relevant definitions contained in Clause 1.1 and the provisions of Clause 12.4 shall be deemed modified in such manner as the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, shall require to take account of such different expressions but otherwise to maintain in all respects the substance of those provisions.

 

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13 INSURANCE

 

13.1 General. Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 13, and ensure that the Collateral Guarantors comply with the same, at all times until the last day of the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit.

 

13.2 Maintenance of obligatory insurances. Each Borrower shall procure that the Ship owned by it is insured at its expense against:

 

  (a) fire and such other risks as are usually contained within a standard marine insurance policy and/or increased value and disbursements policy covering the hull and machinery of such Ship;

 

  (b) war risks;

 

  (c) protection and indemnity risks; and

 

  (d) any other risks against which the Security Trustee considers, having regard to practices and other circumstances prevailing at the relevant time, it would in the opinion of the Security Trustee be reasonable for the relevant Borrower to insure and which are specified by the Security Trustee by notice to the relevant Borrower.

 

13.3 Terms of obligatory insurances. Each Borrower shall effect such insurances in respect of its Ship:

 

  (a) in Dollars and/or such currencies as agreed with the Security Trustee;

 

  (b) in the case as specified in Clause 13.2, cover is to be on an agreed value basis in an amount at least the greater of (i) such amount as when added to the insured value of the other Ships is 120 per cent. of the amount of the Loan and (ii) the Fair Market Value of that Ship;

 

  (c) in the case of oil pollution liability risks, for an aggregate amount equal to the highest level of cover from time to time available under a standard protection and indemnity entry with an international group protection and indemnity club (currently $1,000,000,000 in relation to any one event);

 

  (d) in relation to protection and indemnity risks in respect of each Ship’s gross tonnage;

 

  (e) on approved terms; and

 

  (f) through approved brokers and with approved insurance companies and/or underwriters or, in the case of war risks and protection and indemnity risks, in approved war risks and protection and indemnity risks associations.

 

13.4 Further protections for the Creditor Parties. In addition to the terms set out in Clause 13.3, each Borrower shall procure that the obligatory insurances shall:

 

  (a) whenever the Security Trustee requires, name (or be amended to name) the Security Trustee as an additional named assured for its rights and interests, warranted no operational interest and with full waiver of rights of subrogation against the Security Trustee, but without the Security Trustee thereby being liable to pay (but having the right to pay) premiums, calls or other assessments in respect of such insurance;

 

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  (b) name the Security Trustee as loss payee with such directions for payment as the Security Trustee may specify;

 

  (c) provide that all payments by or on behalf of the insurers under the obligatory insurances to the Security Trustee shall be made without set-off, counterclaim or deductions or condition whatsoever;

 

  (d) provide that such obligatory insurances shall be primary without right of contribution from other insurances which may be carried by the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party; and

 

  (e) provide that the Security Trustee may make proof of loss if any Borrower fails to do so.

 

13.5 Renewal of obligatory insurances. Each Borrower shall:

 

  (a) before the expiry of any obligatory insurance effected by it:

 

  (i) notify the Security Trustee of the brokers (or other insurers) and any protection and indemnity or war risks association through or with whom that Borrower proposes to renew that obligatory insurance and of the proposed terms of renewal; and

 

  (ii) obtain the Security Trustee’s approval to the matters referred to in paragraph (i);

 

  (b) as soon as practicable but in any event before the expiry of any obligatory insurance effected by it, renew that obligatory insurance in accordance with the Security Trustee’s approval pursuant to paragraph (a); and

 

  (c) procure that the approved brokers and/or the war risks and protection and indemnity associations with which such a renewal is effected shall promptly after the renewal notify the Security Trustee in writing of the terms and conditions of the renewal.

 

13.6 Copies of policies; letters of undertaking. Each Borrower shall ensure that all approved brokers provide the Security Trustee is provided as soon as practicable with pro forma copies of all policies relating to the obligatory insurances which have been effected or renewed and of a letter or letters or undertaking in a form required by the Security Trustee and that:

 

  (a) they will have endorsed on each policy, immediately upon issue, a loss payable clause and a notice of assignment complying with the provisions of Clause 13.4;

 

  (b) they will hold such policies, and the benefit of such insurances, to the order of the Security Trustee in accordance with the said loss payable clause;

 

  (c) they will advise the Security Trustee immediately of any material change to the terms of the obligatory insurances;

 

  (d) they will notify the Security Trustee, before the expiry of the obligatory insurances, in the event of their not having received notice of renewal instructions from the relevant Borrower or its agents and, in the event of their receiving instructions to renew, they will promptly notify the Security Trustee of the terms of the instructions; and

 

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  (e) they will not set off against any sum recoverable in respect of a claim relating to the Ship owned by the relevant Borrower under such obligatory insurances any premiums or other amounts due to them or any other person whether in respect of any of the Ships or otherwise, they waive any lien on the policies, or any sums received under them, which they might have in respect of such premiums or other amounts, and they will not cancel such obligatory insurances by reason of non-payment of such premiums or other amounts, and will arrange for a separate policy to be issued in respect of the Ships forthwith upon being so requested by the Security Trustee.

 

13.7 Copies of certificates of entry. Each Borrower shall ensure that for any protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations in which a Ship is entered the Security Trustee will be provided with:

 

  (a) a certified copy of the certificate of entry for that Ship;

 

  (b) a letter or letters of undertaking in such form as may be required by the Security Trustee;

 

  (c) where required to be issued under the terms of insurance/indemnity provided by the relevant Borrower’s protection and indemnity association, a certified copy of each United States of America voyage quarterly declaration (or similar document or documents) made by the relevant Borrower in relation to the Ship owned by it in accordance with the requirements of such protection and indemnity association; and

 

  (d) a certified copy of each certificate of financial responsibility for pollution by oil or other Environmentally Sensitive Material issued by the relevant certifying authority in relation to the relevant Ship.

 

13.8 Deposit of original policies. Each Borrower shall ensure that all policies issued and relating to obligatory insurances are deposited by the relevant Borrower, with the approved intermediaries or other approved parties through which the insurances are effected or renewed.

 

13.9 Payment of premiums. Each Borrower shall punctually pay all premiums or other sums payable in respect of the obligatory insurances terms and conditions, and produce all relevant receipts when so required by the Security Trustee.

 

13.10 Guarantees. Each Borrower shall ensure that any guarantees required by a protection and indemnity or war risks association are promptly issued and remain in full force and effect.

 

13.11 Compliance with terms of insurances. No Borrower shall do or omit to do (or permit to be done or not to be done) any act or thing which would or might render any obligatory insurance invalid, void, voidable or unenforceable or render any sum payable under an obligatory insurance repayable in whole or in part; and, in particular:

 

  (a) each Borrower shall take all necessary action and comply with all requirements which may from time to time be applicable to the obligatory insurances, and (without limiting the obligation contained in Clause 13.6(c)) ensure that the obligatory insurances are not made subject to any exclusions or qualifications to which the Security Trustee has not given its prior approval;

 

43


  (b) no Borrower shall make any changes relating to the classification or classification society or manager or operator of the Ship owned by it approved by the underwriters of the obligatory insurances;

 

  (c) each Borrower shall, make (and promptly supply copies to the Agent of) all quarterly or other voyage declarations which may be required by the protection and indemnity risks association in which its Ship is entered to maintain cover for trading to the United States of America and Exclusive Economic Zone (as defined in the United States Oil Pollution Act 1990 or any other applicable legislation); and

 

  (d) no Borrower shall employ its Ship, nor allow such Ship to be employed, otherwise than in conformity with the terms and conditions of the obligatory insurances, without first obtaining the consent of the insurers and complying with any requirements (as to extra premium or otherwise) which the insurers specify.

 

13.12 Alteration to terms of insurances. No Borrower shall make or agree to any alteration to the terms of any obligatory insurance nor waive any right relating to any obligatory insurance.

 

13.13 Settlement of claims. No Borrower shall settle, compromise or abandon any claim under any obligatory insurance for Total Loss or for a Major Casualty, and shall do all things necessary and provide all documents, evidence and information to enable the Security Trustee to collect or recover any moneys which at any time become payable in respect of the obligatory insurances.

 

13.14 Provision of copies of communications. Each Borrower shall promptly upon request by the Agent provide the Security Trustee, copies of all written communications which are material in the context of the Borrowers’ obligations under the Finance Documents between it and:

 

  (a) the approved brokers or insurers; and

 

  (b) the approved protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations; and

 

  (c) the approved insurance companies and/or underwriters, which relate directly or indirectly to:

 

  (i) the relevant Borrower’s obligations relating to the obligatory insurances including, without limitation, all requisite declarations and payments of additional premiums or calls; and

 

  (ii) any credit arrangements made between the relevant Borrower and any of the persons referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) relating wholly or partly to the effecting or maintenance of the obligatory insurances.

 

13.15 Provision of information. In addition, each Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee (or any persons which it may designate) with any information which the Security Trustee (or any such designated person) requests for the purpose of:

 

  (a) obtaining or preparing any report from an independent marine insurance broker or consultant as to the adequacy of the obligatory insurances effected or proposed to be effected; and/or

 

  (b) effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurances as are referred to in Clause 13.16 or dealing with or considering any matters relating to any such insurances;

 

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and the Borrowers shall, forthwith upon demand, indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all fees and other expenses incurred by or for the account of the Security Trustee in connection with any such report as is referred to in paragraph (a) above.

 

13.16 Mortgagee’s interest insurance. The Security Trustee (acting on behalf of all the Lenders) shall be entitled, at the Lenders’ cost, from time to time to effect, maintain and renew a mortgagee’s interest and pollution risks insurance policy (including additional perils (pollution) cover) in an amount equal to at least 120% of the Loan such terms, through such insurers and generally in such manner as the Security Trustee may from time to time consider appropriate.

 

13.17 Review of insurance requirements. The Majority Lenders shall be entitled to review the requirements of this Clause 13 from time to time in order to take account of any changes in circumstances after the date of this Agreement which are, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, significant and capable of affecting any Borrower or any Ship and its or their insurance (including, without limitation, changes in the availability or the cost of insurance coverage or the risks to which the Borrowers may be subject), and may appoint insurance consultants in relation to this review at the cost of the Borrowers.

 

13.18 Modification of insurance requirements. The Security Trustee shall notify the Borrowers of any proposed modification under Clause 13.17 to the requirements of this Clause 13 which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider appropriate in the circumstances, and such modification shall take effect on and from the date it is notified in writing to the Borrowers as an amendment to this Clause 13 and shall bind the Borrowers accordingly.

 

13.19 Compliance with mortgagee’s instructions. The Security Trustee shall be entitled (without prejudice to or limitation of any other rights which it may have or acquire under any Finance Document) to require a Ship to remain at any safe port or to proceed to and remain at any safe port designated by the Security Trustee until the relevant Borrower implements any amendments to the terms of the obligatory insurances and any operational changes required as a result of a notice served under Clause 13.18.

 

13.20 Assured and Co-Assured . If persons other than the relevant Borrower and/or Security Trustee are named as assureds or co-assureds in the insurance policy of the relevant Ship, the Borrowers shall procure that these persons assign their insurances to the Security Trustee upon such terms and conditions as the Security Trustee may require.

 

14 SHIP’S COVENANTS

 

14.1 General. Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with, and will ensure that the Collateral Guarantors comply in relation to their Ships, with, the following provisions of this Clause 14 at all times until the last day of the Security Period except as the Agent, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, may otherwise permit (such permission not to be unreasonably withheld in the case of Clause 14.13(b)).

 

14.2 Ship’s name and registration. Each Borrower shall keep the Ship owned by it registered in its name under an Approved Flag free of any Security Interest other than a Permitted Security Interest; and shall not do, omit to do or allow to be done anything as a result of which such registration might be cancelled or imperilled; and shall not, without the prior written consent of the Security Trustee change the name or port of registry of the Ship owned by it.

 

14.3 Repair and classification. Each Borrower shall keep the Ship owned by it in a good and safe condition and state of repair:

 

  (a) consistent with first-class ship ownership and management practice;

 

45


  (b) so as to maintain that Ship’s class with Lloyds Register of Shipping or Germanischer Lloyd AG (or such other first-class classification society which is a member of IACS acceptable to the Agent, such acceptance not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) free of overdue recommendations and conditions affecting that Ship’s class that have not been complied with in accordance with their terms; and

 

  (c) so as to comply with all laws and regulations applicable to vessels registered at ports in the relevant Approved Flag State or to vessels trading to any jurisdiction to which that Ship may trade from time to time, including but not limited to the ISM Code, the ISPS Code and the MARPOL Protocol.

 

14.4 Classification society undertaking. Each Borrower shall instruct the classification society referred to in Clause 14.3(b) (and procure that the classification society undertakes with the Security Trustee):

 

  (a) to send to the Security Trustee, following receipt of a written request from the Security Trustee, certified true copies of all original class records held by the classification society in relation to the Ship owned by that Borrower;

 

  (b) to allow the Security Trustee (or its agents), at any time and from time to time, to inspect the original class and related records of that Borrower and its Ship at the offices of the classification society and to take copies of them;

 

  (c) to notify the Security Trustee immediately in writing if the classification society:

 

  (i) receives notification from the relevant Borrower or any person that the Ship’s classification society is to be changed; or

 

  (ii) becomes aware of any facts or matters which may result in or have resulted in a change, suspension, discontinuance, withdrawal or expiry of the Ship’s class under the rules or terms and conditions of the relevant Borrower’s or its Ship’s membership of the classification society;

 

  (d) following receipt of a written request from the Security Trustee:

 

  (i) to confirm that the relevant Borrower is not in default of any of its contractual obligations or liabilities to the classification society and, without limiting the foregoing, that it has paid in full all fees or other charges due and payable to the classification society; or

 

  (ii) if the relevant Borrower is in default of any of its contractual obligations or liabilities to the classification society, to specify to the Security Trustee in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances of such default, the consequences thereof, and any remedy period agreed or allowed by the classification society.

 

14.5 Modification. Each Borrower shall not make any modification or repairs to, or replacement of, the Ship owned by it or equipment installed on its Ship which would or might materially alter the structure, type or performance characteristics of that Ship or materially reduce its value.

 

14.6

Removal of parts. No Borrower shall remove any material part of the Ship owned by it, or any item of equipment installed on, the Ship unless the part or item so removed is forthwith replaced by a suitable part or item which is in the same condition as or better condition than the part or item removed, is free from any Security Interest or any right in favour of any person other than the Security Trustee and becomes on installation on the

 

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  Ship the property of that Borrower and subject to the security constituted by the Mortgage, relative to the Ship Provided that a Borrower may install equipment owned by a third party if the equipment can be removed without any material risk of damage to the Ship.

 

14.7 Surveys. Each Borrower shall submit the Ship owned by it regularly to all periodical or other surveys which may be required for classification purposes and, if so required by the Security Trustee, provide the Security Trustee, with copies of all survey reports.

 

14.8 Inspection. Each Borrower shall permit and facilitate the Security Trustee (by surveyors or other persons appointed by it for that purpose) to board the Ship owned by it at all reasonable times to inspect its condition or to satisfy themselves about proposed or executed repairs (at the Borrowers’ cost) and shall afford all proper facilities for such inspections, at the cost of the Borrowers for one such inspection per Ship in each calendar year and otherwise at the Agent’s cost.

 

14.9 Prevention of and release from arrest. Each Borrower shall promptly discharge:

 

  (a) all liabilities which give or may give rise to maritime or possessory liens on or claims enforceable against its Ship, its Earnings or its Insurances;

 

  (b) all taxes, dues and other amounts charged in respect of its Ship, its Earnings or its Insurances; and

 

  (c) all other outgoings whatsoever in respect of its Ship, the Earnings or the Insurances;

and, forthwith upon receiving notice of the arrest of a Ship, or of its detention in exercise or purported exercise of any lien or claim, the Borrowers shall procure its release by providing bail or otherwise as the circumstances may require.

 

14.10 Compliance with laws etc. Each Borrower shall:

 

  (a) comply, or procure compliance with the ISM Code, the ISPS code, the MARPOL Protocol and Environmental Laws and all other laws or regulations relating to the Ship owned by it, its ownership, operation and management or to the business that Borrower;

 

  (b) comply, and will use best endeavours to procure that each Security Party and each other Group Member will, comply in all respect with all Sanctions;

 

  (c) not employ the Ship owned by it nor allow its employment in any manner contrary to any law or regulation in any relevant jurisdiction including but not limited to the ISM Code, the ISPS code and the MARPOL Protocol; and

 

  (d) in the event of hostilities in any part of the world (whether war is declared or not), not cause or permit its Ship to enter or trade to any zone which is declared a war zone by any government or by its Ship’s war risks insurers unless the prior written consent of the Security Trustee has been given and the relevant Borrower has (at its expense) effected any special, additional or modified insurance cover which the Security Trustee may require.

 

14.11 Provision of information. Each Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee with any information which it requests regarding:

 

  (a) the Ship owned by it, its employment, position and engagements;

 

47


  (b) the Earnings and payments and amounts due to its Ship’s master and crew;

 

  (c) any expenses incurred, or likely to be incurred, in connection with the operation, maintenance or repair of its Ship and any payments made in respect of that Ship;

 

  (d) any towages and salvages;

 

  (e) each Borrower’s, the Approved Manager’s or a Ship’s compliance with the ISM Code, the ISPS Code and the MARPOL Protocol;

and, upon the Security Trustee’s request, provide copies of any current charter relating to any Ship, of any current charter guarantee and copies of the relevant Borrower’s or the Approved Manager’s Document of Compliance.

 

14.12 Notification of certain events. Each Borrower shall immediately notify the Security Trustee by fax, confirmed forthwith by letter, of:

 

  (a) any casualty which is or is likely to be or to become a Major Casualty;

 

  (b) any occurrence as a result of which the Ship owned by it has become or is, by the passing of time or otherwise, likely to become a Total Loss;

 

  (c) any requirement or recommendation made by any insurer or classification society or by any competent authority which is not complied with within the relevant specified time limit or, in the absence of such time limit, promptly;

 

  (d) any arrest or detention of its Ship, any exercise or purported exercise of any lien on its Ship or its Earnings or any requisition of that Ship for hire;

 

  (e) any Environmental Claim made against any Borrower, a Collateral Guarantor or the Approved Manager or in connection with any Ship or Collateral Ship or any Environmental Incident;

 

  (f) any claim for breach of the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or the MARPOL Protocol being made against any Borrower or the Approved Manager or otherwise in connection with any Ship; or

 

  (g) any other matter, event or incident, actual or threatened, the effect of which will or could lead to the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or the MARPOL Protocol not being complied with;

and the Borrowers shall keep the Security Trustee advised in writing on a regular basis and in such detail as the Security Trustee shall require of each Borrower’s, the Approved Manager’s or any other person’s response to any of those events or matters.

 

14.13 Restrictions on chartering, appointment of managers etc. No Borrower shall:

 

  (a) let the Ship owned by it on demise charter for any period;

 

  (b) enter into any time or consecutive voyage charter in respect of the Ship owned by it for a term which exceeds, or which by virtue of any optional extensions may exceed, 13 months other than an Approved Time Charter;

 

  (c) enter into any charter in relation to its Ship under which more than 2 months’ hire (or the equivalent) is payable in advance;

 

  (d) charter its Ship otherwise than on bona fide arm’s length terms at the time when that Ship is fixed;

 

48


  (e) appoint a manager of its Ship other than the Approved Manager;

 

  (f) agree to any alteration to the material terms of the Management Agreement relating to its Ship or to any other terms of the Approved Manager’s appointment;

 

  (g) de-activate or lay up its Ship for more than 30 days; or

 

  (h) put its Ship into the possession of any person for the purpose of work being done upon it in an amount exceeding or likely to exceed $500,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency), which amount shall exclude dry-docking costs, unless the Agent (acting with authorisation of the Majority Lenders) has given prior approval in writing.

 

14.14 Notice of Mortgage. Each Borrower shall keep the relevant Mortgage registered against the Ship owned by it as a valid first priority mortgage, carry on board that Ship a certified copy of the relevant Mortgage and place and maintain in a conspicuous place in the navigation room and the Master’s cabin of that Ship a framed printed notice stating that that Ship is mortgaged by the relevant Borrower to the Security Trustee.

 

14.15 Sharing of Earnings. No Borrower shall enter into any agreement or arrangement for the sharing of any Earnings other than any time or voyage charters with profit sharing clauses..

 

14.16 ISPS Code . Each Borrower shall comply with the ISPS Code and in particular, without limitation, shall:

 

  (a) procure that its Ship and the company responsible for such Ship’s compliance with the ISPS Code comply with the ISPS Code; and

 

  (b) maintain for its Ship an ISSC; and

 

  (c) notify the Agent immediately in writing of any actual or threatened withdrawal, suspension, cancellation or modification of the ISSC.

 

14.17 Charters etc. The Borrowers shall (i) deliver to the Agent a Certified Copy of each Extended Employment Contract upon its execution, (ii) forthwith on the Agent’s request procure that the relevant Collateral Guarantor executes (a) a Charter Assignment in respect thereof and (b) any notice of assignment required in connection therewith and use reasonable commercial efforts to procure the acknowledgement of any such notice of assignment by the relevant charterer (provided that any failure to procure the same shall not constitute an Event of Default) and (iii) pay all legal and other costs incurred by the Agent in connection with any such Charter Assignments, forthwith following the Agent’s demand.

 

14.18 Green Passport. The Borrowers shall procure that immediately following completion of its next dry-docking, each Ship shall hold at all times during the Facility Period a Green Passport or equivalent document

where “ Green Passport ” means a document listing all the potentially hazardous materials on board the Ship or the “Inventory of Hazardous Materials” (IHM Certificate) or equivalent document as may be required by the Classification Society.

 

14.19 Sustainable Vessel dismantling. Each Borrower shall ensure and procure a safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible dismantling of the Ships upon the same being scrapped or otherwise taken out of service.

 

14.20 Inspection Reports. The Borrowers shall provide to the Agent by no later than 30 September 2017 an inspection report in respect of each Ship and each Collateral Ship which is subject to a Mortgage or a Collateral Mortgage, in a form and substance, and from a marine surveyor, acceptable to the Agent.

 

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15 SECURITY COVER

 

15.1 Minimum required security cover. Clause 15.2 applies if, after the end of the third financial quarter of 2017, the Agent notifies the Borrowers that:

 

  (a) the aggregate of the Fair Market Values (determined as provided in Clause 15.3) of the Ships; plus

 

  (b) the net realisable value of any additional security previously provided under this Clause 15;

is below 120 per cent of the Loan.

 

15.2 Provision of additional security; prepayment. If the Agent serves a notice on the Borrowers under Clause 15.1, the Borrowers shall, within 1 month after the date on which the Agent’s notice is served, either:

 

  (a) provide, or ensure that a third party provides, additional security which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, has a net realisable value at least equal to the shortfall and is documented in such terms as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, approve or require; or

 

  (b) prepay and/or cancel, in accordance with Clause 8, such part (at least) of the Loan as will eliminate the shortfall.

 

15.3 Valuation of Ship. The Fair Market Value at any date is that shown by a valuation prepared:

 

  (a) subject to Clause 2.2, as at a date not more than 30 days previously;

 

  (b) by an Approved Broker;

 

  (c) with or without physical inspection of that Ship (as the Agent may require); and

 

  (d) on the basis of a sale for prompt delivery for cash on normal arm’s length commercial terms as between a willing seller and a willing buyer, free of any existing charter or other contract of employment.

Valuations shall be obtained by the Borrowers and addressed to the Agent:

 

  (i) prior to (but dated no more than 30 days prior to) the Drawdown Date;

 

  (ii) at quarterly intervals (on each date on which the Borrowers are required pursuant to Clause 12.5 to deliver a Compliance Certificate to the Agent); and

 

  (iii) (in addition to (a) and (b) above) at any other time as the Agent shall require (in its absolute discretion).

 

15.4 Value of additional vessel security. The net realisable value of any additional security which is provided under Clause 15.2 and which consists of a Security Interest over a vessel shall be that shown by a valuation complying with the requirements of Clause 15.3.

 

15.5 Valuations binding. Any valuation under Clause 15.2, 15.3 or 15.4 shall be binding and conclusive as regards the Borrowers, as shall be any valuation which the Majority Lenders make of any additional security which does not consist of or include a Security Interest.

 

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15.6 Provision of information. The Borrowers shall promptly provide the Agent and any Approved Broker or expert acting under Clause 15.3 or 15.4 with any information which the Agent or the Approved Broker or expert may request for the purposes of the valuation; and, if the Borrowers fail to provide the information by the date specified in the request, the valuation may be made on any basis and assumptions which the Approved Broker or the Majority Lenders (or the expert appointed by them) consider prudent.

 

15.7 Payment of valuation expenses. Without prejudice to the generality of the Borrowers’ obligations under Clauses 20.2, 20.3 and 21.3, the Borrowers shall, on demand, pay the Agent the amount of the fees and expenses of any Approved Broker instructed under this Clause 15.

 

16 PAYMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

 

16.1 Currency and method of payments. All payments to be made by the Lenders or by the Borrowers under a Finance Document shall be made to the Agent or to the Security Trustee, in the case of an amount payable to it:

 

  (a) by not later than 11.00 a.m. (New York City time) on the due date;

 

  (b) in same day Dollar funds settled through the New York Clearing House Interbank Payments System (or in such other Dollar funds and/or settled in such other manner as the Agent shall specify as being customary at the time for the settlement of international transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement);

 

  (c) in the case of an amount payable by a Lender to the Agent or by any Borrower to the Agent or any Lender, to such account as the Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the other Creditor Parties for this purpose; and

 

  (d) in the case of an amount payable to the Security Trustee, to such account as it may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the other Creditor Parties.

 

16.2 Payment on non-Business Day. If any payment by a Borrower or a Security Party under a Finance Document would otherwise fall due on a day which is not a Business Day:

 

  (a) the due date shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day; or

 

  (b) if the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next calendar month, the due date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day;

and interest shall be payable during any extension under paragraph (a) at the rate payable on the original due date.

 

16.3 Basis for calculation of periodic payments. All interest and commitment fee and guarantee fee and any other payments under any Finance Document which are of an annual or periodic nature shall accrue from day to day and shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a 360 day year.

 

16.4 Distribution of payments to Creditor Parties. Subject to Clauses 16.5, 16.6 and 16.7:

 

  (a) any amount received by the Agent under a Finance Document for distribution or remittance to a Creditor Party shall be made available by the Agent to that Creditor Party by payment, with funds having the same value as the funds received, to such account as the Creditor Party may have notified to the Agent not less than 3 Business Days previously; and

 

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  (b) amounts to be applied in satisfying amounts of a particular category which are due to the Lenders generally shall be distributed by the Agent to each Lender pro rata to the amount in that category which is due to it.

 

16.5 Permitted deductions by Agent. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent may, before making an amount available to a Lender, deduct and withhold from that amount any sum which is then due and payable to the Agent from that Lender under any Finance Document or any sum which the Agent is then entitled under any Finance Document to require that Lender to pay on demand.

 

16.6 Agent only obliged to pay when monies received. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent shall not be obliged to make available to any Borrower, any Lender any sum which the Agent is expecting to receive for remittance or distribution to that Borrower, to that Lender until the Agent has satisfied itself that it has received that sum.

 

16.7 Refund to Agent of monies not received. If and to the extent that the Agent makes available a sum to a Borrower, a Lender, without first having received that sum, the Borrower or (as the case may be) , the Lender concerned shall, on demand:

 

  (a) refund the sum in full to the Agent; and

 

  (b) pay to the Agent the amount (as certified by the Agent) which will indemnify the Agent against any funding or other loss, liability or expense incurred by the Agent as a result of making the sum available before receiving it.

 

16.8 Agent may assume receipt. Clause 16.7 shall not affect any claim which the Agent has under the law of restitution, and applies irrespective of whether the Agent had any form of notice that it had not received the sum which it made available.

 

16.9 Creditor Party accounts. Each Creditor Party shall maintain accounts showing the amounts owing to it by the Borrowers and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by any Borrower and any Security Party.

 

16.10 Agent’s memorandum account. The Agent shall maintain a memorandum account showing the amounts advanced by the Lenders and all other sums owing to each Creditor Party from each Borrower and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by any Borrower and any Security Party.

 

16.11 Accounts prima facie evidence. If any accounts maintained under Clauses 16.9 and 16.10 show an amount to be owing by the Borrowers or a Security Party to a Creditor Party, those accounts shall be prima facie evidence that that amount is owing to that Creditor Party in the absence of manifest error.

 

16.12 FATCA

 

(a) FATCA Information

 

  (i) Subject to subclause (3) below, each party to a Finance Document shall, within ten Business Days of a reasonable request by another party to the Finance Documents:

 

  (2) confirm to that other party whether it is a FATCA Exempt Party or is not a FATCA Exempt Party;

 

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  (3) supply to the requesting party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status under FATCA as the requesting party reasonably requests for the purposes of such requesting party’s compliance with FATCA; and

 

  (4) supply to the requesting party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status as the requesting party reasonably requests for the purposes of the requesting party’s compliance with any other law, regulation, or exchange of information regime.

 

  (ii) If a party to any Finance Document confirms to another party pursuant to subclause (a) above that it is a FATCA Exempt Party and it subsequently becomes aware that it is not, or has ceased to be a FATCA Exempt Party, that party shall notify that other party and the Agent reasonably promptly.

 

  (iii) Subclause (a) above shall not oblige any Creditor Party to do anything, and Subclause (a) (iii) above shall not oblige any other party to a Finance Document to do anything, which would or might in its reasonable opinion constitute a breach of any law or regulation, any policy of that Creditor Party, any fiduciary duty or any duty of confidentiality.

 

  (iv) If a party to any Finance Document fails to confirm whether or not it is a FATCA Exempt Party or to supply forms, documentation or other information requested in accordance with subclause (a)(i) or (ii) above (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where paragraph (c) above applies), then such party shall be treated for the purposes of the Finance Documents (and payments under them) as if it is not a FATCA Exempt Party until such time as the party in question provides the requested confirmation, forms, documentation or other information.

 

(a) FATCA Deduction

 

  (v) a party to any Finance Document may make any FATCA Deduction it is required to make by FATCA, and any payment required in connection with that FATCA Deduction, and no party to any Finance Document shall be required to increase any payment in respect of which it makes such a FATCA Deduction or otherwise compensate the recipient of the payment for that FATCA Deduction.

 

  (vi) a party to any Finance Document shall promptly, upon becoming aware that it must make a FATCA Deduction (or that there is any change in the rate or the basis of such FATCA Deduction) notify the party to whom it is making the payment and, in addition, shall notify the Borrowers, the Agent and the other Creditor Parties.

 

17 APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS

 

17.1 Normal order of application. Except as any Finance Document may otherwise provide, any sums which are received or recovered by any Creditor Party under or by virtue of any Finance Document shall be applied:

 

  (a) FIRST: in or towards payment pro rata of any unpaid fees, costs and expenses of the Agent and the Security Trustee and the other Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents;

 

  (b) SECONDLY: in or towards payment pro rata of any accrued interest due but unpaid under this Agreement;

 

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  (c) THIRDLY: in or towards payment pro rata of any principal due but unpaid under this Agreement;

 

  (d) FOURTHLY: in or towards payment pro rata of any other amounts due but unpaid under any Finance Document;

 

  (e) FIFTHLY: in retention of an amount equal to any amount not then due and payable under any Finance Document but which the Lender, by notice to the Borrowers and the Security Parties, states in its opinion will or may become due and payable in the future and, upon those amounts becoming due and payable, in or towards satisfaction of them in accordance with the provisions of Clause 17.1(a), (b), (c) and (d); and

 

  (f) SIXTHLY: any surplus shall be paid to the Borrowers or to any other person entitled to it.

 

17.2 Variation of order of application. The Agent may, with the authorisation of the Lenders, by notice to the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties provide for a different manner of application from that set out in Clause 17.1 either as regards a specified sum or sums or as regards sums in a specified category or categories.

 

17.3 Notice of variation of order of application. The Agent may give notices under Clause 17.2 from time to time; and such a notice may be stated to apply not only to sums which may be received or recovered in the future, but also to any sum which has been received or recovered on or after the third Business Day before the date on which the notice is served.

 

17.4 Appropriation rights overridden. This Clause 17 and any notice which the Agent gives under Clause 17.2 shall override any right of appropriation possessed, and any appropriation made, by any Borrower or any Security Party.

 

18 APPLICATION OF EARNINGS, LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS

 

18.1 Payment of Earnings. Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to ensure that, throughout the Security Period (subject only to the provisions of the Mortgages, the Deeds of Covenant and the General Assignments), all the Earnings in respect of each Chartered Ship are paid (i) while such Chartered Ship is subject to an Approved Time Charter, to the BNP Account applicable to the Borrower which is the owner of such Ship, (ii) after termination of the Approved Time Charter in respect of such Chartered Ship, and at all times in respect of the Ships which are not Chartered Ships, to the Earnings Account applicable to the Borrower or Collateral Guarantor which is the owner of such Ship;

 

18.2 Standing Order. The Borrowers shall ensure that any amount credited to any BNP Account shall immediately be transferred to the Earnings Account owned by the Borrower which is the owner of that BNP Account.

 

18.3 Application of Earnings. Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party that money from time to time credited to, or for the time being standing to the credit of, an Earnings Account shall, unless and until an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default shall have occurred (whereupon the provisions of Clause 17.1 shall be and become applicable), be available for application in the following manner:

 

(a) FIRSTLY: in or towards meeting the costs, fees and expenses payable by the Borrowers under the Finance Documents;

 

(b) SECONDLY: in or towards making the transfers to the Retention Accounts pursuant to Clause 18.3;

 

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(c) THIRDLY: in or towards meeting the costs and expenses from time to time incurred by or on behalf of the Borrowers in connection with the operation of the Ships.

 

18.4 Monthly retentions. Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to ensure that, throughout the Security Period on the same day in each month, there is transferred to the Retention Account:

 

  (a) one-third of the repayment instalment in respect of each Advance falling due under Clause 8.1 on the next Repayment Date; and

 

  (b) the relevant fraction of the aggregate amount of interest on each Advance which is payable on the next due date for payment of interest.

Where:

relevant fraction ” is a fraction of which the numerator is 1 and the denominator the number of months comprised in the then current Interest Period (or, if current Interest Period ends after the next date for payment of interest under this Agreement, the number of months from the later of the commencement of the current Interest Period or the last due date for payment of interest to the next date for payment of interest under this Agreement).

 

18.5 Shortfall in Earnings. If the aggregate Earnings received in the Earnings Accounts and Collateral Earnings Accounts are insufficient in any month for the required amount to be transferred to any Retention Account under Clause 18.3, the Borrowers shall make up the amount of the insufficiency by payment in Dollars to the Retention Account.

 

18.6 Application of retentions. Until an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default occurs, the Account Bank shall on each Repayment Date and on each due date for the payment of interest under this Agreement pay to the Agent, for the Agent to distribute to the Lenders in accordance with Clause 16.4 so much of the then balance on the Retention Account as equals:

 

  (a) the repayment instalment due on that Repayment Date; or, as the case may be,

 

  (b) the amount of interest payable on that interest payment date

in discharge of the Borrowers’ liability for that repayment instalment or that interest.

 

18.7 Location of accounts. Each Borrower shall promptly :

 

(a) comply with any requirement of the Agent as to the location or re-location of the Earnings Accounts, the Retention Account or any of them, provided that those accounts must at all times be with the Account Bank; and

 

(b) execute any documents which the Agent specifies to create or maintain in favour of the Security Trustee a Security Interest over the Earnings Accounts and the Retention Account.

 

18.8 Borrowers’ obligations unaffected. The provisions of this Clause 18 do not affect:

 

(a) the liability of the Borrowers to make payments of principal and interest on the due dates; or

 

(b) any other liability or obligation of the Borrowers or any Security Party under any Finance Document.

 

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19 EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

19.1 Events of Default. An Event of Default occurs if:

 

  (a) any Security Party fails to pay any sum payable by it under any of the Finance Documents at the time, in the currency and in the manner stipulated in the Finance Documents (and so that, for this purpose, sums payable (i) under clauses 5.1 and 8.1 shall be treated as having been paid at the stipulated time if (aa) received by the Agent within two (2) days of the dates therein referred to and (bb) such delay in receipt is caused by administrative or other delays or errors within the banking system and (ii) on demand shall be treated as having been paid at the stipulated time if paid within three (3) Business Days of demand); or

 

  (b) any breach occurs of Clause 9.2, 10,23, 11.2, 11.3, 11.23, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 or 15.2 or clause 5.3 of the Corporate Guarantee; or

 

  (c) any breach by any Borrower or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraphs (a) or (b)) which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, is capable of remedy, and such default continues unremedied 15 days after written notice from the Agent requesting action to remedy the same; or

 

  (d) (subject to any applicable grace period specified in any Finance Document) any breach by any Borrower or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach falling within paragraphs (a), (b) or (c)); or

 

  (e) any representation, warranty or statement made or repeated by, or by an officer of, a Borrower or a Security Party in a Finance Document or in a Drawdown Notice or any other notice or document relating to a Finance Document is untrue or misleading when it is made or repeated; or

 

  (f) any of the following occurs in relation to any Financial Indebtedness (exceeding $5,000,000 in respect of the Corporate Guarantor and $1,000,000 for all other Relevant Persons) of a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is not paid when due; or

 

  (ii) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes due and payable prior capable of being declared due and payable prior to its stated maturity date as a consequence of any event of default; or

 

  (iii) any overdraft, loan, note issuance, acceptance credit, letter of credit, guarantee, foreign exchange or other facility, or any swap or other derivative contract or transaction, relating to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person ceases to be available or becomes capable of being terminated as a result of any event of default, or cash cover is required, or becomes capable of being required, in respect of such a facility as a result of any event of default; or

 

  (iv) an event of default howsoever described (or any event which with the giving of notice, lapse of time, determination of materiality or fulfillment of any other applicable condition or any combination of the foregoing would constitute such an event of default) occurs under any document relating to Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (v) any Security Interest securing any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes enforceable; or

 

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  (g) any of the following occurs in relation to a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) a Relevant Person becomes, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, unable to pay its debts as they fall due; or

 

  (ii) any assets of a Relevant Person are subject to any form of execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress, or any form of freezing order, in respect of a sum of, or sums aggregating, $5,000,000 or more in respect of the Corporate Guarantor and $1,000,000 or more for all other Relevant Persons or the equivalent in another currency and, in respect of a Relevant Person other than a Security Party, the same is not lifted within 30 days; or

 

  (iii) any administrative or other receiver is appointed over any asset of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (iv) an administrator is appointed (whether by the court or otherwise) in respect of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (v) any formal declaration of bankruptcy or any formal statement to the effect that a Relevant Person is insolvent or likely to become insolvent is made by a Relevant Person or by the directors of a Relevant Person or, in any proceedings, by a lawyer acting for a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vi) a provisional liquidator is appointed in respect of a Relevant Person, a winding up order is made in relation to a Relevant Person or a winding up resolution is passed by a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vii) a resolution is passed, and administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by (a) a Relevant Person, (b) the members or directors of a Relevant Person, (c) a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person, or (d) a government minister or public or regulatory authority of a Pertinent Jurisdiction for or with a view to the winding up of that or another Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of that or another Relevant Person, or that or another Relevant Person ceasing or suspending business operations or payments to creditors, save that this paragraph does not apply to a fully solvent winding up of a Relevant Person other than a Borrower or the Corporate Guarantor which is, or is to be, effected for the purposes of an amalgamation or reconstruction previously approved by the Agent and effected not later than three months after the commencement of the winding up; or

 

  (viii) an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by a creditor of a Relevant Person (other than a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person) for the winding up of a Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of a Relevant Person in any Pertinent Jurisdiction, unless the proposed winding up, appointment of a provisional liquidator or administration is being contested in good faith, on substantial grounds and not with a view to some other insolvency law procedure being implemented instead and either (a) the application or petition is dismissed or withdrawn within 30 days of being made or presented, or (b) within 30 days of the administration notice being given or filed, or the other relevant steps being taken, other action is taken which will ensure that there be no administration and (in both cases (a) or (b)) the Relevant Person will continue to carry on business in the ordinary way and without being the subject of any actual, interim or pending insolvency law procedure; or

 

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  (ix) a Relevant Person or its directors take any steps (whether by making or presenting an application or petition to a court, or submitting or presenting a document setting out a proposal or proposed terms, or otherwise) with a view to obtaining, in relation to that or another Relevant Person, any form of moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation of debt (or certain debt or arrangement with all or a substantial proportion (by number or value) of creditors or of any class of them or any such moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation or arrangement is effected by court order, by the filing of documents with a court, by means of a contract or in any other way at all; or

 

  (x) any meeting of the members or directors, or of any committee of the board or senior management, of a Relevant Person is held or summoned for the purpose of considering a resolution or proposal to authorise or take any action of a type described in paragraphs (iv) to (ix) or a step preparatory to such action, or (with or without such a meeting) the members, directors or such a committee resolve or agree that such an action or step should be taken or should be taken if certain conditions materialise or fail to materialise; or

 

  (xi) in a Pertinent Jurisdiction other than England, any event occurs, any proceedings are opened or commenced or any step is taken which, in the opinion of the Agent is similar to any of the foregoing; or

 

  (h) any Security Party is in breach of or fails to observe any law, requirement, measure or procedure implemented to combat “money laundering” as defined in Article 1 of the Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union; or

 

  (i) any Borrower or any Security Party ceases or suspends carrying on its business or a part of its business which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is material in the context of this Agreement or the other Finance Documents; or

 

  (j) it becomes unlawful or impossible:

 

  (i) for any Borrower or any Security Party to discharge any liability under a Finance Document or to comply with any other obligation which the Majority Lenders consider material under a Finance Document; or

 

  (ii) for the Agent, the Security Trustee, the Lenders to exercise or enforce any right under, or to enforce any Security Interest created by, a Finance Document; or

 

  (k) any consent necessary to enable any Borrower to own, operate or charter its Ship or to enable any Borrower or any Security Party to comply with any provision which the Majority Lenders consider material of a Finance Document, any MOA or any Approved Time Charter or any Management Agreement is not granted, expires without being renewed, is revoked or becomes liable to revocation or any condition of such a consent is not fulfilled; or

 

  (l) it appears to the Majority Lenders that, without their prior consent a change has occurred after the date of this Agreement in the legal or ultimate beneficial ownership of any of the shares in a Borrower; or

 

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  (m) any provision which the Majority Lenders acting reasonably consider material of a Finance Document or any Approved Time Charter proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable, or a Security Interest created by a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable or such a Security Interest proves to have ranked after, or loses its priority to, another Security Interest or any other third party claim or;

 

  (n) the security constituted by a Finance Document is in any way imperilled or in jeopardy and if, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, capable of remedy, such event or circumstance continues unremedied 14 days after written notice from the Agent to the Borrowers or relevant Security Party requesting action to remedy the same; or

 

  (o) any Approved Time Charter is terminated other than by mere effluxion of time;

 

  (p) any other event occurs or any other circumstances arise or develop including, without limitation:

 

  (i) a change in the financial position, state of affairs or prospects of any Relevant Person; or

 

  (ii) any accident or other event involving any Ship or another vessel owned, chartered or operated by a Relevant Person; or

 

  (iii) any litigation or proceedings are commenced or threatened against a Relevant Person,

in the light of which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider that:

 

  (1) there is a significant risk that any Borrower or any Security Party is, or will later become, unable to discharge its liabilities under the Finance Documents as they fall due; or

 

  (2) such event represents a material adverse change to the business of the Borrowers (or any of them) or such Security Party.

 

19.2 Actions following an Event of Default. On and at any time after the occurrence of an Event of Default the Agent may, and shall if so directed by the Majority Lenders, by written notice to the Borrowers:

 

  (a) cancel the Total Commitments, at which time they shall immediately be cancelled; and/or

 

  (b) declare that all or part of the Loan, together with accrued interest, and all other amounts accrued or outstanding under the Finance Documents, be immediately due and payable, at which time they shall become immediately due and payable; and/or

 

  (c) declare that all or part of the Loan be payable on demand, at which time they shall immediately become payable on demand by the Agent on the instructions of the Majority Lenders; and/or

 

  (d) declare that no withdrawals be made from any Earnings Account or the Retention Account; and/or

 

  (e) exercise or direct the Security Trustee to exercise any or all of its rights, remedies, powers or discretions under the Finance Documents.

 

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19.3 Termination of Commitments. On the service of a notice under Clause 19.2(a)(i), the Commitments and all other obligations of each Lender to the Borrowers under this Agreement shall be cancelled.

 

19.4 Acceleration of liabilities. On the service of a notice under Clause 19.2(a)(ii), the Loan, all accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing from the Borrowers or any Security Party under this Agreement and every other Finance Document shall become immediately due and payable or, as the case may be, payable on demand.

 

19.5 Multiple notices; action without notice. The Agent may serve notices under Clause 19.2(a)(i) or (ii) simultaneously or on different dates and it and/or the Security Trustee may take any action referred to in Clause 19.2 if no such notice is served or simultaneously with or at any time after the service of both or either of such notices.

 

19.6 Notification of Creditor Parties and Security Parties. The Agent shall send to each Creditor Party and each Security Party a copy or the text of any notice which the Agent serves on the Borrowers under Clause 19.2; but the notice shall become effective when it is served on the Borrowers, and no failure or delay by the Agent to send a copy or the text of the notice to any other person shall invalidate the notice or provide any Borrower or any Security Party with any form of claim or defence.

 

19.7 Bank’s rights unimpaired. Nothing in this Clause shall be taken to impair or restrict the exercise of any right given to individual Lenders under a Finance Document or the general law; and, in particular, this Clause is without prejudice to Clause 3.1.

 

19.8 Exclusion of Creditor Party liability. No Creditor Party, and no receiver or manager appointed by the Security Trustee, shall have any liability to a Borrower or a Security Party:

 

  (a) for any loss caused by an exercise of rights under, or enforcement of a Security Interest created by, a Finance Document or by any failure or delay to exercise such a right or to enforce such a Security Interest; or

 

  (b) as mortgagee in possession or otherwise, for any income or principal amount which might have been produced by or realised from any asset comprised in such a Security Interest or for any reduction (however caused) in the value of such an asset;

except that this does not exempt a Creditor Party or a receiver or manager from liability for losses shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the dishonesty or the wilful misconduct of such Creditor Party’s own officers and employees or (as the case may be) such receiver’s or manager’s own partners or employees.

 

19.9 Relevant Persons . In this Clause 19 a “ Relevant Person ” means a Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor, any other Security Party (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and any other Approved Manager that is not a subsidiary of the Corporate Guarantor) and any of their Subsidiaries.

 

19.10 Interpretation. In Clause 19.1(f) references to an event of default or a termination event include any event, howsoever described, which is similar to an event of default in a facility agreement or a termination event in a finance lease; and in Clause 19.1(g) “ petition ” includes an application.

 

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20 EXPENSES

 

20.1 commitment fee. The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent for the account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with their Commitments, on each of the dates falling at three (3) monthly intervals after 29 June 2017 until the last day of the Availability Period and on the last day of the Availability Period, commitment commission accruing from the date of this Agreement (in the case of the first payment of commission) and from the date of the preceding payment of commission (in the case of each subsequent payment) at the rate of one point five four per cent (1.54%) per annum on the daily undrawn amount of the Total Commitments

 

20.2 Costs of negotiation, preparation etc. The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent on its demand the amount of all expenses incurred by the Agent or the Security Trustee in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution or registration of any Finance Document or any related document or with any transaction contemplated by a Finance Document or a related document (including without limitation, any travel expenses).

 

20.3 Costs of variations, amendments, enforcement etc. The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Creditor Party concerned the amount of all expenses incurred by a Creditor Party in connection with:

 

  (a) any amendment or supplement to a Finance Document, or any proposal for such an amendment to be made;

 

  (b) any consent or waiver by the Lenders, the Majority Lenders or the Creditor Party concerned under or in connection with a Finance Document, or any request for such a consent or waiver;

 

  (c) the valuation of any security provided or offered under Clause 15 or any other matter relating to such security; or

 

  (d) any step taken by the Creditor Party concerned with a view to the protection, exercise or enforcement of any right or Security Interest created by a Finance Document or for any similar purpose (including without limitation any litigation cost).

There shall be recoverable under paragraph (d) the full amount of all legal expenses, whether or not such as would be allowed under rules of court or any taxation or other procedure carried out under such rules.

 

20.4 Documentary taxes. The Borrowers shall promptly pay any tax payable on or by reference to any Finance Document, and shall, on the Agent’s demand, fully indemnify each Creditor Party against any claims, expenses, liabilities and losses resulting from any failure or delay by the Borrowers to pay such a tax.

 

20.5 Certification of amounts. A notice which is signed by 2 officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 20 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

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21 INDEMNITIES

 

21.1 Indemnities regarding borrowing and repayment of Loan. The Borrowers shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party on the Agent’s demand and the Security Trustee on its demand in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are made or brought against or incurred by that Creditor Party, or which that Creditor Party reasonably and with due diligence estimates that it will incur, as a result of or in connection with:

 

  (a) an Advance not being borrowed on the date specified in the relevant Drawdown Notice for any reason other than a default by the Lender claiming the indemnity;

 

  (b) the receipt or recovery of all or any part of the Loan or an overdue sum otherwise than on the last day of an Interest Period or other relevant period;

 

  (c) any failure (for whatever reason) by the Borrowers to make payment of any amount due under a Finance Document on the due date or, if so payable, on demand (after giving credit for any default interest paid by the Borrowers on the amount concerned under Clause 7);

 

  (d) the occurrence and/or continuance of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default and/or the acceleration of repayment of the Loan or any part of it under Clause 19;

and in respect of any tax (other than tax on its overall net income) for which a Creditor Party is liable in connection with any amount paid or payable to that Creditor Party (whether for its own account or otherwise) under any Finance Document.

 

21.2 Breakage costs. Without limiting its generality, Clause 21.1 covers any claim, expense, liability or loss, including a loss of a prospective profit, incurred by a Lender:

 

  (a) in liquidating or employing deposits from third parties acquired or arranged to fund or maintain all or any part of its Contribution and/or any overdue amount (or an aggregate amount which includes its Contribution or any overdue amount); and

 

  (b) in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, any interest and/or currency swap or any other transaction entered into (whether with another legal entity or with another office or department of the Lender concerned) to hedge any exposure arising under this Agreement or that part which the Lender concerned determines is fairly attributable to this Agreement of the amount of the liabilities, expenses or losses (including losses of prospective profits) incurred by it in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, a number of transactions of which this Agreement is one.

 

21.3 Miscellaneous indemnities. The Borrowers shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party severally on their respective demands in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which may be made or brought against or incurred by a Creditor Party, in any country, as a result of or in connection with:

 

  (a) any action taken, or omitted or neglected to be taken, under or in connection with any Finance Document by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party or by any receiver appointed under a Finance Document; or

 

  (b) any other Pertinent Matter;

other than claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the dishonesty or wilful misconduct of the officers or employees of the Creditor Party concerned.

 

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Without prejudice to its generality, this Clause 21.3 covers any claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which arise, or are asserted, under or in connection with any law relating to safety at sea, the ISM Code, the ISPS Code, the MARPOL Protocol or any Environmental Law.

 

21.4 Currency indemnity. If any sum due from any Borrower or any Security Party to a Creditor Party under a Finance Document or under any order or judgment relating to a Finance Document has to be converted from the currency in which the Finance Document provided for the sum to be paid (the “ Contractual Currency ”) into another currency (the “ Payment Currency ”) for the purpose of:

 

  (a) making or lodging any claim or proof against any Borrower or any Security Party, whether in its liquidation, any arrangement involving it or otherwise; or

 

  (b) obtaining an order or judgment from any court or other tribunal; or

 

  (c) enforcing any such order or judgment;

the Borrowers shall indemnify the Creditor Party concerned against the loss arising when the amount of the payment actually received by that Creditor Party is converted at the available rate of exchange into the Contractual Currency.

In this Clause 21.4 the “ available rate of exchange ” means the rate at which the Creditor Party concerned is able at the opening of business (Rotterdam time) on the Business Day after it receives the sum concerned to purchase the Contractual Currency with the Payment Currency.

This Clause 21.4 creates a separate liability of the Borrowers which is distinct from their other liabilities under the Finance Documents and which shall not be merged in any judgment or order relating to those other liabilities.

 

21.5 Certification of amounts. A notice which is signed by 2 officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 21 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

21.6 Sums deemed due to a Lender. For the purposes of this Clause 21, a sum payable by the Borrowers to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender.

 

22 NO SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION

 

22.1 No deductions. All amounts due from the Borrowers under a Finance Document shall be paid:

 

  (a) without any form of set-off, cross-claim or condition; and

 

  (b) free and clear of any tax deduction except a tax deduction which the Borrowers are required by law to make.

 

22.2 Grossing-up for taxes. If a Borrower is required by law to make a tax deduction from any payment (other than a FATCA Deduction):

 

  (a) that Borrower shall notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of the requirement;

 

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  (b) that Borrower shall pay the tax deducted to the appropriate taxation authority promptly, and in any event before any fine or penalty arises;

 

  (c) the amount due in respect of the payment shall be increased by the amount necessary to ensure that each Creditor Party receives and retains (free from any liability relating to the tax deduction) a net amount which, after the tax deduction, is equal to the full amount which it would otherwise have received.

 

22.3 Evidence of payment of taxes. Within 1 month after making any tax deduction, the Borrower concerned shall deliver to the Agent documentary evidence satisfactory to the Agent that the tax had been paid to the appropriate taxation authority.

 

22.4 Exclusion of tax on overall net income. In this Clause 22 “ tax deduction ” means any deduction or withholding for or on account of any present or future tax except tax on a Creditor Party’s overall net income.

 

23 ILLEGALITY, ETC

 

23.1 Illegality. This Clause 23 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that it has become, or will with effect from a specified date, become:

 

  (a) unlawful or prohibited as a result of the introduction of a new law, an amendment to an existing law or a change in the manner in which an existing law is or will be interpreted or applied; or

 

  (b) contrary to, or inconsistent with, any regulation,

for the Notifying Lender to maintain or give effect to any of its obligations under this Agreement in the manner contemplated by this Agreement.

 

23.2 Notification of illegality. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers, the Security Parties, and each of the Creditor Parties of the notice under Clause 23.1 which the Agent receives from the Notifying Lender.

 

23.3 Prepayment; termination of Commitment. On the Agent notifying the Borrowers under Clause 23.2, the Notifying Lender’s Commitment shall terminate; and thereupon or, if later, on the date specified in the Notifying Lender’s notice under Clause 23.1 as the date on which the notified event would become effective the Borrowers shall prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution in accordance with Clause 8.

 

23.4 Mitigation . If circumstances arise which would result in a notification under Clause 23.1 then, without in any way limiting the rights of the Notifying Lender under Clause 23.3, the Notifying Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to transfer its obligations, liabilities and rights under this Agreement and the Finance Documents to another office or financial institution not affected by the circumstances but the Notifying Lender shall not be under any obligation to take any such action if, in its opinion, to do would or might:

 

  (a) have an adverse effect on its business, operations or financial condition; or

 

  (b) involve it in any activity which is unlawful or prohibited or any activity that is contrary to, or inconsistent with, any regulation; or

 

  (c) involve it in any expense (unless indemnified to its satisfaction) or tax disadvantage.

 

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24 INCREASED COSTS

 

24.1 Increased costs. This Clause 24 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that the Notifying Lender considers that as a result of:

 

  (a) the introduction or alteration after the date of this Agreement of a law or an alteration after the date of this Agreement in the manner in which a law is interpreted or applied (disregarding any effect which relates to the application to payments under this Agreement of a tax on the Lender’s overall net income); or

 

  (b) complying with any regulation (including any which relates to capital adequacy or liquidity controls or which affects the manner in which the Notifying Lender allocates capital resources to its obligations under this Agreement) which is introduced, or altered, or the interpretation or application of which is altered, after the date of this Agreement,

the Notifying Lender (or a parent company of it) has incurred or will incur an “ increased cost ”.

 

24.2 Meaning of “increase cost”. In this Clause 24, “ increased cost ” means, in relation to a Notifying Lender:

 

  (a) an additional or increased cost incurred as a result of, or in connection with, the Notifying Lender having entered into, or being a party to, this Agreement or a Transfer Certificate, of funding or maintaining its Commitment or Contribution or performing its obligations under this Agreement, or of having outstanding all or any part of its Contribution or other unpaid sums;

 

  (b) a reduction in the amount of any payment to the Notifying Lender under this Agreement or in the effective return which such a payment represents to the Notifying Lender or on its capital;

 

  (c) an additional or increased cost of funding all or maintaining all or any of the advances comprised in a class of advances formed by or including the Notifying Lender’s Contribution or (as the case may require) the proportion of that cost attributable to the Contribution; or

 

  (d) an additional or increased cost of funding all or maintaining all or any part the Notifying Lender’s Contributions or other unpaid sums or (as the case may require) the proportion of that cost attributable to the Contributions or other unpaid sums; or

 

  (e) a liability to make a payment, or a return foregone, which is calculated by reference to any amounts received or receivable by the Notifying Lender under this Agreement;

but not an item attributable to a change in the rate of tax on the overall net income of the Notifying Lender (or a parent company of it) or an item covered by the indemnity for tax in Clause 21.1 or by Clause 22.

For the purposes of this Clause 24.2 the Notifying Lender may in good faith allocate or spread costs and/or losses among its assets and liabilities (or any class of its assets and liabilities) on such basis as it considers appropriate.

 

24.3 Notification to Borrowers of claim for increased costs. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the Security Parties of the notice which the Agent received from the Notifying Lender under Clause 24.1.

 

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24.4 Payment of increased costs. The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Notifying Lender the amounts which the Agent from time to time notifies the Borrowers that the Notifying Lender has specified to be necessary to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost.

 

24.5 Notice of prepayment; cancellation. If the Borrowers are not willing to continue to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost under Clause 24.4, the Borrowers may give the Agent not less than 14 days’ notice of their intention to:

 

  (a) prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution at the end of an Interest Period; and/or

 

  (b) cancel the Notifying Lender’s Available Commitment.

 

24.6 Prepayment; termination of Commitment. A notice under Clause 24.5 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Notifying Lender of the Borrowers’ notice of intended prepayment and/or cancellation; and:

 

  (a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Available Commitment of the Notifying Lender shall be cancelled;

 

  (b) on the date specified in its notice of intended prepayment, the Borrowers shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Notifying Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

 

25 SET-OFF

 

25.1 Application of credit balances. Each Creditor Party may, following the occurrence of an Event of Default which is continuing, without prior notice:

 

  (a) apply any balance (whether or not then due) which at any time stands to the credit of any account in the name of any Borrower at any office in any country of that Creditor Party in or towards satisfaction of any sum then due from the Borrowers (or any of them) to that Creditor Party under any of the Finance Documents; and

 

  (b) for that purpose:

 

  (i) break, or alter the maturity of, all or any part of a deposit of a Borrower;

 

  (ii) convert or translate all or any part of a deposit or other credit balance into Dollars; and

 

  (iii) enter into any other transaction or make any entry with regard to the credit balance which the Creditor Party concerned considers appropriate.

 

25.2 Existing rights unaffected. No Creditor Party shall be obliged to exercise any of its rights under Clause 25.1; and those rights shall be without prejudice and in addition to any right of set-off, combination of accounts, charge, lien or other right or remedy to which a Creditor Party is entitled (whether under the general law or any document).

 

25.3 Sums deemed due to a Creditor Party. For the purposes of this Clause 25, a sum payable by the Borrowers (or any of them) to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to, or for the account of, any Creditor Party shall be treated as a sum due to that Creditor Party; and each Creditor Party’s proportion of a sum so payable for distribution to, or for the account of, the Creditor Parties shall be treated as a sum due to such Creditor Party.

 

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25.4 No Security Interest. This Clause 25 gives the Creditor Parties a contractual right of set-off only, and does not create any equitable charge or other Security Interest over any credit balance of any Borrower.

 

26 TRANSFERS AND CHANGES IN LENDING AND BOOKING OFFICES

 

26.1 Transfer by Borrowers. No Borrower may, without the consent of the Agent, given on the instructions of all the Lenders transfer any of its rights, liabilities or obligations under any Finance Document.

 

26.2 Transfer by a Lender. Subject to Clause 26.4, a Lender (the “ Transferor Lender ”) may, (i) if such transfer is to any bank or financial institution affiliated to a Lender or if such transfer is made while an Event of Default is continuing, without the consent of the Borrowers or (ii) if such transfer is to any arm’s length bank or financial institution, with the prior consent of the Borrowers, (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) at any time, cause:

 

  (a) its rights in respect of all or part of its Contribution; or

 

  (b) its obligations in respect of all or part of its Commitment; or

 

  (c) a combination of (a) and (b);

to be (in the case of its rights) transferred to, or (in the case of its obligations) assumed by, another bank or financial institution (a “ Transferee Lender ”) by delivering to the Agent a completed certificate in the form set out in Schedule 4 with any modifications approved or required by the Agent (a “ Transfer Certificate ”) executed by the Transferor Lender and the Transferee Lender.

However any rights and obligations of the Transferor Lender in its capacity as Agent or Security Trustee will have to be dealt with separately in accordance with the Agency and Trust Deed.

 

26.3 Transfer Certificate, delivery and notification. As soon as reasonably practicable after a Transfer Certificate is delivered to the Agent, it shall (unless it has reason to believe that the Transfer Certificate may be defective):

 

  (a) sign the Transfer Certificate on behalf of itself, the Borrowers, the Security Parties and each of the Creditor Parties;

 

  (b) on behalf of the Transferee Lender, send to the Borrowers and each Security Party letters or faxes notifying them of the Transfer Certificate and attaching a copy of it;

 

  (c) send to the Transferee Lender copies of the letters or faxes sent under paragraph (b) above.

 

26.4 Effective Date of Transfer Certificate. A Transfer Certificate becomes effective on the date, if any, specified in the Transfer Certificate as its effective date, Provided that it is signed by the Agent under Clause 26.3 on or before that date.

 

26.5 No transfer without Transfer Certificate. No assignment or transfer of any right or obligation of a Lender under any Finance Document is binding on, or effective in relation to, any Borrower, any Security Party, the Agent or the Security Trustee unless it is effected, evidenced or perfected by a Transfer Certificate.

 

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26.6 Lender re-organisation; waiver of Transfer Certificate. However, if a Lender enters into any merger, de-merger or other reorganisation as a result of which all its rights or obligations vest in another person (the “ successor ”), the Agent may, if it sees fit, by notice to the successor and the Borrowers and the Security Trustee waive the need for the execution and delivery of a Transfer Certificate; and, upon service of the Agent’s notice, the successor shall become a Lender with the same Commitment and Contribution as were held by the predecessor Lender.

 

26.7 Effect of Transfer Certificate. A Transfer Certificate takes effect in accordance with English law as follows:

 

  (a) to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate, all rights and interests (present, future or contingent) which the Transferor Lender has under or by virtue of the Finance Documents are assigned to the Transferee Lender absolutely, free of any defects in the Transferor Lender’s title and of any rights or equities which any Borrower or any Security Party had against the Transferor Lender;

 

  (b) the Transferor Lender’s Commitment is discharged to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

  (c) the Transferee Lender becomes a Lender with the Contribution previously held by the Transferor Lender and a Commitment of an amount specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

  (d) the Transferee Lender becomes bound by all the provisions of the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including those about pro-rata sharing and the exclusion of liability on the part of, and the indemnification of, the Agent and the Security Trustee and, to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes bound by those provisions (other than those relating to exclusion of liability), the Transferor Lender ceases to be bound by them;

 

  (e) any part of the Loan which the Transferee Lender advances after the Transfer Certificate’s effective date ranks in point of priority and security in the same way as it would have ranked had it been advanced by the Transferor Lender, assuming that any defects in the transferor’s title and any rights or equities of any Borrower or any Security Party against the Transferor Lender had not existed;

 

  (f) the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to all the rights under the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including but not limited to those relating to the Majority Lenders and those under Clause 5.7 and Clause 20, and to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to such rights, the Transferor Lender ceases to be entitled to them; and

 

  (g) in respect of any breach of a warranty, undertaking, condition or other provision of a Finance Document or any misrepresentation made in or in connection with a Finance Document, the Transferee Lender shall be entitled to recover damages by reference to the loss incurred by it as a result of the breach or misrepresentation, irrespective of whether the original Lender would have incurred a loss of that kind or amount.

The rights and equities of the Borrowers or any Security Party referred to above include, but are not limited to, any right of set off and any other kind of cross-claim.

 

26.8 Maintenance of register of Lenders. During the Security Period the Agent shall maintain a register in which it shall record the name, Commitment, Contribution and administrative details (including the lending office) from time to time of each Lender holding a Transfer Certificate and the effective date (in accordance with Clause 26.4) of the Transfer Certificate; and the Agent shall make the register available for inspection by any Creditor Party and the Borrowers during normal banking hours, subject to receiving at least 3 Business Days prior notice.

 

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26.9 Reliance on register of Lenders. The entries on that register shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive in determining the identities of the Lenders and the amounts of their Commitments and Contributions and the effective dates of Transfer Certificates and may be relied upon by the Agent and the other parties to the Finance Documents for all purposes relating to the Finance Documents.

 

26.10 Authorisation of Agent to sign Transfer Certificates. The Borrowers and each Creditor Party irrevocably authorise the Agent to sign Transfer Certificates on its behalf.

 

26.11 Registration fee. In respect of any Transfer Certificate, the Agent shall be entitled to recover a registration fee of $1,000 from the Transferor Lender or (at the Agent’s option) the Transferee Lender.

 

26.12 Sub-participation; subrogation assignment. A Lender may sub-participate all or any part of its rights and/or obligations under or in connection with the Finance Documents without the consent of, or any notice to, the Borrowers, any Security Party, or the other Creditor Parties; and the Lenders may assign, in any manner and terms agreed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent and the Security Trustee, all or any part of those rights to an insurer or surety who has become subrogated to them.

 

26.13 Disclosure of information. A Lender may disclose to a potential Transferee Lender or sub-participant any information which the Lender has received in relation to any Borrower, any Security Party or their affairs under or in connection with any Finance Document, unless the information is clearly of a confidential nature.

Without prejudice to the above, each Borrower irrevocably authorises each Creditor Party to give, divulge and reveal from time to time information and details relating to its accounts, the Finance Documents and the facilities granted pursuant thereto to any authorities, each Creditor Party’s head office, branches and affiliates, any other parties to the Finance Documents and any person regarding any funding, operational arrangement or other transaction in relation thereto, including without limitation, for purposes in connection with any enforcement or assignment or transfer of any of the Creditor Parties’ rights and obligations. This authorisation shall survive and continue in full force and effect for the benefit of each Creditor Party notwithstanding the repayment, cancellation or termination of the Loan or any part thereof and/or the termination of one or more types of banker-customer relationships between any Security Party and the relevant Creditor Party.

 

26.14 Change of lending or booking office. A Lender may, at its own cost, change its lending or booking office, as the case may be, by giving notice to the Agent and the change shall become effective on the later of:

 

  (a) the date on which the Agent receives the notice; and

 

  (b) the date, if any, specified in the notice as the date on which the change will come into effect,

provided that the Borrowers shall bear no additional obligations as a result of such change in lending office.

On receiving such a notice, the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Security Trustee; and, until the Agent receives such a notice, it shall be entitled to assume that a Lender is acting through the lending or booking office, as the case may be, of which the Agent last had notice.

 

26.15

Replacement of Reference Bank. If any Reference Bank ceases to be a Lender or is unable on a continuing basis to supply quotations for the purposes of Clause 5 then, unless the Borrowers, the Agent and the Majority Lenders otherwise agree, the Agent,

 

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  acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders, and after consulting the Borrowers, shall appoint another bank (whether or not a Lender) to be a replacement Reference Bank; and, when that appointment comes into effect, the first-mentioned Reference Bank’s appointment shall cease to be effective.

 

27 VARIATIONS AND WAIVERS

 

27.1 Variations, waivers etc. by Majority Lenders. Subject to Clause 27.2, a document shall be effective to vary, waive, suspend or limit any provision of a Finance Document, or any Creditor Party’s rights or remedies under such a provision or the general law, only if the document is signed, or specifically agreed to by letter or fax, by the Borrowers, by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders, by the Agent and the Security Trustee in their own rights, and, if the document relates to a Finance Document to which a Security Party is party, by that Security Party.

 

27.2 Variations, waivers etc. requiring agreement of all Lenders. However, as regards the following, Clause 27.1 applies as if the words “by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders” were replaced by the words “by or on behalf of every Lender”:

 

  (a) a change in the Margin or in the definition of LIBOR;

 

  (b) a change to the date for, the amount of, any payment of principal, interest, fees, or other sum payable under this Agreement;

 

  (c) a change to any Lender’s Commitment;

 

  (d) an extension of Availability Period;

 

  (e) a change to the definition of “ Majority Lenders ” or “ Finance Documents ”;

 

  (f) a change to the preamble or to Clause 2, 3, 4, 5.1, 10.23, 11.23, 17, 18 or 31;

 

  (g) a change to this Clause 27;

 

  (h) any release of, or material variation to, a Security Interest, guarantee, indemnity or subordination arrangement set out in a Finance Document; and

 

  (i) any other change or matter as regards which this Agreement or another Finance Document expressly provides that each Lender’s consent is required.

 

27.3 Exclusion of other or implied variations. Except for a document which satisfies the requirements of Clauses 27.1 and 27.2, no document, and no act, course of conduct, failure or neglect to act, delay or acquiescence on the part of the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) shall result in the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) being taken to have varied, waived, suspended or limited, or being precluded (permanently or temporarily) from enforcing, relying on or exercising:

 

  (a) a provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; or

 

  (b) an Event of Default; or

 

  (c) a breach by a Borrower or a Security Party of an obligation under a Finance Document or the general law; or

 

  (d) any right or remedy conferred by any Finance Document or by the general law;

 

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and there shall not be implied into any Finance Document any term or condition requiring any such provision to be enforced, or such right or remedy to be exercised, within a certain or reasonable time.

 

27.4 Co-operation on potential restructuring of facilities. Provided the Lenders have provided their consent to the relevant tax enhancement structure (upon such terms as are acceptable to the Lenders), the Lenders will provide reasonable co-operation for such changes as are necessary (at the Borrowers’ costs) relating to such tax enhancement transaction.

 

28 NOTICES

 

28.1 General. Unless otherwise specifically provided, any notice under or in connection with any Finance Document shall be given by letter or fax or electronic message; and references in the Finance Documents to written notices, notices in writing and notices signed by particular persons shall be construed accordingly.

 

28.2 Addresses for communications. A notice shall be sent:

 

(a)    to the Borrowers:    Address c/o Navios Shipmanagement Inc.
      85 Akti Miaouli
      Piraeus
      Greece
   Fax no:       + 30 210 453 1984
(b)    to a Lender:       At the address below its name in Part A of Schedule 1 or (as the case may require) in the relevant Transfer Certificate.
(c)    to the Agent and the       Address            Coolsingel 93
         3012 AE Rotterdam
         The Netherlands
         Attn:    Global Transportation & Logistics
         Fax no:            +31 (0) 10 401 53 23

or to such other address as the relevant party may notify to the Agent or, if the relevant party is the Agent or the Security Trustee, the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Security Parties.

 

28.3 Effective date of notices. Subject to Clauses 28.4 and 28.5:

 

  (a) a notice which is delivered personally or posted shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at the time when it is delivered;

 

  (b) a notice which is sent by fax or electronic message shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, 2 hours after its transmission is completed.

 

28.4 Service outside business hours. However, if under Clause 28.3 a notice would be deemed to be served:

 

  (a) on a day which is not a business day in the place of receipt; or

 

71


  (b) on such a business day, but after 5 p.m. local time;

the notice shall (subject to Clause 28.5) be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at 9 a.m. on the next day which is such a business day.

 

28.5 Illegible notices. Clauses 28.3 and 28.4 do not apply if the recipient of a notice notifies the sender within 1 hour after the time at which the notice would otherwise be deemed to be served that the notice has been received in a form which is illegible in a material respect.

 

28.6 Valid notices. A notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall not be invalid by reason that its contents or the manner of serving it do not comply with the requirements of this Agreement or, where appropriate, any other Finance Document under which it is served if:

 

  (a) the failure to serve it in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement or other Finance Document, as the case may be, has not caused any party to suffer any significant loss or prejudice; or

 

  (b) in the case of incorrect and/or incomplete contents, it should have been reasonably clear to the party on which the notice was served what the correct or missing particulars should have been.

 

28.7 English language. Any notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall be in English.

 

28.8 Meaning of “notice”. In this Clause 28, “ notice ” includes any demand, consent, authorisation, approval, instruction, waiver or other communication.

 

29 JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY/PARALELL DEBT

 

29.1 General. All liabilities and obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement shall, whether expressed to be so or not, be joint (notwithstanding Clause 29.2) and several.

 

29.2 No impairment of Borrowers’ obligations. The liabilities and obligations of a Borrower shall not be impaired by:

 

  (a) this Agreement being or later becoming void, unenforceable or illegal as regards the other Borrowers or any of them;

 

  (b) any Lender or the Security Trustee entering into any rescheduling, refinancing or other arrangement of any kind with the other Borrowers or any of them;

 

  (c) any Lender or the Security Trustee releasing any other Borrower or any Security Interest created by a Finance Document; or

 

  (d) any combination of the foregoing.

 

29.3 Principal debtors. Each Borrower declares that it is and will, throughout the Security Period, remain a principal debtor for all amounts owing under this Agreement and the Finance Documents and no Borrower shall in any circumstances be construed to be a surety for the obligations of any of the other Borrowers under this Agreement.

 

29.4 Subordination. Subject to Clause 29.5, during the Security Period, no Borrower shall:

 

  (a) claim any amount which may be due to it from any other Borrower whether in respect of a payment made, or matter arising out of, this Agreement or any Finance Document, or any matter unconnected with this Agreement or any Finance Document; or

 

72


  (b) take or enforce any form of security from any other Borrower for such an amount, or in any other way seek to have recourse in respect of such an amount against any asset of any other Borrower; or

 

  (c) set off such an amount against any sum due from it to any other Borrower; or

 

  (d) prove or claim for such an amount in any liquidation, administration, arrangement or similar procedure involving any other Borrower or other Security Party; or

 

  (e) exercise or assert any combination of the foregoing.

 

29.5 Borrowers required action. If during the Security Period, the Agent, by notice to any Borrower, requires it to take any action referred to in paragraphs (a) to (e) of Clause 29.4 in relation to any other Borrower, that Borrower shall take that action as soon as practicable after receiving the Agent’s notice.

 

29.6 Parallel Debt

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Finance Documents, each Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally undertakes to pay to the Security Trustee, as creditor in its own right and not as representative of the other Creditor Parties, sums equal to and in the currency of each amount payable by any Borrower and any Security Party to any Creditor Party under any Finance Document as and when that amount falls due for payment under the relevant Finance Document or would have fallen due but for any discharge resulting from failure of another Creditor Party to take appropriate steps, in insolvency proceedings affecting that Borrower, to preserve its entitlement to be paid that amount (the “ Parallel Debt ”).

The Security Trustee shall have its own independent right to demand payment of the amounts payable by each Borrower under this Clause 29.6, irrespective of any discharge of any Borrower and/or any Security Party’s obligation to pay those amounts to the other Creditor Parties resulting from failure by them to take appropriate steps, in insolvency proceedings affecting that Borrower and/or any Security Party, to preserve their entitlement to be paid those amounts.

Any amount due and payable by a Borrower to the Security Trustee under this Clause 29.6 shall be decreased to the extent that the other Creditor Parties have received (and are able to retain) payment in full of the corresponding amount under the other provisions of the Finance Documents and any amount due and payable by a Borrower and/or a Security Party to the other Creditor Parties under those provisions shall be decreased to the extent the Security Trustee has received (and is able to retain) payment in full of the corresponding amount under this Clause 29.6.

The Borrowers and the Creditor Parties acknowledge that, in respect of the Parallel Debt, the Security Trustee acts in its own name and not as representative of the Creditor Parties or any of them

 

30 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

30.1 Rights cumulative, non-exclusive. The rights and remedies which the Finance Documents give to each Creditor Party are:

 

  (a) cumulative;

 

  (b) may be exercised as often as appears expedient; and

 

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  (c) shall not, unless a Finance Document explicitly and specifically states so, be taken to exclude or limit any right or remedy conferred by any law.

 

30.2 Severability of provisions. If any provision of a Finance Document is or subsequently becomes void, unenforceable or illegal, that shall not affect the validity, enforceability or legality of the other provisions of that Finance Document or of the provisions of any other Finance Document.

 

30.3 Counterparts. A Finance Document may be executed in any number of counterparts.

 

30.4 Third party rights. A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Agreement.

 

31 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

31.1 English law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English law.

 

31.2 Exclusive English jurisdiction. Subject to Clause 31.3, the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any disputes which may arise out of or in connection with this Agreement.

 

31.3 Choice of forum for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties. Clause 31.2 is for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties, each of which reserves the right:

 

  (a) to commence proceedings in relation to any matter which arises out of or in connection with this Agreement in the courts of any country other than England and which have or claim jurisdiction to that matter; and

 

  (b) to commence such proceedings in the courts of any such country or countries concurrently with or in addition to proceedings in England or without commencing proceedings in England.

No Borrower shall commence any proceedings in any country other than England in relation to a matter which arises out of or in connection with this Agreement.

 

31.4 Process agent. Each Borrower irrevocably appoints HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England, to act as its agent to receive and accept on its behalf any process or other document relating to any proceedings in the English courts which are connected with this Agreement.

 

31.5 Creditor Party rights unaffected. Nothing in this Clause 31 shall exclude or limit any right which any Creditor Party may have (whether under the law of any country, an international convention or otherwise) with regard to the bringing of proceedings, the service of process, the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or any similar or related matter in any jurisdiction.

 

31.6 Meaning of “proceedings”. In this Clause 31, “ proceedings ” means proceedings of any kind, including an application for a provisional or protective measure.

THIS AGREEMENT has been entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

74

Exhibit 10.1.1

 

 

Date 27th July 2017

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

and

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrowers

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as a Lender

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT

 

 

in relation to a Facility Agreement

dated as of 30 May 2008

as amended and supplemented by

an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010,

and by supplemental agreements

dated 20 May 2013, 13 March 2014 and 30 June 2017

INCE & CO

PIRAEUS


INDEX

 

Clause    Page  

1.

  

INTERPRETATION

     3  

2.

  

AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

     5  

3.

  

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     5  

4.

  

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     6  

5.

  

AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

     6  

6.

  

FURTHER ASSURANCES

     10  

7.

  

FEES AND EXPENSES

     11  

8.

  

NOTICES

     11  

9.

  

SUPPLEMENTAL

     11  

10.

  

LAW AND JURISDICTION

     11  


THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT is made on 27th July 2017

BETWEEN

 

(1) OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED, as joint and several Borrowers;

 

(2) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Lenders; and

 

(3) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Agent, Security Trustee and Lead Arranger .

BACKGROUND

 

(A) By a facility agreement dated 30 May 2008 (the “ Original Agreement ” as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010, and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013, 13 March 2014 and 30 June 2017, together, the “Facility Agreement”) and made between the parties hereto the Lenders have made available to the Borrowers a loan, of which USD37,500,000 is outstanding at the date hereof.

 

(B) The Borrowers have requested the Creditor Parties to agree to additional security to be granted in the Security Trustee’s favor.

 

(C) This Supplemental Agreement sets out the terms and conditions on which the Creditor Parties agree to consent to the matters referred to at (B) above.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1. INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Defined expressions . Words and expressions defined in the Facility Agreement and the other Finance Documents shall have the same meanings when used in this Supplemental Agreement unless the context otherwise requires.

 

1.2 Definitions . In this Supplemental Agreement, unless the contrary intention appears:

Effective Date ” means the date on which the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice;

Effective Date Notice ” means the written confirmation from the Agent to the Borrowers that the Agent has received the documents and evidence specified in clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to it in the form of Appendix 1 to this Supplemental Agreement;

Facility Agreement ” means the Facility Agreement referred to in Recital (A);

Management Agreement ” means, in respect of each New Ship, a management agreement made or to be made between the Approved Manager and the relevant New Guarantor in such form and substance acceptable to the Agent acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders and “ Management Agreements ” means all of them collectively;


New Co-assured Assignment of Insurances ” means, in relation to a New Ship, an assignment of Insurances from a named co-assured in such New Ship’s Insurances in the Agreed Form and “ New Co-assured Assignments of Insurances ” means all of them collectively;

New Facility Agreement ” means the loan agreement made or to be made between (i) the Corporate Guarantor as borrower and (ii) ABN AMRO Bank N.Y. as lenders, agent and security trustee;

New General Assignment ” means, in relation to a New Ship, a general assignment of its Earnings, Insurances and Requisition Compensation in the Agreed Form and “ New General Assignments ” means all of them collectively;

New Guarantee ” means each guarantee executed or to be executed by a New Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form and “ New Guarantees ” means all of them collectively;

New Guarantor ” means each or, as the context may require, any one ofNew Guarantor A, New Guarantor B, New Guarantor C, New Guarantor D, New Guarantor E, New Guarantor F or New Guarantor G and “ New Guarantors ” means all of them collectively;

New Manager’s Undertaking ” means, in relation to a New Ship, a letter of undertaking incorporating an assignment of Insurances from the Approved Manager in the Agreed Form and “ New Manager’s Undertakings ” means all of them collectively;

New Mortgage ” means, in relation to a New Ship, the second preferred ship mortgage on such New Ship under the relevant Approved Flag in the Agreed Form and “ New Mortgages ” means all of them collectively;

New Security Documents ” means together the New Guarantees, the New Mortgages, the New General Assignments, the New Manager’s Undertakings and the New Co-assured Assignments of Insurances and “ New Security Document ” means any one of them;

New Ship ” means each of Ship H, Ship I, Ship J, Ship K, Ship L, Ship M and Ship N and “ New Ships ” means all of them collectively; and

Obligors ” means together the Borrowers, the New Guarantors, the Collateral Guarantors and the Approved Manager and “ Obligor ” means any one of them.

 

1.3 Application of construction and Interpretation provisions of Facility Agreement . Clauses 1.3 to 1.7 (inclusive) of the Facility Agreement apply, with any necessary modifications, to this Supplemental Agreement.

 

4


2. AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

 

2.1 Creditor Parties’ consent . The Creditor Parties hereby agree to amend the Facility Agreement on condition that:

 

2.1.1 the Agent, or its authorised representative, has received the documents and evidence specified in Clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; and

 

2.1.2 the representations and warranties contained in clause 4 are then true and correct as if each was made with respect to the facts and circumstances existing at such time.

 

3. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

3.1 Conditions precedent . The conditions referred to in Clause 2.1.1 are that the Agent shall have received the following documents:

 

3.1.1 Corporate authorities :

 

  (i) duly legalized resolutions of the directors and shareholders of the Obligors approving such of this Supplemental Agreement and the New Security Documents to which they are respectively a party and authorising the execution and delivery thereof and performance of their obligations thereunder, additionally certified by an officer of such Obligor as having been duly passed at a duly convened meeting of its directors and not having been amended, modified or revoked and being in full force and effect;

 

  (ii) duly legalized originals of any powers of attorney issued by the Obligors pursuant to such resolutions;

 

  (iii) a duly legalized certificate from a duly authorised officer of each Obligor confirming that (a) none of the constitutional documents and the corporate authorities delivered to the Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Facility Agreement have been amended or modified in any way since the date of their delivery to the Agent and that these (as applicable) remain in full force and effect or (i) copies, certified by a duly authorised officer of such relevant company as true, complete, accurate and neither amended nor revoked, of any constitutional documents which have been amended or modified and/or (ii) original duly executed and legalized board and shareholders’ resolutions (if required) along with the necessary powers of attorney to replace any corporate authorisations which no longer remain in full force and effect and provide for the due execution of any of the acknowledgment to this Supplemental Agreement or any other documents required in connection thereto and (b) setting out the names of the directors, officers and share capital of the relevant company; and

 

  (iv) evidence of due execution of the New Co-assured Assignment of Insurances by the co-assured in relation to Ship I, Ship L and Ship M;

 

5


3.1.2 Certificate of incumbency : a list of directors and officers and shareholders/members of the Obligors, specifying the names and positions of such persons, certified by an officer of the relevant Obligor, as the case may be to be true, complete and up to date;

 

3.1.3 Laws of the Marshall Islands – opinion : a form of opinion of Messrs Reeder & Simpson special legal advisers to the Agent on Marshall Islands law in a form acceptable to the Agent;

 

3.1.4 Laws of England/Wales – opinion : a form of opinion of Messrs Ince & Co, special legal advisers to the Agent on English law in a form acceptable to the Agent;

 

3.1.5 Acknowledgment : an acknowledgement (in a letter or otherwise) signed by the Corporate Guarantor, the Collateral Guarantors, the Shareholder and the Approved Manager in such form as the Agent may require in its sole discretion acknowledging the terms of this Supplemental Agreement;

 

3.1.6 London agent : documentary evidence that the agent for service of process namely HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England has accepted its appointment in respect of this Supplemental Agreement;

 

3.1.7 Further opinions, etc. : any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with this Supplemental Agreement and the Finance Documents which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may request by notice to the Borrowers.

 

3.2 If the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of any of the documents and evidence set out in clause 3.1, the Borrowers must deliver all outstanding documents and evidence to or to the order of the Agent no later than the date specified by the Agent, and issue by the Agent of the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of all such documents and evidence shall not be construed as a waiver of the Creditor Parties’ right to receive all the documents and evidence required by clauses 3.1 and 3.3.

 

4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

4.1 Repetition of Facility Agreement representations and warranties . The Borrowers represent and warrant to each Creditor Party that the representations and warranties in Clause 10 of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement and updated with appropriate modifications to refer to this Supplemental Agreement, remain true and not misleading if repeated on the date of this Supplemental Agreement with reference to the circumstances now existing.

 

5. AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

 

5.1 Amendments to Facility Agreement . With effect on and from the Effective Date the Facility Agreement shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended as follows:

 

5.1.1 the definitions contained in Clause 1.2 (other than the definition of “Effective Date”, “Effective Date Notice”, “Facility Agreement”, “Management Agreement” and “Obligors”) of this Supplemental Agreement shall be added to clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

6


5.1.2 the definitions in the Schedule to this Supplemental Agreement shall be added to Schedule 6 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.3 the New Security Documents shall be added in the definition of “ Finance Documents in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.4 the New Guarantors shall be added in the definition of “ Security Parties in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.5 the definition of “ Ship in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

““ Ship means each or, as the context may otherwise require, any of (a) Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D, ShipE and Ship F, (b) following her acquisition by the relevant Collateral Guarantor Ship G and (c) following their acquisition by the relevant New Guarantor, the Relevant New Ship (and “ Ships means all of them collectively);”

 

5.1.6 where the context so admits, all references to the term “ Ships (however defined) in the Facility Agreement and the Finance Documents, shall be read and construed as if they were references to the relevant Ship in relation to the relevant Borrower, the relevant Collateral Ship in relation to the relevant Collateral Owner and the relevant New Ship in relation to the relevant New Guarantor and references to the relevant Borrower shall include references to the relevant Collateral Owner and New Guarantor (in each case where the context admits) in relation to the relevant Collateral Ship and the relevant New Ship respectively;

 

5.1.7 where the context so admits, all references to the term “Mortgage” (however defined) in the Facility Agreement and the Finance Documents, shall be read and construed as including the plural of such term or as referring to each “Mortgage”, as if they were references to each Mortgage in respect of each Ship, to each Collateral Mortgage in respect of each Collateral Ship and to each New Mortgage in respect of each New Guarantor;

 

5.1.8 by adding a new Clause 11.26 as follows:

“11.26 The Borrowers undertake that upon an Advance (as defined in the New Facility Agreement) being made available under the New Facility Agreement, the Borrowers shall procure that, in relation to the New Ship being financed by that Advance, they shall deliver or to cause to be delivered to the Agent the following documents in connection with the relevant Ship and the relevant New Guarantor (as applicable):

 

(a) Corporate authorities

 

7


  (i) a duly legalized certificate from the relevant New Guarantor and the Approved Manager confirming that (a) none of the constitutional documents and the corporate authorities delivered to the Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Supplemental Agreement have been amended or modified in any way since the date of their delivery to the Agent and that these (as applicable) remain in full force and effect or (i) copies, certified by a duly authorised officer of such relevant company as true, complete, accurate and neither amended nor revoked, of any constitutional documents which have been amended or modified and/or (ii) original duly executed and legalized board and shareholders’ resolutions (if required) along with the necessary powers of attorney to replace any corporate authorisations which no longer remain in full force and effect and provide for the due execution of any of the New Security Documents to which each is a party or any other documents required in connection thereto and (b) setting out the names of the directors, officers and share capital of the relevant company; and

 

  (ii) evidence of due execution of the New Co-assured Assignment of lnsurances by the co-assured in connection with the relevant New Ship;

 

(b) Certificate of good standing : a certificate of good standing in respect of the relevant New Guarantor;

 

(c) New Security Documents : the New Security Documents in respect of the relevant New Ship duly executed, delivered and (as applicable) registered together with all other documents required by any of them, including, without limitation, all notices of assignment and evidence that those notices will be duly acknowledged by the recipients;

 

(d) New Mortgage : evidence satisfactory to the Agent that the relevant New Ship is owned by the relevant New Guarantor and free of registered Security Interests save for a first preferred mortgage in favour of the Security Trustee and the relevant New Mortgage;

 

(e) Management Agreement : a certified true copy of the Management Agreement in respect of the relevant New Ship;

 

(f) Insurances :

 

  (i) evidence that each relevant New Ship is insured in the manner required by the relevant New Security Documents and (ii) receipt of letters of undertaking duly issued in respect of the insurances as required by the relevant New Security Documents and confirmation satisfactory to the Agent that such letters of undertaking will be given, (iii) receipt of copies of the relevant policies or cover notes or entry certificates duly endorsed with the interest of the Security Trustee and confirmation satisfactory to the Agent that such endorsement will be provided and (iv) (if required by the Agent) the written approval of the Insurances by an insurance adviser appointed by the Agent;

 

(g) Laws of the Marshall Islands – opinion : a form of opinion of Messrs Reeder & Simpson special legal advisers to the Agent on Marshall Islands law in a form acceptable to the Agent;

 

8


(h) Laws of England/Wales – opinion : a form of opinion of Messrs. Ince & Co, special legal advisers to the Agent on English law in a form acceptable to the Agent;

 

(i) London agent : a letter of acceptance by the agent for service of process namely HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England in respect of its appointment in connection with the relevant New Security Documents; and

 

(j) Further opinions, etc. : any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with this Supplemental Agreement, the Finance Documents and the New Security Documents which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may request by notice to the Borrowers.

 

5.1.9 clause 15.1 (Minimum required security cover.) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“15.1 Minimum required security cover. Clause 15.2 applies if, after the end of the third financial quarter of2017, the Agent notifies the Borrowers that:

 

  (a) the aggregate of the Fair Market Values (determined as provided in Clause 15.3) of the Ships ; plus

 

  (b) the net realisable value of any additional security previously provided under this Clause 15;

is below 130 per cent of the aggregate of the Loan and the Loan (as defined in the New Facility Agreement).”.

 

5.2 by adding a new Clause 19.l(q) as follows:

“19.1(q) there shall occur an Event of default (as therein defined) under the New Facility Agreement.”.

 

5.3 Amendments to Finance Documents. With effect on and from the Effective Date each of the Finance Documents other than the Facility Agreement, shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended so that the definition of, and references throughout each of the Finance Documents to, the Facility Agreement shall be construed as if the same referred to the Facility Agreement as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement.

 

5.4 Finance Documents to remain in full force and effect . The Finance Documents shall remain in full force and effect as amended and supplemented by:

 

(a) the amendments to the Finance Documents contained or referred to in Clauses 5.1 and 5.2; and

 

(b) such further or consequential modifications as may be necessary to give full effect to the terms of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

9


6. FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

6.1 Borrowers’ obligation to execute further documents etc. The Borrowers shall, and shall procure that any other party to any Finance Document shall:

 

6.1.1 execute and deliver to the Agent (or as it may direct, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) any assignment, mortgage, power of attorney, proxy or other document, governed by the law of England or such other country as the Agent may (acting on the instructions ofthe Majority Lenders), in any particular case, specify; and

 

6.1.2 effect any registration or notarisation, give any notice or take any other step, which the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), by notice to the Borrowers or other party, reasonably specify for any of the purposes described in Clause 5 or for any similar or related purpose.

 

6.2 Purposes of further assurances . Those purposes are:

 

(a) validly and effectively to create any Security Interest or right of any kind which the Lenders intended should be created by or pursuant to the Facility Agreement or any other Finance Document, each as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement; and

 

(b) implementing the terms and provisions of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

6.3 Terms of further assurances . The Agent may specify the terms of any document to be executed by the Borrowers or any other party under Clause 6.1, and those terms may include any covenants, powers and provisions which the Security Trustee reasonably considers appropriate to protect its interests.

 

6.4 Obligation to comply with notice . The Borrowers shall comply with a notice under Clause by the date specified in the notice.

 

6.5 Additional corporate action . At the same time as any Borrower or any other Security Party or Obligor delivers to the Agent any document executed under Clause 6.1(a), the Borrowers or such other Security Party or Obligor shall also deliver to the Agent a director’s certificate duly signed which shall:

 

(a) set out the text of a resolution of the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s directors specifically authorising the execution of the document specified by the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), and

 

(b) state that either the resolution was duly passed at a meeting of the directors validly convened and held throughout which a quorum of directors entitled to vote on the resolution was present or that the resolution has been signed by all the directors and is valid under the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s articles of association or other constitutional documents.

 

10


7. FEES AND EXPENSES

 

7.1 Expenses . The provisions of Clause 20 (Expenses) ofthe Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

8. NOTICES

 

8.1 General . The provisions of clause 28 (Notices) ofthe Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

9. SUPPLEMENTAL

 

9.1 Counterparts . This Supplemental Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be original but which shall together constitute the same instrument.

 

9.2 Third party rights . A person who is not a party to this Supplemental Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

10. LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

10.1 Governing law . This Supplemental Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

 

10.2 Incorporation of the Facility Agreement provisions . The provisions of Clause 31 (Law and Jurisdiction) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

IN WITNESS whereof the parties to this Supplemental Agreement have caused this Supplemental Agreement to be duly executed on the date first above written.

SIGNED as a deed by Maria Trivala for and on behalf of

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

dated 25 July 2017

By:    /s/ Maria Trivala

 

11


SIGNED as a deed by Maria Trivala for and on behalf of

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

dated 25 July 2017

By:    /s/ Maria Trivala

SIGNED as a deed by Maria Trivala for and on behalf of

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

dated 25 July 2017

By:    /s/ Maria Trivala

SIGNED as a deed by Maria Trivala for and on behalf of

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

dated 25 July 2017

By:    /s/ Maria Trivala

SIGNED as a deed by Maria Trivala for and on behalf of

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

dated 25 July 2017

By:    /s/ Maria Trivala

SIGNED as a deed by Robin Parry for and on behalf of

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as a Lender under and pursuant to a power of attorney

dated 25 July 2017

By:    /s/ Robin Parry

SIGNED as a deed by Robin Parry for and on behalf of

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee

under and pursuant to a power of attorney

dated 25 July 2017

By:    /s/ Robin Parry

Witness to all the above Signatures:

VASILIKI TZOANNOU

Ince & Co.

47-49 Akti Miaouli

Piraeus 185 36 Greece

By:    /s/ Vasiliki Tzoannou

 

12


Appendix 1

Form of Effective Date Notice

 

To: OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED all of the Marshall Islands

We, ABN AMRO BANK N.V., refer to the supplemental agreement dated July 2017 (the “ Supplemental Agreement ”) relating to a secured facility agreement 30 May 2008 (as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010, and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013, 13 March 2014 and 30 June 2017, the “Facility Agreement”) made between (amongst others) you as the Borrowers and ourselves as the Agent.

We hereby confirm that all conditions precedent referred to in Clause 3.1 of the Supplemental Agreement have been satisfied. In accordance with Clauses 1.2 and 2.1 of the Supplemental Agreement the Effective Date is the date of this confirmation and the amendments to the Facility Agreement are now effective.

Dated: [●] 2017

 

Signed:  

 

for and on behalf of

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

 

13


We on this 27th day of July 2017 hereby confirm and acknowledge that we have read and understood the terms and conditions of the above Supplemental Agreement and agree in all respects to the same and confirm that the Finance Documents to which we are respectively a party shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue to stand as security for the obligations of the Borrowers under the Facility Agreement (as amended by the Supplemental Agreement) and shall, without limitation, secure the Indebtedness under the Facility Agreement and the Finance Documents.

 

/s/ Maria Trivala

  

/s/ Maria Trivala

Maria Trivala

for and behalf of
BERTYL VENTURES CO.

   Maria Trivala
for and behalf of
VELOUR MANAGEMENT CORP.

/s/ Maria Trivala

  

/s/ Maria Trivala

Maria Trivala

for and behalf of
NAVIOS SHIP MANAGEMENT INC.

   Maria Trivala
for and behalf of
NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS INC.

/s/ Maria Trivala

  

/s/ Maria Trivala

Maria Trivala

for and behalf of
NAVIOS SHIP MANAGEMENT INC.

   Maria Trivala
for and behalf of
NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS INC.

/s/ Maria Trivala

  

/s/ Maria Trivala

Maria Trivala

for and behalf of
NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

  

Maria Trivala

for and behalf of
RICKMERS SHIP MANAGEMENT
(SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.

 

14

Exhibit 10.1.2

Date 01 December 2017

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

and

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrowers

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as a Lender

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT

 

 

in relation to a Facility Agreement

dated as of 30 May 2008

as amended and supplemented by

an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010,

and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013,

13 March 2014, 30 June 2017 and 27 July 2017

INCE & CO

PIRAEUS


Index

 

Clause        Page No  

1

  INTERPRETATION      3  

2

  AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES      4  

3

  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT      4  

4

  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      6  

5

  AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS      6  

6

  FURTHER ASSURANCES      10  

7

  FEES AND EXPENSES      11  

8

  NOTICES      11  

9

  SUPPLEMENTAL      11  

10

  LAW AND JURISDICTION      11  

 

2


THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT is made on 01 December 2017

BETWEEN

 

(1) OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED , as joint and several Borrowers ;

 

(2) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Lenders; and

 

(3) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Agent, Security Trustee and Lead Arranger.

BACKGROUND

 

(A) By a facility agreement dated 30 May 2008 (the “ Original Agreement ” as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010, and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013, 13 March 2014, 30 June 2017 and 27 July 2017, together, the “ Facility Agreement ”) and made between the parties hereto the Lenders have made available to the Borrowers a loan, of which USD36,250,000 is outstanding at the date hereof.

 

(B) The Borrowers have requested the Creditor Parties to agree to additional security to be granted in the Security Trustee’s favor.

 

(C) This Supplemental Agreement sets out the terms and conditions on which the Creditor Parties agree to consent to the matters referred to at (B) above.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Defined expressions . Words and expressions defined in the Facility Agreement and the other Finance Documents shall have the same meanings when used in this Supplemental Agreement unless the context otherwise requires.

 

1.2 Definitions. In this Supplemental Agreement, unless the contrary intention appears:

Effective Date ” means the date on which the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice;

Effective Date Notice ” means the written confirmation from the Agent to the Borrowers that the Agent has received the documents and evidence specified in clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to it in the form of Appendix 1 to this Supplemental Agreement;

Mortgage Addendum ” means in relation to (i) Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D, Ship E and each Collateral Ship an addendum to the first preferred mortgage granted by the relevant Borrower or Collateral Guarantor (as applicable) in favour of the Security Trustee and (ii) each New Ship, an addendum to the second preferred mortgage granted

 

3


by the relevant New Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee, to be granted by the relevant Borrower or Collateral Guarantor or New Guarantor (as applicable) in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form and “ Mortgage Addenda ” means all of them collectively;

Obligors ” means together the Borrowers, the New Guarantors, the Collateral Guarantors, the Shareholder, the Corporate Guarantor and the Approved Manager and “ Obligor ” means any one of them; and

Supplemental Security Documents ” means together this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda and “ Supplemental Security Document ” means any one of them.

 

1.3 Application of construction and Interpretation provisions of Facility Agreement. Clauses 1.3 to 1.7 (inclusive) of the Facility Agreement apply, with any necessary modifications, to this Supplemental Agreement.

 

2 AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

 

2.1 Creditor Parties’ consent. The Creditor Parties hereby agree to amend the Facility Agreement on condition that:

 

2.1.1 the Agent, or its authorised representative, has received the documents and evidence specified in Clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; and

 

2.1.2 the representations and warranties contained in clause 4 are then true and correct as if each was made with respect to the facts and circumstances existing at such time.

 

3 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

3.1 Conditions precedent. The conditions referred to in Clause 2.1.1 are that the Agent shall have received the following documents:

 

3.1.1 Corporate authorities

 

  (i) original, duly legalized resolutions of the directors of the Obligors (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) and the shareholders of the Obligors (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and the Corporate Guarantor) approving such of this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda to which they are respectively a party and authorising the execution and delivery thereof and performance of their obligations thereunder, additionally certified by an officer of such Obligor as having been duly passed at a duly convened meeting of its directors and not having been amended, modified or revoked and being in full force and effect;

 

  (ii) duly legalized originals of any powers of attorney issued by the Obligors (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) pursuant to such resolutions; and

 

4


  (iii) a duly legalized original certificate from a duly authorised officer of each Obligor (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) confirming that (a) none of the constitutional documents delivered to the Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Facility Agreement have been amended or modified in any way since the date of their delivery to the Agent and that these (as applicable) remain in full force and effect or copies, certified by a duly authorised officer of such relevant company as true, complete, accurate and neither amended nor revoked, of any constitutional documents which have been amended or modified and (b) setting out the names of the directors, officers and share capital of the relevant company;

 

3.1.2 Certificate of goodstanding

a certified true copy of an up to date certificate of goodstanding in respect of each Obligor (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.);

 

3.1.3 Supplemental Security Documents

the Supplemental Security Documents together with an acknowledgement thereto (in a letter or otherwise) duly executed, delivered and (as applicable) registered together with all other documents required by any of them;

 

3.1.4 Mortgage Addenda registration

evidence that each Mortgage Addendum has been duly registered against the Ship which is the subject thereof in accordance with the laws of Marshall Islands;

 

3.1.5 Legal opinion

a favourable legal opinion from lawyers appointed by the Agent on such matters as the Agent may require;

 

3.1.6 London agent

documentary evidence that the agent for service of process namely HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England has accepted its appointment in respect of this Supplemental Agreement; and

 

3.1.7 Further opinions, etc

any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may request by notice to the Borrowers.

 

3.2 If the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of any of the documents and evidence set out in clause 3.1, the Borrowers must deliver all outstanding documents and evidence to or to the order of the Agent no later than the date specified by the Agent, and issue by the Agent of the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of all such documents and evidence shall not be construed as a waiver of the Creditor Parties’ right to receive all the documents and evidence required by clause 3.1.

 

5


4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

4.1 Repetition of Facility Agreement representations and warranties . The Borrowers represent and warrant to each Creditor Party that the representations and warranties in Clause 10 of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement and updated with appropriate modifications to refer to this Supplemental Agreement, remain true and not misleading if repeated on the date of this Supplemental Agreement with reference to the circumstances now existing.

 

5 AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

 

5.1 Amendments to Facility Agreement. With effect on and from the Effective Date the Facility Agreement shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended as follows:

 

5.1.1 the definition of “ Mortgage Addendum ” contained in Clause 1.2 of this Supplemental Agreement shall be added to clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement in alphabetical order and the Mortgage Addenda shall be added in the definition of Finance Documents contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.2 the definition of each of “ Mortgage ”, “ Collateral Mortgage ” and “ New Mortgage ” each contained in clause 1.2 of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to mean each Mortgage, Collateral Mortgage and New Mortgage respectively, as amended by the relevant Mortgage Addendum;

 

5.1.3 the following definitions shall be added to clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement in alphabetical order:

“” Additional New Guarantor ” means each or, as the context may require, any one of the New Guarantor H, the New Guarantor I, the New Guarantor J and the New Guarantor K and “ Additional New Guarantors ” means all of them collectively;

Additional Ship ” means each or, as the context may require, any one of Ship O, Ship P, Ship Q and Ship R and “ Additional Ships ” means all of them collectively;

Borrower Ship ” means each or, as the context may require, any one of Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D and Ship E and “ Borrower Ships ” means all of them collectively; and

Charter Assignment ” means, in relation to any Extended Employment Contract over a Collateral Ship and, following expiration of the relevant Approved Time Charter, a Borrower Ship and an Additional Ship (as applicable), the first priority assignment thereof in respect of a Borrower Ship and a Collateral Ship and the second priority assignment thereof in respect of an Additional Ship, each in the Agreed Form;”;

 

6


5.1.4 the definitions in the Schedule to this Supplemental Agreement shall be added to Schedule 6 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.5 the definitions of “ Approved Time Charter ” and “ Approved Time Charterer ” contained in Schedule 6 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted;

 

5.1.6 the definition of “ Approved Flag ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“Approved Flag ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of Panama or such other flag as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, in their absolute discretion, approve as the flag on which a Ship may be registered;”;

 

5.1.7 the definition of “ Approved Flag State ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

““ Approved Flag State ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of Panama or any other country in which the Agent may with the authorisation of all the Lenders, approve that a Ship be registered;”;

 

5.1.8 the definition of “ Approved Time Charter Assignment ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

““ Approved Time Charter Assignment ” means, in relation to (i) a Borrower Ship, the first priority assignment and (ii) an Additional Ship, the second priority assignment, in each case of the relevant Approved Time Charter in the Agreed Form;”;

 

5.1.9 any reference to “30%” in the definition of “ Change of Control Event ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “25%”;

 

5.1.10 the definition of “ Collateral Charter Assignment ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and reference to “ Collateral Charter Assignment ” in the definition of Finance Documents contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “ Charter Assignment ”;

 

5.1.11 reference to “a Collateral Ship” and “either Collateral Ship” in the definition of “ Extended Employment Contract ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “a Collateral Ship and, following expiration of the relevant Approved Time Charter, a Borrower Ship and an Additional Ship (as applicable)” and “any Collateral Ship and, following expiration of the relevant Approved Time Charter, any Borrower Ship or any Additional Ship (as applicable)” respectively;

 

7


5.1.12 the definition of “ Maturity Date ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted;

 

5.1.13 each of New Guarantor H, New Guarantor I, New Guarantor J and New Guarantor K shall be added in the definition of “ New Guarantors ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.14 each of Ship O, Ship P, Ship Q and Ship R shall be included in the definition of “ New Ship ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.15 the definition of “ Ship ” in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Ship ” means each or, as the context may otherwise require, any of (a) Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D, Ship E, Ship F, Ship G, Ship H, Ship I, Ship J, Ship K, Ship L, Ship M, Ship N and (b) following their acquisition by the relevant New Guarantor, the relevant Ship O, Ship P, Ship Q and Ship R (and “ Ships ” means all of them collectively);”

 

5.1.16 clause 8.1 ( Repayment of Advances ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

8.1 Repayment of Loan. The Borrower shall repay the Loan by ten (10) consecutive quarterly instalments, the first six (6) each in an amount of $3,750,000 and the subsequent four (4) each in an amount of $1,035,000 together with a balloon instalment of $13,360,000 payable together with the last instalment.”;

 

5.1.17 clause 8.2 ( Repayment Dates ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

8.2 Repayment Dates. The first instalment in respect of the Loan shall be repaid on 29 September 2017 and the last instalment shall be repaid on 29 December 2019”;

 

5.1.18 reference to “Clause 8.5” contained at the start of clause 8.5 ( Conditions of voluntary prepayment ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “Clause 8.4”;

 

5.1.19 the following new sub-paragraph (iii) of paragraph (a) shall be added to clause 8.8 ( Mandatory prepayment ) of the Facility Agreement:

“(iii) if the Advance in relation to a Ship is refinanced by any bank or financial institution.”;

 

5.1.20 paragraph (a) contained in clause 8.9 ( Amounts of mandatory prepayments. ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by as follows:

“(a) the amount of the sale or Total Loss proceeds payable in respect of such sale or Total Loss or the amount which is being prepaid due to the refinancing of the relevant Advance by any bank or financial institution; or”;

 

8


5.1.21 the following new sub-clause 8.16 shall be added to clause 8 ( Repayment and Prepayment ) of the Facility Agreement:

“8.16 Adjustment of scheduled repayments If the total Commitment has been partially reduced or cancelled under this Agreement and/or any part of the Loan is prepaid before any Repayment Date, the repayment instalments (including a balloon instalment) by which the Loan shall be repaid under Clause 8.1 on any such Repayment Date shall be reduced pro rata to such reduction in, or cancellation of, the total Commitment or to the amount prepaid.”;

 

5.1.22 the following new paragraph (i) shall be added to clause 14.13 ( Restrictions on chartering, appointment of managers etc. ) of the Facility Agreement:

“(i) sell its Ship or procure the refinance of the Advance relating to its Ship by any bank or financial institution if, in either case, such Ship has been chartered pursuant to an Approved Time Charter.”;

 

5.1.23 Clause 14.17 ( Charters etc. ) of the Loan Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“14.17 Charters etc . The Borrowers shall (i) deliver to the Agent a Certified Copy of each Extended Employment Contract and each Approved Time Charter upon its execution, (ii) forthwith on the Agent’s request execute or procure that the relevant Collateral Guarantor or Additional New Guarantor (as applicable) executes (a) a Charter Assignment or Approved Time Charter Assignment (as applicable) in respect thereof and (b) any notice of assignment required in connection therewith and use reasonable commercial efforts to procure the acknowledgement of any such notice of assignment by the relevant charterer (provided that any failure to procure the same shall not constitute an Event of Default) and (c) any corporate authorisations required by the Agent for the due execution of the relevant Charter Assignment or Approved Time Charter Assignment (as applicable) and (iii) pay all legal and other costs incurred by the Agent in connection with any such Charter Assignments and Approved Time Charter Assignment and, forthwith following the Agent’s demand.”; and

 

5.1.24 reference to “is below 130 per cent of the aggregate of the Loan and the Loan (as defined in the New Facility Agreement)” contained in clause 15.1 ( Minimum required security cover. ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “is for the period commencing on (i) the first Drawdown Date to occur until 31 December 2018 (both dates inclusive), below 130 per cent and (ii) 1 January 2019 and ending on the last day of the Security Period, below 150 per cent, in each case of the aggregate of the Loan and the Loan (as defined in the New Facility Agreement)”.

 

5.2 Amendments to Finance Documents. With effect on and from the Effective Date each of the Finance Documents other than the Facility Agreement, shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended so that the definition of, and references throughout each of the Finance Documents to, the Facility Agreement shall be construed as if the same referred to the Facility Agreement as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement.

 

9


5.3 Finance Documents to remain in full force and effect.

The Finance Documents shall remain in full force and effect as amended and supplemented by:

 

  (a) the amendments to the Finance Documents contained or referred to in Clauses 5.1 and 5.2; and

 

  (b) such further or consequential modifications as may be necessary to give full effect to the terms of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

6 FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

6.1 Borrowers’ obligation to execute further documents etc. The Borrowers shall, and shall procure that any other party to any Finance Document shall:

 

6.1.1 execute and deliver to the Agent (or as it may direct, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) any assignment, mortgage, power of attorney, proxy or other document, governed by the law of England or such other country as the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), in any particular case, specify; and

 

6.1.2 effect any registration or notarisation, give any notice or take any other step, which the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), by notice to the Borrowers or other party, reasonably specify for any of the purposes described in Clause 5 or for any similar or related purpose.

 

6.2 Purposes of further assurances. Those purposes are:

 

  (a) validly and effectively to create any Security Interest or right of any kind which the Lenders intended should be created by or pursuant to the Facility Agreement or any other Finance Document, each as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement; and

 

  (b) implementing the terms and provisions of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

6.3 Terms of further assurances. The Agent may specify the terms of any document to be executed by the Borrowers or any other party under Clause 6.1, and those terms may include any covenants, powers and provisions which the Security Trustee reasonably considers appropriate to protect its interests.

 

6.4 Obligation to comply with notice. The Borrowers shall comply with a notice under Clause 6.1 by the date specified in the notice.

 

10


6.5 Additional corporate action. At the same time as any Borrower or any other Security Party or Obligor delivers to the Agent any document executed under Clause 6.1(a), the Borrowers or such other Security Party or Obligor shall also deliver to the Agent a director’s certificate duly signed which shall:

 

  (a) set out the text of a resolution of the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s directors specifically authorising the execution of the document specified by the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), and

 

  (b) state that either the resolution was duly passed at a meeting of the directors validly convened and held throughout which a quorum of directors entitled to vote on the resolution was present or that the resolution has been signed by all the directors and is valid under the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s articles of association or other constitutional documents.

 

7 FEES AND EXPENSES

 

7.1 Expenses. The provisions of Clause 20 ( Expenses ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

8 NOTICES

 

8.1 General. The provisions of clause 28 ( Notices ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

9 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

9.1 Counterparts. This Supplemental Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be original but which shall together constitute the same instrument.

 

9.2 Third party rights. A person who is not a party to this Supplemental Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

10 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

10.1 Governing law. This Supplemental Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

 

10.2 Incorporation of the Facility Agreement provisions. The provisions of Clause 31 ( Law and Jurisdiction ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

11


IN WITNESS whereof the parties to this Supplemental Agreement have caused this Supplemental Agreement to be duly executed on the date first above written.

 

SIGNED as a deed by Stratis Camatsos    )   
for and on behalf of    )   
OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED    )    /s/ Stratis Camatsos
as Borrower under and pursuant to    )   
a power of attorney dated    )   
SIGNED as a deed by Stratis Camatsos    )   
for and on behalf of    )   
SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED    )    /s/ Stratis Camatsos
as Borrower under and pursuant to    )   
a power of attorney dated    )   
SIGNED as a deed by Stratis Camatsos    )   
for and on behalf of    )   
PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED    )    /s/ Stratis Camatsos
as Borrower under and pursuant to    )   
a power of attorney dated    )   
SIGNED as a deed by Stratis Camatsos    )   
for and on behalf of    )   
EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED    )    /s/ Stratis Camatsos
as Borrower under and pursuant to    )   
a power of attorney dated    )   
SIGNED as a deed by Stratis Camatsos    )   
for and on behalf of    )   
CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED    )    /s/ Stratis Camatsos
as Borrower under and pursuant to    )   
a power of attorney dated    )   
SIGNED as a deed by Pinelopi Karamadouki    )   
for and on behalf of    )   
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.    )    /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki
as a Lender under and pursuant to    )   
a power of attorney dated    )   

 

12


SIGNED as a deed by Pinelopi Karamadouki    )   
for and on behalf of    )   
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.    )    /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki
as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee    )   
under and pursuant to    )   
a power of attorney dated 24 November 2017    )   
Witness to all the above    )   
Signatures:    )   
Name:      
Address:      
47-49 Akti Miaouli      
Piraeus, Greece      

 

13


Appendix 1

Form of

Effective Date Notice

 

To: OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED all of the Marshall Islands

We, ABN AMRO BANK N.V., refer to the supplemental agreement dated [              ] December 2017 (the “ Supplemental Agreement ”) relating to a secured facility agreement 30 May 2008 (as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010, and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013, 13 March 2014, 30 June 2017 and 27 July 2017, the “ Facility Agreement ”) made between (amongst others) you as the Borrowers and ourselves as the Agent.

We hereby confirm that all conditions precedent referred to in Clause 3.1 of the Supplemental Agreement have been satisfied. In accordance with Clauses 1.2 and 2.1 of the Supplemental Agreement the Effective Date is the date of this confirmation and the amendments to the Facility Agreement are now effective.

Dated: [                 ] December 2017

Signed:_______________________________

for and on behalf of

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

 

14


We on this 01 st day of December 2017 hereby confirm and acknowledge that we have read and understood the terms and conditions of the above Supplemental Agreement and agree in all respects to the same and confirm that the Finance Documents to which we are respectively a party shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue to stand as security for the obligations of the Borrowers under the Facility Agreement (as amended by the Supplemental Agreement) and shall, without limitation, secure the indebtedness under the Facility Agreement and the Finance Documents.

 

/s/ Stratis Camatsos      /s/ Stratis Camatsos

 

Stratis Camatsos

    

 

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of      for and on behalf of
VELOUR MANAGEMENT CORP.      BERTYL VENTURES CO.
(as Collateral Guarantor A)      (as Collateral Guarantor B)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

    

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of      for and on behalf of
EVIAN SHIPTRADE LTD.      ANTHIMAR MARINE INC.
(as New Guarantor A)      (a New Guarantor B)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

    

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of      for and on behalf of
ISOLDE SHIPPING INC.      RODMAN MARITIME CORP.
(as New Guarantor C)      (as New Guarantor D)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

    

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of      for and on behalf of
SILVANUS MARINE COMPANY      ENPLO SHIPPING LIMITED
(as New Guarantor E)      (as New Guarantor F)

 

15


/s/ Stratis Camatsos

    

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of

    
MORVEN CHARTERING INC.     
(as New Guarantor G)     

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

    

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of

    
NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.     
(as Approved Manager)     

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

    

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos      Stratis Camatsos
for and on behalf of      for and on behalf of
NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.      NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS INC.
(as Corporate Guarantor)      (as Shareholder)

 

16

Exhibit 10.1.3

Date 29 th June 2018

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

and

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

as Borrowers

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as a Lender

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT

 

 

in relation to a Facility Agreement

dated as of 30 May 2008

as amended and supplemented by

an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010,

and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013,

13 March 2014, 30 June 2017, 27 July 2017 and 01 December 2017

INCE & CO

PIRAEUS

 


Index

 

Clause        Page No  

1

 

INTERPRETATION

     3  

2

 

AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

     4  

3

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     4  

4

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     6  

5

 

AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

     6  

6

 

FURTHER ASSURANCES

     9  

7

 

FEES AND EXPENSES

     11  

8

 

NOTICES

     11  

9

 

SUPPLEMENTAL

     11  

10

 

LAW AND JURISDICTION

     11  

 

2


THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT is made on 29 th June 2018

BETWEEN

 

(1) OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED, SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED, PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED, EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED and CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED , as joint and several Borrowers ;

 

(2) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Lenders; and

 

(3) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Agent, Security Trustee and Lead Arranger.

BACKGROUND

 

(A) By a facility agreement dated 30 May 2008 (the “ Original Agreement ” as amended and supplemented by an Amending and Restating Deed dated 9 June 2010, and by supplemental agreements dated 20 May 2013, 13 March 2014, 30 June 2017, 27 July 2017 and 01 December 2017 together, the “ Facility Agreement ”) and made between the parties hereto the Lenders have made available to the Borrowers a loan, of which USD25,000,000 is outstanding at the date hereof.

 

(B) The Borrowers have requested the Creditor Parties to (i) release and discharge each of the New Guarantor C, New Guarantor D, New Guarantor E, New Guarantor G, Collateral Guarantor A and Collateral Guarantor B (together, the “ Released Parties ” and each, a “ Released Party ”) from all their obligations under the Finance Documents to which each is a party, (ii) release and discharge each Collateral Mortgage granted by the Collateral Guarantor A and the Collateral Guarantor B over Ship F and Ship G respectively and release and discharge the relevant New Mortgage granted by each of the New Guarantor C, New Guarantor D, New Guarantor E and New Guarantor G over Ship J, Ship K, Ship L and Ship N respectively, (iii) release to the Released Parties all their rights, title and interest in and to all the property charged or assigned in favour of the Security Trustee under any of the Finance Documents and further agree to (iv) an increase of the Margin and (v) change the repayment schedule and repayment dates contained in clauses 8.1 and 8.2 of the Facility Agreement respectively.

 

(C) This Supplemental Agreement sets out the terms and conditions on which the Creditor Parties agree to consent to the matters referred to at (B) above.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Defined expressions . Words and expressions defined in the Facility Agreement and the other Finance Documents shall have the same meanings when used in this Supplemental Agreement unless the context otherwise requires.

 

1.2 Definitions.      In this Supplemental Agreement, unless the contrary intention appears:

 

3


Effective Date ” means the date on which the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice;

Effective Date Notice ” means the written confirmation from the Agent to the Borrowers that the Agent has received the documents and evidence specified in clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to it in the form of Appendix 1 to this Supplemental Agreement;

Facility Agreement ” means the Facility Agreement referred to in Recital (A);

Mortgage Addendum ” means in relation to each Ship (other than Ship F, Ship G, Ship J, Ship K, Ship L and Ship N) an addendum to the first preferred mortgage granted by the relevant Borrower and an addendum to the second preferred mortgage granted by the relevant New Guarantor, each in favour of the Security Trustee, to be granted by the relevant Borrower or New Guarantor (as applicable) in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form and “ Mortgage Addenda ” means all of them collectively;

Obligors ” means together the Borrowers, the New Guarantors (other than the New Guarantor C, the New Guarantor D, the New Guarantor E and the New Guarantor G), the Shareholder, the Corporate Guarantor and the Approved Manager and “ Obligor ” means any one of them;

“Rickmers ” means Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.; and

Supplemental Security Documents ” means together this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda and “ Supplemental Security Document ” means any one of them.

 

1.3 Application of construction and Interpretation provisions of Facility Agreement. Clauses 1.3 to 1.7 (inclusive) of the Facility Agreement apply, with any necessary modifications, to this Supplemental Agreement.

 

2 AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

 

2.1 Creditor Parties’ consent. The Creditor Parties hereby agree to amend the Facility Agreement on condition that:

 

2.1.1 the Agent, or its authorised representative, has received the documents and evidence specified in Clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; and

 

2.1.2 the representations and warranties contained in clause 4 are then true and correct as if each was made with respect to the facts and circumstances existing at such time.

 

3 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

3.1 Conditions precedent. The conditions referred to in Clause 2.1.1 are that the Agent shall have received the following:

 

3.1.1 Corporate authorities

 

4


  (i) original, duly legalized resolutions of the directors of the Obligors (other than Rickmers and provided these are required by the relevant Obligor’s corporate documentation) and the shareholders of the Obligors (other than Rickmers and the Corporate Guarantor and provided these are required by the relevant Obligor’s corporate documentation) approving such of this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda to which they are respectively a party and authorising the execution and delivery thereof and performance of their obligations thereunder, additionally certified by an officer of such Obligor as having been duly passed at a duly convened meeting of its directors and not having been amended, modified or revoked and being in full force and effect;

 

  (ii) duly legalized originals of any powers of attorney issued by the Obligors (other than Rickmers) pursuant to the resolutions referred to under (i) of Clause 3.1.1 above or resolutions previously provided to the Agent in relation to the Facility Agreement which have not been revoked and remain in full force and effect; and

 

  (iii) a duly legalized original certificate from a duly authorised officer of each Obligor (other than Rickmers) (a) confirming that none of the constitutional documents and (if applicable) corporate authorities delivered to the Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Facility Agreement have been amended or modified in any way since the date of their delivery to the Agent and that these (as applicable) remain in full force and effect or copies, certified by a duly authorised officer of such relevant company as true, complete, accurate and neither amended nor revoked, of any constitutional documents which have been amended or modified, (b) if applicable, certifying that each document relating to it specified under (i) and (ii) of Clause 3.1.1. above is correct, complete and in full force and (c) setting out the names of the directors, officers and share capital of the relevant company;

 

3.1.2 Certificate of goodstanding

 

     a certified true copy of an up to date certificate of goodstanding in respect of each Obligor (other than Rickmers);

 

3.1.3 Supplemental Security Documents

 

     the Supplemental Security Documents together with an acknowledgement thereto (in a letter or otherwise) duly executed, delivered and (as applicable) registered together with all other documents required by any of them;

 

3.1.4 Mortgage Addenda registration

 

     evidence that each Mortgage Addendum has been duly registered against the relevant Ship which is the subject thereof in accordance with the laws of Marshall Islands, Liberia or Panama (as applicable);

 

3.1.5 Legal opinion

 

5


     a favourable legal opinion from lawyers appointed by the Agent on such matters as the Agent may require;

 

3.1.6 London agent

 

     documentary evidence that the agent for service of process namely HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England has accepted its appointment in respect of this Supplemental Agreement;

 

3.1.7 Partial loan prepayment under the New Facility Agreement

 

     a prepayment of the Loan and the Collateral Loan (in such proportion as the Agent and the Agent (as defined in the Collateral Facility Agreement) may agree) in the aggregate amount of USD4,000,000; and

 

3.1.8 Further opinions, etc

 

     any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may request by notice to the Borrowers.

 

3.2 If the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of any of the documents and evidence set out in clause 3.1, the Borrowers must deliver all outstanding documents and evidence to or to the order of the Agent no later than the date specified by the Agent, and issue by the Agent of the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of all such documents and evidence shall not be construed as a waiver of the Creditor Parties’ right to receive all the documents and evidence required by clause 3.1.

 

4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

4.1 Repetition of Facility Agreement representations and warranties . The Borrowers represent and warrant to each Creditor Party that the representations and warranties in Clause 10 of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement and updated with appropriate modifications to refer to this Supplemental Agreement, remain true and not misleading if repeated on the date of this Supplemental Agreement with reference to the circumstances now existing.

 

5 AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

 

5.1 Amendments to Facility Agreement. With effect on and from the Effective Date the Facility Agreement shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended as follows:

 

5.1.1 the definition of “ Mortgage Addendum ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to include the Mortgage Addenda required to be provided by the relevant Obligors pursuant to this Second Supplemental Agreement;

 

6


5.1.2 all references in the Facility Agreement to Ship F, Ship G, Ship J, Ship K, Ship L and Ship N and Guarantor C, Guarantor D, Guarantor E, Guarantor G, Collateral Guarantor A and Collateral Guarantor B shall be deleted and all clauses in the Facility Agreement shall be construed accordingly;

 

5.1.3 the following definitions shall be added in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement:

 

     “” IPO ” means an initial public offering in a stock exchange in the United States of America;

 

5.1.4 the definition of each of “ Mortgage ” and “ New Mortgage ” each contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to mean each Mortgage and New Mortgage respectively, as amended by the relevant Mortgage Addendum;

 

5.1.5 the Supplemental Security Documents shall be added in the definition of “ Finance Documents ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.6 the definition of “ Margin ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

 

     “” Margin ” means 4% per annum;”;

 

5.1.7 by adding for the purposes of clause 15.1 ( Minimum required security cover.) a definition of “ Relevant Percentage ” as follows:

 

     Relevant Percentage ” means, if there has been an IPO on or before 30 September 2018, (B) below, otherwise (A) below:

(A)

(i) 31 December 2018 (inclusive) 130% and

(ii) from 1 January 2019 and ending on the last day of the Security Period 150%.

(B) (all dates inclusive)

(i) until 29 September 2018 130%,

(ii) 30 September 2018 until 31 December 2018, 200%;

(iii) 01 January 2019 until 29 March 2019, 286%;

(iv) 30 March 2019 until 29 June 2019, 333%;

 

7


(v) 30 June 2019 until 29 September 2019, 400%; and

(vi) 30 September 2019 until 29 December 2019, 500%;”

 

5.1.8 clause 8.1 ( Repayment of Advances ) of the Facility Agreement shall be amended if there is an IPO on or before 30 September 2018, in accordance with (A) otherwise in accordance with (B) below:

 

     (A) by deleting Clause 8.1.1 and replacing it with :

8.1 Repayment of Loan

 

  8.1.1 the Borrower shall repay the Loan as follows:

(i) an instalment of USD1,600,000,

(ii) a second instalment in an amount, if any, to ensure the aggregate of Loan and the Loan (as defined in the New Facility Agreement) equals Relevant Percentage of the aggregate Valuation Amounts;

(iii) the subsequent four (4) instalments in an amount of USD800,000 and; and

(iv) a balloon instalment (the “ Balloon Instalment ”) in an amount of USD20,200,000 together with any other amounts outstanding pursuant the terms of this Agreement

together with, in the case of (i) and (iii) an amount to ensure the aggregate of the Loan and the Loan (as defined in the New Facility Agreement) equals the Relevant Percentage of the aggregate Valuation Amounts and any additional required repayment shall be applied in reducing the Balloon Instalment.

The first instalment shall be repaid on 29 September 2018, the second instalment (if any) shall be repaid on 01 January 2019, the third instalment shall be repaid on 29 March 2019 and the following three instalments shall be repaid quarterly thereafter with the final instalment payable on 29 December 2019 together with the said Balloon instalment;”

 

  (B) 8.1.1 by adding at the end of Clause 8.1 the words:

 

8


5.1.9 “provided that if the Borrower does not complete an IPO on or before 30 September 2018, it shall pay on 01 October 2018 an additional instalment equal to any unpaid balance in respect of any instalments of any instalment due on or prior to 29 September 2018.”;

 

5.1.10 by deleting from Clause 15.1 the words “is for the period commencing on (i) the first Drawdown Date to occur until 31 December 2018 (both dates inclusive), below 130 per cent and (ii) 1 January 2019 and ending on the last day of the Security Period, below 150 per cent” and replacing them with the words “is below the Relevant Percentage”; and

 

5.1.11 by deleting from clause 15.2 the words “1 month” and replacing them with the words “15 days” and by deleting the whole of sub-paragraph 15.2(a).

 

5.2 Amendments to Finance Documents. With effect on and from the Effective Date each of the Finance Documents other than the Facility Agreement, shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended so that the definition of, and references throughout each of the Finance Documents to, the Facility Agreement shall be construed as if the same referred to the Facility Agreement as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement.

 

5.3 Finance Documents to remain in full force and effect.

 

     The Finance Documents shall remain in full force and effect as amended and supplemented by:

 

  (a) the amendments to the Finance Documents contained or referred to in Clauses 5.1 and 5.2; and

 

  (b) such further or consequential modifications as may be necessary to give full effect to the terms of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

6 FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

6.1 Borrowers’ obligation to execute further documents etc. The Borrowers shall, and shall procure that any other party to any Finance Document shall:

 

6.1.1 execute and deliver to the Agent (or as it may direct, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) any assignment, mortgage, power of attorney, proxy or other document, governed by the law of England or such other country as the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), in any particular case, specify; and

 

9


6.1.2 effect any registration or notarisation, give any notice or take any other step, which the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), by notice to the Borrowers or other party, reasonably specify for any of the purposes described in Clause 5 or for any similar or related purpose.

 

6.2 Purposes of further assurances. Those purposes are:

 

  (a) validly and effectively to create any Security Interest or right of any kind which the Lenders intended should be created by or pursuant to the Facility Agreement or any other Finance Document, each as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement; and

 

  (b) implementing the terms and provisions of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

6.3 Terms of further assurances. The Agent may specify the terms of any document to be executed by the Borrowers or any other party under Clause 6.1, and those terms may include any covenants, powers and provisions which the Security Trustee reasonably considers appropriate to protect its interests.

 

6.4 Obligation to comply with notice. The Borrowers shall comply with a notice under Clause 6.1 by the date specified in the notice.

 

6.5 Additional corporate action. At the same time as any Borrower or any other Security Party or Obligor delivers to the Agent any document executed under Clause 6.1(a), the Borrowers or such other Security Party or Obligor shall also deliver to the Agent a director’s certificate duly signed which shall:

 

  (a) set out the text of a resolution of the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s directors specifically authorising the execution of the document specified by the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), and

 

  (b) state that either the resolution was duly passed at a meeting of the directors validly convened and held throughout which a quorum of directors entitled to vote on the resolution was present or that the resolution has been signed by all the directors and is valid under the relevant Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s articles of association or other constitutional documents.

 

10


7 FEES AND EXPENSES

 

7.1 Expenses. The provisions of Clause 20 ( Expenses ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

8 NOTICES

 

8.1 General. The provisions of clause 28 ( Notices ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

9 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

9.1 Counterparts. This Supplemental Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be original but which shall together constitute the same instrument.

 

9.2 Third party rights. A person who is not a party to this Supplemental Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

10 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

10.1 Governing law. This Supplemental Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

 

10.2 Incorporation of the Facility Agreement provisions. The provisions of Clause 31 ( Law and Jurisdiction ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

11


IN WITNESS whereof the parties to this Supplemental Agreement have caused this Supplemental Agreement to be duly executed on the date first above written.

 

SIGNED as a deed by FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )     

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

   )      /s/ Francisco Tazelaar

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

   )     

dated 30 November 2017

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

   )          

for and on behalf of

   )     

SUI ANNAVIGATION LIMITED

   )      /s/ Francisco Tazelaar

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

   )     

dated 30 November 2017

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )     

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

   )      /s/ Francisco Tazelaar

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

   )     

dated 30 November 2017

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )     

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

   )      /s/ Francisco Tazelaar

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

   )     

dated 30 November 2017

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )     

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

   )      /s/ Francisco Tazelaar

as Borrower under and pursuant to a power of attorney

   )     

dated 30 November 2017

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by PINELOPI KARAMADOUKI

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )     

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

   )     

/s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki

as a Lender under and pursuant to a power of attorney

   )     

dated 28 June 2018

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by PINELOPI KARAMADOUKI

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )     

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

   )     

/s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki

as Lead Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee

   )     

under and pursuant to a power of attorney

   )     

dated 28 June 2018

       


Witness to all the above Signatures :        )     
Name:    MARIA TRIVELA, Attorney-at-Law        )           /s/ Maria Trivela
Address:    85 Akti Miaouli        
   Piraeus, Greece        
Tel:    + 30210 45 95 000        
Mob:    + 30697 260 1651        


We on this 29 th day of June 2018 hereby confirm and acknowledge that we have read and understood the terms and conditions of the above Supplemental Agreement and agree in all respect s to the same and confirm that the Finance Documents to which we are respectively a party shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue to stand as security for the obligations of the Borrowers under the Facility Agreement (as amended by the Supplemental Agreement) and shall, without limitation, secure the indebtedness under the Facility Agreement and the Finance Documents.

 

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

    

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

EVIAN SHIPTRADE LTD.

(as New Guarantor A)

    

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

ANTHIMAR MARINE INC.

(as New Guarantor B)

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

    

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

ENPLO SHIPPING LIMITED

(as New Guarantor F)

    

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

    

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.

(as Approved Manager)

    

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

    

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

(as Corporate Guarantor)

    

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS INC.

(as Shareholder)

Exhibit 10.2

EXECUTION VERSION

Date 27 th July 2017

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

as Borrower

- and –

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lenders

- and -

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Agent and as Security Trustee

 

 

FACILITY AGREEMENT

 

 

INCE & CO

PIRAEUS


INDEX

 

Clause    Page  

1

  

INTERPRETATION

     1  

2

  

FACILITY

     20  

3

  

POSITION OF THE LENDERS

     21  

4

  

DRAWDOWN

     22  

5

  

INTEREST

     23  

6

  

INTEREST PERIODS

     25  

7

  

DEFAULT INTEREST

     25  

8

  

REDUCTION, REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT

     26  

9

  

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     28  

10

  

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     29  

11

  

GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS

     32  

12

  

CORPORATE UNDERTAKINGS

     37  

13

  

INSURANCE

     39  

14

  

SHIP’S COVENANTS

     43  

15

  

SECURITY COVER

     48  

16

  

PAYMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

     50  

17

  

APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS

     52  

18

  

APPLICATION OF EARNINGS, LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS

     53  

19

  

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     54  

20

  

FEES AND EXPENSES

     59  

21

  

INDEMNITIES

     60  

22

  

NO SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION

     62  

23

  

ILLEGALITY, ETC

     63  

24

  

INCREASED COSTS

     63  

25

  

SET-OFF

     65  

26

  

TRANSFERS AND CHANGES IN LENDING AND BOOKING OFFICES

     65  


27

  

VARIATIONS AND WAIVERS

     68  

28

  

NOTICES

     69  

29

  

PARALELL DEBT

     71  

30

  

SUPPLEMENTAL

     71  

31

  

LAW AND JURISDICTION

     72  

SCHEDULE 1 BANKS AND COMMITMENT

     73  

SCHEDULE 2 DRAWDOWN NOTICE

     74  

SCHEDULE 3 CONDITION PRECEDENT DOCUMENTS

     75  

SCHEDULE 4 TRANSFER CERTIFICATE

     79  

SCHEDULE 5 FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

     83  

SCHEDULE 6 SHIP DETAILS

     85  

EXECUTION PAGE

     88  


THIS AGREEMENT is made on 27 th July 2017

BETWEEN

 

(1) NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC. , as Borrower ;

 

(2) THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS listed in Part A of Schedule 1, as Lenders ;

 

(3) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. , as Agent ; and

 

(4) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. , as Security Trustee .

BACKGROUND

 

  (A) The Lenders have agreed to make available to the Borrower 7 Advances for the purpose of enabling the Borrower to on-lend the same to the Guarantors to finance or refinance their respective acquisitions of the Guarantor Ships.

 

  (B) The Lenders have agreed to share pari passu in the security to be granted to the Security Trustee pursuant to this Agreement.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Definitions. Subject to Clause 1.5, in this Agreement (including in the above recitals):

Account Bank ” means ABN AMRO Bank N.V. acting through its branch at 93 Coolsingel, 3012 Rotterdam, the Netherlands or such other bank as may be designated by the Agent as the Account Bank for the purposes of this Agreement and which is of a rating acceptable to the Lenders, in their sole discretion;

Account Security Deed ” means a deed creating security in respect of the Earnings Accounts and the Retention Account in the Agreed Form;

Advance A ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship H and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance A will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance A, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship H or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance B ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000,, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship I and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance B will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance B, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship I or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

1


Advance C ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000,, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship J and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance C will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance C, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship J or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance D ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $3,900,000, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship K and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance D will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance D, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship K or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance E ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $3,700,000, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship L and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance E will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance E, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship L or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance F ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000,, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship M and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance F will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance F, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship M or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance G ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $3,700,000, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship N and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance G will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance G, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship N or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advances ” means together, Advance A, Advance B, Advance C, Advance D, Advance E, Advance F and Advance G and, in the singular, means any of them;

Actual Delivery Date ” means, in relation to a Ship, the day on which such Ship is actually delivered by the relevant Seller to the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor, as the case may be, pursuant to the relevant MOA;

Affected Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.7;

Affiliate ” means, in relation to any person, a Subsidiary of that person or a Holding Company of that person or any other Subsidiary of that Holding Company;

Agency and Trust Deed ” means the agency and trust deed dated the same date as this Agreement and made between the same parties;

 

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Agent ” means ABN AMRO Bank N.V., duly incorporated under the laws of Netherlands, having its registered office at Gustav Mahlerlaan 10, 1082 PP Amsterdam, The Netherlands, acting for the purposes of this Agreement through its office at Coolsingel 93, 3012, AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands (or of such other address as may last have been notified to the Borrower) or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Deed;

Agreed Form ” means, in relation to any document, that document in the form approved in writing by the Agent or as otherwise approved in accordance with any other approved procedure specified in any relevant provision of any Finance Document;

Applicable Accounts ” means, as at the date of calculation or, as the case may be, in respect of an accounting period, the annual audited consolidated accounts and financial statements of the Group or the quarterly unaudited consolidated accounts and financial statements of the Group, in each case, which the Borrower is obliged to deliver to the Agent pursuant to Clause 11.6;

Approved Broker ” means each of (i) H. Clarkson & Co. Ltd. of St Magnus House, 3 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6HE, England, (ii) Arrow Sale & Purchase (UK) Limited of Harbour House, Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XE, England, (iii) SSY Valuation Services Limited of Lloyds Chambers, 1 Portsoken Street, London E1 8PH, England, (iv) Fearnleys of P.O. Box 1158 Sentrum, 0107 Oslo, Norway, (v) Maersk Broker K/S, Midtermolen 1, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark, (vi) Braemar Seascope Limited of One Strand, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5HR, England, (vii) E.A. Gibson Shipbrokers Ltd., Audrey House, 16-20 Ely Place, London EC1N 6SN, England, (viii) BRS of 11 Boulevard Jean Mermoz, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France and (ix) Howe Robinson Partners of 3rd Floor, 40 Gracechurch St, London EC3V 0BT, United Kingdom, or such other reputable, independent and first class firm of shipbrokers specialising in the valuation of vessels of the relevant type appointed by the Bank and agreed with the Borrower;

Approved Flag ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands or such other flag as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, in their absolute discretion, approve as the flag on which a Ship may be registered;

Approved Flag State ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands or any other country in which the Agent may with the authorisation of all the Lenders, approve that a Ship be registered;

Availability Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the earliest of (a) 31 December 2017, (b) the date falling 120 days after the date of this Agreement and (c) any date on which (i) the aggregate of the Advances is equal to the Total Commitments or (ii) the Total Commitments are reduced to zero; or, in each case, such later date as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, agree with the Borrower;

Basel III ” means:

 

  (a) the agreements on capital requirements, a leverage ratio and liquidity standards contained in “Basel III: A global regulatory framework for more resilient banks and banking systems”, “Basel III: International framework for liquidity risk measurement, standards and monitoring” and “Guidance for national authorities operating the countercyclical capital buffer” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010, each as amended, supplemented or restated;

 

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  (b) the rules for global systemically important banks contained in “Global systemically important banks: assessment methodology and the additional loss absorbency requirement—Rules text” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in November 2011, as amended, supplemented or restated; and

 

  (c) any further guidance or standards published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision relating to “Basel III”;

Basel IV means any amendment, replacement or refinement of Basel III known or to be known as “Basel IV”;

Borrower ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960;

Business Day ” means a day (other than a Saturday and a Sunday) on which commercial banks are open in Athens, Piraeus, Amsterdam and Rotterdam and, in respect of a day on which:

 

  (a) LIBOR is to be determined, also in London; and

 

  (b) a payment is required to be made under a Finance Document in Dollars, also in New York City;

Change of Control Event ” means the occurrence after the Execution Date of any of the following:

 

  (i) the Permitted Owners sell any shares in the Borrower which would reduce the proportion of issued shares owned by them in aggregate in the Borrower to below 30%; or

 

  (ii) the Borrower issues further shares which would reduce the proportion of issued shares in the Borrower owned by the Permitted Owners in aggregate to below 30%;

Charter Assignment ” means, in relation to any Extended Employment Contract over a Guarantor Ship, the assignment thereof in the Agreed Form;

Collateral Charter Assignment ” means, in relation to any Extended Employment Contract over a Collateral Ship, the assignment thereof in the Agreed Form;

Collateral Earnings Account ” means, in relation to each Collateral Guarantor, an account in the name of such Collateral Guarantor with the Account Bank designated “[ name of relevant Collateral Guarantor ] - Earnings Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank or with a bank or financial institution other than the Account Bank) which is designated by the Agent as such account in relation to that Collateral Guarantor for the purposes of this Agreement;

Collateral General Assignment ” means, in relation to a Collateral Ship, a second priority general assignment of its Earnings, Insurances and Requisition Compensation in the Agreed Form (and “ Collateral General Assignments ” means both of them collectively);

Collateral Guarantee ” means each guarantee executed or to be executed by the Collateral Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form (and “ Collateral Guarantees ” means all of them collectively);

 

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Collateral Guarantor ” means each or, as the context may require, either of Collateral Guarantor A, Collateral Guarantor B, Collateral Guarantor C, Collateral Guarantor D, Collateral Guarantor E, Collateral Guarantor F or Collateral Guarantor G (and “ Collateral Guarantors ” means all of them collectively);

Collateral Loan ” means the loan from time to time under the Collateral Loan Agreement;

Collateral Loan Agreement ” means loan agreement dated 30 May 2008 as amended and restated and made between (among others) (i) Clan Navigation Limited, Ebba Navigation Limited, Olympia II Navigation Limited, Pingel Navigation Limited and Sui An Navigation Limited all of the Marshall Islands as joint and several borrowers, (ii) ABN as lenders, (iii) ABN as mandated lead arranger and (iv) ABN as agent and security trustee in respect of a term loan facility of up to US$40,000,000;

Collateral Manager’s Undertaking ” means a letter of undertaking from the Approved Manager in the Agreed Form;

Collateral Mortgage ” means, in relation to a Collateral Ship, the first preferred or, as the case may be, priority ship mortgage on the Ship under the relevant Approved Flag in the Agreed Form (and “ Collateral Mortgages ” means all of them collectively);

Collateral Ship ” means each of Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D, Ship E, Ship F and Ship G and in the plural means all of them;

Commitment ” means in relation to each Advance, in relation to a Lender, the amount set opposite its name in the second column of Part A of Schedule 1, or, as the case may require, the amount specified in the relevant Transfer Certificate, as that amount may be reduced, cancelled or terminated in accordance with this Agreement (and “ Total Commitments ” means the aggregate of the Commitments of all the Lenders);

Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate in the form set out in Schedule 5 (or in any other form which the Agent, acting with the authorisation of all the Lenders, approves or requires);

Contractual Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.4;

Contribution ” means, in relation to a Lender, the part of the Loan which is owing to that Lender;

CRD IV ” means:

 

  (a) Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending regulation (EU) No. 648/2012;

 

  (b) Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2002/87/EC and repealing Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC; and

 

  (c) any other law or regulation which implements Basel III;

CRR ” means Regulations (EU) No. 575/2013 of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending regulation (EU) No. 648/2012

 

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Creditor Party ” means the Agent, the Security Trustee, or any Lender, whether as at the date of this Agreement or at any later time;

Dollars ” and “ $ ” mean the lawful currency for the time being of the United States of America;

Drawdown Date ” means, for any Advance, the date requested by the Borrower for that Advance to be made, or (as the context requires) the date on which that Advance is actually made;

Drawdown Notice ” means a notice in the form set out in Schedule 2 (or in any other form which the Agent approves or reasonably requires);

Earnings ” means, in relation to a Ship, all moneys whatsoever which are now, or later become, payable (actually or contingently) to the Borrower or the Collateral Guarantor owning such Ship or the Security Trustee and which arise out of the use or operation of such Ship, including (but not limited to):

 

  (a) except to the extent that they fall within paragraph (b):

 

  (i) all freight, hire and passage moneys;

 

  (ii) compensation payable to the Borrower or the Collateral Guarantor which owns that Ship or a Security Party in the event of requisition of that Ship for hire;

 

  (iii) remuneration for salvage and towage services;

 

  (iv) demurrage and detention moneys;

 

  (v) damages for breach (or payments for variation or termination) of any charterparty or other contract for the employment of that Ship; and

 

  (vi) all moneys which are at any time payable under any Insurances relating to that Ship in respect of loss of hire; and

 

  (b) if and whenever that Ship is employed on terms whereby any moneys falling within paragraphs (i) to (vi) are pooled or shared with any other person, that proportion of the net receipts of the relevant pooling or sharing arrangement which is attributable to that Ship;

Earnings Account ” means, in relation to each Guarantor, an account in the name of such Guarantor with the Account Bank designated “[ name of relevant Guarantor ] - Earnings Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank or with a bank or financial institution other than the Account Bank) which is designated by the Agent as such account in relation to that Guarantor for the purposes of this Agreement;

Earnings Account Security Deed ” means, in relation to each Guarantor, a deed creating security in respect of its Earnings Account in the agreed form (and “Earnings Account Security Deeds” means all of them collectively);

Environmental Claim ” means:

 

  (a) any claim by any governmental, judicial or regulatory authority which arises out of an Environmental Incident or an alleged Environmental Incident or which relates to any Environmental Law; or

 

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  (b) any claim by any other person which relates to an Environmental Incident or to an alleged Environmental Incident,

and “ claim ” means a claim for damages, compensation, fines, penalties or any other payment of any kind whether or not similar to the foregoing; an order or direction to take, or not to take, certain action or to desist from or suspend certain action; and any form of enforcement or regulatory action, including the arrest or attachment of any asset;

Environmental Incident ” means:

 

  (a) any release of Environmentally Sensitive Material from a Ship; or

 

  (b) any incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released from a vessel other than a Ship and which involves a collision between a Ship and such other vessel or some other incident of navigation or operation, in either case, in connection with which a Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested, attached, detained or injuncted and/or a Ship and/or the Borrower and/or a Collateral Guarantor and/or the Approved Manager or any operator or manager of a Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action; or

 

  (c) any other incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released otherwise than from a Ship and in connection with which a Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested and/or where the Borrower and/or a Collateral Guarantor and/or the Approved Manager and/or any operator or manager of a Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action;

Environmental Law ” means any law relating to pollution or protection of the environment, to the carriage of Environmentally Sensitive Material or to actual or threatened releases of Environmentally Sensitive Material;

Environmentally Sensitive Material ” means oil, oil products and any other substance (including any chemical, gas or other hazardous or noxious substance) which is (or is capable of being or becoming) polluting, toxic or hazardous;

Event of Default ” means any of the events or circumstances described in Clause 19.1;

Extended Employment Contract ” means, in respect of a Guarantor Ship, any time charterparty, contract of affreightment or other contract of employment of such ship (including the entry of any Guarantor Ship in any pool) which has a tenor exceeding twelve (12) months (including any options to renew or extend such tenor);

Fair Market Value ” means, in relation to a Ship, its market value determined in accordance with Clause 15.3;

FATCA ” means:

 

  (a) sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code or any associated regulations;

 

  (b) any treaty, law or regulation of any other jurisdiction, or relating to an intergovernmental agreement between the US and any other jurisdiction, which (in either case) facilitates the implementation of any law or regulation referred to in paragraph (a) above; or

 

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  (c) any agreement pursuant to the implementation of any treaty, law or regulation referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) above with the US Internal Revenue Service, the US government or any governmental or taxation authority in any other jurisdiction.

FATCA Application Date ” means:

 

  (d) in relation to a “withholdable payment” described in section 1473(1)(A)(i) of the Code (which relates to payments of interest and certain other payments from sources within the US), 1 July 2014;

 

  (e) in relation to a “withholdable payment” described in section 1473(1)(A)(ii) of the Code (which relates to “gross proceeds” from the disposition of property of a type that can produce interest from sources within the US), 1 January 2019; or

 

  (f) in relation to a “passthru payment” described in section 1471(d)(7) of the Code not falling within paragraphs (a) or (b) above, 1 January 2019,

or, in each case, such other date from which such payment may become subject to a deduction or withholding required by FATCA as a result of any change in FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

FATCA Deduction ” means a deduction or withholding from a payment under a Finance Document required by or under FATCA;

FATCA Exempt Party ” means a party to a Finance Document that is entitled to receive payments free from any FATCA Deduction;

Finance Documents ” means collectively:

 

  (a) this Agreement;

 

  (b) the Agency and Trust Deed;

 

  (c) the Guarantees;

 

  (d) the General Assignments;

 

  (e) the Mortgages;

 

  (f) the Earnings Account Security Deeds;

 

  (g) the Retention Account Security Deed;

 

  (h) any Charter Assignments;

 

  (i) the Manager’s Undertaking;

 

  (j) the Shares Pledges;

 

  (k) the Collateral Guarantees;

 

  (l) the Collateral General Assignments;

 

  (m) the Collateral Mortgages;

 

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  (n) the Collateral Manager’s Undertaking;

 

  (o) any Collateral Charter Assignments; and

 

  (p) any other document (whether creating a Security Interest or not) which is executed at any time by the Borrower or any other person as security for, or to establish any form of subordination or priorities arrangement in relation to, any amount payable to the Creditor Parties under this Agreement or any of the other documents referred to in this definition

(and a “ Finance Document ” means each or, as the context may require, any of them);

Financial Indebtedness ” means, in relation to a person (the “ debtor ”), a liability of the debtor:

 

  (a) for principal, interest or any other sum payable in respect of any moneys borrowed or raised by the debtor;

 

  (b) under any loan stock, bond, note or other security issued by the debtor;

 

  (c) under any acceptance credit, guarantee or letter of credit facility or dematerialised equivalent made available to the debtor;

 

  (d) under a financial lease, a deferred purchase consideration arrangement or any other agreement having the commercial effect of a borrowing or raising of money by the debtor;

 

  (e) under any foreign exchange transaction, any interest or currency swap or any other kind of derivative transaction entered into by the debtor or, if the agreement under which any such transaction is entered into requires netting of mutual liabilities, the liability of the debtor for the net amount; or

 

  (f) under a guarantee, indemnity or similar obligation entered into by the debtor in respect of a liability of another person which would fall within paragraphs (a) to (e) if the references to the debtor referred to the other person

Financial Year ” means, each period of 12 months ending on 31 December other than in the case of the first year which may be such shorter period commencing from the date of incorporation of the relevant company or such other date as the Majority Lenders may agree (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld);

General Assignment ” means, in relation to a Ship, a general assignment of its Earnings, Insurances and Requisition Compensation in the Agreed Form (and “ General Assignments ” means all of them collectively);

Group ” means at any relevant time the Borrower and its Subsidiaries but excluding any company which is publicly listed;

Group Member ” means any member of the Group;

Guarantor ” means each or, as the context may require, any of Guarantor A, Guarantor B, Guarantor C, Guarantor D, Guarantor E, Guarantor F or Guarantor G (and “ Guarantors ” means all of them collectively);

Guarantor Ship ” means each of Ship H, Ship I, Ship J, Ship K, Ship L, Ship M and Ship N and in the plural means all of them;

 

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“Holding Company” means, in relation to a company or corporation, any other company or corporation in respect of which it is a Subsidiary;

IACS ” means the International Association of Classification Societies;

IAPPC ” means, in relation to a Ship, a valid international air pollution prevention certificate for such Ship issued pursuant to the MARPOL Protocol;

Insurances ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) all policies and contracts of insurance, including entries of that Ship in any protection and indemnity or war risks association, which are effected in respect of that Ship, its Earnings or otherwise in relation to it; and

 

  (b) all rights and other assets relating to, or derived from, any of the foregoing, including any rights to a return of a premium;

Interest Period ” means a period determined in accordance with Clause 6;

ISM Code ” means the International Safety Management Code (including the guidelines on its implementation), adopted by the International Maritime Organisation as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time (and the terms “ safety management system ”, “ Safety Management Certificate ” and “ Document of Compliance ” have the same meanings as are given to them in the ISM Code);

ISPS Code ” means the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code as adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to time);

ISSC ” means a valid and current international ship security certificate issued under the ISPS Code;

Latest Accounts ” means, in respect of any financial quarter or year of the Group, the latest unaudited (in respect of each financial quarter) or audited (in respect of each financial year) financial statements required to be prepared pursuant to clause 11.6;

“Lender ” means, subject to Clause 26.6:

 

  (a) a bank or financial institution listed in Part A of Schedule 1 and acting through its branch indicated in Part A of Schedule 1 (or through another branch notified to the Agent under Clause 26.14) unless it has delivered a Transfer Certificate or Certificates covering the entire amounts of its Commitment and its Contribution; and

 

  (b) the holder for the time being of a Transfer Certificate;

LIBOR ” means, in relation to any period for which an interest rate is to be determined under any provision of a Finance Document:

 

  (a) the applicable Screen Rate; or

 

  (b) if no Screen Rate is available for that period, the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be the arithmetic mean (rounded upwards to 4 decimal places) of the rates as supplied to the Agent at its request, quoted by each Reference Bank to leading banks in the London Interbank Market;

 

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as of 11:00 am London time on the Quotation Day for dollars and for a period comparable to the Interest Period of the Loan, that part of the Loan or that Unpaid Sum and if any such rate is less than zero LIBOR shall be deemed to be zero;

Liquidity ” means:

 

  (a) cash in hand legally and beneficially owned by any Group Member; and

 

  (b) cash deposits legally and beneficially owned by any Group Member and which are deposited with (A) the Bank or (B) any other bank or financial institution,

which in each case is at the free and unrestricted disposal of the relevant Group Member by which it is owned including any funds held with any bank from time to time to satisfy minimum liquidity requirements;

Loan ” means the principal amount which has been advanced under this Agreement and which is outstanding for the time being;

Major Casualty ” means, in relation to a Ship, any casualty to such Ship in respect of which the claim or the aggregate of the claims against all insurers, before adjustment for any relevant franchise or deductible, exceeds $500,000 or the equivalent in any other currency;

Majority Lenders ” means:

 

  (a) before an Advance has been made, Lenders whose Commitments total 66.67 per cent. or more of the Total Commitments; and

 

  (b) after an Advance has been made, Lenders whose Contributions total 66.67 per cent. or more of the Loan;

Management Agreement ” means, in respect of each Ship, a management agreement made or to be made between the Approved Manager and the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor in such form and substance acceptable to the Agent acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders (and “ Management Agreements ” means all of them collectively);

Manager’s Undertaking ” means a letter of undertaking from the Approved Manager in the Agreed Form;

Mandatory Cost ” means in respect of any Interest Period the amount which the Lender certifies is the cost to it for making available the Loan for that Interest Period as a result of the Lender’s compliance with any regulation;

Margin ” means 4.00 per cent. per annum;

MARPOL Protocol ” means Annex VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 (as amended in 1978 and 1997);

Maturity Date ” means, the earlier of (i) the date falling 16 months after drawdown of the final Advance to be drawn down and (ii) 31 st December 2018;

MOA ” means each of the Ship H MOA, the Ship J MOA and the Ship K MOA and “ MOAs ” means all of them;

 

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Mortgage ” means, in relation to a Ship, the first preferred or, as the case may be, priority ship mortgage on the Ship under the relevant Approved Flag in the Agreed Form (and “ Mortgages ” means all of them collectively);

Negotiation Period ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.10;

Notifying Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 23.1 or 24.1 as the context requires;

Owner ” means, in respect of each Ship, the Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor which is at any relevant time the owner thereof;

Payment Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.4;

Permitted Owners ” means any one or more of Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., Navios Maritime Partners L.P., Mrs Angeliki Frangou and their respective Affiliates;

Permitted Security Interests ” means:

 

  (a) Security Interests created by the Finance Documents;

 

  (b) liens for unpaid master’s and crew’s wages in accordance with usual maritime practice;

 

  (c) liens for salvage;

 

  (d) liens arising by operation of law for not more than 2 months’ prepaid hire under any charter in relation to a Ship not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

  (e) liens for master’s disbursements incurred in the ordinary course of trading and any other lien arising by operation of law or otherwise in the ordinary course of the operation, repair or maintenance of a Ship, provided such liens do not secure amounts more than 60 days overdue (unless the overdue amount is being contested by the relevant Owner in good faith by appropriate steps) and subject, in the case of liens for repair or maintenance, to Clauses 14.13(h);

 

  (f) any Security Interest created in favour of a plaintiff or defendant in any proceedings or arbitration as security for costs and expenses while the relevant Owner is actively prosecuting or defending such proceedings or arbitration in good faith by appropriate steps;

 

  (g) Security Interests arising by operation of law in respect of taxes which are not overdue for payment or in respect of taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate steps and in respect of which appropriate reserves have been made;

 

  (h) any right of pledge and/or set off created pursuant to the general banking conditions ( algemene bankvoorwaarden ) of ABN AMRO Bank NV; and

 

  (i) Security Interests created by the Finance Documents (as defined in the Collateral Loan Agreement);

Pertinent Document ” means:

 

  (a) any Finance Document;

 

  (b) any policy or contract of insurance contemplated by or referred to in Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

 

  (c) any other document contemplated by or referred to in any Finance Document; and

 

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  (d) any document which has been or is at any time sent by or to the Agent or the Security Trustee in contemplation of or in connection with any Finance Document or any policy, contract or document falling within paragraphs (b) or (c);

Pertinent Jurisdiction ”, in relation to a company, means:

 

  (a) England and Wales;

 

  (b) the country under the laws of which the company is incorporated or formed;

 

  (c) a country in which the company has the centre of its main interests or in which the company’s central management and control is or has recently been exercised;

 

  (d) a country in which the overall net income of the company is subject to corporation tax, income tax or any similar tax;

 

  (e) a country in which assets of the company (other than securities issued by, or loans to, related companies) having a substantial value are situated, in which the company maintains a permanent place of business, or in which a Security Interest created by the company must or should be registered in order to ensure its validity or priority; and

 

  (f) a country the courts of which have jurisdiction to make a winding up, administration or similar order in relation to the company or which would have such jurisdiction if their assistance were requested by the courts of a country referred to in paragraphs (b) or (c);

Pertinent Matter ” means:

 

  (a) any transaction or matter contemplated by, arising out of, or in connection with a Pertinent Document; or

 

  (b) any statement relating to a Pertinent Document or to a transaction or matter falling within paragraph (a);

and covers any such transaction, matter or statement, whether entered into, arising or made at any time before the signing of this Agreement or on or at any time after that signing;

Potential Event of Default ” means an event or circumstance which, with the giving of any notice, the lapse of time, a determination of the Majority Lenders and/or the satisfaction of any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default;

Quotation Date ” means, in relation to any Interest Period (or any other period for which an interest rate is to be determined under any provision of a Finance Document), the day on which quotations would ordinarily be given by leading banks in the London Interbank Market for deposits in the currency in relation to which such rate is to be determined for delivery on the first day of that Interest Period or other period;

Reference Banks ” means the branch of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. at 93 Coolsingel, 3012 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands and the London branch of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. or such other banks as may be appointed by the Bank in consultation with the Borrower

Relevant Person ” has the meaning given in Clause 19.9;

 

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Repayment Date ” means a date on which a repayment of the Loan is required to be made under Clause 8.1;

Requisition Compensation ” includes all compensation or other moneys payable by reason of any act or event such as is referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of “ Total Loss ”;

Restricted Person ” means a person that is:

 

  (a) listed on, or owned or controlled by a person listed on any Sanctions List;

 

  (b) located in, incorporated under the laws of, or owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, a person located in or organised under the laws of a country or territory that is the target of country-wide Sanctions; or

 

  (c) otherwise a target of Sanctions

Retention Account ” means an account in the name of the Borrower with the Account Bank designated “Navios Maritime Containers - Retention Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank or with a bank or financial institution other than the Account Bank) which is designated by the Agent as such account for the purposes of this Agreement;

Retention Account Security Deed ” means a deed creating security in respect of the Retention Account in the agreed form;

Sanctions ” means any economic or trade sanctions laws, regulations, embargoes or restrictive measures administered, enacted or enforced by:

 

  (i) the United States government;

 

  (ii) the United Nations;

 

  (iii) the European Union or any of its Member States;

 

  (iv) the United Kingdom;

 

  (v) any country to which any Security Party or any other member of the Group or any of their Affiliates is bound; or

 

  (vi) the respective governmental institutions and agencies of any of the foregoing, including without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of Treasury (“ OFAC ”), the United States Department of State, and Her Majesty’s Treasury (“ HMT ”) (together “ Sanctions Authorities ” and each, “Sanctions Authority”);

Sanctions List ” means the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons” list issued by OFAC, the “Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and Investment Ban List” issued by HMT, or any similar list issued or maintained or made public by any of the Sanctions Authorities;

Screen Rate ” means the London interbank offered rate administered by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or any other person which takes over the administration of that rate) for dollars for the relevant period displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen (or any replacement Reuters page which displays that rate), or on the

 

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appropriate page of such other information service which publishes that rate from time to time in place of Reuters. If such page or service ceases to be available, the Agent may specify another page or service displaying the appropriate rate after consultation with the Borrower;

Secured Liabilities ” means all liabilities which the Borrower, the Security Parties or any of them have, at the date of this Agreement or at any later time or times, under or in connection with any Finance Document or any judgment relating to any Finance Document; and for this purpose, there shall be disregarded any total or partial discharge of these liabilities, or variation of their terms, which is effected by, or in connection with, any bankruptcy, liquidation, arrangement or other procedure under the insolvency laws of any country;

Security Interest ” means:

 

  (a) a mortgage, charge (whether fixed or floating) or pledge, any maritime or other lien or any other security interest of any kind;

 

  (b) the security rights of a plaintiff under an action in rem ; and

 

  (c) any arrangement entered into by a person (A) the effect of which is to place another person (B) in a position which is similar, in economic terms, to the position in which B would have been had he held a security interest over an asset of A; but this paragraph (c) does not apply to a right of set off or combination of accounts conferred by the standard terms of business of a bank or financial institution;

Security Party ” means the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Collateral Guarantors, the Approved Manager and any other person (except a Creditor Party) who, as a surety or mortgagor, as a party to any subordination or priorities arrangement, or in any similar capacity, executes a document falling within the last paragraph of the definition of “ Finance Documents ”;

Security Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date on which the Agent notifies the Borrower, the Security Parties and the Lenders that:

 

  (a) all amounts which have become due for payment by the Borrower or any Security Party under the Finance Documents have been paid;

 

  (b) no amount is owing or has accrued (without yet having become due for payment) under any Finance Document;

 

  (c) neither the Borrower or any Security Party has any future or contingent liability under Clause 20, 21 or 22 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

Security Trustee ” means ABN AMRO Bank N.V., duly incorporated under the laws of Netherlands, having its registered office at Gustav Mahlerlaan 10, 1082 PP Amsterdam, The Netherlands, acting for the purposes of this Agreement through its office at Coolsingel 93, 3012, AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands (or of such other address as may last have been notified to the Borrower pursuant to clause 26.4) or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Deed;

 

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“Seller” means either Ship F Seller or Ship G Seller and “Sellers” refers to both;

“Shareholder” means, Navios Partners Containers Inc. a company incorporated in the Marshall Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960;

Shares Pledge ” means, in relation to each Guarantor, a deed creating security in respect of the issued share capital of that Guarantor executed or to be executed by the Shareholder in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form (and “ Shares Pledges ” means all of them collectively);

Ship ” means a Guarantor Ship or a Collateral Ship (and “ Ships ” means all of them collectively);

SMC ” means a safety management certificate issued in respect of a Ship in accordance with Rule 13 of the ISM Code;

Total Loss ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) actual, constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of such Ship;

 

  (b) requisition for title or other compulsory acquisition including, if that ship is not released therefrom within the Relevant Period, capture, appropriation, forfeiture, seizure, detention, deprivation or confiscation howsoever for any reason (but excluding requisition for use or hire) by or on behalf of any Government Entity or other competent authority or by pirates, hijackers, terrorists or similar persons; “Relevant Period” means for the purposes of this definition of Compulsory Acquisition either (i) ninety (90) days or, (ii) if relevant underwriters confirm in writing (in terms satisfactory to the Bank) prior to the end of such ninety (90) day period that such capture, seizure, detention or confiscation will be fully covered (subject to any applicable deductible) by the relevant Owner’s war risks insurance if continuing for a further period exceeding ten (10) calendar months, the shorter of twelve (12) months and such period at the end of which cover is confirmed to attach; and

 

  (c) any arrest, capture, seizure or detention of such Ship (including any hijacking or theft) unless it is within 90 days redelivered to the full control of the Borrower owning such Ship;

Total Assets ” and “ Total Liabilities ” mean, respectively, the total assets and total liabilities of the Group as evidenced at any relevant time by the Latest Accounts;

Total Loss Date ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) in the case of an actual loss of such Ship, the date on which it occurred or, if that is unknown, the date when such Ship was last heard of;

 

  (b) in the case of a constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of such Ship, the earliest of:

 

  (i) the date on which a notice of abandonment is given to the insurers; and

 

  (ii) the date of any compromise, arrangement or agreement made by or on behalf of the Borrower owning such Ship with such Ship’s insurers in which the insurers agree to treat such Ship as a total loss; and

 

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  (c) in the case of any other type of total loss, on the date (or the most likely date) on which it appears to the Agent that the event constituting the total loss occurred;

Transfer Certificate ” has the meaning given in Clause 26.2; and

Trust Property ” has the meaning given in clause 3.1 of the Agency and Trust Deed; and

US GAAP ” means the generally accepted accounting principles applied from time to time in the United States of America.

Words and expressions defined in Schedule 6 (Ship Details) when used in this Agreement shall have the meanings given to them in Schedule 6 (Ship Details) as if the same were set out in full in this clause 1.1.

 

1.2 Construction of certain terms. In this Agreement:

administration notice ” means a notice appointing an administrator, a notice of intended appointment and any other notice which is required by law (generally or in the case concerned) to be filed with the court or given to a person prior to, or in connection with the appointment of an administrator;

approved ” means, for the purposes of Clause 13, approved in writing by the Agent;

asset ” includes every kind of property, asset, interest or right, including any present, future or contingent right to any revenues or other payment;

company ” includes any partnership, joint venture and unincorporated association;

consent ” includes an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing, registration, notarisation and legalisation;

contingent liability ” means a liability which is not certain to arise and/or the amount of which remains unascertained;

document ” includes a deed; also a letter or fax;

excess risks ” means, in relation to a Ship, the proportion of claims for general average, salvage and salvage charges not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies in respect of the Ship in consequence of its insured value being less than the value at which the Ship is assessed for the purpose of such claims;

expense ” means any kind of cost, charge or expense (including all legal costs, out-of-pocket expenses, charges and expenses) and any applicable value added or other tax;

law ” includes any order or decree, any form of delegated legislation, any treaty or international convention and any regulation or resolution of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the United Nations or its Security Council;

legal or administrative action ” means any legal proceeding or arbitration and any administrative or regulatory action or investigation;

liability ” includes every kind of debt or liability (present or future, certain or contingent), whether incurred as principal or surety or otherwise;

months ” shall be construed in accordance with Clause 1.3;

 

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obligatory insurances ” means, in relation to a Ship, all insurances effected or which the relevant Owner is obliged to effect in respect of each Ship, under Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

parent company ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

person ” includes any company; any state, political sub-division of a state and local or municipal authority; and any international organisation;

policy ”, in relation to any insurance, includes a slip, cover note, certificate of entry or other document evidencing the contract of insurance or its terms;

protection and indemnity risks ” means the usual risks covered by a protection and indemnity association managed in London, including pollution risks and the proportion (if any) of any sums payable to any other person or persons in case of collision which are not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies by reason of the incorporation in them of clause 6 of the International Hull Clauses (01/11/02 or 01/11/03), clause 8 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/11/1995 or 1/10/83) or the Institute Amended Running Down Clause (1/10/71) or any equivalent provision;

regulation ” includes any present or future regulation, rule, directive, requirement, request or guideline (whether or not having the force of law) of any Government Entity, central bank or any self-regulatory or other supra-national authority (including, without limitation any present or future regulation, rule, directive, requirement, request or guideline (whether or not having the force of law) of any Government Entity, central bank or any self-regulatory or other supra-national authority (including, without limitation, any regulation implementing or complying with (1) the “International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards, a Revised Framework” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in June 2004, in the form existing on the date of this Agreement (“Basel II”) and/or (2) Basel III and/or (3) Basel IV and/or (4) any other law or regulation which, at any time and from time to time, implements and/or amends and/or supplements and/or re-enacts and/or supersedes, whether in whole or in part, Basel II and/or Basel III and/or Basel IV (including CRD IV and CRR), and whether such implementation, application or compliance is by a Government Entity, a lender or any company affiliated to it);

subsidiary ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

tax ” includes any present or future tax, duty, impost, levy or charge of any kind which is imposed by any state, any political sub-division of a state or any local or municipal authority (including any such imposed in connection with exchange controls), and any connected penalty, interest or fine; and

war risks ” includes the risk of mines and all risks excluded by clause 29 of the International Hull Clauses (1/11/02) or clause 24 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/11/1995) or clause 23 of the Institute Time Clause (Hulls) (1/10/83).

 

1.3 Meaning of “month”. A period of one or more “ months ” ends on the day in the relevant calendar month numerically corresponding to the day of the calendar month on which the period started (“ the numerically corresponding day ”), but:

 

  (a) on the Business Day following the numerically corresponding day if the numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day or, if there is no later Business Day in the same calendar month, on the Business Day preceding the numerically corresponding day; or

 

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  (b) on the last Business Day in the relevant calendar month, if the period started on the last Business Day in a calendar month or if the last calendar month of the period has no numerically corresponding day;

and “ month ” and “ monthly ” shall be construed accordingly.

 

1.4 Meaning of “subsidiary”. Subsidiary ” of a person means any company or entity directly or indirectly controlled by such person, and for this purpose “control” means the ownership of more than fifty per cent (50%) of the voting share capital (or equivalent rights of ownership) of such company or entity.

 

1.5 General Interpretation. In this Agreement:

 

  (a) references to, or to a provision of, a Finance Document or any other document are references to it as amended or supplemented, whether before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

  (b) references to, or to a provision of, any law include any amendment, extension, re-enactment or replacement, whether made before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

  (c) words denoting the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa; and

 

  (d) Clauses 1.1 to 1.5 apply unless the contrary intention appears.

 

1.6 Headings. In interpreting a Finance Document or any provision of a Finance Document, all clause, sub-clause and other headings in that and any other Finance Document shall be entirely disregarded.

 

1.7 Bail-in

Notwithstanding any other term of any Finance Document or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding between the Parties, each Party acknowledges and accepts that any liability of any Party to any other Party under or in connection with the Finance Documents may be subject to Bail-In Action by the relevant Resolution Authority and acknowledges and accepts to be bound by the effect of:

 

  (a) any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability, including (without limitation):

 

  (i) a reduction, in full or in part, in the principal amount, or outstanding amount due (including any accrued but unpaid interest) in respect of any such liability;

 

  (ii) a conversion of all, or part of any such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership that may be issued to, or conferred on, it; and

 

  (iii) a cancellation of any such liability; and

 

  (b) a variation of any term of any Finance Document to the extent necessary to give effect to any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability.

In this clause:

Bail-In Action ” means the exercise of any Write-down and Conversion Powers.

Bail-In Legislation ” means:

 

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(a) in relation to an EEA Member Country which has implemented, or which at any time implements, Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms, the relevant implementing law or regulation as described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time; and

(b) in relation to any other state, any analogous law or regulation from time to time which requires contractual recognition of any Write-down and Conversion Powers contained in that law or regulation.

EEA Member Country ” means any member state of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule ” means the document described as such and published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person) from time to time.

Resolution Authority ” means any body which has authority to exercise any Write-down and Conversion Powers.

Write-down and Conversion Powers ” means in relation to any Bail-In Legislation described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time, the powers described as such in relation to that Bail-In Legislation in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

2 FACILITY

 

2.1 Amount of facility. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Lenders shall make or, as the case may be, continue to make available to the Borrower a loan facility of up to $21,000,000 in seven Advances being:

 

(a) Advance A in an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000,, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship H and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance A will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance A, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship H or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

(b) Advance B in an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000,, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship I and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance B will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance B, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship I or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

(c) Advance C in an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000,, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship J and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance C will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance C, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship J or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

(d) Advance D in an amount equal to the least of (i) $3,900,000, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship K and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance D will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance D, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship K or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

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(e) Advance E in an amount equal to the least of (i) $3,700,000, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship L and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance E will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance E, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship L or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

(f) Advance F in an amount equal to the least of (i) $2,425,000,, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship M and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance F will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance F, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship M or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

(g) Advance G in an amount equal to the least of (i) $3,700,000, (ii) 55% of the Fair Market Value of Ship N and (iii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance G will equal 55% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Guarantor Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance G, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship N or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time.

 

2.2 Lenders’ participations in Advance. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall participate in each Advance in the proportion which, as at the relevant Drawdown Date, its Commitment bears to the Total Commitments.

 

2.3 Purpose of Advances. The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to use each Advance only for the purpose stated in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

3 POSITION OF THE LENDERS

 

3.1 Interests several. The rights of the Lenders under this Agreement are several.

 

3.2 Individual right of action. Each Lender shall be entitled to sue for any amount which has become due and payable by the Borrower to it under this Agreement without joining the Agent, the Security Trustee, any other Lender as additional parties in the proceedings.

 

3.3 Proceedings requiring Majority Lender consent. Except as provided in Clause 3.2, no Lender may commence proceedings against the Borrower or any Security Party in connection with a Finance Document without the prior consent of the Majority Lenders.

 

3.4 Obligations several. The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement are several; and a failure of a Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not result in:

 

  (a) the obligations of the other Lenders being increased; nor

 

  (b) the Borrower, any Security Party, any other Lender being discharged (in whole or in part) from its obligations under any Finance Document;

and in no circumstances shall a Lender have any responsibility for a failure of another Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

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4 DRAWDOWN

 

4.1 Request for Advance. Subject to the following conditions, the Borrower may request an Advance to be made by ensuring that the Agent receives a completed Drawdown Notice not later than 11.00 a.m. (Rotterdam time) 3 Business Days prior to the intended Drawdown Date of such Advance.

 

4.2 Availability. The conditions referred to in Clause 4.1 are that:

 

  (a) the Drawdown Date for an Advance has to be a Business Day during the Availability Period;

 

  (b) the amount of the Advance shall not exceed the amount set out in Clause 2.1; and

 

  (c) all applicable conditions precedent set out in Clause 9.1 shall have been fulfilled.

 

4.3 Notification to Lenders of receipt of a Drawdown Notice. The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders that it has received a Drawdown Notice and shall inform each Lender of:

 

  (a) the amount of the Advance and the Drawdown Date;

 

  (b) the amount of that Lender’s participation in the Advance; and

 

  (c) the duration of the Interest Period.

 

4.4 Drawdown Notice irrevocable. A Drawdown Notice must be signed by a director or an authorised signatory of the Borrower; and once served, a Drawdown Notice cannot be revoked without the prior consent of the Agent, acting on the authority of the Majority Lenders.

 

4.5 Lenders to make available Contributions. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall, on and with value on each Drawdown Date, make available to the Agent the amount due from that Lender under Clause 2.2.

 

4.6 Disbursement of Advance. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Agent shall on each Drawdown Date pay to the Borrower for on-payment to the relevant Collateral; Guarantor the amounts which the Agent receives from the Lenders under Clause 4.5; and that payment to the Borrower shall be made:

 

  (a) to the account which the Borrower specify in the relevant Drawdown Notice; and

 

  (b) in the like funds as the Agent received the payments from the Lenders.

 

4.7 Disbursement of Advances to third party. A payment by the Agent under Clause 4.6 shall constitute the making of the relevant Advance and the Borrower shall thereupon become indebted, as principal and direct obligor, to each Lender in an amount equal to that Lender’s Contribution.

 

4.8 Use of proceeds

 

  (a) the Bank shall have no responsibility for the Borrower’s use of the proceeds of the Loan.

 

  (b)

The Borrower shall not, and shall procure that no Security Party or other Group Member or any affiliate of any of them shall, permit or authorise any other person to, directly or indirectly, use, lend, make payments of, contribute or otherwise make available, all or any part of the proceeds of the Loan or other transactions

 

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  contemplated by this Agreement to fund or facilitate trade, business or other activities: (i) involving or for the benefit of any Restricted Person; or (ii) in any other manner that could result in the Borrower, any other Security Party or a Creditor Party being in breach of any Sanctions or becoming a Restricted Person.

 

4.9 Cancellation. If any part of the Commitment has not been drawn down under this Agreement at the end of the Availability Period, such undrawn portion shall, on the day following the last day of the applicable Availability Period, be permanently and irrevocably cancelled; it is hereby agreed that any undrawn portion of any part of the Total Commitments at the end of the Availability Period shall, on the day following the last day of the Availability Period, be permanently and irrevocably cancelled.

 

5 INTEREST

 

5.1 Payment of normal interest. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, interest on an Advance shall be paid by the Borrower on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Advance.

 

5.2 Normal rate of interest. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the rate of interest on each Advance in respect of an Interest Period applicable to it shall be the aggregate of (a) the Margin, (b) LIBOR and (c) Mandatory Costs (if any) for that Interest Period.

 

5.3 Payment of accrued interest. In the case of an Interest Period of longer than 3 months, accrued interest shall be paid every 3 months during that Interest Period and on the last day of that Interest Period.

 

5.4 Notification of Interest Periods and rates of normal interest. The Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of:

 

  (a) each rate of interest; and

 

  (b) the duration of each Interest Period;

as soon as reasonably practicable after each is determined.

 

5.5 Obligation of Reference Banks to quote. A Reference Bank which is a Lender shall use all reasonable efforts to supply any quotation required of it for the purposes of fixing a rate of interest under this Agreement.

 

5.6 Absence of quotations by Reference Banks. If any Reference Bank fails to supply a quotation when it is required to do so, the Agent shall determine the relevant LIBOR on the basis of the quotations supplied by the other Reference Bank or Banks; but if 2 or more of the Reference Banks fail to provide a quotation, the relevant rate of interest shall be determined by the Agent.

 

5.7 Market disruption. The following provisions of this Clause 5 apply if:

 

  (a) no Screen Rate is available for an Interest Period and 2 or more of the Reference Banks do not before 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date provide quotations to the Agent in order to fix LIBOR; or

 

  (b) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, Lenders having Contributions together amounting to more than 50 per cent. of the Loan (or, if no Advance has been drawn, Lenders having Commitments amounting to more than 50 per cent. of the aggregate of the Total Commitments) notify the Agent that by reason of changes affecting the London Interbank Market, adequate and fair means do not exist for determining the rate of interest on an Advance (or part of it) for that Interest Period at or about 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date for the Interest Period; or

 

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  (c) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, the Agent is notified by a Lender (the “ Affected Lender ”) that for any reason it is unable to obtain Dollars in the London Interbank Market in order to fund its Contribution, as the case may be (or any part of it) during that Interest Period.

 

5.8 Notification of market disruption. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and each of the Lenders stating the circumstances falling within Clause 5.7 which have caused its notice to be given.

 

5.9 Suspension of drawdown. If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served before an Advance is to be made:

 

  (a) in a case falling within Clauses 5.7(a) or (b), the Lenders’ obligations to make that Advance;

 

  (b) in a case falling within Clause 5.7(c), the Affected Lender’s obligation to participate in that Advance,

(i) in the case of Clause 5.9(a), shall be made on the basis of an alternative interest rate and interest period which the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender may select as cost of funding of the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender, in Dollars or in any available currency of their or its Contribution plus the Margin and Clauses 5.10, 5.11, 5.12 and 5.13 shall apply; and (ii) in the case of Clause 5.9(b), shall be suspended while the circumstances referred to in the Agent’s notice continue and thereafter Clauses 5.10, 5.11, 5.12 and 5.13 shall apply.

 

5.10 Negotiation of alternative rate of interest. If the Agent serves a notice under Clause 5.8, the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to agree, within the 30 days after the date on which the Agent serves its notice under Clause 5.8 (the “ Negotiation Period ”), an alternative interest rate or (as the case may be) an alternative basis for the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender to fund or continue to fund their or its Contribution during the Interest Period concerned.

 

5.11 Application of agreed alternative rate of interest. Any alternative interest rate or an alternative basis which is agreed during the Negotiation Period shall take effect in accordance with the terms agreed.

 

5.12 Alternative rate of interest in absence of agreement . If an alternative interest rate or alternative basis is not agreed within the Negotiation Period, and the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the Negotiation Period, then the Agent shall, with the agreement of each Lender or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender, set an interest period and interest rate representing the cost of funding of the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender in Dollars or in any available currency of their or its Contribution plus the Margin; and the procedure provided for by this Clause 5.12 shall be repeated if the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the interest period so set by the Agent.

 

5.13 Notice of prepayment. If the Borrower does not agree with an interest rate set by the Agent under Clause 5.12, the Borrower may give the Agent not less than 15 Business Days’ notice of their intention to prepay at the end of the interest period set by the Agent (in the case where a notice has been served under Clause 5.8 after an Advance has been made) or the Borrower may notify the Agent of their intention not to proceed with the relevant drawdown (in the case where a notice has been served under Clause 5.8 prior to making an Advance).

 

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5.14 Prepayment; termination of Commitments. A notice under Clause 5.13 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders or (as the case may require) the Affected Lender of the Borrower’s notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

  (a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Total Commitments or (as the case may require) the Commitment of the Affected Lender so far as they relate to the relevant Advance shall be cancelled; and

 

  (b) on the last Business Day of the interest period set by the Agent, the Borrower shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Loan or, as the case may be, the Affected Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

 

5.15 Application of prepayment. The provisions of Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

 

6 INTEREST PERIODS

 

6.1 Interest Periods. The first Interest Period applicable to an Advance shall commence on its Drawdown Date and shall terminate simultaneously with the then current Interest Period for that Advance, and thereafter each subsequent Interest Period shall be applicable to all Advances and shall commence on the expiry of the preceding Interest Period and each Interest Period shall, be:

 

  (a) 3 months; or

 

  (b) such other period as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, agree with the Borrower;

provided that in respect of an amount due to be repaid under Clause 8.1 on a particular Repayment Date, an Interest Period relating to such Advance shall end on that Repayment Date.

 

6.2 Non-availability of matching deposits for Interest Period selected. If, after the Borrower has selected and the Lenders have agreed an Interest Period longer than 3 months, any Lender notifies the Agent by 11.00 a.m. (Rotterdam time) on the third Business Day before the commencement of that Interest Period that it is not satisfied that deposits in Dollars for a period equal to that Interest Period will be available to it in the London Interbank Market when that Interest Period commences, that Interest Period shall be of 3 months.

 

7 DEFAULT INTEREST

 

7.1 Payment of default interest on overdue amounts. The Borrower shall pay interest in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 7 on any amount payable by the Borrower under any Finance Document which the Agent, the Security Trustee or the other designated payee does not receive on or before the relevant date, that is:

 

  (a) the date on which the Finance Documents provide that such amount is due for payment; or

 

  (b) if a Finance Document provides that such amount is payable on demand, the date on which the demand is served; or

 

  (c) if such amount has become immediately due and payable under Clause 19.4, the date on which it became immediately due and payable.

 

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7.2 Default rate of interest. Interest shall accrue on an overdue amount from (and including) the relevant date until the date of actual payment (as well after as before judgment) at the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be 2 per cent. above:

 

  (a) in the case of an overdue amount of principal, the higher of the rates set out at Clauses 7.3(a) and (b); or

 

  (b) in the case of any other overdue amount, the rate set out at Clause 7.3(b).

 

7.3 Calculation of default rate of interest. The rates referred to in Clause 7.2 are:

 

  (a) the rate applicable to the overdue principal amount immediately prior to the relevant date (but only for any unexpired part of any then current Interest Period applicable to it);

 

  (b) the Margin plus and Mandatory Costs (if any) plus, in respect of successive periods of any duration (including at call) up to 3 months which the Agent may select from time to time:

 

  (i) LIBOR; or

 

  (ii) if the Agent determines that Dollar deposits for any such period are not being made available to any Reference Bank by leading banks in the London Interbank Market in the ordinary course of business, a rate from time to time determined by the Agent by reference to the cost of funds to the relevant Lenders from such other sources as the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Bank) may from time to time determine.

 

7.4 Notification of interest periods and default rates. The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the Borrower of each interest rate determined by the Agent under Clause 7.3 and of each period selected by the Agent for the purposes of paragraph (b) of that Clause; but this shall not be taken to imply that the Borrower is liable to pay such interest only with effect from the date of the Agent’s notification.

 

7.5 Payment of accrued default interest. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, any interest due under this Clause shall be paid on the last day of the period by reference to which it was determined; and the payment shall be made to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Party to which the overdue amount is due.

 

7.6 Compounding of default interest. Any such interest which is not paid at the end of the period by reference to which it was determined shall thereupon be compounded.

 

8 REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT

 

8.1 Repayment of Advances . The Borrower shall repay each Advance by five (5) consecutive three-monthly instalments:

 

  (i) each in an amount equal to 4.00% of that Advance; and

 

  (ii) a balloon payment payable together with the last instalment in an amount equal to 80.00% of that Advance.

 

8.2 Repayment Dates. The first instalment under each Advance shall be repaid on 30 November 2017 and the last instalment on the Maturity Date.

 

8.3 Final Repayment Date. On the final Repayment Date, the Borrower shall additionally pay to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Parties all other sums then accrued or owing under any Finance Document.

 

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8.4 Voluntary prepayment. Subject to the following conditions, the Borrower may prepay the whole or any part of the Loan on the last day of an Interest Period.

 

8.5 Conditions for voluntary prepayment. The conditions referred to in Clause 8.5 are that:

 

  (a) a partial prepayment shall be in an amount of $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $500,000;

 

  (b) the Agent has received from the Borrower at least 10 Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the date on which the prepayment is to be made; and

 

  (c) the Borrower has provided evidence satisfactory to the Agent that any consent required by the Borrower or any Security Party in connection with the prepayment has been obtained and remains in force, and that any requirement relevant to this Agreement which affects the Borrower or any Security Party has been complied with; and

 

  (d) each partial prepayment shall be applied pro rata against the Advances, and pro rata against the repayment instalments of each Advance (including the relevant balloon payment) which are at the time being outstanding, unless the Lenders agree otherwise in writing.

 

8.6 Effect of notice of prepayment. A prepayment notice may not be withdrawn or amended without the consent of the Agent, given with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, and the amount specified in the prepayment notice shall become due and payable by the Borrower on the date for prepayment specified in the prepayment notice.

 

8.7 Notification of notice of prepayment. The Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon receiving a prepayment notice, and shall provide any Lender which so requests with a copy of any document delivered by the Borrower under Clause 8.6(c).

 

8.8 Mandatory prepayment.

The Borrower shall be obliged to prepay the portion of the Loan specified in Clause 8.9:

 

(a) if a Guarantor Ship is sold, on or before the date on which the sale is completed by delivery of such Guarantor Ship to the relevant buyer; or

 

(b) if, after delivery, a Guarantor Ship becomes a Total Loss, on the earlier of the date falling 120 days (or such longer period as the Agent, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders, may agree (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld)) after the Total Loss Date and the date of receipt by the Security Trustee of the proceeds of insurance relating to such Total Loss.

 

8.9 Amounts of mandatory prepayments. The amount of the Loan to be prepaid in the circumstances contemplated in Clause 8.8(a) is the greatest of:

 

  (a) the amount of the sale or total loss proceeds payable in respect of such sale or Total Loss;

 

  (b) an amount that, if the ratio set out in Clause 15.1 were applied immediately following the making of such prepayment, the Borrower would not be obliged to provide additional security or prepay part of the Loan under that Clause; and

 

  (c) an amount so that if the ratio of (i) the aggregate of the Fair Market Values (determined as provided in Clause 15.3) of the Guarantor Ships plus the net realisable value of any additional security previously provided under Clause 15 to (ii) the Loan is the same after such prepayment is made as it was before such prepayment is made.

 

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8.10 Mandatory prepayment – Loan . The Borrower shall be obliged to prepay the whole Loan, and any undrawn part of the Total Commitment shall be cancelled upon:

 

(a) the circumstances referred to in Clause 23 (illegality) arising, and in accordance with that Clause; or

 

(b) there occurs any Change of Control Event.

 

8.11 Amounts payable on prepayment. A prepayment shall be made together with accrued interest (and any other amount payable under Clause 21 or otherwise) in respect of the amount prepaid and, if the prepayment is not made on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, together with any sums payable under Clause 21.1(c) but without premium or penalty.

 

8.12 Voluntary cancellation of Commitments. Subject to the following conditions, the Borrower may cancel the whole or any part of the Total Commitment.

 

8.13 Conditions for cancellation of Commitments. The conditions referred to in Clause 8.12 are that:

 

  (a) a partial cancellation shall be $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $500,000;

 

  (b) the Agent has received from the Borrower at least 10 Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the amount of the Total Commitments to be cancelled and the date on which the cancellation is to take effect.

 

8.14 Effect of notice of cancellation. The service of a cancellation notice given under Clause 8.13(b) shall cause the amount of the Total Commitments specified in the notice to be permanently cancelled, following which:

 

  (a) in the case of a permanent cancellation of part of the Total Commitments the Commitment of each Lender shall be permanently reduced pro rata; and

 

  (b) the amounts by which the Total Commitments shall be periodically reduced pursuant to Clause 8.16(a) shall be reduced pro rata by the amount by which the Total Commitments has been permanently cancelled.

 

8.15 No re-borrowing. No amount prepaid or cancelled under Clauses 8.5, 8.9 and 8.12 may be re-borrowed.

 

9 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

9.1 Documents, fees and no default. Each Lender’s obligation to contribute to an Advance is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

  (a) that before the service of the first Drawdown Notice, the Agent receives the documents described in Part A of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers;

 

  (b) that, on the Drawdown Date in respect of the first Advance to be made available hereunder, but prior to the making of that Advance, the Agent receives the documents described in Part B of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to it and its lawyers

 

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  (c) that, on the Drawdown Date but prior to the making of an Advance, the Agent receives the documents described in Part C of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to it and its lawyers;

 

  (d) that, on or before the Drawdown Date, the Agent receives any fees that are due and payable under Clause 20.1 and has received payment of the fees and expenses referred to in Clauses 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3;

 

  (e) that both at the date of each Drawdown Notice and at each Drawdown Date:

 

  (i) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default or any event in Clause 8.8 has occurred and is continuing or would result from the borrowing of the relevant Advance;

 

  (ii) the representations and warranties in Clause 10.1 and those of the Borrower or any Security Party which are set out in the other Finance Documents would be true and not misleading if repeated on each of those dates with reference to the circumstances then existing; and

 

  (iii) none of the circumstances contemplated by Clause 5.7 has occurred and is continuing;

 

  (f) that, if the ratio set out in Clause 15.1 were applied immediately following the making of the Advance, the Borrower would not be obliged to provide additional security or prepay part of the Loan under that Clause; and

 

  (g) that the Agent has received, and found to be acceptable to it, any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with the Finance Documents which the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, request by notice to the Borrower prior to the relevant Drawdown Date.

 

9.2 Waiver of conditions precedent . If the Majority Lenders, at their discretion, permit an Advance to be borrowed before certain of the conditions referred to in Clause 9.1 are satisfied, the Borrower shall ensure that those conditions are satisfied within such period and on such terms as the Agent may specify in writing.

 

10 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

10.1 General. The Borrower represents and warrants to each Creditor Party as follows.

 

10.2 Status.

 

  (a) The Borrower is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands;

 

  (b) each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

10.3 Share capital and ownership. The legal title and beneficial ownership of all the issued shares in each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor are held by the Shareholder and the ultimate beneficial ownership of all the issued shares in each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor is held by the Borrower, free of any Security Interest or other claim other than any Permitted Security Interests.

 

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10.4 Corporate power. The Borrower and each Security Party has the corporate capacity, and has taken all corporate action and obtained all consents necessary for it:

 

  (a) to execute the Finance Documents to which the Borrower and/or the relevant Security Party is a party; and

 

  (b) in the case of the Borrower, to make all the payments contemplated by, and to comply with, the Finance Documents to which it is a party.

 

10.5 Consents in force. All the consents referred to in Clause 10.4 remain in force and nothing has occurred which makes any of them liable to revocation.

 

10.6 Legal validity; effective Security Interests. The Finance Documents to which the Borrower or a Security Party is a party, do now or, as the case may be, will, upon execution and delivery (and, where applicable, registration as provided for in the Finance Documents):

 

  (a) constitute that Borrower’s or that Security Party’s legal, valid and binding obligations enforceable against that Borrower or that Security Party in accordance with their respective terms; and

 

  (b) create legal, valid and binding Security Interests enforceable in accordance with their respective terms over all the assets to which they, by their terms, relate;

subject to any relevant insolvency laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

 

10.7 No third party Security Interests. Without limiting the generality of Clause 10.6, at the time of the execution and delivery of each Finance Document:

 

  (a) the Borrower or the relevant Security Party which is party to that Finance Document will have the right to create all the Security Interests which that Finance Document purports to create; and

 

  (b) no third party will have any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) or any other interest, right or claim over, in or in relation to any asset to which any such Security Interest, by its terms, relates.

 

10.8 No conflicts. The execution by the Borrower and each Security Party of each Finance Document to which it is a party and (in the case of each Guarantor) the Management Agreements, and the borrowing by the Borrower of the Loan and each Security Party’s compliance with each Finance Document to which it is a party will not involve or lead to a contravention of:

 

  (a) any law or regulation; or

 

  (b) the constitutional documents of the Borrower or any Security Party; or

 

  (c) any contractual or other obligation or restriction which is binding on the Borrower or any of the assets of the Borrower and the Security Parties.

 

10.9 No withholding taxes. All payments which the Borrower or any Security Party is liable to make under the Finance Documents to which it is a party may be made without deduction or withholding for or on account of any tax payable under any law of any Pertinent Jurisdiction.

 

10.10 No default. No Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

10.11 Information. All information which has been provided in writing by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Security Party to any Creditor Party in connection with any Finance Document satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.5; all audited and unaudited accounts which have been so provided satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.7; and there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or state of affairs of the Borrower or any Security Party from that disclosed in the latest of those accounts.

 

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10.12 No litigation. No legal or administrative action involving the Borrower or any Security Party (including action relating to any alleged or actual breach of the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or the MARPOL Protocol) has been commenced or taken or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, is likely to be commenced or taken which, in either case, would be likely to have a material adverse effect on that Borrower’s or that Security Party’s financial position or profitability.

 

10.13 Validity and completeness of documents. Each Management Agreement constitutes valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the relevant Owner and (in the case of the Management Agreements) the Approved Manager in accordance with its terms and:

 

  (a) the copy of each Management Agreement and MOA delivered to the Agent before the date of this Agreement is a true and complete copy; and

 

  (b) no amendments or additions to any Management Agreement or MOA have been agreed nor has the relevant Owner, the relevant Seller or Approved Manager waived any of their respective rights under any of the Management Agreements.

 

10.14 Compliance with certain undertakings. At the date of this Agreement, the Borrower and each of the Security Parties are in compliance with Clauses 11.2, 11.4, 11.5, 11.9, 11.13, 11.14 and 11.15.

 

10.15 Taxes paid. The Borrower and each Security Party has paid all taxes applicable to, or imposed on or in relation to that Borrower, that Security Party, its business or the Ships.

 

10.16 Compliance. All requirements of the ISM Code, the ISPS Code and the MARPOL Protocol as they relate to the Borrower, the Approved Manager, each Security Party and the Ships have been complied with.

 

10.17 No money laundering . Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 2.3, in relation to the borrowing by the Borrower of the Loan, the performance and discharge of its obligations and liabilities under the Finance Documents, and the transactions and other arrangements effected or contemplated by the Finance Documents to which the Borrower is a party, the Borrower confirms (i) that it is acting for its own account, (ii) that it will use the proceeds of the Loan for its own benefit, under its full responsibility and exclusively for the purposes specified in this Agreement and (iii) that the foregoing will not involve or lead to contravention of any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat “money laundering” (as defined in Article 1 of the Directive (91/308/EEC) of the Council of the European Communities).

 

10.18 No immunity. No Borrower or Security Party benefits from any immunity from suit.

 

10.19 Disclosure of material facts. The Borrower is not aware of any material facts or circumstances which have not already been disclosed to the Agent and which might, if disclosed to the Agent, adversely affect the decision of the Lenders to make the Loan available to the Borrower.

 

10.20 Pari Passu. The obligations of the Borrower under the Finance Documents to which it is a party rank at least pari passu with all other unsecured indebtedness of that Borrower, other than indebtedness mandatorily preferred by law.

 

10.21 Governing law and enforcement . The choice of law as the governing law of any Finance Document will be recognised and enforced in the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Borrower and each relevant Security Party, and any judgment obtained in England in relation to any such Finance Document will be recognised and enforced in the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Borrower and each relevant Security Party.

 

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10.22 No filing or stamp tax . Under the laws of all Pertinent Jurisdiction relating to the Borrower and each relevant Security Party it is not necessary that the Finance Documents be filed, recorded or enrolled with any court or other authority in that jurisdiction (save for the Mortgages which are to be recorded with The Deputy Commissioner of Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Marshall Islands or the relevant Approved Flag State registry) or that any stamp, registration or similar tax be paid on or in relation the Finance Documents or the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents.

 

10.23 Sanctions. N o Security Party nor other Group Member nor any director, officer, agent, employee of any Security Party or other Group Member or any person acting on behalf of any Security Party or other Group Member, is a Restricted Person nor acts directly or indirectly on behalf of a Restricted Person.

 

10.24 Repetition. Each representation and warranty in this Clause 10 (other than this Clause 10.24) is deemed to be repeated by the Borrower by reference to the facts and circumstances then existing on each date during the Security Period.

 

11 GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS

 

11.1 General. The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply and shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor also comply (as applicable), with the following provisions of this Clause 11 at all times during the Security Period, except as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit.

 

11.2 Title; negative pledge. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor will:

 

  (a) hold the legal title to and the entire beneficial interest in the Ship owned by it, such Ship’s Insurances and Earnings, free from all Security Interests and other interests and rights of every kind, except for those created by the Finance Documents and the effect of assignments contained in the Finance Documents and except for Permitted Security Interests;

 

  (b) not create or permit to arise any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) over any asset which is the subject matter of a Finance Document or over any of its shares;

 

  (c) not create or permit to arise, any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) over any other asset, present or future; and

 

  (d) procure that its liabilities under the Finance Documents to which it is a party do and will rank at least pari passu with all its other present and future unsecured liabilities, except for liabilities which are mandatorily preferred by law.

 

11.3 No disposal of assets. The Borrower shall procure that no Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of:

 

  (a) all or a substantial part of its respective assets, whether by one transaction or a number of transactions, whether related or not; or

 

  (b) any debt payable to it or any other right (present, future or contingent right) to receive a payment, including any right to damages or compensation,

but paragraph (a) does not apply to any charter of a Ship to which Clause 14.13 applies.

 

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11.4 No other liabilities or obligations to be incurred. The Borrower shall procure that no Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall:

 

  (a) incur any liability or obligation except liabilities and obligations under the Finance Documents to which it is a party; and

 

  (b) incur any liability or obligation except liabilities and obligations:

 

  (i) under the Finance Documents to which it is a party;

 

  (ii) reasonably incurred in the ordinary course of the Borrower’s business of owning, operating, managing and/or chartering of ships and other ship-related business; and

 

  (iii) incurred in relation to or in connection with, the financing of ships owned or to be acquired by, members of the Group.

 

11.5 Information provided to be accurate. All financial and other information which is provided in writing by or on behalf of the Borrower under or in connection with any Finance Document will be true and not misleading and will not omit any material fact or consideration.

 

11.6 Provision of financial statements. The Borrower will provide the Agent or shall procure that the Agent is provided with:

 

  (i) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 180 days after the end of each of its Financial Years, annual audited (prepared in accordance with US GAAP by a firm of accountants acceptable to the Agent) consolidated balance sheet and profit and loss accounts of the Borrower (commencing with the Financial Year ending 31 December 2017), together with updated details (in a form acceptable to the Agent) of all off-balance sheet and time-charter hire commitments of each of the Ships and any other ship from time to time (whether before or after the date of this Agreement) owned, managed or crewed by, or chartered to, any Group Member;

 

  (b) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 90 days after the end of each of its first three financial quarters, commencing with the third financial quarter of 2017, the Borrower’s unaudited consolidated balance sheet and profit and loss accounts for that 3 month period certified as to their correctness by its chief financial officer; and

 

  (c) such further financial information about the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Collateral Guarantors, the Ships (including, but not limited to, present and future revenues, charter arrangements, Financial Indebtedness, employment details, operating expenses and projected capital expenditure) as the Agent may require.

 

11.7 Form of financial statements. All accounts (audited and unaudited) delivered under Clause 11.6 will:

 

  (a) be prepared in accordance with all applicable laws and US GAAP;

 

  (b) fairly represent the state of affairs of the Group at the date of those financial statements and of its profit for the period to which those financial statements relate; and

 

  (c) fully disclose or provide for all significant liabilities of the Group.

 

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11.8 Shareholder notices. The Borrower will send to the Agent, at the same time as they are despatched, copies of all communications which are despatched to the Borrower’s shareholders or any class of them related to matters which could be considered material in the context of this Agreement and the other Finance Documents, unless publicly announced or filed with a securities exchange.

 

11.9 Consents. The Borrower will, and shall procure that each Security Party will, maintain in force and promptly obtain or renew, and will promptly send certified copies to the Agent of, all consents required:

 

  (a) for the Borrower and each Security Party to perform its obligations under any Finance Document to which it is a party;

 

  (b) for the Approved Manager to perform its obligations under the Management Agreements;

 

  (c) for the validity or enforceability of any Finance Document to which it is a party;

 

  (d) for each Guarantor and Collateral Guarantor, with effect from the Actual Delivery Date relating to its Ship, to acquire, register under an Approved Flag, own and operate the Ship to be owned by it;

 

  (e) for each Security Party to perform its obligations under the MOA and the Management Agreement to which it is or is to be a party;

and the Borrower will, and shall procure that the Security Parties shall, comply with the terms of all such consents.

 

11.10 Maintenance of Security Interests. The Borrower will:

 

  (a) at its own cost, do all that it reasonably can to ensure that each Finance Document validly creates the obligations and the Security Interests which it purports to create; and

 

  (b) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a), at its own cost, promptly register, file, record or enrol any Finance Document with any court or authority in all Pertinent Jurisdictions, pay any stamp, registration or similar tax in all Pertinent Jurisdictions in respect of any Finance Document, any MOA and any Management Agreement and give any notice or take any other step which to the best of its knowledge is or has become, or which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is or has become necessary or desirable for any Finance Document, any MOA and any Management Agreement to be valid, enforceable or admissible in evidence or to ensure or protect the priority of any Security Interest which any Finance Document creates.

 

11.11 Notification of litigation. The Borrower will provide the Agent with details of any legal or administrative action involving the Borrower, any Security Party, the Approved Manager (to the best of its knowledge), any MOA, any Ship, any Management Agreement, the Earnings or the Insurances as soon as such action is instituted or it becomes apparent to the Borrower that it is likely to be instituted, unless it is clear that the legal or administrative action cannot be considered material in the context of any Finance Document.

 

11.12 Amendments to Management Agreements. The Borrower will ensure that no Owner will, without the prior written consent of the Agent acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), agree to any material amendment or supplement to, or waive any breach in relation to, the Management Agreement to which it is a party and will procure that the Approved Manager, will not, without the prior written consent of the Agent acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), agree to any material amendment or supplement to, or waive any breach in relation to any Management Agreement.

 

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11.13 Principal place of business. The Borrower will maintain its place of business, and keep its corporate documents and records at the address stated in the definitions to this Agreement; and it will not establish, or do anything as a result of which it would be deemed to have, a place of business in any country other than the Republic of Marshall Islands.

 

11.14 Confirmation of no default. The Borrower will, within 2 Business Days after service by the Agent of a written request, serve on the Agent a notice which is signed by a duly authorised director of the Borrower and which states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred.

The Agent may serve requests under this Clause 11.14 from time to time but only if asked to do so by a Lender or Lenders having Commitments exceeding 10 per cent of the Total Commitments; and this Clause 11.14 does not affect the Borrower’s obligations under Clause 11.15.

 

11.15 Notification of default. The Borrower will notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of the occurrence of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default and will keep the Agent fully up-to-date with all developments.

 

11.16 Provision of further information. The Borrower will, as soon as practicable after receiving the request, provide the Agent with any additional financial or other information relating:

 

  (a) to it, the Security Parties, the Ships, the Earnings or the Insurances; or

 

  (b) to any other matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Finance Document or a Management Agreement;

which may be requested by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender at any time.

 

11.17 Provision of copies and translation of documents. The Borrower will supply the Agent with a sufficient number of copies of the documents referred to above to provide a copy for each Creditor Party and, if the Agent so requires in respect of any of those documents, it will provide a certified English translation prepared by a translator approved by the Agent.

 

11.18 Sanctions . Promptly upon becoming aware of them, provide to the Agent the details of any inquiry, claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation pursuant to Sanctions by any Sanctions Authority against a Security Party, any of the direct or indirect owners of a Security Party, any Affiliate of a Security Party, any of their joint ventures or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or representatives, as well as information on what steps are being taken with regards to answer or oppose the same.

 

11.19 Money laundering . Promptly upon the Agent’s request, the Borrower will supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent in order for each Creditor Party to carry out and be satisfied with the results of all necessary “know your client” or other checks which it is required to carry out in relation to the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents and to the identity of any parties to the Finance Documents (other than Creditor Parties) and their directors and officers.

 

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11.20 “Know your customer” checks . If:

 

  (a) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation, administration or application of) any law or regulation made after the date of this Agreement;

 

  (b) any change in the status of the Borrower or any Security Party after the date of this Agreement; or

 

  (c) a proposed assignment or transfer by a Lender of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement,

obliges the Agent or any Lender (or, in the case of paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender) to comply with “know your customer” or similar identification procedures in circumstances where the necessary information is not already available to it, the Borrower shall promptly upon the request of the Agent or the Lender concerned supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent (for itself or on behalf of any Lender) or the Lender concerned (for itself or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), on behalf of any new prospective new Lender) in order for the Agent, the Lender concerned or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender to carry out and be satisfied it has complied with all necessary “know your customer” or other similar checks under all applicable laws and regulations pursuant to the transactions contemplated in the Finance Documents.

 

11.21 Class records

The Borrower shall arrange for the Bank to have access electronically to the class records of each Ship by either (i) arranging for the relevant Classification Society to give the Bank direct access to such class records or (ii) designating the Bank as a user or administrator of the Borrower’s electronic accounts with the relevant Classification Society;

 

11.22 Insurance opinion

The Borrower shall provide the Bank on request, at the Borrower’s cost, with an opinion from insurance consultants on the insurances effected or to be effected in respect of each Vessel, confirming that each Vessel is insured on terms approved by the Bank or, if such insurance opinion has been obtained by the Bank, shall reimburse the Bank for the cost of such opinion;

 

11.23 Sanctions

The Borrower shall

 

  (i) not be, and shall procure that each other Group Member and each Affiliate of any of them and any director, officer, agent, employee or person acting on behalf of the foregoing is not, a Restricted Person and does not act directly or indirectly on behalf of a Restricted Person;

 

  (ii) not, and shall procure that no other Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them shall, use any revenue or benefit derived from any activity or dealing with a Restricted Person in discharging any obligation due or owing to the Bank;

 

  (iii) procure that no proceeds from any activity or dealing with a Restricted Person are credited to any bank account held with the Bank in its name or in the name of any other member of the Group or any Affiliate of any of them;

 

  (iv) and shall procure that each other Group Member and any Affiliate of any of them will, to the extent permitted by law, promptly upon becoming aware of them, supply to the Bank details of any claim, action, suit, proceedings or investigation against it with respect to Sanctions by any Sanctions Authority;

 

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  (v) not, and shall procure that no other member of the Group or any Affiliate of any of them will, directly or indirectly, make available any proceeds of the Loan to fund or facilitate trade, business or other activities (i) involving or for the benefit of any Restricted Person or (ii) in any other manner that could result in either Borrower or the Bank being in breach of any Sanctions or becoming a Restricted Person, or permit or authorise any other person to do either of (i) or (ii) above;

 

11.24 Anti-bribery

the Borrower shall ensure that neither they nor any of their respective Affiliates, officers, directors, employees or agents acting on its behalf will offer, give, insist on, receive or solicit any illegal payment or improper advantage to influence the action of any person in connection with any of its business.

 

11.25 Money Laundering

The Borrower shall

 

  (i) provide the Agent with information, certificates and any documents required by the Agent to ensure compliance with any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat Money Laundering; and

 

  (ii) notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of any matters evidencing that a breach of any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat Money Laundering may or is about to occur or that the person(s) who have or will receive the commercial benefit of this Agreement have changed after the date of this Agreement.

 

12 CORPORATE UNDERTAKINGS

 

12.1 General. The Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply and shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor also comply (as applicable) with the following provisions of this Clause 12 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, otherwise consent.

 

12.2 Maintenance of status. The Borrower will maintain and shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor also maintain its separate corporate existence under the laws of the Republic of Marshall Islands.

 

12.3 Negative undertakings. The Borrower shall procure that no Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor will, and in respect of (b) and (e) below, the Borrower will not:

 

  (a) carry on any business other than the owning, operating, managing and/or chartering of ships and other ship-related business or (ii) own any ship other than its Ship; or

 

  (b) pay any dividend or make any other form of distribution or effect any form of redemption, purchase or return of share capital unless:

 

  (i) the Borrower is not in breach of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents and no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred; and

 

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  (ii) the Total Liabilities divided by the Total Assets (adjusted for market values of vessels calculated in accordance with Clause 15.3) is no greater than 60% both before and after such payment; and

 

  (iii) the Liquidity of the Group is at least $1,000,000 multiplied by the number of vessels owned by any member of the Group both before and after such payment;

 

  (c) provide any form of credit or financial assistance to:

 

  (i) a person who is directly or indirectly interested in the Borrower’s share or loan capital; or

 

  (ii) any company in or with which such a person is directly or indirectly interested or connected;

or enter into any transaction with or involving such a person or company on terms which are, in any respect, less favourable to the Borrower than those which it could obtain in a bargain made at arms’ length;

 

  (d) in relation to the Earnings of the Ship owned by it, open or maintain any account with any bank or financial institution except accounts with the Account Bank, the Agent or the Security Trustee for the purposes of the Finance Documents;

 

  (e) without the prior written consent of the Agent, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), enter into any form of amalgamation, merger or de-merger, name change or any form of reconstruction or reorganisation, which would (in the case of the Borrower) give rise to a Change of Control.

 

12.4 Financial covenants. At all times during the Security Period, by reference to the Applicable Accounts ensure that:

 

  (i) at no time shall the Liquidity of the Group be less than $500,000 multiplied by the number of vessels owned by any member of the Group;

 

  (ii) the Total Liabilities divided by the Total Assets (adjusted for market values of vessels calculated in accordance with Clause 15.3) shall be at all times less than 80%; and

 

  (b) there is standing to the credit of each Earnings Account and Collateral Earnings Account at all times throughout the Security Period while the Ship or Collateral Ship of the Owner of that account is subject to a Mortgage or Collateral Mortgage at least $500,000.

 

12.5 Compliance Check. Compliance with the undertakings contained in Clause 12.4 shall be determined by reference to the unaudited consolidated accounts for each consecutive quarter period in each Financial Year of the Borrower, commencing with the third financial quarter of 2017 and the audited consolidated accounts for that Financial Year of the Borrower delivered to the Agent pursuant to Clause 11.6 of this Agreement. Unless and until the Agent (acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders) otherwise agrees in writing, at the same time as it delivers those consolidated accounts for each consecutive quarter, the Borrower shall deliver to the Agent a Compliance Certificate, signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower.

 

12.6

Change in accounting expressions and policies. If, by reason of change in format or US GAAP or other relevant accounting policies, the expressions appearing in any accounts and financial statements referred to in Clause 11.6 alter from those in the accounts and financial

 

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  statements for the Group for the Financial Year ended 31 December 2017, the relevant definitions contained in Clause 1.1 and the provisions of Clause 12.4 shall be deemed modified in such manner as the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, shall require to take account of such different expressions but otherwise to maintain in all respects the substance of those provisions.

 

13 INSURANCE

 

13.1 General. The Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 13, and ensure that the Guarantors and the Collateral Guarantors comply with the same, at all times until the last day of the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit.

 

13.2 Maintenance of obligatory insurances. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall ensure that the Ship owned by it is insured at its expense against:

 

  (a) fire and such other risks as are usually contained within a standard marine insurance policy and/or increased value and disbursements policy covering the hull and machinery of such Ship;

 

  (b) war risks;

 

  (c) protection and indemnity risks; and

 

  (d) any other risks against which the Security Trustee considers, having regard to practices and other circumstances prevailing at the relevant time, it would in the opinion of the Security Trustee be reasonable for the Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor to insure and which are specified by the Security Trustee by notice to the Borrower and the Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor (as applicable).

 

13.3 Terms of obligatory insurances. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall effect such insurances in respect of its Ship:

 

  (a) in Dollars and/or such currencies as agreed with the Security Trustee;

 

  (b) in the case as specified in Clause 13.2, cover is to be on an agreed value basis in an amount at least the greater of (i) such amount as when added to the insured value of the other Ships is 120 per cent. of the aggregate of the Loan and the Collateral Loan and (ii) the Fair Market Value of that Ship;

 

  (c) in the case of oil pollution liability risks, for an aggregate amount equal to the highest level of cover from time to time available under a standard protection and indemnity entry with an international group protection and indemnity club (currently $1,000,000,000 in relation to any one event);

 

  (d) in relation to protection and indemnity risks in respect of each Ship’s gross tonnage;

 

  (e) on approved terms; and

 

  (f) through approved brokers and with approved insurance companies and/or underwriters or, in the case of war risks and protection and indemnity risks, in approved war risks and protection and indemnity risks associations.

 

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13.4 Further protections for the Creditor Parties. In addition to the terms set out in Clause 13.3, the Borrower shall procure that the obligatory insurances shall:

 

  (a) whenever the Security Trustee requires, name (or be amended to name) the Security Trustee as an additional named assured for its rights and interests, warranted no operational interest and with full waiver of rights of subrogation against the Security Trustee, but without the Security Trustee thereby being liable to pay (but having the right to pay) premiums, calls or other assessments in respect of such insurance;

 

  (b) name the Security Trustee as loss payee with such directions for payment as the Security Trustee may specify;

 

  (c) provide that all payments by or on behalf of the insurers under the obligatory insurances to the Security Trustee shall be made without set-off, counterclaim or deductions or condition whatsoever;

 

  (d) provide that such obligatory insurances shall be primary without right of contribution from other insurances which may be carried by the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party; and

 

  (e) provide that the Security Trustee may make proof of loss if the Borrower or the Guarantor or the Collateral Guarantor (as applicable) fails to do so.

 

13.5 Renewal of obligatory insurances. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall:

 

  (a) before the expiry of any obligatory insurance effected by it:

 

  (i) notify the Security Trustee of the brokers (or other insurers) and any protection and indemnity or war risks association through or with whom that Security Party proposes to renew that obligatory insurance and of the proposed terms of renewal; and

 

  (ii) obtain the Security Trustee’s approval to the matters referred to in paragraph (i);

 

  (b) as soon as practicable but in any event before the expiry of any obligatory insurance effected by it, renew that obligatory insurance in accordance with the Security Trustee’s approval pursuant to paragraph (a); and

 

  (c) procure that the approved brokers and/or the war risks and protection and indemnity associations with which such a renewal is effected shall promptly after the renewal notify the Security Trustee in writing of the terms and conditions of the renewal.

 

13.6 Copies of policies; letters of undertaking. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall ensure that all approved brokers provide the Security Trustee as soon as practicable with pro forma copies of all policies relating to the obligatory insurances which have been effected or renewed and of a letter or letters or undertaking in a form required by the Security Trustee and that:

 

  (a) they will have endorsed on each policy, immediately upon issue, a loss payable clause and a notice of assignment complying with the provisions of Clause 13.4;

 

  (b) they will hold such policies, and the benefit of such insurances, to the order of the Security Trustee in accordance with the said loss payable clause;

 

  (c) they will advise the Security Trustee immediately of any material change to the terms of the obligatory insurances;

 

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  (d) they will notify the Security Trustee, before the expiry of the obligatory insurances, in the event of their not having received notice of renewal instructions from the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor or its agents and, in the event of their receiving instructions to renew, they will promptly notify the Security Trustee of the terms of the instructions; and

 

  (e) they will not set off against any sum recoverable in respect of a claim relating to the Ship owned by the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor under such obligatory insurances any premiums or other amounts due to them or any other person whether in respect of any of the Ships or otherwise, they waive any lien on the policies, or any sums received under them, which they might have in respect of such premiums or other amounts, and they will not cancel such obligatory insurances by reason of non-payment of such premiums or other amounts, and will arrange for a separate policy to be issued in respect of the Ships forthwith upon being so requested by the Security Trustee.

 

13.7 Copies of certificates of entry. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall ensure that for any protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations in which a Ship is entered the Security Trustee will be provided with:

 

  (a) a certified copy of the certificate of entry for that Ship;

 

  (b) a letter or letters of undertaking in such form as may be required by the Security Trustee;

 

  (c) where required to be issued under the terms of insurance/indemnity provided by the relevant Guarantor’s or Collateral Guarantor’s protection and indemnity association, a certified copy of each United States of America voyage quarterly declaration (or similar document or documents) made by the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor in relation to the Ship owned by it in accordance with the requirements of such protection and indemnity association; and

 

  (d) a certified copy of each certificate of financial responsibility for pollution by oil or other Environmentally Sensitive Material issued by the relevant certifying authority in relation to the relevant Ship.

 

13.8 Deposit of original policies. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall ensure that all policies issued and relating to obligatory insurances are deposited by the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor, with the approved intermediaries or other approved parties through which the insurances are effected or renewed.

 

13.9 Payment of premiums. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall punctually pay all premiums or other sums payable in respect of the obligatory insurances terms and conditions, and produce all relevant receipts when so required by the Security Trustee.

 

13.10 Guarantees. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall ensure that any guarantees required by a protection and indemnity or war risks association are promptly issued and remain in full force and effect.

 

13.11 Compliance with terms of insurances. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall not do or omit to do (or permit to be done or not to be done) any act or thing which would or might render any obligatory insurance invalid, void, voidable or unenforceable or render any sum payable under an obligatory insurance repayable in whole or in part; and, in particular:

 

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  (a) the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall take all necessary action and comply with all requirements which may from time to time be applicable to the obligatory insurances, and (without limiting the obligation contained in Clause 13.6(c)) ensure that the obligatory insurances are not made subject to any exclusions or qualifications to which the Security Trustee has not given its prior approval;

 

  (b) a Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall not make any changes relating to the classification or classification society or manager or operator of the Ship owned by it approved by the underwriters of the obligatory insurances;

 

  (c) the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall, make (and promptly supply copies to the Agent of) all quarterly or other voyage declarations which may be required by the protection and indemnity risks association in which its Ship is entered to maintain cover for trading to the United States of America and Exclusive Economic Zone (as defined in the United States Oil Pollution Act 1990 or any other applicable legislation); and

 

  (d) a Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall not employ its Ship, nor allow such Ship to be employed, otherwise than in conformity with the terms and conditions of the obligatory insurances, without first obtaining the consent of the insurers and complying with any requirements (as to extra premium or otherwise) which the insurers specify.

 

13.12 Alteration to terms of insurances. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall not make or agree to any alteration to the terms of any obligatory insurance nor waive any right relating to any obligatory insurance.

 

13.13 Settlement of claims. The Borrower shall procure that no Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall settle, compromise or abandon any claim under any obligatory insurance for Total Loss or for a Major Casualty, and shall do all things necessary and provide all documents, evidence and information to enable the Security Trustee to collect or recover any moneys which at any time become payable in respect of the obligatory insurances.

 

13.14 Provision of copies of communications. The Borrower shall and shall procure that each Guarantor and Collateral Guarantor shall, promptly upon request by the Agent provide the Security Trustee, copies of all written communications which are material in the context of the Borrower’s and the Guarantor’s and Collateral Guarantor’s obligations under the Finance Documents between it and:

 

  (a) the approved brokers or insurers; and

 

  (b) the approved protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations; and

 

  (c) the approved insurance companies and/or underwriters, which relate directly or indirectly to:

 

  (i) the relevant Guarantor’s or Collateral Guarantor’s obligations relating to the obligatory insurances including, without limitation, all requisite declarations and payments of additional premiums or calls; and

 

  (ii) any credit arrangements made between the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor and any of the persons referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) relating wholly or partly to the effecting or maintenance of the obligatory insurances.

 

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13.15 Provision of information. In addition, the Borrower shall and shall procure that each Guarantor and Collateral Guarantor shall, promptly provide the Security Trustee (or any persons which it may designate) with any information which the Security Trustee (or any such designated person) requests for the purpose of:

 

  (a) obtaining or preparing any report from an independent marine insurance broker or consultant as to the adequacy of the obligatory insurances effected or proposed to be effected; and/or

 

  (b) effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurances as are referred to in Clause 13.16 or dealing with or considering any matters relating to any such insurances;

and the Borrower shall, forthwith upon demand, indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all fees and other expenses incurred by or for the account of the Security Trustee in connection with any such report as is referred to in paragraph (a) above.

 

13.16 Mortgagee’s interest insurance. The Security Trustee (acting on behalf of all the Lenders) shall be entitled, at the Borrower’s cost, from time to time to effect, maintain and renew a mortgagee’s interest and pollution risks insurance policy (including additional perils (pollution) cover) in an amount equal to at least 120% of the Loan such terms, through such insurers and generally in such manner as the Security Trustee may from time to time consider appropriate.

 

13.17 Review of insurance requirements. The Majority Lenders shall be entitled to review the requirements of this Clause 13 from time to time in order to take account of any changes in circumstances after the date of this Agreement which are, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, significant and capable of affecting the Borrower or an Owner or any Ship and its or their insurance (including, without limitation, changes in the availability or the cost of insurance coverage or the risks to which the Borrower or an Owner may be subject), and may appoint insurance consultants in relation to this review at the cost of the Borrower.

 

13.18 Modification of insurance requirements. The Security Trustee shall notify the Borrower and the relevant Owner of any proposed modification under Clause 13.17 to the requirements of this Clause 13 which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider appropriate in the circumstances, and such modification shall take effect on and from the date it is notified in writing to the Borrower as an amendment to this Clause 13 and shall bind the Borrower and the relevant Owner accordingly.

 

13.19 Compliance with mortgagee’s instructions. The Security Trustee shall be entitled (without prejudice to or limitation of any other rights which it may have or acquire under any Finance Document) to require a Ship to remain at any safe port or to proceed to and remain at any safe port designated by the Security Trustee until the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor implements any amendments to the terms of the obligatory insurances and any operational changes required as a result of a notice served under Clause 13.18.

 

13.20 Assured and Co-Assured . If persons other than the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor and/or Security Trustee are named as assureds or co-assureds in the insurance policy of the relevant Ship, the Borrower shall procure that these persons assign their insurances to the Security Trustee upon such terms and conditions as the Security Trustee may require.

 

14 SHIP’S COVENANTS

 

14.1 General. The Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor comply in relation to its Ship, with, the following provisions of this Clause 14 at all times until the last day of the Security Period except as the Agent, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, may otherwise permit (such permission not to be unreasonably withheld in the case of Clause 14.13(b)).

 

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14.2 Ship’s name and registration. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall keep the Ship owned by it registered in its name under an Approved Flag free of any Security Interest other than a Permitted Security Interest; and shall not do, omit to do or allow to be done anything as a result of which such registration might be cancelled or imperilled; and shall not, without the prior written consent of the Security Trustee change the name or port of registry of the Ship owned by it.

 

14.3 Repair and classification. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall keep the Ship owned by it in a good and safe condition and state of repair:

 

  (a) consistent with first-class ship ownership and management practice;

 

  (b) so as to maintain that Ship’s class with Lloyds Register of Shipping or Germanischer Lloyd AG (or such other first-class classification society which is a member of IACS acceptable to the Agent, such acceptance not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) free of overdue recommendations and conditions affecting that Ship’s class that have not been complied with in accordance with their terms; and

 

  (c) so as to comply with all laws and regulations applicable to vessels registered at ports in the relevant Approved Flag State or to vessels trading to any jurisdiction to which that Ship may trade from time to time, including but not limited to the ISM Code, the ISPS Code and the MARPOL Protocol.

 

14.4 Classification society undertaking. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall instruct the classification society referred to in Clause 14.3(b) (and procure that the classification society undertakes with the Security Trustee):

 

  (a) to send to the Security Trustee, following receipt of a written request from the Security Trustee, certified true copies of all original class records held by the classification society in relation to the Ship owned by the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor;

 

  (b) to allow the Security Trustee (or its agents), at any time and from time to time, to inspect the original class and related records of that Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor and its Ship at the offices of the classification society and to take copies of them;

 

  (c) to notify the Security Trustee immediately in writing if the classification society:

 

  (i) receives notification from the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor or any person that the Ship’s classification society is to be changed; or

 

  (ii) becomes aware of any facts or matters which may result in or have resulted in a change, suspension, discontinuance, withdrawal or expiry of the Ship’s class under the rules or terms and conditions of the relevant Guarantor’s or Collateral Guarantor’s or its Ship’s membership of the classification society;

 

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  (d) following receipt of a written request from the Security Trustee:

 

  (i) to confirm that the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor is not in default of any of its contractual obligations or liabilities to the classification society and, without limiting the foregoing, that it has paid in full all fees or other charges due and payable to the classification society; or

 

  (ii) if the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor is in default of any of its contractual obligations or liabilities to the classification society, to specify to the Security Trustee in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances of such default, the consequences thereof, and any remedy period agreed or allowed by the classification society.

 

14.5 Modification. The Borrower shall procure that no Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall make any modification or repairs to, or replacement of, the Ship owned by it or equipment installed on its Ship which would or might materially alter the structure, type or performance characteristics of that Ship or materially reduce its value.

 

14.6 Removal of parts. The Borrower shall procure that no Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall remove any material part of the Ship owned by it, or any item of equipment installed on, the Ship unless the part or item so removed is forthwith replaced by a suitable part or item which is in the same condition as or better condition than the part or item removed, is free from any Security Interest or any right in favour of any person other than the Security Trustee and becomes on installation on the Ship the property of that Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor and subject to the security constituted by the Mortgage, relative to the Ship Provided that a Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor may install equipment owned by a third party if the equipment can be removed without any material risk of damage to the Ship.

 

14.7 Surveys. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall submit the Ship owned by it regularly to all periodical or other surveys which may be required for classification purposes and, if so required by the Security Trustee, provide the Security Trustee, with copies of all survey reports.

 

14.8 Inspection. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall permit and facilitate the Security Trustee (by surveyors or other persons appointed by it for that purpose) to board the Ship owned by it at all reasonable times to inspect its condition or to satisfy themselves about proposed or executed repairs (at the Borrower’s or the relevant Guarantor’s or Collateral Guarantor’s (as applicable) cost) and shall afford all proper facilities for such inspections, at the cost of the Borrower or the Guarantor or the Collateral Guarantor (as applicable) for one such inspection per Ship in each calendar year and otherwise at the Agent’s cost.

 

14.9 Prevention of and release from arrest. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall promptly discharge:

 

  (a) all liabilities which give or may give rise to maritime or possessory liens on or claims enforceable against its Ship, its Earnings or its Insurances;

 

  (b) all taxes, dues and other amounts charged in respect of its Ship, its Earnings or its Insurances; and

 

  (c) all other outgoings whatsoever in respect of its Ship, the Earnings or the Insurances;

and, forthwith upon receiving notice of the arrest of a Ship, or of its detention in exercise or purported exercise of any lien or claim, the Borrower shall procure that the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall procure its release by providing bail or otherwise as the circumstances may require.

 

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14.10 Compliance with laws etc. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall:

 

  (a) comply, or procure compliance with the ISM Code, the ISPS code, the MARPOL Protocol and Environmental Laws and all other laws or regulations relating to the Ship owned by it, its ownership, operation and management or to the business that Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor;

 

  (b) comply, and will use best endeavours to procure that each Security Party and each other Group Member will, comply in all respect with all Sanctions;

 

  (c) not employ the Ship owned by it nor allow its employment in any manner contrary to any law or regulation in any relevant jurisdiction including but not limited to the ISM Code, the ISPS code and the MARPOL Protocol; and

 

  (d) in the event of hostilities in any part of the world (whether war is declared or not), not cause or permit its Ship to enter or trade to any zone which is declared a war zone by any government or by its Ship’s war risks insurers unless the prior written consent of the Security Trustee has been given and the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor has (at its expense) effected any special, additional or modified insurance cover which the Security Trustee may require.

 

14.11 Provision of information. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall promptly provide the Security Trustee with any information which it requests regarding:

 

  (a) the Ship owned by it, its employment, position and engagements;

 

  (b) the Earnings and payments and amounts due to its Ship’s master and crew;

 

  (c) any expenses incurred, or likely to be incurred, in connection with the operation, maintenance or repair of its Ship and any payments made in respect of that Ship;

 

  (d) any towages and salvages;

 

  (e) that Guarantor’s or Collateral Guarantor’s, the Approved Manager’s or its Ship’s compliance with the ISM Code, the ISPS Code and the MARPOL Protocol;

and, upon the Security Trustee’s request, provide copies of any current charter relating to any Ship, of any current charter guarantee and copies of the relevant Guarantor’s or Collateral Guarantor’s or the Approved Manager’s Document of Compliance.

 

14.12 Notification of certain events. The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall immediately notify the Security Trustee by fax, confirmed forthwith by letter, of:

 

  (a) any casualty which is or is likely to be or to become a Major Casualty;

 

  (b) any occurrence as a result of which the Ship has become or is, by the passing of time or otherwise, likely to become a Total Loss;

 

  (c) any requirement or recommendation made by any insurer or classification society or by any competent authority which is not complied with within the relevant specified time limit or, in the absence of such time limit, promptly;

 

  (d) any arrest or detention of a Ship, any exercise or purported exercise of any lien on a Ship or its Earnings or any requisition of that Ship for hire;

 

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  (e) any Environmental Claim made against a Guarantor, a Collateral Guarantor or the Approved Manager or in connection with any Ship or any Environmental Incident;

 

  (f) any claim for breach of the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or the MARPOL Protocol being made against an Owner or the Approved Manager or otherwise in connection with any Ship; or

 

  (g) any other matter, event or incident, actual or threatened, the effect of which will or could lead to the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or the MARPOL Protocol not being complied with;

and the Borrower shall and shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall keep the Security Trustee advised in writing on a regular basis and in such detail as the Security Trustee shall require of the Borrower’s, the relevant Owner’s, the Approved Manager’s or any other person’s response to any of those events or matters.

 

14.13 Restrictions on chartering, appointment of managers etc. The Borrower shall procure that no Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor shall:

 

  (a) let the Ship owned by it on demise charter for any period;

 

  (b) enter into any time or consecutive voyage charter in respect of the Ship owned by it for a term which exceeds, or which by virtue of any optional extensions may exceed, 13 months;

 

  (c) enter into any charter in relation to its Ship under which more than 2 months’ hire (or the equivalent) is payable in advance;

 

  (d) charter its Ship otherwise than on bona fide arm’s length terms at the time when that Ship is fixed;

 

  (e) appoint a manager of its Ship other than an Approved Manager;

 

  (f) agree to any alteration to the material terms of the Management Agreement relating to its Ship or to any other terms of the Approved Manager’s appointment;

 

  (g) de-activate or lay up its Ship for more than 30 days; or

 

  (h) put its Ship into the possession of any person for the purpose of work being done upon it in an amount exceeding or likely to exceed $500,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency), which amount shall exclude dry-docking costs, unless the Agent (acting with authorisation of the Majority Lenders) has given prior approval in writing.

 

14.14 Notice of Mortgage. The Borrower shall procure that:

 

(a) each Guarantor shall keep the relevant Mortgage registered against the Ship owned by it as a valid first priority mortgage, carry on board that Ship a certified copy of the relevant Mortgage and place and maintain in a conspicuous place in the navigation room and the Master’s cabin of that Ship a framed printed notice stating that that Ship is mortgaged by the relevant Guarantor to the Security Trustee; and

 

(b) each Collateral Guarantor shall keep the relevant Collateral Mortgage registered against the Ship owned by it as a valid second priority mortgage, carry on board that Ship a certified copy of the relevant Collateral Mortgage and place and maintain in a conspicuous place in the navigation room and the Master’s cabin of that Ship a framed printed notice stating that that Ship is mortgaged by the relevant Collateral Guarantor to the Security Trustee.

 

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14.15 Sharing of Earnings. The Borrower shall not, and shall procure that no Owner shall, enter into any agreement or arrangement for the sharing of any Earnings other than any time or voyage charters with profit sharing clauses.

 

14.16 ISPS Code . The Borrower shall procure that each Guarantor and each Collateral Guarantor shall comply with the ISPS Code and in particular, without limitation, shall:

 

  (a) procure that its Ship and the company responsible for such Ship’s compliance with the ISPS Code comply with the ISPS Code; and

 

  (b) maintain for its Ship an ISSC; and

 

  (c) notify the Agent immediately in writing of any actual or threatened withdrawal, suspension, cancellation or modification of the ISSC.

 

14.17 Charters etc.      The Borrower shall (i) deliver to the Agent a Certified Copy of each Extended Employment Contract upon its execution, (ii) forthwith on the Agent’s request procure that the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor executes (a) a Charter Assignment or Collateral Charter Assignment in respect thereof and (b) any notice of assignment required in connection therewith and use reasonable commercial efforts to procure the acknowledgement of any such notice of assignment by the relevant charterer (provided that any failure to procure the same shall not constitute an Event of Default) and (iii) pay all legal and other costs incurred by the Agent in connection with any such Charter Assignments or Collateral Charter Assignment, forthwith following the Agent’s demand.

 

14.18 Inventory of Hazardous Material. The Borrower shall procure that immediately following completion of its next dry-docking, each Ship shall hold at all times during the Facility Period an Inventory of Hazardous Material or equivalent document

where “ Inventory of Hazardous Material ” means a document listing all the potentially hazardous materials on board the Ship or the “Inventory of Hazardous Materials” (IHM Certificate) or equivalent document as may be required by the relevant Classification Society.

 

14.19 Sustainable Vessel dismantling. The Borrower shall ensure and procure a safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible dismantling of any Ship upon the same being scrapped or otherwise taken out of service.

 

14.20 Inspection Reports. The Borrower shall provide to the Agent by no later than 30 September 2017 an inspection report in respect of each Ship which is subject to a Mortgage or a Collateral Mortgage, in a form and substance, and from a marine surveyor, acceptable to the Agent.

 

15 SECURITY COVER

 

15.1 Minimum required security cover. Clause 15.2 applies if, after the end of the third financial quarter of 2017, the Agent notifies the Borrower that:

 

  (a) the aggregate of the Fair Market Values (determined as provided in Clause 15.3) of the Ships; plus

 

  (b) the net realisable value of any additional security previously provided under this Clause 15;

is below 130 per cent of the aggregate of the Loan and the Collateral Loan.

 

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15.2 Provision of additional security; prepayment. If the Agent serves a notice on the Borrower under Clause 15.1, the Borrower shall, within 1 month after the date on which the Agent’s notice is served, either:

 

  (a) provide, or ensure that a third party provides, additional security which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, has a net realisable value at least equal to the shortfall and is documented in such terms as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, approve or require; or

 

  (b) prepay and/or cancel, in accordance with Clause 8, such part (at least) of the Loan as will eliminate the shortfall.

 

15.3 Valuation of Ship. The Fair Market Value at any date is that shown by a valuation prepared:

 

  (a) as at a date not more than 30 days previously;

 

  (b) by an Approved Broker;

 

  (c) with or without physical inspection of that Ship (as the Agent may require); and

 

  (d) on the basis of a sale for prompt delivery for cash on normal arm’s length commercial terms as between a willing seller and a willing buyer, free of any existing charter or other contract of employment.

Valuations shall be obtained by the Borrower and addressed to the Agent:

 

  (i) prior to (but dated no more than 30 days prior to) the Drawdown Date;

 

  (ii) at quarterly intervals (on each date on which the Borrower is required pursuant to Clause 12.5 to deliver a Compliance Certificate to the Agent); and

 

  (iii) (in addition to (a) and (b) above) at any other time as the Agent shall require (in its absolute discretion).

 

15.4 Value of additional vessel security. The net realisable value of any additional security which is provided under Clause 15.2 and which consists of a Security Interest over a vessel shall be that shown by a valuation complying with the requirements of Clause 15.3.

 

15.5 Valuations binding. Any valuation under Clause 15.2, 15.3 or 15.4 shall be binding and conclusive as regards the Borrower, as shall be any valuation which the Majority Lenders make of any additional security which does not consist of or include a Security Interest.

 

15.6 Provision of information. The Borrower shall promptly provide the Agent and any Approved Broker or expert acting under Clause 15.3 or 15.4 with any information which the Agent or the Approved Broker or expert may request for the purposes of the valuation; and, if the Borrower fails to provide the information by the date specified in the request, the valuation may be made on any basis and assumptions which the Approved Broker or the Majority Lenders (or the expert appointed by them) consider prudent.

 

15.7 Payment of valuation expenses. Without prejudice to the generality of the Borrower’s obligations under Clauses 20.2, 20.3 and 21.3, the Borrower shall, on demand, pay the Agent the amount of the fees and expenses of any Approved Broker instructed under this Clause 15.

 

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16 PAYMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

 

16.1 Currency and method of payments. All payments to be made by the Lenders or by the Borrower under a Finance Document shall be made to the Agent or to the Security Trustee, in the case of an amount payable to it:

 

  (a) by not later than 11.00 a.m. (New York City time) on the due date;

 

  (b) in same day Dollar funds settled through the New York Clearing House Interbank Payments System (or in such other Dollar funds and/or settled in such other manner as the Agent shall specify as being customary at the time for the settlement of international transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement);

 

  (c) in the case of an amount payable by a Lender to the Agent or by the Borrower to the Agent or any Lender, to such account as the Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the other Creditor Parties for this purpose; and

 

  (d) in the case of an amount payable to the Security Trustee, to such account as it may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the other Creditor Parties.

 

16.2 Payment on non-Business Day. If any payment by the Borrower or a Security Party under a Finance Document would otherwise fall due on a day which is not a Business Day:

 

  (a) the due date shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day; or

 

  (b) if the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next calendar month, the due date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day;

and interest shall be payable during any extension under paragraph (a) at the rate payable on the original due date.

 

16.3 Basis for calculation of periodic payments. All interest and commitment fee and guarantee fee and any other payments under any Finance Document which are of an annual or periodic nature shall accrue from day to day and shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a 360 day year.

 

16.4 Distribution of payments to Creditor Parties. Subject to Clauses 16.5, 16.6 and 16.7:

 

  (a) any amount received by the Agent under a Finance Document for distribution or remittance to a Creditor Party shall be made available by the Agent to that Creditor Party by payment, with funds having the same value as the funds received, to such account as the Creditor Party may have notified to the Agent not less than 3 Business Days previously; and

 

  (b) amounts to be applied in satisfying amounts of a particular category which are due to the Lenders generally shall be distributed by the Agent to each Lender pro rata to the amount in that category which is due to it.

 

16.5 Permitted deductions by Agent. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent may, before making an amount available to a Lender, deduct and withhold from that amount any sum which is then due and payable to the Agent from that Lender under any Finance Document or any sum which the Agent is then entitled under any Finance Document to require that Lender to pay on demand.

 

16.6 Agent only obliged to pay when monies received. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent shall not be obliged to make available to the Borrower, any Lender any sum which the Agent is expecting to receive for remittance or distribution to that Borrower, to that Lender until the Agent has satisfied itself that it has received that sum.

 

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16.7 Refund to Agent of monies not received. If and to the extent that the Agent makes available a sum to the Borrower, a Lender, without first having received that sum, the Borrower or (as the case may be) , the Lender concerned shall, on demand:

 

  (a) refund the sum in full to the Agent; and

 

  (b) pay to the Agent the amount (as certified by the Agent) which will indemnify the Agent against any funding or other loss, liability or expense incurred by the Agent as a result of making the sum available before receiving it.

 

16.8 Agent may assume receipt. Clause 16.7 shall not affect any claim which the Agent has under the law of restitution, and applies irrespective of whether the Agent had any form of notice that it had not received the sum which it made available.

 

16.9 Creditor Party accounts. Each Creditor Party shall maintain accounts showing the amounts owing to it by the Borrower and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrower and any Security Party.

 

16.10 Agent’s memorandum account. The Agent shall maintain a memorandum account showing the amounts advanced by the Lenders and all other sums owing to each Creditor Party from the Borrower and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrower and any Security Party.

 

16.11 Accounts prima facie evidence. If any accounts maintained under Clauses 16.9 and 16.10 show an amount to be owing by the Borrower or a Security Party to a Creditor Party, those accounts shall be prima facie evidence that that amount is owing to that Creditor Party in the absence of manifest error.

 

16.12 FATCA

 

(a) FATCA Information

 

  (i) Subject to subclause (3) below, each party to a Finance Document shall, within ten Business Days of a reasonable request by another party to the Finance Documents:

 

  (2) confirm to that other party whether it is a FATCA Exempt Party or is not a FATCA Exempt Party;

 

  (3) supply to the requesting party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status under FATCA as the requesting party reasonably requests for the purposes of such requesting party’s compliance with FATCA; and

 

  (4) supply to the requesting party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status as the requesting party reasonably requests for the purposes of the requesting party’s compliance with any other law, regulation, or exchange of information regime.

 

  (ii) If a party to any Finance Document confirms to another party pursuant to subclause (a) above that it is a FATCA Exempt Party and it subsequently becomes aware that it is not, or has ceased to be a FATCA Exempt Party, that party shall notify that other party and the Agent reasonably promptly.

 

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  (iii) Subclause (a) above shall not oblige any Creditor Party to do anything, and Subclause (a) (iii) above shall not oblige any other party to a Finance Document to do anything, which would or might in its reasonable opinion constitute a breach of any law or regulation, any policy of that Creditor Party, any fiduciary duty or any duty of confidentiality.

 

  (iv) If a party to any Finance Document fails to confirm whether or not it is a FATCA Exempt Party or to supply forms, documentation or other information requested in accordance with subclause (a)(i) or (ii) above (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where paragraph (c) above applies), then such party shall be treated for the purposes of the Finance Documents (and payments under them) as if it is not a FATCA Exempt Party until such time as the party in question provides the requested confirmation, forms, documentation or other information.

 

(a) FATCA Deduction

 

  (v) a party to any Finance Document may make any FATCA Deduction it is required to make by FATCA, and any payment required in connection with that FATCA Deduction, and no party to any Finance Document shall be required to increase any payment in respect of which it makes such a FATCA Deduction or otherwise compensate the recipient of the payment for that FATCA Deduction.

 

  (vi) a party to any Finance Document shall promptly, upon becoming aware that it must make a FATCA Deduction (or that there is any change in the rate or the basis of such FATCA Deduction) notify the party to whom it is making the payment and, in addition, shall notify the Borrower, the Agent and the other Creditor Parties.

 

17 APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS

 

17.1 Normal order of application. Except as any Finance Document may otherwise provide, any sums which are received or recovered by any Creditor Party under or by virtue of any Finance Document shall be applied:

 

  (a) FIRST: in or towards payment pro rata of any unpaid fees, costs and expenses of the Agent and the Security Trustee and the other Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents;

 

  (b) SECONDLY: in or towards payment pro rata of any accrued interest due but unpaid under this Agreement;

 

  (c) THIRDLY: in or towards payment pro rata of any principal due but unpaid under this Agreement;

 

  (d) FOURTHLY: in or towards payment pro rata of any other amounts due but unpaid under any Finance Document;

 

  (e) FIFTHLY: in retention of an amount equal to any amount not then due and payable under any Finance Document but which the Lender, by notice to the Borrower and the Security Parties, states in its opinion will or may become due and payable in the future and, upon those amounts becoming due and payable, in or towards satisfaction of them in accordance with the provisions of Clause 17.1(a), (b), (c) and (d); and

 

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  (f) SIXTHLY: any surplus shall be paid to the Borrower or to any other person entitled to it.

 

17.2 Variation of order of application. The Agent may, with the authorisation of the Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties provide for a different manner of application from that set out in Clause 17.1 either as regards a specified sum or sums or as regards sums in a specified category or categories.

 

17.3 Notice of variation of order of application. The Agent may give notices under Clause 17.2 from time to time; and such a notice may be stated to apply not only to sums which may be received or recovered in the future, but also to any sum which has been received or recovered on or after the third Business Day before the date on which the notice is served.

 

17.4 Appropriation rights overridden. This Clause 17 and any notice which the Agent gives under Clause 17.2 shall override any right of appropriation possessed, and any appropriation made, by the Borrower or any Security Party.

 

18 APPLICATION OF EARNINGS, LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS

 

18.1 Payment of Earnings. The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to ensure that, throughout the Security Period (subject only to the provisions of the Mortgages and the General Assignments), all the Earnings in respect of a Ship are paid to the Earnings Account applicable to the Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor which is the owner of such Ship;

 

18.2 Application of Earnings. The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party that money from time to time credited to, or for the time being standing to the credit of, an Earnings Account shall, unless and until an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default shall have occurred (whereupon the provisions of Clause 17.1 shall be and become applicable), be available for application in the following manner:

 

(a) FIRSTLY: in or towards meeting the costs, fees and expenses payable by the Borrower under the Finance Documents;

 

(b) SECONDLY: in or towards making the transfers to the Retention Account pursuant to Clause 18.3; and

 

(c) THIRDLY: in or towards meeting the costs and expenses from time to time incurred by or on behalf of the Borrower, the Guarantors or the Collateral Guarantors in connection with the operation of the Ships.

 

18.3 Monthly retentions. The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to ensure that, throughout the Security Period on the same day in each month, there is transferred to the Retention Account:

 

  (a) one-third of the repayment instalment in respect of each Advance falling due under Clause 8.1 on the next Repayment Date; and

 

  (b) the relevant fraction of the aggregate amount of interest on each Advance which is payable on the next due date for payment of interest.

Where:

relevant fraction ” is a fraction of which the numerator is 1 and the denominator the number of months comprised in the then current Interest Period (or, if current Interest Period ends after the next date for payment of interest under this Agreement, the number of months from the later of the commencement of the current Interest Period or the last due date for payment of interest to the next date for payment of interest under this Agreement).

 

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18.4 Shortfall in Earnings. If the aggregate Earnings received in the Earnings Accounts and Collateral Earnings Accounts are insufficient in any month for the required amount to be transferred to any Retention Account under Clause 18.3, the Borrower shall make up the amount of the insufficiency by payment in Dollars to the Retention Account.

 

18.5 Application of retentions. Until an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default occurs, the Account Bank shall on each Repayment Date and on each due date for the payment of interest under this Agreement pay to the Agent, for the Agent to distribute to the Lenders in accordance with Clause 16.4 so much of the then balance on the Retention Account as equals:

 

  (a) the repayment instalment due on that Repayment Date; or, as the case may be,

 

  (b) the amount of interest payable on that interest payment date

in discharge of the Borrower’s liability for that repayment instalment or that interest.

 

18.6 Location of accounts. The Borrower shall promptly:

 

(a) comply, and procure that the Guarantors and Collateral Guarantors comply, with any requirement of the Agent as to the location or re-location of the Earnings Accounts, the Retention Account or any of them, provided that those accounts must at all times be with the Account Bank; and

 

(b) execute, and procure that the Guarantors and Collateral Guarantors execute, any documents which the Agent specifies to create or maintain in favour of the Security Trustee a Security Interest over the Earnings Accounts and the Retention Account.

 

18.7 Borrower’s obligations unaffected. The provisions of this Clause 18 do not affect:

 

(a) the liability of the Borrower to make payments of principal and interest on the due dates; or

 

(b) any other liability or obligation of the Borrower or any Security Party under any Finance Document.

 

19 EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

19.1 Events of Default. An Event of Default occurs if:

 

  (a) any Security Party fails to pay any sum payable by it under any of the Finance Documents at the time, in the currency and in the manner stipulated in the Finance Documents (and so that, for this purpose, sums payable (i) under clauses 5.1 and 8.1 shall be treated as having been paid at the stipulated time if (aa) received by the Agent within two (2) days of the dates therein referred to and (bb) such delay in receipt is caused by administrative or other delays or errors within the banking system and (ii) on demand shall be treated as having been paid at the stipulated time if paid within three (3) Business Days of demand); or

 

  (b) any breach occurs of Clause 9.2, 11.2, 11.3, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 or 15.2 of this Agreement; or

 

  (c) any breach by the Borrower or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraphs (a) or (b)) which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, is capable of remedy, and such default continues unremedied 15 days after written notice from the Agent requesting action to remedy the same; or

 

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  (d) (subject to any applicable grace period specified in any Finance Document) any breach by the Borrower or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach falling within paragraphs (a), (b) or (c)); or

 

  (e) any representation, warranty or statement made or repeated by, or by an officer of, the Borrower or a Security Party in a Finance Document or in a Drawdown Notice or any other notice or document relating to a Finance Document is untrue or misleading in a material respect when it is made or repeated; or

 

  (f) any of the following occurs in relation to any Financial Indebtedness (exceeding $5,000,000 in respect of the Borrower and $1,000,000 for all other Relevant Persons) of a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is not paid when due; or

 

  (ii) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes due and payable prior capable of being declared due and payable prior to its stated maturity date as a consequence of any event of default; or

 

  (iii) any overdraft, loan, note issuance, acceptance credit, letter of credit, guarantee, foreign exchange or other facility, or any swap or other derivative contract or transaction, relating to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person ceases to be available or becomes capable of being terminated as a result of any event of default, or cash cover is required, or becomes capable of being required, in respect of such a facility as a result of any event of default; or

 

  (iv) an event of default howsoever described (or any event which with the giving of notice, lapse of time, determination of materiality or fulfillment of any other applicable condition or any combination of the foregoing would constitute such an event of default) occurs under any document relating to Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (v) any Security Interest securing any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes enforceable; or

 

  (g) any of the following occurs in relation to a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) a Relevant Person becomes, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, unable to pay its debts as they fall due; or

 

  (ii) any assets of a Relevant Person are subject to any form of execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress, or any form of freezing order, in respect of a sum of, or sums aggregating, $5,000,000 or more in respect of the Borrower and $1,000,000 or more for all other Relevant Persons or the equivalent in another currency and, in respect of a Relevant Person other than a Security Party, the same is not lifted within 30 days; or

 

  (iii) any administrative or other receiver is appointed over any asset of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (iv) an administrator is appointed (whether by the court or otherwise) in respect of a Relevant Person; or

 

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  (v) any formal declaration of bankruptcy or any formal statement to the effect that a Relevant Person is insolvent or likely to become insolvent is made by a Relevant Person or by the directors of a Relevant Person or, in any proceedings, by a lawyer acting for a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vi) a provisional liquidator is appointed in respect of a Relevant Person, a winding up order is made in relation to a Relevant Person or a winding up resolution is passed by a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vii) a resolution is passed, and administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by (a) a Relevant Person, (b) the members or directors of a Relevant Person, (c) a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person, or (d) a government minister or public or regulatory authority of a Pertinent Jurisdiction for or with a view to the winding up of that or another Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of that or another Relevant Person, or that or another Relevant Person ceasing or suspending business operations or payments to creditors, save that this paragraph does not apply to a fully solvent winding up of a Relevant Person other than the Borrower or a Guarantor or a Collateral Guarantor which is, or is to be, effected for the purposes of an amalgamation or reconstruction previously approved by the Agent and effected not later than three months after the commencement of the winding up; or

 

  (viii) an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by a creditor of a Relevant Person (other than a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person) for the winding up of a Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of a Relevant Person in any Pertinent Jurisdiction, unless the proposed winding up, appointment of a provisional liquidator or administration is being contested in good faith, on substantial grounds and not with a view to some other insolvency law procedure being implemented instead and either (a) the application or petition is dismissed or withdrawn within 30 days of being made or presented, or (b) within 30 days of the administration notice being given or filed, or the other relevant steps being taken, other action is taken which will ensure that there be no administration and (in both cases (a) or (b)) the Relevant Person will continue to carry on business in the ordinary way and without being the subject of any actual, interim or pending insolvency law procedure; or

 

  (ix) a Relevant Person or its directors take any steps (whether by making or presenting an application or petition to a court, or submitting or presenting a document setting out a proposal or proposed terms, or otherwise) with a view to obtaining, in relation to that or another Relevant Person, any form of moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation of debt (or certain debt or arrangement with all or a substantial proportion (by number or value) of creditors or of any class of them or any such moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation or arrangement is effected by court order, by the filing of documents with a court, by means of a contract or in any other way at all; or

 

  (x)

any meeting of the members or directors, or of any committee of the board or senior management, of a Relevant Person is held or summoned for the purpose of considering a resolution or proposal to authorise or take

 

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  any action of a type described in paragraphs (iv) to (ix) or a step preparatory to such action, or (with or without such a meeting) the members, directors or such a committee resolve or agree that such an action or step should be taken or should be taken if certain conditions materialise or fail to materialise; or

 

  (xi) in a Pertinent Jurisdiction other than England, any event occurs, any proceedings are opened or commenced or any step is taken which, in the opinion of the Agent is similar to any of the foregoing; or

 

  (h) any Security Party is in breach of or fails to observe any law, requirement, measure or procedure implemented to combat “money laundering” as defined in Article 1 of the Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union; or

 

  (i) the Borrower or any Security Party ceases or suspends carrying on its business or a part of its business which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is material in the context of this Agreement or the other Finance Documents; or

 

  (j) it becomes unlawful or impossible:

 

  (i) for the Borrower or any Security Party to discharge any liability under a Finance Document or to comply with any other obligation which the Majority Lenders consider material under a Finance Document; or

 

  (ii) for the Agent, the Security Trustee, the Lenders to exercise or enforce any right under, or to enforce any Security Interest created by, a Finance Document; or

 

  (k) any consent necessary to enable the Borrower to own, operate or charter its Ship or to enable the Borrower or any Security Party to comply with any provision which the Majority Lenders consider material of a Finance Document, any MOA or any Management Agreement is not granted, expires without being renewed, is revoked or becomes liable to revocation or any condition of such a consent is not fulfilled; or

 

  (l) it appears to the Majority Lenders that, without their prior consent a change has occurred after the date of this Agreement in the legal or ultimate beneficial ownership of any of the shares in the Borrower; or

 

  (m) any provision which the Majority Lenders acting reasonably consider material of a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable, or a Security Interest created by a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable or such a Security Interest proves to have ranked after, or loses its priority to, another Security Interest or any other third party claim or;

 

  (n) there shall occur an Event of default (as therein defined) under the Collateral Loan Agreement; or

 

  (o) the security constituted by a Finance Document is in any way imperilled or in jeopardy and if, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, capable of remedy, such event or circumstance continues unremedied 14 days after written notice from the Agent to the Borrower or relevant Security Party requesting action to remedy the same; or

 

  (p) any other event occurs or any other circumstances arise or develop including, without limitation:

 

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  (i) a change in the financial position, state of affairs or prospects of any Relevant Person; or

 

  (ii) any accident or other event involving any Ship or another vessel owned, chartered or operated by a Relevant Person; or

 

  (iii) any litigation or proceedings are commenced or threatened against a Relevant Person,

in the light of which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider that:

 

  (1) there is a significant risk that the Borrower or any Security Party is, or will later become, unable to discharge its liabilities under the Finance Documents as they fall due; or

 

  (2) such event represents a material adverse change to the business of the Borrower or such Security Party.

 

19.2 Actions following an Event of Default. On and at any time after the occurrence of an Event of Default the Agent may, and shall if so directed by the Majority Lenders, by written notice to the Borrower:

 

  (a) cancel the Total Commitments, at which time they shall immediately be cancelled; and/or

 

  (b) declare that all or part of the Loan, together with accrued interest, and all other amounts accrued or outstanding under the Finance Documents, be immediately due and payable, at which time they shall become immediately due and payable; and/or

 

  (c) declare that all or part of the Loan be payable on demand, at which time they shall immediately become payable on demand by the Agent on the instructions of the Majority Lenders; and/or

 

  (d) declare that no withdrawals be made from any Earnings Account or the Retention Account; and/or

 

  (e) exercise or direct the Security Trustee to exercise any or all of its rights, remedies, powers or discretions under the Finance Documents.

 

19.3 Termination of Commitments. On the service of a notice under Clause 19.2(a)(i), the Commitments and all other obligations of each Lender to the Borrower under this Agreement shall be cancelled.

 

19.4 Acceleration of liabilities. On the service of a notice under Clause 19.2(a)(ii), the Loan, all accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing from the Borrower or any Security Party under this Agreement and every other Finance Document shall become immediately due and payable or, as the case may be, payable on demand.

 

19.5 Multiple notices; action without notice. The Agent may serve notices under Clause 19.2(a)(i) or (ii) simultaneously or on different dates and it and/or the Security Trustee may take any action referred to in Clause 19.2 if no such notice is served or simultaneously with or at any time after the service of both or either of such notices.

 

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19.6 Notification of Creditor Parties and Security Parties. The Agent shall send to each Creditor Party and each Security Party a copy or the text of any notice which the Agent serves on the Borrower under Clause 19.2; but the notice shall become effective when it is served on the Borrower, and no failure or delay by the Agent to send a copy or the text of the notice to any other person shall invalidate the notice or provide the Borrower or any Security Party with any form of claim or defence.

 

19.7 Bank’s rights unimpaired. Nothing in this Clause shall be taken to impair or restrict the exercise of any right given to individual Lenders under a Finance Document or the general law; and, in particular, this Clause is without prejudice to Clause 3.1.

 

19.8 Exclusion of Creditor Party liability. No Creditor Party, and no receiver or manager appointed by the Security Trustee, shall have any liability to the Borrower or a Security Party:

 

  (a) for any loss caused by an exercise of rights under, or enforcement of a Security Interest created by, a Finance Document or by any failure or delay to exercise such a right or to enforce such a Security Interest; or

 

  (b) as mortgagee in possession or otherwise, for any income or principal amount which might have been produced by or realised from any asset comprised in such a Security Interest or for any reduction (however caused) in the value of such an asset;

except that this does not exempt a Creditor Party or a receiver or manager from liability for losses shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the dishonesty or the wilful misconduct of such Creditor Party’s own officers and employees or (as the case may be) such receiver’s or manager’s own partners or employees.

 

19.9 Relevant Persons . In this Clause 19 a “ Relevant Person ” means the Borrower, a Guarantor, a Collateral Guarantor and any other Security Party (other than an Approved Manager that is not a subsidiary of the Borrower) and any of their Subsidiaries.

 

19.10 Interpretation. In Clause 19.1(f) references to an event of default or a termination event include any event, howsoever described, which is similar to an event of default in a facility agreement or a termination event in a finance lease; and in Clause 19.1(g) “ petition ” includes an application.

 

20 EXPENSES

 

20.1 Upfront fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with their Commitments, on the first Drawdown Date to occur, a non-refundable upfront fee of $315,000.

 

20.2 commitment fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with their Commitments, on each of the dates falling at three (3) monthly intervals after the date of this Agreement until the last day of the Availability Period and on the last day of the Availability Period, commitment commission accruing from the date of this Agreement (in the case of the first payment of commission) and from the date of the preceding payment of commission (in the case of each subsequent payment) at the rate of one point six per cent (1.6%) per annum on the daily undrawn amount of the Total Commitments

 

20.3 Costs of negotiation, preparation etc. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent on its demand the amount of all expenses incurred by the Agent or the Security Trustee in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution or registration of any Finance Document or any related document or with any transaction contemplated by a Finance Document or a related document (including without limitation, any travel expenses).

 

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20.4 Costs of variations, amendments, enforcement etc. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Creditor Party concerned the amount of all expenses incurred by a Creditor Party in connection with:

 

  (a) any amendment or supplement to a Finance Document, or any proposal for such an amendment to be made;

 

  (b) any consent or waiver by the Lenders, the Majority Lenders or the Creditor Party concerned under or in connection with a Finance Document, or any request for such a consent or waiver;

 

  (c) the valuation of any security provided or offered under Clause 15 or any other matter relating to such security; or

 

  (d) any step taken by the Creditor Party concerned with a view to the protection, exercise or enforcement of any right or Security Interest created by a Finance Document or for any similar purpose (including without limitation any litigation cost).

There shall be recoverable under paragraph (d) the full amount of all legal expenses, whether or not such as would be allowed under rules of court or any taxation or other procedure carried out under such rules.

 

20.5 Documentary taxes. The Borrower shall promptly pay any tax payable on or by reference to any Finance Document, and shall, on the Agent’s demand, fully indemnify each Creditor Party against any claims, expenses, liabilities and losses resulting from any failure or delay by the Borrower to pay such a tax.

 

20.6 Certification of amounts. A notice which is signed by 2 officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 20 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

21 INDEMNITIES

 

21.1 Indemnities regarding borrowing and repayment of Loan. The Borrower shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party on the Agent’s demand and the Security Trustee on its demand in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are made or brought against or incurred by that Creditor Party, or which that Creditor Party reasonably and with due diligence estimates that it will incur, as a result of or in connection with:

 

  (a) an Advance not being borrowed on the date specified in the relevant Drawdown Notice for any reason other than a default by the Lender claiming the indemnity;

 

  (b) the receipt or recovery of all or any part of the Loan or an overdue sum otherwise than on the last day of an Interest Period or other relevant period;

 

  (c) any failure (for whatever reason) by the Borrower to make payment of any amount due under a Finance Document on the due date or, if so payable, on demand (after giving credit for any default interest paid by the Borrower on the amount concerned under Clause 7);

 

  (d) the occurrence and/or continuance of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default and/or the acceleration of repayment of the Loan or any part of it under Clause 19;

 

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and in respect of any tax (other than tax on its overall net income) for which a Creditor Party is liable in connection with any amount paid or payable to that Creditor Party (whether for its own account or otherwise) under any Finance Document.

 

21.2 Breakage costs. Without limiting its generality, Clause 21.1 covers any claim, expense, liability or loss, including a loss of a prospective profit, incurred by a Lender:

 

  (a) in liquidating or employing deposits from third parties acquired or arranged to fund or maintain all or any part of its Contribution and/or any overdue amount (or an aggregate amount which includes its Contribution or any overdue amount); and

 

  (b) in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, any interest and/or currency swap or any other transaction entered into (whether with another legal entity or with another office or department of the Lender concerned) to hedge any exposure arising under this Agreement or that part which the Lender concerned determines is fairly attributable to this Agreement of the amount of the liabilities, expenses or losses (including losses of prospective profits) incurred by it in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, a number of transactions of which this Agreement is one.

 

21.3 Miscellaneous indemnities. The Borrower shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party severally on their respective demands in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which may be made or brought against or incurred by a Creditor Party, in any country, as a result of or in connection with:

 

  (a) any action taken, or omitted or neglected to be taken, under or in connection with any Finance Document by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party or by any receiver appointed under a Finance Document; or

 

  (b) any other Pertinent Matter;

other than claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the dishonesty or wilful misconduct of the officers or employees of the Creditor Party concerned.

Without prejudice to its generality, this Clause 21.3 covers any claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which arise, or are asserted, under or in connection with any law relating to safety at sea, the ISM Code, the ISPS Code, the MARPOL Protocol or any Environmental Law.

 

21.4 Currency indemnity. If any sum due from the Borrower or any Security Party to a Creditor Party under a Finance Document or under any order or judgment relating to a Finance Document has to be converted from the currency in which the Finance Document provided for the sum to be paid (the “ Contractual Currency ”) into another currency (the “ Payment Currency ”) for the purpose of:

 

  (a) making or lodging any claim or proof against the Borrower or any Security Party, whether in its liquidation, any arrangement involving it or otherwise; or

 

  (b) obtaining an order or judgment from any court or other tribunal; or

 

  (c) enforcing any such order or judgment;

the Borrower shall indemnify the Creditor Party concerned against the loss arising when the amount of the payment actually received by that Creditor Party is converted at the available rate of exchange into the Contractual Currency.

 

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In this Clause 21.4 the “ available rate of exchange ” means the rate at which the Creditor Party concerned is able at the opening of business (Rotterdam time) on the Business Day after it receives the sum concerned to purchase the Contractual Currency with the Payment Currency.

This Clause 21.4 creates a separate liability of the Borrower which is distinct from their other liabilities under the Finance Documents and which shall not be merged in any judgment or order relating to those other liabilities.

 

21.5 Certification of amounts. A notice which is signed by 2 officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 21 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

21.6 Sums deemed due to a Lender. For the purposes of this Clause 21, a sum payable by the Borrower to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender.

 

22 NO SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION

 

22.1 No deductions. All amounts due from the Borrower under a Finance Document shall be paid:

 

  (a) without any form of set-off, cross-claim or condition; and

 

  (b) free and clear of any tax deduction except a tax deduction which the Borrower is required by law to make.

 

22.2 Grossing-up for taxes. If the Borrower is required by law to make a tax deduction from any payment (other than a FATCA Deduction):

 

  (a) that Borrower shall notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of the requirement;

 

  (b) that Borrower shall pay the tax deducted to the appropriate taxation authority promptly, and in any event before any fine or penalty arises;

 

  (c) the amount due in respect of the payment shall be increased by the amount necessary to ensure that each Creditor Party receives and retains (free from any liability relating to the tax deduction) a net amount which, after the tax deduction, is equal to the full amount which it would otherwise have received.

 

22.3 Evidence of payment of taxes. Within 1 month after making any tax deduction, the Borrower concerned shall deliver to the Agent documentary evidence satisfactory to the Agent that the tax had been paid to the appropriate taxation authority.

 

22.4 Exclusion of tax on overall net income. In this Clause 22 “ tax deduction ” means any deduction or withholding for or on account of any present or future tax except tax on a Creditor Party’s overall net income.

 

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23 ILLEGALITY, ETC

 

23.1 Illegality. This Clause 23 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that it has become, or will with effect from a specified date, become:

 

  (a) unlawful or prohibited as a result of the introduction of a new law, an amendment to an existing law or a change in the manner in which an existing law is or will be interpreted or applied; or

 

  (b) contrary to, or inconsistent with, any regulation,

for the Notifying Lender to maintain or give effect to any of its obligations under this Agreement in the manner contemplated by this Agreement.

 

23.2 Notification of illegality. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower, the Security Parties, and each of the Creditor Parties of the notice under Clause 23.1 which the Agent receives from the Notifying Lender.

 

23.3 Prepayment; termination of Commitment. On the Agent notifying the Borrower under Clause 23.2, the Notifying Lender’s Commitment shall terminate; and thereupon or, if later, on the date specified in the Notifying Lender’s notice under Clause 23.1 as the date on which the notified event would become effective the Borrower shall prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution in accordance with Clause 8.

 

23.4 Mitigation . If circumstances arise which would result in a notification under Clause 23.1 then, without in any way limiting the rights of the Notifying Lender under Clause 23.3, the Notifying Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to transfer its obligations, liabilities and rights under this Agreement and the Finance Documents to another office or financial institution not affected by the circumstances but the Notifying Lender shall not be under any obligation to take any such action if, in its opinion, to do would or might:

 

  (a) have an adverse effect on its business, operations or financial condition; or

 

  (b) involve it in any activity which is unlawful or prohibited or any activity that is contrary to, or inconsistent with, any regulation; or

 

  (c) involve it in any expense (unless indemnified to its satisfaction) or tax disadvantage.

 

24 INCREASED COSTS

 

24.1 Increased costs. This Clause 24 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that the Notifying Lender considers that as a result of:

 

  (a) the introduction or alteration after the date of this Agreement of a law or an alteration after the date of this Agreement in the manner in which a law is interpreted or applied (disregarding any effect which relates to the application to payments under this Agreement of a tax on the Lender’s overall net income); or

 

  (b) complying with any regulation (including any which relates to capital adequacy or liquidity controls or which affects the manner in which the Notifying Lender allocates capital resources to its obligations under this Agreement) which is introduced, or altered, or the interpretation or application of which is altered, after the date of this Agreement,

the Notifying Lender (or a parent company of it) has incurred or will incur an “ increased cost ”.

 

24.2 Meaning of “increase cost”. In this Clause 24, “ increased cost ” means, in relation to a Notifying Lender:

 

  (a) an additional or increased cost incurred as a result of, or in connection with, the Notifying Lender having entered into, or being a party to, this Agreement or a Transfer Certificate, of funding or maintaining its Commitment or Contribution or performing its obligations under this Agreement, or of having outstanding all or any part of its Contribution or other unpaid sums;

 

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  (b) a reduction in the amount of any payment to the Notifying Lender under this Agreement or in the effective return which such a payment represents to the Notifying Lender or on its capital;

 

  (c) an additional or increased cost of funding all or maintaining all or any of the advances comprised in a class of advances formed by or including the Notifying Lender’s Contribution or (as the case may require) the proportion of that cost attributable to the Contribution; or

 

  (d) an additional or increased cost of funding all or maintaining all or any part the Notifying Lender’s Contributions or other unpaid sums or (as the case may require) the proportion of that cost attributable to the Contributions or other unpaid sums; or

 

  (e) a liability to make a payment, or a return foregone, which is calculated by reference to any amounts received or receivable by the Notifying Lender under this Agreement;

but not an item attributable to a change in the rate of tax on the overall net income of the Notifying Lender (or a parent company of it) or an item covered by the indemnity for tax in Clause 21.1 or by Clause 22.

For the purposes of this Clause 24.2 the Notifying Lender may in good faith allocate or spread costs and/or losses among its assets and liabilities (or any class of its assets and liabilities) on such basis as it considers appropriate.

 

24.3 Notification to Borrower of claim for increased costs. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Security Parties of the notice which the Agent received from the Notifying Lender under Clause 24.1.

 

24.4 Payment of increased costs. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Notifying Lender the amounts which the Agent from time to time notifies the Borrower that the Notifying Lender has specified to be necessary to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost.

 

24.5 Notice of prepayment; cancellation. If the Borrower is not willing to continue to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost under Clause 24.4, the Borrower may give the Agent not less than 14 days’ notice of their intention to:

 

  (a) prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution at the end of an Interest Period; and/or

 

  (b) cancel the Notifying Lender’s Available Commitment.

 

24.6 Prepayment; termination of Commitment. A notice under Clause 24.5 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Notifying Lender of the Borrower’s notice of intended prepayment and/or cancellation; and:

 

  (a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Available Commitment of the Notifying Lender shall be cancelled;

 

  (b) on the date specified in its notice of intended prepayment, the Borrower shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Notifying Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

 

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25 SET-OFF

 

25.1 Application of credit balances. Each Creditor Party may, following the occurrence of an Event of Default which is continuing, without prior notice:

 

  (a) apply any balance (whether or not then due) which at any time stands to the credit of any account in the name of the Borrower at any office in any country of that Creditor Party in or towards satisfaction of any sum then due from the Borrower to that Creditor Party under any of the Finance Documents; and

 

  (b) for that purpose:

 

  (i) break, or alter the maturity of, all or any part of a deposit of the Borrower;

 

  (ii) convert or translate all or any part of a deposit or other credit balance into Dollars; and

 

  (iii) enter into any other transaction or make any entry with regard to the credit balance which the Creditor Party concerned considers appropriate.

 

25.2 Existing rights unaffected. No Creditor Party shall be obliged to exercise any of its rights under Clause 25.1; and those rights shall be without prejudice and in addition to any right of set-off, combination of accounts, charge, lien or other right or remedy to which a Creditor Party is entitled (whether under the general law or any document).

 

25.3 Sums deemed due to a Creditor Party. For the purposes of this Clause 25, a sum payable by the Borrower to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to, or for the account of, any Creditor Party shall be treated as a sum due to that Creditor Party; and each Creditor Party’s proportion of a sum so payable for distribution to, or for the account of, the Creditor Parties shall be treated as a sum due to such Creditor Party.

 

25.4 No Security Interest. This Clause 25 gives the Creditor Parties a contractual right of set-off only, and does not create any equitable charge or other Security Interest over any credit balance of the Borrower.

 

26 TRANSFERS AND CHANGES IN LENDING AND BOOKING OFFICES

 

26.1 Transfer by Borrower. The Borrower may not, without the consent of the Agent, given on the instructions of all the Lenders transfer any of its rights, liabilities or obligations under any Finance Document.

 

26.2 Transfer by a Lender. Subject to Clause 26.4, a Lender (the “ Transferor Lender ”) may, (i) if such transfer is to any bank or financial institution affiliated to a Lender or if such transfer is made while an Event of Default is continuing, without the consent of the Borrower or (ii) if such transfer is to any arm’s length bank or financial institution, with the prior consent of the Borrower, (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) at any time, cause:

 

  (a) its rights in respect of all or part of its Contribution; or

 

  (b) its obligations in respect of all or part of its Commitment; or

 

  (c) a combination of (a) and (b);

to be (in the case of its rights) transferred to, or (in the case of its obligations) assumed by, another bank or financial institution (a “ Transferee Lender ”) by delivering to the Agent a completed certificate in the form set out in Schedule 4 with any modifications approved or required by the Agent (a “ Transfer Certificate ”) executed by the Transferor Lender and the Transferee Lender.

 

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However any rights and obligations of the Transferor Lender in its capacity as Agent or Security Trustee will have to be dealt with separately in accordance with the Agency and Trust Deed.

 

26.3 Transfer Certificate, delivery and notification. As soon as reasonably practicable after a Transfer Certificate is delivered to the Agent, it shall (unless it has reason to believe that the Transfer Certificate may be defective):

 

  (a) sign the Transfer Certificate on behalf of itself, the Borrower, the Security Parties and each of the Creditor Parties;

 

  (b) on behalf of the Transferee Lender, send to the Borrower and each Security Party letters or faxes notifying them of the Transfer Certificate and attaching a copy of it;

 

  (c) send to the Transferee Lender copies of the letters or faxes sent under paragraph (b) above.

 

26.4 Effective Date of Transfer Certificate. A Transfer Certificate becomes effective on the date, if any, specified in the Transfer Certificate as its effective date, Provided that it is signed by the Agent under Clause 26.3 on or before that date.

 

26.5 No transfer without Transfer Certificate. No assignment or transfer of any right or obligation of a Lender under any Finance Document is binding on, or effective in relation to, the Borrower, any Security Party, the Agent or the Security Trustee unless it is effected, evidenced or perfected by a Transfer Certificate.

 

26.6 Lender re-organisation; waiver of Transfer Certificate. However, if a Lender enters into any merger, de-merger or other reorganisation as a result of which all its rights or obligations vest in another person (the “ successor ”), the Agent may, if it sees fit, by notice to the successor and the Borrower and the Security Trustee waive the need for the execution and delivery of a Transfer Certificate; and, upon service of the Agent’s notice, the successor shall become a Lender with the same Commitment and Contribution as were held by the predecessor Lender.

 

26.7 Effect of Transfer Certificate. A Transfer Certificate takes effect in accordance with English law as follows:

 

  (a) to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate, all rights and interests (present, future or contingent) which the Transferor Lender has under or by virtue of the Finance Documents are assigned to the Transferee Lender absolutely, free of any defects in the Transferor Lender’s title and of any rights or equities which the Borrower or any Security Party had against the Transferor Lender;

 

  (b) the Transferor Lender’s Commitment is discharged to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

  (c) the Transferee Lender becomes a Lender with the Contribution previously held by the Transferor Lender and a Commitment of an amount specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

  (d) the Transferee Lender becomes bound by all the provisions of the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including those about pro-rata sharing and the exclusion of liability on the part of, and the indemnification of, the Agent and the Security Trustee and, to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes bound by those provisions (other than those relating to exclusion of liability), the Transferor Lender ceases to be bound by them;

 

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  (e) any part of the Loan which the Transferee Lender advances after the Transfer Certificate’s effective date ranks in point of priority and security in the same way as it would have ranked had it been advanced by the Transferor Lender, assuming that any defects in the transferor’s title and any rights or equities of the Borrower or any Security Party against the Transferor Lender had not existed;

 

  (f) the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to all the rights under the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including but not limited to those relating to the Majority Lenders and those under Clause 5.7 and Clause 20, and to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to such rights, the Transferor Lender ceases to be entitled to them; and

 

  (g) in respect of any breach of a warranty, undertaking, condition or other provision of a Finance Document or any misrepresentation made in or in connection with a Finance Document, the Transferee Lender shall be entitled to recover damages by reference to the loss incurred by it as a result of the breach or misrepresentation, irrespective of whether the original Lender would have incurred a loss of that kind or amount.

The rights and equities of the Borrower or any Security Party referred to above include, but are not limited to, any right of set off and any other kind of cross-claim.

 

26.8 Maintenance of register of Lenders. During the Security Period the Agent shall maintain a register in which it shall record the name, Commitment, Contribution and administrative details (including the lending office) from time to time of each Lender holding a Transfer Certificate and the effective date (in accordance with Clause 26.4) of the Transfer Certificate; and the Agent shall make the register available for inspection by any Creditor Party and the Borrower during normal banking hours, subject to receiving at least 3 Business Days prior notice.

 

26.9 Reliance on register of Lenders. The entries on that register shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive in determining the identities of the Lenders and the amounts of their Commitments and Contributions and the effective dates of Transfer Certificates and may be relied upon by the Agent and the other parties to the Finance Documents for all purposes relating to the Finance Documents.

 

26.10 Authorisation of Agent to sign Transfer Certificates. The Borrower and each Creditor Party irrevocably authorise the Agent to sign Transfer Certificates on its behalf.

 

26.11 Registration fee. In respect of any Transfer Certificate, the Agent shall be entitled to recover a registration fee of $1,000 from the Transferor Lender or (at the Agent’s option) the Transferee Lender.

 

26.12 Sub-participation; subrogation assignment. A Lender may sub-participate all or any part of its rights and/or obligations under or in connection with the Finance Documents without the consent of, or any notice to, the Borrower, any Security Party, or the other Creditor Parties; and the Lenders may assign, in any manner and terms agreed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent and the Security Trustee, all or any part of those rights to an insurer or surety who has become subrogated to them.

 

26.13 Disclosure of information. A Lender may disclose to a potential Transferee Lender or sub-participant any information which the Lender has received in relation to the Borrower, any Security Party or their affairs under or in connection with any Finance Document, unless the information is clearly of a confidential nature.

 

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Without prejudice to the above, the Borrower irrevocably authorises each Creditor Party to give, divulge and reveal from time to time information and details relating to its accounts, the Finance Documents and the facilities granted pursuant thereto to any authorities, each Creditor Party’s head office, branches and affiliates, any other parties to the Finance Documents and any person regarding any funding, operational arrangement or other transaction in relation thereto, including without limitation, for purposes in connection with any enforcement or assignment or transfer of any of the Creditor Parties’ rights and obligations. This authorisation shall survive and continue in full force and effect for the benefit of each Creditor Party notwithstanding the repayment, cancellation or termination of the Loan or any part thereof and/or the termination of one or more types of banker-customer relationships between any Security Party and the relevant Creditor Party.

 

26.14 Change of lending or booking office. A Lender may, at its own cost, change its lending or booking office, as the case may be, by giving notice to the Agent and the change shall become effective on the later of:

 

  (a) the date on which the Agent receives the notice; and

 

  (b) the date, if any, specified in the notice as the date on which the change will come into effect,

provided that the Borrower shall bear no additional obligations as a result of such change in lending office.

On receiving such a notice, the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Security Trustee; and, until the Agent receives such a notice, it shall be entitled to assume that a Lender is acting through the lending or booking office, as the case may be, of which the Agent last had notice.

 

26.15 Replacement of Reference Bank. If any Reference Bank ceases to be a Lender or is unable on a continuing basis to supply quotations for the purposes of Clause 5 then, unless the Borrower, the Agent and the Majority Lenders otherwise agree, the Agent, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders, and after consulting the Borrower, shall appoint another bank (whether or not a Lender) to be a replacement Reference Bank; and, when that appointment comes into effect, the first-mentioned Reference Bank’s appointment shall cease to be effective.

 

27 VARIATIONS AND WAIVERS

 

27.1 Variations, waivers etc. by Majority Lenders. Subject to Clause 27.2, a document shall be effective to vary, waive, suspend or limit any provision of a Finance Document, or any Creditor Party’s rights or remedies under such a provision or the general law, only if the document is signed, or specifically agreed to by letter or fax, by the Borrower, by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders, by the Agent and the Security Trustee in their own rights, and, if the document relates to a Finance Document to which a Security Party is party, by that Security Party.

 

27.2 Variations, waivers etc. requiring agreement of all Lenders. However, as regards the following, Clause 27.1 applies as if the words “by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders” were replaced by the words “by or on behalf of every Lender”:

 

  (a) a change in the Margin or in the definition of LIBOR;

 

  (b) a change to the date for, the amount of, any payment of principal, interest, fees, or other sum payable under this Agreement;

 

  (c) a change to any Lender’s Commitment;

 

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  (d) an extension of Availability Period;

 

  (e) a change to the definition of “ Majority Lenders ” or “ Finance Documents ”;

 

  (f) a change to the preamble or to Clause 2, 3, 4, 5.1, 10.23, 11.23, 17, 18 or 31;

 

  (g) a change to this Clause 27;

 

  (h) any release of, or material variation to, a Security Interest, guarantee, indemnity or subordination arrangement set out in a Finance Document; and

 

  (i) any other change or matter as regards which this Agreement or another Finance Document expressly provides that each Lender’s consent is required.

 

27.3 Exclusion of other or implied variations. Except for a document which satisfies the requirements of Clauses 27.1 and 27.2, no document, and no act, course of conduct, failure or neglect to act, delay or acquiescence on the part of the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) shall result in the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) being taken to have varied, waived, suspended or limited, or being precluded (permanently or temporarily) from enforcing, relying on or exercising:

 

  (a) a provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; or

 

  (b) an Event of Default; or

 

  (c) a breach by the Borrower or a Security Party of an obligation under a Finance Document or the general law; or

 

  (d) any right or remedy conferred by any Finance Document or by the general law;

and there shall not be implied into any Finance Document any term or condition requiring any such provision to be enforced, or such right or remedy to be exercised, within a certain or reasonable time.

 

27.4 Co-operation on potential restructuring of facilities. Provided the Lenders have provided their consent to the relevant tax enhancement structure (upon such terms as are acceptable to the Lenders), the Lenders will provide reasonable co-operation for such changes as are necessary (at the Borrower’s costs) relating to such tax enhancement transaction.

 

28 NOTICES

 

28.1 General. Unless otherwise specifically provided, any notice under or in connection with any Finance Document shall be given by letter or fax or electronic message; and references in the Finance Documents to written notices, notices in writing and notices signed by particular persons shall be construed accordingly.

 

69


28.2 Addresses for communications. A notice shall be sent:

 

(a) to the Borrower:

  Address c/o Navios Shipmanagement Inc.
  85 Akti Miaouli
  Piraeus
  Greece

Fax no:

  + 30 210 453 1984

(b) to a Lender:

  At the address below its name in Part A of Schedule 1 or (as the case may require) in the relevant Transfer Certificate.

(c) to the Agent and the

  Address Coolsingel 93
  3012 AE Rotterdam
  The Netherlands
  Attn: Global Transportation & Logistics
  Fax no: +31 (0) 10 401 53 23

or to such other address as the relevant party may notify to the Agent or, if the relevant party is the Agent or the Security Trustee, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Security Parties.

 

28.3 Effective date of notices. Subject to Clauses 28.4 and 28.5:

 

  (a) a notice which is delivered personally or posted shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at the time when it is delivered;

 

  (b) a notice which is sent by fax or electronic message shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, 2 hours after its transmission is completed.

 

28.4 Service outside business hours. However, if under Clause 28.3 a notice would be deemed to be served:

 

  (a) on a day which is not a business day in the place of receipt; or

 

  (b) on such a business day, but after 5 p.m. local time;

the notice shall (subject to Clause 28.5) be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at 9 a.m. on the next day which is such a business day.

 

28.5 Illegible notices. Clauses 28.3 and 28.4 do not apply if the recipient of a notice notifies the sender within 1 hour after the time at which the notice would otherwise be deemed to be served that the notice has been received in a form which is illegible in a material respect.

 

28.6 Valid notices. A notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall not be invalid by reason that its contents or the manner of serving it do not comply with the requirements of this Agreement or, where appropriate, any other Finance Document under which it is served if:

 

  (a) the failure to serve it in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement or other Finance Document, as the case may be, has not caused any party to suffer any significant loss or prejudice; or

 

  (b) in the case of incorrect and/or incomplete contents, it should have been reasonably clear to the party on which the notice was served what the correct or missing particulars should have been.

 

70


28.7 English language. Any notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall be in English.

 

28.8 Meaning of “notice”. In this Clause 28, “ notice ” includes any demand, consent, authorisation, approval, instruction, waiver or other communication.

 

29 PARALELL DEBT

 

29.1 Parallel Debt

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Finance Documents, the Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally undertakes to pay to the Security Trustee, as creditor in its own right and not as representative of the other Creditor Parties, sums equal to and in the currency of each amount payable by the Borrower and any Security Party to any Creditor Party under any Finance Document as and when that amount falls due for payment under the relevant Finance Document or would have fallen due but for any discharge resulting from failure of another Creditor Party to take appropriate steps, in insolvency proceedings affecting that Borrower, to preserve its entitlement to be paid that amount (the “ Parallel Debt ”).

The Security Trustee shall have its own independent right to demand payment of the amounts payable by the Borrower under this Clause 29.1, irrespective of any discharge of the Borrower and/or any Security Party’s obligation to pay those amounts to the other Creditor Parties resulting from failure by them to take appropriate steps, in insolvency proceedings affecting that Borrower and/or any Security Party, to preserve their entitlement to be paid those amounts.

Any amount due and payable by the Borrower to the Security Trustee under this Clause 29.1 shall be decreased to the extent that the other Creditor Parties have received (and are able to retain) payment in full of the corresponding amount under the other provisions of the Finance Documents and any amount due and payable by the Borrower and/or a Security Party to the other Creditor Parties under those provisions shall be decreased to the extent the Security Trustee has received (and is able to retain) payment in full of the corresponding amount under this Clause 29.1.

The Borrower and the Creditor Parties acknowledge that, in respect of the Parallel Debt, the Security Trustee acts in its own name and not as representative of the Creditor Parties or any of them.

 

30 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

30.1 Rights cumulative, non-exclusive. The rights and remedies which the Finance Documents give to each Creditor Party are:

 

  (a) cumulative;

 

  (b) may be exercised as often as appears expedient; and

 

  (c) shall not, unless a Finance Document explicitly and specifically states so, be taken to exclude or limit any right or remedy conferred by any law.

 

30.2 Severability of provisions. If any provision of a Finance Document is or subsequently becomes void, unenforceable or illegal, that shall not affect the validity, enforceability or legality of the other provisions of that Finance Document or of the provisions of any other Finance Document.

 

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30.3 Counterparts. A Finance Document may be executed in any number of counterparts.

 

30.4 Third party rights. A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Agreement.

 

31 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

31.1 English law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English law.

 

31.2 Exclusive English jurisdiction. Subject to Clause 31.3, the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any disputes which may arise out of or in connection with this Agreement.

 

31.3 Choice of forum for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties. Clause 31.2 is for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties, each of which reserves the right:

 

  (a) to commence proceedings in relation to any matter which arises out of or in connection with this Agreement in the courts of any country other than England and which have or claim jurisdiction to that matter; and

 

  (b) to commence such proceedings in the courts of any such country or countries concurrently with or in addition to proceedings in England or without commencing proceedings in England.

The Borrower shall not commence any proceedings in any country other than England in relation to a matter which arises out of or in connection with this Agreement.

 

31.4 Process agent. The Borrower irrevocably appoints HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England, to act as its agent to receive and accept on its behalf any process or other document relating to any proceedings in the English courts which are connected with this Agreement.

 

31.5 Creditor Party rights unaffected. Nothing in this Clause 31 shall exclude or limit any right which any Creditor Party may have (whether under the law of any country, an international convention or otherwise) with regard to the bringing of proceedings, the service of process, the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or any similar or related matter in any jurisdiction.

 

31.6 Meaning of “proceedings”. In this Clause 31, “ proceedings ” means proceedings of any kind, including an application for a provisional or protective measure.

THIS AGREEMENT has been entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

72


EXECUTION PAGE

 

SIGNED by Maria Trivela    )          
for and on behalf of    )      /s/ Maria Trivela
NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.    )     
in the presence of:    )     
SIGNED by Robin Parry    )     
for and on behalf of    )     
ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Agent and    )      /s/ Robin Parry
Security Trustee    )     
in the presence of:    )     
SIGNED by Robin Parry    )     
for and on behalf of    )     
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.    )      /s/ Robin Parry
as a Lender    )     
in the presence of:    )     

 

73

Exhibit 10.2.1

Date 01 December 2017

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

as Borrower

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lenders

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Agent and Security Trustee

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT

 

 

in relation to a Facility Agreement

dated 27 July 2017

INCE & CO

PIRAEUS

 

1


Index

 

Clause         Page No  

1

  

INTERPRETATION

     3  

2

  

AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

     4  

3

  

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     4  

4

  

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     6  

5

  

AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

     7  

6

  

FURTHER ASSURANCES

     17  

7

  

FEES AND EXPENSES

     18  

8

  

NOTICES

     19  

9

  

SUPPLEMENTAL

     19  

10

  

LAW AND JURISDICTION

     19  

 

2


THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT is made on 01 December 2017

BETWEEN

 

(1) NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC. , as Borrower ;

 

(2) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Lenders ; and

 

(3) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Agent and Security Trustee .

BACKGROUND

 

(A) By a facility agreement dated 27 July 2017 and made between the parties hereto (the “ Facility Agreement ”) the Lenders have made available to the Borrower a loan of up to USD21,000,000, the outstanding amount of which at the date hereof is USD20,160,000.

 

(B) The Borrower has requested the Creditor Parties to make available to the Borrower an additional Loan amount of up to USD50,000,000, in four New Advances, each such New Advance to be used for the purpose of enabling the Borrower to on-lend the same to the relevant New Guarantor to finance or refinance its respective acquisition of the relevant Guarantor Ship.

 

(C) This Supplemental Agreement sets out the terms and conditions on which the Creditor Parties agree to consent to the matters referred to at (B) above.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Defined expressions . Words and expressions defined in the Facility Agreement and the other Finance Documents shall have the same meanings when used in this Supplemental Agreement unless the context otherwise requires.

 

1.2 Definitions. In this Supplemental Agreement, unless the contrary intention appears:

Effective Date ” means the date on which the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice;

Effective Date Notice ” means the written confirmation from the Agent to the Borrower that the Agent has received the documents and evidence specified in clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to it in the form of Appendix 1 to this Supplemental Agreement;

 

3


Facility Agreement ” means the Facility Agreement referred to in Recital (A);

Mortgage Addendum ” means in relation to (i) each Guarantor Ship, an addendum to the first preferred mortgage granted by each Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee and (ii) each Collateral Ship, an addendum to the second preferred mortgage granted by each Collateral Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee, to be granted by the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor (as applicable) in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form and “ Mortgage Addenda ” means all of them collectively;

Obligors ” means together the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Collateral Guarantors, the Shareholder and the Approved Manager and “ Obligor ” means any one of them; and

Supplemental Security Documents ” means together this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda and “ Supplemental Security Document ” means any one of them.

 

1.3 Application of construction and Interpretation provisions of Facility Agreement. Clauses 1.3 to 1.7 (inclusive) of the Facility Agreement apply, with any necessary modifications, to this Supplemental Agreement.

 

2 AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

 

2.1 Creditor Parties’ consent. The Creditor Parties hereby agree to amend the Facility Agreement on condition that:

 

2.1.1 the Agent, or its authorised representative, has received the documents and evidence specified in Clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; and

 

2.1.2 the representations and warranties contained in clause 4 are then true and correct as if each was made with respect to the facts and circumstances existing at such time.

 

3 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

3.1 Conditions precedent. The conditions referred to in Clause 2.1.1 are that the Agent shall have received the following documents:

 

3.1.1 Corporate authorities

 

4


  (i) original, duly legalized resolutions of the directors of the Obligors (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) and the shareholders of the Obligors (other than the Borrower and Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) approving such of this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda to which they are respectively a party and authorising the execution and delivery thereof and performance of their obligations thereunder, additionally certified by an officer of such Obligor as having been duly passed at a duly convened meeting of its directors and not having been amended, modified or revoked and being in full force and effect;

 

  (ii) duly legalized originals of any powers of attorney issued by the Obligors (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) pursuant to such resolutions; and

 

  (iii) a duly legalized original certificate from a duly authorised officer of each Obligor (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) confirming that (a) none of the constitutional documents delivered to the Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Facility Agreement have been amended or modified in any way since the date of their delivery to the Agent and that these (as applicable) remain in full force and effect or copies, certified by a duly authorised officer of such relevant company as true, complete, accurate and neither amended nor revoked, of any constitutional documents which have been amended or modified and (b) setting out the names of the directors, officers and share capital of the relevant company;

 

3.1.2 Certificate of goodstanding

a certified true copy of an up to date certificate of goodstanding in respect of each Obligor (other than Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.);

 

3.1.3 Supplemental Security Documents

the Supplemental Security Documents together with an acknowledgement thereto (in a letter or otherwise) duly executed, delivered and (as applicable) registered together with all other documents required by any of them;

 

5


3.1.4 Mortgage Addenda registration

evidence that each Mortgage Addendum has been duly registered against the Ship which is the subject thereof in accordance with the laws of Marshall Islands;

 

3.1.5 Legal opinion

a favourable legal opinion from lawyers appointed by the Agent on such matters as the Agent may require;

 

3.1.6 London agent

documentary evidence that the agent for service of process namely HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England has accepted its appointment in respect of this Supplemental Agreement; and

 

3.1.7 Further opinions, etc

any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with this Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may request by notice to the Borrower.

 

3.2 If the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of any of the documents and evidence set out in clause 3.1, the Borrower must deliver all outstanding documents and evidence to or to the order of the Agent no later than the date specified by the Agent, and issue by the Agent of the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of all such documents and evidence shall not be construed as a waiver of the Creditor Parties’ right to receive all the documents and evidence required by clauses 3.1.

 

4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

4.1 Repetition of Facility Agreement representations and warranties . The Borrower represents and warrants to each Creditor Party that the representations and warranties in Clause 10 of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement and updated with appropriate modifications to refer to this Supplemental Agreement, remain true and not misleading if repeated on the date of this Supplemental Agreement with reference to the circumstances now existing.

 

6


5 AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

 

5.1 Amendments to Facility Agreement. With effect on and from the Effective Date the Facility Agreement shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended as follows:

 

5.1.1 reference to “7 Advances” contained in Recital (A) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “11 Advances”;

 

5.1.2 the definition of “ Mortgage Addendum ” contained in Clause 1.2 of this Supplemental Agreement shall be added to clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement in alphabetical order;

 

5.1.3 the definition of each of “Mortgage” and “Collateral Mortgage” each contained in clause 1.2 of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to mean each Mortgage and Collateral Mortgage respectively, as amended by the relevant Mortgage Addendum;

 

5.1.4 the definitions in the Schedule to this Supplemental Agreement shall be added to Schedule 6 of the Facility Agreement in alphabetical order;

 

5.1.5 the following definitions shall be added to clause 1.2 of the Facility Agreement in alphabetical order:

“” Advance H ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance H will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance H, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship O or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance I ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance I will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance I, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship P or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

7


Advance J ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance J will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance J, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship Q or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Advance K ” means an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance K will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance K, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship R or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

Existing Advances ” means together, Advance A, Advance B, Advance C, Advance D, Advance E, Advance F and Advance G and, in the singular, means any of them;

Guarantee ” means each guarantee executed or to be executed by the relevant Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form (and “ Guarantees ” means all of them collectively);

New Advances ” means together Advance H, Advance I, Advance J and Advance K and, in the singular, means any of them;

New Charter Assignment ” means, in relation to any Extended Employment Contract over a New Ship, the assignment thereof in the Agreed Form and “ New Charter Assignments ” means all of them collectively;

New Co-assured Assignment of Insurances ” means, in relation to a New Ship, an assignment of Insurances from a named co-assured in such New Ship’s Insurances in the Agreed Form and “ New Co-assured Assignments of Insurances ” means all of them collectively;

New Earnings Account Security Deed ” means, in relation to each New Guarantor, a deed creating security in respect of its Earnings Account in the agreed form and “ New Earnings Account Security Deeds ” means all of them collectively;

New General Assignment ” means, in relation to a New Ship, a general assignment of its Earnings, Insurances and Requisition Compensation in the Agreed Form and “ New General Assignments ” means all of them collectively;

 

8


New Guarantee ” means each guarantee executed or to be executed by the relevant New Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form (and “ New Guarantees ” means all of them collectively);

New Guarantor ” means each or, as the context may require, any one of Guarantor H, Guarantor I, Guarantor J or Guarantor K and “ New Guarantors ” means all of them collectively;

New Manager’s Undertaking ” means, in relation to a New Ship, a letter of undertaking incorporating an assignment of Insurances from the Approved Manager in the Agreed Form and “ New Manager’s Undertakings ” means all of them collectively;

New Mortgage ” means, in relation to a New Ship, the first preferred ship mortgage on such New Ship under the relevant Approved Flag in the Agreed Form and “ New Mortgages ” means all of them collectively;

New Security Documents ” means together the New Guarantees, the New Mortgages, the New General Assignments, the New Charter Assignments, the New Manager’s Undertakings, the New Shares Pledges, the New Earnings Account Security Deed, the New Co-assured Assignments of Insurances and the Mortgage Addenda and “ New Security Document ” means any one of them;

New Shares Pledge ” means, in relation to a New Guarantor, a deed creating security in respect of the issued share capital of that New Guarantor executed or to be executed by the Shareholder in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form and “ New Shares Pledges ” means all of them collectively;

New Ships ” means together Ship O, Ship P, Ship Q and Ship R and, in the singular, means any of them;”;

 

5.1.6 the definition of “ Advances ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Advances ” means together, the Existing Advances and the New Advances and, in the singular, means any of them;”;

 

5.1.7 the definition of “ Approved Flag ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

 

9


“” Approved Flag ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of Panama or such other flag as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, in their absolute discretion, approve as the flag on which a Ship may be registered;”

 

5.1.8 the definition of “ Approved Flag State ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Approved Flag State ” means the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of Panama or any other country in which the Agent may with the authorisation of all the Lenders, approve that a Ship be registered;”

 

5.1.9 the definition of “ Availability Period ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Availability Period ” means (i) in respect of the Existing Advances the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the earliest of (a) 31 December 2017 and (b) the date falling 120 days after the date of this Agreement and (ii) in respect of the New Advances the period commencing on 01 December 2017 and ending on the earliest of (a) 31 December 2017 and (b) any date on which (i) the aggregate of the Advances is equal to the Total Commitments or (ii) the Total Commitments are reduced to zero; or, in each case, such later date as the Agent may, with the authorisation of all the Lenders, agree with the Borrower;”

 

5.1.10 reference to “30%” in the definition of “ Change of Control Event ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “25%”;

 

5.1.11 the definition of “ Charter Assignment ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Charter Assignment ” means in relation to any Extended Employment Contract over (i) a Guarantor Ship (other than a New Ship), the first priority assignment thereof, and (ii) a Collateral Ship, the second priority assignment thereof, in each case in the Agreed Form;”;

 

5.1.12 the definition of “ Extended Employment Contract ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

 

10


“” Extended Employment Contract ” means (i) in respect of a Guarantor Ship (other than a New Ship), any time charterparty, contract of affreightment or other contract of employment of such ship (including the entry of any such Guarantor Ship in any pool) which has a tenor exceeding twelve (12) months (including any options to renew or extend such tenor) and (ii) in respect of a New Ship, the Approved Time Charter and following the expiration of the Approved Time Charter, any time charterparty, contract of affreightment or other contract of employment of such ship (including the entry of any such New Ship in any pool) which has a tenor exceeding twelve (12) months (including any options to renew or extend such tenor)”;

 

5.1.13 the New Security Documents shall be added in the definition of “ Finance Documents ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.14 each New Guarantor shall be added in the definition of “ Guarantors ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.15 each New Ship shall be added in the definition of “ Guarantor Ship ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.16 the definition of “ Margin ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Margin ” means in respect of (i) the Existing Advances, 4% per annum and (ii) in respect of the New Advances, 3.85% per annum;”;

 

5.1.17 the definition of “ Maturity Date ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted;

 

5.1.18 the definition of “ MOA ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” MOA ” means each of the Ship H MOA, the Ship J MOA, the Ship K MOA, the Ship P MOA, the Ship Q MOA and the Ship R MOA and “ MOAs ” means all of them;”;

 

11


5.1.19 the definition of “ Seller ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Seller ” means together the Ship F Seller, the Ship H Seller, the Ship J Seller, the Ship K Seller, the Ship P Seller, the Ship Q Seller and the Ship R Seller and “ Sellers ” means all of them;”;

 

5.1.20 the definition of “ Shareholder ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows

“Shareholder” means (i) in relation to the Collateral Guarantors and the Guarantors, other than the New Guarantors, Navios Partners Containers Inc. a company incorporated in the Marshall Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960 and (ii) in relation to the New Guarantors, Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc. a company incorporated in the Marshall Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960;”;

 

5.1.21 reference to “up to $21,000,000 in seven Advances” contained in clause 2.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “up to $71,000,000 in eleven Advances” and the following paragraphs shall be added at the end of such clause 2.1:

 

  “(h) Advance H in an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance H will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance H, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship O or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

  (i) Advance I in an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance I will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance I, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship P or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;

 

12


  (j) Advance J in an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance J will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance J, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship Q or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time; and

 

  (k) Advance K in an amount equal to the least of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) an amount which, when added to the Advances which have been drawn down on or prior to Advance K will equal 60% of the aggregate Fair Market Values of all the Ships which will be subject to a Mortgage on the Drawdown Date in respect of Advance K, to be applied in or towards financing or refinancing the acquisition of Ship R or, as the context requires, the amount thereof outstanding from time to time;”;

 

5.1.22 clause 8.1 ( Repayment of Advances ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

8.1 Repayment of Advances. The Borrower shall repay:

 

  (a) the aggregate of the Existing Advances by nine (9) consecutive quarterly instalments each in an amount of $840,000 together with a balloon instalment of $13,440,000 payable together with the last instalment; and

 

  (b) the aggregate of the New Advances by eight (8) consecutive quarterly instalments each in an amount of $5,625,000 together with a balloon instalment of $5,000,000 payable together with the last instalment.”;

 

5.1.23 clause 8.2 ( Repayment Dates ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

8.2 Repayment Dates. The first instalment in respect of the Existing Advances shall be repaid on 30 November 2017, the first instalment in respect of the New Advances shall be repaid on 05 March 2018 and the last instalment in respect of all Advances shall be repaid on 30 November 2019.”;

 

5.1.24 reference to “Clause 8.5” contained at the start of clause 8.5 ( Conditions of voluntary prepayment ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “Clause 8.4”;

 

13


5.1.25 the following new paragraph (c) shall be added to clause 8.8 ( Mandatory prepayment ) of the Facility Agreement:

“(c) if the Advance in relation to a Guarantor Ship is refinanced by any bank or financial institution.”;

 

5.1.26 all references to “Guarantor Ship” contained in clause 8.8 ( Mandatory prepayment. ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “Ship”;

 

5.1.27 reference to “Clause 8.8(a)” contained in clause 8.9 ( Amounts of mandatory prepayments. ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “Clause 8.8” and paragraph (a) shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“(a) the amount of the sale or Total Loss proceeds payable in respect of such sale or Total Loss or the amount which is being prepaid due to the refinancing of the relevant Advance by any bank or financial institution; or”;

 

5.1.28 reference to “Guarantor Ships” contained in paragraph (c) of clause 8.9 ( Amounts of mandatory prepayments. ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “Ships”;

 

5.1.29 the following new sub-clause 8.16 is added to clause 8 ( Repayment and Prepayment ) of the Facility Agreement:

“8.16 Adjustment of scheduled repayments If the total Commitment has been partially reduced or cancelled under this Agreement and/or any part of the Loan is prepaid before any Repayment Date, the repayment instalments (including a balloon instalment) by which the Loan shall be repaid under Clause 8.1 on any such Repayment Date shall be reduced pro rata to such reduction in, or cancellation of, the total Commitment or to the amount prepaid.”;

 

5.1.30 clause 9.1 (other than clause 9.1(b)) and schedule 3, part A, part C and part D each of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to apply to each New Advance, New Guarantor and New Ship for purposes of collection of conditions precedent and conditions subsequent notwithstanding that the service of the first Drawdown Notice has already occurred and by construing reference to the relevant Finance Document (where applicable) in connection to the relevant New Ship and the relevant New Guarantor so that all documents and information required under schedule 3, part A and part C of the Facility Agreement constitute conditions precedent for the drawdown of each New Advance and all documents required under schedule 3, part D constitute conditions subsequent to the drawdown of each New Advance;

 

14


5.1.31 the following new paragraph (i) shall be added to clause 14.13 ( Restrictions on chartering, appointment of managers etc. ) of the Facility Agreement:

“(i) sell its Ship or procure the refinance of the Advance relating to its Ship by any bank or financial institution if, in either case, such Ship has been chartered pursuant to an Extended Employment Contract.”;

 

5.1.32 reference to “is below 130 per cent of the aggregate of the Loan and the Collateral Loan” contained in clause 15.1 ( Minimum required security cover. ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced by “is for the period commencing on (i) the first Drawdown Date to occur until 31 December 2018 (both dates inclusive), below 130 per cent and (ii) 1 January 2019 and ending on the last day of the Security Period, below 150 per cent, in each case of the aggregate of the Loan and the Collateral Loan.”;

 

5.1.33 the following shall be added at the end of clause 20.1 ( Upfront fee ) of the Facility Agreement:

“The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with their Commitments, on the first Drawdown Date to occur in respect of the New Advances, a non-refundable upfront fee of $625,000.;

 

5.1.34 clause 20.2 ( commitment fee ) of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“20.2 commitment fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with their Commitments:

 

  (a) in respect of the Existing Advances: on each of the dates falling at three (3) monthly intervals after the date of this Agreement until the last day of the Availability Period and on the last day of the Availability Period, commitment commission accruing from the date of this Agreement (in the case of the first payment of commission) and from the date of the preceding payment of commission (in the case of each subsequent payment) at the rate of one point six per cent (1.6%) per annum on the daily undrawn amount of the Total Commitments; and

 

15


  (b) in respect of the New Advances: on each of the dates falling at three (3) monthly intervals after 01 December 2017 until the last day of the Availability Period and on the last day of the Availability Period, commitment commission accruing from 01 December 2017 (in the case of the first payment of commission) and from the date of the preceding payment of commission (in the case of each subsequent payment) at the rate of one point fifty four per cent (1.54%) per annum on the daily undrawn amount of the Total Commitments.”;

 

5.1.35 references to “Security Party” in part A of schedule 3 of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to include the Shareholder;

 

5.1.36 clause 1 of part C of schedule 3 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“1. (i) in respect of a Guarantor Ship (other than a New Ship), a duly executed original of the Guarantee, the Mortgage, the General Assignment, the Account Security Deed in respect of the Earnings Account relating to the Relevant Guarantor, any Charter Assignment if required relating to the Relevant Ship, the Shares Pledge relating to the Relevant Guarantor and, if necessary, any co-assured assignment of Insurances relating to the Relevant Ship (and of each document required to be delivered by each of them) and (ii) in respect of a New Ship, a duly executed original of the New Guarantee, the New Mortgage, the New General Assignment, the New Charter Assignment, the New Manager’s Undertakings the New Shares Pledge, the New Earnings Account Security Deed and, if necessary, the New Co-assured Assignments of Insurances (and of each document required to be delivered by each of them).”; and

 

5.1.37 the following new clause 10 shall be added in part C of schedule 3 of the Facility Agreement:

“10. In relation to (a) the drawdown of the first Advance in connection with a New Ship (the “ Prior Advance ”), a report by an inspector acceptable to the Agent confirming that the condition of each Ship (other than a New Ship) is in all respects acceptable to the Agent and (i) the drawdown of an Advance in connection with a New Ship following the Prior Advance, a report by an inspector acceptable to the Agent confirming that the condition of the relevant New Ship is in all respects acceptable to the Agent.”

 

16


5.2 Amendments to Finance Documents. With effect on and from the Effective Date each of the Finance Documents other than the Facility Agreement, shall be, and shall be deemed by this Supplemental Agreement to be, amended so that the definition of, and references throughout each of the Finance Documents to, the Facility Agreement shall be construed as if the same referred to the Facility Agreement as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement.

5.3 Finance Documents to remain in full force and effect.

The Finance Documents shall remain in full force and effect as amended and supplemented by:

 

  (a) the amendments to the Finance Documents contained or referred to in Clauses 5.1 and 5.2; and

 

  (b) such further or consequential modifications as may be necessary to give full effect to the terms of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

6 FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

6.1 Borrower’s obligation to execute further documents etc. The Borrower shall, and shall procure that any other party to any Finance Document shall:

 

6.1.1 execute and deliver to the Agent (or as it may direct, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) any assignment, mortgage, power of attorney, proxy or other document, governed by the law of England or such other country as the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), in any particular case, specify; and

 

6.1.2 effect any registration or notarisation, give any notice or take any other step, which the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), by notice to the Borrower or other party, reasonably specify for any of the purposes described in Clause 5 or for any similar or related purpose.

 

17


6.2 Purposes of further assurances. Those purposes are:

 

  (a) validly and effectively to create any Security Interest or right of any kind which the Lenders intended should be created by or pursuant to the Facility Agreement or any other Finance Document, each as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement; and

 

  (b) implementing the terms and provisions of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

6.3 Terms of further assurances. The Agent may specify the terms of any document to be executed by the Borrower or any other party under Clause 6.1, and those terms may include any covenants, powers and provisions which the Security Trustee reasonably considers appropriate to protect its interests.

 

6.4 Obligation to comply with notice. The Borrower shall comply with a notice under Clause 6.1 by the date specified in the notice.

 

6.5 Additional corporate action. At the same time as the Borrower or any other Security Party or Obligor delivers to the Agent any document executed under Clause 6.1(a), the Borrower or such other Security Party or Obligor shall also deliver to the Agent a director’s certificate duly signed which shall:

 

  (a) set out the text of a resolution of the Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s directors specifically authorising the execution of the document specified by the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), and

 

  (b) state that either the resolution was duly passed at a meeting of the directors validly convened and held throughout which a quorum of directors entitled to vote on the resolution was present or that the resolution has been signed by all the directors and is valid under the Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s articles of association or other constitutional documents.

 

7 FEES AND EXPENSES

 

7.1 Expenses. The provisions of Clause 20 ( Expenses ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

18


8 NOTICES

 

8.1 General. The provisions of clause 28 ( Notices ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

9 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

9.1 Counterparts. This Supplemental Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be original but which shall together constitute the same instrument.

 

9.2 Third party rights. A person who is not a party to this Supplemental Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Supplemental Agreement.

 

10 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

10.1 Governing law. This Supplemental Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

 

10.2 Incorporation of the Facility Agreement provisions. The provisions of Clause 31 ( Law and Jurisdiction ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

IN WITNESS whereof the parties to this Supplemental Agreement have caused this Supplemental Agreement to be duly executed on the date first above written.

 

SIGNED as a deed by Stratis Camatsos

  )          

for and on behalf of

  )      /s/ Stratis Camatsos

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

  )     

as Borrower under and pursuant to

  )     

a power of attorney dated

  2017)     

 

19


SIGNED as a deed by Pinelopi Karamadouki

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )     

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

   )      /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki

as Lenders under and pursuant to

   )     

a power of attorney dated 24 November 2017

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by Pinelopi Karamadouki

   )          

for and on behalf of

   )      /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

   )     

as Agent

   )     

under and pursuant to

   )     

a power of attorney dated 24 November 2017

   )     

SIGNED as a deed by Pinelopi Karamadouki

   )     

for and on behalf of

   )      /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

   )     

as Security Trustee

   )     

under and pursuant to

   )     

a power of attorney dated 24 November 2017

   )     

Witness to all the above

   )     

Signatures:

   )     

Name:

       

Address:

       

47-49 Akti Miaouli

       

Piraeus, Greece

       

 

20


Appendix 1

Form of

Effective Date Notice

To:     NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC. , of the Marshall Islands

We, ABN AMRO BANK N.V., refer to the supplemental agreement dated [     ] 2017 (the “ Supplemental Agreement ”) relating to a secured facility agreement dated 27 July 2017 (the “ Facility Agreement ”) and made between (amongst others) you as the Borrower and ourselves as the Agent.

We hereby confirm that all conditions precedent referred to in Clause 3.1 of the Supplemental Agreement have been satisfied. In accordance with Clauses 1.2 and 2.1 of the Supplemental Agreement the Effective Date is the date of this confirmation and the amendments to the Facility Agreement are now effective.

Dated: [            ] 2017

Signed:_______________________________

for and on behalf of

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

 

21


We on this 01 st day of December 2017 hereby confirm and acknowledge that we have read and understood the terms and conditions of the above Supplemental Agreement and agree in all respects to the same and confirm that the Finance Documents to which we are respectively a party shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue to stand as security for the obligations of the Borrower under the Facility Agreement (as amended by the Supplemental Agreement) and shall, without limitation, secure the indebtedness under the Facility Agreement and the Finance Documents.

 

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

   

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos     Stratis Camatsos
for and on behalf of     for and on behalf of
EVIAN SHIPTRADE LTD.     ANTHIMAR MARINE INC.
(as Guarantor A)     (as Guarantor B)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

   

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos     Stratis Camatsos
for and on behalf of     for and on behalf of
ISOLDE SHIPPING INC.     RODMAN MARITIME CORP.
(as Guarantor C)     (as Guarantor D)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

   

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos     Stratis Camatsos
for and on behalf of     for and on behalf of
SILVANUS MARINE COMPANY     ENPLO SHIPPING LIMITED
(as Guarantor E)     (as Guarantor F)    

 

22


/s/ Stratis Camatsos

     
Stratis Camatsos for and on behalf of      
MORVEN CHARTERING INC.      
(as Guarantor G)      

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

   

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos     Stratis Camatsos
for and on behalf of     for and on behalf of
OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED     SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED
(as Collateral Guarantor A)     (as Collateral Guarantor B)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

   

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos     Stratis Camatsos
for and on behalf of     for and on behalf of
PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED     EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED
(as Collateral Guarantor C)     (as Collateral Guarantor D)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

   

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos     Stratis Camatsos
for and on behalf of     for and on behalf of
CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED     VELOUR MANAGEMENT CORP.
(as Collateral Guarantor E)     (as Collateral Guarantor F)

 

23


/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of

BERTYL VENTURES CO.

(as Collateral Guarantor G)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of

NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.

(as Approved Manager)

/s/ Stratis Camatsos

Stratis Camatsos

for and on behalf of

NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS INC.

(as Shareholder)

 

24

Exhibit 10.2.2

Date 29 th June 2018

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

as Borrower

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Lenders

and

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

as Agent and Security Trustee

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT

 

 

in relation to a Facility Agreement

dated 27 July 2017 as amended by

a supplemental agreement dated 01 December 2017

INCE & CO

PIRAEUS

 

1


Index

 

Clause         Page No  

1

  

INTERPRETATION

     3  

2

  

AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

     4  

3

  

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     5  

4

  

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     7  

5

  

AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

     7  

6

  

FURTHER ASSURANCES

     10  

7

  

FEES AND EXPENSES

     12  

8

  

NOTICES

     12  

9

  

SUPPLEMENTAL

     12  

10

  

LAW AND JURISDICTION

     12  

 

2


THIS SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT is made on 29 th June 2018

BETWEEN

 

(1) NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC. , as Borrower ;

 

(2) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Lenders ; and

 

(3) ABN AMRO BANK N.V. as Agent and Security Trustee .

BACKGROUND

 

(A) By a facility agreement dated 27 July 2017 as amended by a supplemental agreement dated 01 December 2017 and made between the parties hereto (together, the “ Facility Agreement ”) the Lenders have made available to the Borrower a loan of up to USD71,000,000 the outstanding amount of which at the date hereof is USD57,230,000.

 

(B) The Borrower has requested the Creditor Parties (i) to make a partial prepayment of the Loan on 29 June 2018 in the aggregate amount of USD4,000,000 and apply such amount proportionately to the relevant balloon instalment per Advance and further agree to (ii) release and discharge each of Guarantor C, Guarantor D, Guarantor E, Guarantor G, Collateral Guarantor F and Collateral Guarantor G (together, the “ Released Parties ” and each, a “ Released Party ”) from all their obligations under the Finance Documents to which each is a party, (iii) release and discharge the Mortgage granted by each Released Party over its Ship and (iv) release to the Released Parties all their rights, title and interest in and to all the property charged or assigned in favour of the Security Trustee under any of the Finance Documents.

 

(C) This Second Supplemental Agreement sets out the terms and conditions on which the Creditor Parties agree to consent to the matters referred to at (B) above.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Defined expressions . Words and expressions defined in the Facility Agreement and the other Finance Documents shall have the same meanings when used in this Second Supplemental Agreement unless the context otherwise requires.

 

3


1.2 Definitions. In this Second Supplemental Agreement, unless the contrary intention appears:

Effective Date ” means the date on which the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice;

Effective Date Notice ” means the written confirmation from the Agent to the Borrower that the Agent has received the documents and evidence specified in clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to it in the form of Appendix 1 to this Second Supplemental Agreement;

Facility Agreement ” means the Facility Agreement referred to in Recital (A);

Mortgage Addendum ” means in relation to (i) each Guarantor Ship (other than Ship J, Ship K, Ship L and Ship N), an addendum to the first preferred mortgage granted by each relevant Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee and (ii) each Collateral Ship (other than Ship F and Ship G), an addendum to the second preferred mortgage granted by each relevant Collateral Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee, to be granted by the relevant Guarantor or Collateral Guarantor (as applicable) in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form and “ Mortgage Addenda ” means all of them collectively;

Obligors ” means together the Borrower, the Guarantors (other than Guarantor C, Guarantor D, Guarantor E and Guarantor G), the Collateral Guarantors (other than the Collateral Guarantor F and the Collateral Guarantor G), the Shareholder and the Approved Manager and “ Obligor ” means any one of them;

Rickmers ” means Rickmers Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.; and

Supplemental Security Documents ” means together this Second Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda and “ Supplemental Security Document ” means any one of them.

 

1.3 Application of construction and Interpretation provisions of Facility Agreement. Clauses 1.3 to 1.7 (inclusive) of the Facility Agreement apply, with any necessary modifications, to this Second Supplemental Agreement.

 

2 AGREEMENT OF THE CREDITOR PARTIES

 

2.1 Creditor Parties’ consent. The Creditor Parties hereby agree to amend the Facility Agreement on condition that:

 

4


2.1.1 the Agent, or its authorised representative, has received the documents and evidence specified in Clause 3.1 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; and

 

2.1.2 the representations and warranties contained in clause 4 are then true and correct as if each was made with respect to the facts and circumstances existing at such time.

 

3 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

3.1 Conditions precedent. The conditions referred to in Clause 2.1.1 are that the Agent shall have received the following:

 

3.1.1 Corporate authorities

 

  (i) original, duly legalized resolutions of the directors of the Obligors (other than Rickmers and provided these are required by the relevant Obligor’s corporate documentation) and the shareholders of the Obligors (other than the Borrower and Rickmers and provided these are required by the relevant Obligor’s corporate documentation) approving such of this Second Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda to which they are respectively a party and authorising the execution and delivery thereof and performance of their obligations thereunder, additionally certified by an officer of such Obligor as having been duly passed at a duly convened meeting of its directors and not having been amended, modified or revoked and being in full force and effect;

 

  (ii) duly legalized originals of any powers of attorney issued by the Obligors (other than Rickmers) pursuant to the resolutions referred to under (i) of Clause 3.1.1 above or resolutions previously provided to the Agent in relation to the Facility Agreement which have not been revoked and remain in full force and effect; and

 

  (iii) a duly legalized original certificate from a duly authorised officer of each Obligor (other than Rickmers) (a) confirming that none of the constitutional documents and (if applicable) corporate authorities delivered to the Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Facility Agreement have been amended or modified in any way since the date of their delivery to the Agent and that these (as applicable) remain in full force and effect or copies, certified by a duly authorised officer of such relevant company as true, complete, accurate and neither amended nor revoked, of any constitutional documents which have been amended or modified, (b) if applicable, certifying that each document relating to it specified under (i) and (ii) of Clause 3.1.1. above is correct, complete and in full force and (c) setting out the names of the directors, officers and share capital of the relevant company;

 

5


3.1.2 Certificate of goodstanding

a certified true copy of an up to date certificate of goodstanding in respect of each Obligor (other than Rickmers);

 

3.1.3 Supplemental Security Documents

the Supplemental Security Documents together with an acknowledgement thereto (in a letter or otherwise) duly executed, delivered and (as applicable) registered together with all other documents required by any of them;

 

3.1.4 Mortgage Addenda registration

evidence that each Mortgage Addendum has been duly registered against the relevant Ship which is the subject thereof in accordance with the laws of Marshall Islands, Liberia or Panama (as applicable);

 

3.1.5 Legal opinion

a favourable legal opinion from lawyers appointed by the Agent on such matters as the Agent may require;

 

3.1.6 London agent

documentary evidence that the agent for service of process namely HFW Nominees Ltd at present of Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE, England has accepted its appointment in respect of this Second Supplemental Agreement; and

 

3.1.7 Amendment fee

payment by the Borrower of an amendment fee in the amount of USD300,000;

 

3.1.8 Loan prepayment

a prepayment of the Loan and the Collateral Loan (in such proportion as the Agent and the Agent (as defined in the Collateral Facility Agreement) may agree) in the aggregate amount of USD4,000,000;

 

6


3.1.9 Further opinions, etc

any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with this Second Supplemental Agreement and the Mortgage Addenda which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may request by notice to the Borrower.

 

3.2 If the Agent issues the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of any of the documents and evidence set out in clause 3.1, the Borrower must deliver all outstanding documents and evidence to or to the order of the Agent no later than the date specified by the Agent, and issue by the Agent of the Effective Date Notice prior to delivery to it of all such documents and evidence shall not be construed as a waiver of the Creditor Parties’ right to receive all the documents and evidence required by clauses 3.1.

 

4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

4.1 Repetition of Facility Agreement representations and warranties . The Borrower represents and warrants to each Creditor Party that the representations and warranties in Clause 10 of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Second Supplemental Agreement and updated with appropriate modifications to refer to this Second Supplemental Agreement, remain true and not misleading if repeated on the date of this Second Supplemental Agreement with reference to the circumstances now existing.

 

5 AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY AGREEMENT AND OTHER FINANCE DOCUMENTS

 

5.1 Amendments to Facility Agreement. With effect on and from the Effective Date the Facility Agreement shall be, and shall be deemed by this Second Supplemental Agreement to be, amended as follows:

 

5.1.1 the definition of “ Mortgage Addendum ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to include the Mortgage Addenda required to be provided by the relevant Obligors pursuant to this Second Supplemental Agreement;

 

5.1.2 all references in the Facility Agreement to Ship F, Ship G, Ship J, Ship K, Ship L and Ship N and Guarantor C, Guarantor D, Guarantor E, Guarantor G, Collateral Guarantor F and Collateral Guarantor G shall be deleted and all clauses in the Facility Agreement shall be construed accordingly;

 

7


5.1.3 the following definition shall be added in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement:

“” IPO ” means an initial public offering in a stock exchange in the United States of America;”;

 

5.1.4 the definition of each of “Mortgage” and “Collateral Mortgage” each contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be construed to mean each Mortgage and Collateral Mortgage respectively, as amended by the relevant Mortgage Addendum;

 

5.1.5 the New Security Documents shall be added in the definition of “ Finance Documents ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement;

 

5.1.6 the definition of “ Margin ” contained in clause 1.1 of the Facility Agreement shall be deleted and be replaced as follows:

“” Margin ” means 4% per annum;”;

 

5.1.7 by adding for the purposes of clause 15.1 ( Minimum required security cover.) a definition of “ Relevant Percentage ” as follows:

Relevant Percentage ” means if there has been an IPO on or before 30 September 2018, (B) below, otherwise (A) below:

 

  (A)

 

  (i) 31 December 2018 (inclusive) 130% and

 

  (ii) from 1 January 2019 and ending on the last day of the Security Period 150%.”

 

  (B) (all dates inclusive)

 

  (i) until 29 September 2018 130%,

 

  (ii) 30 September 2018 until 31 December 2018, 200%;

 

  (iii) 01 January 2019 until 29 March 2019, 286%;

 

  (iv) 30 March 2019 until 29 June 2019, 333%;

 

  (v) 30 June 2019 until 29 September 2019, 400%; and

 

  (vi) 30 September 2019 until 29 December 2019, 500%;”

 

8


5.1.8 clause 8.1 ( Repayment of Advances ) of the Facility Agreement shall be amended if there is an IPO on or before 30 September 2018, in accordance with (A) otherwise in accordance with (B) below:

 

  (A) by deleting Clause 8.1.1 and replacing it with :

 

  8.1 Repayment of Loan

 

  8.1.1 the Borrower shall repay the Loan as follows:

(i) an instalment of USD3,400,000,

(ii) a second instalment in an amount, if any, to ensure the aggregate of the Loan and the Collateral Loan equals the Relevant Percentage of the aggregate Valuation Amounts;

(iii) the subsequent four (4) instalments in an amount of USD1,700,000 and; and

(iv) a balloon instalment (the “ Balloon Instalment ”) in an amount of USD43,030,000 together with any other amounts outstanding pursuant the terms of this Agreement

together with, in the case of (i) and (iii) an amount to ensure the aggregate of the Loan and the Collateral Loan equals the Relevant Percentage of the aggregate Valuation Amounts and any additional required repayment shall be applied in reducing the Balloon Instalment.

The first instalment shall be repaid on 29 September 2018, the second instalment (if any) shall be repaid on 01 January 2019, the third instalment shall be repaid on 29 March 2019 and the following three instalments shall be repaid quarterly thereafter with the final instalment payable on 29 December 2019 together with the said Balloon instalment;”

 

  (B) 8.1.1 by adding at the end of Clause 8.1 the words:

“provided that if the Borrower does not complete an IPO on or before 30 September 2018, it shall pay on 01 October 2018 an additional instalment equal to any unpaid balance in respect of any instalment due on or prior to 29 September 2018;”

 

9


5.1.9 by deleting from Clause 15.1 the words “is for the period commencing on (i) the first Drawdown Date to occur until 31 December 2018 (both dates inclusive), below 130 per cent and (ii) 1 January 2019 and ending on the last day of the Security Period, below 150 per cent” and replacing them with the words “is below the Relevant Percentage”; and

 

5.1.10 by deleting from clause 15.2 the words “1 month” and replacing them with the words “15 days” and by deleting the whole of sub-paragraph 15.2(a).

 

5.2 Amendments to Finance Documents. With effect on and from the Effective Date each of the Finance Documents other than the Facility Agreement, shall be, and shall be deemed by this Second Supplemental Agreement to be, amended so that the definition of, and references throughout each of the Finance Documents to, the Facility Agreement shall be construed as if the same referred to the Facility Agreement as amended and supplemented by this Second Supplemental Agreement.

 

5.3 Finance Documents to remain in full force and effect.

The Finance Documents shall remain in full force and effect as amended and supplemented by:

 

  (a) the amendments to the Finance Documents contained or referred to in Clauses 5.1 and 5.2; and

 

  (b) such further or consequential modifications as may be necessary to give full effect to the terms of this Second Supplemental Agreement.

 

6 FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

6.1 Borrower’s obligation to execute further documents etc. The Borrower shall, and shall procure that any other party to any Finance Document shall:

 

6.1.1 execute and deliver to the Agent (or as it may direct, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) any assignment, mortgage, power of attorney, proxy or other document, governed by the law of England or such other country as the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), in any particular case, specify; and

 

10


6.1.2 effect any registration or notarisation, give any notice or take any other step, which the Agent may (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), by notice to the Borrower or other party, reasonably specify for any of the purposes described in Clause 5 or for any similar or related purpose.

 

6.2 Purposes of further assurances. Those purposes are:

 

  (a) validly and effectively to create any Security Interest or right of any kind which the Lenders intended should be created by or pursuant to the Facility Agreement or any other Finance Document, each as amended and supplemented by this Second Supplemental Agreement; and

 

  (b) implementing the terms and provisions of this Second Supplemental Agreement.

 

6.3 Terms of further assurances. The Agent may specify the terms of any document to be executed by the Borrower or any other party under Clause 6.1, and those terms may include any covenants, powers and provisions which the Security Trustee reasonably considers appropriate to protect its interests.

 

6.4 Obligation to comply with notice. The Borrower shall comply with a notice under Clause 6.1 by the date specified in the notice.

 

6.5 Additional corporate action. At the same time as the Borrower or any other Security Party or Obligor delivers to the Agent any document executed under Clause 6.1(a), the Borrower or such other Security Party or Obligor shall also deliver to the Agent a director’s certificate duly signed which shall:

 

  (a) set out the text of a resolution of the Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s directors specifically authorising the execution of the document specified by the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), and

 

  (b) state that either the resolution was duly passed at a meeting of the directors validly convened and held throughout which a quorum of directors entitled to vote on the resolution was present or that the resolution has been signed by all the directors and is valid under the Borrower’s or that other Security Party’s or Obligor’s articles of association or other constitutional documents.

 

11


7 FEES AND EXPENSES

 

7.1 Expenses. The provisions of Clause 20 ( Expenses ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Second Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Second Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Second Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

8 NOTICES

 

8.1 General. The provisions of clause 28 ( Notices ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Second Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Second Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Second Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

 

9 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

9.1 Counterparts. This Second Supplemental Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be original but which shall together constitute the same instrument.

 

9.2 Third party rights. A person who is not a party to this Second Supplemental Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Second Supplemental Agreement.

 

10 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

10.1 Governing law. This Second Supplemental Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

 

10.2 Incorporation of the Facility Agreement provisions. The provisions of Clause 31 ( Law and Jurisdiction ) of the Facility Agreement, as amended and supplemented by this Second Supplemental Agreement, shall apply to this Second Supplemental Agreement as if they were expressly incorporated in this Second Supplemental Agreement with any necessary modifications.

IN WITNESS whereof the parties to this Second Supplemental Agreement have caused this Second Supplemental Agreement to be duly executed on the date first above written.

 

12


SIGNED as a deed by FRANCISCO TAZELAAR    )         
for and on behalf of    )    
NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.    )     /s/ Francisco Tazelaar
as Borrower under and pursuant to    )    
a power of attomey dated 25 July 2017    )    
SIGNED as a deed by PINELOPI KARAMADOUKI    )    
for and on behalf of    )    
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.    )     /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki
as Lenders under and pursuant to    )    
a power of attomey dated 28th June 2018    )    
SIGNED as a deed by PINELOPI KARAMADOUKI    )    
for and on behalf of    )    
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.    )     /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki
as Agent    )    
under and pursuant to    )    
a power of attorney dated 28th June 2018       
SIGNED as a deed by PINELOPI KARAMADOUKI    )    
for and on behalf of    )    
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.    )     /s/ Pinelopi Karamadouki
as Security Trustee under and pursuant to a power of attorney dated 28th June 2018   

)

)

   
Witness to all the above Signatures :   

)

   
Name:         MARIA TRIVELA, Attorney-at-Law    )     /s/ Maria Trivela
Address:     85 Akti Miaouli       
                   Piraeus, Greece       
Tel:            + 30210 45 95 000       
Mob:          +30697 260 1651       


We on this 29th day of June 20 18 hereby confirm and acknowledge that we have read and understood the terms and conditions of the above Supplemental Agreement and agree in all respects to the same and confirm that the Finance Document s to which we are respectively a party shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue to stand as security for the obligations of the Borrower under the Facility Agreement (as amended by the Supplemental Agreement) and shall, without limitation, secure the indebtedness under the Facility Agreement and the Finance Documents.

 

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

   

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

EVIAN SHIPTRADE LTD.

(as Guarantor A)

   

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

ANTHIMAR MARINE INC.

(as Guarantor B)

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

   

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

ENPLO SHIPPING LIMITED

(as Guarantor F)

   

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

   

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

OLYMPIA II NAVIGATION LIMITED

(as Collateral Guarantor A)

   

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

SUI AN NAVIGATION LIMITED

(as Collateral Guarantor B)

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

   

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

PINGEL NAVIGATION LIMITED

(as Collateral Guarantor C)

   

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

EBBA NAVIGATION LIMITED

(as Collateral Guarantor D)

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

   

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

CLAN NAVIGATION LIMITED

(as Collateral Guarantor E)

   

/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

   

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.

(as Approved Manager)

   


/s/ Francisco Tazelaar

FRANCISCO TAZELAAR

for and on behalf of

NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS INC.

(as Shareholder)

Exhibit 10.3

Dated 20 December 2017

THEROS VENTURES LIMITED

LEGATO SHIPHOLDING INC.

PERAN MARITIME INC.

and

ZONER SHIPTRADE S.A.

as joint and several Borrowers

and

THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

listed in Schedule 1

as Lenders

and

BNP PARIBAS

as Agent and Security Trustee

LOAN AGREEMENT

relating to a $24,000,000 term loan facility to finance or refinance (as applicable)

the acquisition cost of m.vs. “NAVIOS LAPIS”,

“NAVIOS TEMPO”, “BONAIRE” (tbr. “NAVIOS FELICITAS“)

and another container vessel

 

LOGO


Index

 

Clause        Page  

1

  Interpretation      1  

2

  Loan Facility      20  

3

  Position of the Lenders      20  

4

  Drawdown      21  

5

  Interest      23  

6

  Interest Periods      25  

7

  Default Interest      26  

8

  Repayment and Prepayment      27  

9

  Conditions Precedent      29  

10

  Representations and Warranties      30  

11

  General Undertakings      34  

12

  Corporate Undertakings      39  

13

  Insurance      40  

14

  Ship covenants      47  

15

  Security Cover      51  

16

  Payments and Calculations      53  

17

  Application of Receipts      55  

18

  Application of Earnings      56  

19

  Events of Default      58  

20

  Fees and Expenses      64  

21

  Indemnities      65  

22

  No Set-off or Tax Deduction      67  

23

  Illegality, etc      70  

24

  Increased Costs      70  

25

  Set-off      72  

26

  Transfers and Changes in Lending Offices      73  

27

  Variations and Waivers by majority lenders      77  

28

  Notices      78  

29

  Supplemental      80  

30

  Confidentiality      82  

31

  Law and Jurisdiction      86  

32

  Bail-In      87  

Schedules

 

Schedule 1 Lenders and Commitments

     88  

Schedule 2 Drawdown Notice

     89  

Schedule 3 Condition Precedent Documents

     90  

      Part A

     90  

      Part B

     91  

Schedule 4 Transfer Certificate

     93  

Schedule 5 Vessel Details

     97  

Execution

 

Execution Page

     98  


THIS LOAN AGREEMENT is made on 20 December 2017

PARTIES

 

(1) THEROS VENTURES LIMITED , LEGATO SHIPHOLDING INC., PERAN MARITIME INC. AND ZONER SHIPTRADE S.A., each a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960, as joint and several Borrowers .

 

(2) THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS listed in Schedule 1, as Lenders .

 

(3) BNP PARIBAS acting through its office at 35, rue de la Gare, CVA05A1, 75019, Paris, France as Agent and Security Trustee .

WHEREAS

The Lenders have agreed to make available to the Borrowers, in four advances, a senior secured term loan facility:

 

(A) Advance A shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $6,000,000 and (b) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship A which shall be made available for the purpose of refinancing part of the acquisition cost of Ship A;

 

(B) Advance B shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $6,000,000 and (b) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship B which shall be made available for the purpose of refinancing part of the acquisition cost of Ship B;

 

(C) Advance C shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $6,000,000 and (b) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship C, which shall be made available for the purpose of refinancing part of the acquisition cost of Ship C; and

 

(D) Advance D shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $6,000,000, (b) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship D and (c) (b) 60 per cent. of the Purchase Price, which shall be made available for the purpose of financing or refinancing (as the case may be) part of the acquisition cost of Ship D.

BACKGROUND

IT IS AGREED as follows:

INTERPRETATION

Definitions

Subject to Clause 1.5, in this Agreement:

Account ” means each of the Earnings Accounts and the Retention Account and, in the plural, means all of them;

Account Bank ” means BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA, acting through its office at Place de Hollande 2, CP CH-1211, Geneva 11, Switzerland;

Account Pledge ” means, in relation to each Account, a deed of pledge of that Account in such form as the Lenders may approve or require, and in the plural means all of them;

 


Advance A ” means, in relation to Ship A, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $6,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship A, to be made available to the Borrowers in a single amount for the purpose of refinancing part of the acquisition cost of Ship A;

Advance B ” means, in relation to Ship B, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $6,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship B, to be made available to the Borrowers in a single amount for the purpose of refinancing part of the acquisition cost of Ship B;

Advance C ” means, in relation to Ship C, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $6,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent of the Initial Market Value of Ship C, to be made available to the Borrowers in a single amount for the purpose of refinancing part of the acquisition cost of Ship C;

Advance D ” means, in relation to Ship D, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $6,000,000, (ii) 60 per cent of the Initial Market Value of Ship D and (c) (b) 60 per cent. of the Purchase Price, to be made available to the Borrowers in a single amount for the purpose of financing or refinancing (as the case part of the acquisition cost of Ship D;

“Advances ” means, together, Advance A, Advance B, Advance C and Advance D or the principal amount of each borrowing by the Borrowers under this Agreement and, in the singular, means any of them;

Affected Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.7;

Agency and Trust Deed ” means the agency and trust deed executed or to be executed between the Borrowers, the Lenders, the Agent and the Security Trustee in such form as the Lenders may approve or require;

Agent ” means BNP Paribas acting through its office at 35, rue de la Gare, CVA05A1, 75019, Paris, France or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

Applicable Person ” has the meaning given in Clause 29.4;

Approved Broker ” means any of Arrow Valuations Ltd, Barry Rogliano Salles, Braemar ACM Shipbroking, H Clarkson & Co. Ltd., E.A. Gibsons Shipbrokers, Fearnleys, Galbraith, Simpson Spencer & Young, Howe Robinson & Co Ltd London and Maersk Broker K.S. (to include, in each case, their successors or assigns and such subsidiary or other company in the same corporate group through which valuations are commonly issued by each of these brokers), or such other first-class independent broker as the Borrowers and the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may agree in writing from time to time;

“Approved Flag” means, in relation to a Ship, the flag of Marshall Islands, the flag of Liberia, the flag of Panama or such other flag as the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve as the flag on which that Ship is or, as the case may be, shall be registered;

“Approved Flag State” means, in relation to a Ship, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of Panama or any other country in which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve that that Ship is or, as the case may be, shall be registered;

 

2


Approved Manager ” means in respect of the commercial and technical management of any Ship, Navios Shipmanagement Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro MH96960, Marshall Islands, or any other company (for the avoidance of doubt, other than an affiliate of Navios Shipmanagement Inc.) which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve from time to time as the commercial and technical manager of any Ship;

Approved Manager’s Undertaking ” means, in relation to a Ship, a letter of undertaking including, without limitation, an assignment of the Approved Manager’s rights, title and interest in the Insurances of the relevant Ship executed or to be executed by the Approved Manager in favour of the Security Trustee agreeing certain matters in relation to the Approved Manager serving as the manager of that Ship and subordinating the rights of the Approved Manager against that Ship and that Borrower to the rights of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents, in such form as the Security Trustee, with the authorisation of the Lenders, may approve or require and, in the plural, means all of them;

Availability Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on:

 

  (a) 28 February 2018, or such later date as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, agree with the Borrowers; or

 

  (b) if earlier, the date on which the Total Commitments are fully borrowed, cancelled or terminated;

Bail-In Action ” means the exercise of any Write-down and Conversion Powers.

Bail-In Legislation ” means:

 

  (a) in relation to an EEA Member Country which has implemented, or which at any time implements, Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms, the relevant implementing law or regulation as described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time; and

 

  (b) in relation to any other state, any analogous law or regulation from time to time which requires contractual recognition of any Write-down and Conversion Powers contained in that law or regulation.

Balloon Instalment ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 8.1;

Basel III ” means:

 

  (a) the agreements on capital requirements, a leverage ratio and liquidity standards contained in “Basel III: A global regulatory framework for more resilient banks and banking systems”, “Basel III: International framework for liquidity risk measurement, standards and monitoring” and “Guidance for national authorities operating the countercyclical capital buffer” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010, each as amended, supplemented or restated;

 

  (b) the rules for global systemically important banks contained in “Global systemically important banks: assessment methodology and the additional loss absorbency requirement—Rules text” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in November 2011, as amended, supplemented or restated; and

 

3


  (c) any further guidance or standards published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision relating to “Basel III”;

Borrower ” means each of Borrower A, Borrower B, Borrower C and Borrower D and, in the plural, means all of them;

Borrower A ” means Theros Ventures Limited a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower B ” means Legato Shipholding Inc. a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower C ” means Peran Maritime Inc. a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Borrower D ” means Zoner Shiptrade S.A. a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960;

Business Day ” means a day on which banks are open in London, Athens, Paris and Geneva and in respect of a day on which a payment is required to be made under a Finance Document, also in New York City;

Charterparty ” means, in relation to a Ship, any charterparty in respect of that Ship of a duration exceeding or capable of exceeding 12 months, made on terms and with a charterer acceptable in all respects to the Lenders;

Charterparty Assignment ” means, in relation to a Ship, the deed of assignment of any Charterparty in favour of the Security Trustee, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require;

Code ” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

Commitment ” means, in relation to a Lender, the amount set opposite its name in Schedule 1 or, as the case may require, the amount specified in the relevant Transfer Certificate, as that amount may be reduced, cancelled or terminated in accordance with this Agreement (and “ Total Commitments ” means the aggregate of the Commitments of all the Lenders);

Confidentiality Undertaking ” means a confidentiality undertaking substantially in a recommended form of the Loan Market Association (LMA) or in any other form agreed between the Borrowers and the Agent;

Confidential Information ” means all information relating to the Borrowers, any Security Party, the Group, the Finance Documents or the Loan of which a Creditor Party becomes aware in its capacity as, or for the purpose of becoming, a Creditor Party or which is received by a Creditor Party in relation to, or for the purpose of becoming a Creditor Party under, the Finance Documents or the Loan from either:

 

  (a) any member of the Group or any of its advisers; or

 

4


  (b) another Creditor Party, if the information was obtained by that Creditor Party directly or indirectly from any member of the Group or any of its advisers,

in whatever form, and includes information given orally and any document, electronic file or any other way of representing or recording information which contains or is derived or copied from such information but excludes:

 

  (i) information that:

 

  (A) is or becomes public information other than as a direct or indirect result of any breach by that Creditor Party of Clause 30; or

 

  (B) is identified in writing at the time of delivery as non-confidential by any member of the Group or any of its advisers; or

 

  (C) is known by that Creditor Party before the date the information is disclosed to it in accordance with paragraphs (a) or (b) above or is lawfully obtained by that Creditor Party after that date, from a source which is, as far as that Creditor Party is aware, unconnected with the Group and which, in either case, as far as that Creditor Party is aware, has not been obtained in breach of, and is not otherwise subject to, any obligation of confidentiality; and

 

  (ii) any Funding Rate or any quotation supplied to the Agent by a Reference Bank;

Confidential Rate means any quotation supplied to the Agent by a Reference Bank or any Funding Rate;

Contractual Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.5;

Contribution ” means, in relation to a Lender, the part of the Loan which is owing to that Lender;

Corporate Guarantee ” means the guarantee to be given by the Corporate Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee, guaranteeing the obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require;

Corporate Guarantor ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960 and registered on the Norwegian over-the-counter market in Oslo;

CRD IV ” means Directive 2013/36/EU of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2003/87/EC and repealing Directive 2006/48/EC and 2006/29/EC;

Creditor Party ” means the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender, whether as at the date of this Agreement or at any later time;

CRR ” means Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending regulation (EU) No. 648/2012;

 

5


Delivery Date ” means, in relation to a Prospective Ship, the date on which that Prospective Ship is delivered by the relevant Seller to the relevant Prospective Buyer under the MOA in relation to that Prospective Ship;

Designated Shareholder ” means Mrs Angeliki Frangou either directly or indirectly (through entities owned and controlled by her or trusts or foundations of which she is the beneficiary) and/or Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and/or Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. or any of their affiliates being, either individually or together, the ultimate beneficial owner(s) of, or having ultimate control of the voting rights attaching to, at least 25 per cent. of all the issued shares in the Corporate Guarantor and in the plural means all of them;

Dollars ” and “ $ ” means the lawful currency for the time being of the United States of America;

Drawdown Date ” means, in relation to an Advance, the date requested by the Borrowers for the Advance to be made, or (as the context requires) the date on which the Advance is actually made;

Drawdown Notice ” means a notice in the form set out in Schedule 2 (or in any other form which the Agent approves or reasonably requires);

Earnings ” means, in relation to a Ship, all moneys whatsoever which are now, or later become, payable (actually or contingently) to the Borrower owning that Ship or the Security Trustee and which arise out of the use or operation of that Ship, including (but not limited to):

 

  (a) all freight, hire and passage moneys, compensation payable to that Borrower or the Security Trustee in the event of requisition of the Ship owned by it for hire, remuneration for salvage and towage services, demurrage and detention moneys and damages for breach (or payments for variation or termination) of any charterparty or other contract for the employment of that Ship;

 

  (b) all moneys which are at any time payable under Insurances in respect of loss of earnings; and

 

  (c) if and whenever that Ship is employed on terms whereby any moneys falling within paragraphs (a) or (b) above are pooled or shared with any other person, that proportion of the net receipts of the relevant pooling or sharing arrangement which is attributable to that Ship;

Earnings Account ” means, in relation to a Ship, an account in the name of the Borrower owning that Ship with the Account Bank which is designated by the Agent in writing as the Earnings Account in respect of that Ship for the purposes of this Agreement, and, in the plural, means all of them;

EEA Member Country ” means any member state of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;

Environmental Claim ” means:

 

  (a) any claim by any governmental, judicial or regulatory authority which arises out of an Environmental Incident or an alleged Environmental Incident or which relates to any Environmental Law; or

 

6


  (b) any claim by any other person which relates to an Environmental Incident or to an alleged Environmental Incident,

and “ claim ” means a claim for damages, compensation, fines, penalties or any other payment of any kind whether or not similar to the foregoing; an order or direction to take, or not to take, certain action or to desist from or suspend certain action; and any form of enforcement or regulatory action, including the arrest or attachment of any asset;

Environmental Incident ” means in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) any release of Environmentally Sensitive Material from that Ship; or

 

  (b) any incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released from a vessel other than that Ship and which involves a collision between that Ship and such other vessel or some other incident of navigation or operation, in either case, in connection with which that Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested, attached, detained and/or injuncted and/or that Ship and/or the Borrower which is the owner thereof and/or any operator or manager of that Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action; or

 

  (c) any other incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released otherwise than from that Ship and in connection with which that Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested and/or where the Borrower which is the owner thereof and/or any operator or manager of that Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action;

Environmental Law ” means any law relating to pollution or protection of the environment, to the carriage of Environmentally Sensitive Material or to actual or threatened releases of Environmentally Sensitive Material;

Environmentally Sensitive Material ” means oil, oil products and any other substance (including any chemical, gas or other hazardous or noxious substance) which is (or is capable of being or becoming) polluting, toxic or hazardous;

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule ” means the document described as such and published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person) from time to time;

Event of Default ” means any of the events or circumstances described in Clause 19.1;

FATCA ” means:

 

  (a) sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code or any associated regulations;

 

  (b) any treaty, law or regulation of any other jurisdiction, or relating to an intergovernmental agreement between the US and any other jurisdiction, which (in either case) facilitates the implementation of any law or regulation referred to in paragraph (a) above; or

 

  (c) any agreement pursuant to the implementation of any treaty, law or regulation referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) above with the US Internal Revenue Service, the US government or any governmental or taxation authority in any other jurisdiction;

 

7


FATCA Deduction ” means a deduction or withholding from a payment under any Finance Document required by or under FATCA;

FATCA Exempt Party ” means a party to a Finance Document that is entitled to receive payments free from any FATCA Deduction;

FATCA FFI ” means a foreign financial institution as defined in section 1471(d)(4) of the Code which, if any Creditor Party is not a FATCA Exempt Party, could be required to make a FATCA Deduction;

Finance Documents ” means:

 

  (a) this Agreement;

 

  (b) the Agency and Trust Deed;

 

  (c) the Corporate Guarantee;

 

  (d) the General Assignments;

 

  (e) the Mortgages;

 

  (f) the Account Pledges;

 

  (g) the Charterparty Assignments;

 

  (h) the Approved Manager’s Undertakings;

 

  (i) the Negative Pledges; and

 

  (j) any other document (whether creating a Security Interest or not) which is executed at any time by a Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor, the Approved Manager, the Shareholder or any other person as security for, or to establish any form of subordination or priorities arrangement in relation to, any amount payable to the Lenders under this Agreement or any of the other documents referred to in this definition;

Financial Indebtedness ” means, in relation to a person (the “ debtor ”), a liability of the debtor:

 

  (a) for principal, interest or any other sum payable in respect of any moneys borrowed or raised by the debtor;

 

  (b) under any loan stock, bond, note or other security issued by the debtor;

 

  (c) under any acceptance credit, guarantee or letter of credit facility or dematerialised equivalent made available to the debtor;

 

  (d) under a financial lease, a deferred purchase consideration arrangement or any other agreement having the commercial effect of a borrowing or raising of money by the debtor;

 

  (e) under any foreign exchange transaction, any interest or currency swap or any other kind of derivative transaction entered into by the debtor or, if the agreement under which any such transaction is entered into requires netting of mutual liabilities, the liability of the debtor for the net amount; or

 

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  (f) under a guarantee, indemnity or similar obligation entered into by the debtor in respect of a liability of another person which would fall within (a) to (e) if the references to the debtor referred to the other person;

Funding Rate means any rate notified to the Agent by a Lender pursuant to Clause 5.12;

General Assignment ” means, in relation to a Ship, a general assignment of the Earnings, the Insurances and any Requisition Compensation, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Group ” means together, the Borrowers, the Corporate Guarantor and their wholly- owned subsidiaries (direct or indirect) from time to time during the Security Period and “ member of the Group ” shall be construed accordingly;

IACS ” means the International Association of Classification Societies;

Initial Market Value ” means, in relation to each Ship, the Market Value thereof determined by taking the valuation of that Ship referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 3, Part B;

Insurances ” means in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) all policies and contracts of insurance, including entries of that Ship in any protection and indemnity or war risks association, which are effected in respect of that Ship, the Earnings or otherwise in relation to it whether before, on or after the date of this Agreement; and

 

  (b) all rights and other assets relating to, or derived from, any of the foregoing, including any rights to a return of a premium and any rights in respect of any claim whether or not the relevant policy, contract of insurance or entry has expired on or before the date of this Agreement;

Interest Period ” means a period determined in accordance with Clause 6;

Interpolated Screen Rate ” means, in relation to LIBOR for an Interest Period, the rate (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the two relevant Screen Rates) which results from interpolating on a linear basis between:

 

  (a) the applicable Screen Rate for the longest period (for which that Screen Rate is available) which is less than that Interest Period; and

 

  (b) the applicable Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which that Screen Rate is available) which exceeds that Interest Period,

each as of 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation Day for the currency of the Loan;

ISM Code ” means, in relation to its application to the Borrowers, the Ships and their operation:

 

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  (a) ‘The International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention’, currently known or referred to as the ‘ISM Code’, adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation by Resolution A.741(18) on 4 November 1993 and incorporated on 19 May 1994 into chapter IX of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS 1974); and

 

  (b) all further resolutions, circulars, codes, guidelines, regulations and recommendations which are now or in the future issued by or on behalf of the International Maritime Organisation or any other entity with responsibility for implementing the ISM Code, including without limitation, the ‘Guidelines on implementation or administering of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Administrations’ produced by the International Maritime Organisations pursuant to Resolution A.788(19) adopted on 25 November 1995,

as the same may be amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time;

ISM Code Documentation ” includes, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) the document of compliance (DOC) and safety management certificate (SMC) issued pursuant to the ISM Code within the periods specified by the ISM Code; and

 

  (b) all other documents and data which are relevant to the ISM SMS and its implementation and verification which the Agent may require; and

 

  (c) any other documents which are prepared or which are otherwise relevant to establish and maintain that Ship’s or that Borrower’s compliance with the ISM Code which the Agent may require;

ISM SMS ” means the safety management system which is required to be developed, implemented and maintained under the ISM Code;

ISPS Code ” means the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code constituted pursuant to resolution A.924 (22) of the International Maritime Organisation (“ IMO ”) adopted by a Diplomatic conference of the IMO on Maritime Security on 13 December 2002 and now set out in Chapter XI-2 of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) 1974 (as amended) to take effect on 1 July 2004;

ISSC ” means a valid and current International Ship Security Certificate issued under the ISPS Code;

Lender ” means, subject to Clause 26.6:

 

  (a) a bank or financial institution listed in Schedule 1 and acting through its branch or office indicated in Schedule 1 (or through another branch notified to the Borrowers under Clause 26.14) unless it has delivered a Transfer Certificate or Certificates covering the entire amounts of its Commitment and its Contribution; and

 

  (b) the holder for the time being of a Transfer Certificate;

LIBOR ” means, for an Interest Period:

 

  (a) the applicable Screen Rate;

 

  (b) (if no Screen Rate is available for that Interest Period) the Interpolated Screen Rate; or

 

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  (c) if:

 

  (i) no Screen Rate is available for the currency of the Loan; or

 

  (ii) no Screen Rate is available for that Interest Period and it is not possible to calculate an Interpolated Screen Rate,

the Reference Bank Rate,

as of, in the case of paragraphs (a) and (c) above, 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation Day for the currency of the Loan and for a period equal in length to that Interest Period and, if any such rate is below zero, LIBOR will be deemed to be zero;

Loan ” means the principal amount for the time being outstanding under this Agreement;

Major Casualty ” means, in relation to a Ship, any casualty to that Ship in respect of which the claim or the aggregate of the claims against all insurers, before adjustment for any relevant franchise or deductible, exceeds $500,000 or the equivalent in any other currency;

Majority Lenders ” means:

 

  (a) before an Advance has been made, Lenders whose Commitments total 66.66 per cent. of the Total Commitments; and

 

  (b) after an Advance has been made, Lenders whose Contributions total 66.66 per cent. of the Loan;

Margin ” means 3 per cent. per annum;

“Market Value” means the market value of the Ship determined from time to time in accordance with Clause 15.4;

Minimum Liquidity ” has the meaning given in Clause 0;

MOA ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Mortgage ” means, in relation to a Ship, the first preferred or, as the case may be, priority ship mortgage and, if applicable, deed of covenant collateral thereto on that Ship, executed by the Borrower which is the owner thereof in favour of the Security Trustee or (as the case may be) the Lenders, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Negative Pledge ” means, in relation to the shares of each Borrower, the negative pledge agreement to be given by the Shareholder in favour of the Security Trustee as security for the obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Negotiation Period ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.10;

Notifying Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 23.1 or Clause 24.2 as the context requires;

Payment Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.5;

 

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Permitted Security Interests ” means:

 

  (a) Security Interests created by the Finance Documents;

 

  (b) liens for unpaid crew’s wages in accordance with usual maritime practice;

 

  (c) liens for salvage;

 

  (d) liens arising by operation of law for not more than 2 months’ prepaid hire under any charter in relation to a Ship not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

  (e) liens for master’s disbursements incurred in the ordinary course of trading and any other lien arising by operation of law or otherwise in the ordinary course of the operation, repair or maintenance of a Ship, provided such liens do not secure amounts more than 45 days overdue (unless the overdue amount is being contested by the relevant Borrower in good faith by appropriate steps) and subject, in the case of liens for repair or maintenance, to Clause 14.13(g);

 

  (f) any Security Interest created in favour of a plaintiff or defendant in any action of the court or tribunal before whom such action is brought as security for costs and expenses where the relevant Borrower is prosecuting or defending such action in good faith by appropriate steps; and

 

  (g) Security Interests arising by operation of law in respect of taxes which are not overdue for payment other than taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate steps and in respect of which appropriate reserves have been made;

Person ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 10.18;

Pertinent Jurisdiction ”, in relation to a company, means:

 

  (a) England and Wales;

 

  (b) the country under the laws of which the company is incorporated or formed;

 

  (c) a country in which the company’s central management and control is or has recently been exercised;

 

  (d) a country in which the overall net income of the company is subject to corporation tax, income tax or any similar tax;

 

  (e) a country in which assets of the company (other than securities issued by, or loans to, related companies) having a substantial value are situated, in which the company maintains a permanent place of business, or in which a Security Interest created by the company must or should be registered in order to ensure its validity or priority; and

 

  (f) a country the courts of which have jurisdiction to make a winding up, administration or similar order in relation to the company or which would have such jurisdiction if their assistance were requested by the courts of a country referred to in paragraphs (b) or (c) above;

 

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Potential Event of Default ” means an event or circumstance which, with the giving of any notice, the lapse of time, a determination of the Majority Lenders and/or the satisfaction of any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default;

Prospective Buyer ” means Borrower C or Borrower D.

Prospective Ship ” means Ship C or Ship D;

Purchase Price ” means the total price payable for Ship D under the MOA relevant to Ship D;

Quotation Date ” means, in relation to any period for which an interest rate is to be determined under any provision of a Finance Document, the day which is 2 Business Days before the first day of that period, unless market practice differs in the London Interbank Market for a currency, in which case the Quotation Date will be determined by the Agent in accordance with market practice in the London Interbank Market (and if quotations would normally be given by leading banks in the London Interbank Market on more than one day, the Quotation Date will be the last of those days);

Reference Bank ” means, in relation to the determination of LIBOR and any mandatory costs, the London office of BNP Paribas or such other bank as may be appointed by the Agent after consultation with the Borrower;

Reference Bank Rate ” means the arithmetic mean of the rates (rounded upwards to four decimal places) as supplied to the Agent at its request by the Reference Banks, as the rate at which the Reference Bank could borrow funds in the London interbank market, in the relevant currency and for the relevant period, were it to do so by asking for and then accepting interbank offers for deposits in reasonable market size in that currency and for that period.

Related Fund ” in relation to a fund (the “ first fund ”), means a fund which is managed or advised by the same investment manager or investment adviser as the first fund or, if it is managed by a different investment manager or investment adviser, a fund whose investment manager or investment adviser is an affiliate of the investment manager or investment adviser of the first fund.

“Relevant Person” has the meaning given in Clause 19.9;

Repayment Date ” means a date on which a repayment is required to be made under Clause 8;

Repayment Instalment ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 8.1;

Representative ” means any delegate, agent, manager, administrator, nominee, attorney, trustee or custodian;

Requisition Compensation ” includes all compensation or other moneys payable by reason of any act or event such as is referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of “Total Loss”;

Retention Account ” means an account in the joint name of each Borrower with the Account Bank designated:

 

  (a) in relation to Borrower A, “Theros Ventures Limited – Retention Account”;

 

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  (b) in relation to Borrower B, “Legato Shipholding Inc. – Retention Account”;

 

  (c) in relation to Borrower C, “Peran Maritime Inc – Retention Account”; and

 

  (d) in relation to Borrower D, “Zoner Shiptrade S.A. – Retention Account”,

or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank which replaces this account and is designated by the Agent as the Retention Account for the purposes of this Agreement;

Sanctioned Person ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 10.18;

Sanctioned Country has the meaning given to it in Clause 10.18;

Sanctions ” means any economic or trade sanctions or restrictive measures enacted, administered, imposed or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council and/or the European Union and/or the French Republic and/or Her Majesty’s Treasury and/or the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO) or other relevant sanctions authority;

Screen Rate ” means the London interbank offered rate administrated by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or any other person which takes over the administration of that rate) for the relevant currency and period displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen (or any replacement Reuters page which displays that rate or on the appropriate page of such other information service which publishes that rate from time to time in place of Reuters). If such page or service ceases to be available, the Agent may specify another page or service displaying the relevant rate after consultation with the Borrowers;

“Security Cover Ratio” means, at any relevant time, the aggregate of (i) the aggregate of the Market Value of the Mortgaged Ships and (ii) the net realisable value of any additional security provided at that time under Clause 15, at that time expressed as a percentage of the Loan;

Secured Liabilities ” means all liabilities which the Borrowers, the Security Parties or any of them have, at the date of this Agreement or at any later time or times, under or by virtue of the Finance Documents or any judgment relating to the Finance Documents; and for this purpose, there shall be disregarded any total or partial discharge of these liabilities, or variation of their terms, which is effected by, or in connection with, any bankruptcy, liquidation, arrangement or other procedure under the insolvency laws of any country;

Security Interest ” means:

 

  (a) a mortgage, charge (whether fixed or floating) or pledge, any maritime or other lien or any other security interest of any kind; and

 

  (b) the rights of the plaintiff under an action in rem in which the vessel concerned has been arrested or a writ has been issued or similar step taken.

Security Party ” means the Corporate Guarantor, the Approved Manager, the Shareholder and any other person (except a Creditor Party) who, as a surety or mortgagor, as a party to any subordination or priorities arrangement, or in any similar capacity, executes a document falling within the final paragraph of the definition of “Finance Documents”;

 

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Security Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date on which the Agent notifies the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties that:

 

  (a) all amounts which have become due for payment by a Borrower or any Security Party under the Finance Documents have been paid;

 

  (b) no amount is owing or has accrued (without yet having become due for payment) under any Finance Document;

 

  (c) no Borrower nor any Security Party has any future or contingent liability under Clause 20, 21 or 22 below or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; and

 

  (d) the Agent, the Security Trustee and the Lenders do not consider that there is a significant risk that any payment or transaction under a Finance Document would be set aside, or would have to be reversed or adjusted, in any present or possible future bankruptcy of a Borrower or a Security Party or in any present or possible future proceeding relating to a Finance Document or any asset covered (or previously covered) by a Security Interest created by a Finance Document;

Security Trustee ” means BNP Paribas acting through its office 35, rue de la Gare 75019 Paris, France, or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

Seller ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Shareholder ” means Boheme Navigation Company, a corporation incorporated and existing in the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960;

Ship ” means each of Ship A, Ship B, Ship C and Ship D and, in the plural, means all of them;

Ship A ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Ship B ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;;

Ship C ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Ship D ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Total Loss ” means in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) actual, constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of that Ship;

 

  (b) any expropriation, confiscation, requisition or acquisition of that Ship whether for full consideration, a consideration less than its proper value, a nominal consideration or without any consideration, which is effected by any government or official authority or by any person or persons claiming to be or to represent a government or official authority, excluding a requisition for hire for a fixed period not exceeding one year without any right to an extension unless that Ship is within 30 days redelivered to the full control of the Borrower owning that Ship;

 

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  (c) any condemnation of that Ship by any tribunal or by any person or person claiming to be a tribunal; and

 

  (d) any arrest, capture, seizure, confiscation or detention of that Ship (including any hijacking or theft) unless it is within the Relevant Period redelivered to the full control of the Borrower owning that Ship.

In this definition “ Relevant Period ” means:

 

  (i) in the case of any arrest of a Ship, within 1 month; and

 

  (ii) in the case of piracy or capture, seizure, confiscation or detention of a Ship (including any hijacking or theft) 90 days Provided that if the relevant underwriters confirm to the Agent in writing prior to the end of the 90-day period referred to in (i) above that the relevant Ship is subject to an approved piracy insurance cover, the earlier of 12 months after the date on which that Ship is captured by pirates and the date on which the piracy insurance cover expires;

Total Loss Date ” means in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) in the case of an actual loss, the date on which it occurred or, if that is unknown, the date when that Ship was last heard of;

 

  (b) in the case of a constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of that Ship, the earlier of:

 

  (i) the date on which a notice of abandonment is given to the insurers; and

 

  (ii) the date of any compromise, arrangement or agreement made by or on behalf of the Borrower owning that Ship, with that Ship’s insurers in which the insurers agree to treat that Ship as a total loss; and

 

  (c) in the case of any other type of total loss, on the earlier of:

 

  (i) the date at which a total loss is subsequently admitted by such insurers;

 

  (ii) the date at which a total loss is subsequently adjudged by a competent court of law or arbitration tribunal to have occurred, if such insurers do not immediately admit such claim; or

 

  (iii) the date (or the most likely date) on which it appears to the Agent that the event constituting the total loss occurred;

Transfer Certificate ” has the meaning given in Clause 26.2;

Trust Property ” has the meaning given in clause 3.1 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

US ” means the United States of America;

US GAAP ” means generally accepted international accounting principles as from time to time in effect in the United States of America;

US Tax Obligor ” means:

 

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  (a) a person which is resident for tax purposes in the United States of America; or

 

  (b) a person some or all of whose payments under the Finance Documents are from sources within the United States for US federal income tax purposes; and

Write-down and Conversion Powers ” means:

 

  (a) in relation to any Bail-In Legislation described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time, the powers described as such in relation to that Bail-In Legislation in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule; and

 

  (b) in relation to any other applicable Bail-In Legislation:

 

  (i) any powers under that Bail-In Legislation to cancel, transfer or dilute shares issued by a person that is a bank or investment firm or other financial institution or affiliate of a bank, investment firm or other financial institution, to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of such a person or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers; and

 

  (ii) any similar or analogous powers under that Bail-In Legislation.

Construction of certain terms

In this Agreement:

approved ” means, for the purposes of Clause 13, approved in writing by the Agent;

asset ” includes every kind of property, asset, interest or right, including any present, future or contingent right to any revenues or other payment;

company ” includes any partnership, joint venture and unincorporated association;

consent ” includes an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing, registration, notarisation and legalisation;

contingent liability ” means a liability which is not certain to arise and/or the amount of which remains unascertained;

document ” includes a deed; also a letter or fax;

excess risks ” means, in relation to a Ship, the proportion of claims for general average, salvage and salvage charges not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies in respect of the Ship in consequence of its insured value being less than the value at which the Ship is assessed for the purpose of such claims;

expense ” means any kind of cost, charge or expense (including all legal costs, charges and expenses) and any applicable value added or other tax;

 

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law ” includes any form of delegated legislation, any order or decree, any treaty or international convention and any regulation or resolution of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the United Nations or its Security Council;

legal or administrative action ” means any legal proceeding or arbitration and any administrative or regulatory action or investigation;

liability ” includes every kind of debt or liability (present or future, certain or contingent), whether incurred as principal or surety or otherwise;

months ” shall be construed in accordance with Clause 1.3;

obligatory insurances ” means, in relation to a Ship, all insurances effected, or which the Borrower owning that Ship, is obliged to effect, under Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

parent company ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

person ” includes any individual, any entity, any company; any state, political sub-division of a state and local or municipal authority; and any international organisation;

policy ”, in relation to any insurance, includes a slip, cover note, certificate of entry or other document evidencing the contract of insurance or its terms;

protection and indemnity risks ” means the usual risks covered by a protection and indemnity association managed in London, including pollution risks, freight demurrage and defence risks and the proportion (if any) of any sums payable to any other person or persons in case of collision which are not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies by reason of the incorporation therein of clause 1 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls)(1/10/83) or clause 8 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/11/1995) or the Institute Amended Running Down Clause (1/10/71) or any equivalent provision;

regulation ” includes any regulation, rule, official directive, request or guideline (either having the force of law or compliance with which is reasonable in the ordinary course of business of the party concerned) of any governmental, intergovernmental or supranational body, agency, department or regulatory, self-regulatory or other authority or organisation;

subsidiary ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

successor ” includes any person who is entitled (by assignment, novation, merger or otherwise) to any other person’s rights under this Agreement or any other Finance Document (or any interest in those rights) or who, as administrator, liquidator or otherwise, is entitled to exercise those rights; and in particular references to a successor include a person to whom those rights (or any interest in those rights) are transferred or pass as a result of a merger, division, reconstruction or other reorganisation of it or any other person;

tax ” includes any present or future tax, duty, impost, levy or charge of any kind which is imposed by any state, any political sub-division of a state or any local or municipal authority (including any such imposed in connection with exchange controls), and any connected penalty, interest or fine;

war risks ” means the risks according to Institute War and Strike Clauses (Hull Time) (1/10/83) or (1/11/95), or equivalent conditions, including, but not limited to risk of mines, blocking and trapping, missing vessel, confiscation, piracy and all risks excluded from the standard form of English or other marine policy; and

 

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which is continuing ” or “ is continuing ”, a Potential Event of Default is continuing if it has not been remedied or waived and an Event of Default is “ continuing ” if it has not been waived.

Meaning of “month”

A period of one or more “months” ends on the day in the relevant calendar month numerically corresponding to the day of the calendar month on which the period started (“ the numerically corresponding day ”), but:

 

(a) on the Business Day following the numerically corresponding day if the numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day or, if there is no later Business Day in the same calendar month, on the Business Day preceding the numerically corresponding day; or

 

(b) on the last Business Day in the relevant calendar month, if the period started on the last Business Day in a calendar month or if the last calendar month of the period has no numerically corresponding day,

and “ month ” and “ monthly ” shall be construed accordingly.

Meaning of “subsidiary”

A company (S) is a subsidiary of another company (P) if:

 

(a) a majority of the issued shares in S (or a majority of the issued shares in S which carry unlimited rights to capital and income distributions) are directly owned by P or are indirectly attributable to P; or

 

(b) P has direct or indirect control over a majority of the voting rights attached to the issued shares of S;

and any company of which S is a subsidiary is a parent company of S Provided that there shall be excluded from this definition any subsidiaries which are listed on a public stock exchange.

General Interpretation

 

(a) In this Agreement:

 

  (i) references to, or to a provision of, a Finance Document or any other document are references to it as amended or supplemented, whether before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

  (ii) references to, or to a provision of, any law include any amendment, extension, re-enactment or replacement, whether made before the date of this Agreement or otherwise; and

 

  (iii) words denoting the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa.

 

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(b) Clauses 1.1 to 1.4 and paragraph (a) of this Clause 1.5 apply unless the contrary intention appears.

 

(c) References in Clause 1.1 to a document being in the form of a particular Appendix include references to that form with any modifications to that form which the Agent (with the authorisation of the Lenders in the case of substantial modifications) approves or requires.

 

(d) The clause headings shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.

LOAN FACILITY

Amount of loan facility

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Lenders shall make available to the Borrowers a senior secured term loan facility in 4 Advances as follows:

 

(a) Advance A shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $6,000,000and (b) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship A; and

 

(b) Advance B shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $6,000,000 and (b) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship B;

 

(c) Advance C shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $6,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent of the Initial Market Value of Ship C; and

 

(d) Advance D shall be in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $6,000,000, (ii) 60 per cent of the Initial Market Value of Ship D and (iii) 60 per cent. of the Purchase Price.

Lenders’ participations in Advances

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall participate in each Advance in the proportion which, as at the Drawdown Date, its Commitment bears to the Total Commitments.

Purpose of Advances

The Borrowers undertake with each Creditor Party to use each Advance to finance or as the case may be refinance part of the acquisition cost of the Ship to which that Advance relates.

POSITION OF THE LENDERS

Interests of Lenders several

The rights of the Creditor Parties under this Agreement are several; accordingly each Lender shall be entitled to sue for any amount which has become due and payable by the Borrowers to it under this Agreement without joining the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party as additional parties in the proceedings, save that the Security Interests created by any of the Finance Documents may only be enforced in accordance with Clause 19.2.

Proceedings by individual Creditor Party

However, without the prior consent of the Lenders, no Creditor Party may bring proceedings in respect of:

 

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(a) any other liability or obligation of any Borrower or a Security Party under or connected with a Finance Document; or

 

(b) any misrepresentation or breach of warranty by any Borrower or a Security Party in or connected with a Finance Document.

Obligations of Creditor Parties several

The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement are several; and a failure of a Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not result in:

 

(a) the obligations of the other Lenders being increased; nor

 

(b) a Borrower, any Security Party or any other Lender being discharged (in whole or in part) from its obligations under any Finance Documents,

and in no circumstances shall a Lender have any responsibility for a failure of another Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

Parties bound by certain actions of Lenders

Every Lender, each Borrower and each Security Party shall be bound by:

 

(a) any determination made, or action taken, by the Lenders under any provision of a Finance Document;

 

(b) any instruction or authorisation given by the Lenders to the Agent or the Security Trustee under or in connection with any Finance Document; and

 

(c) any action taken (or in good faith purportedly taken) by the Agent or the Security Trustee in accordance with such an instruction or authorisation.

Reliance on action of Agent

However, each Borrower and each Security Party:

 

(a) shall be entitled to assume that the Lenders have duly given any instruction or authorisation which, under any provision of a Finance Document, is required in relation to any action which the Agent has taken or is about to take; and

 

(b) shall not be entitled to require any evidence that such an instruction or authorisation has been given.

Construction

In Clauses 3.4 and 3.5 references to action taken include (without limitation) the granting of any waiver or consent, an approval of any document and an agreement to any matter.

DRAWDOWN

Request for Advance

Subject to the following conditions, the Borrowers may request an Advance to be advanced by ensuring that the Agent receives a completed Drawdown Notice not later than 11.00 a.m. (Paris time) 2 Business Days prior to the intended Drawdown Date (or such other shorter period as the Lenders may agree).

 

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Availability

The conditions referred to in Clause 4.1 are that:

 

(a) the Drawdown Date has to be a Business Day during the Availability Period;

 

(b) the amount of each Advance shall not exceed an amount equal to the lesser of:

 

  (i) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of the Ship relevant to such Advance;

 

  (ii) $6,000,000; and

 

  (iii) in relation to Ship D, 60 per cent. of the Purchase Price; and

 

(c) the aggregate amount of the Advances shall not exceed the Total Commitments.

Notification to Lenders of receipt of a Drawdown Notice

The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders that it has received a Drawdown Notice and shall inform each Lender of:

 

(a) the amount of the Advance and the Drawdown Date;

 

(b) the amount of that Lender’s participation in the Advance; and

 

(c) the duration of the first Interest Period.

Drawdown Notice irrevocable

A Drawdown Notice must be signed by an officer or other authorised person of each Borrower; and once served a Drawdown Notice cannot be revoked without the prior consent of the Agent, acting on the authority of the Majority Lenders.

Lenders to make available Contributions

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall, on and with value on the Drawdown Date, make available to the Agent for the account of the Borrowers the amount due from that Lender under Clause 2.2.

Disbursement of Advance

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Agent shall on the Drawdown Date pay to the Borrowers the amounts which the Agent receives from the Lenders under Clause 4.5; and that payment to the Borrowers shall be made:

 

(a) to the account which the Borrowers specify in the Drawdown Notice; and

 

(b) in the like funds as the Agent received the payments from the Lenders.

 

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INTEREST

Payment of normal interest

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, interest on the Loan in respect of each Interest Period shall be paid by the Borrowers on the last day of that Interest Period.

Normal rate of interest

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the rate of interest on each Advance in respect of an Interest Period shall be the aggregate of (i) the Margin and (ii) LIBOR for that Interest Period subject to Clause 5.6 and 5.7.

Payment of accrued interest

In the case of an Interest Period longer than 3 months, accrued interest shall be paid every 3 months during that Interest Period and on the last day of that Interest Period.

Notification of Interest Periods and rates of normal interest

The Agent shall notify the Borrowers and each Lender of:

 

(a) each rate of interest; and

 

(b) the duration of each Interest Period,

as soon as reasonably practicable after each is determined.

Obligation of Reference Bank to quote

Each of the Reference Banks which is a Lender shall use all reasonable efforts to supply the quotation required of it for the purposes of fixing a rate of interest under this Agreement unless that Reference Bank ceases to be a Lender pursuant to Clause 26.16.

Absence of quotations by Reference Bank

If any Reference Bank fails to supply a quotation, the relevant rate of interest shall be set in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 5.

Market disruption

The following provisions of this Clause 5 apply if:

 

(a) LIBOR is to be determined by reference to the Reference Banks and no Reference Bank does, before 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date for an Interest Period, provide quotations to the Agent in order to fix LIBOR; or

 

(b) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, a Lender may notify the Agent that LIBOR fixed by the Agent would not accurately reflect the cost to that Lender of funding its respective Contribution (or any part of it) during the Interest Period in the London Interbank Market at or about 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date for the Interest Period; or

 

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(c) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, the Agent is notified by a Lender (the “ Affected Lender ”) that for any reason it is unable to obtain Dollars in the London Interbank Market in order to fund its Contribution (or any part of it) during the Interest Period.

Notification of market disruption

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and each of the Lenders stating the circumstances falling within Clause 5.7 which have caused its notice to be given.

Suspension of drawdown

If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served before an Advance is made:

 

(a) in a case falling within paragraphs (a) or (b) of Clause 5.7, the Lenders’ obligations to make the Advance;

 

(b) in a case falling within Clause 5.7(c), the Affected Lender’s obligation to participate in the Advance,

shall be suspended while the circumstances referred to in the Agent’s notice continue.

Negotiation of alternative rate of interest

If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served after an Advance is made, the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to agree, within the 30 days after the date on which the Agent serves its notice under Clause 5.8 (the “ Negotiation Period ”), an alternative interest rate or (as the case may be) an alternative basis for the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender to fund or continue to fund their or its Contribution during the Interest Period concerned.

Application of agreed alternative rate of interest

Any alternative interest rate or an alternative basis which is agreed during the Negotiation Period shall take effect in accordance with the terms agreed.

Alternative rate of interest in absence of agreement

If an alternative interest rate or alternative basis is not agreed within the Negotiation Period, and the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the Negotiation Period, then the Agent shall, with the agreement of each Lender or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender, set an interest period and interest rate representing the cost of funding of the Lenders concerned or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender in Dollars or in any available currency of their or its Contribution plus the Margin; and the procedure provided for by this Clause 5.12 shall be repeated if the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the interest period so set by the Agent.

Notice of prepayment

If the Borrowers do not agree with an interest rate set by the Agent under Clause 5.12, the Borrowers may give the Agent not less than 15 Business Days’ notice of their intention to prepay at the end of the interest period set by the Agent.

 

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Prepayment; termination of Commitments

A notice under Clause 5.13 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders or (as the case may require) the Affected Lender of the Borrowers’ notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

(a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Total Commitments or (as the case may require) the Commitment of the Affected Lender shall be cancelled; and

 

(b) on the last Business Day of the interest period set by the Agent, the Borrowers shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Loan or, as the case may be, the Affected Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

Application of prepayment

The provisions of Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

INTEREST PERIODS

Commencement of Interest Periods

The first Interest Period applicable to an Advance shall commence on the Drawdown Date applicable to that Advance and each subsequent Interest Period shall commence on the expiry of the preceding Interest Period.

Duration of normal Interest Periods

Subject to Clauses 6.3 and 6.4, each Interest Period shall be:

 

(a) 3, 6 or 9 months as notified by the Borrowers to the Agent not later than 11.00 a.m. (Paris time) 3 Business Days before the commencement of the Interest Period; or

 

(b) 3 months, if the Borrowers fail to notify the Agent by the time specified in paragraph (a) above; or

 

(c) such other period as the Agent may agree with the Borrowers.

Duration of Interest Periods for Repayment Instalments

In respect of an amount due to be repaid under Clause 8 on a particular Repayment Date, an Interest Period shall end on that Repayment Date.

Non-availability of matching deposits for Interest Period selected

If, after the Borrowers have selected an Interest Period longer than 3 months, any Lender notifies the Agent by 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the third Business Day before the commencement of the Interest Period that it is not satisfied that deposits in Dollars for a period equal to the Interest Period will be available to it in the London Interbank Market when the Interest Period commences, the Interest Period shall be 3 months.

 

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DEFAULT INTEREST

Payment of default interest on overdue amounts

The Borrowers shall pay interest in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 7 on any amount payable by any Borrower under any Finance Document which the Agent, the Security Trustee or the other designated payee does not receive on or before the relevant date, that is:

 

(a) the date on which the Finance Documents provide that such amount is due for payment; or

 

(b) if a Finance Document provides that such amount is payable on demand, the date on which the demand is served; or

 

(c) if such amount has become immediately due and payable under Clause 19.4, the date on which it became immediately due and payable.

Default rate of interest

Interest shall accrue on an overdue amount from (and including) the relevant date until the date of actual payment (as well after as before judgment) at the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be 2 per cent. above:

 

(a) in the case of an overdue amount of principal, the higher of the rates set out at paragraphs (a) and (b) of Clause 7.3; or

 

(b) in the case of any other overdue amount, the rate set out at paragraph (b) of Clause 7.3.

Calculation of default rate of interest

The rates referred to in Clause 7.2 are:

 

(a) the rate applicable to the overdue principal amount immediately prior to the relevant date (but only for any unexpired part of any then current Interest Period);

 

(b) the aggregate of the Margin plus, in respect of successive periods of any duration (including at call) up to 3 months which the Agent may select from time to time:

 

  (i) LIBOR; or

 

  (ii) if the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Bank) determines that Dollar deposits for any such period are not being made available to the Reference Bank by leading banks in the London Interbank Market in the ordinary course of business, a rate from time to time determined by the Agent by reference to the cost of funds to the Reference Bank from such other sources as the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Bank) may from time to time determine.

Notification of interest periods and default rates

The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the Borrowers of each interest rate determined by the Agent under Clause 7.3 and of each period selected by the Agent for the purposes of paragraph (b) of that Clause; but this shall not be taken to imply that the Borrowers are liable to pay such interest only with effect from the date of the Agent’s notification.

 

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Payment of accrued default interest

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, any interest due under this Clause shall be paid on the last day of the period by reference to which it was determined; and the payment shall be made to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Party to which the overdue amount is due.

Compounding of default interest

Any such interest which is not paid at the end of the period by reference to which it was determined shall thereupon be compounded.

REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT

Amount of repayment instalments

The Borrowers shall repay each Advance by:

 

  (i) 20 equal consecutive quarterly instalments, each in the amount of $214,300 (each a “ Repayment Instalment ” and, together, the “ Repayment Instalments ”); and

 

  (ii) a balloon instalment in the amount of $1,714,000 (each a “ Balloon Instalment ” and, together, the “ Balloon Instalment s”),

Provided that in respect of each Advance, if the amount advanced is less than $6,000,000, the aggregate amount of the Instalments and the Balloon Instalment in respect of the relevant Advance shall be reduced by an amount equal to the undrawn amount on a pro rata basis.

Repayment Dates

The first Repayment Instalment in respect of each Advance shall be repaid on the date falling 3 months after the Drawdown Date relating to that Advance with the remaining Repayment Instalments to be repaid at 3-monthly intervals thereafter and the last Repayment Instalment together with the Balloon Instalment shall be paid on the earlier of:

 

(a) the date falling on the fifth anniversary of the relevant Drawdown Date; and

 

(b) 28 February 2023.

Final Repayment Date

On the final Repayment Date, the Borrowers shall additionally pay to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Parties all other sums then accrued or owing under any Finance Document.

Voluntary prepayment

Subject to the following conditions, the Borrowers may prepay the whole or any part of the Loan on the last day of an Interest Period in respect thereof.

 

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Conditions for voluntary prepayment

The conditions referred to in Clause 8.4 are that:

 

(a) a partial prepayment shall be $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000;

 

(b) the Agent has received from the Borrowers at least 10 Business Days’ prior written notice specifying:

 

  (i) the amount to be prepaid and the date on which the prepayment is to be made (such date shall be the last day of an Interest Period);

 

  (ii) whether such prepayment will be applied against one of the Advances, in which case the Borrowers will specify the Advance against which that prepayment should be applied. A failure by the Borrowers to make such a designation shall result in the prepayment being applied proportionately between each Advance and thereafter pro rata against the Instalments in respect of each Advance which are at the time being outstanding and each Balloon Instalment; and

 

(c) the Borrowers have provided evidence satisfactory to the Agent that any consent required by the Borrowers or any Security Party in connection with the prepayment has been obtained and remains in force, and that any requirement relevant to this Agreement which affects the Borrowers or any Security Party has been complied with.

Effect of notice of prepayment

A prepayment notice may not be withdrawn or amended without the consent of the Agent, given with the authority of the Majority Lenders, and the amount specified in the prepayment notice shall become due and payable by the Borrowers on the date for prepayment specified in the prepayment notice.

Notification of notice of prepayment

The Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon receiving a prepayment notice, and shall provide any Lender which so requests with a copy of any document delivered by the Borrowers under Clause 8.5(c).

Mandatory prepayment

The Borrowers shall be obliged to prepay the Relevant Amount:

 

(a) if a Ship is sold, on or before the date on which the sale is completed by delivery of that Ship to the buyer; or

 

(b) if a Ship becomes a Total Loss, on the earlier of the date falling 180 days after the Total Loss Date and the date of receipt by the Security Trustee of the proceeds of insurance relating to such Total Loss.

In this Clause 8.8 “ Relevant Amount ” means an amount equal to the higher of:

 

  (i) the Advance to which the Ship being sold or which has become a Total Loss relates; and

 

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  (ii) an amount (if any) which after the application of the prepayment to be made pursuant to Clause (b) results in the Security Cover Ratio being the greater of (A) 120 per cent. and (B) the percentage which applied immediately prior to the applicable event described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Clause 8.8.

Amounts payable on prepayment

A prepayment shall be made together with accrued interest (and any other amount payable under Clause 21 below or otherwise) in respect of the amount prepaid and, if the prepayment is not made on the last day of an Interest Period together with any sums payable under Clause 21.1(b) but (subject to Clause 8.11) without premium or penalty.

Application of partial prepayment

Any voluntary prepayment shall be applied:

 

(a) if made pursuant to Clause 0, pro rata against the Balloon Instalment and the Repayment Instalments of the Advance being prepaid or in such other manner as the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Lenders) may agree with the Borrowers;

 

(b) if made pursuant to Clause 0:

 

  (i) FIRSTLY: against the Advance which has been used in part financing or refinancing, as the case may be, the relevant Ship and thereafter any balance shall be applied pro rata against the then outstanding Repayment Instalments and the Balloon Instalment of the other Advances; and

 

  (ii) SECONDLY: pro rata towards repayment of any overdue interest, any breakage costs, any accrued interest relating to the Loan, any other costs, fees, expenses, commissions due under this Agreement; and

 

  (iii) THIRDLY: any surplus shall be released to the Borrowers Provided that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred or is continuing.

No reborrowing

No amount repaid or prepaid may be reborrowed.

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

Documents, fees and no default

Each Lender’s obligation to contribute to an Advance is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a) that on or before the date of this Agreement, the Agent receives:

 

  (i) the documents described in Part A of Schedule 3 in a form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers; and

 

  (ii) the up-front fee referred to in Clause 20.1; and

 

  (iii) payment in full of any expenses payable pursuant to Clause 20.2 which are due and payable on the date of this Agreement;

 

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(b) that, on or before the service of each Drawdown Notice, the Agent receives:

 

  (i) the documents described in Part B of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers; and

 

  (ii) payment in full of any expenses payable pursuant to Clause 20.2 which are due and payable on the date of this Agreement;

 

(c) that at the date of each Drawdown Notice and at each Drawdown Date:

 

  (i) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred or is continuing or would result from the borrowing of the relevant Advance; and

 

  (ii) the representations and warranties in Clause 10 and those of the Borrowers or any Security Party which are set out in the other Finance Documents would be true and not misleading if repeated on each of those dates with reference to the circumstances then existing;

 

  (iii) none of the circumstances contemplated by Clause 5.7 has occurred and is continuing; and

 

  (iv) there has been no material adverse change in the business, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, state of affairs, operation, performance, prospects or properties of the Borrowers or any of them and/or the Corporate Guarantor and its affiliates applying as at 30 September 2017;

 

(d) that, if the ratio set out in Clause 15.1 were applied immediately following the making of an Advance, the Borrower would not be obliged to provide additional security or prepay part of the Loan under that Clause; and

 

(e) that the Agent has received, and found to be acceptable to it, any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with the Finance Documents which the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, request by notice to the Borrowers prior to the Drawdown Date.

Waiver of conditions precedent

If the Majority Lenders, at their discretion, permit an Advance to be borrowed before certain of the conditions referred to in Clause 9.1 are satisfied, the Borrowers shall ensure that those conditions are satisfied within 5 Business Days after the Drawdown Date (or such longer period as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, specify).

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

General

Each Borrower represents and warrants (which representations and warranties (other than the ones in Clauses 10.11 and 10.12) shall survive the execution of this Agreement and shall be deemed to be repeated throughout the Security Period on the first day of each Interest Period with respect to the facts and circumstances then existing) to each Creditor Party as follows.

 

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Status

Each Borrower is duly incorporated and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Share capital and ownership

Each Borrower is authorised to issue 500 registered and/or bearer shares, without par value, and the ownership of all those shares is held in registered form by the Shareholder, free of any Security Interest or other claim, by the persons disclosed in writing to the Agent prior to the date of this Agreement.

Corporate power

Each Borrower has the corporate capacity, and has taken all corporate action and obtained all consents necessary for it to:

 

(a) in relation to Borrower C and Borrower D, execute the relevant MOA, to purchase and pay for Ship C and Ship D, respectively under the MOA and register Ship C and Ship D, respectively in its name under an Approved Flag;

 

(b) continue to own the Ship owned by it under the relevant Approved Flag;

 

(c) execute the Finance Documents to which that Borrower is a party; and

 

(d) borrow under this Agreement and to make all the payments contemplated by, and to comply with, those Finance Documents to which that Borrower is a party.

Consents in force

All the consents referred to in Clause 10.4 remain in force and nothing has occurred which makes any of them liable to revocation.

Legal validity; effective Security Interests

The Finance Documents to which that Borrower is a party, do now or, as the case may be, will, upon execution and delivery (and, where applicable, registration as provided for in the Finance Documents):

 

(a) constitute that Borrower’s legal, valid and binding obligations enforceable against that Borrower in accordance with their respective terms; and

 

(b) create legal, valid and binding Security Interests enforceable in accordance with their respective terms over all the assets to which they, by their terms, relate,

subject to any relevant insolvency laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

No third party Security Interests

Without limiting the generality of Clause 10.6, at the time of the execution and delivery of each Finance Document to which a Borrower is a party:

 

(a) each Borrower will have the right to create all the Security Interests which that Finance Document purports to create; and

 

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(b) no third party will have any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) or any other interest, right or claim over, in or in relation to any asset to which any such Security Interest, by its terms, relates.

No conflicts

The execution by a Borrower of each Finance Document to which it is a party, and the borrowing by that Borrower of the Loan, and its compliance with each Finance Document to which it is a party will not involve or lead to a contravention of:

 

(a) any law or regulation; or

 

(b) the constitutional documents of that Borrower; or

 

(c) any contractual or other obligation or restriction which is binding on that Borrower or any of its assets.

No withholding taxes

All payments which each Borrower is liable to make under the Finance Documents to which it is a party may be made without deduction or withholding for or on account of any tax payable under any law of any Pertinent Jurisdiction.

No default

No Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the entry into, the performance of, or any transaction contemplated by, any Finance Document.

Information

All information which has been provided in writing by or on behalf of the Borrowers or any member of the Group to any Creditor Party in connection with any Finance Document satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.5; all audited and unaudited accounts which have been so provided satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.7; and there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or state of affairs, operation, performance or prospects of the Borrowers or any of them or any Security Party (excluding the Approved Manager) as at 30 September 2017 from that disclosed to the Agent.

No litigation

No material, legal or administrative action involving any Borrower or any Security Party (excluding the Approved Manager) has been commenced or taken or, to a Borrower’s knowledge, is likely to be commenced or taken.

Compliance with certain undertakings

At the date of this Agreement, each Borrower is in compliance with Clauses 11.2, 11.4, 11.9 and 11.13.

 

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Taxes paid

Each Borrower has paid all taxes applicable to, or imposed on or in relation to that Borrower, its business or the Ship owned by it.

No money laundering; anti-bribery

None of the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the Designated Shareholder nor any of their subsidiaries, directors or officers, or, to their best knowledge, any affiliate, agent or employee of them, have engaged in any activity or conduct which would violate any applicable anti-bribery, anti-corruption or anti-money laundering laws, regulations or rules in any applicable jurisdiction and each of the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the Designated Shareholder has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to prevent violation of such laws, regulations and rules.

ISM Code, ISPS Code Compliance and Environmental Laws

All requirements of the ISM Code, ISPS Code and Environmental Laws as they relate to the Borrowers, the Approved Manager and the Ships have been complied with.

No immunity

No Borrower, nor any of its assets is entitled to immunity on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise from any legal action or proceeding (which shall include, without limitation, suit attachment prior to judgement, execution or other enforcement).

Sanctions

None of the Borrowers, the Security Parties, the Designated Shareholder or any charterer in respect of a Ship nor any of their subsidiaries, directors or officers, or, to their best knowledge, any affiliate, agent or employee of them, is an individual or entity (a “ Person ”), that is, or is owned or controlled by Persons that are: (i) the target of any Sanctions (a “ Sanctioned Person ”) or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions broadly prohibiting dealings with such government, country or territory (a “ Sanctioned Country ”).

Insolvency

In relation to each Borrower, no corporate action, legal proceeding or other procedure or step described in Clause 19.1(g) or creditors’ process described in that clause has been taken or, to its knowledge, threatened in relation to it, and none of the circumstances described in Clause 19.1(g) applies to it.

Validity and completeness of MOA

Each MOA, when executed, constitutes valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the relevant Seller and the relevant Prospective Buyer respectively in accordance with its terms and:

 

(a) the copy of the relevant MOA delivered to the Agent before the Drawdown Date relevant to that Prospective Ship is a true and complete copy; and

 

(b) no amendments or additions to the relevant MOA have been agreed nor has the relevant Prospective Buyer or the relevant Seller waived any of their respective rights under the MOA.

 

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GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS

General

Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 11 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit in writing.

Title and negative pledge

Each Borrower will:

 

(a) hold the legal title to, and own the entire beneficial interest in the Ship owned by it, the Insurances and Earnings, free from all Security Interests and other interests and rights of every kind, except for those created by the Finance Documents and the effect of assignments contained in the Finance Documents;

 

(b) not create or permit to arise any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) over any other asset, present or future; and

 

(c) procure that its liabilities under the Finance Documents to which it is party do and will rank at least pari passu with all other present and future unsecured liabilities, except for liabilities which are mandatorily preferred by law.

No disposal of assets

No Borrower will transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of:

 

(a) all or a substantial part of its assets, whether by one transaction or a number of transactions, whether related or not; or

 

(b) any debt payable to it or any other right (present, future or contingent right) to receive a payment, including any right to damages or compensation,

but paragraph (a) does not apply to any charter of a Ship as to which Clause 14.13 applies.

No other liabilities or obligations to be incurred

No Borrower will incur any liability or obligation except:

 

(a) liabilities and obligations under the MOA and the Finance Documents to which it is a party;

 

(b) subject to other provisions of this Agreement, liabilities or obligations reasonably incurred in the ordinary course of trading, maintaining, repairing, operating and chartering the Ship owned by it; and

 

(c) Financial Indebtedness to any other corporation which is a member of the Group or individual who is a shareholder or majority shareholder in a member of the Group Provided that such Financial Indebtedness shall be fully subordinated to the Loan and the relevant Borrower shall, promptly following the Agent’s demand, execute or procure the execution of any documents which the Agent specifies to create or maintain the subordination of the rights of the relevant member of the Group against the relevant Borrower to those of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents.

 

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Information provided to be accurate

All financial and other information which is provided in writing by or on behalf of a Borrower under or in connection with any Finance Document will be true, correct, accurate and not misleading and will not omit any material fact or consideration.

Provision of financial statements

Each Borrower will send or procure that they are sent to the Agent:

 

(a) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 180 days after the end of each financial year of the Corporate Guarantor (commencing with the financial year ending on 31 December 2017), the audited annual consolidated accounts of the Group; and

 

(b) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 90 days after the end of the 6-month period ending on 30 June in each financial year of the Corporate Guarantor, the semi-annual consolidated management accounts in respect of the Group, duly certified as to their correctness by a director or officer of the Corporate Guarantor; and

 

(c) promptly after each request by the Agent, such further financial information about that Borrower, the Ship owned by it and the Corporate Guarantor or any other member of the Group (including, but not limited to, information regarding the charter arrangements, Financial Indebtedness and operating expenses) as the Agent may require.

Form of financial statements

All accounts (audited and unaudited) delivered under Clause 11.6 will:

 

(a) be prepared in accordance with all applicable laws and US GAAP;

 

(b) give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the relevant person at the date of those accounts and of its profit for the period to which those accounts relate; and

 

(c) fully disclose or provide for all significant liabilities of the Group.

Shareholder notices

Each Borrower will send to the Agent following a request by the Agent, and at the same time as they are despatched, copies of all communications which are despatched to that Borrower’s shareholders or any class of them.

Consents

Each Borrower will, and will procure that each Security Party will, maintain in force and promptly obtain or renew, and will promptly send certified copies to the Agent of, all consents required:

 

(a) for that Borrower and that Security Party to perform its obligations under any Finance Document or any Charterparty to which it is party;

 

(b) for the validity or enforceability of any Finance Document and any Charterparty to which it is party; and

 

(c) for that Borrower to continue to own and operate the Ship owned by it, and that Borrower will, and will procure that each Security Party will, comply with the terms of all such consents.

 

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Maintenance of Security Interests

Each Borrower will:

 

(a) at its own cost, do all that it reasonably can to ensure that any Finance Document validly creates the obligations and the Security Interests which it purports to create; and

 

(b) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a) above, at its own cost, promptly register, file, record or enrol any Finance Document with any court or authority in all Pertinent Jurisdictions, pay any stamp, registration or similar tax in all Pertinent Jurisdictions in respect of any Finance Document, give any notice or take any other step which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is or has become necessary or desirable for any Finance Document to be valid, enforceable or admissible in evidence or to ensure or protect the priority of any Security Interest which it creates.

Notification of litigation

Each Borrower will provide the Agent with details of any legal or administrative action involving that Borrower, any Security Party, the Approved Manager, the Ship owned by it, the Earnings or the Insurances in respect of that Ship as soon as such action is instituted or it becomes apparent to that Borrower that it is likely to be instituted, unless it is clear that the legal or administrative action cannot be considered material in the context of any Finance Document.

Principal place of business

Each Borrower will maintain its place of business, and keep its corporate documents and records, at the address stated in Clause 28.2(a); and no Borrower will establish, or do anything as a result of which it would be deemed to have, a place of business in the United States or the United Kingdom or any country other than Greece.

Confirmation of no default

Each Borrower will, within 2 Business Days after service by the Agent of a written request, serve on the Agent a notice which is signed by 2 directors of each Borrower and which:

 

(a) states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred; or

 

(b) states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred, except for a specified event or matter, of which all material details are given.

The Agent may serve requests under this Clause 11.13 from time to time; this Clause 11.13 does not affect the Borrowers’ obligations under Clause 11.14.

Notification of default

Each Borrower will notify the Agent as soon as that Borrower becomes aware of the occurrence of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default and will thereafter keep the Agent fully up-to-date with all developments.

 

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Provision of further information

Each Borrower will, as soon as practicable after receiving the request, provide the Agent with any additional financial or other information relating:

 

(a) to that Borrower, the Ship owned by it, the Insurances, the Earnings or the Corporate Guarantor; or

 

(b) to any matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Charterparty;

 

(c) to any other matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Finance Document;

 

(d) any information requested in respect of that Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor, the Shareholder and the Designated Shareholder in connection with the Creditor Parties’ and/or the Account Bank’s “Know your customer” regulations, including, but not limited to information required pursuant to all applicable laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the laws of the European Union, Switzerland and the United States of America in connection with that Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor and any other Security Party and their respective beneficial owners,

which may be requested by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender at any time.

Provision of copies and translation of documents

Each Borrower will supply the Agent with a sufficient number of copies of the documents referred to above to provide 1 copy for each Creditor Party; if the Agent so requires in respect of any of those documents, that Borrower will provide a certified English translation prepared by a translator approved by the Agent.

“Know your customer” checks. If:

 

(a) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation, administration or application of) any law or regulation made after the date of this Agreement;

 

(b) any change in the status of any Borrower or any Security Party after the date of this Agreement; or

 

(c) a proposed assignment or transfer by a Lender of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to a party that is not a Lender prior to such assignment or transfer,

obliges the Agent or any Lender (or, in the case of paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender) to comply with “know your customer” or similar identification procedures in circumstances where the necessary information is not already available to it, the Borrowers shall promptly upon the request of the Agent or any Lender supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent (for itself or on behalf of any Lender) or the Lender concerned (for itself or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), on behalf of any prospective new Lender) in order for the Agent, the Lender concerned or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender to carry out and be satisfied it has complied with all necessary “know your customer” or other similar checks under all applicable laws and regulations pursuant to the transactions contemplated in the Finance Documents.

 

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Sanctions

 

(a) None of the Borrowers and the Security Parties will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the loan hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or any other Person, (i) to fund any activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is, a Sanctioned Person or Sanctioned Country or (ii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the loan hereunder, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor, lender, hedge provider, facility or security agent or otherwise);

 

(b) Without limiting paragraphs (a) and (b) of Clause 0, the Borrowers shall procure:

 

  (i) that the Ships shall not be used directly or indirectly by or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person;

 

  (ii) that the Ships shall not be used directly or indirectly in calling, trading or otherwise going to a Sanctioned Country;

 

  (iii) that the Ships shall not be used or traded directly or indirectly in any manner which would trigger the operation of any sanctions limitation or exclusion clause (or similar) in the Insurances and/or re-insurance of the Ships; and

 

  (iv) that each Charterparty and each sub-charterparty in respect of a Ship shall contain, for the benefit of the relevant Borrower, language which broadly gives effect to the provisions of paragraph (b) of Clause 0 as regards Sanctions and of this sub-paragraph (b)(iv) of this Clause 0 and which permits refusal of employment or voyage orders if compliance would result in a breach of Sanctions.

Hedging of interest rate risks – Right of first refusal

The Borrowers hereby grant to the Lenders a right of first refusal for the purpose of hedging any part of the interest rate risk under this Agreement throughout the Security Period. In the event that the Borrowers decide to hedge their exposure under this Agreement, they shall enter into such documentation as may be required by the relevant Lender (in such capacity the “ Swap Bank ”) and the provisions of this Agreement will be amended to incorporate the amendments required, including, but not limited to, Clause 0 reflecting pari passu sharing in the security and receipts between the Lenders and the Swap Bank.

No amendment to MOA

No Prospective Buyer will agree to any material amendment or supplement to, or waive or fail to enforce, the relevant MOA or any of its provisions.

Minimum Liquidity

Each Borrower shall maintain in its Earnings Account credit balances (“ Minimum Liquidity ”) in an aggregate amount of not less than $500,000, commencing from the Drawdown Date in respect of the Advance which will finance the relevant Ship and at all times thereafter throughout the Security Period.

 

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Purchase of a Prospective Ship

The Borrowers shall nominate a vessel to be purchased by Borrower D as “Ship D” by notifying the Agent in writing of its intention to purchase such vessel and provide the Agent with details regarding that vessel (including, without limitation, the year and the shipyard in and at which such vessel was built, its deadweight and other main technical specifications, classification society and the proposed purchase price) as soon as possible and in any event not later than 10 Business Days prior to the expected Utilisation Date of Advance D and the Agent shall advise the Borrowers in writing whether or not such vessel has been approved (such approval to be given in the Agent’s sole and absolute discretion) within 5 Business Days of receiving the Borrowers’ notice.

CORPORATE UNDERTAKINGS

General

Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 12 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit.

Maintenance of status

Each Borrower will maintain its separate corporate existence and remain in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Negative undertakings

No Borrower will:

 

(a) carry on any business other than the ownership, chartering and operation of the Ship owned by it; or

 

(b) pay any dividend or make any other form of distribution or effect any form of redemption, purchase or return of share capital if:

 

  (i) the amount standing to the credit of the Earnings Account of that Borrower following such distribution, redemption, purchase or return would be less than $750,000;

 

  (ii) an Event of Default has occurred at such time; or

 

  (iii) an Event of Default would occur as a direct result of such distribution, redemption, purchase or return; or

 

(c) provide any form of credit or financial assistance or issue guarantees in favour of any other corporation or individual other than in the normal course of its business Provided that that corporation or individual to whom the of credit or financial assistance has been granted or in favour of whom the guarantee has been issued fully subordinates its rights to the rights of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents on terms acceptable to the Agent;

 

(d) provide any form of credit or financial assistance to:

 

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  (i) a person who is directly or indirectly interested in that Borrower’s share or loan capital; or

 

  (ii) any company in or with which such a person is directly or indirectly interested or connected,

or enter into any transaction with or involving such a person or company on terms which are, in any respect, less favourable to that Borrower than those which it could obtain in a bargain made at arms’ length; or

 

(e) open or maintain any account with any bank or financial institution except accounts with the Account Bank for the purposes of the Finance Documents and any accounts disclosed to the Agent on or prior to the date of this Agreement; or

 

(f) issue, allot or grant any person a right to any shares in its capital or repurchase or reduce its issued share capital; or

 

(g) acquire any shares or other securities other than US or UK Treasury bills and certificates of deposit issued by major North American or European banks, or enter into any transaction in a derivative; or

 

(h) enter into any form of amalgamation, merger or de-merger or any form of reconstruction or reorganisation.

INSURANCE

General

Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 13:

 

(a) in relation to Borrower A and Borrower B, at all times during the Security Period;

 

(b) in relation to a Prospective Buyer, on and from the Delivery Date of the Prospective Ship owned by that Prospective Buyer and throughout the rest of the Security Period,

except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit in writing.

Maintenance of obligatory insurances

Each Borrower shall keep the Ship owned by it, at all times during the Security Period, insured at the expense of that Borrower against:

 

(a) fire and usual marine risks (including hull and machinery and excess risks); and

 

(b) war risks; and

 

(c) protection and indemnity mean the usual risks including liability for oil pollution and excess war risk P&I cover; and

 

(d) any other risks against which the Lenders consider, having regard to practices and other circumstances prevailing at the relevant time, it would in the opinion of the Lenders be reasonable for that Borrower to insure and which are specified by the Security Trustee by notice to that Borrower.

 

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Terms of obligatory insurances

Each Borrower shall effect such insurances:

 

(a) in Dollars;

 

(b) in the case of fire and usual marine risks and war risks, in such amounts as shall from time to time be approved by the Agent but in any event in an amount not less than the greater of (i) the Market Value of the Ship owned by it and (ii) an amount which, when aggregated with the amount for which the other Ship then subject to a Mortgage is insured, is equal to 120 per cent. of the Loan; and

 

(c) in the case of oil pollution liability risks, for an aggregate amount equal to the highest level of cover from time to time available under basic protection and indemnity club entry (with the international group of protection and indemnity clubs) and the international marine insurance market (currently $1,000,000,000);

 

(d) in relation to protection and indemnity risks in respect of the relevant Ship’s full value and tonnage;

 

(e) on such terms as shall from time to time be approved in writing by the Agent (including, without limitation, a blocking and trapping clause); and

 

(f) through approved brokers and with approved insurance companies and/or underwriters or, in the case of war risks and protection and indemnity risks, in approved war risks and protection and indemnity risks associations which are members of the International Group of Protection and Indemnity Associations.

Further protections for the Creditor Parties

In addition to the terms set out in Clause 13.3, each Borrower shall procure that the obligatory insurances shall:

 

(a) subject always to paragraph (b), name that Borrower as the sole named assured unless the interest of every other named assured is limited:

 

  (i) in respect of any obligatory insurances for hull and machinery and war risks;

 

  (A) to any provable out-of-pocket expenses that it has incurred and which form part of any recoverable claim on underwriters; and

 

  (B) to any third party liability claims where cover for such claims is provided by the policy (and then only in respect of discharge of any claims made against it); and

 

  (ii) in respect of any obligatory insurances for protection and indemnity risks, to any recoveries it is entitled to make by way of reimbursement following discharge of any third party liability claims made specifically against it;

 

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(b) name (or be amended to name) the Security Trustee as mortgagee for its rights and interests, warranted no operational interest and with full waiver of rights of subrogation against the Security Trustee, but without the Security Trustee thereby being liable to pay (but having the right to pay) premiums, calls or other assessments in respect of such insurance;

 

(c) name the Security Trustee as sole loss payee with such directions for payment as the Security Trustee may specify;

 

(d) provide that all payments by or on behalf of the insurers under the obligatory insurances to the Security Trustee shall be made without set-off, counterclaim or deductions or condition whatsoever;

 

(e) provide that the insurers shall waive, to the fullest extent permitted by English law, their entitlement (if any) (whether by statute, common law, equity, or otherwise) to be subrogated to the rights and remedies of the Security Trustee in respect of any rights or interests (secured or not) held by or available to the Security Trustee in respect of the Secured Liabilities, until the Secured Liabilities shall have been fully repaid and discharged, except that the insurers shall not be restricted by the terms of this paragraph (d) from making personal claims against persons (other than any Borrower or any Creditor Party) in circumstances where the insurers have fully discharged their liabilities and obligations under the relevant obligatory insurances;

 

(f) provide that such obligatory insurances shall be primary without right of contribution from other insurances which may be carried by the Security Trustee;

 

(g) provide that the Security Trustee may make proof of loss if that Borrower fails to do so; and

 

(h) provide that if any obligatory insurance is cancelled, or if any substantial change is made in the coverage which adversely affects the interest of the Security Trustee, or if any obligatory insurance is allowed to lapse for non-payment of premium, such cancellation, charge or lapse shall not be effective with respect to the Security Trustee for 30 days (or 7 days in the case of war risks) after receipt by the Security Trustee of prior written notice from the insurers of such cancellation, change or lapse.

Renewal of obligatory insurances

Each Borrower shall:

 

(a) at least 14 days before the expiry of any obligatory insurance:

 

  (i) notify the Security Trustee of the brokers (or other insurers) and any protection and indemnity or war risks association through or with whom that Borrower proposes to renew that insurance and of the proposed terms of renewal; and

 

  (ii) in case of any substantial change in insurance cover, obtain the Lenders’ approval to the matters referred to in paragraph (i) above;

 

(b) at least 7 days before the expiry of any obligatory insurance, renew the insurance; and

 

(c) procure that the approved brokers and/or the war risks and protection and indemnity associations with which such a renewal is effected shall promptly after the renewal notify the Security Trustee in writing of the terms and conditions of the renewal.

 

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Copies of policies; letters of undertaking

Each Borrower shall ensure that all approved brokers provide the Security Trustee with copies of all policies relating to the obligatory insurances which they effect or renew and of a letter or letters or undertaking in a form required by the Lenders and including undertakings by the approved brokers that:

 

(a) they will have endorsed on each policy, immediately upon issue, a loss payable clause and a notice of assignment complying with the provisions of Clause 13.4;

 

(b) they will hold such policies, and the benefit of such insurances, to the order of the Security Trustee in accordance with the said loss payable clause;

 

(c) they will advise the Security Trustee immediately of any material change to the terms of the obligatory insurances;

 

(d) they will notify the Security Trustee, not less than 14 days before the expiry of the obligatory insurances, in the event of their not having received notice of renewal instructions from that Borrower or its agents and, in the event of their receiving instructions to renew, they will promptly notify the Security Trustee of the terms of the instructions; and

 

(e) they will not set off against any sum recoverable in respect of a claim relating to the Ship owned by it under such obligatory insurances any premiums or other amounts due to them or any other person whether in respect of that Ship or otherwise, they waive any lien on the policies or, any sums received under them, which they might have in respect of such premiums or other amounts, and they will not cancel such obligatory insurances by reason of non-payment of such premiums or other amounts, and will arrange for a separate policy to be issued in respect of that Ship forthwith upon being so requested by the Security Trustee.

Copies of certificates of entry

Each Borrower shall ensure that any protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations in which the Ship owned by it is entered provides the Security Trustee with:

 

(a) a certified copy of the certificate of entry for that Ship; and

 

(b) a letter or letters of undertaking in such form as may be required by the Lenders; and

 

(c) where required to be issued under the terms of insurance/indemnity provided by that Borrower’s protection and indemnity association, a certified copy of each United States of America voyage quarterly declaration (or other similar document or documents) made by that Borrower in relation to that Ship in accordance with the requirements of such protection and indemnity association; and

 

(d) a certified copy of each certificate of financial responsibility for pollution by oil or other Environmentally Sensitive Material issued by the relevant certifying authority in relation to that Ship.

Deposit of original policies

Each Borrower shall ensure that all policies relating to obligatory insurances are deposited with the approved brokers through which the insurances are effected or renewed.

 

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Payment of premiums

Each Borrower shall punctually pay all premiums or other sums payable in respect of the obligatory insurances and produce all relevant receipts when so required by the Security Trustee.

Guarantees

Each Borrower shall ensure that any guarantees required by a protection and indemnity or war risks association are promptly issued and remain in full force and effect.

Restrictions on employment

No Borrower shall employ the Ship owned by it, nor permit her to be employed, outside the cover provided by any obligatory insurances.

Compliance with terms of insurances

No Borrower shall either do or omit to do (or permit to be done or not to be done) any act or thing which would or might render any obligatory insurance invalid, void, voidable or unenforceable or render any sum payable thereunder repayable in whole or in part; and in particular:

 

(a) each Borrower shall take all necessary action and comply with all requirements which may from time to time be applicable to the obligatory insurances, and (without limiting the obligation contained in Clause 13.6(c) above) ensure that the obligatory insurances are not made subject to any exclusions or qualifications to which the Security Trustee has not given its prior approval;

 

(b) no Borrower shall make any changes relating to the classification or classification society or manager or operator of the Ship owned by it approved by the underwriters of the obligatory insurances;

 

(c) each Borrower shall make all quarterly or other voyage declarations which may be required by the protection and indemnity risks association in which the Ship owned by it is entered to maintain cover for trading to the United States of America and Exclusive Economic Zone (as defined in the United States Oil Pollution Act 1990 or any other applicable legislation); and

 

(d) no Borrower shall employ the Ship owned by it, nor allow it to be employed, otherwise than in conformity with the terms and conditions of the obligatory insurances (including but not limited to any applicable laws and Sanctions), without first obtaining the consent of the insurers and complying with any requirements (as to extra premium or otherwise) which the insurers specify.

Alteration to terms of insurances

No Borrower shall make or agree to any alteration to the terms of any obligatory insurance or waive any right relating to any obligatory insurance without the prior written consent of the Security Trustee.

 

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Settlement of claims

No Borrower shall settle, compromise or abandon any claim under any obligatory insurance for Total Loss or for a Major Casualty, and shall do all things necessary and provide all documents, evidence and information to enable the Security Trustee to collect or recover any moneys which at any time become payable in respect of the obligatory insurances.

Provision of copies of communications

Each Borrower shall provide the Security Trustee, at the time of each such communication, copies of all written communications in case of, but not limited to, an Event of Default, Total Loss or Major Casualty between that Borrower and:

 

(a) the approved brokers; and

 

(b) the approved protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations; and

 

(c) the approved insurance companies and/or underwriters, which relate directly or indirectly to:

 

  (i) that Borrower’s obligations relating to the obligatory insurances including, without limitation, all requisite declarations and payments of additional premiums or calls; and

 

  (ii) any credit arrangements made between that Borrower and any of the persons referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) above relating wholly or partly to the effecting or maintenance of the obligatory insurances.

Provision of information

In addition, each Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee (or any persons which it may designate) with any information which the Security Trustee (or any such designated person) requests for the purpose of:

 

(a) obtaining or preparing any report from an independent marine insurance broker appointed by the Agent as to the adequacy of the obligatory insurances effected or proposed to be effected; and/or

 

(b) effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurances as are referred to in Clause 13.17 below or dealing with or considering any matters relating to any such insurances,

and that Borrower shall, forthwith upon demand, indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all fees and other expenses incurred by or for the account of the Security Trustee in connection with any such report as is referred to in paragraph (a) above.

Mortgagee’s interest and additional perils insurances

The Security Trustee shall be entitled from time to time to effect, maintain and renew all or any of the following insurances in such amounts, on such terms, through such insurers and generally in such manner as the Lenders may from time to time consider appropriate:

 

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(a) a mortgagee’s interest marine insurance in relation to the Ships in an amount equal to 120 per cent. of the Loan, providing for the indemnification of the Creditor Parties for any losses under or in connection with any Finance Document which directly or indirectly result from loss of or damage to a Ship or a liability of that Ship or of the Borrower owning that Ship, being a loss or damage which is prima facie covered by an obligatory insurance but in respect of which there is a non-payment (or reduced payment) by the underwriters by reason of, or on the basis of an allegation concerning:

 

  (i) any act or omission on the part of that Borrower, of any operator, charterer, manager or sub-manager of that Ship or of any officer, employee or agent of that Borrower or of any such person, including any breach of warranty or condition or any non-disclosure relating to such obligatory insurance;

 

  (ii) any act or omission, whether deliberate, negligent or accidental, or any knowledge or privity of that Borrower, any other person referred to in paragraph (i) above, or of any officer, employee or agent of that Borrower or of such a person, including the casting away or damaging of that Ship and/or that Ship being unseaworthy; and/or

 

  (iii) any other matter capable of being insured against under a mortgagee’s interest marine insurance policy whether or not similar to the foregoing;

 

(b) a mortgagee’s interest additional perils policy in relation to the Ships in an amount equal to 120 per cent. of the Loan, providing for the indemnification of the Security Trustee against, among other things, any possible losses or other consequences of any Environmental Claim, including the risk of expropriation, arrest or any form of detention of a Ship, the imposition of any Security Interest over that Ship and/or any other matter capable of being insured against under a mortgagee’s interest additional perils policy whether or not similar to the foregoing,

and the Borrowers shall upon demand fully indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all premiums and other expenses which are incurred in connection with or with a view to effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurance or dealing with, or considering, any matter arising out of any such insurance.

Review of insurance requirements

The Lenders shall be entitled to review the requirements of this Clause 13 from time to time in order to take account of any changes in circumstances after the date of this Agreement which are, in the opinion of the Lenders, significant and capable of affecting any Borrower or any Ship and its or their Insurances (including, without limitation, changes in the availability or the cost of Insurances or the risks to which the Borrower owning that Ship may be subject), and may appoint insurance consultants in relation to this review at the cost of the Borrowers, such review to be carried out at the Agent’s request, at any time during the Security Period if the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Lenders) considers necessary (the reasonable fees of the insurance consultants to conduct such review shall be deducted from the Earnings Accounts (or any of them) and each Borrower hereby irrevocably authorises the Agent to debit its Earnings Account in order to pay such fees) Provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to pay the fees of the insurance consultants to conduct such review more often than once a year unless an Event of Default has occurred.

Modification of insurance requirements

The Security Trustee shall notify the Borrowers of any proposed modification under Clause 13.18 to the requirements of this Clause 13 which the Lenders consider appropriate in the circumstances, and such modification shall take effect on and from the date it is notified in writing to the Borrowers as an amendment to this Clause 13 and shall bind the Borrowers accordingly.

 

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Compliance with mortgagee’s instructions

The Security Trustee shall be entitled (without prejudice to or limitation of any other rights which it may have or acquire under any Finance Document) to require a Ship to remain at any safe port or to proceed to and remain at any safe port designated by the Security Trustee until the Borrower owning that Ship implements any amendments to the terms of the obligatory insurances and any operational changes required as a result of a notice served under Clause 13.19.

SHIP COVENANTS

General

Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 14:

 

(a) in relation to Borrower A and Borrower B, at all times during the Security Period;

 

(b) in relation to a Prospective Buyer, on and from the Delivery Date of the Prospective Ship owned by that Prospective Buyer and throughout the rest of the Security Period,

except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit in writing.

Ship’s name and registration

Each Borrower shall keep the Ship owned by it registered in its name under an Approved Flag; shall not do or allow to be done anything as a result of which such registration might be cancelled or imperilled; and shall not change the name or port of registry of that Ship.

Repair and classification

Each Borrower shall keep the Ship owned by it in a good, safe and seaworthy condition and state of repair:

 

(a) consistent with first-class ship ownership and management practice;

 

(b) so as to maintain the highest class with a classification society which is a member of IACS acceptable to the Agent (acting with the authorisation of the Lenders) free of overdue recommendations and conditions of such classification society;

 

(c) so as to comply with all laws and regulations applicable to vessels registered at ports of the Approved Flag State or to vessels trading to any jurisdiction to which such Ship may trade from time to time, including but not limited to the ISM Code and the ISM Code Documentation and the ISPS Code; and

 

(d) each Borrower shall use its best efforts to allow the Agent (or its agents), at any time, to inspect the original class and related records of that Borrower and the Ship owned by it electronically (through the classification society directly) and to take copies of such records.

 

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Modification

No Borrower shall make any modification or repairs to, or replacement of, the Ship or equipment installed on the Ship owned by it which would or might materially alter the structure, type or performance characteristics of that Ship or materially reduce its value.

Removal of parts

No Borrower shall remove any material part of the Ship owned by it, or any item of equipment installed on, that Ship unless the part or item so removed is forthwith replaced by a suitable part or item which is in the same condition as or better condition than the part or item removed, is free from any Security Interest or any right in favour of any person other than the Security Trustee and becomes on installation on the relevant Ship the property of that Borrower and subject to the security constituted by the relevant Mortgage Provided that each Borrower may install equipment owned by a third party if the equipment can be removed without any risk of damage to its Ship.

Surveys

Each Borrower shall submit the Ship owned by it regularly to all periodical or other surveys which may be required for classification purposes and, if so required by the Lenders provide the Security Trustee, with copies of all survey reports.

Technical Survey

Without prejudice to each Borrower’s obligations pursuant to Clause 14.6, each Borrower promptly following the request of the Agent will, submit the Ship for a technical survey by an independent surveyor or surveyors appointed by the Agent (provided such technical survey does not interfere with the ordinary trading of the Ship owned by it). All fees and expenses incurred in relation to the appointment of the surveyor or surveyors and the preparation and issue of all technical reports pursuant to this Clause 14.7 shall be for the account of the Borrowers.

Inspection

Each Borrower shall permit the Security Trustee (by surveyors or other persons appointed by it for that purpose) to board the Ship owned by it at all times (but in any event without interfering with the ordinary trading of the Ship owned by it) to inspect its condition or to satisfy themselves about proposed or executed repairs, shall afford all proper facilities for such inspections and pay to the Agent the amount of all fees, costs and expenses incurred in respect of such inspections Provided that so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred that Borrower shall not be obliged to pay any fees and expenses in respect of more than one inspection of its Ship in any calendar year.

Prevention of and release from arrest

Each Borrower shall promptly discharge:

 

(a) all liabilities which give or may give rise to maritime or possessory liens on or claims enforceable against the Ship owned by it, the Earnings or the Insurances;

 

(b) all taxes, dues and other amounts charged in respect of the Ship owned by it, the Earnings or the Insurances; and

 

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(c) all other outgoings whatsoever in respect of the Ship owned by it, the Earnings or the Insurances,

and, forthwith upon receiving notice of the arrest of that Ship, or of her detention in exercise or purported exercise of any lien or claim, that Borrower shall procure her release by providing bail or otherwise as the circumstances may require.

Compliance with laws etc.

Each Borrower shall:

 

(a) comply, or procure compliance with the ISM Code (including, for the avoidance of doubt, by the Approved Manager), all Environmental Laws, the ISPS Code, Sanctions and all other laws or regulations relating to the Ship owned by it, its ownership, operation and management or to the business of that Borrower;

 

(b) not employ the Ship owned by it, nor allow its employment in any manner contrary to any law or regulation in any relevant jurisdiction including but not limited to the ISM Code and the ISPS Code and Sanctions; and

 

(c) in the event of hostilities in any part of the world (whether war is declared or not), not cause or permit it to enter or trade to any zone which is declared a war zone by any government or by that Ship’s war risks insurers unless the prior written consent of the Lenders has been given and that Borrower has (at its expense) effected any special, additional or modified insurance cover which the Lenders may require.

Provision of information

Each Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee with any information which the Lenders request regarding:

 

(a) the Ship owned by it, its employment, position and engagements;

 

(b) the Earnings and payments and amounts due to that Ship’s master and crew of that Ship;

 

(c) any expenses incurred, or likely to be incurred, in connection with the operation, maintenance or repair of that Ship and any payments made in respect of that Ship;

 

(d) any towages and salvages;

 

(e) any intended dry-docking of that Ship;

 

(f) that Borrower’s, the Approved Manager’s compliance or the compliance of that Ship with the ISM Code and the ISPS Code; and

 

(g) any other information which the Creditor Parties (or any of them) may reasonably request,

and, upon the Security Trustee’s request, provide copies of any current charter relating to that Ship, and copies of that Borrower’s or the Approved Manager’s Document of Compliance or any other document issued under ISM Code Documentation.

Notification of certain events

Each Borrower shall immediately notify the Security Trustee by letter of:

 

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(a) any casualty which is or is likely to be or to become a Major Casualty;

 

(b) any occurrence as a result of which the Ship owned by it has become or is, by the passing of time or otherwise, likely to become a Total Loss;

 

(c) any requirement or recommendation made by any insurer or classification society or by any competent authority which is not complied with in accordance with its terms;

 

(d) any arrest or detention of the Ship owned by it, any exercise or purported exercise of any lien on the Ship or its Earnings or any requisition of such Ship for hire;

 

(e) any dry docking of the Ship owned by it;

 

(f) any Environmental Claim made against that Borrower or in connection with the Ship owned by it, or any Environmental Incident;

 

(g) any claim for breach of the ISM Code or the ISPS Code being made against that Borrower, the Approved Manager or otherwise in connection with the Ship owned by it; or

 

(h) any other matter, event or incident, actual or threatened, the effect of which will or could lead to the ISM Code or the ISPS Code not being complied with,

and that Borrower shall keep the Security Trustee advised in writing on a regular basis and in such detail as the Security Trustee shall require of that Borrower’s, the Approved Manager’s or any other person’s response to any of those events or matters.

Restrictions on chartering, appointment of managers etc.

No Borrower shall, in relation to the Ship owned by it:

 

(a) let that Ship on demise charter for any period;

 

(b) enter into any time or consecutive voyage charter in respect of that Ship for a term which exceeds, or which by virtue of any optional extensions may exceed, 12 months except as the Agent may consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld;

 

(c) enter into any charter in relation to that Ship under which more than 2 months’ hire (or the equivalent) is payable in advance;

 

(d) charter that Ship otherwise than on bona fide arm’s length terms at the time when that Ship is fixed;

 

(e) appoint a manager of that Ship other than the Approved Manager or agree to any material alteration to the terms of the Approved Manager’s appointment which could lead to an Event of Default (“material alterations” to include, without limitation, alterations concerning fees, duration and parties);

 

(f) de-activate or lay up that Ship; or

 

(g) put that Ship into the possession of any person for the purpose of work being done upon her in an amount exceeding or likely to exceed $500,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency) unless that person has first given to the Security Trustee and in terms satisfactory to it a written undertaking not to exercise any lien on that Ship or her Earnings for the cost of such work or otherwise.

 

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Notice of Mortgage

Each Borrower shall keep the Mortgage relative to its Ship registered against its Ship as a valid first priority or the case may be preferred mortgage, carry on board that Ship a certified copy of that Mortgage and place and maintain in a conspicuous place in the navigation room and the Master’s cabin of that Ship a framed printed notice stating that that Ship is mortgaged by that Borrower to the Security Trustee.

Sharing of Earnings

No Borrower shall:

 

(a) enter into any agreement or arrangement for the sharing of any Earnings;

 

(b) enter into any agreement or arrangement for the postponement of any date on which any Earnings are due; the reduction of the amount of any Earnings or otherwise for the release or adverse alteration of any right of that Borrower to any Earnings; or

 

(c) enter into any agreement or arrangement for the release of, or adverse alteration to, any guarantee or Security Interest relating to any Earnings.

Time Charter Assignment

If a Borrower enters into any Charterparty, that Borrower shall, at the request of the Agent, execute in favour of the Security Trustee a Charterparty Assignment, and shall deliver to the Agent such other documents equivalent to those referred to at paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Part A and 6 of Part B of Schedule 3 hereof as the Agent may require.

ISM Code, ISPS Code compliance and Environmental Laws

All requirements of the ISM Code, ISPS Code and Environmental Laws as they relate to each Borrower, the Approved Manager, the Ship owned by the relevant Borrower shall be complied with at all times.

SECURITY COVER

Minimum required security cover

Clause 15.2 applies if the Agent notifies the Borrowers that the Security Cover Ratio is below 120 per cent.

Provision of additional security; prepayment

If the Agent serves a notice on the Borrowers under Clause 15.1, the Borrowers shall prepay such part (at least) of the Loan as will eliminate the shortfall on or before the date falling 1 month after the date on which the Agent’s notice is served under Clause 15.1 (the “ Prepayment Date ”) unless at least 1 Business Day before the Prepayment Date it has provided, or ensured that a third party has provided, additional security which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, has a net realisable value at least equal to the shortfall.

 

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In this Clause 15.2 “ security ” means a Security Interest over an asset or assets (whether securing a Borrower’s liabilities under the Finance Documents or a guarantee in respect of those liabilities), or a guarantee, letter of credit or other security (including any cash pledged to the Security Trustee) in respect of that Borrower’s liabilities under the Finance Documents.

Requirement for additional documents

The Borrowers shall not be deemed to have complied with Clause 15.2 above until the Agent has received in connection with the additional security certified copies of documents of the kinds referred to in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Schedule 3, Part A and such legal opinions in terms acceptable to the Majority Lenders from such lawyers as they may select.

Valuation of Ship

The market value of a Ship at any date is that shown (i) in a valuation or (ii) (at the Agent’s request acting in its sole discretion) by taking the average of 2 valuations, in each case prepared:

 

(a) as at a date not more than 30 days previously;

 

(b) by an Approved Broker selected by the Borrower and appointed by the Agent (unless the Borrower has not nominated an Approved Broker within 3 Business Days of the Agent’s request in which case the Agent will be entitled to select and appoint an Approved Broker);

 

(c) with or without physical inspection of that Ship (as the Agent may require); and

 

(d) on the basis of a sale for prompt delivery for cash on normal arm’s length commercial terms as between a willing seller and a willing buyer, free of any existing charter or other contract of employment (as the Agent may require).

Value of additional security

The net realisable value of any additional security which is provided under Clause 15.1 and which consists of a Security Interest over a vessel shall be that shown by a valuation complying with the requirements of Clause 15.4.

Valuations binding

Any valuation under Clause 15.2, 15.4 or 15.5 shall be binding and conclusive as regards the Borrowers, as shall be any valuation which the Majority Lenders make of a security which does not consist of or include a Security Interest.

Provision of information

The Borrowers shall promptly provide the Agent and any Approved Broker or expert acting under Clause 15.4 or 15.5 with any information which the Agent or the Approved Broker or expert may request for the purposes of the valuation; and, if the Borrowers fails to provide the information by the date specified in the request, the valuation may be made on any basis and assumptions which the Approved Broker or the Majority Lenders (or the expert appointed by them) consider prudent.

 

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Payment of valuation expenses

Without prejudice to the generality of the Borrowers’ obligations under Clauses 20.3, 20.4 and 20.5, the Borrowers shall, on demand, pay the Agent the amount of the fees and expenses of any Approved Broker or expert instructed by the Agent under this Clause and all legal and other expenses incurred by any Creditor Party in connection with any matter arising out of this Clause Provided that so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing all valuations of each Ship commissioned by the Agent for the purposes of this Clause 15 which confirm that the Borrowers have satisfied the test in Clause 15.1, no Borrower shall be obliged to pay the fees and expenses in respect of more than one valuation or (as applicable) one set of valuations of the Ship owned by it in any calendar year.

Frequency of valuations

The Borrowers acknowledge and agree that the Agent may commission valuation(s) of any Ship at such times as the Agent may reasonably request (including, without limitation, on the occurrence of any breach of obligation under this Agreement, any Finance Document or any other relevant documentation in connection therewith) and, in any event not less than once in any calendar year.

PAYMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

Currency and method of payments

All payments to be made:

 

(a) by the Lenders to the Agent; or

 

(b) by any Borrower to the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender,

under a Finance Document shall be made to the Agent or to the Security Trustee, in the case of an amount payable to it:

 

  (i) by not later than 11.00 a.m. (New York City time) on the due date;

 

  (ii) in same day Dollar funds settled through the New York Clearing House Interbank Payments System (or in such other Dollar funds and/or settled in such other manner as the Agent shall specify as being customary at the time for the settlement of international transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement);

 

  (iii) to the account of Agent, as the Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the other Creditor Parties; and

 

  (iv) in the case of an amount payable to the Security Trustee, to such account as it may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the other Creditor Parties.

Payment on non-Business Day

If any payment by any Borrower under a Finance Document would otherwise fall due on a day which is not a Business Day:

 

(a) the due date shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day; or

 

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(b) if the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next calendar month, the due date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day,

and interest shall be payable during any extension under paragraph (a) at the rate payable on the original due date.

Basis for calculation of periodic payments

All interest and any other payments under any Finance Document which are of an annual or periodic nature shall accrue from day to day and shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a 360 day year.

Distribution of payments to Creditor Parties

Subject to Clauses 16.5, 16.6 and 16.7:

 

(a) any amount received by the Agent under a Finance Document for distribution or remittance to a Lender or the Security Trustee shall be made available by the Agent to that Lender or, as the case may be, the Security Trustee by payment, with funds having the same value as the funds received, to such account as the Lender or the Security Trustee may have notified to the Agent not less than 5 Business Days previously; and

 

(b) amounts to be applied in satisfying amounts of a particular category which are due to the Lenders generally shall be distributed by the Agent to each Lender pro rata to the amount in that category which is due to it.

Permitted deductions by Agent

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent may, before making an amount available to a Lender, deduct and withhold from that amount any sum which is then due and payable to the Agent from that Lender under any Finance Document or any sum which the Agent is then entitled under any Finance Document to require that Lender to pay on demand.

Agent only obliged to pay when monies received

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent shall not be obliged to make available to the Borrowers or any Lender any sum which the Agent is expecting to receive for remittance or distribution to the Borrowers or that Lender until the Agent has satisfied itself that it has received that sum.

Refund to Agent of monies not received

If and to the extent that the Agent makes available a sum to the Borrowers or a Lender, without first having received that sum, the Borrowers or (as the case may be) the Lender concerned shall, on demand:

 

(a) refund the sum in full to the Agent; and

 

(b) pay to the Agent the amount (as certified by the Agent) which will indemnify the Agent against any funding or other loss, liability or expense incurred by the Agent as a result of making the sum available before receiving it.

 

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Agent may assume receipt

Clause 16.7 shall not affect any claim which the Agent has under the law of restitution, and applies irrespective of whether the Agent had any form of notice that it had not received the sum which it made available.

Creditor Party accounts

Each Creditor Party shall maintain accounts showing the amounts owing to it by the Borrowers and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrowers and any Security Party.

Agent’s memorandum account

The Agent shall maintain a memorandum account showing the amounts advanced by the Lenders and all other sums owing to the Agent, the Security Trustee and each Lender from the Borrowers and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrowers and any Security Party.

Accounts prima facie evidence

If any accounts maintained under Clauses 16.9 and 16.10 show an amount to be owing by a Borrower or a Security Party to a Creditor Party, those accounts shall be prima facie evidence that that amount is owing to that Creditor Party.

APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS

Normal order of application

Except as any Finance Document may otherwise provide, any sums which are received or recovered by any Creditor Party under or by virtue of any Finance Document shall be applied:

 

(a) FIRST: in or towards satisfaction of any amounts then due and payable under the Finance Documents in the following proportions:

 

  (i) first, in or towards satisfaction pro rata of all amounts then due and payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents other than those amounts referred to at (ii) and (iii) below (including, but without limitation, all amounts payable by any Borrower under Clauses 20, 21 and 22 of this Agreement or by any Borrower or any Security Party under any corresponding or similar provision in any other Finance Document);

 

  (ii) secondly, in or towards satisfaction pro rata of any and all amounts of interest or default interest payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents; and

 

  (iii) thirdly, in or towards satisfaction of the Loan;

 

(b) SECONDLY: in retention of an amount equal to any amount not then due and payable under any Finance Document but which the Agent, by notice to the Borrowers (or any of them), the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties, states in its opinion will or may become due and payable in the future and, upon those amounts becoming due and payable, in or towards satisfaction of them in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Clause 17.1(a);

 

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(c) THIRDLY: in or towards satisfaction of any amounts representing management fees then due and payable by the Borrowers (or any of them) to the Approved Manager in connection with the Ships; and

 

(d) FOURTHLY: any surplus shall be paid to the Borrowers (or any of them) or to any other person appearing to be entitled to it.

Variation of order of application

The Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders by notice to the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties provide for a different manner of application from that set out in Clause 17.1 either as regards a specified sum or sums or as regards sums in a specified category or categories.

Notice of variation of order of application

The Agent may give notices under Clause 17.2 from time to time; and such a notice may be stated to apply not only to sums which may be received or recovered in the future, but also to any sum which has been received or recovered on or after the third Business Day before the date on which the notice is served.

Appropriation rights overridden

This Clause 17 and any notice which the Agent gives under Clause 17.2 shall override any right of appropriation possessed, and any appropriation made, by any Borrower or any Security Party.

APPLICATION OF EARNINGS

Payment of Earnings

Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party that, throughout the Security Period (and subject only to the provisions of the General Assignment to which it is a party):

 

(a) it shall maintain the Accounts opened in its name (whether individually or jointly) with the Account Bank;

 

(b) it shall ensure that all Earnings of the Ship owned by it are paid to the Earnings Account for that Ship; and

 

(c) the Minimum Liquidity amounts required to be maintained pursuant to Clause 0 shall be maintained in the relevant Earnings Account.

Monthly retentions

The Borrowers undertake with each Creditor Party to ensure that, on and from the date falling one month after each Drawdown Date and at monthly intervals thereafter during the Security Period, there are transferred in respect of each Advance drawn on that Drawdown Date to the Retention Account out of the Earnings received in the relevant Earnings Account during the preceding month:

 

(a) one-third of the amount of the relevant Instalment falling due in respect of that Advance under Clause 0 on the next Repayment Date; and

 

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(b) the relevant fraction of the aggregate amount of interest on that Advance which is payable on the next due date for payment of interest under this Agreement,

and the Borrowers irrevocably authorise the Agent to make those transfers if the Borrowers fail to do so.

The “ relevant fraction ”, in relation to paragraph (b), is a fraction of which the numerator is 1 and the denominator the number of months comprised in the then current Interest Period (or if the current Interest Period in respect of the relevant Advance ends after the next due date for payment of interest under this Agreement, the number of months from the later of the commencement of the current Interest Period in respect of that Advance or the last due date for payment of interest to the next due date for payment of interest in respect of that Advance under this Agreement).

Shortfall in Earnings

If the aggregate Earnings received in an Earnings Account are insufficient at any time for the required amount to be transferred to the Retention Account under Clause 0, the Borrowers shall immediately pay the amount of the insufficiency into the Retention Account.

Application of retentions

Until an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default occurs, the Agent shall, to the extent there are sufficient funds standing to the credit of the Retention Account, on each Repayment Date and on each due date for the payment of interest under this Agreement distribute to the Lenders in accordance with Clause 0 so much of the then balance on the Retention Account as equals:

 

(a) the Instalment due on that Repayment Date pursuant to Clause 8.1; or

 

(b) the amount of interest in respect of the relevant Advance or, as the case may be, the Loan payable on that interest payment date,

in discharge of the Borrowers’ liability for that Instalment or that interest.

Application of Earnings

Each Borrower undertakes with the Lenders that money from time to time credited to, or for the time being standing to the credit of, its Earnings Account shall, unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred (whereupon the provisions of Clause 17.1 shall be and become applicable), be available for application in the following manner:

 

(a) in or towards making payments of all amounts due and payable by the Borrowers under this Agreement (other than payments of principal and interest);

 

(b) in or towards satisfaction of all amounts of interest or default interest payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents;

 

(c) in or towards satisfaction of the Loan;

 

(d) in or towards making payments of all fees due to the Approved Manager and thereafter meeting the costs and expenses from time to time incurred by or on behalf of a Borrower in connection with the operation of the Ship owned by it; and

 

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(e) as to any surplus from time to time arising on an Earnings Account following application as aforesaid, to be paid to the Borrower owning that Ship or to whomsoever it may direct.

Location of account

Each Borrower shall promptly:

 

(a) comply with any requirement of the Agent as to the location or re-location of the Earnings Account; and

 

(b) execute any documents which the Agent specifies to create or maintain in favour of the Security Trustee a Security Interest over (and/or rights of set-off, consolidation or other rights in relation to) the Accounts.

Debits for expenses etc.

The Agent shall be entitled (but not obliged) from time to time to debit the Earnings Accounts without prior notice in order to discharge any amount due and payable under Clause 0 or 0 to a Creditor Party or payment of which any Creditor Party has become entitled to demand under Clause 0 or 0.

Borrowers’ obligations unaffected

The provisions of this Clause 0 (as distinct from a distribution effected under Clause 18.4) do not affect:

 

(a) the liability of the Borrowers to make payments of principal and interest on the due dates; or

 

(b) any other liability or obligation of the Borrowers or any Security Party under any Finance Document.

Restriction on withdrawal

During the Security Period no sum may be withdrawn by a Borrower from the Retention Account.

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

Events of Default

An Event of Default occurs if:

 

(a) the Borrowers or any of them or any Security Party fails to pay when due or (if so payable) on demand any sum payable under a Finance Document or under any document relating to a Finance Document; or

 

(b) any breach occurs of Clause 9.2, 10.15, 10.18, 11.2, 11.3, 11.18, 11.21, 12.2, 12.3, 13.2, 13.3, 14.2 or 15.2 or clause 12.3 of the Corporate Guarantee; or

 

(c) any breach by the Borrowers or any of them or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraphs (a) or (b) above) if, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, such default is capable of remedy, and such default continues unremedied 14 days after the earlier of (i) written notice from the Agent requesting action to remedy the same and (ii) any Borrower becoming aware of such breach; or

 

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(d) (subject to any applicable grace period specified in the Finance Document) any breach by the Borrowers or any of them or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) above); or

 

(e) any representation, warranty or statement made or repeated by, or by an officer of, any Borrower or a Security Party in a Finance Document or in a Drawdown Notice or any other notice or document relating to a Finance Document is untrue or misleading when it is made or repeated; or

 

(f) any of the following occurs in relation to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person (for an amount not exceeding, in the case of any Relevant Person other than a Borrower $10,000,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency) in aggregate):

 

  (i) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is not paid when due or, if so payable, on demand; or

 

  (ii) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes due and payable or capable of being declared due and payable prior to its stated maturity date as a consequence of any event of default unless the Relevant Person is contesting the declaration of an event of default or of the Financial Indebtedness becoming due and payable in good faith and on substantial grounds by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves have been set aside for its payment if such proceedings fail; or

 

  (iii) a lease, hire purchase agreement or charter creating any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is terminated by the lessor or owner or becomes capable of being terminated as a consequence of any termination event; or

 

  (iv) any overdraft, loan, note issuance, acceptance credit, letter of credit, guarantee, foreign exchange or other facility, or any swap or other derivative contract or transaction, relating to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person ceases to be available or becomes capable of being terminated as a result of any event of default, or cash cover is required, or becomes capable of being required, in respect of such a facility as a result of any event of default; or

 

  (v) any Security Interest securing any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes enforceable; or

 

(g) any of the following occurs in relation to a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) a Relevant Person becomes, in the reasonable opinion of the Lenders, unable to pay its debts as they fall due; or

 

  (ii) any assets of a Relevant Person are subject to any form of execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress in respect of a sum of, or sums aggregating, $10,000,000 or more or the equivalent in another currency and such execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress is not withdrawn or discharged within thirty (30) days; or

 

  (iii) any administrative or other receiver is appointed over any asset of a Relevant Person; or

 

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  (iv) an administrator is appointed (whether by the court or otherwise) in respect of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (v) any formal declaration of bankruptcy or any formal statement to the effect that a Relevant Person is insolvent or likely to become insolvent is made by a Relevant Person or by the directors of a Relevant Person or, in any proceedings, by a lawyer acting for a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vi) a provisional liquidator is appointed in respect of a Relevant Person, a winding up order is made in relation to a Relevant Person or a winding up resolution is passed by a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vii) a resolution is passed, an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by (aa) a Relevant Person, (bb) the members or directors of a Relevant Person, (cc) a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person, or (dd) a government minister or public or regulatory authority of a Pertinent Jurisdiction for or with a view to the winding up of that or another Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of that or another Relevant Person, or that or another Relevant Person ceasing or suspending business operations or payments to creditors, save that this paragraph does not apply to a fully solvent winding up of a Relevant Person other than a Borrower or the Corporate Guarantor which is, or is to be, effected for the purposes of an amalgamation or reconstruction previously approved by the Majority Lenders and effected not later than 3 months after the commencement of the winding up; or

 

  (viii) an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by a creditor of a Relevant Person (other than a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person) for the winding up of a Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of a Relevant Person in any Pertinent Jurisdiction, unless the proposed winding up, appointment of a provisional liquidator or administration is being contested in good faith, on substantial grounds and not with a view to some other insolvency law procedure being implemented instead and either (aa) the application or petition is dismissed or withdrawn within 60 days of being made or presented, or (bb) within 60 days of the administration notice being given or filed, or the other relevant steps being taken, other action is taken which will ensure that there will be no administration and (in both cases (aa) or (bb)) the Relevant Person will continue to carry on business in the ordinary way and without being the subject of any actual, interim or pending insolvency law procedure; or

 

  (ix) a Relevant Person or its directors take any steps (whether by making or presenting an application or petition to a court, or submitting or presenting a document setting out a proposal or proposed terms, or otherwise) with a view to obtaining, in relation to that or another Relevant Person, any form of moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation of debt (or certain debt) or arrangement with all or a substantial proportion (by number or value) of creditors or of any class of them or any such moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation or arrangement is effected by court order, by the filing of documents with a court, by means of a contract or in any other way at all; or

 

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  (x) any meeting of the members or directors, or of any committee of the board or senior management, of a Relevant Person is held or summoned for the purpose of considering a resolution or proposal to authorise or take any action of a type described in paragraphs (iv) to (ix) or a step preparatory to such action, or (with or without such a meeting) the members, directors or such a committee resolve or agree that such an action or step should be taken or should be taken if certain conditions materialise or fail to materialise; or

 

  (xi) in a country other than England, any event occurs, any proceedings are opened or commenced or any step is taken which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders is similar to any of the foregoing; or

 

(h) any Borrower or any Security Party ceases or suspends carrying on its business or a part of its business which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, is material in the context of this Agreement; or

 

(i) it becomes unlawful in any Pertinent Jurisdiction or impossible:

 

  (i) for any Borrower or any Security Party to discharge any liability under a Finance Document or to comply with any other obligation which the Majority Lenders consider material under a Finance Document; or

 

  (ii) for the Agent, the Security Trustee or the Lenders to exercise or enforce any right under, or to enforce any Security Interest created by, a Finance Document; or

 

(j) any official consent necessary to enable any Borrower to own, operate or charter the Ship owned by it or to enable any Borrower or any Security Party to comply with any provision which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider material of a Finance Document or the MOA is not granted, expires without being renewed, is revoked or becomes liable to revocation or any condition of such a consent is not fulfilled, unless the relevant Borrower contests any denial, expiration or revocation (other than with respect to a Finance Documents) and on the condition that, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders (i) there are real prospects of such contest being successfully granted/upheld by the relevant Borrower (ii) such contest being made in good faith; or

 

(k) it appears to the Majority Lenders that, without their prior written consent:

 

  (i) a change has occurred or probably has occurred after the date of this Agreement in the legal or direct beneficial ownership of any of the shares in any Borrower or the Shareholder in the voting rights attaching to any of those shares; or

 

  (ii) any Borrower ceases to be a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the Corporate Guarantor; or

 

  (iii) the Designated Shareholders own, in aggregate, less than 25 per cent. of the issued and outstanding voting shares in the Corporate Guarantor; or

 

(l) any provision which the Majority Lenders consider material of a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable, or a Security Interest created by a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable or such a Security Interest proves to have ranked after, or loses its priority to, another Security Interest or any other third party claim or interest; or

 

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(m) the security constituted by a Finance Document is in any way imperilled or in jeopardy; or

 

(n) any other event occurs or any other circumstances arise or develop including, without limitation:

 

  (i) a material adverse change in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operation, state of affairs or prospects of any Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor or the Group; or

 

  (ii) any accident or other event involving any Ship or another vessel owned, chartered or operated by a Relevant Person,

in the light of which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider that there is a significant risk that any Security Party is, or will later become, unable to discharge its liabilities under the Finance Documents as they fall due or the enforceability of any Finance Document may be adversely affected.

Actions following an Event of Default

On, or at any time after, the occurrence of an Event of Default:

 

(a) the Agent may, and if so instructed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent shall:

 

  (i) serve on the Borrowers a notice stating that all or part of the Commitments and all other obligations of each Lender to the Borrowers under this Agreement are terminated; and/or

 

  (ii) serve on the Borrowers a notice stating that all or part of the Loan, all accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing under this Agreement are immediately due and payable or are due and payable on demand; and/or

 

  (iii) take any other action which, as a result of the Event of Default or any notice served under paragraph (i) or (ii) above, the Agent and/or the Lenders are entitled to take under any Finance Document or any applicable law; and/or

 

(b) the Security Trustee may, and if so instructed by the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Lenders, the Security Trustee shall take any action which, as a result of the Event of Default or any notice served under paragraph (a) (i) or (ii) above, the Security Trustee, the Agent and/or the Majority Lenders are entitled to take under any Finance Document or any applicable law.

Termination of Commitments

On the service of a notice under paragraph (a)(i) of Clause 19.2, the Commitments and all other obligations of each Lender to the Borrowers under this Agreement shall terminate.

Acceleration of Loan

On the service of a notice under paragraph (a)(ii) of Clause 19.2, the Loan, all accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing from the Borrowers or any Security Party under this Agreement and every other Finance Document shall become immediately due and payable or, as the case may be, payable on demand.

 

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Multiple notices; action without notice

The Agent may serve notices under paragraphs (a) (i) and (ii) of Clause 19.2 simultaneously or on different dates and it and/or the Security Trustee may take any action referred to in that Clause if no such notice is served or simultaneously with or at any time after the service of both or either of such notices.

Notification of Creditor Parties and Security Parties

The Agent shall send to each Lender, the Security Trustee and each Security Party a copy or the text of any notice which the Agent serves on the Borrowers under Clause 19.2; but the notice shall become effective when it is served on the Borrowers, and no failure or delay by the Agent to send a copy or the text of the notice to any other person shall invalidate the notice or provide the Borrowers or any Security Party with any form of claim or defence.

Creditor Party’s rights unimpaired

Nothing in this Clause shall be taken to impair or restrict the exercise of any right given to individual Lenders under a Finance Document or the general law; and, in particular, this Clause is without prejudice to Clause 3.1.

Exclusion of Creditor Party Liability

No Creditor Party, and no receiver or manager appointed by the Security Trustee, shall have any liability to the Borrowers or a Security Party:

 

(a) for any loss caused by an exercise of rights under, or enforcement of a Security Interest created by, a Finance Document or by any failure or delay to exercise such a right or to enforce such a Security Interest; or

 

(b) as mortgagee in possession or otherwise, for any income or principal amount which might have been produced by or realised from any asset comprised in such a Security Interest or for any reduction (however caused) in the value of such an asset,

except that this does not exempt a Creditor Party or a receiver or manager from liability for losses shown to have been caused by the gross negligence or the wilful misconduct of such Creditor Party’s own officers and employees or (as the case may be) such receiver’s or manager’s own partners or employees.

Relevant Persons

In this Clause 19, a “ Relevant Person ” means a Borrower, a Security Party (excluding the Approved Manager), and any company which is a subsidiary of any Borrower or of a Security Party or of which any Borrower is a subsidiary.

Interpretation

In Clause 19.1(f) references to an event of default or a termination event include any event, howsoever described, which is similar to an event of default in a facility agreement or a termination event in a finance lease; and in Clause 19.1(g) “ petition ” includes an application.

 

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FEES AND EXPENSES

Up-front fee

The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent on or prior to the date of this Agreement, a non-refundable up-front fee in the amount of $300,000 (representing 1.25 per cent. of the Total Commitments) for distribution among the Lenders pro rata to their Commitments.

Account Bank fee

The Borrowers shall pay to the Account Bank on or prior to the date of this Agreement and on each anniversary thereof a non-refundable annual fee in the amount of $1,000 in respect of each Earnings Account.

Costs of negotiation, preparation etc.

The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent on its demand the amount of all expenses incurred by the Agent or the Security Trustee in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution or registration of any Finance Document or any related document or with any transaction contemplated by a Finance Document or a related document (including, without limitation, out of pocket expenses, legal fees and any related VAT).

Costs of variations, amendments, enforcement etc.

The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, the amount of all documented expenses incurred by a Creditor Party in connection with:

 

(a) any amendment or supplement to a Finance Document, or any proposal for such an amendment to be made;

 

(b) any consent or waiver by the Lenders, the Majority Lenders or the Creditor Party concerned under or in connection with a Finance Document, or any request for such a consent or waiver;

 

(c) the valuation of any security provided or offered under Clause 15 or any other matter relating to such security;

 

(d) where the Agent, in its absolute opinion, considers that there has been a material change to the insurances in respect of a Ship, the review of the insurances of a Ship pursuant to Clause 13.18;

 

(e) the opinions of the independent insurance consultant referred to in paragraph 5 of Part B, Schedule 3; and

 

(f) any step taken by any Lender concerned with a view to the protection, exercise or enforcement of any right or Security Interest created by a Finance Document or for any similar purpose.

There shall be recoverable under paragraph (d) the full amount of all legal expenses, whether or not such as would be allowed under rules of court or any taxation or other procedure carried out under such rules.

 

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Documentary taxes

The Borrowers shall promptly pay any tax payable on or by reference to any Finance Document, and shall, on the Agent’s demand, fully indemnify each Creditor Party against any liabilities, claims losses and expenses resulting from any failure or delay by the Borrowers to pay such a tax.

Certification of amounts

A notice which is signed by two officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 20 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

INDEMNITIES

Indemnities regarding borrowing and repayment of Loan

The Borrowers shall fully indemnify the Agent and each Lender on the Agent’s demand and the Security Trustee on its demand in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are made or brought against or incurred by that Creditor Party, or which that Creditor Party reasonably and with due diligence estimates that it will incur, as a result of or in connection with:

 

(a) an Advance not being borrowed on the date specified in the Drawdown Notice for any reason other than a default by the Lender claiming the indemnity;

 

(b) the receipt or recovery of all or any part of the Loan or an overdue sum otherwise than on the last day of an Interest Period or other relevant period including, without limitation, where such receipt or recovery is made as a result of the voluntary or mandatory repayment or prepayment of the Loan, or any part thereof;

 

(c) any failure (for whatever reason) by the Borrowers to make payment of any amount due under a Finance Document on the due date or, if so payable, on demand (after giving credit for any default interest paid by the Borrowers on the amount concerned under Clause 7); and

 

(d) the occurrence and/or continuance of an Event of Default and/or the acceleration of repayment of the Loan under Clause 19,

and in respect of any tax (other than tax on its overall net income or a FATCA Deduction) for which a Creditor Party is liable in connection with any amount paid or payable to that Creditor Party (whether for its own account or otherwise) under any Finance Document.

Breakage costs

Without limiting its generality, Clause 21.1 covers any liability, expense or loss, including a loss of a prospective profit, incurred by a Lender:

 

(a) in liquidating or employing deposits from third parties acquired or arranged to fund or maintain all or any part of its Contribution and/or any overdue amount (or an aggregate amount which includes its Contribution or any overdue amount); and

 

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(b) in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, any interest and/or currency swap or any other transaction entered into (whether with another legal entity or with another office or department of the Lender concerned) to hedge any exposure arising under this Agreement or that part which the Lender concerned determines is fairly attributable to this Agreement of the amount of the liabilities, expenses or losses (including losses of prospective profits) incurred by it in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, a number of transactions of which this Agreement is one.

Miscellaneous indemnities

The Borrowers shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party severally on their respective demands in respect of all claims, demands, proceedings, liabilities, taxes, losses and expenses of every kind (“ liability items ”) which may be made or brought against, or incurred by, a Creditor Party, in any country, in relation to:

 

(a) any action taken, or omitted or neglected to be taken, under or in connection with any Finance Document by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party or by any receiver appointed under a Finance Document; and

 

(b) any other event, matter or question which occurs or arises at any time during the Security Period and which has any connection with, or any bearing on, any Finance Document, any payment or other transaction relating to a Finance Document or any asset covered (or previously covered) by a Security Interest created (or intended to be created) by a Finance Document,

other than claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the dishonesty or wilful misconduct of the officers or employees of the Creditor Party concerned.

Extension of indemnities; environmental indemnity

Without prejudice to its generality, Clause 21.3 covers:

 

(a) any matter which would be covered by Clause 21.3 if any of the references in that Clause to a Lender were a reference to the Agent or (as the case may be) to the Security Trustee; and

 

(b) any liability items which arise, or are asserted, under or in connection with any law relating to safety at sea, pollution or the protection of the environment, the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or any Environmental Law.

Currency indemnity

If any sum due from a Borrower or any Security Party to a Creditor Party under a Finance Document or under any order or judgment relating to a Finance Document has to be converted from the currency in which the Finance Document provided for the sum to be paid (the “ Contractual Currency ”) into another currency (the “ Payment Currency ”) for the purpose of:

 

(a) making or lodging any claim or proof against a Borrower or any Security Party, whether in its liquidation, any arrangement involving it or otherwise; or

 

(b) obtaining an order or judgment from any court or other tribunal; or

 

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(c) enforcing any such order or judgment,

the Borrowers shall indemnify the Creditor Party concerned against the loss arising when the amount of the payment actually received by that Creditor Party is converted at the available rate of exchange into the Contractual Currency.

In this Clause 21.5, the “ available rate of exchange ” means the rate at which the Creditor Party concerned is able at the opening of business (London time) on the Business Day after it receives the sum concerned to purchase the Contractual Currency with the Payment Currency.

This Clause 21.5 creates a separate liability of each Borrower which is distinct from its other liabilities under the Finance Documents and which shall not be merged in any judgment or order relating to those other liabilities.

Certification of amounts

A notice which is signed by 2 officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 21 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown of the amounts due) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

Sums deemed due to a Lender

For the purposes of this Clause 21, a sum payable by the Borrowers to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender.

Sanctions

 

(a) The Borrowers shall, within three (3) Business Days of demand by a Creditor Party, indemnify each Creditor Party against any cost, loss or liability incurred by it as a result of any civil penalty or fine against, and all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements) incurred in connection with the defence thereof by, the Agent or any Lender as a result of conduct of the Borrowers or any Security Party or any of their partners, directors, officers, employees, agents or advisors, that violates any Sanctions.

 

(b) The indemnity in Clause 21.8(a) above shall cover any losses incurred by each Creditor Party in any jurisdiction arising or asserted under or in connection with any law relating to any Sanctions.

NO SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION

No deductions

All amounts due from the Borrowers under a Finance Document shall be paid:

 

(a) without any form of set-off, cross-claim or condition; and

 

(b) free and clear of any tax deduction except a tax deduction which a Borrower is required by law to make.

 

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Grossing-up for taxes

If a Borrower is required by law to make a tax deduction from any payment:

 

(a) that Borrower shall notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of the requirement;

 

(b) that Borrower shall pay the tax deducted to the appropriate taxation authority promptly, and in any event before any fine or penalty arises; and

 

(c) the amount due in respect of the payment shall be increased by the amount necessary to ensure that each Creditor Party receives and retains (free from any liability relating to the tax deduction) a net amount which, after the tax deduction, is equal to the full amount which it would otherwise have received.

Evidence of payment of taxes

Within 1 month after making any tax deduction, the Borrower concerned shall deliver to the Agent documentary evidence satisfactory to the Agent that the tax had been paid to the appropriate taxation authority.

Exclusion of tax on overall net income

In this Clause 22 “ tax deduction ” means any deduction or withholding for or on account of any present or future tax except tax on a Creditor Party’s overall net income or a FATCA Deduction.

FATCA information

 

(a) Subject to paragraph (c) below, each party to the Finance Documents shall, within 5 Business Days of a reasonable request by another party to the Finance Documents:

 

  (i) confirm to that other party whether it is:

 

  (A) a FATCA Exempt Party; or

 

  (B) not a FATCA Exempt Party; and

 

  (ii) supply to that other party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status under FATCA as that other party reasonably requests for the purposes of that other party’s compliance with FATCA; and

 

  (iii) supply to that other party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status as that other party reasonably requests for the purposes of that other party’s compliance with any other law, regulation or exchange of information regime;

 

(b) if a party to any Finance Document confirms to another party pursuant to sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (a) above that it is a FATCA Exempt Party and it subsequently becomes aware that it is not, or has ceased to be a FATCA Exempt Party, that party shall notify that other party reasonably promptly;

 

(c) paragraph (a) above shall not oblige any Creditor Party, and paragraph (a)(iii) above shall not oblige any other Party to a Finance Document, to do anything which would or might in its reasonable opinion constitute a breach of:

 

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  (i) any law or regulation;

 

  (ii) any fiduciary duty; or

 

  (iii) any duty of confidentiality;

 

(d) if a party to any Finance Document fails to confirm whether or not it is a FATCA Exempt Party or to supply forms, documentation or other information requested in accordance with paragraph (a)(i) or (ii) above (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where paragraph (c) above applies), then such party shall be treated for the purposes of the Finance Documents as if it is not a FATCA Exempt Party until such time as the party in question provides the requested confirmation, forms, documentation or other information.

 

(e) If a Borrower is or becomes a US Tax Obligor or a FATCA FFI, it shall as soon as reasonably practicable inform the Agent of the same;

 

(f) Where the Agent reasonably believes that its obligations under FATCA require it, the relevant Borrower or the relevant Security Party shall provide the Agent, upon request, with a W-8 BEN-E form (or any successor form) or any other forms or documentation the Agent may reasonably require, as soon as reasonably practicable. The Agent shall not be liable for any action which it takes or refrains from taking under or in connection with this paragraph (f);

 

(g) If a Borrower is or becomes a US Tax Obligor or a FATCA FFI, or where the Agent reasonably believes that its obligations under FATCA require it, each Creditor Party shall, within 10 Business Days of the date of a request from the Agent supply to the Agent:

 

  (i) a withholding certificate on Form W-8 or Form W-9 (or any successor form) (as applicable); and/or

 

  (ii) any withholding statement and other documentation, authorisations and waivers as the Agent may require to certify or establish the status of such Creditor Party under FATCA,

the Agent shall provide any withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers it receives from a Creditor Party pursuant to this paragraph (g) to that Borrower or the relevant Security Party and shall be entitled to rely on any such withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers provided without further verification. The Agent shall not be liable for any action which it takes or refrains from taking under or in connection with this paragraph (g); and

 

(h) The Borrowers, each Security Party and each Creditor Party agrees that if any withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers provided to the Agent pursuant to paragraphs (f) to (g) above is or becomes materially inaccurate or incomplete, it shall promptly update such withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers or promptly notify the Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so. The Agent shall, if applicable, provide any such updated withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers to the Borrowers or the relevant Security Party. The Agent shall not be liable for any action which it takes or refrains from taking under or in connection with this paragraph (h).

 

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FATCA Deduction

 

(a) Each party to a Finance Document may make any FATCA Deduction it is required to make by FATCA, and any payment required in connection with that FATCA Deduction, and shall not be required to increase any payment in respect of which it makes such a FATCA Deduction or otherwise compensate the recipient of the payment for that FATCA Deduction.

 

(b) Each party to a Finance Document shall promptly, upon becoming aware that it must make a FATCA Deduction (or that there is any change in the rate or the basis of such FATCA Deduction), notify the party to a Finance Document to whom it is making the payment and, in addition, shall notify the Borrowers and the Agent and the Agent shall notify the other Creditor Parties.

ILLEGALITY, ETC

Illegality

This Clause 23 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that it has become, or will with effect from a specified date, become:

 

(a) unlawful or prohibited as a result of the introduction of a new law, an amendment to an existing law or a change in the manner in which an existing law is or will be interpreted or applied; or

 

(b) contrary to, or inconsistent with, any regulation,

for the Notifying Lender to maintain or give effect to any of its obligations under this Agreement in the manner contemplated by this Agreement.

Notification of illegality

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers, the Security Parties, the Security Trustee and the other Lenders of the notice under Clause 23.1 which the Agent receives from the Notifying Lender.

Prepayment; termination of Commitment

On the Agent notifying the Borrowers under Clause 23.2, the Notifying Lender’s Commitment shall terminate; and thereupon or, if later, on the date specified in the Notifying Lender’s notice under Clause 23.1 as the date on which the notified event would become effective the Borrowers shall prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution in accordance with Clause 8.

INCREASED COSTS

Increased costs

 

(a) Each Borrower shall, within 3 Business Days of a demand by the Agent, pay for the account of a Creditor Party the amount of any Increased Costs incurred by that Creditor Party or any of its affiliates as a result of:

 

  (i) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation, administration or application of) any law or regulation; or

 

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  (ii) compliance with any law or regulation made,

after the date of this Agreement.

 

(b) In this Agreement, “ Increased Costs ” means:

 

  (i) a reduction in the rate of return from the Loan or on a Creditor Party’s (or its affiliate’s) overall capital;

 

  (ii) an additional or increased cost; or

 

  (iii) a reduction of any amount due and payable under any Finance Document,

which is incurred or suffered by a Creditor Party or any of its affiliates to the extent that it is attributable to that Creditor Party having entered into its Commitment or funding or performing its obligations under any Finance Document and, for the avoidance of doubt, includes any Increased Costs incurred or suffered by a Creditor Party or any of its affiliates as a result of or with connection to Basel III, CRD IV or CRR,

but not an item attributable to a change in the rate of tax on the overall net income of the Notifying Lender (aa) (or a parent company of it) or (bb) an item covered by the indemnity for tax in Clause 21.1 or by Clause 22 or (cc) a FATCA Deduction.

Increased cost claims

 

(a) A Creditor Party (the “ Notifying Lender ”) intending to make a claim pursuant to Clause 24.1 shall notify the Agent of the event giving rise to the claim, following which the Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower.

 

(b) Each Creditor Party shall, as soon as practicable after a demand by the Agent, provide a certificate confirming the amount of its Increased Costs.

Notification to Borrowers of claim for increased costs

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the Security Parties of the notice which the Agent received from the Notifying Lender under Clause 24.2.

Payment of increased costs

The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Notifying Lender the amounts which the Agent from time to time notifies the Borrowers that the Notifying Lender has specified to be necessary to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost.

Notice of prepayment

If the Borrowers are not willing to continue to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost under Clause 24.4, the Borrowers may give the Agent not less than 15 days’ notice of their intention to prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution at the end of an Interest Period and/or to cancel the Notifying Lender’s Available Commitment.

 

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Prepayment; termination of Commitment

A notice under Clause 24.5 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Notifying Lender of the Borrowers’ notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

(a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Commitment of the Notifying Lender shall be cancelled; and

 

(b) on the date specified in its notice of intended prepayment, the Borrowers shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Notifying Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

Application of prepayment

Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

SET-OFF

Application of credit balances

Each Creditor Party may without prior notice:

 

(a) apply any balance (whether or not then due) which at any time stands to the credit of any account in the name of a Borrower at any office in any country of that Creditor Party in or towards satisfaction of any sum then due from that Borrower to that Creditor Party under any of the Finance Documents; and

 

(b) for that purpose:

 

  (i) break, or alter the maturity of, all or any part of a deposit of that Borrower;

 

  (ii) convert or translate all or any part of a deposit or other credit balance into Dollars; and

 

  (iii) enter into any other transaction or make any entry with regard to the credit balance which the Creditor Party concerned considers appropriate.

Existing rights unaffected

No Creditor Party shall be obliged to exercise any of its rights under Clause 25.1; and those rights shall be without prejudice and in addition to any right of set-off, combination of accounts, charge, lien or other right or remedy to which a Creditor Party is entitled (whether under the general law or any document).

Sums deemed due to a Lender

For the purposes of this Clause 25, a sum payable by the Borrowers to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to, or for the account of, a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender; and each Lender’s proportion of a sum so payable for distribution to, or for the account of, the Lenders shall be treated as a sum due to such Lender.

 

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No Security Interest

This Clause 25 gives the Creditor Parties a contractual right of set off only and does not create any equitable charge or other Security Interest over any credit balance of any Borrower.

TRANSFERS AND CHANGES IN LENDING OFFICES

Transfer by Borrowers

No Borrower may, without the consent of the Agent, given on the instructions of all the Lenders:

 

(a) transfer any of its rights or obligations under any Finance Document; or

 

(b) enter into any merger, de-merger or other reorganisation, or carry out any other act, as a result of which any of its rights or liabilities would vest in, or pass to, another person.

Transfer by a Lender

Subject to Clause 26.4, a Lender (the “ Transferor Lender ”) may, with the prior written consent of the Borrowers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), at any time allow:

 

(a) its rights in respect of all or part of its Contribution; or

 

(b) its obligations in respect of all or part of its Commitment; or

 

(c) a combination of (a) and (b),

to be (in the case of its rights) transferred to, or (in the case of its obligations) assumed by, another bank or financial institution (a “ Transferee Lender ”) by delivering to the Agent a completed certificate in the form set out in Schedule 4 with any modifications approved or required by the Agent (a “ Transfer Certificate ”) executed by the Transferor Lender and the Transferee Lender Provided that the consent of the Borrowers shall not be required:

 

  (i) if an Event of Default has occurred; or

 

  (ii) the Transferee Lender is an existing Lender or an affiliate of an existing Lender.

However any rights and obligations of the Transferor Lender in its capacity as Agent or Security Trustee will have to be dealt with separately in accordance with the Agency and Trust Agreement.

Transfer Certificate, delivery and notification

As soon as reasonably practicable after a Transfer Certificate is delivered to the Agent, it shall (unless it has reason to believe that the Transfer Certificate may be defective):

 

(a) sign the Transfer Certificate on behalf of itself, each Borrower, the Security Parties, the Security Trustee and each of the other Lenders;

 

(b) on behalf of the Transferee Lender, send to each Borrower and each Security Party letters or faxes notifying them of the Transfer Certificate and attaching a copy of it; and

 

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(c) send to the Transferee Lender copies of the letters or faxes sent under paragraph (b) above.

Effective Date of Transfer Certificate

A Transfer Certificate becomes effective on the date, if any, specified in the Transfer Certificate as its effective date Provided that it is signed by the Agent under Clause 26.3 on or before that date.

No transfer without Transfer Certificate

No assignment or transfer of any right or obligation of a Lender under any Finance Document is binding on, or effective in relation to, any Borrower, any Security Party, the Agent or the Security Trustee unless it is effected, evidenced or perfected by a Transfer Certificate.

Lender re-organisation; waiver of Transfer Certificate

However, if a Lender enters into any merger, de-merger or other reorganisation as a result of which all its rights or obligations vest in another person (the “ successor ”), the Agent may, if it sees fit, by notice to the successor and the Borrowers and the Security Trustee waive the need for the execution and delivery of a Transfer Certificate; and, upon service of the Agent’s notice, the successor shall become a Lender with the same Commitment and Contribution as were held by the predecessor Lender.

Effect of Transfer Certificate

A Transfer Certificate takes effect in accordance with English law as follows:

 

(a) to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate, all rights and interests (present, future or contingent) which the Transferor Lender has under or by virtue of the Finance Documents are assigned to the Transferee Lender absolutely, free of any defects in the Transferor Lender’s title and of any rights or equities which the Borrowers or any Security Party had against the Transferor Lender;

 

(b) the Transferor Lender’s Commitment is discharged to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

(c) the Transferee Lender becomes a Lender with the Contribution previously held by the Transferor Lender and a Commitment of an amount specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

(d) the Transferee Lender becomes bound by all the provisions of the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including those about pro-rata sharing and the exclusion of liability on the part of, and the indemnification of, the Agent and the Security Trustee and, to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes bound by those provisions (other than those relating to exclusion of liability), the Transferor Lender ceases to be bound by them;

 

(e) any part of the Loan which the Transferee Lender advances after the Transfer Certificate’s effective date ranks in point of priority and security in the same way as it would have ranked had it been advanced by the transferor, assuming that any defects in the transferor’s title and any rights or equities of any Borrower or any Security Party against the Transferor Lender had not existed;

 

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(f) the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to all the rights under the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including but not limited to those relating to the Majority Lenders and those under Clause 5.7 and Clause 20, and to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to such rights, the Transferor Lender ceases to be entitled to them; and

 

(g) in respect of any breach of a warranty, undertaking, condition or other provision of a Finance Document or any misrepresentation made in or in connection with a Finance Document, the Transferee Lender shall be entitled to recover damages by reference to the loss incurred by it as a result of the breach or misrepresentation, irrespective of whether the original Lender would have incurred a loss of that kind or amount.

The rights and equities of any Borrower or any Security Party referred to above include, but are not limited to, any right of set off and any other kind of cross-claim.

Maintenance of register of Lenders

During the Security Period the Agent shall maintain a register in which it shall record the name, Commitment, Contribution and administrative details (including the lending office) from time to time of each Lender holding a Transfer Certificate and the effective date (in accordance with Clause 26.4) of the Transfer Certificate; and the Agent shall make the register available for inspection by any Lender, the Security Trustee and the Borrowers during normal banking hours, subject to receiving at least 3 Business Days prior notice.

Reliance on register of Lenders

The entries on that register shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive in determining the identities of the Lenders and the amounts of their Commitments and Contributions and the effective dates of Transfer Certificates and may be relied upon by the Agent and the other parties to the Finance Documents for all purposes relating to the Finance Documents.

Authorisation of Agent to sign Transfer Certificates

The Borrowers, the Security Trustee and each Lender irrevocably authorise the Agent to sign Transfer Certificates on its behalf.

Registration fee

In respect of any Transfer Certificate, the Agent shall be entitled to recover a registration fee of $1,500 (and all costs, fees and expenses incidental to the transfer (including, but not limited to legal fees and expenses)) from the Transferor Lender or (at the Agent’s option) the Transferee Lender.

Sub-participation; subrogation assignment

A Lender may sub-participate all or any part of its rights and/or obligations under or in connection with the Finance Documents without the consent of, or any notice to, the Borrowers, any Security Party, the Agent or the Security Trustee; and the Lenders may assign, in any manner and terms agreed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent and the Security Trustee, all or any part of those rights to an insurer or surety who has become subrogated to them.

 

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Disclosure of information

Subject to Clause 26.4, a Lender may, disclose to a potential Transferee Lender or, to any sub-participant any information which the Lender has received in relation to the Borrowers, any Security Party or their affairs under or in connection with any Finance Document, unless the information is clearly of a confidential nature in which case the consent of the Corporate Guarantor would be required Provided that a potential Transferee Lender or any sub-participant to whom disclosure is made agrees to be bound by the terms of the confidentiality undertaking in this Clause 26.13 by way of a confidentiality agreement in a form acceptable to the Borrowers.

The Borrowers agree that the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall remain confidential and shall not, or shall procure that the Corporate Guarantor shall not, disclose (whether, without limitation, in writing or orally) to third parties (other than any disclosure to the Corporate Guarantor’s shareholders, officers, employees or professional advisers Provided that the person to whom disclosure is made agrees to be bound by the terms of the confidentiality undertaking in this Clause 26.13 any information required to be disclosed by law, regulation or any governmental or competent regulatory authority (including without limitation, any securities exchange), provided that, to the extent reasonably practicable, the Corporate Guarantor shall inform the Agent on the proposed form, timing, nature and purpose of the disclosure) the existence of this Agreement or the terms and conditions contained herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders.

Change of lending office

A Lender may change its lending office by giving notice to the Agent and the change shall become effective on the later of:

 

(a) the date on which the Agent receives the notice; and

 

(b) the date, if any, specified in the notice as the date on which the change will come into effect.

Notification

On receiving such a notice, the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Security Trustee; and, until the Agent receives such a notice, it shall be entitled to assume that a Lender is acting through the lending office of which the Agent last had notice.

Security over Lenders’ rights.

In addition to the other rights provided to Lenders under this Clause 26, each Lender may without consulting with or obtaining consent from any Borrower or any Security Party, at any time charge, assign or otherwise create a Security Interest in or over (whether by way of collateral or otherwise) all or any of its rights under any Finance Document to secure obligations of that Lender including, without limitation:

 

(a) any charge, assignment or other Security Interest to secure obligations to a federal reserve or central bank; and

 

(b) in the case of any Lender which is a fund, any charge, assignment or other Security Interest granted to any holders (or trustee or representatives of holders) of obligations owed, or securities issued, by that Lender as security for those obligations or securities;

 

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except that no such charge, assignment or Security Interest shall:

 

  (i) release a Lender from any of its obligations under the Finance Documents or substitute the beneficiary of the relevant charge, assignment or Security Interest for the Lender as a party to any of the Finance Documents; or

 

  (ii) require any payments to be made by the Borrowers or any Security Party or grant to any person any more extensive rights than those required to be made or granted to the relevant Lender under the Finance Documents.

VARIATIONS AND WAIVERS BY MAJORITY LENDERS

Variations, waivers etc. by Lenders

Subject to Clause 27.2, a document shall be effective to vary, waive, suspend or limit any provision of a Finance Document, or any Creditor Party’s rights or remedies under such a provision or the general law, only if the document is signed, or specifically agreed to by fax, by the Borrowers, by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders, by the Agent and the Security Trustee in their own rights, and, if the document relates to a Finance Document to which a Security Party is party, by that Security Party.

Variations, waivers etc. requiring agreement of all Lenders

However, as regards the following, Clause 27.1 applies as if the words “by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders” were replaced by the words “by or on behalf of every Lender”:

 

(a) a reduction in the Margin;

 

(b) a postponement to the date for, or a reduction in the amount of, any payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under this Agreement;

 

(c) an increase in any Lender’s Commitment;

 

(d) a change to the definition of “ Majority Lenders ”;

 

(e) a change to Clause 3 or this Clause 27;

 

(f) any release of, or material variation to, a Security Interest, guarantee, indemnity or subordination arrangement set out in a Finance Document; and

 

(g) any other change or matter as regards which this Agreement or another Finance Document expressly provides that each Lender’s consent is required.

Exclusion of other or implied variations

Except for a document which satisfies the requirements of Clauses 27.1 and 27.2, no document, and no act, course of conduct, failure or neglect to act, delay or acquiescence on the part of the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) shall result in the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) being taken to have varied, waived, suspended or limited, or being precluded (permanently or temporarily) from enforcing, relying on or exercising:

 

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(a) a provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; or

 

(b) an Event of Default; or

 

(c) a breach by a Borrower or a Security Party of an obligation under a Finance Document or the general law; or

 

(d) any right or remedy conferred by any Finance Document or by the general law,

and there shall not be implied into any Finance Document any term or condition requiring any such provision to be enforced, or such right or remedy to be exercised, within a certain or reasonable time.

NOTICES

General

Unless otherwise specifically provided, any notice under or in connection with any Finance Document shall be given by letter or fax; and references in the Finance Documents to written notices, notices in writing and notices signed by particular persons shall be construed accordingly.

Addresses for communications

A notice shall be sent:

 

(a)      to a Borrower:    c/o Navios Shipmanagement Inc.   
      85 Akti Miaouli   
      Piraeus 185 38   
      Fax No: +30 210 4172070   
for the attention of:    Vassiliki Papaefthymiou   
      E-mail: vpapaefthymiou@Navios.com   

 

(b) to a Lender: At the address below its name in Schedule 1 or (as the case may require) in the relevant Transfer Certificate.

 

(c)      to the Agent    BNP Paribas   
     and the Security Trustee:    CVA05A1   
     

35 rue de la Gare

75019 Paris

  
      France   
      Fax:+33 (0) 142984355   
      E-mail: tgmo.shipping@bnpparibas.com   

or to such other address as the relevant party may notify the Agent or, if the relevant party is the Agent or the Security Trustee, the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Security Parties.

 

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Effective date of notices

Subject to Clauses 28.4 and 28.5:

 

(a) a notice which is delivered personally or posted shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at the time when it is delivered; and

 

(b) a notice which is sent by fax shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, 2 hours after its transmission is completed.

Service outside business hours

However, if under Clause 28.3 a notice would be deemed to be served:

 

(a) on a day which is not a business day in the place of receipt; or

 

(b) on such a business day, but after 5 p.m. local time,

the notice shall (subject to Clause 28.5) be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at 9 a.m. on the next day which is such a business day.

Illegible notices

Clauses 28.3 and 28.4 do not apply if the recipient of a notice notifies the sender within 1 hour after the time at which the notice would otherwise be deemed to be served that the notice has been received in a form which is illegible in a material respect.

Valid notices

A notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall not be invalid by reason that its contents or the manner of serving it do not comply with the requirements of this Agreement or, where appropriate, any other Finance Document under which it is served if:

 

(a) the failure to serve it in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement or other Finance Document, as the case may be, has not caused any party to suffer any significant loss or prejudice; or

 

(b) in the case of incorrect and/or incomplete contents, it should have been reasonably clear to the party on which the notice was served what the correct or missing particulars should have been.

English language

Any notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall be in English.

Meaning of “notice”

In this Clause “notice” includes any demand, consent, authorisation, approval, instruction, waiver or other communication.

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL

Rights cumulative, non-exclusive

The rights and remedies which the Finance Documents give to each Creditor Party are:

 

(a) cumulative;

 

(b) may be exercised as often as appears expedient; and

 

(c) shall not, unless a Finance Document explicitly and specifically states so, be taken to exclude or limit any right or remedy conferred by any law.

Severability of provisions

If any provision of a Finance Document is or subsequently becomes void, unenforceable or illegal, that shall not affect the validity, enforceability or legality of the other provisions of that Finance Document or of the provisions of any other Finance Document.

Third party rights

A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Agreement.

Waiver of Banking Secrecy

The Borrowers hereby irrevocably authorise and give consent to the Agent and, each of its affiliates, and their respective subsidiaries, branches and representative offices and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (the “ Authorised Persons ” and each an “ Authorised Person ”), to disclose and transmit to the Applicable Persons, whether orally, in writing or by any other means, information and documents which relates to, or are connected with, the Borrowers, their beneficial owner, any other member of the Group, their business, dealings or assets (the “ Information ”), from time to time and to the extent that the Authorised Person deems such disclosure or transmission to be necessary or desirable for or incidental to the carrying out of its duties, obligations, commitments and activities whether arising under contract or by operation of law and/or consolidated supervision and risk management policy, to the extent that the Information is covered by banking secrecy under any applicable law in general and Swiss banking secrecy rules in particular and/or:

 

(a) necessary or desirable for the purposes of its internal cross-selling enabling the Borrowers and/or any other member of the Group to benefit from the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s business activities; and/or

 

(b) necessary or desirable to insure a risk related to the Borrowers and/or any other member of the Group; and/or

 

(c) necessary or desirable to syndicate a risk related to the Borrowers and/or any other member of the Group; and/or

 

(d) necessary or desirable to securitise a risk related to the Borrowers and/or any other member of the Group; and/or

 

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(e) necessary or desirable to open an account or to start a business relation with the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s parent company or any of its subsidiaries or branches.

In this Clause 29.4, “ Applicable Person ” means any or all of the following persons:

 

  (i) any authority or person against which, pursuant to any applicable law, administrative order or court ruling, banking secrecy may not be validly asserted by an Authorised Person;

 

  (ii) the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s parent company, any of its subsidiaries, branches or representative offices;

 

  (iii) any rating agency, auditor, insurance and reinsurance company, broker or professional adviser, to the extent such entity or person is bound by a statutory or contractual duty of confidentiality;

 

  (iv) any financial institution and institutional or other investor who is or might be involved in securitisation schemes, hedging agreements, participations, credit derivatives or any other risk transfer or sharing arrangements, including, inter alia, a bank and/or other financial institution’s participation in, or syndication in respect of, the Loan;

 

  (v) any potential assignee or transferee or person who has entered into or is proposing to enter into contractual arrangements with the Authorised Person in relation to a Borrower; and

 

  (vi) any external computer services provider, for the purpose of maintenance or repair of the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s computer systems and date provided that such external computer services provider is bound by the confidentiality policy of BNP Paribas.

Reference Banks

If a Reference Bank (or, if a Reference Bank is not a Lender, the Lender of which it is an affiliate) ceases to be a Lender, the Agent shall (in consultation with the Borrowers) appoint another Lender or an affiliate of a Lender to replace that Reference Bank.

Role of Reference Banks

 

(a) No Reference Bank is under any obligation to provide a quotation or any other information to the Agent but may do so at the Agent’s request.

 

(b) No Reference Bank will be liable for any action taken by it under or in connection with any Finance Document, or for any quotation provided to the Agent.

 

(c) No Party (other than the relevant Reference Bank) may take any proceedings against any officer, employee or agent of any Reference Bank in respect of any claim it might have against that Reference Bank or in respect of any act or omission of any kind by that officer, employee or agent in relation to any Finance Document, or to any quotation provided to the Agent, and any officer, employee or agent of each Reference Bank may rely on this clause subject to clause 29.3 and the provisions of the Third Parties Act.

 

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Third party Reference Banks

Any Reference Bank which is not a party to this Agreement may rely on Clause 29.6 subject to Clause 29.3 and the provisions of the Third Parties Act.

Counterparts

A Finance Document may be executed in any number of counterparts.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Confidential Information

Each Creditor Party agrees to keep all Confidential Information confidential and not to disclose it to anyone, save to the extent permitted by Clauses 30.2 and 30.3 and to ensure that all Confidential Information is protected with security measures and a degree of care that would apply to its own confidential information taking also into account the public nature of the Corporate Guarantor.

Disclosure of Confidential Information

Any Creditor Party may disclose:

 

(a) to any of its affiliates and Related Funds and any of its or their officers, directors, employees, professional advisers, auditors, partners and Representatives such Confidential Information as that Creditor Party shall consider appropriate if any person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given pursuant to this paragraph (a) is informed in writing of its confidential nature and that some or all of such Confidential Information may be price-sensitive information except that there shall be no such requirement to so inform if the recipient is subject to professional obligations to maintain the confidentiality of the information or is otherwise bound by requirements of confidentiality in relation to the Confidential Information;

 

(b) to any person:

 

  (i) to (or through) whom it assigns or transfers (or may potentially assign or transfer) all or any of its rights and/or obligations under one or more Finance Documents or which succeeds (or which may potentially succeed) it as Agent and, in each case, to any of that person’s affiliates, Related Funds, Representatives and professional advisers;

 

  (ii) with (or through) whom it enters into (or may potentially enter into), whether directly or indirectly, any sub-participation in relation to, or any other transaction under which payments are to be made or may be made by reference to, one or more Finance Documents and/or the Borrowers and/or any Security Party and to any of that person’s affiliates, Related Funds, Representatives and professional advisers;

 

  (iii) appointed by any Creditor Party or by a person to whom paragraph (b)(i) or (ii) above applies to receive communications, notices, information or documents delivered pursuant to the Finance Documents on its behalf;

 

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  (iv) who invests in or otherwise finances (or may potentially invest in or otherwise finance), directly or indirectly, any transaction referred to in paragraph (b)(i) or (b)(ii) above;

 

  (v) to whom information is required or requested to be disclosed by any court of competent jurisdiction or any governmental, banking, taxation or other regulatory authority or similar body, the rules of any relevant stock exchange or pursuant to any applicable law or regulation;

 

  (vi) to whom information is required to be disclosed in connection with, and for the purposes of, any litigation, arbitration, administrative or other investigations, proceedings or disputes;

 

  (vii) to whom or for whose benefit that Creditor Party charges, assigns or otherwise creates a Security Interest (or may do so) pursuant to Clause 26.17;

 

  (viii) who is a party to a Finance Document, a member of the Group or any related entity of the Borrowers or any Security Party; or

 

  (ix) with the consent of the Borrowers;

in each case, such Confidential Information as that Creditor Party shall consider appropriate if:

 

  (A) in relation to paragraphs (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) above, the person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given has entered into a Confidentiality Undertaking except that there shall be no requirement for a Confidentiality Undertaking if the recipient is a professional adviser and is subject to professional obligations to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information;

 

  (B) in relation to paragraph (b)(iv) above, the person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given has entered into a Confidentiality Undertaking or is otherwise bound by requirements of confidentiality in relation to the Confidential Information they receive and is informed that some or all of such Confidential Information may be price-sensitive information;

 

  (C) in relation to paragraphs (b)(v), (b)(vi) and (b)(vii) above, the person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given is informed of its confidential nature and that some or all of such Confidential Information may be price-sensitive information except that there shall be no requirement to so inform if, in the opinion of that Creditor Party, it is not practicable so to do in the circumstances;

 

(c)

to any person appointed by that Creditor Party or by a person to whom paragraph (b)(i) or (b)(ii) above applies to provide administration or settlement services in respect of one or more of the Finance Documents including without limitation, in relation to the trading of participations in respect of the Finance Documents, such Confidential Information as may be required to be disclosed to enable such service provider to provide any of the services referred to in this paragraph (c) if the service provider to whom the Confidential Information is to be given has entered into a confidentiality agreement substantially in the form of the LMA Master Confidentiality Undertaking for Use With Administration/Settlement Service

 

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  Providers or such other form of confidentiality undertaking agreed between the Borrowers and the relevant Creditor Party; and

 

(d) to any rating agency (including its professional advisers) such Confidential Information as may be required to be disclosed to enable such rating agency to carry out its normal rating activities in relation to the Finance Documents and/or the Borrowers and/or the Security Parties.

Disclosure to numbering service providers

 

(a) Any Creditor Party may disclose to any national or international numbering service provider appointed by that Creditor Party to provide identification numbering services in respect of this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrowers and/or the Security Parties the following information:

 

  (i) names of the Borrowers and the Security Parties;

 

  (ii) country of domicile of the Borrowers and the Security Parties;

 

  (iii) place of incorporation of the Borrowers and the Security Parties;

 

  (iv) date of this Agreement;

 

  (v) governing law;

 

  (vi) the name of the Agent;

 

  (vii) date of each amendment and restatement of this Agreement;

 

  (viii) amount of the Loan;

 

  (ix) amount of Total Commitments;

 

  (x) currency of the Loan;

 

  (xi) type of facility;

 

  (xii) ranking of facility;

 

  (xiii) final Repayment Date;

 

  (xiv) changes to any of the information previously supplied pursuant to paragraphs (i) to (xiii) above; and

 

  (xv) such other information agreed between such Creditor Party and the Borrowers,

to enable such numbering service provider to provide its usual syndicated loan numbering identification services.

 

(b) The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that each identification number assigned to this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrowers and/or any Security Party by a numbering service provider and the information associated with each such number may be disclosed to users of its services in accordance with the standard terms and conditions of that numbering service provider.

 

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(c) The Borrowers represent that none of the information set out in paragraphs (a)(i) to (a)(xv) above is, nor will at any time be, unpublished price-sensitive information.

 

(d) The Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the other Creditor Parties of:

 

  (i) the name of any numbering service provider appointed by the Agent in respect of this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrowers and/or the Security Parties; and

 

  (ii) the number or, as the case may be, numbers assigned to this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrowers and/or the Security Parties by such numbering service provider.

Entire agreement

This Clause 30 constitutes the entire agreement between the parties to this Agreement in relation to the obligations of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents regarding Confidential Information and supersedes any previous agreement, whether express or implied, regarding Confidential Information.

Inside information

Each of the Creditor Parties acknowledges that some or all of the Confidential Information is or may be price-sensitive information and that the use of such information may be regulated or prohibited by applicable legislation including securities law relating to insider dealing and market abuse and each of the Creditor Parties undertakes not to use any Confidential Information for any unlawful purpose.

Notification of disclosure

Each of the Creditor Parties agrees (to the extent permitted by law and regulation) to inform the Borrowers:

 

(a) of the circumstances of any disclosure of Confidential Information made pursuant to paragraph (b)(v) of Clause 30.2 except where such disclosure is made to any of the persons referred to in that paragraph during the ordinary course of its supervisory or regulatory function; and

 

(b) upon becoming aware that Confidential Information has been disclosed in breach of this Clause 30.

Continuing obligations

The obligations in this Clause 30 are continuing and, in particular, shall survive and remain binding on each Creditor Party for a period of 12 months from the earlier of:

 

(a) the date on which all amounts payable by the Borrowers and the Security Parties under or in connection with this Agreement have been paid in full and all Commitments have been cancelled or otherwise cease to be available; and

 

(b) the date on which such Creditor Party otherwise ceases to be a Creditor Party.

 

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LAW AND JURISDICTION

English law

This Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English law.

Exclusive English jurisdiction

Subject to Clause 31.3, the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any Dispute.

Choice of forum for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties

Clause 31.2 is for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties, each of which reserves the right:

 

(a) to commence proceedings in relation to any Dispute in the courts of any country other than England and which have or claim jurisdiction to that Dispute; and

 

(b) to commence such proceedings in the courts of any such country or countries concurrently with or in addition to proceedings in England or without commencing proceedings in England.

No Borrower shall commence any proceedings in any country other than England in relation to a Dispute.

Process agent

Each Borrower irrevocably appoints HFW Nominees Ltd at their office for the time being, presently at Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London, EC3N 2AE, England to act as its agent to receive and accept on its behalf any process or other document relating to any proceedings in the English courts which are connected with a Dispute.

Creditor Party rights unaffected

Nothing in this Clause 31 shall exclude or limit any right which any Creditor Party may have (whether under the law of any country, an international convention or otherwise) with regard to the bringing of proceedings, the service of process, the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or any similar or related matter in any jurisdiction.

Meaning of “proceedings” and “Dispute”

In this Clause 31, “ proceedings ” means proceedings of any kind, including an application for a provisional or protective measure and a “ Dispute ” means any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (including a dispute relating to the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement or any non-contractual obligation arising out of or in connection with this Agreement.

 

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BAIL-IN

Contractual recognition of bail-in

Notwithstanding any other term of any Finance Document or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding between the parties to a Finance Document, each party hereto acknowledges and accepts that any liability of any party to a Finance Document under or in connection with the Finance Documents may be subject to Bail-In Action by the relevant Resolution Authority and acknowledges and accepts to be bound by the effect of:

 

(a) any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability, including (without limitation):

 

  (i) a reduction, in full or in part, in the principal amount, or outstanding amount due (including any accrued but unpaid interest) in respect of any such liability;

 

  (ii) a conversion of all, or part of, any such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership that may be issued to, or conferred on, it; and

 

  (iii) a cancellation of any such liability; and

 

(b) a variation of any term of any Finance Document to the extent necessary to give effect to any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability.

MISCELLANEOUS

Change of form or listing

The Agent agrees on behalf of the Creditor Parties that the Corporate Guarantor may change its form of establishment to become a limited partnership and thereafter for the common units of the Corporate Guarantor to be listed on an internationally recognized stock exchange acceptable to the Agent subject to:

 

(a) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default having occurred and being continuing at the relevant time or resulting from such listing;

 

(b) the representation in clause 10.3 of the Corporate Guarantee remaining true and correct after such listing is complete;

 

(c) the limited partnership is established in a jurisdiction acceptable to the Agent;

 

(d) the Borrowers and the Security Parties entering into such documentation, at the expense of the Borrowers, as may be required to give effect to the necessary amendments to this Agreement and the other Finance Documents required as a result of such change in status of the Corporate Guarantor and its listing, in all respects acceptable to the Agent; and

 

(e) receipt by the Agent of any legal opinions, consents or other documentary evidence required as a result of such change in status of the Corporate Guarantor or its listing, in all respects acceptable to the Agent, at the expense of the Borrowers.

THIS AGREEMENT has been entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

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EXECUTION PAGE

BORROWERS

 

SIGNED by Maria Trivela   )   
for and on behalf of   )    /s/ Maria Trivela
THEROS VENTURES LIMITED   )   
SIGNED by Maria Trivela   )   
for and on behalf of   )    /s/ Maria Trivela
LEGATO SHIPHOLDING INC.   )   
SIGNED by Maria Trivela   )   
for and on behalf of   )    /s/ Maria Trivela
PERAN MARITIME INC.   )   
SIGNED by Maria Trivela   )   
for and on behalf of   )    /s/ Maria Trivela
ZONER SHIPTRADE S.A.   )   
LENDERS     
SIGNED by Christina Economides   )   
for and on behalf of   )    /s/ Christina Economides
BNP PARIBAS   )   
AGENT     
SIGNED by Christina Economides   )   
for and on behalf of   )    /s/ Christina Economides
BNP PARIBAS   )   

 

88


SECURITY TRUSTEE

 

SIGNED by Christina Economides   )   
for and on behalf of  

)

   /s/ Christina Economides
BNP PARIBAS   )     
Witness to all the above   )     
Signature       )     
Name:         
Address:         

 

89

Exhibit 10.4

Dated 25 May 2018

NEFELI NAVIGATION S.A.

as Borrower

and

THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

listed in Schedule 1

as Lenders

and

BNP PARIBAS

as Agent and Security Trustee

LOAN AGREEMENT

relating to a $25,000,000 term loan facility to finance

the acquisition cost of m.v. “ADAMASTOS” (tbr.“NAVIOS UNISON”)

 

LOGO


Index

 

Clause        Page  
1  

Interpretation

     1  
2  

Loan Facility

     20  
3  

Position of the Lenders

     20  
4  

Drawdown

     21  
5  

Interest

     23  
6  

Interest Periods

     25  
7  

Default Interest

     26  
8  

Repayment and Prepayment

     27  
9  

Conditions Precedent

     29  
10  

Representations and Warranties

     30  
11  

General Undertakings

     33  
12  

Corporate Undertakings

     38  
13  

Insurance

     39  
14  

Ship covenants

     45  
15  

Security Cover

     50  
16  

Payments and Calculations

     51  
17  

Application of Receipts

     54  
18  

Application of Earnings

     55  
19  

Events of Default

     57  
20  

Fees and Expenses

     62  
21  

Indemnities

     63  
22  

No Set-off or Tax Deduction

     66  
23  

Illegality, etc

     68  
24  

Increased Costs

     69  
25  

Set-off

     70  
26  

Transfers and Changes in Lending Offices

     71  
27  

Variations and Waivers by majority lenders

     75  
28  

Notices

     76  
29  

Supplemental

     78  
30  

Confidentiality

     80  
31  

Law and Jurisdiction

     84  
32  

Bail-In

     85  
33  

Miscellaneous

     85  
34  

Confidentiality of Funding Rates and Reference Bank Quotations

     86  
Schedules   
Schedule 1 Lenders and Commitments      88  
Schedule 2 Drawdown Notice      89  
Schedule 3 Condition Precedent Documents      90  
  Part A      90  
  Part B      91  
Schedule 4 Transfer Certificate      94  
Schedule 5 Vessel Details      98  
Execution   
Execution Page      99  

 


THIS LOAN AGREEMENT is made on 25 May 2018

PARTIES

 

(1) NEFELI NAVIGATION S.A. a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960, as Borrower .

 

(2) THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS listed in Schedule 1, as Lenders .

 

(3) BNP PARIBAS acting through its office at 35, rue de la Gare, CVA05A1, 75019, Paris, France as Agent and Security Trustee .

WHEREAS

The Lenders have agreed to make available to the Borrower, in one advance, a senior secured term loan facility in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000,000, (b) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of the Ship and (c) 50 per cent. of the Purchase Price, which shall be made available for the purpose of financing part of the acquisition cost of the Ship.

BACKGROUND

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Definitions

Subject to Clause 1.5, in this Agreement:

Account ” means each of the Earnings Account and the Retention Account and, in the plural, means all of them;

Account Bank ” means BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA, acting through its office at Place de Hollande 2, CP CH-1211, Geneva 11, Switzerland;

Account Pledge ” means, in relation to each Account, a deed of pledge of that Account in such form as the Lenders may approve or require, and in the plural means all of them;

Advance ” means the borrowing of the term loan facility made or, as the case may be, to be made available under this Agreement as described in Clause 2;

Affected Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.7;

Agency and Trust Deed ” means the agency and trust deed executed or to be executed between the Borrower, the Lenders, the Agent and the Security Trustee in such form as the Lenders may approve or require;

Agent ” means BNP Paribas acting through its office at 35, rue de la Gare, CVA05A1, 75019, Paris, France or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

Applicable Person ” has the meaning given in Clause 29.4;


Approved Broker ” means any of Arrow Valuations Ltd, Barry Rogliano Salles, Braemar ACM Shipbroking, H Clarkson & Co. Ltd., E.A. Gibsons Shipbrokers, Fearnleys, Galbraith, Simpson Spencer & Young, Howe Robinson & Co Ltd London and Maersk Broker K.S. (to include, in each case, their successors or assigns and such subsidiary or other company in the same corporate group through which valuations are commonly issued by each of these brokers), or such other first-class independent broker as the Borrower and the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may agree in writing from time to time;

“Approved Flag” means the flag of Liberia, the Marshall Islands or such other flag as the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve as the flag under which the Ship is or, as the case may be, shall be registered;

“Approved Flag State” means the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or any other country in which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve that the Ship is or, as the case may be, shall be registered;

Approved Manager ” means in respect of the commercial and technical management of the Ship, Navios Containers in its capacity as commercial and technical manager, any affiliate of the Corporate Guarantor or any other company which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve from time to time as the commercial and technical manager of the Ship;

Approved Manager’s Undertaking ” means a letter of undertaking including, without limitation, an assignment of the Approved Manager’s rights, title and interest in the Insurances of the Ship executed or to be executed by the Approved Manager in favour of the Security Trustee agreeing certain matters in relation to the Approved Manager serving as the manager of the Ship and subordinating the rights of the Approved Manager against the Ship and the Borrower to the rights of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents, in such form as the Security Trustee, with the authorisation of the Lenders, may approve or require and, in the plural, means all of them;

Availability Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on:

 

  (a) 10 June 2018, or such later date as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, agree with the Borrower; or

 

  (b) if earlier, the date on which the Total Commitments are fully borrowed, cancelled or terminated;

Bail-In Action ” means the exercise of any Write-down and Conversion Powers.

Bail-In Legislation ” means:

 

  (a) in relation to an EEA Member Country which has implemented, or which at any time implements, Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms, the relevant implementing law or regulation as described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time; and

 

  (b) in relation to any other state, any analogous law or regulation from time to time which requires contractual recognition of any Write-down and Conversion Powers contained in that law or regulation.

 

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Balloon Instalment ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 8.1;

Borrower ” means Nefeli Navigation S.A., a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960;

Business Day ” means a day on which banks are open in London, Athens, Paris and Geneva and in respect of a day on which a payment is required to be made under a Finance Document, also in New York City;

Charterparty ” means any charterparty in respect of the Ship of a duration exceeding or capable of exceeding 12 months, made on terms and with a charterer acceptable in all respects to the Lenders, including the Existing Charter;

Charterparty Assignment ” means the deed of assignment of any Charterparty in favour of the Security Trustee, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require;

Code ” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

Collateral Finance Documents ” means the Collateral Guarantees, the Collateral Mortgages, the Collateral General Assignments and the Collateral Manager’s Undertakings;

Collateral General Assignment ” means, in relation to a Collateral Ship, a second priority general assignment of the Earnings, the Insurances and any Requisition Compensation of that Collateral Ship, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Collateral Guarantee ” means, in relation to a Collateral Owner, a guarantee of the Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Collateral Manager ” means, in relation to:

 

  (a) Collateral Ship A and Collateral Ship C, Navios Shipmanagement Inc. a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro MH96960, Marshall Islands; and

 

  (b) Collateral Ship B and Collateral Ship D, Navios Containers,

or any other company (for the avoidance of doubt, other than an affiliate of Navios Shipmanagement Inc.) which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve from time to time as the commercial and technical manager of the Collateral Ships;

Collateral Manager’s Undertaking ” means, in relation to a Collateral Ship, a letter of undertaking including, without limitation, an assignment of the Approved Manager’s rights, title and interest in the Insurances of that Collateral Ship executed or to be executed by the Approved Manager in favour of the Security Trustee agreeing certain matters in relation to the Approved Manager serving as the manager of that Collateral Ship and subordinating the rights of the Collateral Manager against that Collateral Ship and the relevant Collateral Owner to the rights of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents, in such form as the Security Trustee, with the authorisation of the Lenders, may approve or require and, in the plural, means all of them;

 

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Collateral Owner ” means each of Collateral Owner A, Collateral Owner B, Collateral Owner C and Collateral Owner D and, in plural, means all of them;

Collateral Owner A ” means Theros Ventures Limited, a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960;

Collateral Owner B means Legato Shipholding Inc., a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960;

Collateral Owner C ” means Peran Maritime Inc., a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960;

Collateral Owner D means Zoner Shiptrade S.A., a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960;

Collateral Mortgage ” means, in relation to a Collateral Ship, the second preferred or, as the case may be, priority ship mortgage and, if applicable, deed of covenant collateral thereto on that Collateral Ship, executed by the relevant Collateral Owner which is the owner thereof in favour of the Security Trustee or (as the case may be) the Lenders, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Collateral Ship ” means each of Collateral Ship A, Collateral Ship B, Collateral Ship C and Collateral Ship D and, in plural, means all of them;

Collateral Ship A ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Collateral Ship B ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Collateral Ship C ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Collateral Ship D ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Commitment ” means, in relation to a Lender, the amount set opposite its name in Schedule 1 or, as the case may require, the amount specified in the relevant Transfer Certificate, as that amount may be reduced, cancelled or terminated in accordance with this Agreement (and “ Total Commitments ” means the aggregate of the Commitments of all the Lenders);

Confidentiality Undertaking ” means a confidentiality undertaking substantially in a recommended form of the Loan Market Association (LMA) or in any other form agreed between the Borrower and the Agent;

Confidential Information ” means all information relating to the Borrower, any Security Party, the Group, the Finance Documents or the Loan of which a Creditor Party becomes aware in its capacity as, or for the purpose of becoming, a Creditor Party or which is received by a Creditor Party in relation to, or for the purpose of becoming a Creditor Party under, the Finance Documents or the Loan from either:

 

  (a) any member of the Group or any of its advisers; or

 

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  (b) another Creditor Party, if the information was obtained by that Creditor Party directly or indirectly from any member of the Group or any of its advisers,

in whatever form, and includes information given orally and any document, electronic file or any other way of representing or recording information which contains or is derived or copied from such information but excludes:

 

  (i) information that:

 

  (A) is or becomes public information other than as a direct or indirect result of any breach by that Creditor Party of Clause 30; or

 

  (B) is identified in writing at the time of delivery as non-confidential by any member of the Group or any of its advisers; or

 

  (C) is known by that Creditor Party before the date the information is disclosed to it in accordance with paragraphs (a) or (b) above or is lawfully obtained by that Creditor Party after that date, from a source which is, as far as that Creditor Party is aware, unconnected with the Group and which, in either case, as far as that Creditor Party is aware, has not been obtained in breach of, and is not otherwise subject to, any obligation of confidentiality; and

 

  (ii) any Funding Rate or any quotation supplied to the Agent by a Reference Bank;

Contractual Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.5;

Contribution ” means, in relation to a Lender, the part of the Loan which is owing to that Lender;

Corporate Guarantee ” means the guarantee to be given by the Corporate Guarantor in favour of the Security Trustee, guaranteeing the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require;

Corporate Guarantor ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands whose registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960 and registered on the Norwegian over-the-counter market in Oslo;

Creditor Party ” means the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender, whether as at the date of this Agreement or at any later time;

Delivery Date ” means the date on which the Ship is delivered by the Seller to the Borrower under the MOA;

Designated Shareholder ” means Mrs Angeliki Frangou either directly or indirectly (through entities owned and controlled by her or trusts or foundations of which she is the beneficiary) and/or Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and/or Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. or any of their affiliates being, either individually or together, the ultimate beneficial owner(s) of, or having ultimate control of the voting rights attaching to, at least 20 per cent. of all the issued shares in the Corporate Guarantor and in the plural means all of them;

 

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Dollars ” and “ $ ” means the lawful currency for the time being of the United States of America;

Drawdown Date ” means the date requested by the Borrower for the Advance to be made, or (as the context requires) the date on which the Advance is actually made;

Drawdown Notice ” means the notice in the form set out in Schedule 2 (or in any other form which the Agent approves or reasonably requires);

Earnings ” means, in relation to a Security Ship, all moneys whatsoever which are now, or later become, payable (actually or contingently) to the Owner owning that Security Ship or the Security Trustee and which arise out of the use or operation of that Security Ship, including (but not limited to):

 

  (a) all freight, hire and passage moneys, compensation payable to that Owner or the Security Trustee in the event of requisition of the Security Ship owned by it for hire, remuneration for salvage and towage services, demurrage and detention moneys and damages for breach (or payments for variation or termination) of any charterparty or other contract for the employment of that Security Ship;

 

  (b) all moneys which are at any time payable under Insurances in respect of loss of earnings; and

 

  (c) if and whenever that Security Ship is employed on terms whereby any moneys falling within paragraphs (a) or (b) above are pooled or shared with any other person, that proportion of the net receipts of the relevant pooling or sharing arrangement which is attributable to that Security Ship;

Earnings Account ” means an account in the name of the Borrower with the Account Bank which is designated by the Agent in writing as the Earnings Account in respect of the Ship for the purposes of this Agreement;

EEA Member Country ” means any member state of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;

Environmental Claim ” means:

 

  (a) any claim by any governmental, judicial or regulatory authority which arises out of an Environmental Incident or an alleged Environmental Incident or which relates to any Environmental Law; or

 

  (b) any claim by any other person which relates to an Environmental Incident or to an alleged Environmental Incident,

and “ claim ” means a claim for damages, compensation, fines, penalties or any other payment of any kind whether or not similar to the foregoing; an order or direction to take, or not to take, certain action or to desist from or suspend certain action; and any form of enforcement or regulatory action, including the arrest or attachment of any asset;

Environmental Incident ” means in relation to a Security Ship:

 

  (a) any release of Environmentally Sensitive Material from that Ship; or

 

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  (b) any incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released from a vessel other than that Ship and which involves a collision between that Ship and such other vessel or some other incident of navigation or operation, in either case, in connection with which that Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested, attached, detained and/or injuncted and/or that Ship and/or the Borrower or Collateral Owner which is the owner thereof and/or any operator or manager of that Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action; or

 

  (c) any other incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released otherwise than from that Ship and in connection with which that Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested and/or where the Borrower or Collateral Owner which is the owner thereof and/or any operator or manager of that Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action;

Environmental Law ” means any law relating to pollution or protection of the environment, to the carriage of Environmentally Sensitive Material or to actual or threatened releases of Environmentally Sensitive Material;

Environmentally Sensitive Material ” means oil, oil products and any other substance (including any chemical, gas or other hazardous or noxious substance) which is (or is capable of being or becoming) polluting, toxic or hazardous;

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule ” means the document described as such and published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person) from time to time;

Event of Default ” means any of the events or circumstances described in Clause 19.1;

Existing Charter ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Existing Charterer ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Facility ” means the term loan facility made available under this Agreement as described in Clause 2.

FATCA ” means:

 

  (a) sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code or any associated regulations;

 

  (b) any treaty, law or regulation of any other jurisdiction, or relating to an intergovernmental agreement between the US and any other jurisdiction, which (in either case) facilitates the implementation of any law or regulation referred to in paragraph (a) above; or

 

  (c) any agreement pursuant to the implementation of any treaty, law or regulation referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) above with the US Internal Revenue Service, the US government or any governmental or taxation authority in any other jurisdiction;

FATCA Deduction ” means a deduction or withholding from a payment under any Finance Document required by or under FATCA;

FATCA Exempt Party ” means a party to a Finance Document that is entitled to receive payments free from any FATCA Deduction;

 

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FATCA FFI ” means a foreign financial institution as defined in section 1471(d)(4) of the Code which, if any Creditor Party is not a FATCA Exempt Party, could be required to make a FATCA Deduction;

Finance Documents ” means:

 

  (a) this Agreement;

 

  (b) the Agency and Trust Deed;

 

  (c) the Corporate Guarantee;

 

  (d) the General Assignment;

 

  (e) the Mortgage;

 

  (f) the Account Pledges;

 

  (g) any Charterparty Assignments;

 

  (h) the Approved Manager’s Undertaking;

 

  (i) the Negative Pledge;

 

  (j) the Collateral Finance Documents; and

 

  (k) any other document (whether creating a Security Interest or not) which is executed at any time by the Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor, the Shareholder, the Approved Manager, a Collateral Owner, the Collateral Manager or any other person as security for, or to establish any form of subordination or priorities arrangement in relation to, any amount payable to the Lenders under this Agreement or any of the other documents referred to in this definition;

Financial Indebtedness ” means, in relation to a person (the “ debtor ”), a liability of the debtor:

 

  (a) for principal, interest or any other sum payable in respect of any moneys borrowed or raised by the debtor;

 

  (b) under any loan stock, bond, note or other security issued by the debtor;

 

  (c) under any acceptance credit, guarantee or letter of credit facility or dematerialised equivalent made available to the debtor;

 

  (d) under a financial lease, a deferred purchase consideration arrangement or any other agreement having the commercial effect of a borrowing or raising of money by the debtor;

 

  (e) under any foreign exchange transaction, any interest or currency swap or any other kind of derivative transaction entered into by the debtor or, if the agreement under which any such transaction is entered into requires netting of mutual liabilities, the liability of the debtor for the net amount; or

 

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  (f) under a guarantee, indemnity or similar obligation entered into by the debtor in respect of a liability of another person which would fall within (a) to (e) if the references to the debtor referred to the other person;

Funding Rate means any rate notified to the Agent by a Lender pursuant to Clause 5.12;

General Assignment ” means the general assignment of the Earnings, the Insurances and any Requisition Compensation of the Ship, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Group ” means together, the Corporate Guarantor and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (direct or indirect) including, but not limited to, the Borrower and the Collateral Owners from time to time during the Security Period and “ member of the Group ” shall be construed accordingly;

IACS ” means the International Association of Classification Societies;

Initial Market Value ” means the Market Value of the Ship determined by taking the valuation referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 3, Part B;

Insurances ” means, in relation to a Security Ship:

 

  (a) all policies and contracts of insurance, including entries of that Security Ship in any protection and indemnity or war risks association, which are effected in respect of that Security Ship, the Earnings or otherwise in relation to it whether before, on or after the date of this Agreement; and

 

  (b) all rights and other assets relating to, or derived from, any of the foregoing, including any rights to a return of a premium and any rights in respect of any claim whether or not the relevant policy, contract of insurance or entry has expired on or before the date of this Agreement;

Interest Period ” means a period determined in accordance with Clause 6;

Interpolated Screen Rate ” means, in relation to LIBOR for an Interest Period, the rate (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the two relevant Screen Rates) which results from interpolating on a linear basis between:

 

  (a) the applicable Screen Rate for the longest period (for which that Screen Rate is available) which is less than that Interest Period; and

 

  (b) the applicable Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which that Screen Rate is available) which exceeds that Interest Period,

each as of 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation Day for the currency of the Loan;

ISM Code ” means, in relation to its application to the Borrower, the Ship and their operation:

 

  (a) ‘The International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention’, currently known or referred to as the ‘ISM Code’, adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation by Resolution A.741(18) on 4 November 1993 and incorporated on 19 May 1994 into chapter IX of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS 1974); and

 

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  (b) all further resolutions, circulars, codes, guidelines, regulations and recommendations which are now or in the future issued by or on behalf of the International Maritime Organisation or any other entity with responsibility for implementing the ISM Code, including without limitation, the ‘Guidelines on implementation or administering of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Administrations’ produced by the International Maritime Organisations pursuant to Resolution A.788(19) adopted on 25 November 1995,

as the same may be amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time;

ISM Code Documentation ” includes:

 

  (a) the document of compliance (DOC) and safety management certificate (SMC) issued pursuant to the ISM Code within the periods specified by the ISM Code; and

 

  (b) all other documents and data which are relevant to the ISM SMS and its implementation and verification which the Agent may require; and

 

  (c) any other documents which are prepared or which are otherwise relevant to establish and maintain the Ship or the Borrower’s compliance with the ISM Code which the Agent may require;

ISM SMS ” means the safety management system which is required to be developed, implemented and maintained under the ISM Code;

ISPS Code ” means the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code constituted pursuant to resolution A.924 (22) of the International Maritime Organisation (“ IMO ”) adopted by a Diplomatic conference of the IMO on Maritime Security on 13 December 2002 and now set out in Chapter XI-2 of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) 1974 (as amended) to take effect on 1 July 2004;

ISSC ” means a valid and current International Ship Security Certificate issued under the ISPS Code;

Legato Finance Documents ” means the “Finance Documents” as defined in the Legato Loan Agreement;

Legato Loan Agreement ” means the loan agreement dated 20 December 2017 (as amended and supplemented from time to time) and entered into between, amongst others, the Collateral Owners as joint and several borrowers, the banks and financial institutions listed in schedule 1 thereto (the “ Legato Lenders ”) and the Agent as agent pursuant to which the Legato Lenders made available to the Collateral Owners a loan facility of (originally) $24,000,000;

Lender ” means, subject to Clause 26.6:

 

  (a) a bank or financial institution listed in Schedule 1 and acting through its branch or office indicated in Schedule 1 (or through another branch notified to the Borrower under Clause 26.14) unless it has delivered a Transfer Certificate or Certificates covering the entire amounts of its Commitment and its Contribution; and

 

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  (b) the holder for the time being of a Transfer Certificate;

LIBOR ” means, for an Interest Period:

 

  (a) the applicable Screen Rate;

 

  (b) (if no Screen Rate is available for that Interest Period) the Interpolated Screen Rate; or

 

  (c) if:

 

  (i) no Screen Rate is available for the currency of the Loan; or

 

  (ii) no Screen Rate is available for that Interest Period and it is not possible to calculate an Interpolated Screen Rate,

the Reference Bank Rate,

as of, in the case of paragraphs (a) and (c) above, 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation Day for the currency of the Loan and for a period equal in length to that Interest Period and, if any such rate is below zero, LIBOR will be deemed to be zero;

Loan ” means the principal amount for the time being outstanding under this Agreement;

Major Casualty ” means any casualty to the Ship in respect of which the claim or the aggregate of the claims against all insurers, before adjustment for any relevant franchise or deductible, exceeds $500,000 or the equivalent in any other currency;

Majority Lenders ” means:

 

  (a) before the Advance has been made, Lenders whose Commitments total 66.66 per cent. of the Total Commitments; and

 

  (b) after the Advance has been made, Lenders whose Contributions total 66.66 per cent. of the Loan;

Margin ” means 3 per cent. per annum;

“Market Value” means the market value of the Ship determined from time to time in accordance with Clause 15.4;

Minimum Liquidity ” has the meaning given in Clause 11.21;

MOA ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Mortgage ” means the first preferred or, as the case may be, priority ship mortgage and, if applicable, deed of covenant collateral thereto on the Ship, executed by the Borrower which is the owner thereof in favour of the Security Trustee or (as the case may be) the Lenders, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Navios Containers ” means Navios Containers Management Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands having its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro MH96960, Marshall Islands

 

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Negative Pledge ” means the negative pledge agreement to be given by the Shareholder in favour of the Security Trustee in relation as security for the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents, in such form as the Lenders may approve or require and in the plural means all of them;

Negotiation Period ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.10;

Notifying Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 23.1 or Clause 24.2 as the context requires;

Owner ” means, in relation to: (a) the Ship, the Borrower and (b) each Collateral Ship, the Collateral Owner which is the registered owner of that Collateral Ship and, in the plural, means all of them;

Payment Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.5;

Permitted Security Interests ” means:

 

  (a) Security Interests created by the Finance Documents;

 

  (b) liens for unpaid crew’s wages in accordance with usual maritime practice;

 

  (c) liens for salvage;

 

  (d) liens arising by operation of law for not more than 2 months’ prepaid hire under any charter in relation to the Ship not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

  (e) liens for master’s disbursements incurred in the ordinary course of trading and any other lien arising by operation of law or otherwise in the ordinary course of the operation, repair or maintenance of the Ship, provided such liens do not secure amounts more than 45 days overdue (unless the overdue amount is being contested by the Borrower in good faith by appropriate steps) and subject, in the case of liens for repair or maintenance, to Clause 14.13(g);

 

  (f) any Security Interest created in favour of a plaintiff or defendant in any action of the court or tribunal before whom such action is brought as security for costs and expenses where the relevant Borrower is prosecuting or defending such action in good faith by appropriate steps; and

 

  (g) Security Interests arising by operation of law in respect of taxes which are not overdue for payment other than taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate steps and in respect of which appropriate reserves have been made;

Person ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 10.18;

Pertinent Jurisdiction ”, in relation to a company, means:

 

  (a) England and Wales;

 

  (b) the country under the laws of which the company is incorporated or formed;

 

  (c) a country in which the company’s central management and control is or has recently been exercised;

 

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  (d) a country in which the overall net income of the company is subject to corporation tax, income tax or any similar tax;

 

  (e) a country in which assets of the company (other than securities issued by, or loans to, related companies) having a substantial value are situated, in which the company maintains a permanent place of business, or in which a Security Interest created by the company must or should be registered in order to ensure its validity or priority; and

 

  (f) a country the courts of which have jurisdiction to make a winding up, administration or similar order in relation to the company or which would have such jurisdiction if their assistance were requested by the courts of a country referred to in paragraphs (b) or (c) above;

Potential Event of Default ” means an event or circumstance which, with the giving of any notice, the lapse of time, a determination of the Majority Lenders and/or the satisfaction of any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default;

Purchase Price ” means the total price payable for the Ship under the MOA;

Quotation Date ” means, in relation to any period for which an interest rate is to be determined under any provision of a Finance Document, the day which is 2 Business Days before the first day of that period, unless market practice differs in the London Interbank Market for a currency, in which case the Quotation Date will be determined by the Agent in accordance with market practice in the London Interbank Market (and if quotations would normally be given by leading banks in the London Interbank Market on more than one day, the Quotation Date will be the last of those days);

Reference Bank ” means, in relation to the determination of LIBOR and any mandatory costs, the London office of BNP Paribas or such other bank as may be appointed by the Agent after consultation with the Borrower;

Reference Bank Quotation ” means any quotation supplied to the Facility Agent by a Reference Bank.

Reference Bank Rate ” means the arithmetic mean of the rates (rounded upwards to four decimal places) as supplied to the Agent at its request by the Reference Banks, as the rate at which the Reference Bank could borrow funds in the London interbank market, in the relevant currency and for the relevant period, were it to do so by asking for and then accepting interbank offers for deposits in reasonable market size in that currency and for that period.

Related Fund ” in relation to a fund (the “ first fund ”), means a fund which is managed or advised by the same investment manager or investment adviser as the first fund or, if it is managed by a different investment manager or investment adviser, a fund whose investment manager or investment adviser is an affiliate of the investment manager or investment adviser of the first fund.

“Relevant Person” has the meaning given in Clause 19.9;

Repayment Date ” means a date on which a repayment is required to be made under Clause 8;

 

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Repayment Instalment ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 8.1;

Representative ” means any delegate, agent, manager, administrator, nominee, attorney, trustee or custodian;

Requisition Compensation ” includes all compensation or other moneys payable by reason of any act or event such as is referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of “Total Loss”;

Retention Account ” means an account in the name of the Borrower with the Account Bank designated “Nefeli Navigation S.A. – Retention Account” or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank) which replaces this account and is designated by the Agent as the Retention Account for the purposes of this Agreement;

Sanctioned Person ” has the meaning given to it in Clause 10.18;

Sanctioned Country has the meaning given to it in Clause 10.18;

Sanctions ” means any economic or trade sanctions or restrictive measures enacted, administered, imposed or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council and/or the European Union and/or the French Republic and/or Her Majesty’s Treasury and/or the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO) or other relevant sanctions authority;

Screen Rate ” means the London interbank offered rate administrated by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or any other person which takes over the administration of that rate) for the relevant currency and period displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen (or any replacement Reuters page which displays that rate or on the appropriate page of such other information service which publishes that rate from time to time in place of Reuters). If such page or service ceases to be available, the Agent may specify another page or service displaying the relevant rate after consultation with the Borrower;

“Security Cover Ratio” means, at any relevant time, the aggregate of:

 

  (a) the Market Value of the Ship; plus

 

  (b) the aggregate Market Values of the Collateral Ships, less at any relevant time the amount of the Market Values of the Collateral Ships which is needed to satisfy the minimum security cover ratio required to be maintained pursuant to clause 15.1 of the Legato Loan Agreement; plus

 

  (c) the net realisable value of any additional security provided at that time under Clause 15,

at that time expressed as a percentage of the Loan;

Secured Liabilities ” means all liabilities which the Borrower, the Security Parties or any of them have, at the date of this Agreement or at any later time or times, under or by virtue of the Finance Documents or any judgment relating to the Finance Documents; and for this purpose, there shall be disregarded any total or partial discharge of these liabilities, or variation of their terms, which is effected by, or in connection with, any bankruptcy, liquidation, arrangement or other procedure under the insolvency laws of any country;

 

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Security Interest ” means:

 

  (a) a mortgage, charge (whether fixed or floating) or pledge, any maritime or other lien or any other security interest of any kind; and

 

  (b) the rights of the plaintiff under an action in rem in which the vessel concerned has been arrested or a writ has been issued or similar step taken.

Security Party ” means the Corporate Guarantor, the Approved Manager, the Shareholder, each Collateral Guarantor, the Collateral Manager and any other person (except a Creditor Party) who, as a surety or mortgagor, as a party to any subordination or priorities arrangement, or in any similar capacity, executes a document falling within the final paragraph of the definition of “Finance Documents”;

Security Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date on which the Agent notifies the Borrower, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties that:

 

  (a) all amounts which have become due for payment by the Borrower or any Security Party under the Finance Documents have been paid;

 

  (b) no amount is owing or has accrued (without yet having become due for payment) under any Finance Document;

 

  (c) neither the Borrower nor any Security Party has any future or contingent liability under Clause 20, 21 or 22 below or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; and

 

  (d) the Agent, the Security Trustee and the Lenders do not consider that there is a significant risk that any payment or transaction under a Finance Document would be set aside, or would have to be reversed or adjusted, in any present or possible future bankruptcy of the Borrower or a Security Party or in any present or possible future proceeding relating to a Finance Document or any asset covered (or previously covered) by a Security Interest created by a Finance Document;

Security Trustee ” means BNP Paribas acting through its office 35, rue de la Gare 75019 Paris, France, or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

Seller ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Shareholder ” means Boheme Navigation Company, a corporation incorporated and existing in the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960;

Security Ship ” means each of (a) the Ship and (b) a Collateral Ship and, in the plural, means all of them;

Ship ” has the meaning given to that term in Schedule 5;

Total Loss ” means:

 

  (a) actual, constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of the Ship;

 

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  (b) any expropriation, confiscation, requisition or acquisition of the Ship or a Collateral Ship (as the case may be) whether for full consideration, a consideration less than its proper value, a nominal consideration or without any consideration, which is effected by any government or official authority or by any person or persons claiming to be or to represent a government or official authority, excluding a requisition for hire for a fixed period not exceeding one year without any right to an extension unless the Ship or that Collateral Ship (as the case may be) is within 30 days redelivered to the full control of the Borrower or the Collateral Owner (as the case may be);

 

  (c) any condemnation of the Ship by any tribunal or by any person or person claiming to be a tribunal; and

 

  (d) any arrest, capture, seizure, confiscation or detention of the Ship (including any hijacking or theft) unless it is within the Relevant Period redelivered to the full control of the Borrower.

In this definition “ Relevant Period ” means:

 

  (i) in the case of any arrest of the Ship, within 1 month; and

 

  (ii) in the case of piracy or capture, seizure, confiscation or detention of the Ship (including any hijacking or theft) 90 days Provided that if the relevant underwriters confirm to the Agent in writing prior to the end of the 90-day period referred to in (i) above that the Ship is subject to an approved piracy insurance cover, the earlier of 12 months after the date on which the Ship is captured by pirates and the date on which the piracy insurance cover expires;

Total Loss Date ” means:

 

  (a) in the case of an actual loss, the date on which it occurred or, if that is unknown, the date when the Ship was last heard of;

 

  (b) in the case of a constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of the Ship, the earlier of:

 

  (i) the date on which a notice of abandonment is given to the insurers; and

 

  (ii) the date of any compromise, arrangement or agreement made by or on behalf of the Borrower, with the Ship’s insurers in which the insurers agree to treat the Ship as a total loss; and

 

  (c) in the case of any other type of total loss, on the earlier of:

 

  (i) the date at which a total loss is subsequently admitted by such insurers;

 

  (ii) the date at which a total loss is subsequently adjudged by a competent court of law or arbitration tribunal to have occurred, if such insurers do not immediately admit such claim; or

 

  (iii) the date (or the most likely date) on which it appears to the Agent that the event constituting the total loss occurred;

 

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Transfer Certificate ” has the meaning given in Clause 26.2;

Trust Property ” has the meaning given in clause 3.1 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

US ” means the United States of America;

US GAAP ” means generally accepted international accounting principles as from time to time in effect in the United States of America;

US Tax Obligor ” means:

 

  (a) a person which is resident for tax purposes in the United States of America; or

 

  (b) a person some or all of whose payments under the Finance Documents are from sources within the United States for US federal income tax purposes; and

Write-down and Conversion Powers ” means:

 

  (a) in relation to any Bail-In Legislation described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule from time to time, the powers described as such in relation to that Bail-In Legislation in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule; and

 

  (b) in relation to any other applicable Bail-In Legislation:

 

  (i) any powers under that Bail-In Legislation to cancel, transfer or dilute shares issued by a person that is a bank or investment firm or other financial institution or affiliate of a bank, investment firm or other financial institution, to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of such a person or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers; and

 

  (ii) any similar or analogous powers under that Bail-In Legislation.

 

1.2 Construction of certain terms

In this Agreement:

approved ” means, for the purposes of Clause 13, approved in writing by the Agent;

asset ” includes every kind of property, asset, interest or right, including any present, future or contingent right to any revenues or other payment;

company ” includes any partnership, joint venture and unincorporated association;

consent ” includes an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing, registration, notarisation and legalisation;

contingent liability ” means a liability which is not certain to arise and/or the amount of which remains unascertained;

 

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document ” includes a deed; also a letter or fax;

excess risks ” means the proportion of claims for general average, salvage and salvage charges not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies in respect of the Ship in consequence of its insured value being less than the value at which the Ship is assessed for the purpose of such claims;

expense ” means any kind of cost, charge or expense (including all legal costs, charges and expenses) and any applicable value added or other tax;

law ” includes any form of delegated legislation, any order or decree, any treaty or international convention and any regulation or resolution of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the United Nations or its Security Council;

legal or administrative action ” means any legal proceeding or arbitration and any administrative or regulatory action or investigation;

liability ” includes every kind of debt or liability (present or future, certain or contingent), whether incurred as principal or surety or otherwise;

months ” shall be construed in accordance with Clause 1.3;

obligatory insurances ” means all insurances effected, or which the Borrower is obliged to effect, under Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

parent company ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

person ” includes any individual, any entity, any company; any state, political sub-division of a state and local or municipal authority; and any international organisation;

policy ”, in relation to any insurance, includes a slip, cover note, certificate of entry or other document evidencing the contract of insurance or its terms;

protection and indemnity risks ” means the usual risks covered by a protection and indemnity association managed in London, including pollution risks, freight demurrage and defence risks and the proportion (if any) of any sums payable to any other person or persons in case of collision which are not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies by reason of the incorporation therein of clause 1 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls)(1/10/83) or clause 8 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/11/1995) or the Institute Amended Running Down Clause (1/10/71) or any equivalent provision;

regulation ” includes any regulation, rule, official directive, request or guideline (either having the force of law or compliance with which is reasonable in the ordinary course of business of the party concerned) of any governmental, intergovernmental or supranational body, agency, department or regulatory, self-regulatory or other authority or organisation;

subsidiary ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

successor ” includes any person who is entitled (by assignment, novation, merger or otherwise) to any other person’s rights under this Agreement or any other Finance Document (or any interest in those rights) or who, as administrator, liquidator or otherwise, is entitled to exercise those rights; and in particular references to a successor include a person to whom those rights (or any interest in those rights) are transferred or pass as a result of a merger, division, reconstruction or other reorganisation of it or any other person;

 

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tax ” includes any present or future tax, duty, impost, levy or charge of any kind which is imposed by any state, any political sub-division of a state or any local or municipal authority (including any such imposed in connection with exchange controls), and any connected penalty, interest or fine;

war risks ” means the risks according to Institute War and Strike Clauses (Hull Time) (1/10/83) or (1/11/95), or equivalent conditions, including, but not limited to risk of mines, blocking and trapping, missing vessel, confiscation, piracy and all risks excluded from the standard form of English or other marine policy; and

which is continuing ” or “ is continuing ”, a Potential Event of Default is continuing if it has not been remedied or waived and an Event of Default is “ continuing ” if it has not been waived.

 

1.3 Meaning of “month”

A period of one or more “months” ends on the day in the relevant calendar month numerically corresponding to the day of the calendar month on which the period started (“ the numerically corresponding day ”), but:

 

(a) on the Business Day following the numerically corresponding day if the numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day or, if there is no later Business Day in the same calendar month, on the Business Day preceding the numerically corresponding day; or

 

(b) on the last Business Day in the relevant calendar month, if the period started on the last Business Day in a calendar month or if the last calendar month of the period has no numerically corresponding day,

and “ month ” and “ monthly ” shall be construed accordingly.

 

1.4 Meaning of “subsidiary”

A company (S) is a subsidiary of another company (P) if:

 

(a) a majority of the issued shares in S (or a majority of the issued shares in S which carry unlimited rights to capital and income distributions) are directly owned by P or are indirectly attributable to P; or

 

(b) P has direct or indirect control over a majority of the voting rights attached to the issued shares of S;

and any company of which S is a subsidiary is a parent company of S Provided that there shall be excluded from this definition any subsidiaries which are listed on a public stock exchange.

 

1.5 General Interpretation

 

(a) In this Agreement:

 

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  (i) references to, or to a provision of, a Finance Document or any other document are references to it as amended or supplemented, whether before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

  (ii) references to, or to a provision of, any law include any amendment, extension, re-enactment or replacement, whether made before the date of this Agreement or otherwise; and

 

  (iii) words denoting the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa.

 

(b) Clauses 1.1 to 1.4 and paragraph (a) of this Clause 1.5 apply unless the contrary intention appears.

 

(c) References in Clause 1.1 to a document being in the form of a particular Appendix include references to that form with any modifications to that form which the Agent (with the authorisation of the Lenders in the case of substantial modifications) approves or requires.

 

(d) The clause headings shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.

 

2 LOAN FACILITY

 

2.1 Amount of loan facility

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Lenders shall make available to the Borrower a senior secured term loan facility, in a single advance, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) $25,000,000, (ii) 60 per cent of the Initial Market Value of Ship and (iii) 50 per cent. of the Purchase Price.

 

2.2 Lenders’ participations in Advance

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall participate in the Advance in the proportion which, as at the Drawdown Date, its Commitment bears to the Total Commitments.

 

2.3 Purpose of Loan

The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to use the Advance to finance part of the acquisition cost of the Ship.

 

3 POSITION OF THE LENDERS

 

3.1 Interests of Lenders several

The rights of the Creditor Parties under this Agreement are several; accordingly each Lender shall be entitled to sue for any amount which has become due and payable by the Borrower to it under this Agreement without joining the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party as additional parties in the proceedings, save that the Security Interests created by any of the Finance Documents may only be enforced in accordance with Clause 19.2.

 

3.2 Proceedings by individual Creditor Party

However, without the prior consent of the Lenders, no Creditor Party may bring proceedings in respect of:

 

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(a) any other liability or obligation of the Borrower or a Security Party under or connected with a Finance Document; or

 

(b) any misrepresentation or breach of warranty by the Borrower or a Security Party in or connected with a Finance Document.

 

3.3 Obligations of Creditor Parties several

The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement are several; and a failure of a Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not result in:

 

(a) the obligations of the other Lenders being increased; nor

 

(b) the Borrower, any Security Party or any other Lender being discharged (in whole or in part) from its obligations under any Finance Documents,

and in no circumstances shall a Lender have any responsibility for a failure of another Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

3.4 Parties bound by certain actions of Lenders

Every Lender, the Borrower and each Security Party shall be bound by:

 

(a) any determination made, or action taken, by the Lenders under any provision of a Finance Document;

 

(b) any instruction or authorisation given by the Lenders to the Agent or the Security Trustee under or in connection with any Finance Document; and

 

(c) any action taken (or in good faith purportedly taken) by the Agent or the Security Trustee in accordance with such an instruction or authorisation.

 

3.5 Reliance on action of Agent

However, the Borrower and each Security Party:

 

(a) shall be entitled to assume that the Lenders have duly given any instruction or authorisation which, under any provision of a Finance Document, is required in relation to any action which the Agent has taken or is about to take; and

 

(b) shall not be entitled to require any evidence that such an instruction or authorisation has been given.

 

3.6 Construction

In Clauses 3.4 and 3.5 references to action taken include (without limitation) the granting of any waiver or consent, an approval of any document and an agreement to any matter.

 

4 DRAWDOWN

 

4.1 Request for Advance

Subject to the following conditions, the Borrower may request the Advance to be made available by ensuring that the Agent receives the completed Drawdown Notice not later than 11.00 a.m. (Paris time) 2 Business Days prior to the intended Drawdown Date (or such other shorter period as the Lenders may agree).

 

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4.2 Availability

The conditions referred to in Clause 4.1 are that:

 

(a) the Drawdown Date has to be a Business Day during the Availability Period;

 

(b) the amount of the Advance shall not exceed an amount equal to the lesser of:

 

  (i) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of the Ship;

 

  (ii) $25,000,000; and

 

  (iii) 50 per cent. of the Purchase Price.

 

4.3 Notification to Lenders of receipt of the Drawdown Notice

The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders that it has received the Drawdown Notice and shall inform each Lender of:

 

(a) the amount of the Advance and the Drawdown Date;

 

(b) the amount of that Lender’s participation in the Advance; and

 

(c) the duration of the first Interest Period.

 

4.4 Drawdown Notice irrevocable

The Drawdown Notice must be signed by an officer or other authorised person of the Borrower; and once served the Drawdown Notice cannot be revoked without the prior consent of the Agent, acting on the authority of the Majority Lenders.

 

4.5 Lenders to make available Contributions

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall, on and with value on the Drawdown Date, make available to the Agent for the account of the Borrower the amount due from that Lender under Clause 2.2.

 

4.6 Disbursement of Advance

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Agent shall on the Drawdown Date pay to the Borrower the amounts which the Agent receives from the Lenders under Clause 4.5; and that payment to the Borrower shall be made:

 

(a) to the account which the Borrower specifies in the Drawdown Notice; and

 

(b) in the like funds as the Agent received the payments from the Lenders.

 

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5 INTEREST

 

5.1 Payment of normal interest

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, interest on the Loan in respect of each Interest Period shall be paid by the Borrower on the last day of that Interest Period.

 

5.2 Normal rate of interest

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the rate of interest on the Advance in respect of an Interest Period shall be the aggregate of (i) the Margin and (ii) LIBOR for that Interest Period subject to Clause 5.6 and 5.7.

 

5.3 Payment of accrued interest

In the case of an Interest Period longer than 3 months, accrued interest shall be paid every 3 months during that Interest Period and on the last day of that Interest Period.

 

5.4 Notification of Interest Periods and rates of normal interest

The Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of:

 

(a) each rate of interest; and

 

(b) the duration of each Interest Period,

as soon as reasonably practicable after each is determined.

 

5.5 Obligation of Reference Bank to quote

Each of the Reference Banks which is a Lender shall use all reasonable efforts to supply the quotation required of it for the purposes of fixing a rate of interest under this Agreement unless that Reference Bank ceases to be a Lender pursuant to Clause 26.16.

 

5.6 Absence of quotations by Reference Bank

If any Reference Bank fails to supply a quotation, the relevant rate of interest shall be set in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 5.

 

5.7 Market disruption

The following provisions of this Clause 5 apply if:

 

(a) LIBOR is to be determined by reference to the Reference Banks and no Reference Bank does, before 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date for an Interest Period, provide quotations to the Agent in order to fix LIBOR; or

 

(b) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, a Lender may notify the Agent that LIBOR fixed by the Agent would not accurately reflect the cost to that Lender of funding its respective Contribution (or any part of it) during the Interest Period in the London Interbank Market at or about 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date for the Interest Period; or

 

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(c) at least 1 Business Day before the start of an Interest Period, the Agent is notified by a Lender (the “ Affected Lender ”) that for any reason it is unable to obtain Dollars in the London Interbank Market in order to fund its Contribution (or any part of it) during the Interest Period.

 

5.8 Notification of market disruption

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and each of the Lenders stating the circumstances falling within Clause 5.7 which have caused its notice to be given.

 

5.9 Suspension of drawdown

If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served before the Advance is made:

 

(a) in a case falling within paragraphs (a) or (b) of Clause 5.7, the Lenders’ obligations to make the Advance;

 

(b) in a case falling within Clause 5.7(c), the Affected Lender’s obligation to participate in the Advance,

shall be suspended while the circumstances referred to in the Agent’s notice continue.

 

5.10 Negotiation of alternative rate of interest

If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served after the Advance is made, the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to agree, within the 30 days after the date on which the Agent serves its notice under Clause 5.8 (the “ Negotiation Period ”), an alternative interest rate or (as the case may be) an alternative basis for the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender to fund or continue to fund their or its Contribution during the Interest Period concerned.

 

5.11 Application of agreed alternative rate of interest

Any alternative interest rate or an alternative basis which is agreed during the Negotiation Period shall take effect in accordance with the terms agreed.

 

5.12 Alternative rate of interest in absence of agreement

If an alternative interest rate or alternative basis is not agreed within the Negotiation Period, and the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the Negotiation Period, then the Agent shall, with the agreement of each Lender or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender, set an interest period and interest rate representing the cost of funding of the Lenders concerned or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender in Dollars or in any available currency of their or its Contribution plus the Margin; and the procedure provided for by this Clause 5.12 shall be repeated if the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the interest period so set by the Agent.

 

5.13 Notice of prepayment

If the Borrower does not agree with an interest rate set by the Agent under Clause 5.12, the Borrower may give the Agent not less than 15 Business Days’ notice of their intention to prepay at the end of the interest period set by the Agent.

 

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5.14 Prepayment; termination of Commitments

A notice under Clause 5.13 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders or (as the case may require) the Affected Lender of the Borrower’s notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

(a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Total Commitments or (as the case may require) the Commitment of the Affected Lender shall be cancelled; and

 

(b) on the last Business Day of the interest period set by the Agent, the Borrower shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Loan or, as the case may be, the Affected Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

 

5.15 Application of prepayment

The provisions of Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

 

6 INTEREST PERIODS

 

6.1 Commencement of Interest Periods

The first Interest Period applicable to the Advance shall commence on the Drawdown Date and each subsequent Interest Period shall commence on the expiry of the preceding Interest Period.

 

6.2 Duration of normal Interest Periods

Subject to Clauses 6.3 and 6.4, each Interest Period shall be:

 

(a) 3, 6 or 9 months as notified by the Borrower to the Agent not later than 11.00 a.m. (Paris time) 3 Business Days before the commencement of the Interest Period; or

 

(b) 3 months, if the Borrower fails to notify the Agent by the time specified in paragraph (a) above; or

 

(c) such other period as the Agent may agree with the Borrower.

 

6.3 Duration of Interest Periods for Repayment Instalments

In respect of an amount due to be repaid under Clause 8 on a particular Repayment Date, an Interest Period shall end on that Repayment Date.

 

6.4 Non-availability of matching deposits for Interest Period selected

If, after the Borrower has selected an Interest Period longer than 3 months, any Lender notifies the Agent by 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the third Business Day before the commencement of the Interest Period that it is not satisfied that deposits in Dollars for a period equal to the Interest Period will be available to it in the London Interbank Market when the Interest Period commences, the Interest Period shall be 3 months.

 

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7 DEFAULT INTEREST

 

7.1 Payment of default interest on overdue amounts

The Borrower shall pay interest in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 7 on any amount payable by the Borrower under any Finance Document which the Agent, the Security Trustee or the other designated payee does not receive on or before the relevant date, that is:

 

(a) the date on which the Finance Documents provide that such amount is due for payment; or

 

(b) if a Finance Document provides that such amount is payable on demand, the date on which the demand is served; or

 

(c) if such amount has become immediately due and payable under Clause 19.4, the date on which it became immediately due and payable.

 

7.2 Default rate of interest

Interest shall accrue on an overdue amount from (and including) the relevant date until the date of actual payment (as well after as before judgment) at the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be 2 per cent. above:

 

(a) in the case of an overdue amount of principal, the higher of the rates set out at paragraphs (a) and (b) of Clause 7.3; or

 

(b) in the case of any other overdue amount, the rate set out at paragraph (b) of Clause 7.3.

 

7.3 Calculation of default rate of interest

The rates referred to in Clause 7.2 are:

 

(a) the rate applicable to the overdue principal amount immediately prior to the relevant date (but only for any unexpired part of any then current Interest Period);

 

(b) the aggregate of the Margin plus, in respect of successive periods of any duration (including at call) up to 3 months which the Agent may select from time to time:

 

  (i) LIBOR; or

 

  (ii) if the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Bank) determines that Dollar deposits for any such period are not being made available to the Reference Bank by leading banks in the London Interbank Market in the ordinary course of business, a rate from time to time determined by the Agent by reference to the cost of funds to the Reference Bank from such other sources as the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Bank) may from time to time determine.

 

7.4 Notification of interest periods and default rates

The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the Borrower of each interest rate determined by the Agent under Clause 7.3 and of each period selected by the Agent for the purposes of paragraph (b) of that Clause; but this shall not be taken to imply that the Borrower is liable to pay such interest only with effect from the date of the Agent’s notification.

 

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7.5 Payment of accrued default interest

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, any interest due under this Clause shall be paid on the last day of the period by reference to which it was determined; and the payment shall be made to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Party to which the overdue amount is due.

 

7.6 Compounding of default interest

Any such interest which is not paid at the end of the period by reference to which it was determined shall thereupon be compounded.

 

8 REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT

 

8.1 Amount of repayment instalments

The Borrower shall repay the Loan by:

 

  (i) 20 equal consecutive quarterly instalments, each in the amount of $694,500 (each a “ Repayment Instalment ” and, together, the “ Repayment Instalments ”); and

 

  (ii) a balloon instalment in the amount of $11,110,000 (each a “ Balloon Instalment ” and, together, the “ Balloon Instalment s”),

Provided that if the amount advanced is less than $25,000,000, the aggregate amount of the Repayment Instalments and the Balloon Instalment shall be reduced by an amount equal to the undrawn amount on a pro rata basis.

 

8.2 Repayment Dates

The first Repayment Instalment shall be repaid on the date falling 3 months after the Drawdown Date, with the remaining Repayment Instalments to be repaid at 3-monthly intervals thereafter and the last Repayment Instalment together with the Balloon Instalment shall be paid on the earlier of:

 

(a) the date falling on the fifth anniversary of the Drawdown Date; and

 

(b) 10 June 2023.

 

8.3 Final Repayment Date

On the final Repayment Date, the Borrower shall additionally pay to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Parties all other sums then accrued or owing under any Finance Document.

 

8.4 Voluntary prepayment

Subject to the following conditions, the Borrower may prepay the whole or any part of the Loan on the last day of an Interest Period in respect thereof.

 

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8.5 Conditions for voluntary prepayment

The conditions referred to in Clause 8.4 are that:

 

(a) a partial prepayment shall be $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000;

 

(b) the Agent has received from the Borrower at least 10 Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the amount to be prepaid and the date on which the prepayment is to be made (such date shall be the last day of an Interest Period);

 

(c) the Borrower has provided evidence satisfactory to the Agent that any consent required by the Borrower or any Security Party in connection with the prepayment has been obtained and remains in force, and that any requirement relevant to this Agreement which affects the Borrower or any Security Party has been complied with.

 

8.6 Effect of notice of prepayment

A prepayment notice may not be withdrawn or amended without the consent of the Agent, given with the authority of the Majority Lenders, and the amount specified in the prepayment notice shall become due and payable by the Borrower on the date for prepayment specified in the prepayment notice.

 

8.7 Notification of notice of prepayment

The Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon receiving a prepayment notice, and shall provide any Lender which so requests with a copy of any document delivered by the Borrower under Clause 8.5(c).

 

8.8 Mandatory prepayment

 

(a) The Borrower shall be obliged to prepay the whole of the Loan:

 

  (i) if the Ship is sold, on or before the date on which the sale is completed by delivery of the Ship to the buyer; or

 

  (ii) if the Ship becomes a Total Loss, on the earlier of the date falling 180 days after the Total Loss Date and the date of receipt by the Security Trustee of the proceeds of insurance relating to such Total Loss; and

 

(b) Any surplus remaining following the repayment under Clause 8.8(a) shall be released to the Borrower Provided that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred or is continuing.

 

8.9 Amounts payable on prepayment

A prepayment shall be made together with accrued interest (and any other amount payable under Clause 21 below or otherwise) in respect of the amount prepaid and, if the prepayment is not made on the last day of an Interest Period together with any sums payable under Clause 21.1(b) but without premium or penalty.

 

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8.10 Application of partial prepayment

Any voluntary prepayment shall be applied, pro rata against the Balloon Instalment and the Repayment Instalments or in such other manner as the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Lenders) may agree with the Borrower.

 

8.11 No reborrowing

No amount repaid or prepaid may be reborrowed.

 

9 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

9.1 Documents, fees and no default

Each Lender’s obligation to contribute to the Advance is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a) that on or before the date of this Agreement, the Agent receives:

 

  (i) the documents described in Part A of Schedule 3 in a form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers; and

 

  (ii) the up-front fee referred to in Clause 20.1; and

 

  (iii) payment in full of any expenses payable pursuant to Clause 20.2 which are due and payable on the date of this Agreement;

 

(b) that, on or before the service of each Drawdown Notice, the Agent receives:

 

  (i) the documents described in Part B of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers; and

 

  (ii) payment in full of any expenses payable pursuant to Clause 20.2 which are due and payable on the date of this Agreement;

 

(c) that at the date of the Drawdown Notice and at the Drawdown Date:

 

  (i) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred or is continuing or would result from the borrowing of the Advance; and

 

  (ii) the representations and warranties in Clause 10 and those of the Borrower or any Security Party which are set out in the other Finance Documents would be true and not misleading if repeated on each of those dates with reference to the circumstances then existing;

 

  (iii) none of the circumstances contemplated by Clause 5.7 has occurred and is continuing; and

 

  (iv) there has been no material adverse change in the business, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, state of affairs, operation, performance, prospects or properties of the Borrower or any of them and/or the Corporate Guarantor and its affiliates applying as at 31 December 2017;

 

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(d) that, if the ratio set out in Clause 15.1 were applied immediately following the making of the Advance, the Borrower would not be obliged to provide additional security or prepay part of the Loan under that Clause; and

 

(e) that the Agent has received, and found to be acceptable to it, any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with the Finance Documents which the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, request by notice to the Borrower prior to the Drawdown Date.

 

9.2 Waiver of conditions precedent

If the Majority Lenders, at their discretion, permit the Advance to be borrowed before certain of the conditions referred to in Clause 9.1 are satisfied, the Borrower shall ensure that those conditions are satisfied within 5 Business Days after the Drawdown Date (or such longer period as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, specify).

 

10 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

10.1 General

The Borrower represents and warrants (which representations and warranties (other than the ones in Clauses 10.11 and 10.12) shall survive the execution of this Agreement and shall be deemed to be repeated throughout the Security Period on the first day of each Interest Period with respect to the facts and circumstances then existing) to each Creditor Party as follows.

 

10.2 Status

The Borrower is duly incorporated and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

10.3 Share capital and ownership

The Borrower is authorised to issue 500 registered and/or bearer shares, without par value, and the ownership of all those shares is held in registered form by the Shareholder, free of any Security Interest or other claim, by the persons disclosed in writing to the Agent prior to the date of this Agreement.

 

10.4 Corporate power

The Borrower has the corporate capacity, and has taken all corporate action and obtained all consents necessary for it to:

 

(a) execute the MOA, to purchase and pay for the Ship under the MOA and register the Ship in its name under an Approved Flag;

 

(b) continue to own the Ship under an Approved Flag;

 

(c) execute the Finance Documents to which it is a party; and

 

(d) borrow under this Agreement and to make all the payments contemplated by, and to comply with, those Finance Documents to which the Borrower is a party.

 

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10.5 Consents in force

All the consents referred to in Clause 10.4 remain in force and nothing has occurred which makes any of them liable to revocation.

 

10.6 Legal validity; effective Security Interests

The Finance Documents to which it is a party, do now or, as the case may be, will, upon execution and delivery (and, where applicable, registration as provided for in the Finance Documents):

 

(a) constitute the Borrower’s legal, valid and binding obligations enforceable against it in accordance with their respective terms; and

 

(b) create legal, valid and binding Security Interests enforceable in accordance with their respective terms over all the assets to which they, by their terms, relate,

subject to any relevant insolvency laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

 

10.7 No third party Security Interests

Without limiting the generality of Clause 10.6, at the time of the execution and delivery of each Finance Document to which the Borrower is a party:

 

(a) it will have the right to create all the Security Interests which that Finance Document purports to create; and

 

(b) no third party will have any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) or any other interest, right or claim over, in or in relation to any asset to which any such Security Interest, by its terms, relates.

 

10.8 No conflicts

The execution by the Borrower of each Finance Document to which it is a party, and the borrowing of the Loan, and its compliance with each Finance Document to which it is a party will not involve or lead to a contravention of:

 

(a) any law or regulation; or

 

(b) its constitutional documents; or

 

(c) any contractual or other obligation or restriction which is binding on it or any of its assets.

 

10.9 No withholding taxes

All payments which the Borrower is liable to make under the Finance Documents to which it is a party may be made without deduction or withholding for or on account of any tax payable under any law of any Pertinent Jurisdiction.

 

10.10 No default

No Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the entry into, the performance of, or any transaction contemplated by, any Finance Document.

 

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10.11 Information

All information which has been provided in writing by or on behalf of the Borrower or any member of the Group to any Creditor Party in connection with any Finance Document satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.5; all audited and unaudited accounts which have been so provided satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.7; and there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or state of affairs, operation, performance or prospects of the Borrower or any of them or any Security Party (excluding the Approved Manager) as at 30 December 2017 from that disclosed to the Agent.

 

10.12 No litigation

No material, legal or administrative action involving the Borrower or any Security Party (excluding the Approved Manager and the Collateral Manager) has been commenced or taken or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, is likely to be commenced or taken.

 

10.13 Compliance with certain undertakings

At the date of this Agreement, each Borrower is in compliance with Clauses 11.2, 11.4, 11.9 and 11.13.

 

10.14 Taxes paid

The Borrower has paid all taxes applicable to, or imposed on, its business or the Ship.

 

10.15 No money laundering; anti-bribery

None of the Borrower, the Security Parties and the Designated Shareholder nor any of their subsidiaries, directors or officers, or, to their best knowledge, any affiliate, agent or employee of them, have engaged in any activity or conduct which would violate any applicable anti-bribery, anti-corruption or anti-money laundering laws, regulations or rules in any applicable jurisdiction and of the Borrower, the Security Parties and the Designated Shareholder has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to prevent violation of such laws, regulations and rules.

 

10.16 ISM Code, ISPS Code Compliance and Environmental Laws

All requirements of the ISM Code, ISPS Code and Environmental Laws as they relate to the Borrower, the Approved Manager and the Ship have been complied with.

 

10.17 No immunity

Neither the Borrower nor any of its assets is entitled to immunity on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise from any legal action or proceeding (which shall include, without limitation, suit attachment prior to judgement, execution or other enforcement).

 

10.18 Sanctions

None of the Borrower, the Security Parties, the Designated Shareholder or any charterer in respect of the Ship nor any of their subsidiaries, directors or officers, or, to their best knowledge, any affiliate, agent or employee of them, is an individual or entity (a “ Person ”), that is, or is owned or controlled by Persons that are: (i) the target of any Sanctions (a “ Sanctioned Person ”) or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions broadly prohibiting dealings with such government, country or territory (a “ Sanctioned Country ”).

 

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10.19 Insolvency

In relation to the Borrower, no corporate action, legal proceeding or other procedure or step described in Clause 19.1(g) or creditors’ process described in that clause has been taken or, to its knowledge, threatened in relation to it, and none of the circumstances described in Clause 19.1(g) applies to it.

 

10.20 Validity and completeness of MOA

The MOA constitutes valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Seller and the Borrower respectively in accordance with its terms and:

 

(a) the copy of the MOA delivered to the Agent before the Drawdown Date is a true and complete copy; and

 

(b) no amendments or additions to the MOA have been agreed nor has the Borrower or the Seller waived any of their respective rights under the MOA.

 

11 GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS

 

11.1 General

The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 11 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit in writing.

 

11.2 Title and negative pledge

The Borrower will:

 

(a) hold the legal title to, and own the entire beneficial interest in the Ship, its Insurances and its Earnings, free from all Security Interests and other interests and rights of every kind, except for those created by the Finance Documents and the effect of assignments contained in the Finance Documents;

 

(b) not create or permit to arise any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) over any other asset, present or future; and

 

(c) procure that its liabilities under the Finance Documents to which it is party do and will rank at least pari passu with all other present and future unsecured liabilities, except for liabilities which are mandatorily preferred by law.

 

11.3 No disposal of assets

The Borrower will not transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of:

 

(a) all or a substantial part of its assets, whether by one transaction or a number of transactions, whether related or not; or

 

(b) any debt payable to it or any other right (present, future or contingent right) to receive a payment, including any right to damages or compensation, but paragraph (a) does not apply to any charter of the Ship as to which Clause 14.13 applies.

 

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11.4 No other liabilities or obligations to be incurred

The Borrower will not incur any liability or obligation except:

 

(a) liabilities and obligations under the MOA and the Finance Documents to which it is a party;

 

(b) subject to other provisions of this Agreement, liabilities or obligations reasonably incurred in the ordinary course of trading, maintaining, repairing, operating and chartering the Ship; and

 

(c) Financial Indebtedness to any other corporation which is a member of the Group or any individual who is a shareholder or majority shareholder in a member of the Group Provided that such Financial Indebtedness shall be fully subordinated to the Loan and the Borrower shall, promptly following the Agent’s demand, execute or procure the execution of any documents which the Agent specifies to create or maintain the subordination of the rights of the relevant member of the Group against the Borrower to those of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents.

 

11.5 Information provided to be accurate

All financial and other information which is provided in writing by or on behalf of the Borrower under or in connection with any Finance Document will be true, correct, accurate and not misleading and will not omit any material fact or consideration.

 

11.6 Provision of financial statements

The Borrower will send or procure that they are sent to the Agent:

 

(a) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 180 days after the end of each financial year of the Corporate Guarantor (commencing with the financial year ending on 31 December 2017), the audited annual consolidated accounts of the Group; and

 

(b) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 90 days after the end of the 6-month period ending on 30 June in each financial year of the Corporate Guarantor, the semi-annual consolidated management accounts in respect of the Group, duly certified as to their correctness by an officer of the Corporate Guarantor; and

 

(c) promptly after each request by the Agent, such further financial information about it, the Ship and the Corporate Guarantor or any other member of the Group (including, but not limited to, information regarding the charter arrangements, Financial Indebtedness and operating expenses) as the Agent may require.

 

11.7 Form of financial statements

All accounts (audited and unaudited) delivered under Clause 11.6 will:

 

(a) be prepared in accordance with all applicable laws and US GAAP;

 

(b) give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the relevant person at the date of those accounts and of its profit for the period to which those accounts relate; and

 

(c) fully disclose or provide for all significant liabilities of the Group.

 

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11.8 Shareholder notices

The Borrower will send to the Agent following a request by the Agent, and at the same time as they are despatched, copies of all communications which are despatched to its shareholders or any class of them.

 

11.9 Consents

The Borrower will, and will procure that each Security Party will, maintain in force and promptly obtain or renew, and will promptly send certified copies to the Agent of, all consents required:

 

(a) for it and that Security Party to perform its obligations under any Finance Document or any Charterparty to which it is party;

 

(b) for the validity or enforceability of any Finance Document and any Charterparty to which it is party; and

 

(c) for it to continue to own and operate the Ship,

and the Borrower will, and will procure that each Security Party will, comply with the terms of all such consents.

 

11.10 Maintenance of Security Interests

The Borrower will:

 

(a) at its own cost, do all that it reasonably can to ensure that any Finance Document validly creates the obligations and the Security Interests which it purports to create; and

 

(b) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a) above, at its own cost, promptly register, file, record or enrol any Finance Document with any court or authority in all Pertinent Jurisdictions, pay any stamp, registration or similar tax in all Pertinent Jurisdictions in respect of any Finance Document, give any notice or take any other step which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is or has become necessary or desirable for any Finance Document to be valid, enforceable or admissible in evidence or to ensure or protect the priority of any Security Interest which it creates.

 

11.11 Notification of litigation

The Borrower will provide the Agent with details of any legal or administrative action involving it, any Security Party, the Approved Manager, the Ship, the Earnings or the Insurances in respect of the Ship as soon as such action is instituted or it becomes apparent to the Borrower that it is likely to be instituted, unless it is clear that the legal or administrative action cannot be considered material in the context of any Finance Document.

 

11.12 Principal place of business

The Borrower will maintain its place of business, and keep its corporate documents and records, at the address stated in Clause 28.2(a); and the Borrower will not establish, or do anything as a result of which it would be deemed to have, a place of business in the United States or the United Kingdom or any country other than Greece.

 

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11.13 Confirmation of no default

The Borrower will, within 2 Business Days after service by the Agent of a written request, serve on the Agent a notice which is signed by an officer of the Borrower and which:

 

(a) states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred; or

 

(b) states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred, except for a specified event or matter, of which all material details are given.

The Agent may serve requests under this Clause 11.13 from time to time; this Clause 11.13 does not affect the Borrower’s obligations under Clause 11.14.

 

11.14 Notification of default

The Borrower will notify the Agent as soon as the Borrower becomes aware of the occurrence of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default and will thereafter keep the Agent fully up-to-date with all developments.

 

11.15 Provision of further information

The Borrower will, as soon as practicable after receiving the request, provide the Agent with any additional financial or other information relating to:

 

(a) it, the Ship, its Insurances, its Earnings or the Corporate Guarantor;

 

(b) any matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Charterparty;

 

(c) any other matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Finance Document; and

 

(d) any information requested in respect of the Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor, the Shareholder and the Designated Shareholder in connection with the Creditor Parties’ and/or the Account Bank’s “Know your customer” regulations, including, but not limited to information required pursuant to all applicable laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the laws of the European Union, Switzerland and the United States of America in connection with the Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor and any other Security Party and their respective beneficial owners,

which may be requested by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender at any time.

 

11.16 Provision of copies and translation of documents

The Borrower will supply the Agent with a sufficient number of copies of the documents referred to above to provide 1 copy for each Creditor Party; if the Agent so requires in respect of any of those documents, the Borrower will provide a certified English translation prepared by a translator approved by the Agent.

 

11.17 “Know your customer” checks. If:

 

(a) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation, administration or application of) any law or regulation made after the date of this Agreement;

 

(b) any change in the status of the Borrower or any Security Party after the date of this Agreement; or

 

36


(c) a proposed assignment or transfer by a Lender of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to a party that is not a Lender prior to such assignment or transfer,

obliges the Agent or any Lender (or, in the case of paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender) to comply with “know your customer” or similar identification procedures in circumstances where the necessary information is not already available to it, the Borrower shall promptly upon the request of the Agent or any Lender supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent (for itself or on behalf of any Lender) or the Lender concerned (for itself or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), on behalf of any prospective new Lender) in order for the Agent, the Lender concerned or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender to carry out and be satisfied it has complied with all necessary “know your customer” or other similar checks under all applicable laws and regulations pursuant to the transactions contemplated in the Finance Documents.

 

11.18 Sanctions

 

(a) Neither the Borrower nor the Security Parties will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the loan hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or any other Person, (i) to fund any activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is, a Sanctioned Person or Sanctioned Country or (ii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the loan hereunder, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor, lender, hedge provider, facility or security agent or otherwise);

 

(b) Without limiting paragraphs (a) and (b) of Clause 14.10, the Borrower shall procure:

 

  (i) that the Ship shall not be used directly or indirectly by or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person;

 

  (ii) that the Ship shall not be used directly or indirectly in calling, trading or otherwise going to a Sanctioned Country;

 

  (iii) that the Ship shall not be used or traded directly or indirectly in any manner which would trigger the operation of any sanctions limitation or exclusion clause (or similar) in the Insurances and/or re-insurance of the Ship; and

 

  (iv) that each Charterparty and each sub-charterparty in respect of the Ship shall contain, for the benefit of the Borrower, language which broadly gives effect to the provisions of paragraph (b) of Clause 14.10 as regards Sanctions and of this sub-paragraph (b)(iv) of this Clause 11.18 and which permits refusal of employment or voyage orders if compliance would result in a breach of Sanctions.

 

11.19 Hedging of interest rate risks – Right of first refusal

The Borrower hereby grants to the Lenders a right of first refusal for the purpose of hedging any part of the interest rate risk under this Agreement throughout the Security Period. In the event that the Borrower decides to hedge their exposure under this Agreement, they shall enter into such documentation as may be required by the relevant Lender (in such capacity the “ Swap Bank ”) and the provisions of this Agreement will be amended to incorporate the amendments required, including, but not limited to, Clause 17 reflecting pari passu sharing in the security and receipts between the Lenders and the Swap Bank.

 

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11.20 No amendment to MOA

The Borrower will not agree to any material amendment or supplement to, or waive or fail to enforce, the MOA or any of its provisions.

 

11.21 Minimum Liquidity

The Borrower shall maintain in the Earnings Account credit balances (“ Minimum Liquidity ”) in an aggregate amount of not less than $500,000, commencing from the Drawdown Date and at all times thereafter throughout the Security Period.

 

12 CORPORATE UNDERTAKINGS

 

12.1 General

The Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 12 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit.

 

12.2 Maintenance of status

The Borrower will maintain its separate corporate existence and remain in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

12.3 Negative undertakings

The Borrower will not:

 

(a) carry on any business other than the ownership, chartering and operation of the Ship; or

 

(b) pay any dividend or make any other form of distribution or effect any form of redemption, purchase or return of share capital if:

 

  (i) the amount standing to the credit of the Earnings Account following such distribution, redemption, purchase or return would be less than $750,000;

 

  (ii) an Event of Default has occurred at such time; or

 

  (iii) an Event of Default would occur as a direct result of such distribution, redemption, purchase or return; or

 

(c) provide any form of credit or financial assistance or issue guarantees in favour of any other corporation or individual other than in the normal course of its business Provided that that corporation or individual to whom the of credit or financial assistance has been granted or in favour of whom the guarantee has been issued fully subordinates its rights to the rights of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents on terms acceptable to the Agent;

 

(d) provide any form of credit or financial assistance to:

 

  (i) a person who is directly or indirectly interested in its share or loan capital; or

 

  (ii) any company in or with which such a person is directly or indirectly interested or connected,

 

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or enter into any transaction with or involving such a person or company on terms which are, in any respect, less favourable to the Borrower than those which it could obtain in a bargain made at arms’ length; or

 

(e) open or maintain any account with any bank or financial institution except accounts with the Account Bank for the purposes of the Finance Documents and any accounts disclosed to the Agent on or prior to the date of this Agreement; or

 

(f) issue, allot or grant any person a right to any shares in its capital or repurchase or reduce its issued share capital; or

 

(g) acquire any shares or other securities other than US or UK Treasury bills and certificates of deposit issued by major North American or European banks, or enter into any transaction in a derivative; or

 

(h) enter into any form of amalgamation, merger or de-merger or any form of reconstruction or reorganisation.

 

13 INSURANCE

 

13.1 General

The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party, on and from the Delivery Date, to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 13, except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit in writing.

 

13.2 Maintenance of obligatory insurances

The Borrower shall keep the Ship, at all times during the Security Period, insured at its own expense against:

 

(a) fire and usual marine risks (including hull and machinery and excess risks); and

 

(b) war risks; and

 

(c) protection and indemnity mean the usual risks including liability for oil pollution and excess war risk P&I cover; and

 

(d) any other risks against which the Lenders consider, having regard to practices and other circumstances prevailing at the relevant time, it would in the opinion of the Lenders be reasonable for the Borrower to insure and which are specified by the Security Trustee by notice to the Borrower.

 

13.3 Terms of obligatory insurances

The Borrower shall effect such insurances:

 

(a) in Dollars;

 

(b) in the case of fire and usual marine risks and war risks, in such amounts as shall from time to time be approved by the Agent but in any event in an amount not less than the greater of (i) the Market Value of the Ship and (ii) 120 per cent. of the Loan; and

 

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(c) in the case of oil pollution liability risks, for an aggregate amount equal to the highest level of cover from time to time available under basic protection and indemnity club entry (with the international group of protection and indemnity clubs) and the international marine insurance market (currently $1,000,000,000);

 

(d) in relation to protection and indemnity risks in respect of the Ship’s full value and tonnage;

 

(e) on such terms as shall from time to time be approved in writing by the Agent (including, without limitation, a blocking and trapping clause); and

 

(f) through approved brokers and with approved insurance companies and/or underwriters or, in the case of war risks and protection and indemnity risks, in approved war risks and protection and indemnity risks associations which are members of the International Group of Protection and Indemnity Associations.

 

13.4 Further protections for the Creditor Parties

In addition to the terms set out in Clause 13.3, the Borrower shall procure that the obligatory insurances shall:

 

(a) subject always to paragraph (b), name the Borrower as the sole named assured unless the interest of every other named assured is limited:

 

  (i) in respect of any obligatory insurances for hull and machinery and war risks;

 

  (A) to any provable out-of-pocket expenses that it has incurred and which form part of any recoverable claim on underwriters; and

 

  (B) to any third party liability claims where cover for such claims is provided by the policy (and then only in respect of discharge of any claims made against it); and

 

  (ii) in respect of any obligatory insurances for protection and indemnity risks, to any recoveries it is entitled to make by way of reimbursement following discharge of any third party liability claims made specifically against it;

 

(b) name (or be amended to name) the Security Trustee as mortgagee for its rights and interests, warranted no operational interest and with full waiver of rights of subrogation against the Security Trustee, but without the Security Trustee thereby being liable to pay (but having the right to pay) premiums, calls or other assessments in respect of such insurance;

 

(c) name the Security Trustee as sole loss payee with such directions for payment as the Security Trustee may specify;

 

(d) provide that all payments by or on behalf of the insurers under the obligatory insurances to the Security Trustee shall be made without set-off, counterclaim or deductions or condition whatsoever;

 

(e)

provide that the insurers shall waive, to the fullest extent permitted by English law, their entitlement (if any) (whether by statute, common law, equity, or otherwise) to be subrogated to the rights and remedies of the Security Trustee in respect of any rights or interests (secured or not) held by or available to the Security Trustee in respect of the Secured Liabilities, until the Secured Liabilities shall have been fully repaid and discharged,

 

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  except that the insurers shall not be restricted by the terms of this paragraph (d) from making personal claims against persons (other than the Borrower or any Creditor Party) in circumstances where the insurers have fully discharged their liabilities and obligations under the relevant obligatory insurances;

 

(f) provide that such obligatory insurances shall be primary without right of contribution from other insurances which may be carried by the Security Trustee;

 

(g) provide that the Security Trustee may make proof of loss if the Borrower fails to do so; and

 

(h) provide that if any obligatory insurance is cancelled, or if any substantial change is made in the coverage which adversely affects the interest of the Security Trustee, or if any obligatory insurance is allowed to lapse for non-payment of premium, such cancellation, charge or lapse shall not be effective with respect to the Security Trustee for 30 days (or 7 days in the case of war risks) after receipt by the Security Trustee of prior written notice from the insurers of such cancellation, change or lapse.

 

13.5 Renewal of obligatory insurances

The Borrower shall:

 

(a) at least 14 days before the expiry of any obligatory insurance:

 

  (i) notify the Security Trustee of the brokers (or other insurers) and any protection and indemnity or war risks association through or with whom the Borrower proposes to renew that insurance and of the proposed terms of renewal; and

 

  (ii) in case of any substantial change in insurance cover, obtain the Lenders’ approval to the matters referred to in paragraph (i) above;

 

(b) at least 7 days before the expiry of any obligatory insurance, renew the insurance; and

 

(c) procure that the approved brokers and/or the war risks and protection and indemnity associations with which such a renewal is effected shall promptly after the renewal notify the Security Trustee in writing of the terms and conditions of the renewal.

 

13.6 Copies of policies; letters of undertaking

The Borrower shall ensure that all approved brokers provide the Security Trustee with copies of all policies relating to the obligatory insurances which they effect or renew and of a letter or letters or undertaking in a form required by the Lenders and including undertakings by the approved brokers that:

 

(a) they will have endorsed on each policy, immediately upon issue, a loss payable clause and a notice of assignment complying with the provisions of Clause 13.4;

 

(b) they will hold such policies, and the benefit of such insurances, to the order of the Security Trustee in accordance with the said loss payable clause;

 

(c) they will advise the Security Trustee immediately of any material change to the terms of the obligatory insurances;

 

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(d) they will notify the Security Trustee, not less than 14 days before the expiry of the obligatory insurances, in the event of their not having received notice of renewal instructions from the Borrower or its agents and, in the event of their receiving instructions to renew, they will promptly notify the Security Trustee of the terms of the instructions; and

 

(e) they will not set off against any sum recoverable in respect of a claim relating to the Ship under such obligatory insurances any premiums or other amounts due to them or any other person whether in respect of the Ship or otherwise, they waive any lien on the policies or, any sums received under them, which they might have in respect of such premiums or other amounts, and they will not cancel such obligatory insurances by reason of non-payment of such premiums or other amounts, and will arrange for a separate policy to be issued in respect of the Ship forthwith upon being so requested by the Security Trustee.

 

13.7 Copies of certificates of entry

The Borrower shall ensure that any protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations in which the Ship is entered provides the Security Trustee with:

 

(a) a certified copy of the certificate of entry for the Ship; and

 

(b) a letter or letters of undertaking in such form as may be required by the Lenders; and

 

(c) where required to be issued under the terms of insurance/indemnity provided by the Borrower’s protection and indemnity association, a certified copy of each United States of America voyage quarterly declaration (or other similar document or documents) made by the Borrower in relation to the Ship in accordance with the requirements of such protection and indemnity association; and

 

(d) a certified copy of each certificate of financial responsibility for pollution by oil or other Environmentally Sensitive Material issued by the relevant certifying authority in relation to the Ship.

 

13.8 Deposit of original policies

The Borrower shall ensure that all policies relating to obligatory insurances are deposited with the approved brokers through which the insurances are effected or renewed.

 

13.9 Payment of premiums

The Borrower shall punctually pay all premiums or other sums payable in respect of the obligatory insurances and produce all relevant receipts when so required by the Security Trustee.

 

13.10 Guarantees

The Borrower shall ensure that any guarantees required by a protection and indemnity or war risks association are promptly issued and remain in full force and effect.

 

13.11 Restrictions on employment

The Borrower shall not employ the Ship, nor permit her to be employed, outside the cover provided by any obligatory insurances.

 

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13.12 Compliance with terms of insurances

The Borrower shall not do or omit to do (or permit to be done or not to be done) any act or thing which would or might render any obligatory insurance invalid, void, voidable or unenforceable or render any sum payable thereunder repayable in whole or in part; and in particular:

 

(a) the Borrower shall take all necessary action and comply with all requirements which may from time to time be applicable to the obligatory insurances, and (without limiting the obligation contained in Clause 13.6(c) above) ensure that the obligatory insurances are not made subject to any exclusions or qualifications to which the Security Trustee has not given its prior approval;

 

(b) the Borrower shall not make any changes relating to the classification or classification society or manager or operator of the Ship approved by the underwriters of the obligatory insurances;

 

(c) the Borrower shall not make all quarterly or other voyage declarations which may be required by the protection and indemnity risks association in which the Ship is entered to maintain cover for trading to the United States of America and Exclusive Economic Zone (as defined in the United States Oil Pollution Act 1990 or any other applicable legislation); and

 

(d) the Borrower shall not employ the Ship, nor allow it to be employed, otherwise than in conformity with the terms and conditions of the obligatory insurances (including but not limited to any applicable laws and Sanctions), without first obtaining the consent of the insurers and complying with any requirements (as to extra premium or otherwise) which the insurers specify.

 

13.13 Alteration to terms of insurances

The Borrower shall not make or agree to any alteration to the terms of any obligatory insurance or waive any right relating to any obligatory insurance without the prior written consent of the Security Trustee.

 

13.14 Settlement of claims

The Borrower shall not settle, compromise or abandon any claim under any obligatory insurance for Total Loss or for a Major Casualty, and shall do all things necessary and provide all documents, evidence and information to enable the Security Trustee to collect or recover any moneys which at any time become payable in respect of the obligatory insurances.

 

13.15 Provision of copies of communications

The Borrower shall provide the Security Trustee, at the time of each such communication, copies of all written communications in case of, but not limited to, an Event of Default, Total Loss or Major Casualty between the Borrower and:

 

(a) the approved brokers; and

 

(b) the approved protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations; and

 

(c) the approved insurance companies and/or underwriters, which relate directly or indirectly to:

 

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  (i) the Borrower’s obligations relating to the obligatory insurances including, without limitation, all requisite declarations and payments of additional premiums or calls; and

 

  (ii) any credit arrangements made between the Borrower and any of the persons referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) above relating wholly or partly to the effecting or maintenance of the obligatory insurances.

 

13.16 Provision of information

In addition, the Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee (or any persons which it may designate) with any information which the Security Trustee (or any such designated person) requests for the purpose of:

 

(a) obtaining or preparing any report from an independent marine insurance broker appointed by the Agent as to the adequacy of the obligatory insurances effected or proposed to be effected; and/or

 

(b) effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurances as are referred to in Clause 13.17 below or dealing with or considering any matters relating to any such insurances,

and the Borrower shall, forthwith upon demand, indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all fees and other expenses incurred by or for the account of the Security Trustee in connection with any such report as is referred to in paragraph (a) above.

 

13.17 Mortgagee’s interest and additional perils insurances

The Security Trustee shall be entitled from time to time to effect, maintain and renew all or any of the following insurances in such amounts, on such terms, through such insurers and generally in such manner as the Lenders may from time to time consider appropriate:

 

(a) a mortgagee’s interest marine insurance in relation to the Ship in an amount equal to 120 per cent. of the Loan, providing for the indemnification of the Creditor Parties for any losses under or in connection with any Finance Document which directly or indirectly result from loss of or damage to the Ship or a liability of the Ship or of the Borrower, being a loss or damage which is prima facie covered by an obligatory insurance but in respect of which there is a non-payment (or reduced payment) by the underwriters by reason of, or on the basis of an allegation concerning:

 

  (i) any act or omission on the part of the Borrower, of any operator, charterer, manager or sub-manager of the Ship or of any officer, employee or agent of the Borrower or of any such person, including any breach of warranty or condition or any non-disclosure relating to such obligatory insurance;

 

  (ii) any act or omission, whether deliberate, negligent or accidental, or any knowledge or privity of the Borrower, any other person referred to in paragraph (i) above, or of any officer, employee or agent of the Borrower or of such a person, including the casting away or damaging of the Ship and/or the Ship being unseaworthy; and/or

 

  (iii) any other matter capable of being insured against under a mortgagee’s interest marine insurance policy whether or not similar to the foregoing;

 

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(b) a mortgagee’s interest additional perils policy in relation to the Ship in an amount equal to 120 per cent. of the Loan, providing for the indemnification of the Security Trustee against, among other things, any possible losses or other consequences of any Environmental Claim, including the risk of expropriation, arrest or any form of detention of the Ship, the imposition of any Security Interest over the Ship and/or any other matter capable of being insured against under a mortgagee’s interest additional perils policy whether or not similar to the foregoing,

and the Borrower shall upon demand fully indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all premiums and other expenses which are incurred in connection with or with a view to effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurance or dealing with, or considering, any matter arising out of any such insurance.

 

13.18 Review of insurance requirements

The Lenders shall be entitled to review the requirements of this Clause 13 from time to time in order to take account of any changes in circumstances after the date of this Agreement which are, in the opinion of the Lenders, significant and capable of affecting the Borrower or the Ship and its or their Insurances (including, without limitation, changes in the availability or the cost of Insurances or the risks to which the Borrower may be subject), and may appoint insurance consultants in relation to this review at the cost of the Borrower, such review to be carried out at the Agent’s request, at any time during the Security Period if the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Lenders) considers necessary (the reasonable fees of the insurance consultants to conduct such review shall be deducted from the Earnings Account and the Borrower hereby irrevocably authorises the Agent to debit the Earnings Account in order to pay such fees) Provided that the Borrower shall not be required to pay the fees of the insurance consultants to conduct such review more often than once a year unless an Event of Default has occurred.

 

13.19 Modification of insurance requirements

The Security Trustee shall notify the Borrower of any proposed modification under Clause 13.18 to the requirements of this Clause 13 which the Lenders consider appropriate in the circumstances, and such modification shall take effect on and from the date it is notified in writing to the Borrower as an amendment to this Clause 13 and shall bind the Borrower accordingly.

 

13.20 Compliance with mortgagee’s instructions

The Security Trustee shall be entitled (without prejudice to or limitation of any other rights which it may have or acquire under any Finance Document) to require the Ship to remain at any safe port or to proceed to and remain at any safe port designated by the Security Trustee until the Borrower implements any amendments to the terms of the obligatory insurances and any operational changes required as a result of a notice served under Clause 13.19.

 

14 SHIP COVENANTS

 

14.1 General

The Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply, on and from the Delivery Date, with the following provisions of this Clause 14, except as the Agent may, with the authority of the Majority Lenders, otherwise permit in writing.

 

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14.2 Ship’s name and registration

The Borrower shall keep the Ship registered in its name under an Approved Flag; shall not do or allow to be done anything as a result of which such registration might be cancelled or imperilled; and shall not change the name or port of registry of the Ship.

 

14.3 Repair and classification

The Borrower shall keep the Ship in a good, safe and seaworthy condition and state of repair:

 

(a) consistent with first-class ship ownership and management practice;

 

(b) so as to maintain the highest class with a classification society which is a member of IACS acceptable to the Agent (acting with the authorisation of the Lenders) free of overdue recommendations and conditions of such classification society;

 

(c) so as to comply with all laws and regulations applicable to vessels registered at ports of an Approved Flag State or to vessels trading to any jurisdiction to which such Ship may trade from time to time, including but not limited to the ISM Code and the ISM Code Documentation and the ISPS Code; and

 

(d) the Borrower shall use its best efforts to allow the Agent (or its agents), at any time, to inspect the original class and related records of the Borrower and the Ship electronically (through the classification society directly) and to take copies of such records.

 

14.4 Modification

The Borrower shall not make any modification or repairs to, or replacement of, the Ship or equipment installed on the Ship which would or might materially alter the structure, type or performance characteristics of that Ship or materially reduce its value.

 

14.5 Removal of parts

The Borrower shall not remove any material part of the Ship, or any item of equipment installed on the Ship, unless the part or item so removed is forthwith replaced by a suitable part or item which is in the same condition as or better condition than the part or item removed, is free from any Security Interest or any right in favour of any person other than the Security Trustee and becomes on installation on the Ship the property of the Borrower and subject to the security constituted by the Mortgage Provided that the Borrower may install equipment owned by a third party if the equipment can be removed without any risk of damage to the Ship.

 

14.6 Surveys

The Borrower shall submit the Ship regularly to all periodical or other surveys which may be required for classification purposes and, if so required by the Lenders provide the Security Trustee, with copies of all survey reports.

 

14.7 Technical Survey

Without prejudice to the Borrower’s obligations pursuant to Clause 14.6, the Borrower promptly following the request of the Agent will, submit the Ship for a technical survey by an independent surveyor or surveyors appointed by the Agent (provided such technical survey

 

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does not interfere with the ordinary trading of the Ship). All fees and expenses incurred in relation to the appointment of the surveyor or surveyors and the preparation and issue of all technical reports pursuant to this Clause 14.7 shall be for the account of the Borrower.

 

14.8 Inspection

The Borrower shall permit the Security Trustee (by surveyors or other persons appointed by it for that purpose) to board the Ship at all times (but in any event without interfering with its ordinary trading) to inspect its condition or to satisfy themselves about proposed or executed repairs, shall afford all proper facilities for such inspections and pay to the Agent the amount of all fees, costs and expenses incurred in respect of such inspections Provided that so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred the Borrower shall not be obliged to pay any fees and expenses in respect of more than one inspection of the Ship in any calendar year.

 

14.9 Prevention of and release from arrest

The Borrower shall promptly discharge:

 

(a) all liabilities which give or may give rise to maritime or possessory liens on or claims enforceable against the Ship, its Earnings or its Insurances;

 

(b) all taxes, dues and other amounts charged in respect of the Ship, its Earnings or its Insurances; and

 

(c) all other outgoings whatsoever in respect of the Ship, its Earnings or its Insurances,

and, forthwith upon receiving notice of the arrest of the Ship, or of her detention in exercise or purported exercise of any lien or claim, the Borrower shall procure her release by providing bail or otherwise as the circumstances may require.

 

14.10 Compliance with laws etc.

The Borrower shall:

 

(a) comply, or procure compliance with the ISM Code (including, for the avoidance of doubt, by the Approved Manager), all Environmental Laws, the ISPS Code, Sanctions and all other laws or regulations relating to the Ship, its ownership, operation and management or to the business of the Borrower;

 

(b) not employ the Ship, nor allow its employment in any manner contrary to any law or regulation in any relevant jurisdiction including but not limited to the ISM Code and the ISPS Code and Sanctions; and

 

(c) in the event of hostilities in any part of the world (whether war is declared or not), not cause or permit it to enter or trade to any zone which is declared a war zone by any government or by the Ship’s war risks insurers unless the prior written consent of the Lenders has been given and the Borrower has (at its expense) effected any special, additional or modified insurance cover which the Lenders may require.

 

14.11 Provision of information

The Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee with any information which the Lenders request regarding:

 

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(a) the Ship, its employment, position and engagements;

 

(b) the Earnings and payments and amounts due to the Ship’s master and crew of the Ship;

 

(c) any expenses incurred, or likely to be incurred, in connection with the operation, maintenance or repair of the Ship and any payments made in respect of the Ship;

 

(d) any towages and salvages;

 

(e) any intended dry-docking of the Ship;

 

(f) the Borrower’s, the Approved Manager’s compliance or the compliance of the Ship with the ISM Code and the ISPS Code; and

 

(g) any other information which the Creditor Parties (or any of them) may reasonably request,

and, upon the Security Trustee’s request, provide copies of any current charter relating to the Ship, and copies of the Borrower’s or the Approved Manager’s Document of Compliance or any other document issued under ISM Code Documentation.

 

14.12 Notification of certain events

The Borrower shall immediately notify the Security Trustee by letter of:

 

(a) any casualty which is or is likely to be or to become a Major Casualty;

 

(b) any occurrence as a result of which the Ship has become or is, by the passing of time or otherwise, likely to become a Total Loss;

 

(c) any requirement or recommendation made by any insurer or classification society or by any competent authority which is not complied with in accordance with its terms;

 

(d) any arrest or detention of the Ship, any exercise or purported exercise of any lien on the Ship or its Earnings or any requisition of such Ship for hire;

 

(e) any dry docking of the Ship;

 

(f) any Environmental Claim made against the Borrower or in connection with the Ship, or any Environmental Incident;

 

(g) any claim for breach of the ISM Code or the ISPS Code being made against the Borrower, the Approved Manager or otherwise in connection with the Ship; or

 

(h) any other matter, event or incident, actual or threatened, the effect of which will or could lead to the ISM Code or the ISPS Code not being complied with,

and the Borrower shall keep the Security Trustee advised in writing on a regular basis and in such detail as the Security Trustee shall require of the Borrower’s, the Approved Manager’s or any other person’s response to any of those events or matters.

 

14.13 Restrictions on chartering, appointment of managers etc.

The Borrower shall not:

 

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(a) let the Ship on demise charter for any period;

 

(b) enter into any time or consecutive voyage charter in respect of the Ship for a term which exceeds, or which by virtue of any optional extensions may exceed, 12 months, other than the Existing Charter, except as the Agent may consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld;

 

(c) enter into any charter in relation to the Ship under which more than 2 months’ hire (or the equivalent) is payable in advance;

 

(d) charter the Ship otherwise than on bona fide arm’s length terms at the time when the Ship is fixed;

 

(e) appoint a manager of the Ship other than the Approved Manager or agree to any material alteration to the terms of the Approved Manager’s appointment which could lead to an Event of Default (“material alterations” to include, without limitation, alterations concerning fees, duration and parties);

 

(f) de-activate or lay up the Ship; or

 

(g) put the Ship into the possession of any person for the purpose of work being done upon her in an amount exceeding or likely to exceed $500,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency) unless that person has first given to the Security Trustee and in terms satisfactory to it a written undertaking not to exercise any lien on that Ship or her Earnings for the cost of such work or otherwise.

 

14.14 Notice of Mortgage

The Borrower shall keep the Mortgage registered against the Ship as a valid first priority or the case may be preferred mortgage, carry on board the Ship a certified copy of that Mortgage and place and maintain in a conspicuous place in the navigation room and the Master’s cabin of the Ship a framed printed notice stating that the Ship is mortgaged by the Borrower to the Security Trustee.

 

14.15 Sharing of Earnings

The Borrower shall not:

 

(a) enter into any agreement or arrangement for the sharing of any Earnings;

 

(b) enter into any agreement or arrangement for the postponement of any date on which any Earnings are due; the reduction of the amount of any Earnings or otherwise for the release or adverse alteration of any right of the Borrower to any Earnings; or

 

(c) enter into any agreement or arrangement for the release of, or adverse alteration to, any guarantee or Security Interest relating to any Earnings.

 

14.16 Time Charter Assignment

If the Borrower enters into any further Charterparty in addition to the Existing Charter, the Borrower shall, at the request of the Agent, execute in favour of the Security Trustee a Charterparty Assignment, and shall deliver to the Agent such other documents equivalent to those referred to at paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Part A and 6 of Part B of Schedule 3 hereof as the Agent may require.

 

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14.17 ISM Code, ISPS Code compliance and Environmental Laws

All requirements of the ISM Code, ISPS Code and Environmental Laws as they relate to the Borrower, the Approved Manager, the Ship shall be complied with at all times.

 

15 SECURITY COVER

 

15.1 Minimum required security cover

Clause 15.2 applies if the Agent notifies the Borrower that the Security Cover Ratio is below 120 per cent.

 

15.2 Provision of additional security; prepayment

If the Agent serves a notice on the Borrower under Clause 15.1, the Borrower shall prepay such part (at least) of the Loan as will eliminate the shortfall on or before the date falling 1 month after the date on which the Agent’s notice is served under Clause 15.1 (the “ Prepayment Date ”) unless at least 1 Business Day before the Prepayment Date it has provided, or ensured that a third party has provided, additional security which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, has a net realisable value at least equal to the shortfall.

In this Clause 15.2 “ security ” means a Security Interest over an asset or assets (whether securing the Borrower’s liabilities under the Finance Documents or a guarantee in respect of those liabilities), or a guarantee, letter of credit or other security (including any cash pledged to the Security Trustee) in respect of the Borrower’s liabilities under the Finance Documents.

 

15.3 Requirement for additional documents

The Borrower shall not be deemed to have complied with Clause 15.2 above until the Agent has received in connection with the additional security certified copies of documents of the kinds referred to in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Schedule 3, Part A and such legal opinions in terms acceptable to the Majority Lenders from such lawyers as they may select.

 

15.4 Valuation of Ship

The market value of the Ship at any date is that shown (i) in a valuation or (ii) (at the Agent’s request acting in its sole discretion) by taking the average of 2 valuations, in each case prepared:

 

(a) as at a date not more than 30 days previously;

 

(b) by an Approved Broker selected by the Borrower and appointed by the Agent (unless the Borrower has not nominated an Approved Broker within 3 Business Days of the Agent’s request in which case the Agent will be entitled to select and appoint an Approved Broker);

 

(c) with or without physical inspection of the Ship (as the Agent may require); and

 

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(d) on the basis of a sale for prompt delivery for cash on normal arm’s length commercial terms as between a willing seller and a willing buyer, free of any existing charter or other contract of employment (as the Agent may require).

 

15.5 Value of additional security

The net realisable value of any additional security which is provided under Clause 15.1 and which consists of a Security Interest over a vessel shall be that shown by a valuation complying with the requirements of Clause 15.4.

 

15.6 Valuations binding

Any valuation under Clause 15.2, 15.4 or 15.5 shall be binding and conclusive as regards the Borrower, as shall be any valuation which the Majority Lenders make of a security which does not consist of or include a Security Interest.

 

15.7 Provision of information

The Borrower shall promptly provide the Agent and any Approved Broker or expert acting under Clause 15.4 or 15.5 with any information which the Agent or the Approved Broker or expert may request for the purposes of the valuation; and, if the Borrower fails to provide the information by the date specified in the request, the valuation may be made on any basis and assumptions which the Approved Broker or the Majority Lenders (or the expert appointed by them) consider prudent.

 

15.8 Payment of valuation expenses

Without prejudice to the generality of the Borrower’s obligations under Clauses 20.3, 20.4 and 20.5, the Borrower shall, on demand, pay the Agent the amount of the fees and expenses of any Approved Broker or expert instructed by the Agent under this Clause and all legal and other expenses incurred by any Creditor Party in connection with any matter arising out of this Clause Provided that so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing all valuations of the Ship commissioned by the Agent for the purposes of this Clause 15 which confirm that the Borrower has satisfied the test in Clause 15.1, the Borrower shall be obliged to pay the fees and expenses in respect of more than one valuation or (as applicable) one set of valuations of the Ship in any calendar year.

 

15.9 Frequency of valuations

The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the Agent may commission valuation(s) of the Ship at such times as the Agent may reasonably request (including, without limitation, on the occurrence of any breach of obligation under this Agreement, any Finance Document or any other relevant documentation in connection therewith) and, in any event not less than once in any calendar year.

 

16 PAYMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

 

16.1 Currency and method of payments

All payments to be made:

 

(a) by the Lenders to the Agent; or

 

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(b) by the Borrower to the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender,

under a Finance Document shall be made to the Agent or to the Security Trustee, in the case of an amount payable to it:

 

  (i) by not later than 11.00 a.m. (New York City time) on the due date;

 

  (ii) in same day Dollar funds settled through the New York Clearing House Interbank Payments System (or in such other Dollar funds and/or settled in such other manner as the Agent shall specify as being customary at the time for the settlement of international transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement);

 

  (iii) to the account of Agent, as the Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the other Creditor Parties; and

 

  (iv) in the case of an amount payable to the Security Trustee, to such account as it may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the other Creditor Parties.

 

16.2 Payment on non-Business Day

If any payment by the Borrower under a Finance Document would otherwise fall due on a day which is not a Business Day:

 

(a) the due date shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day; or

 

(b) if the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next calendar month, the due date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day,

and interest shall be payable during any extension under paragraph (a) at the rate payable on the original due date.

 

16.3 Basis for calculation of periodic payments

All interest and any other payments under any Finance Document which are of an annual or periodic nature shall accrue from day to day and shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a 360 day year.

 

16.4 Distribution of payments to Creditor Parties

Subject to Clauses 16.5, 16.6 and 16.7:

 

(a) any amount received by the Agent under a Finance Document for distribution or remittance to a Lender or the Security Trustee shall be made available by the Agent to that Lender or, as the case may be, the Security Trustee by payment, with funds having the same value as the funds received, to such account as the Lender or the Security Trustee may have notified to the Agent not less than 5 Business Days previously; and

 

(b) amounts to be applied in satisfying amounts of a particular category which are due to the Lenders generally shall be distributed by the Agent to each Lender pro rata to the amount in that category which is due to it.

 

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16.5 Permitted deductions by Agent

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent may, before making an amount available to a Lender, deduct and withhold from that amount any sum which is then due and payable to the Agent from that Lender under any Finance Document or any sum which the Agent is then entitled under any Finance Document to require that Lender to pay on demand.

 

16.6 Agent only obliged to pay when monies received

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent shall not be obliged to make available to the Borrower or any Lender any sum which the Agent is expecting to receive for remittance or distribution to the Borrower or that Lender until the Agent has satisfied itself that it has received that sum.

 

16.7 Refund to Agent of monies not received

If and to the extent that the Agent makes available a sum to the Borrower or a Lender, without first having received that sum, the Borrower or (as the case may be) the Lender concerned shall, on demand:

 

(a) refund the sum in full to the Agent; and

 

(b) pay to the Agent the amount (as certified by the Agent) which will indemnify the Agent against any funding or other loss, liability or expense incurred by the Agent as a result of making the sum available before receiving it.

 

16.8 Agent may assume receipt

Clause 16.7 shall not affect any claim which the Agent has under the law of restitution, and applies irrespective of whether the Agent had any form of notice that it had not received the sum which it made available.

 

16.9 Creditor Party accounts

Each Creditor Party shall maintain accounts showing the amounts owing to it by the Borrower and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrower and any Security Party.

 

16.10 Agent’s memorandum account

The Agent shall maintain a memorandum account showing the amounts advanced by the Lenders and all other sums owing to the Agent, the Security Trustee and each Lender from the Borrower and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrower and any Security Party.

 

16.11 Accounts prima facie evidence

If any accounts maintained under Clauses 16.9 and 16.10 show an amount to be owing by the Borrower or a Security Party to a Creditor Party, those accounts shall be prima facie evidence that that amount is owing to that Creditor Party.

 

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17 APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS

 

17.1 Normal order of application

Except as any Finance Document may otherwise provide, any sums which are received or recovered by any Creditor Party under or by virtue of any Finance Document shall be applied:

 

(a) FIRST: in or towards satisfaction of any amounts then due and payable under the Finance Documents in the following proportions:

 

  (i) first, in or towards satisfaction pro rata of all amounts then due and payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents other than those amounts referred to at (ii) and (iii) below (including, but without limitation, all amounts payable by the Borrower under Clauses 20, 21 and 22 of this Agreement or by the Borrower or any Security Party under any corresponding or similar provision in any other Finance Document);

 

  (ii) secondly, in or towards satisfaction pro rata of any and all amounts of interest or default interest payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents; and

 

  (iii) thirdly, in or towards satisfaction of the Loan;

 

(b) SECONDLY: in retention of an amount equal to any amount not then due and payable under any Finance Document but which the Agent, by notice to the Borrower (or any of them), the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties, states in its opinion will or may become due and payable in the future and, upon those amounts becoming due and payable, in or towards satisfaction of them in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Clause 17.1(a);

 

(c) THIRDLY: in or towards satisfaction of any amounts representing management fees then due and payable by the Borrower to the Approved Manager in connection with the Ship; and

 

(d) FOURTHLY: any surplus shall be paid to the Borrower or to any other person appearing to be entitled to it.

 

17.2 Variation of order of application

The Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders by notice to the Borrower, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties provide for a different manner of application from that set out in Clause 17.1 either as regards a specified sum or sums or as regards sums in a specified category or categories.

 

17.3 Notice of variation of order of application

The Agent may give notices under Clause 17.2 from time to time; and such a notice may be stated to apply not only to sums which may be received or recovered in the future, but also to any sum which has been received or recovered on or after the third Business Day before the date on which the notice is served.

 

17.4 Appropriation rights overridden

This Clause 17 and any notice which the Agent gives under Clause 17.2 shall override any right of appropriation possessed, and any appropriation made, by the Borrower or any Security Party.

 

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18 APPLICATION OF EARNINGS

 

18.1 Payment of Earnings

The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party that, throughout the Security Period (and subject only to the provisions of the General Assignment to which it is a party):

 

(a) it shall maintain the Accounts opened in its name (whether individually or jointly) with the Account Bank;

 

(b) it shall ensure that all Earnings of the Ship are paid to the Earnings Account; and

 

(c) the Minimum Liquidity amounts required to be maintained pursuant to Clause 11.21 shall be maintained in the relevant Earnings Account.

 

18.2 Monthly retentions

The Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to ensure that, on and from the date falling one month after the Drawdown Date and at monthly intervals thereafter during the Security Period, there are transferred in respect of each Advance drawn on the Drawdown Date to the Retention Account out of the Earnings received in the Earnings Account during the preceding month:

 

(a) one-third of the amount of the Repayment Instalment falling due under Clause 8.1 on the next Repayment Date; and

 

(b) the relevant fraction of the aggregate amount of interest on the Loan which is payable on the next due date for payment of interest under this Agreement,

and the Borrower irrevocably authorises the Agent to make those transfers if the Borrower fails to do so.

The “ relevant fraction ”, in relation to paragraph (b), is a fraction of which the numerator is 1 and the denominator the number of months comprised in the then current Interest Period (or if the current Interest Period ends after the next due date for payment of interest under this Agreement, the number of months from the later of the commencement of the current Interest Period or the last due date for payment of interest to the next due date for payment of interest under this Agreement).

 

18.3 Shortfall in Earnings

If the aggregate Earnings received in the Earnings Account are insufficient at any time for the required amount to be transferred to the Retention Account under Clause 18.2, the Borrower shall immediately pay the amount of the insufficiency into the Retention Account.

 

18.4 Application of retentions

Until an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default occurs, the Agent shall, to the extent there are sufficient funds standing to the credit of the Retention Account, on each Repayment Date and on each due date for the payment of interest under this Agreement distribute to the Lenders in accordance with Clause 16.4 so much of the then balance on the Retention Account as equals:

 

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(a) the Repayment Instalment due on that Repayment Date pursuant to Clause 8.1; or

 

(b) the amount of interest payable on that interest payment date,

in discharge of the Borrower’s liability for that Repayment Instalment or that interest.

 

18.5 Application of Earnings

The Borrower undertakes with the Lenders that money from time to time credited to, or for the time being standing to the credit of, the Earnings Account shall, unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred (whereupon the provisions of Clause 17.1 shall be and become applicable), be available for application in the following manner:

 

(a) in or towards making payments of all amounts due and payable by the Borrower under this Agreement (other than payments of principal and interest);

 

(b) in or towards satisfaction of all amounts of interest or default interest payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents;

 

(c) in or towards satisfaction of the Loan;

 

(d) in or towards making payments of all fees due to the Approved Manager and thereafter meeting the costs and expenses from time to time incurred by or on behalf of the Borrower in connection with the operation of the Ship; and

 

(e) as to any surplus from time to time arising on the Earnings Account following application as aforesaid, to be paid to the Borrower or to whomsoever it may direct.

 

18.6 Location of account

The Borrower shall promptly:

 

(a) comply with any requirement of the Agent as to the location or re-location of the Earnings Account; and

 

(b) execute any documents which the Agent specifies to create or maintain in favour of the Security Trustee a Security Interest over (and/or rights of set-off, consolidation or other rights in relation to) the Accounts.

 

18.7 Debits for expenses etc.

The Agent shall be entitled (but not obliged) from time to time to debit the Earnings Account without prior notice in order to discharge any amount due and payable under Clause 20 or 21 to a Creditor Party or payment of which any Creditor Party has become entitled to demand under Clause 20 or 21.

 

18.8 Borrower’s obligations unaffected

The provisions of this Clause 18 (as distinct from a distribution effected under Clause 18.4) do not affect:

 

(a) the liability of the Borrower to make payments of principal and interest on the due dates; or

 

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(b) any other liability or obligation of the Borrower or any Security Party under any Finance Document.

 

18.9 Restriction on withdrawal

During the Security Period no sum may be withdrawn by the Borrower from the Retention Account.

 

19 EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

19.1 Events of Default

An Event of Default occurs if:

 

(a) the Borrower or any of them or any Security Party fails to pay when due or (if so payable) on demand any sum payable under a Finance Document or under any document relating to a Finance Document; or

 

(b) any breach occurs of Clause 9.2, 10.3, 10.15, 10.18, 11.2, 11.3, 11.18, 11.21, 12.2, 12.3, 13.2, 13.3, 14.2 or 15.2 or clause 12.3 of the Corporate Guarantee; or

 

(c) any breach by the Borrower or any of them or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraphs (a) or (b) above) if, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, such default is capable of remedy, and such default continues unremedied 14 days after the earlier of (i) written notice from the Agent requesting action to remedy the same and (ii) the Borrower becoming aware of such breach; or

 

(d) (subject to any applicable grace period specified in the Finance Document) any breach by the Borrower or any of them or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) above); or

 

(e) any representation, warranty or statement made or repeated by, or by an officer of, the Borrower or a Security Party in a Finance Document or in the Drawdown Notice or any other notice or document relating to a Finance Document is untrue or misleading when it is made or repeated; or

 

(f) any of the following occurs in relation to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person (for an amount exceeding, in the case of any Relevant Person other than the Borrower $10,000,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency) in aggregate):

 

  (i) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is not paid when due or, if so payable, on demand; or

 

  (ii) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes due and payable or capable of being declared due and payable prior to its stated maturity date as a consequence of any event of default unless the Relevant Person is contesting the declaration of an event of default or of the Financial Indebtedness becoming due and payable in good faith and on substantial grounds by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves have been set aside for its payment if such proceedings fail; or

 

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  (iii) a lease, hire purchase agreement or charter creating any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is terminated by the lessor or owner or becomes capable of being terminated as a consequence of any termination event; or

 

  (iv) any overdraft, loan, note issuance, acceptance credit, letter of credit, guarantee, foreign exchange or other facility, or any swap or other derivative contract or transaction, relating to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person ceases to be available or becomes capable of being terminated as a result of any event of default, or cash cover is required, or becomes capable of being required, in respect of such a facility as a result of any event of default; or

 

  (v) any Security Interest securing any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes enforceable; or

 

(g) any of the following occurs in relation to a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) a Relevant Person becomes, in the reasonable opinion of the Lenders, unable to pay its debts as they fall due; or

 

  (ii) any assets of a Relevant Person are subject to any form of execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress in respect of a sum of, or sums aggregating, $10,000,000 or more or the equivalent in another currency and such execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress is not withdrawn or discharged within thirty (30) days; or

 

  (iii) any administrative or other receiver is appointed over any asset of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (iv) an administrator is appointed (whether by the court or otherwise) in respect of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (v) any formal declaration of bankruptcy or any formal statement to the effect that a Relevant Person is insolvent or likely to become insolvent is made by a Relevant Person or by the directors of a Relevant Person or, in any proceedings, by a lawyer acting for a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vi) a provisional liquidator is appointed in respect of a Relevant Person, a winding up order is made in relation to a Relevant Person or a winding up resolution is passed by a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vii) a resolution is passed, an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by (aa) a Relevant Person, (bb) the members or directors of a Relevant Person, (cc) a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person, or (dd) a government minister or public or regulatory authority of a Pertinent Jurisdiction for or with a view to the winding up of that or another Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of that or another Relevant Person, or that or another Relevant Person ceasing or suspending business operations or payments to creditors, save that this paragraph does not apply to a fully solvent winding up of a Relevant Person other than the Borrower or the Corporate Guarantor which is, or is to be, effected for the purposes of an amalgamation or reconstruction previously approved by the Majority Lenders and effected not later than 3 months after the commencement of the winding up; or

 

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  (viii) an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by a creditor of a Relevant Person (other than a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person) for the winding up of a Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of a Relevant Person in any Pertinent Jurisdiction, unless the proposed winding up, appointment of a provisional liquidator or administration is being contested in good faith, on substantial grounds and not with a view to some other insolvency law procedure being implemented instead and either (aa) the application or petition is dismissed or withdrawn within 60 days of being made or presented, or (bb) within 60 days of the administration notice being given or filed, or the other relevant steps being taken, other action is taken which will ensure that there will be no administration and (in both cases (aa) or (bb)) the Relevant Person will continue to carry on business in the ordinary way and without being the subject of any actual, interim or pending insolvency law procedure; or

 

  (ix) a Relevant Person or its directors take any steps (whether by making or presenting an application or petition to a court, or submitting or presenting a document setting out a proposal or proposed terms, or otherwise) with a view to obtaining, in relation to that or another Relevant Person, any form of moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation of debt (or certain debt) or arrangement with all or a substantial proportion (by number or value) of creditors or of any class of them or any such moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation or arrangement is effected by court order, by the filing of documents with a court, by means of a contract or in any other way at all; or

 

  (x) any meeting of the members or directors, or of any committee of the board or senior management, of a Relevant Person is held or summoned for the purpose of considering a resolution or proposal to authorise or take any action of a type described in paragraphs (iv) to (ix) or a step preparatory to such action, or (with or without such a meeting) the members, directors or such a committee resolve or agree that such an action or step should be taken or should be taken if certain conditions materialise or fail to materialise; or

 

  (xi) in a country other than England, any event occurs, any proceedings are opened or commenced or any step is taken which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders is similar to any of the foregoing; or

 

(h) the Borrower or any Security Party ceases or suspends carrying on its business or a part of its business which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, is material in the context of this Agreement; or

 

(i) it becomes unlawful in any Pertinent Jurisdiction or impossible:

 

  (i) for the Borrower or any Security Party to discharge any liability under a Finance Document or to comply with any other obligation which the Majority Lenders consider material under a Finance Document; or

 

  (ii) for the Agent, the Security Trustee or the Lenders to exercise or enforce any right under, or to enforce any Security Interest created by, a Finance Document; or

 

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(j) any official consent necessary to enable the Borrower to own, operate or charter the Ship or to enable the Borrower or any Security Party to comply with any provision which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider material of a Finance Document or the MOA is not granted, expires without being renewed, is revoked or becomes liable to revocation or any condition of such a consent is not fulfilled, unless the Borrower contests any denial, expiration or revocation (other than with respect to a Finance Documents) and on the condition that, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders (i) there are real prospects of such contest being successfully granted/upheld by the Borrower (ii) such contest being made in good faith; or

 

(k) it appears to the Majority Lenders that, without their prior written consent:

 

  (i) a change has occurred or probably has occurred after the date of this Agreement in the legal or direct beneficial ownership of any of the shares in the Borrower or the Shareholder in the voting rights attaching to any of those shares; or

 

  (ii) the Borrower ceases to be a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Corporate Guarantor; or

 

  (iii) the Designated Shareholders own, in aggregate, less than 20 per cent. of the issued and outstanding voting shares in the Corporate Guarantor; or

 

(l) any provision which the Majority Lenders consider material of a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable, or a Security Interest created by a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable or such a Security Interest proves to have ranked after, or loses its priority to, another Security Interest or any other third party claim or interest; or

 

(m) the security constituted by a Finance Document is in any way imperilled or in jeopardy; or

 

(n) any other event occurs or any other circumstances arise or develop including, without limitation:

 

  (i) a material adverse change in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operation, state of affairs or prospects of the Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor or the Group; or

 

  (ii) any accident or other event involving any Ship or another vessel owned, chartered or operated by a Relevant Person,

in the light of which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider that there is a significant risk that any Security Party is, or will later become, unable to discharge its liabilities under the Finance Documents as they fall due or the enforceability of any Finance Document may be adversely affected.

 

19.2 Actions following an Event of Default

On, or at any time after, the occurrence of an Event of Default:

 

(a) the Agent may, and if so instructed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent shall:

 

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  (i) serve on the Borrower a notice stating that all or part of the Commitments and all other obligations of each Lender to the Borrower under this Agreement are terminated; and/or

 

  (ii) serve on the Borrower a notice stating that all or part of the Loan, all accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing under this Agreement are immediately due and payable or are due and payable on demand; and/or

 

  (iii) take any other action which, as a result of the Event of Default or any notice served under paragraph (i) or (ii) above, the Agent and/or the Lenders are entitled to take under any Finance Document or any applicable law; and/or

 

(b) the Security Trustee may, and if so instructed by the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Lenders, the Security Trustee shall take any action which, as a result of the Event of Default or any notice served under paragraph (a) (i) or (ii) above, the Security Trustee, the Agent and/or the Majority Lenders are entitled to take under any Finance Document or any applicable law.

 

19.3 Termination of Commitments

On the service of a notice under paragraph (a)(i) of Clause 19.2, the Commitments and all other obligations of each Lender to the Borrower under this Agreement shall terminate.

 

19.4 Acceleration of Loan

On the service of a notice under paragraph (a)(ii) of Clause 19.2, the Loan, all accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing from the Borrower or any Security Party under this Agreement and every other Finance Document shall become immediately due and payable or, as the case may be, payable on demand.

 

19.5 Multiple notices; action without notice

The Agent may serve notices under paragraphs (a) (i) and (ii) of Clause 19.2 simultaneously or on different dates and it and/or the Security Trustee may take any action referred to in that Clause if no such notice is served or simultaneously with or at any time after the service of both or either of such notices.

 

19.6 Notification of Creditor Parties and Security Parties

The Agent shall send to each Lender, the Security Trustee and each Security Party a copy or the text of any notice which the Agent serves on the Borrower under Clause 19.2; but the notice shall become effective when it is served on the Borrower, and no failure or delay by the Agent to send a copy or the text of the notice to any other person shall invalidate the notice or provide the Borrower or any Security Party with any form of claim or defence.

 

19.7 Creditor Party’s rights unimpaired

Nothing in this Clause shall be taken to impair or restrict the exercise of any right given to individual Lenders under a Finance Document or the general law; and, in particular, this Clause is without prejudice to Clause 3.1.

 

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19.8 Exclusion of Creditor Party Liability

No Creditor Party, and no receiver or manager appointed by the Security Trustee, shall have any liability to the Borrower or a Security Party:

 

(a) for any loss caused by an exercise of rights under, or enforcement of a Security Interest created by, a Finance Document or by any failure or delay to exercise such a right or to enforce such a Security Interest; or

 

(b) as mortgagee in possession or otherwise, for any income or principal amount which might have been produced by or realised from any asset comprised in such a Security Interest or for any reduction (however caused) in the value of such an asset,

except that this does not exempt a Creditor Party or a receiver or manager from liability for losses shown to have been caused by the gross negligence or the wilful misconduct of such Creditor Party’s own officers and employees or (as the case may be) such receiver’s or manager’s own partners or employees.

 

19.9 Relevant Persons

In this Clause 19, a “ Relevant Person ” means the Borrower, a Security Party (excluding the Approved Manager), and any company which is a subsidiary of the Borrower or of a Security Party or of which the Borrower is a subsidiary.

 

19.10 Interpretation

In Clause 19.1(f) references to an event of default or a termination event include any event, howsoever described, which is similar to an event of default in a facility agreement or a termination event in a finance lease; and in Clause 19.1(g) “ petition ” includes an application.

 

20 FEES AND EXPENSES

 

20.1 Up-front fee

The Borrower shall pay to the Agent on or prior to the date of this Agreement, a non-refundable up-front fee in the amount of $300,000 (representing 1.20 per cent. of the Total Commitments) for distribution among the Lenders pro rata to their Commitments.

 

20.2 Account Bank fee

The Borrower shall pay to the Account Bank on or prior to the date of this Agreement and on each anniversary thereof a non-refundable annual fee in the amount of $1,000 in respect of the Earnings Account.

 

20.3 Costs of negotiation, preparation etc.

The Borrower shall pay to the Agent on its demand the amount of all expenses incurred by the Agent or the Security Trustee in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution or registration of any Finance Document or any related document or with any transaction contemplated by a Finance Document or a related document (including, without limitation, out of pocket expenses, legal fees and any related VAT).

 

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20.4 Costs of variations, amendments, enforcement etc.

The Borrower shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, the amount of all documented expenses incurred by a Creditor Party in connection with:

 

(a) any amendment or supplement to a Finance Document, or any proposal for such an amendment to be made;

 

(b) any consent or waiver by the Lenders, the Majority Lenders or the Creditor Party concerned under or in connection with a Finance Document, or any request for such a consent or waiver;

 

(c) the valuation of any security provided or offered under Clause 15 or any other matter relating to such security;

 

(d) where the Agent, in its absolute opinion, considers that there has been a material change to the insurances in respect of the Ship, the review of the insurances of the Ship pursuant to Clause 13.18;

 

(e) the opinions of the independent insurance consultant referred to in paragraph 5 of Part B, Schedule 3; and

 

(f) any step taken by any Lender concerned with a view to the protection, exercise or enforcement of any right or Security Interest created by a Finance Document or for any similar purpose.

There shall be recoverable under paragraph (d) the full amount of all legal expenses, whether or not such as would be allowed under rules of court or any taxation or other procedure carried out under such rules.

 

20.5 Documentary taxes

The Borrower shall promptly pay any tax payable on or by reference to any Finance Document, and shall, on the Agent’s demand, fully indemnify each Creditor Party against any liabilities, claims losses and expenses resulting from any failure or delay by the Borrower to pay such a tax.

 

20.6 Certification of amounts

A notice which is signed by two officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 20 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

21 INDEMNITIES

 

21.1 Indemnities regarding borrowing and repayment of Loan

The Borrower shall fully indemnify the Agent and each Lender on the Agent’s demand and the Security Trustee on its demand in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are made or brought against or incurred by that Creditor Party, or which that Creditor Party reasonably and with due diligence estimates that it will incur, as a result of or in connection with:

 

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(a) the Advance not being borrowed on the date specified in the Drawdown Notice for any reason other than a default by the Lender claiming the indemnity;

 

(b) the receipt or recovery of all or any part of the Loan or an overdue sum otherwise than on the last day of an Interest Period or other relevant period including, without limitation, where such receipt or recovery is made as a result of the voluntary or mandatory repayment or prepayment of the Loan, or any part thereof;

 

(c) any failure (for whatever reason) by the Borrower to make payment of any amount due under a Finance Document on the due date or, if so payable, on demand (after giving credit for any default interest paid by the Borrower on the amount concerned under Clause 7); and

 

(d) the occurrence and/or continuance of an Event of Default and/or the acceleration of repayment of the Loan under Clause 19,

and in respect of any tax (other than tax on its overall net income or a FATCA Deduction) for which a Creditor Party is liable in connection with any amount paid or payable to that Creditor Party (whether for its own account or otherwise) under any Finance Document.

 

21.2 Breakage costs

Without limiting its generality, Clause 21.1 covers any liability, expense or loss, including a loss of a prospective profit, incurred by a Lender:

 

(a) in liquidating or employing deposits from third parties acquired or arranged to fund or maintain all or any part of its Contribution and/or any overdue amount (or an aggregate amount which includes its Contribution or any overdue amount); and

 

(b) in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, any interest and/or currency swap or any other transaction entered into (whether with another legal entity or with another office or department of the Lender concerned) to hedge any exposure arising under this Agreement or that part which the Lender concerned determines is fairly attributable to this Agreement of the amount of the liabilities, expenses or losses (including losses of prospective profits) incurred by it in terminating, or otherwise in connection with, a number of transactions of which this Agreement is one.

 

21.3 Miscellaneous indemnities

The Borrower shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party severally on their respective demands in respect of all claims, demands, proceedings, liabilities, taxes, losses and expenses of every kind (“ liability items ”) which may be made or brought against, or incurred by, a Creditor Party, in any country, in relation to:

 

(a) any action taken, or omitted or neglected to be taken, under or in connection with any Finance Document by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party or by any receiver appointed under a Finance Document; and

 

(b) any other event, matter or question which occurs or arises at any time during the Security Period and which has any connection with, or any bearing on, any Finance Document, any payment or other transaction relating to a Finance Document or any asset covered (or previously covered) by a Security Interest created (or intended to be created) by a Finance Document,

 

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other than claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the dishonesty or wilful misconduct of the officers or employees of the Creditor Party concerned.

 

21.4 Extension of indemnities; environmental indemnity

Without prejudice to its generality, Clause 21.3 covers:

 

(a) any matter which would be covered by Clause 21.3 if any of the references in that Clause to a Lender were a reference to the Agent or (as the case may be) to the Security Trustee; and

 

(b) any liability items which arise, or are asserted, under or in connection with any law relating to safety at sea, pollution or the protection of the environment, the ISM Code, the ISPS Code or any Environmental Law.

 

21.5 Currency indemnity

If any sum due from the Borrower or any Security Party to a Creditor Party under a Finance Document or under any order or judgment relating to a Finance Document has to be converted from the currency in which the Finance Document provided for the sum to be paid (the “ Contractual Currency ”) into another currency (the “ Payment Currency ”) for the purpose of:

 

(a) making or lodging any claim or proof against the Borrower or any Security Party, whether in its liquidation, any arrangement involving it or otherwise; or

 

(b) obtaining an order or judgment from any court or other tribunal; or

 

(c) enforcing any such order or judgment,

the Borrower shall indemnify the Creditor Party concerned against the loss arising when the amount of the payment actually received by that Creditor Party is converted at the available rate of exchange into the Contractual Currency.

In this Clause 21.5, the “ available rate of exchange ” means the rate at which the Creditor Party concerned is able at the opening of business (London time) on the Business Day after it receives the sum concerned to purchase the Contractual Currency with the Payment Currency.

This Clause 21.5 creates a separate liability of the Borrower which is distinct from its other liabilities under the Finance Documents and which shall not be merged in any judgment or order relating to those other liabilities.

 

21.6 Certification of amounts

A notice which is signed by 2 officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 21 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown of the amounts due) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

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21.7 Sums deemed due to a Lender

For the purposes of this Clause 21, a sum payable by the Borrower to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender.

 

21.8 Sanctions

 

(a) The Borrower shall, within three (3) Business Days of demand by a Creditor Party, indemnify each Creditor Party against any cost, loss or liability incurred by it as a result of any civil penalty or fine against, and all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements) incurred in connection with the defence thereof by, the Agent or any Lender as a result of conduct of the Borrower or any Security Party or any of their partners, directors, officers, employees, agents or advisors, that violates any Sanctions.

 

(b) The indemnity in Clause 21.8(a) above shall cover any losses incurred by each Creditor Party in any jurisdiction arising or asserted under or in connection with any law relating to any Sanctions.

 

22 NO SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION

 

22.1 No deductions

All amounts due from the Borrower under a Finance Document shall be paid:

 

(a) without any form of set-off, cross-claim or condition; and

 

(b) free and clear of any tax deduction except a tax deduction which the Borrower is required by law to make.

 

22.2 Grossing-up for taxes

If the Borrower is required by law to make a tax deduction from any payment:

 

(a) the Borrower shall notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of the requirement;

 

(b) the Borrower shall pay the tax deducted to the appropriate taxation authority promptly, and in any event before any fine or penalty arises; and

 

(c) the amount due in respect of the payment shall be increased by the amount necessary to ensure that each Creditor Party receives and retains (free from any liability relating to the tax deduction) a net amount which, after the tax deduction, is equal to the full amount which it would otherwise have received.

 

22.3 Evidence of payment of taxes

Within 1 month after making any tax deduction, the Borrower concerned shall deliver to the Agent documentary evidence satisfactory to the Agent that the tax had been paid to the appropriate taxation authority.

 

22.4 Exclusion of tax on overall net income

In this Clause 22 “ tax deduction ” means any deduction or withholding for or on account of any present or future tax except tax on a Creditor Party’s overall net income or a FATCA Deduction.

 

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22.5 FATCA information

 

(a) Subject to paragraph (c) below, each party to the Finance Documents shall, within 5 Business Days of a reasonable request by another party to the Finance Documents:

 

  (i) confirm to that other party whether it is:

 

  (A) a FATCA Exempt Party; or

 

  (B) not a FATCA Exempt Party; and

 

  (ii) supply to that other party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status under FATCA as that other party reasonably requests for the purposes of that other party’s compliance with FATCA; and

 

  (iii) supply to that other party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status as that other party reasonably requests for the purposes of that other party’s compliance with any other law, regulation or exchange of information regime;

 

(b) if a party to any Finance Document confirms to another party pursuant to sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (a) above that it is a FATCA Exempt Party and it subsequently becomes aware that it is not, or has ceased to be a FATCA Exempt Party, that party shall notify that other party reasonably promptly;

 

(c) paragraph (a) above shall not oblige any Creditor Party, and paragraph (a)(iii) above shall not oblige any other Party to a Finance Document, to do anything which would or might in its reasonable opinion constitute a breach of:

 

  (i) any law or regulation;

 

  (ii) any fiduciary duty; or

 

  (iii) any duty of confidentiality;

 

(d) if a party to any Finance Document fails to confirm whether or not it is a FATCA Exempt Party or to supply forms, documentation or other information requested in accordance with paragraph (a)(i) or (ii) above (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where paragraph (c) above applies), then such party shall be treated for the purposes of the Finance Documents as if it is not a FATCA Exempt Party until such time as the party in question provides the requested confirmation, forms, documentation or other information.

 

(e) If the Borrower is or becomes a US Tax Obligor or a FATCA FFI, it shall as soon as reasonably practicable inform the Agent of the same;

 

(f) Where the Agent reasonably believes that its obligations under FATCA require it, the Borrower or the relevant Security Party shall provide the Agent, upon request, with a W-8 BEN-E form (or any successor form) or any other forms or documentation the Agent may reasonably require, as soon as reasonably practicable. The Agent shall not be liable for any action which it takes or refrains from taking under or in connection with this paragraph (f);

 

(g) If the Borrower is or becomes a US Tax Obligor or a FATCA FFI, or where the Agent reasonably believes that its obligations under FATCA require it, each Creditor Party shall, within 10 Business Days of the date of a request from the Agent supply to the Agent:

 

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  (i) a withholding certificate on Form W-8 or Form W-9 (or any successor form) (as applicable); and/or

 

  (ii) any withholding statement and other documentation, authorisations and waivers as the Agent may require to certify or establish the status of such Creditor Party under FATCA,

the Agent shall provide any withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers it receives from a Creditor Party pursuant to this paragraph (g) to the Borrower or the relevant Security Party and shall be entitled to rely on any such withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers provided without further verification. The Agent shall not be liable for any action which it takes or refrains from taking under or in connection with this paragraph (g); and

 

(h) The Borrower, each Security Party and each Creditor Party agrees that if any withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers provided to the Agent pursuant to paragraphs (f) to (g) above is or becomes materially inaccurate or incomplete, it shall promptly update such withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers or promptly notify the Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so. The Agent shall, if applicable, provide any such updated withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers to the Borrower or the relevant Security Party. The Agent shall not be liable for any action which it takes or refrains from taking under or in connection with this paragraph (h).

 

22.6 FATCA Deduction

 

(a) Each party to a Finance Document may make any FATCA Deduction it is required to make by FATCA, and any payment required in connection with that FATCA Deduction, and shall not be required to increase any payment in respect of which it makes such a FATCA Deduction or otherwise compensate the recipient of the payment for that FATCA Deduction.

 

(b) Each party to a Finance Document shall promptly, upon becoming aware that it must make a FATCA Deduction (or that there is any change in the rate or the basis of such FATCA Deduction), notify the party to a Finance Document to whom it is making the payment and, in addition, shall notify the Borrower and the Agent and the Agent shall notify the other Creditor Parties.

 

23 ILLEGALITY, ETC

 

23.1 Illegality

This Clause 23 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that it has become, or will with effect from a specified date, become:

 

(a) unlawful or prohibited as a result of the introduction of a new law, an amendment to an existing law or a change in the manner in which an existing law is or will be interpreted or applied; or

 

(b) contrary to, or inconsistent with, any regulation,

for the Notifying Lender to maintain or give effect to any of its obligations under this Agreement in the manner contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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23.2 Notification of illegality

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower, the Security Parties, the Security Trustee and the other Lenders of the notice under Clause 23.1 which the Agent receives from the Notifying Lender.

 

23.3 Prepayment; termination of Commitment

On the Agent notifying the Borrower under Clause 23.2, the Notifying Lender’s Commitment shall terminate; and thereupon or, if later, on the date specified in the Notifying Lender’s notice under Clause 23.1 as the date on which the notified event would become effective the Borrower shall prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution in accordance with Clause 8.

 

24 INCREASED COSTS

 

24.1 Increased costs

 

(a) The Borrower shall, within 3 Business Days of a demand by the Agent, pay for the account of a Creditor Party the amount of any Increased Costs incurred by that Creditor Party or any of its affiliates as a result of:

 

  (i) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation, administration or application of) any law or regulation; or

 

  (ii) compliance with any law or regulation made,

after the date of this Agreement.

 

(b) In this Agreement, “ Increased Costs ” means:

 

  (i) a reduction in the rate of return from the Loan or on a Creditor Party’s (or its affiliate’s) overall capital;

 

  (ii) an additional or increased cost; or

 

  (iii) a reduction of any amount due and payable under any Finance Document,

which is incurred or suffered by a Creditor Party or any of its affiliates to the extent that it is attributable to that Creditor Party having entered into its Commitment or funding or performing its obligations under any Finance Document but not an item attributable to a change in the rate of tax on the overall net income of the Notifying Lender (aa) (or a parent company of it) or (bb) an item covered by the indemnity for tax in Clause 21.1 or by Clause 22 or (cc) a FATCA Deduction.

 

24.2 Increased cost claims

 

(a) A Creditor Party (the “ Notifying Lender ”) intending to make a claim pursuant to Clause 24.1 shall notify the Agent of the event giving rise to the claim, following which the Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower.

 

(b) Each Creditor Party shall, as soon as practicable after a demand by the Agent, provide a certificate confirming the amount of its Increased Costs.

 

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24.3 Notification to Borrower of claim for increased costs

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Security Parties of the notice which the Agent received from the Notifying Lender under Clause 24.2.

 

24.4 Payment of increased costs

The Borrower shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Notifying Lender the amounts which the Agent from time to time notifies the Borrower that the Notifying Lender has specified to be necessary to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost.

 

24.5 Notice of prepayment

If the Borrower is not willing to continue to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost under Clause 24.4, the Borrower may give the Agent not less than 15 days’ notice of their intention to prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution at the end of an Interest Period and/or to cancel the Notifying Lender’s Available Commitment.

 

24.6 Prepayment; termination of Commitment

A notice under Clause 24.5 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Notifying Lender of the Borrower’s notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

(a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Commitment of the Notifying Lender shall be cancelled; and

 

(b) on the date specified in its notice of intended prepayment, the Borrower shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Notifying Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin.

 

24.7 Application of prepayment

Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

 

25 SET-OFF

 

25.1 Application of credit balances

Each Creditor Party may without prior notice:

 

(a) apply any balance (whether or not then due) which at any time stands to the credit of any account in the name of the Borrower at any office in any country of that Creditor Party in or towards satisfaction of any sum then due from the Borrower to that Creditor Party under any of the Finance Documents; and

 

(b) for that purpose:

 

  (i) break, or alter the maturity of, all or any part of a deposit of the Borrower;

 

  (ii) convert or translate all or any part of a deposit or other credit balance into Dollars; and

 

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  (iii) enter into any other transaction or make any entry with regard to the credit balance which the Creditor Party concerned considers appropriate.

 

25.2 Existing rights unaffected

No Creditor Party shall be obliged to exercise any of its rights under Clause 25.1; and those rights shall be without prejudice and in addition to any right of set-off, combination of accounts, charge, lien or other right or remedy to which a Creditor Party is entitled (whether under the general law or any document).

 

25.3 Sums deemed due to a Lender

For the purposes of this Clause 25, a sum payable by the Borrower to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to, or for the account of, a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender; and each Lender’s proportion of a sum so payable for distribution to, or for the account of, the Lenders shall be treated as a sum due to such Lender.

 

25.4 No Security Interest

This Clause 25 gives the Creditor Parties a contractual right of set off only and does not create any equitable charge or other Security Interest over any credit balance of the Borrower.

 

26 TRANSFERS AND CHANGES IN LENDING OFFICES

 

26.1 Transfer by Borrower

The Borrower may not, without the consent of the Agent, given on the instructions of all the Lenders:

 

(a) transfer any of its rights or obligations under any Finance Document; or

 

(b) enter into any merger, de-merger or other reorganisation, or carry out any other act, as a result of which any of its rights or liabilities would vest in, or pass to, another person.

 

26.2 Transfer by a Lender

Subject to Clause 26.4, a Lender (the “ Transferor Lender ”) may, with the prior written consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), at any time allow:

 

(a) its rights in respect of all or part of its Contribution; or

 

(b) its obligations in respect of all or part of its Commitment; or

 

(c) a combination of (a) and (b),

to be (in the case of its rights) transferred to, or (in the case of its obligations) assumed by, another bank or financial institution or to a trust, fund or other entity which is regularly engaged in or establish for the purpose of making, purchasing or investing in loans, securities or other financial assets (a “ Transferee Lender ”) by delivering to the Agent a completed certificate in the form set out in Schedule 4 with any modifications approved or required by the Agent (a “ Transfer Certificate ”) executed by the Transferor Lender and the Transferee Lender Provided that the consent of the Borrower shall not be required:

 

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  (i) if an Event of Default has occurred; or

 

  (ii) the Transferee Lender is an existing Lender or an affiliate of an existing Lender.

However any rights and obligations of the Transferor Lender in its capacity as Agent or Security Trustee will have to be dealt with separately in accordance with the Agency and Trust Agreement.

 

26.3 Transfer Certificate, delivery and notification

As soon as reasonably practicable after a Transfer Certificate is delivered to the Agent, it shall (unless it has reason to believe that the Transfer Certificate may be defective):

 

(a) sign the Transfer Certificate on behalf of itself, the Borrower, the Security Parties, the Security Trustee and each of the other Lenders;

 

(b) on behalf of the Transferee Lender, send to the Borrower and each Security Party letters or faxes notifying them of the Transfer Certificate and attaching a copy of it; and

 

(c) send to the Transferee Lender copies of the letters or faxes sent under paragraph (b) above.

 

26.4 Effective Date of Transfer Certificate

A Transfer Certificate becomes effective on the date, if any, specified in the Transfer Certificate as its effective date Provided that it is signed by the Agent under Clause 26.3 on or before that date.

 

26.5 No transfer without Transfer Certificate

No assignment or transfer of any right or obligation of a Lender under any Finance Document is binding on, or effective in relation to, the Borrower, any Security Party, the Agent or the Security Trustee unless it is effected, evidenced or perfected by a Transfer Certificate.

 

26.6 Lender re-organisation; waiver of Transfer Certificate

However, if a Lender enters into any merger, de-merger or other reorganisation as a result of which all its rights or obligations vest in another person (the “ successor ”), the Agent may, if it sees fit, by notice to the successor and the Borrower and the Security Trustee waive the need for the execution and delivery of a Transfer Certificate; and, upon service of the Agent’s notice, the successor shall become a Lender with the same Commitment and Contribution as were held by the predecessor Lender.

 

26.7 Effect of Transfer Certificate

A Transfer Certificate takes effect in accordance with English law as follows:

 

(a) to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate, all rights and interests (present, future or contingent) which the Transferor Lender has under or by virtue of the Finance Documents are assigned to the Transferee Lender absolutely, free of any defects in the Transferor Lender’s title and of any rights or equities which the Borrower or any Security Party had against the Transferor Lender;

 

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(b) the Transferor Lender’s Commitment is discharged to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

(c) the Transferee Lender becomes a Lender with the Contribution previously held by the Transferor Lender and a Commitment of an amount specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

(d) the Transferee Lender becomes bound by all the provisions of the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including those about pro-rata sharing and the exclusion of liability on the part of, and the indemnification of, the Agent and the Security Trustee and, to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes bound by those provisions (other than those relating to exclusion of liability), the Transferor Lender ceases to be bound by them;

 

(e) any part of the Loan which the Transferee Lender advances after the Transfer Certificate’s effective date ranks in point of priority and security in the same way as it would have ranked had it been advanced by the transferor, assuming that any defects in the transferor’s title and any rights or equities of the Borrower or any Security Party against the Transferor Lender had not existed;

 

(f) the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to all the rights under the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including but not limited to those relating to the Majority Lenders and those under Clause 5.7 and Clause 20, and to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to such rights, the Transferor Lender ceases to be entitled to them; and

 

(g) in respect of any breach of a warranty, undertaking, condition or other provision of a Finance Document or any misrepresentation made in or in connection with a Finance Document, the Transferee Lender shall be entitled to recover damages by reference to the loss incurred by it as a result of the breach or misrepresentation, irrespective of whether the original Lender would have incurred a loss of that kind or amount.

The rights and equities of the Borrower or any Security Party referred to above include, but are not limited to, any right of set off and any other kind of cross-claim.

 

26.8 Maintenance of register of Lenders

During the Security Period the Agent shall maintain a register in which it shall record the name, Commitment, Contribution and administrative details (including the lending office) from time to time of each Lender holding a Transfer Certificate and the effective date (in accordance with Clause 26.4) of the Transfer Certificate; and the Agent shall make the register available for inspection by any Lender, the Security Trustee and the Borrower during normal banking hours, subject to receiving at least 3 Business Days prior notice.

 

26.9 Reliance on register of Lenders

The entries on that register shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive in determining the identities of the Lenders and the amounts of their Commitments and Contributions and the effective dates of Transfer Certificates and may be relied upon by the Agent and the other parties to the Finance Documents for all purposes relating to the Finance Documents.

 

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26.10 Authorisation of Agent to sign Transfer Certificates

The Borrower, the Security Trustee and each Lender irrevocably authorise the Agent to sign Transfer Certificates on its behalf.

 

26.11 Registration fee

In respect of any Transfer Certificate, the Agent shall be entitled to recover a registration fee of $1,500 (and all costs, fees and expenses incidental to the transfer (including, but not limited to legal fees and expenses)) from the Transferor Lender or (at the Agent’s option) the Transferee Lender.

 

26.12 Sub-participation; subrogation assignment

A Lender may sub-participate all or any part of its rights and/or obligations under or in connection with the Finance Documents without the consent of, or any notice to, the Borrower, any Security Party, the Agent or the Security Trustee; and the Lenders may assign, in any manner and terms agreed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent and the Security Trustee, all or any part of those rights to an insurer or surety who has become subrogated to them.

 

26.13 Disclosure of information

Subject to Clause 26.4, a Lender may, disclose to a potential Transferee Lender or, to any sub-participant any information which the Lender has received in relation to the Borrower, any Security Party or their affairs under or in connection with any Finance Document, unless the information is clearly of a confidential nature in which case the consent of the Corporate Guarantor would be required Provided that a potential Transferee Lender or any sub-participant to whom disclosure is made agrees to be bound by the terms of the confidentiality undertaking in this Clause 26.13 by way of a confidentiality agreement in a form acceptable to the Borrower.

The Borrower agrees that the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall remain confidential and shall not, or shall procure that the Corporate Guarantor shall not, disclose (whether, without limitation, in writing or orally) to third parties (other than any disclosure to the Corporate Guarantor’s shareholders, officers, employees or professional advisers Provided that the person to whom disclosure is made agrees to be bound by the terms of the confidentiality undertaking in this Clause 26.13 any information required to be disclosed by law, regulation or any governmental or competent regulatory authority (including without limitation, any securities exchange), provided that, to the extent reasonably practicable, the Corporate Guarantor shall inform the Agent on the proposed form, timing, nature and purpose of the disclosure) the existence of this Agreement or the terms and conditions contained herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders.

 

26.14 Change of lending office

A Lender may change its lending office by giving notice to the Agent and the change shall become effective on the later of:

 

(a) the date on which the Agent receives the notice; and

 

(b) the date, if any, specified in the notice as the date on which the change will come into effect.

 

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26.15 Notification

On receiving such a notice, the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Security Trustee; and, until the Agent receives such a notice, it shall be entitled to assume that a Lender is acting through the lending office of which the Agent last had notice.

 

26.16 Security over Lenders’ rights.

In addition to the other rights provided to Lenders under this Clause 26, each Lender may without consulting with or obtaining consent from the Borrower or any Security Party, at any time charge, assign or otherwise create a Security Interest in or over (whether by way of collateral or otherwise) all or any of its rights under any Finance Document to secure obligations of that Lender including, without limitation:

 

(a) any charge, assignment or other Security Interest to secure obligations to a federal reserve or central bank; and

 

(b) in the case of any Lender which is a fund, any charge, assignment or other Security Interest granted to any holders (or trustee or representatives of holders) of obligations owed, or securities issued, by that Lender as security for those obligations or securities;

except that no such charge, assignment or Security Interest shall:

 

  (i) release a Lender from any of its obligations under the Finance Documents or substitute the beneficiary of the relevant charge, assignment or Security Interest for the Lender as a party to any of the Finance Documents; or

 

  (ii) require any payments to be made by the Borrower or any Security Party or grant to any person any more extensive rights than those required to be made or granted to the relevant Lender under the Finance Documents.

 

27 VARIATIONS AND WAIVERS BY MAJORITY LENDERS

 

27.1 Variations, waivers etc. by Lenders

Subject to Clause 27.2, a document shall be effective to vary, waive, suspend or limit any provision of a Finance Document, or any Creditor Party’s rights or remedies under such a provision or the general law, only if the document is signed, or specifically agreed to by fax, by the Borrower, by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders, by the Agent and the Security Trustee in their own rights, and, if the document relates to a Finance Document to which a Security Party is party, by that Security Party.

 

27.2 Variations, waivers etc. requiring agreement of all Lenders

However, as regards the following, Clause 27.1 applies as if the words “by the Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders” were replaced by the words “by or on behalf of every Lender”:

 

(a) a reduction in the Margin;

 

(b) a postponement to the date for, or a reduction in the amount of, any payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under this Agreement;

 

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(c) an increase in any Lender’s Commitment;

 

(d) a change to the definition of “ Majority Lenders ”;

 

(e) a change to Clause 3 or this Clause 27;

 

(f) any release of, or material variation to, a Security Interest, guarantee, indemnity or subordination arrangement set out in a Finance Document; and

 

(g) any other change or matter as regards which this Agreement or another Finance Document expressly provides that each Lender’s consent is required.

 

27.3 Exclusion of other or implied variations

Except for a document which satisfies the requirements of Clauses 27.1 and 27.2, no document, and no act, course of conduct, failure or neglect to act, delay or acquiescence on the part of the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) shall result in the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) being taken to have varied, waived, suspended or limited, or being precluded (permanently or temporarily) from enforcing, relying on or exercising:

 

(a) a provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; or

 

(b) an Event of Default; or

 

(c) a breach by the Borrower or a Security Party of an obligation under a Finance Document or the general law; or

 

(d) any right or remedy conferred by any Finance Document or by the general law,

and there shall not be implied into any Finance Document any term or condition requiring any such provision to be enforced, or such right or remedy to be exercised, within a certain or reasonable time.

 

28 NOTICES

 

28.1 General

Unless otherwise specifically provided, any notice under or in connection with any Finance Document shall be given by letter or fax; and references in the Finance Documents to written notices, notices in writing and notices signed by particular persons shall be construed accordingly.

 

28.2 Addresses for communications

A notice shall be sent:

 

(a)      to the Borrower:   

c/o Navios Shipmanagement Inc.

85 Akti Miaouli

Piraeus 185 38

Fax No: +30 210 4172070

  
for the attention of:    Vassiliki Papaefthymiou   

 

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   E-mail: vpapaefthymiou@Navios.com   

(b)   to a Lender: At the address below its name in Schedule 1 or (as the case may require) in the relevant Transfer Certificate.

(c)   to the Agent

and the Security Trustee:

  

BNP Paribas

CVA05A1

35 rue de la Gare

75019 Paris

France

  
  

Fax:+33 (0) 142984355

  
  

E-mail: tgmo.shipping@bnpparibas.com

  

or to such other address as the relevant party may notify the Agent or, if the relevant party is the Agent or the Security Trustee, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Security Parties.

 

28.3 Effective date of notices

Subject to Clauses 28.4 and 28.5:

 

(a) a notice which is delivered personally or posted shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at the time when it is delivered; and

 

(b) a notice which is sent by fax shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, 2 hours after its transmission is completed.

 

28.4 Service outside business hours

However, if under Clause 28.3 a notice would be deemed to be served:

 

(a) on a day which is not a business day in the place of receipt; or

 

(b) on such a business day, but after 5 p.m. local time,

the notice shall (subject to Clause 28.5) be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at 9 a.m. on the next day which is such a business day.

 

28.5 Illegible notices

Clauses 28.3 and 28.4 do not apply if the recipient of a notice notifies the sender within 1 hour after the time at which the notice would otherwise be deemed to be served that the notice has been received in a form which is illegible in a material respect.

 

28.6 Valid notices

A notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall not be invalid by reason that its contents or the manner of serving it do not comply with the requirements of this Agreement or, where appropriate, any other Finance Document under which it is served if:

 

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(a) the failure to serve it in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement or other Finance Document, as the case may be, has not caused any party to suffer any significant loss or prejudice; or

 

(b) in the case of incorrect and/or incomplete contents, it should have been reasonably clear to the party on which the notice was served what the correct or missing particulars should have been.

 

28.7 English language

Any notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall be in English.

 

28.8 Meaning of “notice”

In this Clause “notice” includes any demand, consent, authorisation, approval, instruction, waiver or other communication.

 

29 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

29.1 Rights cumulative, non-exclusive

The rights and remedies which the Finance Documents give to each Creditor Party are:

 

(a) cumulative;

 

(b) may be exercised as often as appears expedient; and

 

(c) shall not, unless a Finance Document explicitly and specifically states so, be taken to exclude or limit any right or remedy conferred by any law.

 

29.2 Severability of provisions

If any provision of a Finance Document is or subsequently becomes void, unenforceable or illegal, that shall not affect the validity, enforceability or legality of the other provisions of that Finance Document or of the provisions of any other Finance Document.

 

29.3 Third party rights

A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Agreement.

 

29.4 Waiver of Banking Secrecy

The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorises and gives consent to the Agent and, each of its affiliates, and their respective subsidiaries, branches and representative offices and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (the “ Authorised Persons ” and each an “ Authorised Person ”), to disclose and transmit to the Applicable Persons, whether orally, in writing or by any other means, information and documents which relates to, or are connected with, the Borrower, their beneficial owner, any other member of the Group, their business, dealings or assets (the “ Information ”), from time to time and to the extent that the Authorised Person deems such disclosure or transmission to be necessary or desirable for or incidental to the carrying out of its duties, obligations, commitments and activities whether arising under contract or by operation of law and/or consolidated supervision and risk management policy, to the extent that the Information is covered by banking secrecy under any applicable law in general and Swiss banking secrecy rules in particular and/or:

 

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(a) necessary or desirable for the purposes of its internal cross-selling enabling the Borrower and/or any other member of the Group to benefit from the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s business activities; and/or

 

(b) necessary or desirable to insure a risk related to the Borrower and/or any other member of the Group; and/or

 

(c) necessary or desirable to syndicate a risk related to the Borrower and/or any other member of the Group; and/or

 

(d) necessary or desirable to securitise a risk related to the Borrower and/or any other member of the Group; and/or

 

(e) necessary or desirable to open an account or to start a business relation with the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s parent company or any of its subsidiaries or branches.

In this Clause 29.4, “ Applicable Person ” means any or all of the following persons:

 

  (i) any authority or person against which, pursuant to any applicable law, administrative order or court ruling, banking secrecy may not be validly asserted by an Authorised Person;

 

  (ii) the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s parent company, any of its subsidiaries, branches or representative offices;

 

  (iii) any rating agency, auditor, insurance and reinsurance company, broker or professional adviser, to the extent such entity or person is bound by a statutory or contractual duty of confidentiality;

 

  (iv) any financial institution and institutional or other investor who is or might be involved in securitisation schemes, hedging agreements, participations, credit derivatives or any other risk transfer or sharing arrangements, including, inter alia, a bank and/or other financial institution’s participation in, or syndication in respect of, the Loan;

 

  (v) any potential assignee or transferee or person who has entered into or is proposing to enter into contractual arrangements with the Authorised Person in relation to the Borrower; and

 

  (vi) any external computer services provider, for the purpose of maintenance or repair of the Agent’s or any other Authorised Person’s computer systems and date provided that such external computer services provider is bound by the confidentiality policy of BNP Paribas.

 

29.5 Reference Banks

If a Reference Bank (or, if a Reference Bank is not a Lender, the Lender of which it is an affiliate) ceases to be a Lender, the Agent shall (in consultation with the Borrower) appoint another Lender or an affiliate of a Lender to replace that Reference Bank.

 

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29.6 Role of Reference Banks

 

(a) No Reference Bank is under any obligation to provide a quotation or any other information to the Agent but may do so at the Agent’s request.

 

(b) No Reference Bank will be liable for any action taken by it under or in connection with any Finance Document, or for any quotation provided to the Agent.

 

(c) No Party (other than the relevant Reference Bank) may take any proceedings against any officer, employee or agent of any Reference Bank in respect of any claim it might have against that Reference Bank or in respect of any act or omission of any kind by that officer, employee or agent in relation to any Finance Document, or to any quotation provided to the Agent, and any officer, employee or agent of each Reference Bank may rely on this clause subject to clause 29.3 and the provisions of the Third Parties Act.

 

29.7 Third party Reference Banks

Any Reference Bank which is not a party to this Agreement may rely on Clause 29.6 subject to Clause 29.3 and the provisions of the Third Parties Act.

 

29.8 Counterparts

A Finance Document may be executed in any number of counterparts.

 

30 CONFIDENTIALITY

 

30.1 Confidential Information

Each Creditor Party agrees to keep all Confidential Information confidential and not to disclose it to anyone, save to the extent permitted by Clauses 30.2 and 30.3 and to ensure that all Confidential Information is protected with security measures and a degree of care that would apply to its own confidential information taking also into account the public nature of the Corporate Guarantor.

 

30.2 Disclosure of Confidential Information

Any Creditor Party may disclose:

 

(a) to any of its affiliates and Related Funds and any of its or their officers, directors, employees, professional advisers, auditors, partners and Representatives such Confidential Information as that Creditor Party shall consider appropriate if any person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given pursuant to this paragraph (a) is informed in writing of its confidential nature and that some or all of such Confidential Information may be price-sensitive information except that there shall be no such requirement to so inform if the recipient is subject to professional obligations to maintain the confidentiality of the information or is otherwise bound by requirements of confidentiality in relation to the Confidential Information;

 

(b) to any person:

 

  (i) to (or through) whom it assigns or transfers (or may potentially assign or transfer) all or any of its rights and/or obligations under one or more Finance Documents or which succeeds (or which may potentially succeed) it as Agent and, in each case, to any of that person’s affiliates, Related Funds, Representatives and professional advisers;

 

80


  (ii) with (or through) whom it enters into (or may potentially enter into), whether directly or indirectly, any sub-participation in relation to, or any other transaction under which payments are to be made or may be made by reference to, one or more Finance Documents and/or the Borrower and/or any Security Party and to any of that person’s affiliates, Related Funds, Representatives and professional advisers;

 

  (iii) appointed by any Creditor Party or by a person to whom paragraph (b)(i) or (ii) above applies to receive communications, notices, information or documents delivered pursuant to the Finance Documents on its behalf;

 

  (iv) who invests in or otherwise finances (or may potentially invest in or otherwise finance), directly or indirectly, any transaction referred to in paragraph (b)(i) or (b)(ii) above;

 

  (v) to whom information is required or requested to be disclosed by any court of competent jurisdiction or any governmental, banking, taxation or other regulatory authority or similar body, the rules of any relevant stock exchange or pursuant to any applicable law or regulation;

 

  (vi) to whom information is required to be disclosed in connection with, and for the purposes of, any litigation, arbitration, administrative or other investigations, proceedings or disputes;

 

  (vii) to whom or for whose benefit that Creditor Party charges, assigns or otherwise creates a Security Interest (or may do so) pursuant to Clause 26.17;

 

  (viii) who is a party to a Finance Document, a member of the Group or any related entity of the Borrower or any Security Party; or

 

  (ix) with the consent of the Borrower;

in each case, such Confidential Information as that Creditor Party shall consider appropriate if:

 

  (A) in relation to paragraphs (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) above, the person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given has entered into a Confidentiality Undertaking except that there shall be no requirement for a Confidentiality Undertaking if the recipient is a professional adviser and is subject to professional obligations to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information;

 

  (B) in relation to paragraph (b)(iv) above, the person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given has entered into a Confidentiality Undertaking or is otherwise bound by requirements of confidentiality in relation to the Confidential Information they receive and is informed that some or all of such Confidential Information may be price-sensitive information;

 

  (C) in relation to paragraphs (b)(v), (b)(vi) and (b)(vii) above, the person to whom the Confidential Information is to be given is informed of its confidential nature and that some or all of such Confidential Information may be price-sensitive information except that there shall be no requirement to so inform if, in the opinion of that Creditor Party, it is not practicable so to do in the circumstances;

 

81


(c) to any person appointed by that Creditor Party or by a person to whom paragraph (b)(i) or (b)(ii) above applies to provide administration or settlement services in respect of one or more of the Finance Documents including without limitation, in relation to the trading of participations in respect of the Finance Documents, such Confidential Information as may be required to be disclosed to enable such service provider to provide any of the services referred to in this paragraph (c) if the service provider to whom the Confidential Information is to be given has entered into a confidentiality agreement substantially in the form of the LMA Master Confidentiality Undertaking for Use With Administration/Settlement Service Providers or such other form of confidentiality undertaking agreed between the Borrower and the relevant Creditor Party; and

 

(d) to any rating agency (including its professional advisers) such Confidential Information as may be required to be disclosed to enable such rating agency to carry out its normal rating activities in relation to the Finance Documents and/or the Borrower and/or the Security Parties.

 

30.3 Disclosure to numbering service providers

 

(a) Any Creditor Party may disclose to any national or international numbering service provider appointed by that Creditor Party to provide identification numbering services in respect of this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrower and/or the Security Parties the following information:

 

  (i) names of the Borrower and the Security Parties;

 

  (ii) country of domicile of the Borrower and the Security Parties;

 

  (iii) place of incorporation of the Borrower and the Security Parties;

 

  (iv) date of this Agreement;

 

  (v) governing law;

 

  (vi) the name of the Agent;

 

  (vii) date of each amendment and restatement of this Agreement;

 

  (viii) amount of the Loan;

 

  (ix) amount of Total Commitments;

 

  (x) currency of the Loan;

 

  (xi) type of facility;

 

  (xii) ranking of facility;

 

  (xiii) final Repayment Date;

 

82


  (xiv) changes to any of the information previously supplied pursuant to paragraphs (i) to (xiii) above; and

 

  (xv) such other information agreed between such Creditor Party and the Borrower,

to enable such numbering service provider to provide its usual syndicated loan numbering identification services.

 

(b) The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that each identification number assigned to this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrower and/or any Security Party by a numbering service provider and the information associated with each such number may be disclosed to users of its services in accordance with the standard terms and conditions of that numbering service provider.

 

(c) The Borrower represents that none of the information set out in paragraphs (a)(i) to (a)(xv) above is, nor will at any time be, unpublished price-sensitive information.

 

(d) The Agent shall notify the Borrower and the other Creditor Parties of:

 

  (i) the name of any numbering service provider appointed by the Agent in respect of this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrower and/or the Security Parties; and

 

  (ii) the number or, as the case may be, numbers assigned to this Agreement, the Loan and/or the Borrower and/or the Security Parties by such numbering service provider.

 

30.4 Entire agreement

This Clause 30 constitutes the entire agreement between the parties to this Agreement in relation to the obligations of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents regarding Confidential Information and supersedes any previous agreement, whether express or implied, regarding Confidential Information.

 

30.5 Inside information

Each of the Creditor Parties acknowledges that some or all of the Confidential Information is or may be price-sensitive information and that the use of such information may be regulated or prohibited by applicable legislation including securities law relating to insider dealing and market abuse and each of the Creditor Parties undertakes not to use any Confidential Information for any unlawful purpose.

 

30.6 Notification of disclosure

Each of the Creditor Parties agrees (to the extent permitted by law and regulation) to inform the Borrower:

 

(a) of the circumstances of any disclosure of Confidential Information made pursuant to paragraph (b)(v) of Clause 30.2 except where such disclosure is made to any of the persons referred to in that paragraph during the ordinary course of its supervisory or regulatory function; and

 

(b) upon becoming aware that Confidential Information has been disclosed in breach of this Clause 30.

 

83


30.7 Continuing obligations

The obligations in this Clause 30 are continuing and, in particular, shall survive and remain binding on each Creditor Party for a period of 12 months from the earlier of:

 

(a) the date on which all amounts payable by the Borrower and the Security Parties under or in connection with this Agreement have been paid in full and all Commitments have been cancelled or otherwise cease to be available; and

 

(b) the date on which such Creditor Party otherwise ceases to be a Creditor Party.

 

31 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

31.1 English law

This Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English law.

 

31.2 Exclusive English jurisdiction

Subject to Clause 31.3, the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any Dispute.

 

31.3 Choice of forum for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties

Clause 31.2 is for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties, each of which reserves the right:

 

(a) to commence proceedings in relation to any Dispute in the courts of any country other than England and which have or claim jurisdiction to that Dispute; and

 

(b) to commence such proceedings in the courts of any such country or countries concurrently with or in addition to proceedings in England or without commencing proceedings in England.

The Borrower shall not commence any proceedings in any country other than England in relation to a Dispute.

 

31.4 Process agent

The Borrower irrevocably appoints HFW Nominees Ltd at their office for the time being, presently at Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London, EC3N 2AE, England to act as its agent to receive and accept on its behalf any process or other document relating to any proceedings in the English courts which are connected with a Dispute.

 

31.5 Creditor Party rights unaffected

Nothing in this Clause 31 shall exclude or limit any right which any Creditor Party may have (whether under the law of any country, an international convention or otherwise) with regard to the bringing of proceedings, the service of process, the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or any similar or related matter in any jurisdiction.

 

84


31.6 Meaning of “proceedings” and “Dispute”

In this Clause 31, “ proceedings ” means proceedings of any kind, including an application for a provisional or protective measure and a “ Dispute ” means any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (including a dispute relating to the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement) or any non-contractual obligation arising out of or in connection with this Agreement.

 

32 BAIL-IN

 

32.1 Contractual recognition of bail-in

Notwithstanding any other term of any Finance Document or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding between the parties to a Finance Document, each party hereto acknowledges and accepts that any liability of any party to a Finance Document under or in connection with the Finance Documents may be subject to Bail-In Action by the relevant Resolution Authority and acknowledges and accepts to be bound by the effect of:

 

(a) any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability, including (without limitation):

 

  (i) a reduction, in full or in part, in the principal amount, or outstanding amount due (including any accrued but unpaid interest) in respect of any such liability;

 

  (ii) a conversion of all, or part of, any such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership that may be issued to, or conferred on, it; and

 

  (iii) a cancellation of any such liability; and

 

(b) a variation of any term of any Finance Document to the extent necessary to give effect to any Bail-In Action in relation to any such liability.

 

33 MISCELLANEOUS

 

33.1 Change of form or listing

The Agent agrees on behalf of the Creditor Parties that the Corporate Guarantor may change its form of establishment to become a limited partnership and thereafter for the common units of the Corporate Guarantor to be listed on an internationally recognized stock exchange acceptable to the Agent subject to:

 

(a) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default having occurred and being continuing at the relevant time or resulting from such listing;

 

(b) the representation in clause 10.3 of the Corporate Guarantee remaining true and correct after such listing is complete;

 

(c) the limited partnership is established in a jurisdiction acceptable to the Agent;

 

(d) the Borrower and the Security Parties entering into such documentation, at the expense of the Borrower, as may be required to give effect to the necessary amendments to this Agreement and the other Finance Documents required as a result of such change in status of the Corporate Guarantor and its listing, in all respects acceptable to the Agent; and

 

85


(e) receipt by the Agent of any legal opinions, consents or other documentary evidence required as a result of such change in status of the Corporate Guarantor or its listing, in all respects acceptable to the Agent, at the expense of the Borrower.

 

34 CONFIDENTIALITY OF FUNDING RATES AND REFERENCE BANK QUOTATIONS

 

34.1 Confidentiality and disclosure

 

(a) The Facility Agent and the Borrower agree to keep each Funding Rate (and, in the case of the Facility Agent, each Reference Bank Quotation) confidential and not to disclose it to anyone, save to the extent permitted by paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) below.

 

(b) The Facility Agent may disclose:

 

  (i) any Funding Rate (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, any Reference Bank Quotation) to the Borrower pursuant to Clause 5.4; and

 

  (ii) any Funding Rate or any Reference Bank Quotation to any person appointed by it to provide administration services in respect of one or more of the Finance Documents to the extent necessary to enable such service provider to provide those services if the service provider to whom that information is to be given has entered into a confidentiality agreement in such form of confidentiality undertaking agreed between the Facility Agent and the relevant Lender or Reference Bank, as the case may be.

 

(c) The Facility Agent may disclose any Funding Rate or any Reference Bank Quotation, and the Borrowers may disclose any Funding Rate, to:

 

  (i) any of its Affiliates and any of its or their officers, directors, employees, professional advisers, auditors, partners and Representatives, if any person to whom that Funding Rate or Reference Bank Quotation is to be given pursuant to this sub-paragraph (i) is informed in writing of its confidential nature and that it may be price sensitive information except that there shall be no such requirement to so inform if the recipient is subject to professional obligations to maintain the confidentiality of that Funding Rate or Reference Bank Quotation or is otherwise bound by requirements of confidentiality in relation to it;

any person to whom information is required or requested to be disclosed by any court of competent jurisdiction or any governmental, banking, taxation or other regulatory authority or similar body, the rules of any relevant

 

34.2 Related Obligations

 

(a) The Facility Agent and the Borrower acknowledge that each Funding Rate (and, in the case of the Facility Agent, each Reference Bank Quotation) is or may be price sensitive information and that its use may be regulated or prohibited by applicable legislation including securities law relating to insider dealing and market abuse and the Facility Agent and the Borrower undertake not to use any Funding Rate or, in the case of the Facility Agent, any Reference Bank Quotation for any unlawful purpose.

 

(b) The Facility Agent and the Borrower agree (to the extent permitted by law and regulation) to inform the relevant Lender or Reference Bank, as the case may be:

 

86


  (i) of the circumstances of any disclosure made pursuant to sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (c) of Clause 34.1 except where such disclosure is made to any of the persons referred to in that paragraph during the ordinary course of its supervisory or regulatory function; and

 

  (ii) upon becoming aware that any information has been disclosed in breach of this Clause 34.

THIS AGREEMENT has been entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

87


EXECUTION PAGE

 

BORROWER

        

SIGNED by Panagiotis Piter Kalifidas

   )      

for and on behalf of

   )       /s/ Panagiotis Piter Kalifidas      

NEFELI NAVIGATION S.A.

   )      

LENDERS

        

SIGNED by

   )       /s/ Panagiotis Piter Kalifidas      

for and on behalf of

   )      

BNP PARIBAS

   )      

AGENT

        

SIGNED by

   )      

for and on behalf of

   )       /s/ Panagiotis Piter Kalifidas      

BNP PARIBAS

   )      

SECURITY TRUSTEE

        

SIGNED by John Harry Webster

   )      

for and on behalf of

   )       /s/ John Harry Webster      

BNP PARIBAS

   )      

Witness to all the above

   )      

Signature

   )      

Name:

        

Address:

        

 

88

Exhibit 10.5

Dated 28 June 2018

FAIRY SHIPPING CORPORATION and

LIMESTONE SHIPPING CORPORATION

as joint and several Borrowers

and

THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

listed in Schedule 1

as Lenders

and

HSH NORDBANK AG

as Agent, Mandated Lead Arranger

and Security Trustee

LOAN AGREEMENT

relating to a senior secured post-delivery term

loan facility of up to US$36,000,000

to provide finance secured on two container vessels

named “YM UTMOST” and “YM UNITY”

 

LOGO


Index

 

Clause        Page  

1

  Intepretation      1  

2

  Facility      21  

3

  Position of the Lenders      21  

4

  Drawdown      22  

5

  Interest      23  

6

  Interest Periods      25  

7

  Default Interest      26  

8

  Repayment and Prepayment      27  

9

  Conditions Precedent      30  

10

  Representations and Warranties      31  

11

  General Undertakings      35  

12

  Corporate Undertakings      40  

13

  Insurance      41  

14

  Ship Covenants      48  

15

  Security Cover      54  

16

  Payments and Calculations      56  

17

  Application of Receipts      58  

18

  Application of Earnings      59  

19

  Events of Default      61  

20

  Fees and Expenses      67  

21

  Indemnities      68  

22

  No Set-Off or Tax Deduction      71  

23

  Illegality, etc.      73  

24

  Increased Costs      74  

25

  Set-Off      76  

26

  Transfers and Changes in Lending Offices      77  

27

  Variations and Waivers      82  

28

  Notices      84  

29

  Joint and Several Liability      87  

30

  Supplemental      88  

31

  Law and Jurisdiction      89  

Schedules

  

Schedule 1 Lenders and Commitments

     89  

Schedule 2 Drawdown Notice

     90  

Schedule 3 Condition Precedent Documents

     91  

Part A

     91  

Part B

     93  

Schedule 4 Mandatory Cost Formula

     95  

Schedule 5 Transfer Certificate

     97  

Schedule 6 Power of Attorney

     101  

Execution

  

Execution Pages

     102  


THIS AGREEMENT is made on 28 June 2018

PARTIES

 

(1) FAIRY SHIPPING CORPORATION and LIMESTONE SHIPPING CORPORATION each a corporation incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered address is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960, as joint and several Borrowers ;

 

(2) THE BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS listed in Schedule 1, as Lenders ;

 

(3) HSH NORDBANK AG acting through its office at Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50, 20095 Hamburg, Germany, as Agent ;

 

(4) HSH NORDBANK AG acting through its office at Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50, 20095 Hamburg, Germany, as Mandated Lead Arranger ; and

 

(5) HSH NORDBANK AG acting through its office at Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50, 20095 Hamburg, Germany, as Security Trustee .

BACKGROUND

The Lenders have agreed to make available to the Borrowers a senior secured post-delivery term loan facility of up to US$36,000,000 in two advances as follows:

 

(A) an advance in an amount of up to the lesser of (i) US$18,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship A; and

 

(B) an advance in an amount of up to the lesser of (i) US$18,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship B,

for the purpose of partly financing the Market Value of each Ship.

OPERATIVE PROVISIONS

IT IS AGREED as follows:

 

1 INTEPRETATION

 

1.1 Definitions

Subject to Clause 1.5, in this Agreement:

Account ” means each of the Earnings Accounts, the Liquidity Account and the Retention Account and, in the plural, means all of them;

Account Bank ” means HSH Nordbank AG, acting in such capacity through its office at Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50, 20095 Hamburg, Germany, or any successor;

Account Pledge ” means, in relation to each Account, a pledge agreement creating security in respect of that Account in the Agreed Form and, in the plural, means all of them;

Advance ” means each of Advance A and Advance B and, in the plural, means both of them;

 


Advance A ” means the principal amount of the borrowing by the Borrowers under this Agreement in respect of Ship A or, as the context may require, the principal amount outstanding of such Advance in respect of that Ship under this Agreement;

Advance B ” means the principal amount of the borrowing by the Borrowers under this Agreement in respect of Ship B or, as the context may require, the principal amount outstanding of such Advance in respect of that Ship under this Agreement;

Affected Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.7;

Agency and Trust Agreement ” means the agency and trust agreement executed or to be executed between the Borrowers and the Creditor Parties in the Agreed Form;

Agent ” means HSH Nordbank AG, acting in such capacity through its office at Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50, D-20095 Hamburg, Germany, or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

Agreed Form ” means in relation to any document, that document in the form approved in writing by the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) or as otherwise approved in accordance with any other approval procedure specified in any relevant provisions of any Finance Document;

Applicable Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.2;

Approved Broker ” means each of Arrow Valuations Ltd, Barry Rogliano Salles, H. Clarkson & Co. Ltd., Maersk Brokers K/S and Howe Robinson & Co Ltd London and, in the plural, means all of them;

“Approved Flag” means, in relation to a Ship, the Liberian, Maltese, Marshall Islands flag or such other flag as the Agent may approve (with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders) as the flag on which that Ship is or, as the case may be, shall be registered;

“Approved Flag State” means, in relation to a Ship, the Republic of Liberia, Malta, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or any other country in which the Agent may approve (with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders) that that Ship is or, as the case may be, shall be registered;

“Approved Manager” means, in respect of a Ship, Navios Shipmanagement Inc., a corporation incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered office is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960 or any other company (for the avoidance of doubt, other than an affiliate of Navios Shipmanagement Inc.) which the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) may approve from time to time as the commercial and/or technical manager of that Ship;

Approved Manager’s Undertaking ” means, in relation to each Ship, a letter of undertaking including ( inter alia ) an assignment of the Approved Manager’s rights, title and interest in the Insurances of that Ship executed or to be executed by the Approved Manager in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form agreeing certain matters in relation to the Approved Manager serving as manager and subordinating its rights against that Ship and the Borrower which is the owner thereof to the rights of the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents and, in the plural, means all of them;

 

2


Assignable Charter ” means any time charterparty, consecutive voyage charter or contract of affreightment in respect of a Ship having a duration (or capable of exceeding a duration) equal or more than 12 months and any guarantee of the obligations of the charterer under such charter or any bareboat charter in respect of that Ship and any guarantee of the obligations of the charterer under such bareboat charter, entered or to be entered into by the Borrower which is the owner thereof and a charterer or, as the context may require, bareboat charterer and, in the plural, means all of them;

“Availability Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on:

 

  (a) 31 July 2018 (or such later date as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Lenders, agree with the Borrowers); or

 

  (b) if earlier, the date on which the Total Commitments are fully borrowed, cancelled or terminated;

Balloon Instalment ” has the meaning given in Clause 8.1;

Basel III ” means, together:

 

  (a) the agreements on capital requirements, a leverage ratio and liquidity standards contained in “Basel III: A global regulatory framework for more resilient banks and banking systems”, “Basel III: International framework for liquidity risk measurement, standards and monitoring” and “Guidance for national authorities operating the countercyclical capital buffer” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010, each as amended, supplemented or restated;

 

  (b) the rules for global systemically important banks contained in “Global systemically important banks: assessment methodology and the additional loss absorbency requirement—Rules text” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in November 2011, as amended, supplemented or restated; and

 

  (c) any further guidance or standards published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision relating to “Basel III”;

Borrower ” means each of Borrower A and Borrower B, and, in the plural, means both of them;

Borrower A ” means Fairy Shipping Corporation, a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered address is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960;

Borrower B ” means Limestone Shipping Corporation, a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered address is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960;

Break Costs ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.2;

Business Day ” means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are open for general business:

 

3


  (a) in Hamburg, Piraeus, Athens and London regarding the fixing of any interest rate which is required to be determined under this Agreement or any Finance Document;

 

  (b) in Hamburg, Piraeus, Athens and New York in respect of any payment which is required to be made under a Finance Document; and

 

  (c) in Hamburg, Athens and in Piraeus regarding any other action to be taken under this Agreement or any other Finance Document;

Cancellation Notice ” has the meaning given in Clause 8.6;

Change of Control ” means, in relation to:

 

  (a) a Borrower, a change in:

 

  (i) the beneficial ownership of any of the shares in that Borrower; or

 

  (ii) the legal ownership of any of those shares; or

 

  (b) the Corporate Guarantor, change which results in Mrs Angeliki Frangou either directly or indirectly (through entities owned and controlled by her or trusts or foundations of which she is the beneficiary), Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and/or Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. or any of its affiliates being the ultimate beneficial owner of, or having ultimate control of the voting rights attaching to, less than 20 per cent. of all the issued shares in the Corporate Guarantor

Charterparty Assignment ” means, in relation to an Assignable Charter, an assignment of the rights of the Borrower who is a party to that Assignable Charter under that Assignable Charter and any guarantee of such Assignable Charter executed or to be executed by that Borrower in favour of the Security Trustee in the Agreed Form and, in the plural, means all of them;

Code ” means the US Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

Commitment ” means, in relation to a Lender, the amount set opposite its name in Schedule 1, or, as the case may require, the amount specified in the relevant Transfer Certificate, as that amount may be reduced, cancelled or terminated in accordance with this Agreement (and “ Total Commitments ” means the aggregate of the Commitments of all the Lenders);

Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate in the form set out in Schedule 1 of the Corporate Guarantee (or in any other form which the Agent approves or requires) to be provided at the times and in the manner set out in Clause 11.20;

Contractual Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.6;

Contribution ” means, in relation to a Lender, the part of the Loan which is owing to that Lender;

Corporate Guarantee ” means a guarantee of the obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents to which each Borrower is a party, in the Agreed Form;

 

4


Corporate Guarantor ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered address is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960;

Correction Rate ” means, at any relevant time in relation to an Applicable Lender, the amount (expressed as a rate per annum) by which that Lender’s Cost of Funding exceeds LIBOR;

Cost of Funding ” means, in relation to a Lender, the rate per annum determined by that Lender to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars are offered to that Lender by leading banks in the Relevant Interbank Market at that Lender’s request at or about the Specified Time on the Quotation Date for an Interest Period and for a period equal to that Interest Period and for delivery on the first Business Day of it, or, if that Lender uses other ways to fund deposits in Dollars, such rate as determined by that Lender to be the Lender’s cost of funding deposits in Dollars for that Interest Period, such determination being conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error;

Creditor Party ” means the Agent, the Security Trustee, the Mandated Lead Arranger or any Lender, whether as at the date of this Agreement or at any later time and, in the plural, means all of them;

Disruption Event ” means either or both of:

 

  (a) a material disruption to those payment or communications systems or to those financial markets which are, in each case, required to operate in order for payments to be made in connection with the Loan (or otherwise in order for the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents to be carried out) which disruption is not caused by, and is beyond the control of, any of the Parties; or

 

  (b) the occurrence of any other event which results in a disruption (of a technical or systems-related nature) to the treasury or payments operations of a Party preventing that, or any other, Party:

 

  (i) from performing its payment obligations under the Finance Documents; or

 

  (ii) from communicating with other Parties in accordance with the terms of the Finance Documents,

and which (in either such case) is not caused by, and is beyond the control of, the Party whose operations are disrupted;

Dollars ” and “ $ ” means the lawful currency for the time being of the United States of America;

Drawdown Date ” means, in respect of each Advance, the date requested by the Borrowers for that Advance to be borrowed, or (as the context requires) the date on which that Advance is actually borrowed;

Drawdown Notice ” means a notice in the form set out in Schedule 2 (or in any other form which the Agent approves or reasonably requires);

Earnings ” means, in relation to a Ship, all moneys whatsoever which are now, or later become, payable (actually or contingently) to the Borrower owning that Ship or the Security Trustee and which arise out of the use or operation of that Ship, including (but not limited to):

 

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  (a) except to the extent that they fall within paragraph (b);

 

  (i) all freight, hire and passage moneys;

 

  (ii) compensation payable to that Borrower or the Security Trustee in the event of requisition of a Ship for hire;

 

  (iii) remuneration for salvage and towage services;

 

  (iv) demurrage and detention moneys;

 

  (v) damages for breach (or payments for variation or termination) of any charterparty or other contract for the employment of that Ship; and

 

  (vi) all moneys which are at any time payable under any Insurances in respect of loss of hire; and

 

  (b) if and whenever that Ship is employed on terms whereby any moneys falling within paragraphs (a)(i) to (vi) are pooled or shared with any other person, that proportion of the net receipts of the relevant pooling or sharing arrangement which is attributable to the Ship;

Earnings Account ” means, in relation to a Ship, an account in the name of the Borrower owning that Ship with the Account Bank designated “[ name of relevant Borrower ] - Earnings Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank) which replaces such account and is designated by the Agent as that Earnings Account for the purposes of this Agreement;

Environmental Claim ” means:

 

  (a) any claim by any governmental, judicial or regulatory authority which arises out of an Environmental Incident or an alleged Environmental Incident or which relates to any Environmental Law; or

 

  (b) any claim by any other person which relates to an Environmental Incident or to an alleged Environmental Incident,

and “ claim ” means a claim for damages, compensation, fines, penalties or any other payment of any kind whether or not similar to the foregoing; an order or direction to take, or not to take, certain action or to desist from or suspend certain action; and any form of enforcement or regulatory action, including the arrest or attachment of any asset;

Environmental Incident ” means, in relation to each Ship:

 

  (a) any release of Environmentally Sensitive Material from that Ship; or

 

  (b) any incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released from a vessel other than that Ship and which involves a collision between that Ship and such other vessel or some other incident of navigation or operation, in either case, in connection with which that Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested, attached, detained or injuncted and/or that Ship and/or the Borrower which is the owner thereof and/or any operator or manager of that Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action; or

 

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  (c) any other incident in which Environmentally Sensitive Material is released otherwise than from that Ship and in connection with which that Ship is actually or potentially liable to be arrested and/or where the Borrower which is the owner thereof and/or any operator or manager of that Ship is at fault or allegedly at fault or otherwise liable to any legal or administrative action;

Environmental Law ” means any law, regulation, convention and agreement relating to pollution or protection of the environment, to the carriage of Environmentally Sensitive Material or to actual or threatened releases of Environmentally Sensitive Material;

Environmentally Sensitive Material ” means oil, oil products and any other substance (including any chemical, gas or other hazardous or noxious substance) which is (or is capable of being or becoming) polluting, toxic or hazardous;

Event of Default ” means any of the events or circumstances described in Clause 19.1;

Fee Letter ” means any letter or letters dated on or about the date of this Agreement made between any Creditor Party and any of the Borrowers and the other Security Parties setting out any of the fees referred to in Clause 20.

FATCA ” means:

 

  (a) sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code or any associated regulations;

 

  (b) any treaty, law or regulation of any other jurisdiction, or relating to an intergovernmental agreement between the US and any other jurisdiction, which (in either case) facilitates the implementation of any law or regulation referred to in paragraph (a) above; or

 

  (c) any agreement pursuant to the implementation of any treaty, law or regulation referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) above with the US Internal Revenue Service, the US government or any governmental or taxation authority in any other jurisdiction;

FATCA Deduction ” means a deduction or withholding from a payment under a Finance Document required by FATCA;

FATCA Exempt Party ” means a Party that is entitled to receive payments free from any FATCA Deduction;

Final Repayment Date ” means, in relation to each Advance, the date falling on the earlier of (i) the date falling four years from the Drawdown Date for that Advance and (ii) 31 July 2022;

Finance Documents ” means together:

 

  (a) this Agreement;

 

  (b) the Agency and Trust Agreement;

 

  (c) the Account Pledges;

 

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  (d) the Corporate Guarantee;

 

  (e) the Mortgages;

 

  (f) the General Assignments;

 

  (g) any Charterparty Assignments;

 

  (h) the Approved Manager’s Undertakings;

 

  (i) Fee Letter; and

 

  (j) any other document (whether creating a Security Interest or not) which is executed at any time by a Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor, the Approved Manager or any other person as security for, or to establish any form of subordination or priorities arrangement in relation to, any amount payable to the Lenders under this Agreement or any of the other documents referred to in this definition and, in the singular, means any of them;

Financial Indebtedness ” means, in relation to a person (the “ debtor ”), any actual or contingent liability of the debtor:

 

  (a) for principal, interest or any other sum payable in respect of any moneys borrowed or raised by the debtor;

 

  (b) under any loan stock, bond, note or other security issued by the debtor;

 

  (c) under any acceptance credit, guarantee or letter of credit facility made available to the debtor;

 

  (d) under a financial lease, a deferred purchase consideration arrangement (in each case, other than in respect of assets or services obtained on normal commercial terms in the ordinary course of business) or any other agreement having the commercial effect of a borrowing or raising of money by the debtor;

 

  (e) under any foreign exchange transaction, any interest or currency swap, exchange or any other kind of derivative transaction entered into by the debtor or, if the agreement under which any such transaction is entered into requires netting of mutual liabilities, the liability of the debtor for the net amount; or

 

  (f) under receivables sold or discounted (other than any receivables to the extent that they are sold on a non-recourse basis); or

 

  (g) under a guarantee, indemnity or similar obligation entered into by the debtor in respect of a liability of another person which would fall within (a) to (f) if the references to the debtor referred to the other person;

Financial Year ” means, in relation to the Corporate Guarantor and the Group, each period of one year commencing on 1 January in respect of which consolidated accounts are or ought to be prepared;

 

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General Assignment ” means, in relation to a Ship, a general assignment of ( inter alia ) the Earnings, the Insurances and any Requisition Compensation relative to that Ship in the Agreed Form and, in the plural, means both of them;

Group ” means the Corporate Guarantor and all subsidiaries directly or indirectly owned by the Corporate Guarantor, including, but not limited to, the Shareholder and, on and from the relevant Transfer Date, the relevant Borrower and “ member of the Group ” shall be construed accordingly;

IACS ” means the International Association of Classification Societies;

Initial Market Value ” means, in relation to each Ship, the Market Value thereof calculated in accordance with the valuation(s) relative thereto referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 3, Part B;

Instalment ” has the meaning given in Clause 8.1;

Insurances ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) all policies and contracts of insurance (including, without limitation, any loss of hire insurance) and any reinsurance, policies or contracts, including entries of that Ship in any protection and indemnity or war risks association, effected in respect of that Ship, its Earnings or otherwise in relation to it whether before, on or after the date of this Agreement; and

 

  (b) all rights (including, without limitation, any and all rights or claims which the Borrower owning that Ship may have under or in connection with any cut-through clause relative to any reinsurance contract relating to the aforesaid policies or contracts of insurance) and other assets relating to, or derived from, any of the foregoing, including any rights to a return of a premium and any rights in respect of any claim whether or not the relevant policy, contract of insurance or entry has expired on or before the date of this Agreement;

Interest Period ” means a period determined in accordance with Clause 6;

Interpolated Screen Rate ” means, in relation to an Interest Period, the rate which results from interpolating on a linear basis between:

 

  (a) the applicable Screen Rate for the longest period (for which that Screen Rate is available) which is less than that Interest Period; and

 

  (b) the applicable Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which that Screen Rate is available) which exceeds that Interest Period,

each as of the Specified Time on the Quotation Date for that Interest Period;

ISM Code ” means the International Safety Management Code (including the guidelines on its implementation), adopted by the International Maritime Organisation as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time (and the terms “ safety management system ”, “ Safety Management Certificate ” and “ Document of Compliance ” have the same meanings as are given to them in the ISM Code);

 

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ISPS Code ” means the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code as adopted by the International Maritime Organisation, as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time;

ISSC ” means a valid and current International Ship Security Certificate issued under the ISPS Code;

Lender ” means, subject to Clause 26.6, a bank or financial institution listed in Schedule 1 and acting through its branch indicated in Schedule 1 (or through another branch notified to the Agent under Clause 26.16) or its transferee, successor or assign;

LIBOR ” means, for an Interest Period:

 

  (a) the rate per annum equal to the offered quotation for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to, or as near as possible equal to, the relevant Interest Period which appears on the Screen Rate; or;

 

  (b) (if no Screen Rate is available for that Interest Period), the applicable Interpolated Screen Rate for that Interest Period; or

 

  (c) if no Screen Rate is available and it is not possible to calculate an Interpolated Screen Rate for that Interest Period, the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be the arithmetic mean (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest fifth decimal point) of the rate(s) per annum notified to the Agent by each, or if there is only one Reference Bank, that Reference Bank as the rate at which deposits in Dollars are offered to that Reference Bank by leading banks in the Relevant Interbank Market at that Reference Bank’s request,

at or about the Specified Time on the Quotation Date for that Interest Period for a period equal to that Interest Period and for delivery on the first Business Day of it and, if any such rate is below zero, LIBOR will be deemed to be zero;

“Liquidity Account” means an account in the joint names of the Borrowers with the Account Bank designated “[ name of Borrowers ] – Liquidity Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank) which replaces such account and is designated by the Agent as the Liquidity Account for the purposes of this Agreement;

“Loan” means the principal amount for the time being outstanding under this Agreement;

“LSW 1189” means the London Standard Wording for marine insurances which incorporates the German Direct Mortgage Clause;

“Major Casualty” means, in relation to a Ship, any casualty to that Ship in respect of which the claim or the aggregate of the claims against all insurers, before adjustment for any relevant franchise or deductible, exceeds $500,000 or the equivalent in any other currency;

“Majority Lenders” means:

 

  (a) before an Advance is made, Lenders whose Commitments total 66 2/3  per cent. of the Total Commitments; and

 

  (b) after an Advance is made, Lenders whose Contributions total 66 2/3  per cent. of the Loan;

 

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“Mandated Lead Arranger” means HSH Nordbank AG, acting in such capacity through its office at Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50, D-20095 Hamburg, Germany, or any successor;

“Mandatory Cost” means the percentage rate per annum calculated by the Agent in accordance with Schedule 4;

“Margin” means 3.25 per cent. per annum;

“Market Value” means, in relation to each Ship, the market value thereof determined in accordance with Clause 15.3;

Material Adverse Change ” means any event or series of events which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is likely to have a Material Adverse Effect;

“Material Adverse Effect” means, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, a material adverse effect on:

 

  (a) the business, property, assets, liabilities, operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of a Borrower and/or any Security Party taken as a whole;

 

  (b) the ability of a Borrower, the Approved Manager and/or any Security Party to (i) comply with or perform any of its obligations or (ii) discharge any of its liabilities, under any Finance Document as they fall due; or

 

  (c) the validity, legality or enforceability of any Finance Document;

Maximum Advance Amount ” means in respect of:

 

  (a) Advance A, an amount up to the lesser of (i) $18,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship A; and

 

  (b) Advance B, an amount up to the lesser of (i) $18,000,000 and (ii) 60 per cent. of the Initial Market Value of Ship B;

“Minimum Liquidity” has the meaning given in Clause 11.19;

Mortgage ” means, in relation to each Ship, the first preferred ship mortgage on that Ship in the Agreed Form and, in the plural, means both of them;

Mortgaged Ship ” means a Ship which is subject to a Mortgage at the relevant time and, in the plural, means both of them;

Negotiation Period ” has the meaning given in Clause 5.10;

Notifying Lender ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.2, Clause 23.1 or Clause 24.1 as the context requires;

Participating Member State ” means any member state of the European Union that has the Euro as its lawful currency in accordance with legislation of the European Union relating to Economic and Monetary Union;

Party ” means a party to a Finance Document;

Payment Currency ” has the meaning given in Clause 21.6;

 

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Permitted Security Interests ” means:

 

  (a) Security Interests created by the Finance Documents;

 

  (b) liens for unpaid master’s and crew’s wages in accordance with usual maritime practice;

 

  (c) liens for salvage;

 

  (d) liens arising by operation of law for not more than one month’s prepaid hire under any charter in relation to a Ship not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

  (e) liens for master’s disbursements incurred in the ordinary course of trading and any other lien arising by operation of law or otherwise in the ordinary course of the operation, repair or maintenance of a Ship, provided such liens do not secure amounts more than 30 days overdue (unless the overdue amount is being contested by the relevant Borrower in good faith by appropriate steps) and subject, in the case of liens for repair or maintenance, to Clause 14.13(d);

 

  (f) any Security Interest created in favour of a plaintiff or defendant in any proceedings or arbitration as security for costs and expenses while a Borrower is actively prosecuting or defending such proceedings or arbitration in good faith; and

 

  (g) Security Interests arising by operation of law in respect of taxes which are not overdue for payment or in respect of taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate steps and in respect of which appropriate reserves have been made.

Pertinent Document ” means:

 

  (a) any Finance Document;

 

  (b) any policy or contract of insurance contemplated by or referred to in Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

 

  (c) any other document contemplated by or referred to in any Finance Document; and

 

  (d) any document which has been or is at any time sent by or to a Servicing Bank in contemplation of or in connection with any Finance Document or any policy, contract or document falling within paragraphs (b) or (c);

Pertinent Jurisdiction ” in relation to a company, means:

 

  (a) England and Wales;

 

  (b) the country under the laws of which the company is incorporated or formed;

 

  (c) a country in which the company has the centre of its main interests or which the company’s central management and control is or has recently been exercised;

 

  (d) a country in which the overall net income of the company is subject to corporation tax, income tax or any similar tax;

 

  (e) a country in which assets of the company (other than securities issued by, or loans to, related companies) having a substantial value are situated, in which the company maintains a branch or permanent place of business, or in which a Security Interest created by the company must or should be registered in order to ensure its validity or priority; and

 

12


  (f) a country the courts of which have jurisdiction to make a winding up, administration or similar order in relation to the company, whether as a main or territorial or ancillary proceedings, or which would have such jurisdiction if their assistance were requested by the courts of a country referred to in paragraphs (b) or (c);

Potential Event of Default ” means an event or circumstance which, with the giving of any notice, the lapse of time, a reasonable determination of the Majority Lenders and/or the satisfaction of any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default;

“Prepayment Date” has the meaning given in Clause 15.2;

Prepayment Notice ” has the meaning given in Clause 8.5(b);

Purchase Price ” means Purchase Price A or Purchase Price B;

Purchase Price A ” means the total price payable for the shares of Borrower A under the terms of SPA A;

Purchase Price B ” means the total price payable for the shares of Borrower B under the terms of SPA B;

Quotation Date ” means, in relation to any Interest Period (or any other period for which an interest rate is to be determined under any provision of a Finance Document), the day on which quotations would ordinarily be given by leading banks in the Relevant Interbank Market for deposits in the currency in relation to which such rate is to be determined for delivery on the first day of that Interest Period or other period;

“Reference Banks ” means, subject to Clause 26.19, together, the Hamburg branch of HSH Nordbank AG, the head office of any other bank which is a Lender at the relevant time (unless such Lender has advised the Agent in writing that it does not wish to be a Reference Bank) and any of their respective successors;

Relevant Nominating Body ” means any applicable central bank, regulator or other supervisory authority or a group of them, or any working group or committee sponsored or chaired by, or constituted at the request of, any of them or the Financial Stability Board;

Replacement Benchmark ” means a benchmark rate which is:

 

  (a) formally designated, nominated or recommended as the replacement for a Screen Rate by:

 

  (i) the administrator of that Screen Rate (provided that the market or economic reality that such benchmark rate measures is the same as that measured by that Screen Rate); or

 

  (ii) any Relevant Nominating Body,

 

13


and if replacements have, at the relevant time, been formally designated, nominated or recommended under both paragraphs, the “Replacement Benchmark” will be the replacement under paragraph (ii) above;

 

  (b) in the opinion of the Majority Lenders and the Borrowers, generally accepted in the international or any relevant domestic syndicated loan markets as the appropriate successor to that Screen Rate; or

 

  (c) in the opinion of the Majority Lenders and the Borrowers, an appropriate successor to a Screen Rate.

“Relevant Interbank Market ” means the London interbank market;

Relevant Person ” has the meaning given in Clause 19.9;

Repayment Date ” means a date on which a repayment is required to be made under Clause 8;

Requisition Compensation ” includes all compensation or other moneys payable by reason of any act or event such as is referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of “ Total Loss ”;

Retention Account ” means an account in the joint names of the Borrowers with the Account Bank designated “[ name of account holder(s) ] – Retention Account”, or any other account (with that or another office of the Account Bank) which replaces this account and is designated by the Agent as the Retention Account for the purposes of this Agreement;

Screen Rate ” means the London interbank offered rate administered by the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or any other person which takes over the administration of that rate) for Dollars for the relevant period displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen (or any replacement Reuters page which displays that rate) or on the appropriate page of such other information service which publishes that rate from time to time in place of Reuters. If such page or service ceases to be available, the Agent may specify another page or service displaying the relevant rate after consultation with the Borrowers;

Screen Rate Replacement Event ” means, in relation to a Screen Rate:

 

  (a) the methodology, formula or other means of determining that Screen Rate has, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, and the Borrowers materially changed;

 

  (b)

 

  (i)

 

  (A) the administrator of that Screen Rate or its supervisor publicly announces that such administrator is insolvent; or

 

  (B) information is published in any order, decree, notice, petition or filing, however described, of or filed with a court, tribunal, exchange, regulatory authority or similar administrative, regulatory or judicial body which reasonably confirms that the administrator of that Screen Rate is insolvent,

 

14


provided that, in each case, at that time, there is no successor administrator to continue to provide that Screen Rate;

 

  (ii) the administrator of that Screen Rate publicly announces that it has ceased or will cease, to provide that Screen Rate permanently or indefinitely and, at that time, there is no successor administrator to continue to provide that Screen Rate;

 

  (iii) the supervisor of the administrator of that Screen Rate publicly announces that such Screen Rate has been or will be permanently or indefinitely discontinued; or

 

  (iv) the administrator of that Screen Rate or its supervisor announces that that Screen Rate may no longer be used; or

 

  (c) in the opinion of the Majority Lenders and the Borrowers, that Screen Rate is otherwise no longer appropriate for the purposes of calculating interest under this Agreement.

Secured Liabilities ” means all liabilities which the Borrowers, the Security Parties or any of them have, at the date of this Agreement or at any later time or times, under or in connection with any Finance Document or any judgment relating to any Finance Document; and for this purpose, there shall be disregarded any total or partial discharge of these liabilities, or variation of their terms, which is effected by, or in connection with, any bankruptcy, liquidation, arrangement or other procedure under the insolvency laws of any country;

“Security Cover Ratio” means, at any relevant time, the aggregate of (i) the aggregate of the Market Value of the Mortgaged Ships and (ii) the net realisable value of any additional security provided at that time under Clause 15, at that time expressed as a percentage of the Loan;

Security Interest ” means:

 

  (a) a mortgage, charge (whether fixed or floating) or pledge, any maritime or other lien or any other security interest of any kind; and

 

  (b) the rights of a plaintiff under an action in rem ;

Security Party ” means the Corporate Guarantor and any other person (except a Creditor Party or the Approved Manager) who, as a surety or mortgagor, as a party to any subordination or priorities arrangement, or in any similar capacity, executes a document falling within the final paragraph of the definition of “ Finance Documents ”;

Security Period ” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date on which the Agent notifies the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties that:

 

  (a) all amounts which have become due for payment by a Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party under the Finance Documents have been paid;

 

  (b) no amount is owing or has accrued (without yet having become due for payment) under any Finance Document;

 

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  (c) neither a Borrower, the Approved Manager nor any Security Party has any future or contingent liability under Clauses 20, 21 or 22 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; and

 

  (d) the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger, the Security Trustee and the Majority Lenders do not consider that there is a significant risk that any payment or transaction under a Finance Document would be set aside, or would have to be reversed or adjusted, in any present or possible future bankruptcy of a Borrower, the Approved Manager or a Security Party or in any present or possible future proceeding relating to a Finance Document or any asset covered (or previously covered) by a Security Interest created by a Finance Document;

Security Trustee ” means HSH Nordbank AG, acting in such capacity through its office at Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50, D-20095, Hamburg, Germany, or any successor of it appointed under clause 5 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

Servicing Bank ” means the Agent or the Security Trustee;

Shareholder ” means Boheme Navigation Company, a corporation incorporated and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands whose registered address is at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, The Marshall Islands MH96960;

Ship ” means each of Ship A and Ship B and, in the plural, means both of them;

Ship A ” means the 2006-built super-post panamax container vessel, registered in the ownership of Borrower A under the Liberian flag with IMO Number 9302621 and with the name “YM UTMOST”;

Ship B ” means the 2006-built super-post panamax container vessel, registered in the ownership of Borrower B under the Liberian flag with IMO Number 9302619 and with the name “YM UNITY”;

SPA ” means SPA A or SPA B;

SPA A ” means the share purchase agreement dated 27 April 2018 and made between Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and the Corporate Guarantor pursuant to the terms of which the shares of Borrower A will be purchased by, and transferred to the Shareholder;

SPA B ” means the share purchase agreement dated 27 April 2018 and made between Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and the Corporate Guarantor pursuant to the terms of which the shares of Borrower A will be purchased by, and transferred to the Shareholder;

Specified Time ” means 11.00 a.m. London time;

Total Loss ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) actual, constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of that Ship;

 

  (b) any expropriation, confiscation, requisition or acquisition of that Ship, whether for full or part consideration, a consideration less than its proper value, a nominal consideration or without any consideration, which is effected by any government or official authority or by any person or persons claiming to be or to represent a government or official authority unless it is within one month from the date of such occurrence redelivered to the full control of the Borrower owning that Ship excluding a requisition for hire a fixed period not exceeding 90 days without any right to an extension;

 

16


  (c) any condemnation of that Ship by any tribunal or by any person or person claiming to be a tribunal; and

 

  (d) any arrest, capture, seizure, confiscation or detention of that Ship (including any hijacking or theft) unless it is within the Relevant Period redelivered to the full control of the Borrower owning that Ship;

Relevant Period ” means:

 

  (a) in the case of any arrest, capture, seizure, confiscation or detention of a Ship (including any hijacking or theft), other than piracy, within 90 days; and

 

  (b) in the case of piracy, if the relevant underwriters confirm to the Agent in writing prior to the end of the 90-day period referred to in (i) above that the relevant Ship is subject to an approved piracy insurance cover, the earlier of 270 days after the date on which that Ship is captured by pirates and the date on which the piracy insurance cover expires;

Total Loss Date ” means, in relation to a Ship:

 

  (a) in the case of an actual loss of that Ship, the date on which it occurred or, if that is unknown, the date when that Ship was last heard of;

 

  (b) in the case of a constructive, compromised, agreed or arranged total loss of that Ship, the earlier of:

 

  (i) 30 days after the date on which a notice of abandonment is given to the insurers; and

 

  (ii) the date of any compromise, arrangement or agreement made by or on behalf of the Borrower owning that Ship with that Ship’s insurers in which the insurers agree to treat the Ship as a total loss; and

 

  (c) in the case of any other type of total loss, on the date (or the most likely date) on which it appears to the Agent that the event constituting the total loss occurred;

Transfer Certificate ” has the meaning given in Clause 26.226.2;

Transfer Date ” means, in relation to:

 

  (a) Borrower A, the date on which the transfer of the shares of Borrower A has been completed under the terms of SPA A and the Shareholder is the 100 per cent. direct legal and beneficial owner of the shares of Borrower A; and

 

  (b) Borrower B, the date on which the transfer of the shares of Borrower B has been completed under the terms of SPA B and the Shareholder is the 100 per cent. direct legal and beneficial owner of the shares of Borrower B;

Trust Property ” has the meaning given in clause 3.1 of the Agency and Trust Agreement;

 

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“Underlying Documents” means any Assignable Charters and, in the singular, means any of them;

US ” means the United States of America;

US GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles as from time to time in effect in the US; and

US Tax Obligor ” means:

 

  (a) a Borrower which is resident for tax purposes in the US; or

 

  (b) a Borrower or a Security Party some or all whose payments under the Finance Documents are from sources within the US for US federal income tax purposes.

 

1.2 Construction of certain terms

In this Agreement:

administration notice ” means a notice appointing an administrator, a notice of intended appointment and any other notice which is required by law (generally or in the case concerned) to be filed with the court or given to a person prior to, or in connection with, the appointment of an administrator;

approved ” means, for the purposes of Clause 13, approved in writing by the Agent at its discretion;

asset ” includes every kind of property, asset, interest or right, including any present, future or contingent right to any revenues or other payment;

company ” includes any partnership, joint venture and unincorporated association;

consent ” includes an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing, registration, notarisation and legalisation;

contingent liability ” means a liability which is not certain to arise and/or the amount of which remains unascertained;

document ” includes a deed; also a letter or fax;

excess risks ” means, in relation to a Ship, the proportion of claims for general average, salvage and salvage charges not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies in respect of that Ship in consequence of its insured value being less than the value at which that Ship is assessed for the purpose of such claims;

expense ” means any kind of cost, charge or expense (including all legal costs, charges and expenses) and any applicable value added or other tax;

gross negligence ” means a form of negligence which is distinct from ordinary negligence, in which the due diligence and care which are generally to be exercised have been disregarded to a particularly high degree, in which the plainest deliberations have not been made and that which should be most obvious to everybody has not been followed;

 

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law ” includes any order or decree, any form of delegated legislation, any treaty or international convention and any regulation or resolution of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the United Nations or its Security Council;

legal or administrative action ” means any legal proceeding or arbitration and any administrative or regulatory action or investigation;

liability ” includes every kind of debt or liability (present or future, certain or contingent), whether incurred as principal or surety or otherwise;

months ” shall be construed in accordance with Clause 1.3;

obligatory insurances ” means, in relation to a Ship, all insurances effected, or which the Borrower owning that Ship is obliged to effect in respect of that Ship, under Clause 13 or any other provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;

parent company ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

person ” includes any individual, any partnership, any company; any state, political sub-division of a state and local or municipal authority; and any international organisation;

policy ” in relation to any insurance, includes a slip, cover note, certificate of entry or other document evidencing the contract of insurance or its terms;

protection and indemnity risks ” means the usual risks covered by a protection and indemnity association managed in London, including pollution risks and the proportion (if any) of any sums payable to any other person or persons in case of collision which are not recoverable under the hull and machinery policies by reason of the incorporation in them of clause 1 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/10/82) or clause 8 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/11/1995) or the Institute Amended Running Down Clause (1/10/71) or any equivalent provision;

“regulation” includes any regulation, rule, official directive, request or guideline (whether or not having the force of law) of any governmental, intergovernmental or supranational body, agency (monetary or otherwise), department, central bank, regulatory, self-regulatory or other authority or organisation;

subsidiary ” has the meaning given in Clause 1.4;

successor ” includes any person who is entitled (by assignment, novation, merger or otherwise) to any person’s rights under this Agreement or any other Finance Document (or any interest in those rights) or who, as administrator, liquidator or otherwise, is entitled to exercise those rights; and in particular references to a successor include a person to whom those rights (or any interest in those rights) are transferred or pass as a result of a merger, division, reconstruction or other reorganisation of it or any other person;

tax ” includes any present or future tax, duty, impost, levy or charge of any kind which is imposed by any state, any political sub-division of a state or any local or municipal authority (including any such imposed in connection with exchange controls), and any connected penalty, interest or fine; and

 

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war risks ” includes the risk of mines and all risks excluded by clause 29 of the International Hull Clauses (1/11/02 or 1/11/03), clause 24 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls)(1/11/95) or clause 23 of the Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) (1/10/83).

 

1.3 Meaning of “month”

A period of one or more “ months ” ends on the day in the relevant calendar month numerically corresponding to the day of the calendar month on which the period started (“ the numerically corresponding day ”), but:

 

(a) on the Business Day following the numerically corresponding day if the numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day or, if there is no later Business Day in the same calendar month, on the Business Day preceding the numerically corresponding day; or

 

(b) on the last Business Day in the relevant calendar month, if the period started on the last Business Day in a calendar month or if the last calendar month of the period has no numerically corresponding day,

and “ month ” and “ monthly ” shall be construed accordingly.

 

1.4 Meaning of “subsidiary”

A company (S) is a subsidiary of another company (P) if a majority of the issued shares in S (or a majority of the issued shares in S which carry unlimited rights to capital and income distributions) are directly owned by P or are indirectly attributable to P and any company of which S is a subsidiary is a parent company of S.

 

1.5 General Interpretation

In this Agreement:

 

(a) references to, or to a provision of, a Finance Document or any other document are references to it as amended or supplemented, whether before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

(b) references to, or to a provision of, any law include any amendment, extension, re-enactment or replacement, whether made before the date of this Agreement or otherwise;

 

(c) words denoting the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa; and

 

(d) Clauses 1.1 to 1.5 apply unless the contrary intention appears.

 

1.6 Headings

In interpreting a Finance Document or any provision of a Finance Document, all clause, sub-clause and other headings in that and any other Finance Document shall be entirely disregarded.

 

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2 FACILITY

 

2.1 Amount of facility

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Lenders shall make available to the Borrowers a senior secured term loan facility of up to $36,000,000, in two Advances, Advance A and Advance B, for the purpose stated in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

2.2 Lenders’ participations in Advances

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall participate in each Advance in the proportion which, as at the relevant Drawdown Date, its Commitment bears to the Total Commitments.

 

2.3 Purpose of Advances

The Borrowers undertake with each Creditor Party to use each Advance only for the purpose stated in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

3 POSITION OF THE LENDERS

 

3.1 Interests several

The rights of the Lenders under this Agreement are several.

 

3.2 Individual right of action

Each Lender shall be entitled to sue for any amount which has become due and payable by the Borrowers to it under this Agreement without joining the Agent, the Security Trustee or any other Lender as additional parties in the proceedings.

 

3.3 Proceedings requiring Majority Lender consent

Except as provided in Clause 3.2, no Lender may commence proceedings against the Borrowers, the Approved Manager or any Security Party in connection with a Finance Document without the prior consent of the Majority Lenders.

 

3.4 Obligations several

The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement are several; and a failure of a Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not result in:

 

(a) the obligations of the other Lenders being increased; nor

 

(b) a Borrower, the Approved Manager any Security Party or any other Lender being discharged (in whole or in part) from its obligations under any Finance Document;

and in no circumstances shall a Lender have any responsibility for a failure of another Lender to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

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4 DRAWDOWN

 

4.1 Request for an Advance

Subject to the following conditions, the Borrowers may request an Advance to be borrowed by ensuring that the Agent receives a completed Drawdown Notice not later than 11.00 a.m. (Hamburg time) three Business Days prior to the relevant Drawdown Date.

 

4.2 Availability

The conditions referred to in Clause 4.1 are that:

 

(a) a Drawdown Date has to be a Business Day during the Availability Period;

 

(b) each Advance shall not exceed the relevant Maximum Advance Amount;

 

(c) any undrawn portion of the Total Commitments in respect of an Advance, upon the determination of the Initial Market Value of the Ship to which that Advance relates, shall be automatically cancelled as at the Drawdown Date of that Advance; and

 

(d) the aggregate amount of the Advances shall not exceed the Total Commitments.

 

4.3 Notification to Lenders of receipt of a Drawdown Notice

The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders that it has received a Drawdown Notice and shall inform each Lender of:

 

(a) the amount of the Advance to which that Drawdown Notice relates and the relevant Drawdown Date;

 

(b) the amount of that Lender’s participation in that Advance; and

 

(c) the duration of the first Interest Period in respect of that Advance.

 

4.4 Drawdown Notice irrevocable

A Drawdown Notice must be signed by a duly authorised signatory of the Borrowers; and once served, a Drawdown Notice cannot be revoked without the prior consent of the Agent, acting on the authority of the Lenders.

 

4.5 Lenders to make available Contributions

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Lender shall, on and with value on each Drawdown Date, make available to the Agent for the account of the Borrowers the amount due from that Lender on that Drawdown Date under Clause 2.2.

 

4.6 Disbursement of Advance

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Agent shall on each Drawdown Date pay to the Borrowers the amounts which the Agent receives from the Lenders under Clause 4.5 and that payment to the Borrowers shall be made:

 

(a) to the account which the Borrowers specify in the Drawdown Notice; and

 

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(b) in like funds as the Agent received the payments from the Lenders.

The payment by the Agent under this Clause 4.6 shall constitute the making of the Advance and the Borrowers shall at that time become indebted, as principal and direct obligors, to each Lender in an amount equal to that Lender’s participation in the Advance.

 

5 INTEREST

 

5.1 Payment of normal interest

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, interest on each Advance in respect of each Interest Period relative to that Advance shall be paid by the Borrowers on the last day of that Interest Period.

 

5.2 Normal rate of interest

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the rate of interest on each Advance in respect of an Interest Period relative to that Advance shall be the aggregate of (i) the Margin, (ii) the Mandatory Cost (if any), (iii) LIBOR for that Interest Period and (iv) if a Lender (the “ Applicable Lender ”) notifies the Agent at least 5 Business Days before the start of that Interest Period that its Cost of Funding exceeds LIBOR (including the amount of such excess) on the Quotation Date for that Interest Period, additionally in respect of that Applicable Lender’s Contribution in the relevant Advance, the Correction Rate applicable to the Applicable Lender for that Interest Period.

 

5.3 Payment of accrued interest

In the case of an Interest Period of longer than three months (subject to the prior agreement of the Agent in accordance with Clause 6.2(b)), accrued interest shall be paid every three months during that Interest Period and on the last day of that Interest Period.

 

5.4 Notification of Interest Periods and rates of normal interest

The Agent shall notify the Borrowers and each Lender of:

 

(a) each rate of interest; and

 

(b) the duration of each Interest Period,

as soon as reasonably practicable after each is determined.

 

5.5 Obligation of Reference Banks to quote

A Reference Bank which is a Lender shall use all reasonable efforts to supply the quotation required of it for the purposes of fixing a rate of interest under this Agreement unless that Reference Bank ceases to be a Lender pursuant to Clause 26.19.

 

5.6 Absence of quotations by Reference Banks

If any Reference Bank fails to supply a quotation, the Agent shall determine the relevant LIBOR on the basis of the quotations supplied by the other Reference Bank(s) but if two or more of the Reference Banks fail (or, if at any time there is only one Reference Bank, that Reference Bank fails) to provide a quotation, the relevant rate of interest shall be set in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 5.

 

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5.7 Market disruption

The following provisions of this Clause 5 apply if:

 

(a) no rate is quoted on the Screen Rate, it is not possible to calculate an Interpolated Screen Rate for that Interest Period and two or more of the Reference Banks do not (or, if at any time there is only one Reference Bank, that Reference Bank does not), before 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Quotation Date for an Interest Period, provide a quotation to the Agent in order to fix LIBOR; or

 

(b) at least three Business Days before the start of an Interest Period, the Agent is notified by a Lender (the “ Affected Lender ”) that for any reason it is unable to obtain Dollars in the Relevant Interbank Market in order to fund its Contribution (or any part of it) during the Interest Period.

 

5.8 Notification of market disruption

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and each of the Lenders stating the circumstances falling within Clause 5.7 which have caused its notice to be given.

 

5.9 Suspension of drawdown

If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served before an Advance is made:

 

(a) In a case falling within Clause 5.7(a), the Lender’s obligation to make that Advance; and

 

(b) In a case falling within Clause 5.7(b), the Affected Lender’s obligation to participate in that Advance,

shall be suspended while the circumstances referred to in the Agent’s notice continue.

 

5.10 Negotiation of alternative rate of interest

 

(a) If the Agent’s notice under Clause 5.8 is served after an Advance is borrowed, the Borrowers, the Agent, the Lenders (subject to Clause 27.5) or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender shall use reasonable endeavours to agree, within 30 days after the date on which the Agent serves its notice under Clause 5.8 (the “ Negotiation Period ”), an alternative interest rate or (as the case may be) an alternative basis for the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender to fund or continue to fund their or its Contribution during the Interest Period concerned.

 

(b) During the Negotiation Period the Agent shall, with the agreement of each Lender or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender, set an interest period and interest rate representing the Cost of Funding of the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Affected Lender in Dollars, in each case as determined by the relevant Lender, or in any available currency of their or its Contribution plus the Margin and the Mandatory Cost (if any).

 

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5.11 Application of agreed alternative rate of interest

Any alternative interest rate or an alternative basis which is agreed during the Negotiation Period shall take effect in accordance with the terms agreed.

 

5.12 Alternative rate of interest in absence of agreement

If an alternative interest rate or alternative basis is not agreed within the Negotiation Period, and the relevant circumstances are continuing at the end of the Negotiation Period, then the procedure provided for in Clause 5.10(b) shall be repeated at the end of the interest period set by the Agent pursuant to that Clause.

 

5.13 Notice of prepayment

If the Borrowers do not agree with an interest rate set by the Agent under Clause 5.12, the Borrowers may give the Agent not less than 5 Business Days’ notice of their intention to prepay the Loan at the end of the interest period set by the Agent.

 

5.14 Prepayment; termination of Commitments

A notice under Clause 5.13 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders or (as the case may require) the Affected Lender of the Borrowers’ notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

(a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Total Commitments or (as the case may require) the Commitment of the Affected Lender shall be cancelled; and

 

(b) on the last Business Day of the interest period set by the Agent, the Borrowers shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Loan or, as the case may be, the Affected Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin and the Mandatory Cost (if any).

 

5.15 Application of prepayment

The provisions of Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

 

6 INTEREST PERIODS

 

6.1 Commencement of Interest Periods

The first Interest Period applicable to an Advance shall commence on the Drawdown Date in respect of that Advance and each subsequent Interest Period shall commence on the expiry of the preceding Interest Period.

 

6.2 Duration of normal Interest Periods

Subject to Clauses 6.3 and 6.4, each Interest Period in respect of each Advance shall be:

 

(a) 3 or 6 months; or

 

(b) such other period (as proposed by the Borrowers to the Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (Hamburg time) 5 Business Days before the commencement of the Interest Period in respect of that Advance) as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, agree with the Borrowers (failing which the Interest Period shall be three months).

 

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6.3 Duration of Interest Periods for Instalments

In respect of an amount due to be repaid under Clause 8 on a particular Repayment Date, an Interest Period in respect of the Advance to which that Repayment Date relates shall end on that Repayment Date.

 

6.4 Non-availability of matching deposits for Interest Period selected

If, after the Borrowers have proposed and the Lenders have agreed an Interest Period longer than three months, any Lender notifies the Agent by 11.00 a.m. (Hamburg time) on the third Business Day before the commencement of the Interest Period that it is not satisfied that deposits in Dollars for a period equal to the Interest Period will be available to it in the Relevant Interbank Market when the Interest Period commences, the Interest Period shall be of three months.

 

7 DEFAULT INTEREST

 

7.1 Payment of default interest on overdue amounts

The Borrowers shall pay interest in accordance with the following provisions of this Clause 7 on any amount payable by the Borrowers under any Finance Document which the Agent, the Security Trustee or the other designated payee does not receive on or before the relevant date, that is:

 

(a) the date on which the Finance Documents provide that such amount is due for payment; or

 

(b) if a Finance Document provides that such amount is payable on demand, the date on which the demand is served; or

 

(c) if such amount has become immediately due and payable under Clause 19.4, the date on which it became immediately due and payable.

 

7.2 Default rate of interest

Interest shall accrue on an overdue amount from (and including) the relevant date until the date of actual payment (as well after as before judgment) at the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be 2.50 per cent. above:

 

(a) in the case of an overdue amount of principal, the higher of the rates set out at Clauses 7.3(a) and 7.3(b); or

 

(b) in the case of any other overdue amount, the rate set out at Clause 7.3(b).

 

7.3 Calculation of default rate of interest

The rates referred to in Clause 7.2 are:

 

(a) the rate applicable to the overdue principal amount immediately prior to the relevant date (but only for any unexpired part of any then current Interest Period applicable to it);

 

(b) the aggregate of the Margin, any Correction Rate and the Mandatory Cost (if any) plus, in respect of successive periods of any duration (including at call) up to three months which the Agent may select from time to time:

 

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  (i) LIBOR; or

 

  (ii) if the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Banks) determines that Dollar deposits for any such period are not being made available to any Reference Bank by leading banks in the Relevant Interbank Market in the ordinary course of business, a rate from time to time determined by the Agent by reference to the cost of funds to the Reference Banks from such other sources as the Agent (after consultation with the Reference Banks) may from time to time determine.

 

7.4 Notification of interest periods and default rates

The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the Borrowers of each interest rate determined by the Agent under Clause 7.3 and of each period selected by the Agent for the purposes of paragraph 7.3(b) of that Clause; but this shall not be taken to imply that the Borrowers are liable to pay such interest only with effect from the date of the Agent’s notification.

 

7.5 Payment of accrued default interest

Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, any interest due under this Clause shall be paid on the last day of the period by reference to which it was determined; and the payment shall be made to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Party to which the overdue amount is due.

 

7.6 Compounding of default interest

Any such interest which is not paid at the end of the period by reference to which it was determined shall be compounded every 6 months and shall be payable on demand.

 

8 REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT

 

8.1 Amount of Instalments

The Borrowers shall repay:

 

(a) Advance A, by:

 

  (i) 16 equal consecutive quarterly instalments, of which the first 2 such instalments (1 st and 2 nd ) shall each be in the amount of $1,000,000 and the following 14 such instalments (3 rd to 16 th ) shall each be in the amount of 600,000 (each an “ Instalment A ” and, together, the “ Instalments A ”); and

 

  (ii) a balloon instalment in the amount of $7,600,000 (the “ Balloon Instalment A ”); and

 

(b) Advance B, by:

 

  (i) 16 equal consecutive quarterly instalments, of which the first 2 such instalments (1 sta and 2 nd ) shall each be in the amount of $1,000,000 and the following 14 such instalments (3 rd to 16 th ) shall each be in the amount of 600,000 (each an “ Instalment B ” and, together, the “ Instalments B ” and, together with the Instalments A, the “ Instalments ” and each an “ Instalment ”); and

 

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  (ii) a balloon instalment in the amount of $7,600,000 (the “ Balloon Instalment B ” and, together with the Balloon Instalment A, the “ Balloon Instalments ” and each a “ Balloon Instalment ”),

Provided that , if the amount advanced in respect of either Advance is less than $18,000,000, the aggregate amount of the Instalments and the Balloon Instalment in respect of that Advance shall be reduced by an amount equal to the undrawn amount on a pro rata basis.

 

8.2 Repayment Dates

The first Instalment in respect of each Advance shall be repaid on the date falling three months after the Drawdown Date in respect of that Advance, each subsequent Instalment shall be repaid at three-monthly intervals thereafter and the last Instalment in respect of that Advance, shall be repaid together with the Balloon Instalment in respect of that Advance, on the relevant Final Repayment Date.

 

8.3 Final Repayment Date

On the Final Repayment Date, in respect of the second Advance to be drawn down pursuant to this Agreement, the Borrowers shall additionally pay to the Agent for the account of the Creditor Parties all other sums then accrued or owing under any Finance Document.

 

8.4 Voluntary prepayment

Subject to the following conditions, the Borrowers may prepay the whole or any part of the Loan on the last day of an Interest Period or on such other date agreed between the Borrower and the Agent.

 

8.5 Conditions for voluntary prepayment

The conditions referred to in Clause 8.4 are that:

 

(a) a partial prepayment shall be $500,000 or a higher integral multiple thereof (or such other amount acceptable to the Agent in its sole discretion);

 

(b) the Agent has received from the Borrowers at least 3 Business Days’ prior irrevocable written notice (each, a “ Prepayment Notice ”) specifying the amount to be prepaid and the date on which the prepayment is to be made;

 

(c) the Borrowers have provided evidence satisfactory to the Agent that any consent required by any Borrower or any Security Party in connection with the prepayment has been obtained and remains in force, and that any regulation relevant to this Agreement which affects any Borrower or any Security Party has been complied with; and

 

(d) the Borrowers are in compliance with Clause 8.10 on or prior to the date of prepayment.

 

8.6 Optional facility cancellation

The Borrowers shall be entitled, upon giving to the Agent not less than 5 Business Days’ prior written notice, to cancel, in whole or in part, and, if in part, by an aggregate amount not less than $500,000 or a higher multiple thereof (or such other amount acceptable to the Agent in its sole discretion), the undrawn balance of the Total Commitments (the “ Cancellation Notice ”) which notice shall be irrevocable and shall, at the option of the Borrowers, specify

 

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whether such cancellation will be applied against a specific Advance, in which case the Borrowers will specify the Advance against which that cancellation should be applied. A failure by the Borrowers to make such a designation, in circumstances where both Advances have been made, shall result in the cancellation being applied against both Advances proportionately. Upon such cancellation taking effect on expiry of a Cancellation Notice the several obligations of the Lenders to make their respective Commitments available in relation to the portion of the Total Commitments to which such Cancellation Notice relates shall terminate.

 

8.7 Cancellation Notice or Prepayment Notice

The Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon receiving a Cancellation Notice or Prepayment Notice, and shall provide, in the case of a Prepayment Notice, any Lender which so requests with a copy of any document delivered by the Borrowers under Clause 8.5(c).

 

8.8 Mandatory prepayment

The Borrowers shall be obliged to prepay the Relevant Amount if a Ship:

 

(a) is sold, on or before the date on which the sale is completed by delivery of the Ship to the buyer; or

 

(b) becomes a Total Loss, on the earlier of the date falling 90 days after the Total Loss Date and the date of receipt by the Security Trustee of the proceeds of insurance relating to such Total Loss.

In this Clause 8.8:

Relevant Amount ” means an amount equal to the greater of:

 

  (i) the Advance to which the Ship being sold or which has become a Total Loss relates; and

 

  (ii) an amount (if any) which, after the application of the prepayment to be made pursuant to this Clause 8.8, results in the Security Cover Ratio being 125 per cent..

 

8.9 Effect of Prepayment Notice and Cancellation Notice

Neither a Prepayment Notice nor a Cancellation Notice may be withdrawn or amended without the consent of the Agent, given with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, and:

 

(a) in the case of a Prepayment Notice, the amount specified in that Prepayment Notice shall become due and payable by the Borrowers on the date for prepayment specified in that Prepayment Notice; and

 

(b) in the case of a Cancellation Notice, the amount cancelled shall be permanently cancelled and may not be borrowed.

 

8.10 Amounts payable on prepayment

A prepayment shall be made together with accrued interest (and any other amount payable under Clause 21 or otherwise) in respect of the amount prepaid and, if the prepayment is not made on the last day of an Interest Period together with any sums payable under Clause 21.2) but without premium or penalty.

 

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8.11 Application of partial prepayment or cancellation

Each partial prepayment shall be applied:

 

(a) if made pursuant to Clauses 5.13, 10.14, 15.2, 19.2, 23.3 or 24.6, proportionately between each Advance and thereafter pro rata against the Instalments and the Balloon Instalment in respect of each Advance

 

(b) if made pursuant to Clause 8.4, against the Advance being prepaid in order of maturity of the Instalments and the Balloon Instalment; and

 

(c) if made pursuant to Clause 8.8, first towards full repayment of the Advance related to the Ship being sold or which has become a Total Loss, and thereafter towards reduction of the other Advance, in order of maturity of the Instalments and the Balloon Instalment in respect of such Advance.

 

8.12 No reborrowing

No amount prepaid or cancelled may be (re)borrowed.

 

9 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

9.1 Documents, fees and no default

Each Lender’s obligation to contribute to an Advance is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a) that, on or before the date of this Agreement, the Agent receives the documents described in Part A of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers; and

 

(b) that, on the Drawdown Date applicable to the relevant Advance, the Agent receives:

 

  (i) the documents and conditions described in Part B of Schedule 3 in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its lawyers; 20.1(a);

 

  (ii) any commitment fee payable pursuant to Clause 20.1(b); and

 

  (iii) payment of any expenses payable pursuant to Clause 20.2 which are due and payable on the Drawdown Date to which that Drawdown Notice relates.

 

(c) that both at the date of each Drawdown Notice and at the relevant Drawdown Date:

 

  (i) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred or would result from the borrowing of the relevant Advance;

 

  (ii) the representations and warranties in Clause 10 and those of either Borrower the Approved Manager or any Security Party which are set out in the other Finance Documents would be true and not misleading if repeated on each of those dates with reference to the circumstances then existing;

 

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  (iii) none of the circumstances contemplated by Clause 5.7 has occurred and is continuing; and

 

  (iv) there has been no Material Adverse Change; and

 

(d) that, if the Security Cover Ratio were applied immediately following the making of an Advance, the Borrowers would not be obliged to provide additional security or prepay part of the Loan under that Clause; and

 

(e) that the Agent has received, and found to be acceptable to it, any further opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with the Finance Documents which the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, request by notice to the Borrowers prior to the relevant Drawdown Date.

 

9.2 Waiver of conditions precedent

If the Majority Lenders, at their discretion, permit an Advance to be borrowed before certain of the conditions referred to in Clause 9.1are satisfied, the Borrowers shall ensure that those conditions are satisfied within 5 Business Days after the relevant Drawdown Date (or such longer period as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, specify).

 

10 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

10.1 General

Each Borrower represents and warrants to each Creditor Party as follows.

 

10.2 Status

Each Borrower is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

10.3 Share capital and ownership

 

(a) Each Borrower is authorised to issue five hundred (500) registered shares with a par value of $1.00 per share, all of which have been issued and are fully paid;

 

(b) On and from the relevant Transfer Date, all of the shares of the relevant Borrower are held, free of any Security Interest or other claim, by the Shareholder; and

 

(c) All the shares of the Shareholder are held, free of any Security Interest or other claim, by the Corporate Guarantor.

 

10.4 Corporate power

Each Borrower has the corporate capacity, and has taken all corporate action and obtained all consents necessary for it:

 

(a) to execute the Underlying Documents to which it is a party and to maintain the relevant Ship in its ownership under the applicable Approved Flag;

 

(b) to execute the Finance Documents to which that Borrower is a party; and

 

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(c) to borrow under this Agreement and to make all the payments contemplated by, and to comply with, those Finance Documents to which that Borrower is a party.

 

10.5 Consents in force

All the consents referred to in Clause 10.4 remain in force and nothing has occurred which makes any of them liable to revocation.

 

10.6 Legal validity; effective Security Interests

The Finance Documents to which each Borrower is a party, do now or, as the case may be, will, upon execution and delivery (and, where applicable, registration as provided for in the Finance Documents):

 

(a) constitute that Borrower’s legal, valid and binding obligations enforceable against that Borrower in accordance with their respective terms (having the requisite corporate benefit which is legally and economically sufficient); and

 

(b) create legal, valid and binding Security Interests (having the priority specified in the relevant Finance Document) enforceable in accordance with their respective terms over all the assets to which they, by their terms, relate,

subject to any relevant insolvency laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

 

10.7 No third party Security Interests

Without limiting the generality of Clause 10.6, at the time of the execution and delivery of each Finance Document to which each Borrower is a party:

 

(a) that Borrower will have the right to create all the Security Interests which that Finance Document purports to create; and

 

(b) no third party will have any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) or any other interest, right or claim over, in or in relation to any asset to which any such Security Interest, by its terms, relates.

 

10.8 No conflicts

The execution by each Borrower, the Approved Manager and each other Security Party of each Finance Document and each Underlying Document to which it is a party, and the borrowing by that Borrower (together with the other Borrower) of the Loan (or any part thereof), and its compliance with each Finance Document and each Underlying Document to which it is a party:

 

(a) will not involve or lead to a contravention of:

 

  (i) any law or regulation; or

 

  (ii) the constitutional documents of that Borrower the Approved Manager or other Security Party; or

 

  (iii) any contractual or other obligation or restriction which is binding on that Borrower the Approved Manager or other Security Party or any of its assets, and

 

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(b) will not have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(c) is for the corporate benefit of that Borrower or each other Security Party.

 

10.9 No withholding taxes

All payments which each Borrower is liable to make under the Finance Documents to which it is a party may be made without deduction or withholding for or on account of any tax payable under any law of any Pertinent Jurisdiction.

 

10.10 No default

No Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred.

 

10.11 Information

All information which has been provided in writing by or on behalf of the Borrowers, the Approved Manager or any Security Party to any Creditor Party in connection with any Finance Document satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.5; all audited and unaudited accounts and financial statements which have been so provided satisfied the requirements of Clause 11.7 and are true, correct and not misleading and present fairly and accurately the financial position of the Borrowers, the Corporate Guarantor or the Group (as the case may be); and there has been no change in the financial position or state of affairs of either Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor or the Group (or any member thereof) from that disclosed in the latest of those accounts which is likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

10.12 No litigation

No legal or administrative action involving either Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party (including action relating to any alleged or actual breach of the ISM Code or the ISPS Code) has been commenced or taken or, to either Borrower’s knowledge, is likely to be commenced or taken which would, in either case, be likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

10.13 Validity and completeness of Underlying Documents

Each Underlying Document constitutes valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the parties thereto in accordance with its terms and:

 

(a) each of the copies of that Underlying Document delivered to the Agent before the date of this Agreement is a true and complete copy; and

 

(b) no amendments or additions to that Underlying Document have been agreed nor has any party which is the party to that Underlying Document, waived any of their respective rights thereunder.

 

10.14 Compliance with certain undertakings

At the date of this Agreement, the Borrowers are in compliance with Clauses 11.2, 11.4, 11.9, 11.13, 13, 14.3 and 14.10 and none of the events listed in Clause 19.1(g) has occurred in respect of either of the Borrowers or any Security Party.

 

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10.15 Taxes paid

Each Borrower has paid all taxes applicable to, or imposed on or in relation to that Borrower, its business or the Ship owned by it.

 

10.16 ISM Code and ISPS Code compliance

All requirements of the ISM Code and the ISPS Code as they relate to the Borrowers, the Corporate Guarantor, the Approved Manager and the Ships have been complied with.

 

10.17 No Money laundering

Each Borrower:

 

(a) will not, and will procure that neither the Approved Manager nor a Security Party, to the extent applicable, will, in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Finance Documents, contravene or permit any subsidiary to contravene, any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat “money laundering” (as defined in Article 1 of the Directive 2015/849/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Communities) and comparable United States Federal and state laws. Each Borrower shall further submit any documents and declarations on request, if such documents or declarations are required by any Creditor Party to comply with its domestic money laundering and/or legal identification requirements; and

 

(b) confirms that it is the beneficiary within the meaning of the German Anti Money Laundering Act (Gesetz über das Aufspüren von Gewinnen aus schweren Straftaten (Geldwäschegesetz)), acting for its own account and not for or on behalf of any other person for each part of the Loan made or to be made available to it under this Agreement. That is to say, it acts for its own account and not for or on behalf of anyone else.

Each Borrower will promptly inform the Agent by written notice, if it is not or ceases to be the beneficiary and will provide in writing the name and address of the beneficiary.

The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of any written notice it receives under this Clause 10.17.

 

10.18 No immunity

Neither Borrower nor any of its assets is entitled to immunity on grounds of sovereignty or otherwise from any legal action or proceeding (including, without limitation, suit, attachment prior to judgement, execution or other enforcement).

 

10.19 Choice of law

The choice of the laws of England to govern this Agreement and those other Finance Documents which are expressed to be governed by the laws of England, the laws of Germany to govern the Account Pledges and the laws of the applicable Approved Flag State to govern the Mortgages, constitutes a valid choice of law and the submission by the Borrowers or, as the case may be, the relevant Security Parties thereunder to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and, in the case of the Account Pledges, Germany or, in the case of the Mortgages, the applicable Approved Flag State is a valid submission and does not contravene the laws of England or, in the case of the Account Pledges, Germany or, in the case of the Mortgages, the applicable Approved Flag State or the laws of any other Pertinent

 

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Jurisdiction, will be applied by the courts of any Pertinent Jurisdiction if this Agreement or those other Finance Documents or any claim thereunder comes under their jurisdiction upon proof of the relevant provisions of the laws of England or, in the case of the Account Pledges, Germany or, in the case of the Mortgages, the applicable Approved Flag State.

 

10.20 Validity and completeness of SPA

 

(a) Each SPA constitutes valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the parties to it in accordance with its respective terms;

 

(b) The copies of the SPAs delivered to the Agent before the Drawdown Date are true and complete copies; and

 

(c) No amendments or additions to the SPAs have been agreed nor have the parties to either SPA waived any of their rights thereunder.

 

10.21 Pari passu ranking

The obligations of the Borrowers and each Security Party under the Finance Documents to which it is a party are direct, general and unconditional obligations and rank at least pari passu with the claims of all its other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors except for obligations mandatorily preferred by law applying to companies generally.

 

10.22 Repetition

The representations and warranties in this Clause 10 shall be deemed to be repeated by the Borrowers:

 

(a) on the date of service of each Drawdown Notice;

 

(b) on each Drawdown Date; and

 

(c) with the exception of Clauses 10.9 and 10.14, on the first day of each Interest Period and on the date of any Compliance Certificate issued pursuant to Clause 11.20,

as if made with reference to the facts and circumstances existing on each such day.

 

11 GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS

 

11.1 General

Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 11 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, may otherwise permit in writing.

 

11.2 Title and negative pledge

Each Borrower will:

 

(a) hold the legal title to, and own the entire beneficial interest in its Ship, her Insurances and Earnings, free from all Security Interests and other interests and rights of every kind, except for those created by the Finance Documents and the effect of assignments contained in the Finance Documents and except for Permitted Security Interests; and

 

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(b) not create or permit to arise any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) over any other asset, present or future.

 

11.3 No disposal of assets

Subject to Clause 8.8 neither Borrower will transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of:

 

(a) all or a substantial part of its assets, whether by one transaction or a number of transactions, whether related or not; or

 

(b) any debt payable to it or any other right (present, future or contingent right) to receive a payment, including any right to damages or compensation,

but paragraph (a) does not apply to any charter of a Ship.

 

11.4 No other liabilities or obligations to be incurred

Neither Borrower will enter into any other investments, any sale or leaseback agreements, any off-balance sheet transaction or incur any other liability or obligation (including, without limitation, any Financial Indebtedness or any obligations under a guarantee) except:

 

(a) liabilities and obligations under the Finance Documents and the Underlying Documents to which it is or, as the case may be, will be a party; and

 

(b) liabilities or obligations reasonably incurred in the normal course of its business of trading, operating and chartering, maintaining and repairing the Ship owned by it.

 

11.5 Information provided to be accurate

All financial and other information, including but not limited to factual information, exhibits and reports, which is provided in writing by or on behalf of a Borrower under or in connection with any Finance Document will be true, correct and not misleading and will not omit any material fact or consideration.

 

11.6 Provision of financial statements

Each Borrower will send or procure that there are sent to the Agent:

 

(a) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 180 days after the end of each Financial Year of the Corporate Guarantor, the consolidated audited annual financial statements of the Group for that Financial Year (commencing with the financial statements for the Financial Year which ended on 31 December 2018); and

 

(b) as soon as possible, but in no event later than 90 days after the end of the 6-month period ending on 30 June in each Financial Year of the Corporate Guarantor, the semi-annual consolidated unaudited financial statements of the Group, for that 6-month period (commencing with the financial statements for the 6-month period ending on 30 June 2018), duly certified as to their correctness by an officer of the Corporate Guarantor; and

 

(c) promptly after each request by the Agent, such further financial or other information in respect of that Borrower, each Ship, the Corporate Guarantor, the other Security Parties and the Group (including, without limitation, any information regarding any sale and purchase agreements, investment brochures, shipbuilding contracts and charter agreements) as may be requested by the Agent.

 

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11.7 Form of financial statements

All accounts delivered under Clause 11.6 will:

 

(a) be prepared in accordance with all applicable laws and US GAAP and, in the case of any audited financial statements, be certified by an independent and reputable auditor having requisite experience selected and appointed by the relevant Security Party;

 

(b) fairly represent the financial condition of the Corporate Guarantor and the Group at the date of those accounts and of their profit for the period to which those accounts relate; and

 

(c) fully disclose or provide for all significant liabilities of the Corporate Guarantor and the Group and each of its/their subsidiaries.

 

11.8 Shareholder and creditor notices

Each Borrower will send the Agent copies of any relevant press releases and, promptly upon its request, copies of all communications which are despatched to that Borrower’s shareholders or creditors or any class of them.

 

11.9 Consents

Each Borrower will maintain in force and promptly obtain or renew, and will promptly send certified copies to the Agent of, all consents required:

 

(a) for that Borrower to perform its obligations under any Finance Document or any Underlying Document to which it is a party;

 

(b) for the validity or enforceability of any Finance Document or any Underlying Document to which it is a party;

 

(c) for that Borrower to continue to own and operate the Ship owned by it,

and that Borrower will comply with the terms of all such consents.

 

11.10 Maintenance of Security Interests

Each Borrower will:

 

(a) at its own cost, do all that it reasonably can to ensure that any Finance Document validly creates the obligations and the Security Interests which it purports to create; and

 

(b) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a), at its own cost, promptly register, file, record or enrol any Finance Document with any court or authority in all Pertinent Jurisdictions, pay any stamp, registration or similar tax in all Pertinent Jurisdictions in respect of any Finance Document, give any notice or take any other step which, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, is or has become necessary or desirable for any Finance Document to be valid, enforceable or admissible in evidence or to ensure or protect the priority of any Security Interest which it creates.

 

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11.11 Notification of litigation

Each Borrower will provide the Agent with details of any legal or administrative action involving that Borrower, the Ship owned by it, the Earnings or the Insurances in respect of that Ship, any Security Party or the Approved Manager, as soon as such action is instituted or it becomes apparent to that Borrower that it is likely to be instituted, unless it is clear that the legal or administrative action cannot be considered material in the context of any Finance Document, and each Borrower shall procure that all reasonable measures are taken to defend any such legal or administrative action.

 

11.12 No amendment to Underlying Documents

Neither Borrower will waive or fail to enforce, the Underlying Documents to which it is a party or any of its provisions and shall promptly notify the Agent of any amendment or supplement to any Underlying Document.

 

11.13 Principal place of business

Each Borrower will maintain its place of business, and keep its corporate documents and records, at the address stated in Clause 28.2(a); and neither Borrower will establish, or do anything as a result of which it would be deemed to have, a place of business in the United Kingdom or the United States.

 

11.14 Confirmation of no default

Each Borrower will, within two Business Days after service by the Agent of a written request, serve on the Agent a notice which is signed by the officer(s) of that Borrower and which:

 

(a) states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred; or

 

(b) states that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred, except for a specified event or matter, of which all material details are given.

The Agent may serve requests under this Clause 11.14 from time to time but only if asked to do so by a Lender or Lenders having Contributions exceeding 10 per cent. of the Loan or (if no Advances have been made) Commitments exceeding 10 per cent. of the Total Commitments; and this Clause 11.14 does not affect the Borrowers’ obligations under Clause 11.15.

 

11.15 Notification of default

Each Borrower will notify the Agent as soon as that Borrower becomes aware of:

 

(a) the occurrence of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default; or

 

(b) any matter which indicates that an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default may have occurred,

and will keep the Agent fully up-to-date with all developments.

 

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11.16 Provision of further information

Each Borrower will, as soon as practicable after receiving the request, provide the Agent with any additional financial or other information relating:

 

(a) to that Borrower, the Ship owned by it, the Earnings or the Insurances; or

 

(b) to any other matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Finance Document,

which may be requested by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any Lender at any time.

 

11.17 Provision of copies and translation of documents

Each Borrower will supply the Agent with a sufficient number of copies of the documents referred to above to provide one copy for each Creditor Party; and if the Agent so requires in respect of any of those documents, the Borrowers will provide a certified English translation prepared by a translator approved by the Agent.

 

11.18 “Know your customer” checks

If:

 

(a) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation, administration or application of) any law or regulation made after the date of this Agreement;

 

(b) any change in the composition of the shareholders of the Borrowers or any Security Party after the date of this Agreement; or

 

(c) a proposed assignment or transfer by a Lender of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to a party that is not a Lender prior to such assignment or transfer,

obliges the Agent or any Lender (or, in the case of paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender) to comply with “know your customer” or similar identification procedures in circumstances where the necessary information is not already available to it, the Borrowers shall promptly upon the request of the Agent or the Lender concerned supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent (for itself or on behalf of any Lender) or the Lender concerned (for itself or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), on behalf of any prospective new Lender) in order for the Agent, the Lender concerned or, in the case of the event described in paragraph (c), any prospective new Lender to carry out and be satisfied it has complied with all necessary “know your customer” or other similar checks under all applicable laws and regulations pursuant to the transactions contemplated in the Finance Documents.

 

11.19 Minimum Liquidity

The Borrowers shall maintain in the Liquidity Account credit balances in an aggregate amount of not less than $250,000 in respect of each Mortgaged Ship (amounting to $500,000 in aggregate) (“ Minimum Liquidity ”), to be placed in time deposit, commencing from the Drawdown Date in respect of the Advance which will finance the relevant Ship and at all times thereafter throughout the remainder of the Security Period.

 

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11.20 Compliance Certificate

 

(a) The Borrowers shall supply to the Agent, together with each set of financial statements delivered pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of Clause 11.6 (commencing with the financial statements of the Corporate Guarantor to be provided for the 6-month period ending on 31 December 2018), a Compliance Certificate.

 

(b) Each Compliance Certificate shall be duly signed by the chief financial officer of the Corporate Guarantor, evidencing ( inter alia ) the Borrowers’ compliance (or not, as the case may be) with the provisions of Clause 11.19 and Clause 15.1 and the Corporate Guarantor’s compliance with clause 12.4 of the Corporate Guarantee.

 

11.21 No amendment to SPA

No Borrower will agree to any material amendment or supplement to, or waive or fail to enforce, the SPA or any of its provisions.

 

12 CORPORATE UNDERTAKINGS

 

12.1 General

Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 12 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, may otherwise permit in writing.

 

12.2 Maintenance of status

Each Borrower will maintain its separate corporate existence and remain in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

12.3 Negative undertakings

Neither Borrower will:

 

(a) change the nature of its business or carry on any business other than the ownership, chartering and operation of the Ship owned by it;

 

(b) pay any dividend or make any other form of distribution or effect any form of redemption, purchase or return of share capital if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the relevant time or an Event of Default will result from the payment of a dividend or the making of any other form of distribution;

 

(c) provide any form of credit or financial assistance to:

 

  (i) a person who is directly or indirectly interested in that Borrower’s share or loan capital; or

 

  (ii) any company in or with which such a person is directly or indirectly interested or connected,

or enter into any transaction with or involving such a person or company on terms which are, in any respect, less favourable to that Borrower than those which it could obtain in a bargain made at arms’ length;

 

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(d) open or maintain any account with any bank or financial institution except accounts with the Agent, the Account Bank and the Security Trustee for the purposes of the Finance Documents;

 

(e) issue, allot or grant any person a right to any shares in its capital or repurchase or reduce its issued share capital;

 

(f) acquire any shares or other securities other than short term debt obligations or Treasury bills issued by the US, the UK or a Participating Member State and certificates of deposit issued by major North American or European banks, or enter into any transaction in a derivative; or

 

(g) enter into any form of amalgamation, merger or de-merger, acquisition, divesture, split-up or any form of reconstruction or reorganisation; or

 

(h) change its Financial Year; or

 

(i) change its auditors.

 

12.4 Corporate Guarantor’s Subsidiaries

The Borrowers shall provide the Agent with a list of the Borrowers’ and the Corporate Guarantor’s (direct and indirect) subsidiaries at the date of this Agreement (together with information requested by the Agent pursuant to Clause 11.6(c) in respect of such subsidiaries) and shall promptly update this list from time to time to advise the Agent of any amendments to the information included in the original list delivered to the Agent, unless such information is included in the financial statement or periodic public filings of the Corporate Guarantor.

 

13 INSURANCE

 

13.1 General

Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 13 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, may otherwise permit in writing.

 

13.2 Maintenance of obligatory insurances

Each Borrower shall keep the Ship owned by it insured at the expense of that Borrower against:

 

(a) fire and usual marine risks (including hull and machinery and excess risks);

 

(b) war risks (including, without limitation, protection and indemnity war risks with a separate limit not less than hull value of the relevant Ship);

 

(c) protection and indemnity risks (including, without limitation, protection and indemnity war risks in excess of the amount for war risks (hull) and oil pollution liability risks) in each case in the highest amount available in the international insurance market)); and

 

(d) any other risks the insurance of which the Security Trustee (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), having regard to practices, recommendations and other circumstances prevailing at the relevant time, may from time to time require by notice to that Borrower.

 

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13.3 Terms of obligatory insurances

Each Borrower shall effect such insurances in such amounts in such currency and upon such terms and conditions (including, without limitation, any LSW 1189 or, in the opinion of the Security Trustee, comparable mortgage clause) as shall from time to time be approved in writing by the Security Trustee in its sole discretion, but in any event as follows:

 

(a) in Dollars;

 

(b) in the case of fire and usual marine risks and war risks, on an agreed value basis in an amount equal to at least the higher of (i) an amount which is equal to 120 per cent. of the aggregate of (A) the Advance relating to that Borrower’s Ship, (B) the principal amount secured by any equal or prior ranking Security Interest on that Ship and (ii) the Market Value of that Ship;

 

(c) in the case of oil pollution liability risks, for an amount equal to the highest level of cover from time to time available under basic protection and indemnity club entry (with the International Group of Protection and Indemnity Clubs) and the international marine insurance market (currently $1,000,000,000 for any one accident or occurrence);

 

(d) in relation to protection and indemnity risks in respect of the full value and tonnage of that Ship;

 

(e) in relation to war risks insurance, extended to cover piracy and terrorism where excluded under the fire and usual marine risks insurance;

 

(f) on approved terms and conditions;

 

(g) such other risks of whatever nature and howsoever arising in respect of which insurance would be maintained by a prudent owner of a vessel similar to that Ship; and

 

(h) through approved brokers and with approved insurance companies and/or underwriters which have a Standard & Poor’s rating of at least BBB- or a comparable rating by any other rating agency acceptable to the Security Trustee (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) or, in the case of war risks and protection and indemnity risks, in approved war risks and protection and indemnity risks associations which are members of the International Group of Protection and Indemnity Clubs.

 

13.4 Further protections for the Creditor Parties

In addition to the terms set out in Clause 13.3, each Borrower shall and shall procure that:

 

(a) it and any and all third parties who are named assured or co-assured under any obligatory insurance shall assign their interest in any and all obligatory insurances and other Insurances if so required by the Agent;

 

(b) whenever the Security Trustee requires, the obligatory insurances name (or be amended to name) the Security Trustee as additional named assured for its rights and interests, warranted no operational interest and with full waiver of rights of subrogation they may have under any applicable law against the Security Trustee but without the Security Trustee thereby being liable to pay (but having the right to pay) premiums, calls or other assessments in respect of such insurance;

 

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(c) the interest of the Security Trustee as assignee and as loss payee shall be duly endorsed on all slips, cover notes, policies, certificates of entry or other instruments of insurance in respect of the obligatory insurances;

 

(d) the obligatory insurances shall name the Security Trustee as sole loss payee with such directions for payment as the Security Trustee may specify;

 

(e) the obligatory insurances shall provide that all payments by or on behalf of the insurers under the obligatory insurances to the Security Trustee shall be made without set-off, counterclaim or deductions or condition whatsoever;

 

(f) the obligatory insurances shall provide that the insurers shall waive, to the fullest extent permitted by English law, their entitlement (if any) (whether by statute, common law, equity, or otherwise) to be subrogated to the rights and remedies of the Security Trustee in respect of any rights or interests (secured or not) held by or available to the Security Trustee in respect of the Secured Liabilities, until the Secured Liabilities shall have been fully repaid and discharged, except that the insurers shall not be restricted by the terms of this paragraph (f) from making personal claims against persons (other than either Borrower or any Creditor Party) in circumstances where the insurers have fully discharged their liabilities and obligations under the relevant obligatory insurances;

 

(g) the obligatory insurances shall provide that the obligatory insurances shall be primary without right of contribution from other insurances effected by the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party;

 

(h) the obligatory insurances shall provide that the Security Trustee may make proof of loss if that Borrower fails to do so; and

 

(i) the obligatory insurances shall provide that if any obligatory insurance is cancelled, or if any substantial change is made in the coverage which adversely affects the interest of the Security Trustee, or if any obligatory insurance is allowed to lapse for non-payment of premium, such cancellation, charge or lapse shall only be effective against the Security Trustee 14 days (or 7 days in the case of war risks) after receipt by the Security Trustee of prior written notice from the insurers of such cancellation, change or lapse.

 

13.5 Renewal of obligatory insurances

Each Borrower shall:

 

(a) at least 14 days before the expiry of any obligatory insurance effected by it:

 

  (i) notify the Security Trustee of the brokers, underwriters, insurance companies and any protection and indemnity or war risks association through or with whom that Borrower proposes to renew that obligatory insurance and of the proposed terms and conditions of renewal; and

 

  (ii) seek the Security Trustee’s approval to the matters referred to in paragraph (i);

 

(b) at least 7 days before the expiry of any obligatory insurance, renew that obligatory insurance in accordance with the Security Trustee’s approval pursuant to paragraph (a); and

 

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(c) procure that the approved brokers and/or the war risks and protection and indemnity associations with which such a renewal is effected shall promptly after the renewal notify the Security Trustee in writing of the terms and conditions of the renewal.

 

13.6 Copies of policies; letters of undertaking

Each Borrower shall ensure that all approved brokers provide the Security Trustee with pro forma copies of all cover notes and policies relating to the obligatory insurances which they are to effect or renew and of a letter or letters of undertaking in a form required by the Security Trustee and including undertakings by the approved brokers that:

 

(a) they will have endorsed on each policy, immediately upon issue, a loss payable clause and a notice of assignment complying with the provisions of Clause 13.4;

 

(b) they will hold such policies, and the benefit of such insurances, to the order of the Security Trustee in accordance with the said loss payable clause;

 

(c) they will advise the Security Trustee immediately of any material change to the terms of the obligatory insurances;

 

(d) they will notify the Security Trustee, not less than 14 days before the expiry of the obligatory insurances, in the event of their not having received notice of renewal instructions from that Borrower or its agents and, in the event of their receiving instructions to renew, they will promptly notify the Security Trustee of the terms of the instructions; and

 

(e) they will not set off against any sum recoverable in respect of a claim relating to the Ship owned by that Borrower under such obligatory insurances any premiums or other amounts due to them or any other person whether in respect of that Ship or otherwise, they waive any lien on the policies, or any sums received under them, which they might have in respect of such premiums or other amounts, and they will not cancel such obligatory insurances by reason of non-payment of such premiums or other amounts, and will arrange for a separate policy to be issued in respect of that Ship forthwith upon being so requested by the Security Trustee.

 

13.7 Copies of certificates of entry; letters of undertaking

Each Borrower shall ensure that any protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations in which the Ship owned by that Borrower is entered provides the Security Trustee with:

 

(a) a certified copy of the certificate of entry for that Ship;

 

(b) a letter or letters of undertaking in such form as may be required by the Security Trustee;

 

(c) where required to be issued under the terms of insurance/indemnity provided by that Borrower’s protection and indemnity association, a certified copy of each United States of America voyage quarterly declaration (or other similar document or documents) made by that Borrower in accordance with the requirements of such protection and indemnity association; and

 

(d) a certified copy of each certificate of financial responsibility for pollution by oil or other Environmentally Sensitive Material issued by the relevant certifying authority or, as the case may be, protection and indemnity associations in relation to that Ship (if applicable).

 

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13.8 Deposit of original policies

Each Borrower shall ensure that all policies relating to obligatory insurances effected by it are deposited with the approved brokers through which the insurances are effected or renewed.

 

13.9 Payment of premiums

Each Borrower shall punctually pay all premiums or other sums payable in respect of the obligatory insurances effected by it and produce all relevant receipts when so required by the Security Trustee.

 

13.10 Guarantees

Each Borrower shall ensure that any guarantees required by a protection and indemnity or war risks association are promptly issued and remain in full force and effect.

 

13.11 Compliance with terms of insurances

Each Borrower shall not do or omit to do (nor permit to be done or not to be done) any act or thing which would or might render any obligatory insurance invalid, void, voidable or unenforceable or render any sum payable under an obligatory insurance repayable in whole or in part; and, in particular it shall:

 

(a) take all necessary action and comply with all requirements which may from time to time be applicable to the obligatory insurances, and (without limiting the obligation contained in Clause 13.6(c)) ensure that the obligatory insurances are not made subject to any exclusions or qualifications to which the Security Trustee has not given its prior approval;

 

(b) not make any changes relating to the classification or classification society or manager or operator of the Ship owned by it approved by the underwriters of the obligatory insurances;

 

(c) make (and promptly supply copies to the Agent) of all quarterly or other voyage declarations which may be required by the protection and indemnity risks association in which that Ship is entered to maintain cover for trading to the United States of America and Exclusive Economic Zone (as defined in the United States Oil Pollution Act 1990 or any other applicable legislation) and, if applicable, shall procure that the Approved Manager complies with this requirement; and

 

(d) not employ that Ship, nor allow it to be employed, otherwise than in conformity with the terms and conditions of the obligatory insurances, without first obtaining the consent of the insurers and complying with any requirements (as to extra premium or otherwise) which the insurers specify.

 

13.12 Alteration to terms of insurances

Each Borrower shall neither make nor agree to any alteration to the terms of any obligatory insurance or waive any right relating to any obligatory insurance.

 

13.13 Settlement of claims

Neither Borrower shall settle, compromise or abandon any claim under any obligatory insurance for Total Loss or for a Major Casualty, and shall do all things necessary and provide all documents, evidence and information to enable the Security Trustee to collect or recover any moneys which at any time become payable in respect of the obligatory insurances and shall do all things necessary to ensure such collection or recovery is made.

 

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13.14 Provision of copies of communications

Each Borrower shall provide the Security Trustee, when so requested, copies of all written communications between that Borrower and:

 

(a) the approved brokers;

 

(b) the approved protection and indemnity and/or war risks associations; and

 

(c) the approved insurance companies and/or underwriters, which relate directly or indirectly to:

 

  (i) that Borrower’s obligations relating to the obligatory insurances including, without limitation, all requisite declarations and payments of additional premiums or calls; and

 

  (ii) any credit arrangements made between that Borrower and any of the persons referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) relating wholly or partly to the effecting or maintenance of the obligatory insurances.

 

13.15 Provision of information and further undertakings

In addition, each Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee (or any persons which it may designate) with any information which the Security Trustee (or any such designated person) requests for the purpose of:

 

(a) obtaining or preparing any report from an independent marine insurance broker as to the adequacy of the obligatory insurances effected or proposed to be effected; and/or

 

(b) effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurances as are referred to in Clause 13.16 or dealing with or considering any matters relating to any such insurances,

and that Borrower shall:

 

  (i) do all things necessary and provide the Agent and the Security Trustee with all documents and information to enable the Security Trustee to collect or recover any moneys in respect of the Insurances which are payable to the Security Trustee pursuant to the Finance Documents; and

 

  (ii) promptly provide the Agent with full information regarding any Major Casualty in consequence whereof the Ship owned by that Borrower has become or may become a Total Loss and agree to any settlement of such casualty or other accident or damage to that Ship only with the Agent’s prior written consent,

and that Borrower shall, forthwith upon demand, indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all fees and other expenses incurred by or for the account of the Security Trustee in connection with any such report as is referred to in paragraph (a).

 

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13.16 Mortgagee’s interest and additional perils insurances

The Security Trustee shall be entitled from time to time to effect, maintain and renew all or any of the following insurances in such amounts, on such terms, through such insurers and generally in such manner as the Majority Lenders may from time to time consider appropriate:

 

(a) a mortgagee’s interest insurance providing for the indemnification of the Creditor Parties for any losses under or in connection with any Finance Document (in an amount of up to the aggregate of (i) 120 per cent. of the Advance for the relevant Ship and (ii) the principal amount secured by any equal or prior ranking Security Interest on the Ship) which directly or indirectly result from loss of or damage to a Ship or a liability of that Ship or of the Borrower owning that Ship, being a loss or damage which is prima facie covered by an obligatory insurance but in respect of which there is a non-payment (or reduced payment) by the underwriters by reason of, or on the basis of an allegation concerning:

 

  (i) any act or omission on the part of that Borrower, of any operator, charterer, manager or sub-manager of that Ship or of any officer, employee or agent of that Borrower or of any such person, including any breach of warranty or condition or any non-disclosure relating to such obligatory insurance;

 

  (ii) any act or omission, whether deliberate, negligent or accidental, or any knowledge or privity of that Borrower, any other person referred to in paragraph (i) above, or of any officer, employee or agent of that Borrower or of such a person, including the casting away or damaging of that Ship and/or that Ship being unseaworthy; and/or

 

  (iii) any other matter capable of being insured against under a mortgagee’s interest marine insurance policy whether or not similar to the foregoing; and

 

(b) a mortgagee’s interest additional perils insurance providing for the indemnification of the Creditor Parties against, among other things, any possible losses or other consequences of any Environmental Claim, including the risk of expropriation, arrest or any form of detention of a Ship, the imposition of any Security Interest over that Ship and/or any other matter capable of being insured against under a mortgagee’s interest additional perils policy whether or not similar to the foregoing, and in an amount of up to (i) 110 per cent. of the Advance for the relevant Ship and (ii) the principal amount secured by any equal or prior ranking Security Interest,

and the Borrowers shall upon demand fully indemnify the Security Trustee in respect of all premiums and other expenses which are incurred in connection with or with a view to effecting, maintaining or renewing any such insurance or dealing with, or considering, any matter arising out of any such insurance.

 

13.17 Review of insurance requirements

The Security Trustee shall be entitled to review the requirements of this Clause 13 from time to time in order to take account of any changes in circumstances after the date of this Agreement which are, in the opinion of the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders), significant and capable of affecting the Borrowers, each Ship and its Insurances (including, without limitation, changes in the availability or the cost of insurance coverage or the risks to which the Borrower owning that Ship may be subject) and the Borrowers shall upon demand fully indemnify the Agent in respect of all fees and other expenses incurred by or for the account of the Agent in appointing an independent marine insurance broker or adviser to conduct such review.

 

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13.18 Modification of insurance requirements

The Security Trustee shall notify the Borrowers of any proposed modification under Clause 13.17 to the requirements of this Clause 13 which the Security Trustee reasonably considers appropriate in the circumstances, and such modification shall take effect on and from the date it is notified in writing to the Borrowers as an amendment to this Clause 13 and shall bind the Borrowers accordingly.

 

13.19 Compliance with mortgagee’s instructions

The Security Trustee shall be entitled (without prejudice to or limitation of any other rights which it may have or acquire under any Finance Document) to require a Ship to remain at any safe port or to proceed to and remain at any safe port designated by the Security Trustee until the Borrower owning that Ship implements any amendments to the terms of the obligatory insurances and any operational changes required as a result of a notice served under Clause 13.18.

 

14 SHIP COVENANTS

 

14.1 General

Each Borrower also undertakes with each Creditor Party to comply with the following provisions of this Clause 14 at all times during the Security Period except as the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, may otherwise permit in writing.

 

14.2 Ship’s name and registration

Each Borrower shall keep the Ship owned by it registered in its name under an Approved Flag; shall not do, omit to do or allow to be done anything as a result of which such registration might be cancelled or imperilled; and shall not change the name or port of registry of that Ship.

 

14.3 Repair and classification

Each Borrower shall, and shall procure that the Approved Manager shall, keep the Ship owned by that Borrower in a good and safe condition and state of repair, sea and cargo worthy in all respects:

 

(a) consistent with first-class ship ownership and management practice;

 

(b) so as to maintain the highest class free of overdue recommendations and conditions, with a classification society which is a member of IACS (other than the China Classification Society and the Russian Maritime Registry of Shipping) and acceptable to the Agent; and

 

(c) so as to comply with all laws and regulations applicable to vessels registered at ports in the applicable Approved Flag State or to vessels trading to any jurisdiction to which that Ship may trade from time to time, including but not limited to the ISM Code and the ISPS Code,

and the Agent shall be given power of attorney in the form attached as Schedule 6 to act on behalf of that Borrower in order to, inspect the class records and any files held by the classification society and to require the classification society to provide the Agent or any of its nominees with any information, document or file, it might request and the classification society shall be fully entitled to rely hereon without any further inquiry.

 

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14.4 Classification society undertaking

Each Borrower shall instruct the classification society referred to in Clause 14.3 (and procure that the classification society undertakes with the Security Trustee) in relation to its Ship:

 

(a) to send to the Security Trustee, following receipt of a written request from the Security Trustee, certified true copies of all original class records and any other related records held by the classification society in relation to the Ship owned by that Borrower;

 

(b) to allow the Security Trustee (or its agents), at any time and from time to time, to inspect the original class and related records of that Ship at the offices of the classification society and to take copies of them;

 

(c) to notify the Security Trustee immediately in writing if the classification society:

 

  (i) receives notification from that Borrower or any person that that Ship’s classification society is to be changed; or

 

  (ii) becomes aware of any facts or matters which may result in or have resulted in a change, suspension, discontinuance, withdrawal or expiry of that Ship’s class under the rules or terms and conditions of that Borrower’s or that Ship’s membership of the classification society;

 

(d) following receipt of a written request from the Security Trustee:

 

  (i) to confirm that that Borrower is not in default of any of its contractual obligations or liabilities to the classification society and, without limiting the foregoing, that it has paid in full all fees or other charges due and payable to the classification society; or

 

  (ii) if that Borrower is in default of any of its contractual obligations or liabilities to the classification society, to specify to the Security Trustee in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances of such default, the consequences thereof, and any remedy period agreed or allowed by the classification society.

 

14.5 Modification

Neither Borrower shall make any modification or repairs to, or replacement of, its Ship or equipment installed on it which would or might materially alter the structure, type or performance characteristics of that Ship or materially reduce its value.

 

14.6 Removal of parts

Neither Borrower shall remove any material part of its Ship, or any item of equipment installed on that Ship unless the part or item so removed is forthwith replaced by a suitable part or item which is in the same condition as or better condition than the part or item removed, is free from any Security Interest or any right in favour of any person other than the Security Trustee and becomes on installation on that Ship the property of that Borrower and subject to the security constituted by the relevant Mortgage Provided that a Borrower may install equipment owned by a third party if the equipment can be removed without any risk of damage to the Ship owned by it.

 

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14.7 Surveys

Each Borrower shall submit the Ship owned by it regularly to all periodical or other surveys which may be required for classification purposes and, if so required by the Security Trustee provide the Security Trustee, with copies of all survey reports.

 

14.8 Inspection

Each Borrower shall permit the Security Trustee (by surveyors or other persons appointed by it for that purpose) to board the Ship owned by that Borrower at all reasonable times to inspect its condition or to satisfy themselves about proposed or executed repairs and shall afford all proper facilities for such inspections at the Borrower’s expense (which if no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing shall be limited to once in each calendar year).

 

14.9 Prevention of and release from arrest

Each Borrower shall promptly discharge:

 

(a) all liabilities which give or may give rise to maritime or possessory liens on or claims enforceable against the Ship owned by it, the Earnings or the Insurances;

 

(b) all taxes, dues and other amounts charged in respect of that Ship, the Earnings or the Insurances; and

 

(c) all other outgoings whatsoever in respect of that Ship, the Earnings or the Insurances,

and, forthwith upon receiving notice of the arrest of that Ship, or of its detention in exercise or purported exercise of any lien or claim, that Borrower shall procure its release by providing bail or otherwise as the circumstances may require.

 

14.10 Compliance with laws etc.

Each Borrower shall:

 

(a) comply, or procure compliance with the ISM Code, the ISPS Code, all Environmental Laws and all other laws or regulations relating to the Ship owned by it, its ownership, operation and management or to the business of that Borrower;

 

(b) not employ the Ship owned by it nor allow its employment in any manner contrary to any law or regulation in any relevant jurisdiction including but not limited to the ISM Code and the ISPS Code; and

 

(c) in the event of hostilities in any part of the world (whether war is declared or not), not cause or permit that Ship to enter or trade to any zone which is declared a war zone by any government or by the Ship’s war risks insurers unless the prior written consent of the Security Trustee has been given and that Borrower has (at its expense) effected any special, additional or modified insurance cover which the Security Trustee may require.

 

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14.11 Provision of information

Each Borrower shall promptly provide the Security Trustee with any information which it requests regarding:

 

(a) the Ship owned by it, its employment, position and engagements;

 

(b) the Earnings and payments and amounts due to the master and crew of that Ship;

 

(c) any expenses incurred, or likely to be incurred, in connection with the operation, maintenance or repair of that Ship and any payments made in respect of that Ship;

 

(d) any towages and salvages; and

 

(e) its compliance, the Approved Manager’s compliance and the compliance of that Ship with the ISM Code and the ISPS Code,

and, upon the Security Trustee’s request, provide copies of any current charter relating to that Ship, of any current charter guarantee and copies of that Borrower’s or the Approved Manager’s Document of Compliance, Safety Management Certificate and the ISSC.

 

14.12 Notification of certain events

Each Borrower shall:

 

(a) before entering into:

 

  (i) any demise charter for any period in respect of its Ship; or

 

  (ii) any other Assignable Charter,

notify the Agent and provide copies of any draft charter relating to its Ship and, if applicable, any draft charter guarantee and that Borrower shall be entitled to enter into such charter without the consent of the Creditor Parties Provided that :

 

  (A) that Borrower executes in favour of the Security Trustee a specific assignment of all its rights, title and interest in and to such charter and any charter guarantee in the form of a Charterparty Assignment;

 

  (B) the charterer and any charter guarantor receive a notice (1) of the specific assignment of such charter and charter guarantee and (2) that the Mortgage over that Ship has been registered prior to the entry into such charter;

 

  (C) in the case where such charter is a demise charter the charterer undertakes to the Security Trustee (1) to comply with all of that Borrower’s undertakings with regard to the employment, insurances, operation, repairs and maintenance of its Ship contained in this Agreement, the Mortgage and the General Assignment in relation to that Ship (2) to provide an assignment of its interest in the insurances of the Ship in the form of a Charterparty Assignment;

 

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  (D) the relevant Borrower provides certified true and complete copies of the charter relating to its Ship and of any current charter guarantee, if any, promptly after its execution;

 

  (E) the Agent’s receipt of a copy of the charter and its failure or neglect to act, delay or acquiescence in connection with the relevant Borrower’s entering into such charter shall not in any way constitute an acceptance by the Agent of whether or not the Earnings under the charter are sufficient to meet the debt service requirements under this Agreement nor shall it in any way affect the Agent’s or the Security Trustee’s entitlement to exercise its rights under the Finance Documents pursuant to Clause 19 upon the occurrence of an Event of Default arising as a result of an act or omission of the charterer; and

 

  (F) the Borrower delivers to the Agent such other documents equivalent to those referred to at paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 of Schedule 3, Part A as the Agent may require; and

 

(b) immediately notify the Security Trustee by letter, of:

 

  (i) its entry into any agreement or arrangement for the postponement of any date on which any Earnings are due, the reduction of the amount of any Earnings or otherwise for the release or adverse alteration of any right of that Borrower to any Earnings;

 

  (ii) its entry into any time or consecutive voyage charter in respect of that Ship for a term which exceeds, or which by virtue of any optional extensions may exceed, 12 months;

 

  (iii) any casualty which is or is likely to be or to become a Major Casualty;

 

  (iv) any occurrence as a result of which the Ship owned by it has become or is, by the passing of time or otherwise, likely to become a Total Loss;

 

  (v) any requirement, overdue condition or recommendation made by any insurer or classification society or by any competent authority which is not complied with in accordance with its terms;

 

  (vi) any arrest or detention of that Ship, any exercise or purported exercise of any lien on that Ship or its Earnings or any requisition of that Ship for hire;

 

  (vii) any unscheduled dry docking of that Ship;

 

  (viii) any Environmental Claim made against that Borrower or in connection with that Ship, or any Environmental Incident;

 

  (ix) any claim for breach of the ISM Code or the ISPS Code being made against that Borrower, the Approved Manager or otherwise in connection with that Ship;

 

  (x) its intention to de-activate or lay up its Ship; or

 

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  (xi) any other matter, event or incident, the effect of which will or could lead to the ISM Code or the ISPS Code not being complied with, and that Borrower shall keep the Security Trustee advised in writing on a regular basis and in such detail as the Security Trustee shall require of that Borrower’s, the Approved Manager’s or any other person’s response to any of those events or matters.

 

14.13 Restrictions on chartering, appointment of managers etc.

Neither Borrower shall, in relation to the Ship owned by it:

 

(a) enter into any charter in relation to that Ship under which more than two months’ hire (or the equivalent) is payable in advance;

 

(b) charter that Ship otherwise than on bona fide arm’s length terms at the time when that Ship is fixed;

 

(c) appoint a manager of that Ship other than the Approved Manager; or

 

(d) put that Ship into the possession of any person for the purpose of work being done upon it in an amount exceeding or likely to exceed $500,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency) unless that person has first given to the Security Trustee and in terms satisfactory to it a written undertaking not to exercise any lien on that Ship or its Earnings for the cost of such work or for any other reason.

 

14.14 Notice of Mortgage

Each Borrower shall keep the Mortgage relative to its Ship registered against that Ship as a valid first preferred or, as the case may be, priority mortgage, carry on board that Ship a certified copy of that Mortgage and place and maintain in a conspicuous place in the navigation room and the Master’s cabin of that Ship a framed printed notice stating that that Ship is mortgaged by that Borrower to the Security Trustee.

 

14.15 Sharing of Earnings

Neither Borrower shall enter into any agreement or arrangement for the sharing of any Earnings (other than (i) any profit sharing agreement with a charterer which takes effect above an agreed minimum charter hire rate payable to the relevant Borrower under a charter to which that Borrower is a party and (ii) any pool agreement, in either case, on bona fide arm’s length terms).

 

14.16 ISPS Code

Each Borrower shall comply with the ISPS Code and in particular, without limitation, shall:

 

(a) procure that the Ship owned by it and the company responsible for that Ship’s compliance with the ISPS Code comply with the ISPS Code; and

 

(b) maintain for that Ship an ISSC; and

 

(c) notify the Agent immediately in writing of any actual or threatened withdrawal, suspension, cancellation or modification of the ISSC.

 

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15 SECURITY COVER

 

15.1 Minimum required security cover

Clause 15.2 applies if the Agent notifies the Borrowers that the Security Cover Ratio is below 125 per cent.

 

15.2 Prepayment; provision of additional security

If the Agent serves a notice on the Borrowers under Clause 15.1, the Borrowers shall prepay such part at least of the Loan as will eliminate the shortfall on or before the date falling 14 Business Days after the date on which the Agent’s notice is served under Clause 15.1 (the “ Prepayment Date ”) unless at least five calendar days before the Prepayment Date the Borrowers have provided, or ensured that a third party has provided, additional security which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, has a net realisable value at least equal to the shortfall and is documented in such terms as the Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, approve or require.

 

15.3 Valuation of Ships

The Market Value of a Ship:

 

(a) for the purposes of the Initial Market Value, is that shown by taking the arithmetic mean of two valuations issued by 2 Approved Brokers, one of which shall be issued by an Approved Broker to be nominated by the Borrowers and appointed by the Agent and the other nominated and appointed by the Agent (unless the Borrowers have not nominated an Approved Broker by the date falling 14 days prior to the Drawdown Date in which case the Agent will be entitled to select and appoint a second Approved Broker and the Market Value of the relevant Ship shall be shown by taking the arithmetic means of the two valuations obtained); and

 

(b) at any other date, is that shown in a valuation addressed to the Agent to be issued by an Approved Broker, nominated and appointed by the Borrowers and addressed to the Agent (the “ First Valuation ”) unless the Agent obtains a second valuation issued by an Approved Broker nominated and appointed by the Agent (the “ Second Valuation ”) in which case the Market Value of the relevant Ship at the relevant date is that shown:

 

  (i) if the difference between the First Valuation and the Second Valuation is less than 10 per cent., by the First Valuation; and

 

  (ii) if the difference between the First Valuation and the Second Valuation is greater than 10 per cent. but less than 15 per cent. or less, by taking the arithmetic average of such two valuations,

 

(c) each valuation issued pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Clause 15.3 to be prepared:

 

  (A) as at a date not more than 30 days previously;

 

  (B) with or without physical inspection of that Ship (as the Agent may require); and

 

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  (C) on the basis of a sale for prompt delivery for cash on normal arm’s length commercial terms as between a willing seller and a willing buyer, free of any existing charter or other contract of employment; and

 

(d) if the difference between 2 valuations in respect of a Ship obtained at any one time, in each case, pursuant to this Clause 15.3 is greater than 15 per cent. a valuation shall be commissioned from a third Approved Broker selected and appointed by the Agent. Such valuation to be conducted in accordance with this Clause 15.3 and the Market Value of that Ship in such circumstances shall be the arithmetic average of all three valuations.

 

15.4 Value of additional vessel security

The net realisable value of any additional security which is provided under Clause 15.2 and which consists of a Security Interest over a vessel shall be that shown by a valuation complying with the requirements of Clause 15.3.

 

15.5 Valuations binding

Any valuation under Clause 15.2, 15.3 or 15.4 shall be binding and conclusive as regards the Borrowers, as shall be any valuation which the Majority Lenders make of any additional security which does not consist of or include a Security Interest.

 

15.6 Provision of information

The Borrowers shall promptly provide the Agent and any Approved Broker or expert acting under Clause 15.3 or 15.4 with any information which the Agent or that Approved Broker or expert may request for the purposes of the valuation; and, if the Borrowers fail to provide the information by the date specified in the request, the valuation may be made on any basis and assumptions which that Approved Broker or the Majority Lenders (or the expert appointed by them) consider prudent.

 

15.7 Payment of valuation expenses

Without prejudice to the generality of the Borrowers’ obligations under Clauses 20.2, 20.3 and 21.3, the Borrowers shall, on demand, pay the Agent the amount of the fees and expenses of any Approved Broker or expert instructed by the Agent under this Clause and all legal and other expenses incurred by any Creditor Party in connection with any matter arising out of this Clause.

 

15.8 Frequency of valuations

The Borrowers shall provide the Agent with a valuation of each Ship, dated as of June or, as the case may be, December, on the date on which the Agent receives any financial statements in accordance with Clauses 11.6(a) and 11.6(b) for the period ending on the dates referred to above in respect of which the Market Value of each Ship will be determined and the Compliance Certificate in accordance with Clause 11.20 and the Agent may, otherwise, request valuations to determine the Borrowers’ compliance under Clause 15.1 not less than twice during each 12-month period during the Security Period.

 

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16 PAYMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

 

16.1 Currency and method of payments

All payments to be made by the Lenders or by either Borrower under a Finance Document shall be made to the Agent or to the Security Trustee, in the case of an amount payable to it:

 

(a) by not later than 11.00 a.m. (New York City time) on the due date;

 

(b) in same day Dollar funds settled through the New York Clearing House Interbank Payments System (or in such other Dollar funds and/or settled in such other manner as the Agent shall specify as being customary at the time for the settlement of international transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement);

 

(c) in the case of an amount payable by a Lender to the Agent or by either Borrower to the Agent or any Lender, to the account of the Agent at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank (SWIFT Code CHASUS33) (Account No. 001 1331 808 in favour of HSH Nordbank AG, SWIFT Code HSHNDEHH; Reference “Amorgos Shipping Corporation et al ”) or to such other account with such other bank as the Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the other Creditor Parties; and

 

(d) in the case of an amount payable to the Security Trustee, to such account as it may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the other Creditor Parties.

 

16.2 Payment on non-Business Day

If any payment by either Borrower under a Finance Document would otherwise fall due on a day which is not a Business Day:

 

(a) the due date shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day; or

 

(b) if the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next calendar month, the due date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day,

and interest shall be payable during any extension under paragraph (a) at the rate payable on the original due date.

 

16.3 Basis for calculation of periodic payments

All interest and commitment fee and any other payments under any Finance Document which are of an annual or periodic nature shall accrue from day to day and shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a 360 day year.

 

16.4 Distribution of payments to Creditor Parties

Subject to Clauses 16.5, 16.6 and 16.7:

 

(a) any amount received by the Agent under a Finance Document for distribution or remittance to a Lender or the Security Trustee shall be made available by the Agent to that Lender or, as the case may be, the Security Trustee by payment, with funds having the same value as the funds received, to such account as the Lender or the Security Trustee may have notified to the Agent not less than five Business Days previously; and

 

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(b) amounts to be applied in satisfying amounts of a particular category which are due to the Lenders generally shall be distributed by the Agent to each Lender pro rata to the amount in that category which is due to it.

 

16.5 Permitted deductions by Agent

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent may, before making an amount available to a Lender, deduct and withhold from that amount any sum which is then due and payable to the Agent from that Lender under any Finance Document or any sum which the Agent is then entitled under any Finance Document to require that Lender to pay on demand.

 

16.6 Agent only obliged to pay when monies received

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, the Agent shall not be obliged to make available to either Borrower or any Lender any sum which the Agent is expecting to receive for remittance or distribution to that Borrower or that Lender until the Agent has satisfied itself that it has received that sum.

 

16.7 Refund to Agent of monies not received

If and to the extent that the Agent makes available a sum to a Borrower or a Lender, without first having received that sum, that Borrower or (as the case may be) the Lender concerned shall, on demand:

 

(a) refund the sum in full to the Agent; and

 

(b) pay to the Agent the amount (as certified by the Agent) which will indemnify the Agent against any funding or other loss, liability or expense incurred by the Agent as a result of making the sum available before receiving it.

 

16.8 Agent may assume receipt

Clause 16.7 shall not affect any claim which the Agent has under the law of restitution, and applies irrespective of whether the Agent had any form of notice that it had not received the sum which it made available.

 

16.9 Creditor Party accounts

Each Creditor Party shall maintain accounts showing the amounts owing to it by the Borrowers and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrowers and any Security Party.

 

16.10 Agent’s memorandum account

The Agent shall maintain a memorandum account showing the amounts advanced by the Lenders and all other sums owing to the Agent, the Security Trustee and each Lender from the Borrowers and each Security Party under the Finance Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the Borrowers and any Security Party.

 

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16.11 Accounts prima facie evidence

If any accounts maintained under Clauses 16.9 and 16.10 show an amount to be owing by a Borrower or a Security Party to a Creditor Party, those accounts shall be prima facie evidence that that amount is owing to that Creditor Party.

 

17 APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS

 

17.1 Normal order of application

Except as any Finance Document may otherwise provide, any sums which are received or recovered by any Creditor Party under or by virtue of any Finance Document shall be applied:

 

(a) FIRST: in or towards satisfaction of any amounts then due and payable under the Finance Documents in the following order and proportions:

 

  (i) firstly, in or towards satisfaction pro rata of all amounts then due and payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents (including, but without limitation, all amounts payable by either Borrower under Clauses 20, 21 and 22 of this Agreement or by either Borrower or any Security Party under any corresponding or similar provision in any other Finance Document) other than those amounts referred to at paragraphs (ii) and (iii);

 

  (ii) secondly, in or towards satisfaction pro rata of any and all amounts of interest or default interest payable to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents; and

 

  (iii) thirdly, in or towards satisfaction of the Loan; and

 

(b) SECONDLY: in retention of an amount equal to any amount not then due and payable under any Finance Document but which the Agent, by notice to the Borrowers (or either of them), the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties, states in its opinion will either or may become due and payable in the future and, upon those amounts becoming due and payable, in or towards satisfaction of them in accordance with the provisions of Clause 17.1(a); and

 

(c) THIRDLY: any surplus shall be paid to the Borrowers or to any other person appearing to be entitled to it.

 

17.2 Application by any covered bond Lender

If and to the extent that any Lender includes the Loan and/or a Mortgage in its covered bond register, any enforcement proceeds recovered under the Finance Documents and attributable to it under the relevant Finance Document shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Clause 17.1(a), be applied by it first to the part of the Loan that corresponds to that Lender’s Contribution registered in its covered bond register and thereafter in the following order:

 

(a) firstly, in or towards satisfaction of the amounts set out under Clause 17.1(a)(i);

 

(b) secondly, in or towards satisfaction of the amounts set out under Clause 17.1(a)(ii); and

 

(c) thirdly, in or towards satisfaction of any part of the Loan that corresponds to any unregistered part of that Lender’s contribution.

 

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17.3 Variation of order of application

The Agent may, with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Borrowers, the Security Parties and the other Creditor Parties provide for a different manner of application from that set out in Clause 17.1 (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, that set out in Clause 17.2) either as regards a specified sum or sums or as regards sums in a specified category or categories.

 

17.4 Notice of variation of order of application

The Agent may give notices under Clause 17.3 from time to time; and such a notice may be stated to apply not only to sums which may be received or recovered in the future, but also to any sum which has been received or recovered on or after the third Business Day before the date on which the notice is served.

 

17.5 Appropriation rights overridden

This Clause 17 and any notice which the Agent gives under Clause 17.3 shall override any right of appropriation possessed, and any appropriation made, by either Borrower or either Security Party.

 

18 APPLICATION OF EARNINGS

 

18.1 Payment of Earnings

Each Borrower undertakes with each Creditor Party that, throughout the Security Period (and subject only to the provisions of the General Assignment to which it is a party):

 

(a) it shall maintain the Accounts with the Account Bank;

 

(b) it shall ensure that all Earnings of the Ship owned by it are paid to the Earnings Account for that Ship; and

 

(c) all Minimum Liquidity amounts required pursuant to Clause 11.19 shall be maintained in the Liquidity Account.

 

18.2 Monthly retentions

The Borrowers undertake with each Creditor Party to ensure that, on and from the date falling one month after each Drawdown Date and at monthly intervals thereafter during the Security Period, there are transferred in respect of each Advance drawn on that Drawdown Date to the Retention Account out of the Earnings received in the relevant Earnings Account during the preceding month:

 

(a) one-third of the amount of the relevant Instalment falling due in respect of that Advance under Clause 8.1 on the next Repayment Date; and

 

(b) the relevant fraction of the aggregate amount of interest on that Advance which is payable on the next due date for payment of interest under this Agreement,

and the Borrowers irrevocably authorise the Agent to make those transfers (in its sole discretion and without any obligation) if the Borrowers fail to do so.

 

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The “ relevant fraction ”, in relation to paragraph (b), is a fraction of which the numerator is 1 and the denominator the number of months comprised in the then current Interest Period (or if the current Interest Period in respect of that Advance ends after the next due date for payment of interest under this Agreement, the number of months from the later of the commencement of the current Interest Period in respect of that Advance or the last due date for payment of interest to the next due date for payment of interest in respect of that Advance under this Agreement).

 

18.3 Shortfall in Earnings

If the aggregate Earnings received in each Earnings Account are insufficient at any time for the required amount to be transferred to the Retention Account under Clause 18.2, the Borrowers shall immediately pay the amount of the insufficiency into the Retention Account.

 

18.4 Application of retentions

Until an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default occurs, the Agent shall, to the extent there are sufficient funds standing to the credit of the Retention Account, on each Repayment Date and on each due date for the payment of interest under this Agreement distribute to the Lenders in accordance with Clause 16.4 so much of the then balance on the Retention Account as equals:

 

(a) the Instalment due on that Repayment Date pursuant to Clause 8.1; or

 

(b) the amount of interest in respect of the Loan payable on that interest payment date,

in discharge of the Borrowers’ liability for that Instalment or that interest.

 

18.5 Interest accrued on the Accounts

Any credit balance on each Account shall bear interest at the rate from time to time offered by the Agent to its customers for Dollar deposits of similar amounts and for periods similar to those for which such balances appear to the Agent likely to remain on that Account.

 

18.6 Release of accrued interest

Interest accruing under Clause 18.5 shall be credited to the relevant Account and may be released to the relevant Borrower pursuant to Clause 18.10.

 

18.7 Location of Accounts

Each Borrower shall promptly:

 

(a) comply with any requirement of the Agent as to the location or re-location of the Accounts (or any of them); and

 

(b) execute any documents which the Agent specifies to create or maintain in favour of the Security Trustee a Security Interest over (and/or rights of set-off, consolidation or other rights in relation to) the Accounts.

 

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18.8 Debits for fees, expenses etc.

The Agent shall be entitled (but not obliged) from time to time to debit any Earnings Account without prior notice in order to discharge any amount due and payable under Clauses 20 or 21 to a Creditor Party or payment of which any Creditor Party has become entitled to demand under Clauses 20 or 21.

 

18.9 Borrowers’ obligations unaffected

The provisions of this Clause 18 (as distinct from a distribution effected under Clause 18.4) do not affect:

 

(a) the liability of the Borrowers to make payments of principal and interest on the due dates; or

 

(b) any other liability or obligation of the Borrowers or any Security Party under any Finance Document.

 

18.10 Restriction on withdrawal

During the Security Period no sum may be withdrawn by a Borrower from the Liquidity Account or the Retention Account (other than interest pursuant to Clause 18.6, provided that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred which is continuing), without the prior written consent of the Agent.

The Borrowers may, in any calendar month, after having transferred and/or after having taken into account all amounts due or which will become due to be transferred to the Retention Account in such calendar month in accordance with Clause 18.2, withdraw any surplus (a “ Surplus ”) from the Earnings Accounts (or either of them) as they may think fit for purposes permitted by this Agreement and the other Finance Documents Provided always no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred which is continuing in which case any Surplus shall remain on the relevant Earnings Account and the Borrowers may only withdraw the Surplus (or any part thereof) with the prior written consent of the Agent (acting upon the instructions of the Majority Lenders) in order to satisfy the documented and properly incurred operating expenses of the Ships (or either of them).

 

19 EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

19.1 Events of Default

An Event of Default occurs if:

 

(a) any Borrower or any Security Party fails to pay when due or (if so payable) on demand any sum payable under a Finance Document or under any document relating to a Finance Document unless:

 

  (i) its failure to pay is caused by administrative or technical error or a Disruption Event; and

 

  (ii) payment is made within 5 Business Days; or

 

(b) any breach occurs of Clause 9.2, 11.2, 11.3, 11.18, 11.19, 11.20, 12.2, 12.3 or 15.2 or clause 12.4 of the Corporate Guarantee; or

 

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(c) any breach by any Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraphs (a) or (b)) which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, is capable of remedy, and such default continues unremedied 30 Business Days (or any other grace period agreed by the Agent) after written notice from the Agent requesting action to remedy the same; or

 

(d) (subject to any applicable grace period specified in the Finance Documents) any material breach by any Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party occurs of any provision of a Finance Document (other than a breach falling within paragraphs (a), (b) or (c)); or

 

(e) any representation, warranty or statement made or repeated by, or by an officer of, a Borrower, the Approved Manager or a Security Party in a Finance Document or in a Drawdown Notice or any other notice or document relating to a Finance Document is untrue or misleading in any material respect when it is made or repeated; or

 

(f) any of the following occurs in relation to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is not paid when due unless the Relevant Person is contesting its obligation to pay the relevant amount in good faith and on substantial grounds and by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves have been set aside for its payment if such proceedings fail; or

 

  (ii) any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person which in the case of any Relevant Person other than either Borrower exceeds $10,000,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency in aggregate), becomes due and payable or capable of being declared due and payable prior to its stated maturity date as a consequence of any event of default; or

 

  (iii) any overdraft, loan, note issuance, acceptance credit, letter of credit, guarantee, foreign exchange or other facility, or any swap or other derivative contract or transaction, relating to any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person which in the case of any Relevant Person other than either Borrower exceeds $10,000,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency in aggregate) ceases to be available or becomes capable of being terminated as a result of any event of default, or cash cover is required, or becomes capable of being required, in respect of such a facility as a result of any event of default; or

 

  (iv) any Security Interest securing any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person, which in the case of any Relevant Person other than either Borrower exceeds an amount of $10,000,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency in aggregate), becomes enforceable; or

 

(g) any of the following occurs in relation to a Relevant Person:

 

  (i) a Relevant Person becomes, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, unable to pay its debts as they fall due; or

 

  (ii) any assets of a Relevant Person are subject to any form of execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress or any form of freezing order which in the case of any Relevant Person other than either Borrower exceeds $10,000,000 (or the equivalent in any other currency in aggregate), and such execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration, distress or freezing order is not withdrawn within thirty (30) Business Days; or

 

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  (iii) any administrative or other receiver is appointed over any asset of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (iv) an administrator is appointed (whether by the court or otherwise) in respect of a Relevant Person; or

 

  (v) any formal declaration of bankruptcy or any formal statement to the effect that a Relevant Person is insolvent or likely to become insolvent is made by a Relevant Person or by the directors or officers of a Relevant Person or, in any proceedings, by a lawyer acting for a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vi) a provisional liquidator is appointed in respect of a Relevant Person, a winding up order is made in relation to a Relevant Person or a winding up resolution is passed by a Relevant Person; or

 

  (vii) a resolution is passed, an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by (aa) a Relevant Person, (bb) the members or directors or officers of a Relevant Person, (cc) a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person, or (dd) a government minister or public or regulatory authority of a Pertinent Jurisdiction for or with a view to the winding up of that or another Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of that or another Relevant Person, or that or another Relevant Person ceasing or suspending business operations or payments to creditors, save that this paragraph does not apply to a fully solvent winding up of a Relevant Person other than either Borrower or the Corporate Guarantor or the Shareholder which is, or is to be, effected for the purposes of an amalgamation or reconstruction previously approved by the Majority Lenders and effected not later than three months after the commencement of the winding up; or

 

  (viii) an administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other step is taken by a creditor of a Relevant Person (other than a holder of Security Interests which together relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person) for the winding up of a Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect of a Relevant Person in any Pertinent Jurisdiction, unless the proposed winding up, appointment of a provisional liquidator or administration is being contested in good faith, on substantial grounds and not with a view to some other insolvency law procedure being implemented instead and either (aa) the application or petition is dismissed or withdrawn within 60 days of being made or presented, or (bb) within 60 days of the administration notice being given or filed, or the other relevant steps being taken, other action is taken which will ensure that there will be no administration and (in both cases (aa) or (bb)) the Relevant Person will continue to carry on business in the ordinary way and without being the subject of any actual, interim or pending insolvency law procedure; or

 

  (ix) a Relevant Person or its directors or officers take any steps (whether by making or presenting an application or petition to a court, or submitting or presenting a document setting out a proposal or proposed terms, or otherwise) with a view to obtaining, in relation to that or another Relevant Person, any form of moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation of debt (or certain debt) or arrangement with all or a substantial proportion (by number or value) of creditors or of any class of them or any such moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation or arrangement is effected by court order, by the filing of documents with a court, by means of a contract or in any other way at all; or

 

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  (x) any meeting of the members or directors, or of any committee of the board or senior management, of a Relevant Person is held or summoned for the purpose of considering a resolution or proposal to authorise or take any action of a type described in paragraphs (iv) to (ix) or a step preparatory to such action, or (with or without such a meeting) the members, directors or such a committee resolve or agree that such an action or step should be taken or should be taken if certain conditions materialise or fail to materialise; or

 

  (xi) in a Pertinent Jurisdiction other than England, any event occurs, any proceedings are opened or commenced or any step is taken which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders is similar to any of the foregoing; or

 

(h) any Borrower ceases or suspends carrying on its business or a part of its business which, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, is material in the context of this Agreement; or

 

(i) it becomes unlawful in any Pertinent Jurisdiction or impossible:

 

  (i) for any Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party to discharge any liability under a Finance Document or to comply with any other obligation which the Majority Lenders consider material under a Finance Document; or

 

  (ii) for the Agent, the Security Trustee or the Lenders to exercise or enforce any right under, or to enforce any Security Interest created by, a Finance Document; or

 

(j) any official consent necessary to enable any Borrower to own, operate or charter the Ship owned by it or to enable any Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party to comply with any provision which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider material of a Finance Document or any Underlying Document is not granted, expires without being renewed, is revoked or becomes liable to revocation or any condition of such a consent is not fulfilled unless such revocation is validly contested in good faith by the Borrower, the Approved Manager or, as the case may be, that Security Party; or

 

(k) it appears to the Majority Lenders that, without their prior consent, either (i) a Change of Control has occurred or probably has occurred after the date of this Agreement, (ii) the Corporate Guarantor ceases being the direct legal and beneficial owner of the shares in the Shareholder and the voting rights attaching to those shares or (iii) on and from the relevant Transfer Date, the Shareholder ceases being the direct legal and beneficial owner of the shares in the relevant Borrower and of the voting rights attaching to those shares; or

 

(l) any provision which the Majority Lenders reasonably consider material of a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable, or a Security Interest created by a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable or such a Security Interest proves to have ranked after, or loses its priority to, another Security Interest or any other third party claim or interest (excluding any Permitted Security Interests); or

 

(m) the security constituted by a Finance Document is in any way imperilled or in jeopardy; or

 

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(n) either Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party or any other person (other than a Creditor Party) repudiates any of the Finance Documents to which that Borrower, the Approved Manager or that Security Party or person is a party or evidences an intention to do so; or

 

(o) any other event occurs or any other circumstances arise or develop including, without limitation:

 

  (i) a change in the financial position, state of affairs or prospects of any Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor or any other Security Party; or

 

  (ii) the commencement of legal or administrative action involving a Borrower, a Ship, either of the Approved Manager or any Security Party; or

 

  (iii) the withdrawal of any material license or governmental or regulatory approval in respect of a Ship, a Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Borrower’s or Approved Manager’s business (unless such withdrawal can be contested with the effect of suspension and is in fact so contested in good faith by the Borrowers or the Approved Manager),

which in the reasonable opinion of the Lenders constitutes a Material Adverse Change.

 

19.2 Actions following an Event of Default

On, or at any time after, the occurrence of an Event of Default:

 

(a) the Agent may, and if so instructed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent shall:

 

  (i) serve on the Borrowers a notice stating that all or part of the Commitments and of the other obligations of each Lender to the Borrowers under this Agreement are cancelled; and/or

 

  (ii) serve on the Borrowers a notice stating that all or part of the Loan together with accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing under this Agreement are immediately due and payable or are due and payable on demand; and/or

 

  (iii) take any other action which, as a result of the Event of Default or any notice served under paragraph (i) or (ii), the Agent and/or the Lenders are entitled to take under any Finance Document or any applicable law; and/or

 

(b) the Security Trustee may, and if so instructed by the Agent, acting with the authorisation of the Majority Lenders, the Security Trustee shall take any action which, as a result of the Event of Default or any notice served under paragraph (a)(i) or (a)(ii), the Security Trustee, the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger and/or the Lenders are entitled to take under any Finance Document or any applicable law.

 

19.3 Termination of Commitments

On the service of a notice under Clause 19.2(a)(i), the Commitments and all other obligations of each Lender to the Borrowers under this Agreement shall be cancelled.

 

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19.4 Acceleration of Loan

On the service of a notice under Clause 19.2(a)(ii), all or, as the case may be, the part of the Loan specified in the notice together with accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or owing from the Borrowers or any Security Party under this Agreement and every other Finance Document shall become immediately due and payable or, as the case may be, payable on demand.

 

19.5 Multiple notices; action without notice

The Agent may serve notices under Clauses 19.2(a)(i) or 19.2(a)(ii) simultaneously or on different dates and it and/or the Security Trustee may take any action referred to in Clause 19.2 if no such notice is served or simultaneously with or at any time after the service of both or either of such notices.

 

19.6 Notification of Creditor Parties and Security Parties

The Agent shall send to each Lender, the Security Trustee, the Approved Manager and each Security Party a copy or the text of any notice which the Agent serves on the Borrowers under Clause 19.2; but the notice shall become effective when it is served on the Borrowers, and no failure or delay by the Agent to send a copy or the text of the notice to any other person shall invalidate the notice or provide any Borrower, the Approved Manager or any Security Party with any form of claim or defence.

 

19.7 Creditor Party rights unimpaired

Nothing in this Clause shall be taken to impair or restrict the exercise of any right given to individual Lenders under a Finance Document or the general law; and, in particular, this Clause is without prejudice to Clause 3.1.

 

19.8 Exclusion of Creditor Party liability

No Creditor Party, and no receiver or manager appointed by the Security Trustee, shall have any liability to a Borrower or a Security Party:

 

(a) for any loss caused by an exercise of rights under, or enforcement of a Security Interest created by, a Finance Document or by any failure or delay to exercise such a right or to enforce such a Security Interest; or

 

(b) as mortgagee in possession or otherwise, for any income or principal amount which might have been produced by or realised from any asset comprised in such a Security Interest or for any reduction (however caused) in the value of such an asset,

except that this does not exempt a Creditor Party or a receiver or manager from liability for losses shown to have been directly and mainly caused by gross negligence, the dishonesty or the wilful misconduct of such Creditor Party’s own officers and employees or (as the case may be) such receiver’s or manager’s own partners or employees.

 

19.9 Relevant Persons

In this Clause 19, a “ Relevant Person ” means a Borrower or any Security Party.

 

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19.10 Interpretation

In Clause 19.1(f) references to an event of default or a termination event include any event, howsoever described, which is similar to an event of default in a facility agreement or a termination event in a finance lease; and in Clause 19.1(g) “ petition ” includes an application.

 

20 FEES AND EXPENSES

 

20.1 Fees

The Borrowers shall pay certain fees to the Creditor Parties referred to, and in the amount and at the times agreed in, a Fee Letter.

 

20.2 Costs of negotiation, preparation etc.

The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent on its demand the amount of all legal and other expenses incurred by the Agent or the Security Trustee in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution or registration of any Finance Document or any related document or with any transaction contemplated by a Finance Document or a related document.

 

20.3 Costs of variations, amendments, enforcement etc.

The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent, on the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Creditor Party concerned, the amount of all legal and other expenses incurred by a Creditor Party in connection with:

 

(a) any amendment or supplement (or any proposal for such an amendment or supplement) requested (or, in the case of a proposal, made) by or on behalf of the Borrowers and relating to a Finance Document or any other Pertinent Document;

 

(b) any consent, waiver or suspension of rights by the Lenders, the Majority Lenders or the Creditor Party concerned or any proposal for any of the foregoing requested (or, in the case of a proposal, made) by or on behalf of the Borrowers under or in connection with a Finance Document or any other Pertinent Document;

 

(c) the valuation of any security provided or offered under and pursuant to Clause 15 or any other matter relating to such security;

 

(d) any step taken by the Creditor Party concerned with a view to the preservation, protection, exercise or enforcement of any rights or Security Interest created by a Finance Document or for any similar purpose including, without limitation, any proceedings to recover or retain proceeds of enforcement or any other proceedings following enforcement proceedings until the date all outstanding indebtedness to the Creditor Parties under the Finance Documents and any other Pertinent Document is repaid in full; or

 

(e) any amendment or supplement (or any proposal for such an amendment or supplement) in connection with a Finance Document or any other Pertinent Document required as contemplated in Clause 27.5.

There shall be recoverable under paragraph (d) the full amount of all legal expenses, whether or not such as would be allowed under rules of court or any taxation or other procedure carried out under such rules.

 

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20.4 Documentary taxes

The Borrowers shall promptly pay any tax payable on or by reference to any Finance Document, and shall, on the Agent’s demand, fully indemnify each Creditor Party against any claims, expenses, liabilities and losses resulting from any failure or delay by the Borrowers to pay such a tax.

 

20.5 Certification of amounts

A notice which is signed by two officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 20 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

21 INDEMNITIES

 

21.1 Indemnities regarding borrowing and repayment of Loan

The Borrowers shall fully indemnify the Agent and each Lender on the Agent’s demand and the Security Trustee on its demand in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are made or brought against or incurred by that Creditor Party, or which that Creditor Party reasonably and with due diligence estimates that it will incur, as a result of or in connection with:

 

(a) an Advance not being borrowed on the date specified in the relevant Drawdown Notice for any reason other than a default by the Lender claiming the indemnity after the relevant Drawdown Notice has been served in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement;

 

(b) the receipt or recovery of all or any part of the Loan or an overdue sum otherwise than on the last day of an Interest Period or other relevant period;

 

(c) any failure (for whatever reason) by the Borrowers (or either of them) to make payment of any amount due under a Finance Document on the due date or, if so payable, on demand (after giving credit for any default interest paid by the Borrowers on the amount concerned under Clause 7) including but not limited to any costs and expenses of enforcing any Security Interests created by the Finance Documents and any claims, liabilities and losses which may be brought against, or incurred by, a Creditor Party when enforcing any Security Interests created by the Finance Documents; and

 

(d) the occurrence and/or continuance of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default and/or the acceleration of repayment of the Loan under Clause 19,

and in respect of any tax (other than tax on its overall net income and a FATCA Deduction) for which a Creditor Party is liable in connection with any amount paid or payable to that Creditor Party (whether for its own account or otherwise) under any Finance Document.

 

21.2 Break Costs

If a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that as a consequence of receipt or recovery of all or any part of the Loan (a “ Payment ”) on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable to the sum received or recovered the Notifying Lender has or will, with effect from a specified date, incur Break Costs:

 

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(a) the Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers of a notice it receives from a Notifying Lender under this Clause 21.2;

 

(b) the Borrowers shall, within five Business Days of the Agent’s demand, pay to the Agent for the account of the Notifying Lender the amount of such Break Costs; and

 

(c) the Notifying Lender shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, following a request by the Borrowers, provide a certificate confirming the amount of the Notifying Lender’s Break Costs for the Interest Period in which they accrue, such certificate to be, in the absence of manifest error, conclusive and binding on the Borrowers.

In this Clause 21.2, “ Break Costs ” means, in relation to a Payment the amount (if any) by which:

 

  (i) the interest which the Notifying Lender, should have received in accordance with Clause 5 in respect of the sum received or recovered from the date of receipt or recovery of such Payment to the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable to the sum received or recovered had such Payment been made on the last day of such Interest Period;

exceeds

 

  (ii) the amount which the Notifying Lender, would be able to obtain by placing an amount equal to such Payment on deposit with a leading bank in the Relevant Interbank Market for a period commencing on the Business Day following receipt or recovery of such Payment (as the case may be) and ending on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable to the sum received or recovered.

 

21.3 Other breakage costs

Without limiting its generality, Clause 21.1 covers any claim, expense, liability or loss, including (without limitation) (i) a loss of a prospective profit, incurred by a Lender in borrowing, liquidating or re-employing deposits from third parties acquired, contracted for or arranged to fund, effect or maintain all or any part of its Contribution and/or any overdue amount (or an aggregate amount which includes its Contribution or any overdue amount) other than claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of the officers or employees of the Creditor Party concerned and (ii) any applicable legal fees.

 

21.4 Miscellaneous indemnities

The Borrowers shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party severally on their respective demands, without prejudice to any of their other rights under any of the Finance Documents, in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which may be made or brought against or sustained or incurred by a Creditor Party, in any country, as a result of or in connection with:

 

(a) any action taken, or omitted or neglected to be taken, under or in connection with any Finance Document by the Agent, the Security Trustee or any other Creditor Party or by any receiver appointed under a Finance Document;

 

(b) investigating any event which the Creditor Party concerned reasonably believes constitutes an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default; or

 

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(c) acting or relying on any notice, request or instruction which the Creditor Party concerned reasonably believes to be genuine, correct and appropriately authorised,

other than claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are shown to have been directly and mainly caused by the dishonesty, gross negligence or wilful misconduct of the officers or employees of the Creditor Party concerned.

 

21.5 Environmental Indemnity

Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 21.4, this Clause 21.5 covers any claims, demands, proceedings, liabilities, taxes, losses, liabilities or expenses of every kind which arise, or are asserted, under or in connection with any law relating to safety at sea, the ISM Code or the ISPS Code, any Environmental Law.

 

21.6 Currency indemnity

If any sum due from a Borrower or any Security Party to a Creditor Party under a Finance Document or under any order, award or judgment relating to a Finance Document (a “ Sum ”) has to be converted from the currency in which the Finance Document provided for the Sum to be paid (the “ Contractual Currency ”) into another currency (the “ Payment Currency ”) for the purpose of:

 

(a) making, filing or lodging any claim or proof against a Borrower or any Security Party, whether in its liquidation, any arrangement involving it or otherwise; or

 

(b) obtaining an order, judgment or award from any court or other tribunal in relation to any litigation or arbitration proceedings; or

 

(c) enforcing any such order, judgment or award,

the Borrowers shall as an independent obligation, within three Business Days of demand, indemnify the Creditor Party to whom that Sum is due against any cost, loss or liability arising when the payment actually received by that Creditor Party is converted at the available rate of exchange back into the Contractual Currency including any discrepancy between (A) the rate of exchange actually used to convert the Sum from the Payment Currency into the Contractual Currency and (B) the available rate of exchange.

In this Clause 21.6, the “ available rate of exchange ” means the rate at which the Creditor Party concerned is able at the opening of business (London time) on the Business Day after it receives the Sum to purchase the Contractual Currency with the Payment Currency.

Each Borrower waives any right it may have in any jurisdiction to pay any amount under the Finance Documents in a currency other than that in which it is expressed to be payable.

If any Creditor Party receives any Sum in a currency other than the Contractual Currency, the Borrowers shall indemnify in full the Creditor Party concerned against any cost, loss or liability arising directly or indirectly from any conversion of such Sum to the Contractual Currency.

This Clause 21.6 creates a separate liability of that Borrower which is distinct from its other liabilities under the Finance Documents and which shall not be merged in any judgment or order relating to those other liabilities.

 

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21.7 Certification of amounts

A notice which is signed by two officers of a Creditor Party, which states that a specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to that Creditor Party under this Clause 21 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate amount, is due shall be prima facie evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is due.

 

21.8 Sums deemed due to a Lender

For the purposes of this Clause 21, a sum payable by the Borrowers to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender.

 

22 NO SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION

 

22.1 No deductions

All amounts due from the Borrowers under a Finance Document shall be paid:

 

(a) without any form of set-off, counter-claim, cross-claim or condition; and

 

(b) free and clear of any tax deduction except a tax deduction which a Borrower is required by law to make.

 

22.2 Grossing-up for taxes

If, at any time, a Borrower is required by law, regulation or regulatory requirement to make a tax deduction from any payment due under a Finance Document:

 

(a) that Borrower shall notify the Agent as soon as it becomes aware of the requirement;

 

(b) the amount due in respect of the payment shall be increased by the amount necessary to ensure that, after the making of such tax deduction, each Creditor Party receives on the due date for such payment (and retains free from any liability relating to the tax deduction) a net amount which is equal to the full amount which it would have received had no such tax deduction been required to be made; and

 

(c) that Borrower shall pay the full amount of the tax required to be deducted to the appropriate taxation authority promptly in accordance with the relevant law, regulation or regulatory requirement, and in any event before any fine or penalty arises.

 

22.3 Indemnity and evidence of payment of taxes

The Borrowers shall fully indemnify each Creditor Party on the Agent’s demand in respect of all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses incurred by any Creditor Party by reason of any failure of the Borrowers (or either of them) to make any tax deduction or by reason of any increased payment not being made on the due date for such payment in accordance with Clause 22.2. Within 30 days after making any tax deduction, the Borrowers or, as the case may be, the relevant Borrower shall deliver to the Agent any receipts, certificates or other documentary evidence satisfactory to the Agent that the tax had been paid to the appropriate taxation authority.

 

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22.4 Exclusion of tax on overall net income

In this Clause 22 “ tax deduction ” means any deduction or withholding from any payment due under a Finance Document for or on account of any present or future tax except:

 

(a) tax on a Creditor Party’s overall net income; and

 

(b) a FATCA Deduction.

 

22.5 FATCA Information

 

(a) Subject to paragraph (c) below, each Party shall, within ten Business Days of a reasonable request by another Party:

 

  (i) confirm to that other Party whether it is:

 

  (A) a FATCA Exempt Party; or

 

  (B) not a FATCA Exempt Party; and

 

  (ii) supply to that other Party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status under FATCA as that other Party reasonably requests for the purposes of that other Party’s compliance with FATCA; and

 

  (iii) supply to that other Party such forms, documentation and other information relating to its status as that other Party reasonably requests for the purposes of that other Party’s compliance with any other law, regulation or exchange of information regime.

 

(b) If a Party confirms to another Party pursuant to sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (a) above that it is a FATCA Exempt Party and it subsequently becomes aware that it is not, or has ceased to be a FATCA Exempt Party, that Party shall notify that other Party reasonably promptly.

 

(c) Paragraph (a) above shall not oblige any Creditor Party to do anything and sub-paragraph (iii) of paragraph (a) above shall not oblige any other Party to do anything which would or might in its reasonable opinion constitute a breach of:

 

  (i) any law or regulation;

 

  (ii) any fiduciary duty; or

 

  (iii) any duty of confidentiality.

 

(d) If a Party fails to confirm whether or not it is a FATCA Exempt Party or to supply forms, documentation or other information requested in accordance with sub-paragraphs (i) or (ii) of paragraph (a) above (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where paragraph (c) above applies), then such Party shall be treated for the purposes of the Finance Documents (and payments under them) as if it is not a FATCA Exempt Party until such time as the Party in question provides the requested confirmation, forms, documentation or other information.

 

(e) If a Lender knows or has reason to know that a Borrower is a US Tax Obligor, or where the Agent reasonably believes that its obligations under FATCA require it, each Lender shall, within ten Business Days of:

 

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  (i) where the Lender knows or has reason to know that a Borrower is a US Tax Obligor and the relevant Lender is a Party as at the date of this Agreement, the date of this Agreement;

 

  (ii) where the Lender knows or has reason to know that a Borrower is a US Tax Obligor and the relevant Lender became a Party after the date of this Agreement, the date on which the relevant Transfer Certificate became effective; or

 

  (iii) the date of a request from the Agent,

supply to the Agent:

 

  (iv) a withholding certificate on US Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 or Form W-9 (or any successor form) (as applicable); or

 

  (v) any withholding statement and other documentation, authorisations and waivers as the Agent may require to certify or establish the status of such Lender under FATCA.

The Agent shall provide any withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers it receives from a Lender pursuant to this paragraph (e) to the Borrowers, to the extent required for compliance with FATCA or any other law or regulation, and shall be entitled to rely on any such withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers provided without further verification. The Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by it under or in connection with this paragraph (e).

 

(f) Each Lender agrees that if any withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers provided to the Agent pursuant to paragraph (e) above is or becomes materially inaccurate or incomplete, it shall promptly update such withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers or promptly notify the Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so. The Agent shall provide any such updated withholding certificate, withholding statement, documentation, authorisations and waivers to the Borrowers, to the extent required for compliance with FATCA or any other law or regulation. The Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by it under or in connection with this paragraph (f).

 

22.6 FATCA Deduction

 

(a) Each Party may make any FATCA Deduction as it reasonably determines it is required to make by FATCA, and any payment required in connection with that FATCA Deduction, and no Party shall be required to increase any payment in respect of which it makes such a FATCA Deduction or otherwise compensate the recipient of the payment for that FATCA Deduction.

 

(b) Each Party shall promptly, upon becoming aware that it must make a FATCA Deduction (or that there is any change in the rate or the basis of such FATCA Deduction), notify the Party to whom it is making the payment and, in addition, shall notify each Borrower and the Agent and the Agent shall notify the other Creditor Parties.

 

23 ILLEGALITY, ETC.

 

23.1 Illegality

This Clause 23 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that it has become, or will with effect from a specified date, become:

 

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(a) unlawful or prohibited as a result of the introduction of a new law, an amendment to an existing law or a change in the manner in which an existing law is or will be interpreted or applied; or

 

(b) contrary to, or inconsistent with, any regulation,

for the Notifying Lender to perform, maintain or give effect to any of its obligations under this Agreement in the manner contemplated by this Agreement or to fund or maintain the Loan.

 

23.2 Notification of illegality

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers, the Security Parties, the Security Trustee and the other Lenders of the notice under Clause 23.1 which the Agent receives from the Notifying Lender.

 

23.3 Prepayment; termination of Commitment

On the Agent notifying the Borrowers under Clause 23.2, the Notifying Lender’s Commitment shall be immediately cancelled; and thereupon or, if later, on the date specified in the Notifying Lender’s notice under Clause 23.1 as the date on which the notified event would become effective the Borrowers shall prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution on the last day of the then current Interest Period in accordance with Clauses 8.10 and 8.11.

 

24 INCREASED COSTS

 

24.1 Increased costs

This Clause 24 applies if a Lender (the “ Notifying Lender ”) notifies the Agent that the Notifying Lender considers that as a result of:

 

(a) the introduction or alteration after the date of this Agreement of a law or an alteration after the date of this Agreement in the manner in which a law is interpreted or applied (disregarding any effect which relates to the application to payments under this Agreement of a tax on the Lender’s overall net income); or

 

(b) complying with any regulation (including any which relates to capital adequacy or liquidity controls or which affects the manner in which the Notifying Lender allocates capital resources to its obligations under this Agreement) which is introduced, or altered, or the interpretation or application of which is altered, after the date of this Agreement; or

 

(c) the implementation or application of or compliance with the “International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards, a Revised Framework” published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in June 2004 in the form existing on the date of this Agreement (the “ Basel II Accord ”) or any other law or regulation implementing the Basel II Accord or any of the approaches provided for and allowed to be used by banks under or in connection with the Basel II Accord, in each case when compared to the cost of complying with such regulations as determined by the Agent (or parent company of it) on the date of this Agreement (whether such implementation, application or compliance is by a government, regulator, supervisory authority, the Notifying Lender or its holding company); or

 

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(d) the implementation or application of or compliance with Basel III or any law or regulation which implements or applies Basel III (regardless of the date on which it is enacted, adopted or issued and regardless of whether any such implementation, application or compliance is by a government, regulator, the Notifying Lender or any of its affiliates),

the Notifying Lender (or a parent company of it) has incurred or will incur an “ increased cost ”.

 

24.2 Meaning of “increased cost”

In this Clause 24, “ increased cost ” means, in relation to a Notifying Lender:

 

(a) an additional or increased cost incurred as a result of, or in connection with, the Notifying Lender having entered into, or being a party to, this Agreement or a Transfer Certificate, of funding or maintaining its Commitment or Contribution or performing its obligations under this Agreement, or of having outstanding all or any part of its Contribution or other unpaid sums;

 

(b) a reduction in the amount of any payment to the Notifying Lender under this Agreement or in the effective return which such a payment represents to the Notifying Lender or on its capital;

 

(c) an additional or increased cost of funding all or maintaining all or any of the advances comprised in a class of advances formed by or including the Notifying Lender’s Contribution or (as the case may require) the proportion of that cost attributable to the Contribution; or

 

(d) a liability to make a payment, or a return foregone, which is calculated by reference to any amounts received or receivable by the Notifying Lender under this Agreement,

but not an item attributable to a change in the rate of tax on the overall net income of the Notifying Lender (or a parent company of it) or an item covered by the indemnity for tax in Clause 21.1 or by Clause 22 or a FATCA Deduction required to be made by a Party.

For the purposes of this Clause 24.2 the Notifying Lender may in good faith allocate or spread costs and/or losses among its assets and liabilities (or any class of its assets and liabilities) on such basis as it considers appropriate.

 

24.3 Notification to Borrowers of claim for increased costs

The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the Security Parties of the notice which the Agent received from the Notifying Lender under Clause 24.1.

 

24.4 Payment of increased costs

The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent within 5 Business Days after the Agent’s demand, for the account of the Notifying Lender the amounts which the Agent from time to time notifies the Borrowers that the Notifying Lender has specified to be necessary to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost.

 

24.5 Notice of prepayment

If the Borrowers are not willing to continue to compensate the Notifying Lender for the increased cost under Clause 24.4, the Borrowers may give the Agent not less than 14 days’ notice of their intention to prepay the Notifying Lender’s Contribution at the end of an Interest Period.

 

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24.6 Prepayment; termination of Commitment

A notice under Clause 24.5 shall be irrevocable; the Agent shall promptly notify the Notifying Lender of the Borrowers’ notice of intended prepayment; and:

 

(a) on the date on which the Agent serves that notice, the Commitment of the Notifying Lender shall be cancelled; and

 

(b) on the date specified in its notice of intended prepayment, the Borrowers shall prepay (without premium or penalty) the Notifying Lender’s Contribution, together with accrued interest thereon at the applicable rate plus the Margin and the Mandatory Cost (if any).

 

24.7 Application of prepayment

Clause 8 shall apply in relation to the prepayment.

 

25 SET-OFF

 

25.1 Application of credit balances

Each Creditor Party may without prior notice to the Borrowers but with prior notice to the Agent:

 

(a) apply any balance (whether or not then due) which at any time stands to the credit of any account in the name of a Borrower at any office in any country of that Creditor Party in or towards satisfaction of any sum then due from that Borrower to that Creditor Party under any of the Finance Documents; and

 

(b) for that purpose:

 

  (i) break, or alter the maturity of, all or any part of a deposit of that Borrower;

 

  (ii) convert or translate all or any part of a deposit or other credit balance into Dollars; and

 

  (iii) enter into any other transaction or make any entry with regard to the credit balance which the Creditor Party concerned considers appropriate.

 

25.2 Existing rights unaffected

No Creditor Party shall be obliged to exercise any of its rights under Clause 25.1; and those rights shall be without prejudice and in addition to any right of set-off, combination of accounts, charge, lien or other right or remedy to which a Creditor Party is entitled (whether under the general law or any document).

 

25.3 Sums deemed due to a Lender

For the purposes of this Clause 25, a sum payable by the Borrowers to the Agent or the Security Trustee for distribution to, or for the account of, a Lender shall be treated as a sum due to that Lender; and each Lender’s proportion of a sum so payable for distribution to, or for the account of, the Lenders shall be treated as a sum due to such Lender.

 

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25.4 No Security Interest

This Clause 25 gives the Creditor Parties a contractual right of set-off only, and does not create any equitable charge or other Security Interest over any credit balance of either Borrower.

 

26 TRANSFERS AND CHANGES IN LENDING OFFICES

 

26.1 Transfer by Borrowers

Neither Borrower may assign or transfer any of its rights, liabilities or obligations under any Finance Document.

 

26.2 Transfer by a Lender

Subject to Clause 26.4, a Lender (the “ Transferor Lender ”) may at any time, without the consent of the Borrowers or any Security Party but after consultation with the Borrowers, cause:

 

(a) its rights in respect of all or part of its Contribution; or

 

(b) its obligations in respect of all or part of its Commitment; or

 

(c) a combination of (a) and (b); or

 

(d) all or part of its credit risk under this Agreement and the other Finance Documents,

to be syndicated to or, (in the case of its rights) assigned, pledged or transferred to, or (in the case of its obligations) pledged or assumed by, any other bank or financial institution or to a trust, fund or other entity, provided such other entity is regularly engaged in, or established for the purpose of, making, purchasing or investing in loans, securities or other financial assets (a “ Transferee Lender ”) by delivering to the Agent a completed certificate in the form set out in Schedule 5 with any modifications approved or required by the Agent (a “ Transfer Certificate ”) executed by the Transferor Lender and the Transferee Lender.

However, any rights and obligations of the Transferor Lender in its capacity as Agent or Security Trustee will have to be dealt with separately in accordance with the Agency and Trust Agreement.

All costs and expenses relating to a transfer effected pursuant to this Clause 26.2 shall be borne by the Transferee Lender.

 

26.3 Transfer Certificate, delivery and notification

As soon as reasonably practicable after a Transfer Certificate is delivered to the Agent, it shall (unless it has reason to believe that the Transfer Certificate may be defective):

 

(a) sign the Transfer Certificate on behalf of itself, the Borrowers, the Security Parties, the Security Trustee and each of the other Lenders;

 

(b) on behalf of the Transferee Lender, send to each Borrower and each Security Party letters or faxes notifying them of the Transfer Certificate and attaching a copy of it; and

 

(c) send to the Transferee Lender copies of the letters or faxes sent under paragraph (b) above.

 

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26.4 Effective Date of Transfer Certificate

A Transfer Certificate becomes effective on the date, if any, specified in the Transfer Certificate as its effective date Provided that it is signed by the Agent under Clause 26.3 on or before that date.

 

26.5 No transfer without Transfer Certificate

Except as provided in Clause 26.18, no assignment or transfer of any right or obligation of a Lender under any Finance Document is binding on, or effective in relation to, either Borrower, any Security Party, the Agent or the Security Trustee unless it is effected, evidenced or perfected by a Transfer Certificate.

 

26.6 Lender re-organisation

However, if a Lender enters into any merger, de-merger or other reorganisation as a result of which all its rights or obligations vest in another person (the “ successor ”), the successor shall become a Lender with the same Commitment and Contribution as were held by the predecessor Lender only upon receipt by the Agent of a notice to this effect and evidence that all rights and obligations have automatically and by operation of law vested in the successor by virtue of the merger, de-merger or other reorganisation, without the need for the execution and delivery of a Transfer Certificate; the Agent shall in that event inform the Borrowers and the Security Trustee accordingly.

 

26.7 Effect of Transfer Certificate

A Transfer Certificate takes effect in accordance with English law as follows:

 

(a) to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate, all rights and interests (present, future or contingent) which the Transferor Lender has under or by virtue of the Finance Documents are assigned to the Transferee Lender absolutely, free of any defects in the Transferor Lender’s title and of any rights or equities which either Borrower or any Security Party had against the Transferor Lender;

 

(b) the Transferor Lender’s Commitment is discharged to the extent specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

(c) the Transferee Lender becomes a Lender with the Contribution previously held by the Transferor Lender and a Commitment of an amount specified in the Transfer Certificate;

 

(d) the Transferee Lender becomes bound by all the provisions of the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including those about pro-rata sharing and the exclusion of liability on the part of, and the indemnification of, the Agent and the Security Trustee and, to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes bound by those provisions (other than those relating to exclusion of liability), the Transferor Lender ceases to be bound by them;

 

(e) any part of the Loan which the Transferee Lender advances after the Transfer Certificate’s effective date ranks in point of priority and security in the same way as it would have ranked had it been advanced by the transferor, assuming that any defects in the transferor’s title and any rights or equities of either Borrower or any Security Party against the Transferor Lender had not existed;

 

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(f) the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to all the rights under the Finance Documents which are applicable to the Lenders generally, including but not limited to those relating to the Majority Lenders and those under Clause 5.7 and Clause 20, and to the extent that the Transferee Lender becomes entitled to such rights, the Transferor Lender ceases to be entitled to them; and

 

(g) in respect of any breach of a warranty, undertaking, condition or other provision of a Finance Document or any misrepresentation made in or in connection with a Finance Document, the Transferee Lender shall be entitled to recover damages by reference to the loss incurred by it as a result of the breach or misrepresentation, irrespective of whether the original Lender would have incurred a loss of that kind or amount.

The rights and equities of either Borrower or any Security Party referred to above include, but are not limited to, any right of set off and any other kind of cross-claim.

 

26.8 Maintenance of register of Lenders

During the Security Period the Agent shall maintain a register in which it shall record the name, Commitment, Contribution and administrative details (including the lending office) from time to time of each Lender holding a Transfer Certificate and the effective date (in accordance with Clause 26.4) of the Transfer Certificate; and the Agent shall make the register available for inspection by any Lender, the Security Trustee and the Borrowers during normal banking hours, subject to receiving at least three Business Days’ prior notice.

 

26.9 Reliance on register of Lenders

The entries on that register shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive in determining the identities of the Lenders and the amounts of their Commitments and Contributions and the effective dates of Transfer Certificates and may be relied upon by the Agent and the other parties to the Finance Documents for all purposes relating to the Finance Documents.

 

26.10 Authorisation of Agent to sign Transfer Certificates

Each Borrower, the Security Trustee and each Lender irrevocably authorises the Agent to sign Transfer Certificates on its behalf. The Borrower and each Security Party irrevocably agree to the transfer procedures set out in this Clause 26 and to the extent the cooperation of the Borrowers and/or any Security Party shall be required to effect any such transfer, the Borrowers and such Security Party shall take all necessary steps to afford such cooperation Provided that this shall not result in any additional costs to the Borrowers or such Security Party.

 

26.11 Sub-participation; subrogation assignment

A Lender may sub-participate or include in a securitisation or similar transaction all or any part of its rights and/or obligations under or in connection with the Finance Documents without the Borrower’s prior consent and without serving a notice thereon; the Lenders may assign without the Borrowers’ prior consent but after consultation with the Borrower, in any manner and terms agreed by the Majority Lenders, the Agent and the Security Trustee, all or any part of those rights to an insurer or surety who has become subrogated to them.

 

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26.12 Registration fee

In respect of any Transfer Certificate, the Agent shall be entitled to recover a registration fee of $2,500 from the Transferor Lender or (at the Agent’s option) the Transferee Lender.

 

26.13 Sub-division, split, modification or re-tranching

Any Lender may, in its sole discretion, sub-divide, split, sever, modify or re-tranche its Contribution into one or more parts subject to the overall cost of its Contribution to the Borrowers remaining unchanged, if such changes are necessary in order to achieve a successful execution of a securitisation, syndication or any other capital market exit in respect of its Contribution (or any applicable part thereof).

 

26.14 Disclosure of information

A Lender may, without the prior consent of the Borrowers, the Corporate Guarantor or any other Security Party, disclose to a potential Transferee Lender or sub participant as well as, where relevant, to rating agencies, trustees and accountants, any financial or other information which that Lender has received in relation to the Loan, the Borrowers (or either of them), the Corporate Guarantor and any other Security Party or their affairs and collateral or security provided under or in connection with any Finance Document, their financial circumstances and any other information whatsoever, as that Lender may deem reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the potential syndication, the assessment of the credit risk and the ongoing monitoring of the Loan by any potential Transferee Lender and that Lender shall be released from its obligation of secrecy and from banking confidentiality.

In the event any such potential Transferee Lender, sub-participant, rating agency, trustee or accountant is not already bound by any legal obligation of secrecy or banking confidentiality, the Lender concerned may only give, disclose or reveal such information as the Corporate Guarantor is entitled to disclose by rules and regulations of the SEC and any US Stock Exchange applicable to the Corporate Guarantor and shall require such other party to sign a confidentiality agreement. The Borrowers shall, and shall procure that the Corporate Guarantor and any other Security Party shall:

 

(a) provide the Creditor Parties (or any of them) with all information deemed, reasonably, necessary by the Creditor Parties (or any of them) for the purposes of any transfer, syndication or sub-participation to be effected pursuant to this Clause 26;

 

(b) procure that the directors and officers of each Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor or any other Security Party, are available to participate in any meeting with any Transferee Lender or any rating agency at such times and places as the Creditor Parties may reasonably request following prior notice (to be served on the Borrowers reasonably in advance) to that Borrower, the Corporate Guarantor or that Security Party; and

 

(c) permit any Transferee Lender to board the Ship at all reasonable times and locations to inspect its condition in accordance with Clause 14.8.

 

26.15 Confidentiality

Any publicity regarding the Loan or any of the terms thereof shall be agreed in advance by the Corporate Guarantor and the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) unless otherwise required in connection with the Corporate Guarantor’s reporting obligations under or in connection with the rules and regulations of the SEC and the New York Stock Exchange applicable to the Corporate Guarantor.

 

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26.16 Change of lending office

A Lender may change its lending office by giving notice to the Agent and the change shall become effective on the later of:

 

(a) the date on which the Agent receives the notice; and

 

(b) the date, if any, specified in the notice as the date on which the change will come into effect.

 

26.17 Notification

On receiving such a notice, the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Security Trustee; and, until the Agent receives such a notice, it shall be entitled to assume that a Lender is acting through the lending office of which the Agent last had notice.

 

26.18 Security over Lenders’ rights

In addition to the other rights provided to Lenders under this Clause 26, each Lender may without consulting with or obtaining consent from, either Borrower or any Security Party, at any time charge, assign or otherwise create a Security Interest in or over (whether by way of collateral or otherwise) all or any of its rights under any Finance Document to secure obligations of that Lender including, without limitation:

 

(a) any charge, assignment or other Security Interest to secure obligations to a federal reserve or central bank; and

 

(b) in the case of any Lender which is a fund, any charge, assignment or other Security Interest granted to any holders (or trustee or representatives of holders) of obligations owed, or securities issued, by that Lender as security for those obligations or securities;

except that no such charge, assignment or Security Interest shall:

 

  (i) release a Lender from any of its obligations under the Finance Documents or substitute the beneficiary of the relevant charge, assignment or Security Interest for the Lender as a party to any of the Finance Documents; or

 

  (ii) require any payments to be made by either Borrower or any Security Party or grant to any person any more extensive rights than those required to be made or granted to the relevant Lender under the Finance Documents.

 

26.19 Replacement of a Reference Bank

If any Reference Bank ceases to be a Lender or is unable on a continuing basis to supply quotations for the purposes of Clause 5 then, unless the Borrowers, the Agent and the Majority Lenders otherwise agree, the Agent, acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders, and after consulting with the Borrowers, shall appoint another bank (whether or not a Lender) to be a replacement Reference Bank; and, when that appointment comes into effect, the first-mentioned Reference Bank’s appointment shall cease to be effective.

 

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26.20 Securitisation

Each Borrower shall, and the Borrowers shall procure that each Security Party will, assist the Agent and/or any Lender in achieving a successful securitisation (or similar transaction) in respect of the Loan and the Finance Documents and such Security Party’s reasonable costs for providing such assistance shall be met by the relevant Lender. The Borrowers, if requested by the Agent, shall provide documentation evidencing the purchase price of the shares of each Borrower under the terms of the relevant SPA.

 

26.21 No additional costs

If a Transferor Lender assigns or transfers any of its rights or obligations under the Finance Documents and as a result of circumstances existing at the date the assignment or transfer occurs, a Borrower or a Security Party would be obliged to make a payment to the Transferee Lender under Clause 22.2 or under that clause as incorporated by reference or in full in any other Finance Document, then the Transferee Lender is only entitled to receive payment under that clause to the same extent as the Transferor Lender would have been if the assignment or transfer had not occurred.

 

27 VARIATIONS AND WAIVERS

 

27.1 Required consents

 

(a) Subject to Clause 27.2 any term of the Finance Documents may be amended or waived only with the consent of the Majority Lenders and the Borrowers and any such amendment or waiver will be binding on all Creditor Parties and the Borrowers.

 

(b) Any instructions given by the Majority Lenders will be binding on all the Creditor Parties.

 

(c) The Agent may effect, on behalf of any Creditor Party, any amendment or waiver permitted by this Clause.

 

27.2 Exceptions

 

(a) An amendment or waiver that has the effect of changing or which relates to:

 

  (i) the definition of “Majority Lenders” or “Finance Documents” in Clause 1.1;

 

  (ii) an extension to the date of payment of any amount under the Finance Documents;

 

  (iii) a reduction in the Margin or a reduction in the amount of any payment of principal, interest fees, commission or other amount payable under any of the Finance Documents;

 

  (iv) an increase in or an extension of any Lender’s Commitment;

 

  (v) any provision which expressly requires the consent of all the Lenders;

 

  (vi) Clause 3 ( Position of the Lenders ), Clause 11.5 ( Information provided to be accurate ), Clause 11.6 ( Provision of financial statements ), Clause 11.7 ( Form of financial statements ), Clause 11.16 ( Provision of further information ), Clause 26 ( Transfers and Changes in Lending Offices ) or this Clause 27.2;

 

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  (vii) any release of any Security Interest, guarantee, indemnities or subordination arrangement created by any Finance Document;

 

  (viii) any change of the currency in which the Loan is provided or any amount is payable under any of the Finance Documents;

 

  (ix) an extension of the Availability Period; or

 

  (x) a change in Clauses 16.4 ( Distribution of payment to Creditor Parties ) or 22 ( Grossing-up ),

may not be effected without the prior written consent of all Lenders.

 

(b) An amendment or waiver which relates to the rights or obligations of the Agent, the Arranger or the Security Trustee may not be effected without the consent of the Agent, the Arranger or the Security Trustee, as the case may be.

 

27.3 Exclusion of other or implied variations

Except for a document which satisfies the requirements of Clauses 27.1 and 27.2, no document, and, subject to Clause 27.4, no act, course of conduct, failure or neglect to act, delay or acquiescence on the part of the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) shall result in the Creditor Parties or any of them (or any person acting on behalf of any of them) being taken to have varied, waived, suspended or limited, or being precluded (permanently or temporarily) from enforcing, relying on or exercising:

 

(a) a provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document; or

 

(b) an Event of Default; or

 

(c) a breach by a Borrower, the Approved Manager or a Security Party of an obligation under a Finance Document or the general law; or

 

(d) any right or remedy conferred by any Finance Document or by the general law,

and there shall not be implied into any Finance Document any term or condition requiring any such provision to be enforced, or such right or remedy to be exercised, within a certain or reasonable time.

 

27.4 Deemed consent

With respect to any amendment, variation, waiver, suspension or limit requested by any Party and which requires the approval of all the Lenders or the Majority Lenders (as the case may be), other than an amendment or supplement (or any proposal for such an amendment or supplement) in connection with a Finance Document or any other Pertinent Document required as contemplated in Clause 27.5, the Agent shall provide each Lender with written notice of such request accompanied by such detailed background information as may be reasonably necessary (in the opinion of the Agent) to determine whether to approve such action. A Lender shall be deemed to have approved such action if such Lender fails to object to such action by written notice to the Agent within 10 days of that Lender’s receipt of the Agent’s notice or such other time as the Agent may state in the relevant notice as being the time available for approval of such action.

 

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27.5 Replacement of Screen Rate

 

(a) Subject to paragraph (b) of Clause 27.2, if a Screen Rate Replacement Event has occurred in relation to the Screen Rate for dollars, any amendment or waiver which relates to:

 

  (i) providing for the use of a Replacement Benchmark in relation to (or in addition to) that currency in place of that Screen Rate; and

 

  (ii)

 

  (A) aligning any provision of any Finance Document to the use of that Replacement Benchmark;

 

  (B) enabling that Replacement Benchmark to be used for the calculation of interest under this Agreement (including, without limitation, any consequential changes required to enable that Replacement Benchmark to be used for the purposes of this Agreement);

 

  (C) implementing market conventions applicable to that Replacement Benchmark;

 

  (D) providing for appropriate fallback (and market disruption) provisions for that Replacement Benchmark; or

 

  (E) adjusting the pricing to reduce or eliminate, to the extent reasonably practicable, any transfer of economic value from one Party to another as a result of the application of that Replacement Benchmark (and if any adjustment or method for calculating any adjustment has been formally designated, nominated or recommended by the Relevant Nominating Body, the adjustment shall be determined on the basis of that designation, nomination or recommendation),

may be made with the consent of the Agent (acting on the instructions of the Majority Lenders) and the Borrowers.

 

(b) If any Lender fails to respond to a request for an amendment or waiver described in paragraph (a) above within 5 Business Days (or such longer time period in relation to any request which the Borrowers and the Agent may agree) of that request being made:

 

  (i) its Commitment shall not be included for the purpose of calculating the Total Commitments when ascertaining whether any relevant percentage of Total Commitments has been obtained to approve that request; and

 

  (ii) its status as a Lender shall be disregarded for the purpose of ascertaining whether the agreement of any specified group of Lenders has been obtained to approve that request.

 

28 NOTICES

 

28.1 General

Unless otherwise specifically provided, any notice under or in connection with any Finance Document shall be given by letter or fax; and references in the Finance Documents to written notices, notices in writing and notices signed by particular persons shall be construed accordingly.

 

84


28.2 Addresses for communications

A notice by letter or fax shall be sent:

 

(a)   to the Borrowers:

   c/o Navios Shipmanagement Inc.
   85 Akti Miaouli
   Piraeus 185 38
   Fax No: +30 210 4172070
for the attention of:    Vassiliki Papaefthymiou

(b)   to a Lender:

   At the address below its name in Schedule 1 or (as
   the case may require) in the relevant Transfer Certificate.

(c)   to the Agent and Security Trustee:

  

    for general matters:

   HSH Nordbank AG
   UB 25 Shipping
   Shipping Clients International
  

Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50

20095 Hamburg

   Germany
   Fax No: +49 40 3333 34001
for credit administrative matters:    HSH Nordbank AG
   Loan and Collateral Management
   Shipping International
  

Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 50

20095 Hamburg

   Germany
   Fax No: +49 40 3333 34118

or to such other address as the relevant Party may notify the Agent or, if the relevant Party is the Agent or the Security Trustee, the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Security Parties.

 

28.3 Effective date of notices

Subject to Clauses 28.4 and 28.5:

 

(a) a notice which is delivered personally or posted shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at the time when it is delivered; and

 

(b) a notice which is sent by fax shall be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, two hours after its transmission is completed.

 

85


28.4 Service outside business hours

However, if under Clause 28.3 a notice would be deemed to be served:

 

(a) on a day which is not a business day in the place of receipt; or

 

(b) on such a business day, but after 5 p.m. local time,

the notice shall (subject to Clause 28.5) be deemed to be served, and shall take effect, at 9 a.m. on the next day which is such a business day.

 

28.5 Illegible notices

Clauses 28.3 and 28.4 do not apply if the recipient of a notice notifies the sender within one hour after the time at which the notice would otherwise be deemed to be served that the notice has been received in a form which is illegible in a material respect.

 

28.6 Valid notices

A notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall not be invalid by reason that its contents or the manner of serving it do not comply with the requirements of this Agreement or, where appropriate, any other Finance Document under which it is served if:

 

(a) the failure to serve it in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement or other Finance Document, as the case may be, has not caused any party to suffer any significant loss or prejudice; or

 

(b) in the case of incorrect and/or incomplete contents, it should have been reasonably clear to the party on which the notice was served what the correct or missing particulars should have been.

 

28.7 Electronic communication

Any communication from the Agent or the other Creditor Parties made by electronic means will be sent unsecured and without electronic signature, however, the Borrowers may request the Agent and the other Creditor Parties at any time in writing to change the method of electronic communication from unsecured to secured electronic mail communication.

The Borrowers hereby acknowledge and accept the risks associated with the use of unsecured electronic mail communication including, without limitation, risk of delay, loss of data, confidentiality breach, forgery, falsification and malicious software. The Agent and the other Creditor Parties shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage or any other disadvantage suffered by the Borrowers resulting from such unsecured electronic mail communication.

If the Borrowers (or either of them) or any other Security Party wish to cease all electronic communication, they shall give written notice to the Agent and the other Creditor Parties accordingly after receipt of which notice the Parties shall cease all electronic communication.

For as long as electronic communication is an accepted form of communication, the Parties shall:

 

86


(a) notify each other in writing of their electronic mail address and/or any other information required to enable the sending and receipt of information by that means; and

 

(b) notify each other of any change to their respective addresses or any other such information supplied to them; and

in case electronic communication is sent to recipients with the domain <domain with ending>, the parties shall without undue delay inform each other if there are changes to the said domain or if electronic communication shall thereafter be sent to individual e-mail addresses.

 

28.8 English language

Any notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall be in English.

 

28.9 Meaning of “notice”

In this Clause 28, “ notice ” includes any demand, consent, authorisation, approval, instruction, waiver or other communication.

 

29 JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY

 

29.1 General

All liabilities and obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement shall, whether expressed to be so or not, be several and, if and to the extent consistent with Clause 29.2, joint.

 

29.2 No impairment of Borrower’s obligations

The liabilities and obligations of a Borrower shall not be impaired by:

 

(a) this Agreement being or later becoming void, unenforceable or illegal as regards the other Borrower;

 

(b) any Lender or the Security Trustee entering into any rescheduling, refinancing or other arrangement of any kind with the other Borrower;

 

(c) any Lender or the Security Trustee releasing the other Borrower or any Security Interest created by a Finance Document; or

 

(d) any combination of the foregoing.

 

29.3 Principal debtors

Each Borrower declares that it is and will, throughout the Security Period, remain a principal debtor for all amounts owing under this Agreement and the Finance Documents and neither Borrower shall in any circumstances be construed to be a surety for the obligations of the other Borrower under this Agreement.

 

29.4 Subordination

Subject to Clause 29.5, during the Security Period, neither Borrower shall:

 

87


(a) claim any amount which may be due to it from the other Borrower whether in respect of a payment made, or matter arising out of, this Agreement or any Finance Document, or any matter unconnected with this Agreement or any Finance Document; or

 

(b) take or enforce any form of security from the other Borrower for such an amount, or in any other way seek to have recourse in respect of such an amount against any asset of the other Borrower; or

 

(c) set off such an amount against any sum due from it to the other Borrower; or

 

(d) prove or claim for such an amount in any liquidation, administration, arrangement or similar procedure involving the other Borrower or other Security Party; or

 

(e) exercise or assert any combination of the foregoing.

 

29.5 Borrowers’ required action

If during the Security Period, the Agent, by notice to a Borrower, requires it to take any action referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d) of Clause 29.4, in relation to the other Borrower, that Borrower shall take that action as soon as practicable after receiving the Agent’s notice.

 

30 SUPPLEMENTAL

 

30.1 Rights cumulative, non-exclusive

The rights and remedies which the Finance Documents give to each Creditor Party are:

 

(a) cumulative;

 

(b) may be exercised as often as appears expedient; and

 

(c) shall not, unless a Finance Document explicitly and specifically states so, be taken to exclude or limit any right or remedy conferred by any law.

 

30.2 Severability of provisions

If any provision of a Finance Document is or subsequently becomes void, unenforceable or illegal, that shall not affect the validity, enforceability or legality of the other provisions of that Finance Document or of the provisions of any other Finance Document.

 

30.3 Counterparts

A Finance Document may be executed in any number of counterparts.

 

30.4 Third party rights

A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Agreement.

 

30.5 Benefit and binding effect

The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall enure to the benefit of, the Parties and their respective (including subsequent) successors and permitted assigns and transferees.

 

88


31 LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

31.1 English law

This Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English law.

 

31.2 Exclusive English jurisdiction

Subject to Clause 31.3, the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any Dispute.

 

31.3 Choice of forum for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties

Clause 31.2 is for the exclusive benefit of the Creditor Parties, each of which reserves the right:

 

(a) to commence proceedings in relation to any Dispute in the courts of any country other than England and which have or claim jurisdiction to that Dispute; and

 

(b) to commence such proceedings in the courts of any such country or countries concurrently with or in addition to proceedings in England or without commencing proceedings in England.

Neither Borrower shall commence any proceedings in any country other than England in relation to a Dispute.

 

31.4 Process agent

Each Borrower irrevocably appoints HFW Nominees Limited, at its registered office for the time being, presently at 65 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE England to act as its agent to receive and accept on its behalf any process or other document relating to any proceedings in the English courts which are connected with a Dispute.

 

31.5 Creditor Party rights unaffected

Nothing in this Clause 31 shall exclude or limit any right which any Creditor Party may have (whether under the law of any country, an international convention or otherwise) with regard to the bringing of proceedings, the service of process, the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or any similar or related matter in any jurisdiction.

 

31.6 Meaning of “proceedings” and “Dispute”

In this Clause 31, “ proceedings ” means proceedings of any kind, including an application for a provisional or protective measure and a “ Dispute ” means any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (including a dispute relating to the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement) or any non-contractual obligation arising out of or in connection with this Agreement.

THIS AGREEMENT has been entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

89


EXECUTION PAGES

 

BORROWERS

     

    

 

SIGNED by Maria Trivela

   )     
   )      /s/ Maria Trivela

for and on behalf of

   )     

FAIRY SHIPPING CORPORATION

   )     

in the presence of: Harry Jacob Osborne

   )      /s/ Harry Jacob Osborne

SIGNED by Maria Trivela

   )     
   )      /s/ Maria Trivela

for and on behalf of

   )     

LIMESTONE SHIPPING CORPORATION

   )     

in the presence of: Harry Jacob Osborne

   )      /s/ Harry Jacob Osborne

LENDERS

       

SIGNED by Christina Economides

   )     
   )      /s/ Christina Economides

for and on behalf of

   )     

HSH NORDBANK AG

   )     

in the presence of: Harry Jacob Osborne

   )      /s/ Harry Jacob Osborne

SIGNED by A.S. Damianidou

   )     

                      C.G. Papathanasopoulou

   )      /s/ A.S. Damianidou

for and on behalf of

   )      /s/ C.G. Papathanasopoulou

ALPHA BANK A.E.

   )     

in the presence of: Harry Jacob Osborne

   )      /s/ Harry Jacob Osborne

AGENT

       

SIGNED by Christina Economides

   )     
   )      /s/ Christina Economides

for and on behalf of

   )     

HSH NORDBANK AG

   )     

in the presence of: Harry Jacob Osborne

   )      /s/ Harry Jacob Osborne


MANDATED LEAD ARRANGER

                

SIGNED by Christina Economides

   )     
   )      /s/ Christina Economides
for and on behalf of    )     

HSH NORDBANK AG

   )     
in the presence of: Harry Jacob Osborne    )      /s/ Harry Jacob Osborne
       

SECURITY TRUSTEE

       

SIGNED by Christina Economides

   )     
   )     

/s/ Christina Economides

for and on behalf of

   )     
HSH NORDBANK AG    )     

in the presence of: Harry Jacob Osborne

  

)

    

/s/ Harry Jacob Osborne

 

2

Exhibit 10.6

Execution Version

 

 

OMNIBUS AGREEMENT

AMONG

NAVIOS MARITIME ACQUISITION CORPORATION

NAVIOS MARITIME HOLDINGS INC.

NAVIOS MARITIME PARTNERS L.P.

NAVIOS MARITIME MIDSTREAM PARTNERS L.P.

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

AND

NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS FINANCE INC

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

  

DEFINITIONS

  

SECTION 1.1.

   Definitions      1  

ARTICLE II

  

VESSEL RESTRICTED BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

  

SECTION 2.1.

   Vessel Restricted Businesses      5  

SECTION 2.2.

   Permitted Exceptions      5  

SECTION 2.3.

   Charter Opportunities      5  

ARTICLE III

  

NON-RESTRICTED VESSEL RESTRICTED BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

  

SECTION 3.1.

   Non-Restricted Vessel Restricted Businesses      5  

SECTION 3.2.

   Permitted Exceptions      5  

ARTICLE IV

  

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PROCEDURES

  

SECTION 4.1.

   Procedures      6  

SECTION 4.2.

   Scope of Prohibition      8  

SECTION 4.3.

   Enforcement      8  

ARTICLE V

  

RIGHTS OF FIRST OFFER

  

SECTION 5.1.

   Rights of First Offer.      8  

SECTION 5.2.

   Procedures For Rights of First Offer      8  

ARTICLE VI

  

MISCELLANEOUS

  

SECTION 6.1.

   Other Agreements      9  

SECTION 6.2.

   Conversion Transaction      9  

SECTION 6.3.

   Choice Of Law; Submission To Jurisdiction      9  

SECTION 6.4.

   Notice      9  

SECTION 6.5.

   Entire Agreement      9  

SECTION 6.6.

   Termination      10  

SECTION 6.7.

   Waiver; Effect of Waiver or Consent      10  

SECTION 6.8.

   Amendment or Modification      10  

SECTION 6.9.

   Assignment      10  

SECTION 6.10.

   Counterparts      10  

SECTION 6.11.

   Severability      10  

 

i


SECTION 6.12.

   Gender, Parts, Articles and Sections      10  

SECTION 6.13.

   Further Assurances      11  

SECTION 6.14.

   Withholding or Granting of Consent      11  

SECTION 6.15.

   Laws and Regulations      11  

SECTION 6.16.

   Negotiation of Rights of Navios Maritime Holdings, Limited Partners, Assignees, and Third Parties      11  

 

ii


OMNIBUS AGREEMENT

THIS OMNIBUS AGREEMENT is entered into on, and effective as of, the Closing Date (as defined herein), among Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation, a Marshall Islands corporation (“ Navios Maritime Acquisition ”), Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ Navios Maritime Holdings ”), Navios Maritime Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership (“ Navios Maritime Partners ”), Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership (“ Navios Maritime Midstream Partners ”), Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ NMCI ”) and Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ Navios Containers Finance ”).

R E C I T A L S:

1. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in Articles II and IV, with respect to (a) those business opportunities that the Navios Maritime Entities (as defined herein) will not pursue during the term of this Agreement, unless permitted to do so in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (b) the procedures whereby such business opportunities are to be offered to the Containers Group (as defined herein).

2. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in Articles III and IV, with respect to (a) those business opportunities that the Containers Group will not pursue during the term of this Agreement, unless permitted to do so in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (b) the procedures whereby such business opportunities are to be offered to Navios Maritime Entities.

3. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in Article V, with respect to certain rights of first offer.

In consideration of the premises and the covenants, conditions, and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.1. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

Acquiring Party ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1(a).

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “ control ” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreement ” means this Omnibus Agreement, as it may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time in accordance with Section 6.7 hereof.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of Navios Maritime Containers.

 

1


Break-up Costs ” means the aggregate amount of any and all additional taxes, flag administration, financing, legal and other similar costs to (a) the Navios Maritime Entities that would be required to transfer Vessels acquired by the Navios Maritime Entities as part of a larger transaction to a Containers Group Member pursuant to Section 2.2(c), or (b) the Containers Group that would be required to transfer Non-Restricted Vessels acquired by the Containers Group as part of a larger transaction to a Navios Maritime Entity pursuant to Section 3.2(a) .

Change of Control ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ Applicable Person ”), any of the following events: (a) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the Applicable Person’s assets to any other Person (except to Angeliki Frangou, or any Navios Maritime Entity, or Navios Maritime Holdings or any entity controlled by Navios Maritime Holdings, or Navios Maritime Partners or any entity controlled by Navios Maritime Partners, or Navios Maritime Midstream Partners or any entity controlled by Navios Maritime Midstream Partners, or Navios Maritime Acquisition or any entity controlled by Navios Maritime Acquisition, or any subsidiary of Navios Maritime Containers), unless immediately following such sale, lease, exchange or other transfer such assets are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Applicable Person; (b) the consolidation or merger of the Applicable Person with or into another Person pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding Voting Securities of the Applicable Person are changed into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where (i) the outstanding Voting Securities of the Applicable Person are changed into or exchanged for Voting Securities of the surviving Person or its parent and (ii) the holders of the Voting Securities of the Applicable Person immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, not less than a majority of the outstanding Voting Securities of the surviving Person or its parent immediately after such transaction; and (c) a “ person ” or “ group ” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), other than (A) Navios Maritime Holdings or its Affiliates or any Navios Maritime Entity (including Angeliki Frangou) or Navios Maritime Containers, or Navios Maritime Partners and its affiliates, or Navios Maritime Midstream Partners and its affiliates, or Navios Maritime Acquisition and its affiliates, or any entity created by any Navios Maritime Entity (B) Angeliki Frangou, being or becoming the “ beneficial owner ” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of all of the then outstanding Voting Securities of the Applicable Person, except in a merger or consolidation which would not constitute a Change of Control under clause (b) above; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Conversion Transaction shall not constitute a “Change of Control” for purposes hereof.

Charter-Out Opportunity ” means the opportunity to enter into a charter-out contract for a Vessel.

Closing Date ” means the date of the closing of the initial offering of the common shares of NMCLP.

Conflicts Committee ” means the Conflicts Committee of the Board of Directors of Navios Maritime Containers.

Containers Entities ” means any General Partner (but only following the Conversion Transaction), Navios Maritime Containers, Navios Containers Finance and any Person controlled by any such entity.

Containers Group ” means Navios Maritime Containers, Navios Containers Finance and any Person controlled by any such entity.

Containers Group Member ” means any Person in the Containers Group.

 

2


Control ” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Conversion Transaction ” means an exchange offer of limited partner interests, or common units representing limited partner interests, in NMCLP, for common shares of NMCI, as a result of which exchange offer NMCLP succeeds to all or substantially all of the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of NMCI.

Environmental Laws ” means all international, federal, state, foreign and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations, treaties, conventions, orders, judgments and ordinances relating to protection of natural resources, health and safety and the environment, each in effect and as amended through the Closing Date.

Exchange Act ” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

First Offer Negotiation Period ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.2.

General Partner ” means, following the Conversion Transaction, Navios Maritime Holdings, or a wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to NMCLP as general partner of NMCLP, in its capacity as general partner of NMCLP.

Hazardous Substances ” means (a) substances defined in or regulated under applicable Environmental Laws; (b) petroleum and petroleum products, including crude oil and any fractions thereof; (c) natural gas, synthetic gas and any mixtures thereof; (d) any substances with respect to which a federal, state, foreign or local agency requires environmental investigation, monitoring, reporting or remediation; (e) any hazardous waste or solid waste, within the meaning of any Environmental Law; (f) any solid, hazardous, dangerous or toxic chemical, material, waste or substance, within the meaning of and regulated by any Environmental Law; (g) any radioactive material; and (h) any asbestos-containing materials.

Losses ” means losses, damages, liabilities, claims, demands, causes of action, judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ and experts’ fees) of any and every kind or character; provided, however, that such term shall not include any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages.

National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act.

Navios Containers Finance ” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

Navios Maritime Acquisition ” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

Navios Maritime Entities ” means Navios Maritime Holdings and any Person controlled, directly or indirectly, by Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Acquisition, Navios Maritime Partners and Navios Maritime Midstream Partners, other than the Containers Entities.

Navios Maritime Holdings ” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

Navios Maritime Containers ” means NMCI, prior to the Conversion Transaction, and NMCLP, after the Conversion Transaction.

 

3


Navios Maritime Midstream Partners ” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

Navios Maritime Partners ” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

NMCLP ” means Navios maritime Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership.

Non-Restricted Vessels ” means any vessel other than a Vessel.

Offer ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1.

Offered Assets ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1.

Offeree ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1.

Offer Period ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1(b).

Parties ” means the parties to this Agreement and their successors and permitted assigns.

Person ” means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or any other entity.

Potential Transferee ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.2.

Sale Assets ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.2.

Securities Act ” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Transfer ” means any transfer, assignment, sale or other disposition of any Vessel by a Navios Maritime Entity or of any Non-Restricted Vessel by a Containers Group Member; provided, however, that such term shall not include: (a) transfers, assignments, sales or other dispositions from a Navios Maritime Entity to another Navios Maritime Entity, or from a Containers Group Member to another Containers Group Member; (b) transfers, assignments, sales or other dispositions pursuant to the terms of any related charter or other agreement with a charter party; (c) transfers, assignments, sales or other dispositions pursuant to Article II or III of this Agreement; (d) grants of security interests in or mortgages or liens on such Vessel or Non-Restricted Vessels in favor of a bona fide third party lender; (e) the merger by Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners or Navios Maritime Containers with or into, or sale of substantially all of the assets by Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Partners or Navios Maritime Containers to, an unaffiliated third party; or (f) transfers, assignments, sales or dispositions occurring solely as a result of the Conversion Transaction.

Transfer Notice ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.2.

Transferring Party ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.2.

Vessel ” means any container vessel.

Vessel Asset ” means any owned Vessel.

Voting Securities ” means securities of any class of Person entitling the holders thereof to vote in the election of members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of the Person.

 

4


ARTICLE II

VESSEL RESTRICTED BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

SECTION 2.1. Vessel Restricted Businesses . Subject to Section 6.6 and except as permitted by Section 2.2 and Section 4.1, each of the Navios Maritime Entities shall be prohibited from acquiring any Vessel hereafter.

SECTION 2.2. Permitted Exceptions . Notwithstanding any provision of Section 2.1 to the contrary, the Navios Maritime Entities may engage in the following:

(a) owning a Vessel that is already owned by any Navios Maritime Entity or its Affiliates as of the date hereof;

(b) acquiring a Vessel if the Navios Maritime Entity offers to sell to Navios Maritime Containers such Vessel for fair market value, pursuant to provisions of Article IV ;

(c) acquiring a non-controlling interest in any company, business or pool of assets;

(d) acquiring or owning a Vessel if Navios Maritime Containers does not fulfill its obligations under any written agreement between Navios Maritime Partners and Navios Maritime Containers requiring Navios Maritime Containers to purchase such Vessel;

(e) acquiring or owning a Vessel that is subject to an offer to sell to Navios Maritime Containers by a Navios Maritime Entity, as described in Section 2.2(b), in each case pending Navios Maritime Containers’ determination pursuant to Section 4.1 whether to purchase the Vessel (and, if Navios Maritime Containers determines to purchase such Vessel, pending the closing of such purchase);

(f) providing ship management services relating to any vessel whatsoever; or

(g) acquiring or owning a Vessel if Navios Maritime Containers has previously advised such Navios Maritime Entity that it consents to such acquisition or ownership.

SECTION 2.3. Charter Opportunities . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Navios Maritime Partners shall not be prohibited from operating a chartered-in Vessel; provided, however, that if Navios Maritime Partners is presented with a Charter-Out Opportunity with respect to such Vessel and Navios Maritime Containers has a Vessel that is (i) then available for charter-out, (ii) comparable to the Navios Maritime Partners chartered-in Vessel also then available for charter and (iii) acceptable to the customer, Navios Maritime Containers shall have the first right to accept any Charter-Out Opportunity.

ARTICLE III

NON-RESTRICTED VESSEL RESTRICTED BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

SECTION 3.1. Non-Restricted Vessel Restricted Businesses . Subject to Section 6.6 and except as permitted by Section 3.2, each Containers Group Member shall be prohibited from acquiring, owning, operating or chartering-in any Non-Restricted Vessel.

SECTION 3.2. Permitted Exceptions . Notwithstanding any provision of Section 3.1 to the contrary, the Containers Group Members may engage in the following activities under any of the following circumstances:

 

5


(a) acquiring any Non-Restricted Vessels as part of the acquisition of a controlling interest in a business or package of assets and owning and operating or chartering those vessels, provided, however, that:

(i) if less than a majority of the value of the total assets or business acquired is attributable to any Non-Restricted Vessels, as determined in good faith by Navios Maritime Containers, Navios Maritime Containers must offer to sell such Non-Restricted Vessels and related charters to the Navios Maritime Entities for their fair market value plus any applicable Break-up Costs in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 4.1.

(ii) if a majority or more of the value of the total assets or business acquired is attributable to any Non-Restricted Vessels, as determined in good faith by Navios Maritime Containers; Navios Maritime Containers shall notify the Navios Maritime Entities in writing of the proposed acquisition. The Navios Maritime Entities shall, not later than the 15th calendar day following receipt of such notice, notify Navios Maritime Containers if any Navios Maritime Entity wishes to acquire the Non-Restricted Vessels forming part of the business or package of assets. If no Navios Maritime Entity notifies Navios Maritime Containers of its intent to pursue the acquisition within 15 calendar days, then the Navios Maritime Entities shall be deemed to have waived the right pursuant to this Section 3.2(ii) to acquire such Non-Restricted Vessels. Any dispute or controversy between the Navios Maritime Entities regarding the preference to acquire any Non-Restricted Vessel shall be decided in accordance with the terms of any prior Omnibus Agreement signed by and among the Navios Maritime Entities interested in said purchase.

(b) owning, operating or chartering any Non-Restricted Vessel that is subject to an offer to purchase by a Navios Maritime Entity as described in Section 3.2(a) pending the offer of any such Non-Restricted Vessel to the Navios Maritime Entities and the determination of any such Navios Maritime Entity pursuant to Sections 3.2(a)(ii) and 4.1 whether to purchase such Non-Restricted Vessel and, if a Navios Maritime Entity elects to purchase or cause any of its Affiliates to purchase any such Non-Restricted Vessel, pending the closing of such purchase;

(c) acquiring, operating or chartering any Non-Restricted Vessel if the Navios Maritime Entities have previously advised Navios Maritime Containers that they consent to such acquisition, operation or charter ; and

(d) acquiring, operating or chartering any Non-Restricted Vessels already owned by Navios Maritime Containers.

ARTICLE IV

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PROCEDURES

SECTION 4.1. Procedures . If (a) a Containers Group Member acquires any Non- Restricted Vessel in accordance with Section 3.2(a), or (b) a Navios Maritime Entity acquires any Vessel in accordance with Section 2.2(b), then (i) not later than 30 calendar days after the consummation of the acquisition (in the case of clause (a) or (b) above), such acquiring Party (the “ Acquiring Party ”) shall notify (a) each Navios Maritime Entity, in the case of an acquisition by a Containers Group Member or (b) Navios Maritime Containers, in the case of an acquisition by a Navios Maritime Entity, and offer such party to be notified (each an “ Offeree ”) the opportunity for any Navios Maritime Entity or Containers Group Member, as applicable, to purchase such Non-Restricted Vessel or Vessel, as applicable (the “ Offered Assets ”), for their fair market value (plus, in the case of an acquisition in accordance with Section 3.2(a), any applicable Break-up Costs), in each case on commercially reasonable terms in

 

6


accordance with this Section (the “ Offer ”). The Offer shall set forth the Acquiring Party’s proposed terms relating to the purchase of the Offered Assets by the applicable Navios Maritime Entity or Containers Group Member, including any liabilities to be assumed by the applicable Navios Maritime Entity or Containers Group Member as part of the Offer. As soon as practicable after the Offer is made, the Acquiring Party will deliver to the Offeree all information prepared by or on behalf of or in the possession of such Acquiring Party relating to the Offered Assets and reasonably requested by the Offeree. Within 30 calendar days after receipt of such notification, the Offeree shall notify the Acquiring Party in writing that either:

(a) If the Offeree elects not to purchase the Offered Assets, then the Acquiring Party and its Affiliates shall, subject to the other terms of this Agreement (including Section 2.2(b)(ii)), be forever free, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to continue to own, operate and charter such Offered Assets; or

(b) If the Offeree elects to purchase the Offered Assets, then the following procedures shall be followed:

(i) After the receipt of the Offer by the Offeree, the Acquiring Party and the Offeree shall negotiate in good faith, the fair market value (and any applicable Break-up Costs), of the Offered Assets that are subject to the Offer and the other terms of the Offer on which the Offered Assets will be sold to the applicable Navios Maritime Entity or Containers Group Member. If the Acquiring Party and the Offeree agree on the fair market value (and any applicable Break-up Costs), of the Offered Assets that are subject to the Offer and the other terms of the Offer during the 30-day period (the “ Offer Period ”) after receipt by the Acquiring Party of the applicable Navios Maritime Entity’s election to purchase (or election to cause any of its permitted Affiliates to purchase) or of the Board’s election to cause any Containers Group Member to purchase, as applicable, the Offered Assets, the applicable Navios Maritime Entity or Containers Group Member shall purchase (or cause any of its permitted Affiliates to purchase)the Offered Assets on such terms as soon as commercially practicable after such agreement has been reached.

(ii) If the Acquiring Party and the Offeree are unable to agree on the fair market value (and any applicable Break-up Costs), of the Offered Assets that are subject to the Offer or on any other terms of the Offer during the Offer Period, the Acquiring Party and the Offeree will engage an independent ship broker and/or an independent investment banking firm prior to the end of the Offer Period to determine the fair market value (and any applicable Break-up Costs), of the Offered Assets and/or the other terms on which the Acquiring Party and the Offeree are unable to agree. In determining the fair market value of the Offered Assets and other terms on which the Offered Assets are to be sold, the ship broker or investment banking firm, as applicable, will have access to the proposed sale and purchase values and terms for the Offer submitted by the Acquiring Party and the Offeree, respectively, and to all information prepared by or on behalf of the Acquiring Party relating to the Offered Assets and reasonably requested by such ship broker or investment banking firm. Such ship broker or investment banking firm will determine the fair market value (and any applicable Break-up Costs) of the Offered Assets and/or the other terms on which the Acquiring Party and the Offeree are unable to agree within 30 calendar days of its engagement and furnish the Acquiring Party and the Offeree its determination. The fees and expenses of the ship broker or investment banking firm, as applicable, will be divided equally between the Acquiring Party and the Offeree. Upon receipt of such determination, the Offeree will have the option, but not the obligation:

 

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(A) in the case that the Offeree is a Navios Maritime Entity, to purchase or cause any of its permitted Affiliates to purchase, or in the case that the Offeree is a Containers Group Member, to cause any Containers Group Member to purchase the Offered Assets for the fair market value (and any applicable Break-up Costs), and on the other terms determined by the ship broker or investment banking firm, as soon as commercially practicable after determinations have been made; or

(B) in the case that the Offeree is a Navios Maritime Entity, to elect not to cause any of its permitted Affiliates to purchase, or in the case that the Offeree is a Containers Group Member, not to cause any Containers Group Member to purchase such Offered Assets, in which event the Acquiring Party and its Affiliates shall, subject to the other terms of this Agreement, be forever free to continue to own and operate such Offered Assets.

SECTION 4.2. Scope of Prohibition . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or as otherwise agreed by any of the parties hereto, each party and its Affiliates shall be free to engage in any business activity whatsoever, including those that may be in direct competition with the Navios Maritime Entities or the Containers Group Members.

SECTION 4.3. Enforcement . Each Party agrees and acknowledges that the other Parties do not have an adequate remedy at law for the breach by any such Party of its covenants and agreements set forth in this Article IV, and that any breach by any such Party of its covenants and agreements set forth in this Article IV would result in irreparable injury to such other Parties. Each Party further agrees and acknowledges that any other Party may, in addition to the other remedies which may be available to such other Party, file a suit in equity to enjoin such Party from such breach, and consent to the issuance of injunctive relief to enforce the provisions of Article IV of this Agreement.

ARTICLE V

RIGHTS OF FIRST OFFER 1

SECTION 5.1. Rights of First Offer .

(a) The Navios Maritime Entities hereby grant Navios Maritime Containers a right of first offer on any proposed Transfer by any Navios Maritime Entity of any Vessel owned or acquired by any Navios Maritime Entity.

(b) The Parties acknowledge that all potential Transfers of any Vessel Asset and Transfers of any Non-Restricted Vessel pursuant to this Article V are subject to obtaining any and all written consents of governmental authorities and other non-affiliated third parties and to the terms of all existing agreements in respect of such Vessel, as applicable.

SECTION 5.2. Procedures For Rights of First Offer . In the event that a Navios Maritime Entity (the “ Transferring Party ”) proposes to Transfer any Vessel (the “ Sale Assets ”), prior to engaging in any negotiation for such Transfer with any non-affiliated third party or otherwise offering to Transfer the Sale Assets to any non-affiliated third party, such Transferring Party shall give Navios Maritime Containers (the “ Potential Transferee ”), written notice setting forth all material terms and conditions (including, without limitation, the purchase price) and a description of the Sale Asset(s) on which such Transferring Party desires to Transfer the Sale Assets (the “ Transfer Notice ”). The Transferring Party then shall be obligated to negotiate in good faith for a 15-day period following the

 

1  

Should this contain a parallel right of first refusal in favor of the Navios Maritime Entities?

 

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delivery by the Transferring Party of the Transfer Notice (the “ First Offer Negotiation Period ”) to reach an agreement for the Transfer of such Sale Assets to the Potential Transferee or any of its Affiliates on the terms and conditions set forth in the Transfer Notice. If no such agreement with respect to the Sale Assets is reached during the First Offer Negotiation Period, and the Transferring Party has not Transferred, or agreed in writing to Transfer, such Sale Assets to a third party within 180 calendar days after the end of the First Offer Negotiation Period on terms generally no less favorable to the Transferring Party than those included in the Transfer Notice (except to the extent that market conditions during the 180 calendar days after the end of the First Offer Negotiation Period have resulted in a material change in the fair market value of such Sale Assets), then the Transferring Party shall not thereafter Transfer any of the Sale Assets without first offering such assets to the applicable Potential Transferee in the manner provided above.

ARTICLE VI

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 6.1. Other Agreements . The parties hereto acknowledge that the Navios Maritime Entities are subject to other omnibus agreements that currently exist or may exist in the future. The parties hereby agree that with respect to any Vessel, the provisions of this Agreement shall apply and supersede the provisions of any other omnibus agreement. Navios Maritime Containers agrees to be bound by the terms of any existing omnibus agreement then governing any Vessels or opportunity to acquire any Vessel unless the requirement with respect to such Vessel is set forth herein.

SECTION 6.2. Conversion Transaction . The parties hereto hereby expressly consent to the registration of common units representing limited partner interests in NMCLP under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act in connection therewith, the listing of the common units representing limited partner interests in NMCLP on a National Securities Exchange in connection therewith and the Conversion Transaction together with the performance by the other parties hereto of their obligations in connection therewith. Promptly upon the Conversion Transaction, Navios Maritime Holdings shall cause the General Partner, if such entity is not a party to this Agreement, to become a party hereto by executing a joinder in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

SECTION 6.3. Choice Of Law; Submission To Jurisdiction . This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of New York.

SECTION 6.4. Notice . All notices or requests or consents provided for or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement must be in writing and must be given by depositing the same in the mail, addressed to the Person to be notified, postpaid, and registered or certified with return receipt requested or by delivering such notice in person or by private-courier, prepaid, or by telecopier to such party. Notice given by personal delivery or mail shall be effective upon actual receipt. Couriered notices shall be deemed delivered on the date the courier represents that delivery will occur. Notice given by telecopier shall be effective upon actual receipt if received during the recipient’s normal business hours, or at the beginning of the recipient’s next business day after receipt if not received during the recipient’s normal business hours. All notices to be sent to a party pursuant to this Agreement shall be sent to or made at the address set forth below such party’s signature to this Agreement, or at such other address as such party may stipulate to the other parties in the manner provided in this Section.

SECTION 6.5. Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties relating to the matters contained herein, superseding all prior contracts or agreements, whether oral or written, relating to the matters contained herein.

 

9


SECTION 6.6. Termination . Upon a Change of Control of the General Partner (but only following the Conversion Transaction) or of Navios Maritime Containers, the provisions of Articles II, III, IV and V of this Agreement (but not less than all of such Articles) shall terminate immediately. Upon a Change of Control of Navios Maritime Holdings, the provisions of Articles II, III, IV and V of this Agreement (but not less than all of such Articles) shall terminate one year following the date of the Change of Control of Navios Maritime Holdings.

SECTION 6.7. Waiver; Effect of Waiver or Consent . Any party hereto may extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of any other party hereto or waive compliance with any agreement or condition contained herein. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in a written instrument duly executed by the party or parties to be bound thereby; provided, however, that Navios Maritime Containers and Navios Containers Finance may not, without the prior approval of the Conflicts Committee, agree to any extension or waiver of this Agreement that, in the reasonable discretion of the Board, will adversely affect the holders of common shares of (or, following the Conversion Transaction, common units of or limited partnership interests in) Navios Maritime Containers in any material respect. No waiver or consent, express or implied, by any party of or to any breach or default by any Person in the performance by such Person of its obligations hereunder shall be deemed or construed to be a waiver or consent of or to any other breach or default in the performance by such Person of the same or any other obligations of such Person hereunder. Failure on the part of a party to complain of any act of any Person or to declare any person in default, irrespective of how long such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver by such party of its rights hereunder until the applicable statute of limitations period has run.

SECTION 6.8. Amendment or Modification . This Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time only by the written agreement of all the parties hereto; provided, however, that Navios Maritime Containers and Navios Containers Finance may not, without the prior approval of the Conflicts Committee, agree to any amendment or modification of this Agreement that, in the reasonable discretion of the Board, will adversely affect the holders of common shares of (or, following the Conversion Transaction, common units of or limited partnership interests in) Navios Maritime Containers in any material respect.

SECTION 6.9. Assignment; Succession . No party shall have the right to assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other parties hereto; provided for the avoidance of doubt that NMCLP may succeed to the rights and obligations of NMCI hereunder in connection with the Conversion Transaction by executing a joinder in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

SECTION 6.10. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all signatory parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument.

SECTION 6.11. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance shall be held invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law.

SECTION 6.12. Gender, Parts, Articles and Sections . Whenever the context requires, the gender of all words used in this Agreement shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter, and the number of all words shall include the singular and plural. All references to Article numbers and Section numbers refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 6.13. Further Assurances . In connection with this Agreement and all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each signatory party hereto agrees to execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments and to perform such additional acts as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, carry out and perform all of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Agreement and all such transactions.

SECTION 6.14. Withholding or Granting of Consent . Each party may, with respect to any consent or approval that it is entitled to grant pursuant to this Agreement, grant or withhold such consent or approval in its sole and uncontrolled discretion, with or without cause, and subject to such conditions as it shall deem appropriate.

SECTION 6.15. Laws and Regulations . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no party to this Agreement shall be required to take any act, or fail to take any act, under this Agreement if the effect thereof would be to cause such party to be in violation of any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation.

SECTION 6.16. Negotiation of Rights of Navios Maritime Holdings, Limited Partners, Assignees, and Third Parties . The provisions of this Agreement are enforceable solely by the parties to this Agreement, and no shareholder of Navios Maritime Holdings and no limited partner, member, assignee or other Person of Navios Maritime Containers or Navios Containers Finance or any other Person shall have the right, separate and apart from Navios Maritime Holdings, Navios Maritime Containers or Navios Containers Finance, to enforce any provision of this Agreement or to compel any party to this Agreement to comply with the terms of this Agreement.

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on, and effective as of, the Closing Date.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME ACQUISITION CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:
7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2
Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou
NAVIOS MARITIME HOLDINGS INC.
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:
7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2
Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou

 

NAVIOS MARITIME HOLDINGS L.P.
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:
7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2
Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou

S IGNATURE P AGE

O MNIBUS A GREEMENT


NAVIOS MARITIME PARTNERS L.P.
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:
7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2
Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou

 

NAVIOS MARITIME MIDSTREAM PARTNERS L.P.
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:
7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2
Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou

 

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:

C/O Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne,

Office 11B2

Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou

S IGNATURE P AGE

O MNIBUS A GREEMENT


NAVIOS PARTNERS CONTAINERS FINANCE INC
By:   Navios Maritime Containers Inc.,
  its sole member
  By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:
C/O Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2
Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou

S IGNATURE P AGE

O MNIBUS A GREEMENT

Exhibit 10.7

EXECUTION VERSION

MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

THIS MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT is made effective the 7th day of June, 2017 by and between NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands with its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Island, Ajeltake Road, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960 (“ NMCI ”) and NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands with its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MII96960 (“ NSM ”).

WHEREAS:

 

  A. Navios Maritime Containers owns vessels and requires certain commercial and technical management services for the operation of its fleet and wishes to engage NSM to provide such commercial and technical management services; and

 

  B. NSM, being a qualified and able vessel manager, wishes to perform such commercial and technical management services subject to, and in accordance with, on the terms set out herein.

NOW THEREFORE, the parties agree that, in consideration for NSM providing the commercial and technical management services set forth in Schedule A to this Agreement (the “ Services ”), and subject to the Terms and Conditions set forth in Article I attached hereto, Navios Maritime Containers shall pay to NSM the Fees and Costs and Expenses set forth in Schedule B to this Agreement and, if applicable, the Extraordinary Fees and Costs set forth in Schedule C to this Agreement.

[ Signature Page Follows ]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have executed this Agreement by their duly authorized signatories with effect on the date first above written.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer

 

NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.
By:  

/s/ Anna Kalathaki

  Name:   Anna Kalathaki
  Title:   Director / Treasurer

[Signature Page to Management Agreement]


TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Section 1. Definitions . In this Agreement, the term:

Additional Vessels ” means any other vessel of similar size and type the management of which, after its acquisition by Navios Maritime Containers, may be entrusted from time to time to NSM. Any such Additional Vessels for the purposes of this Agreement shall also be referred to herein as Vessels;

Agreement ” means this Management Agreement, as it may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time in accordance with Section 13 hereof.

Change of Control ” means with respect to any entity, an event in which securities of any class entitling the holders thereof to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of the entity are acquired, directly or indirectly, by a “ person ” or “ group ” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) or 14(d)(2) of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), except Navios Maritime Partners L.P., Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. and Angeliki Frangou, who did not immediately before such acquisition own securities of the entity entitling such person or group to elect such majority (and for the purpose of this definition, any such securities held by another person who is related to such person shall be deemed to be owned by such person); provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Conversion Transaction shall not constitute a “Change of Control” for purposes hereof;

Closing Date ” means the date of the closing of the initial offering of the common shares of NMCI on the N-OTC exchange.

Containers Group ” means Navios Maritime Containers, the General Partner and subsidiaries of Navios Maritime Containers;

Conversion Transaction ” means an exchange offer of limited partner interests, or common units representing limited partner interests, in NMCLP, for common shares of NMCI, as a result of which exchange offer NMCLP succeeds to all or substantially all of the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of NMCI;

Costs and Expenses ” has the meaning set forth in Schedule B to this Agreement;

Extraordinary Fees and Costs ” means the fees and costs listed in Schedule C to this Agreement;

Fees ” has the meaning set forth in Schedule B to this Agreement;

General Partner ” means Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation, or a wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to NMCLP as general partner of NMCLP, in its capacity as general partner of NMCLP;

Navios Entities ” means Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. and any Person controlled, directly or indirectly, by Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation, a Marshall Islands corporation, Navios Maritime Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership, and Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership, other than the Containers Group;


Navios Maritime Containers ” means NMCI, prior to the Conversion Transaction, and NMCLP, after the Conversion Transaction;

NMCLP ” means Navios Maritime Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership;

NSM ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement;

Services ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement; and

Vessels ” means all vessels that are in the ownership of Navios Maritime Containers on the date of this Agreement and the Additional Vessels.

Section 2. Appointment of NSM .

(a) From and after the Closing Date and continuing, until terminated as provided herein, Navios Maritime Containers hereby appoints NSM as agent for and on behalf of Navios Maritime Containers, and NSM hereby agrees, to perform the Services specified hereunder with respect to the Vessels.

(b) NSM shall provide the Services, in a commercially reasonable manner, as Navios Maritime Containers, may from time to time direct, all under the supervision of Navios Maritime Containers. NSM shall perform the Services to be provided hereunder in accordance with sound ship management practice including, but not limited to, compliance with all relevant rules and regulations and with the care, diligence and skill that a prudent manager of vessels such as the Vessels would possess and exercise, and within the limits of authority delegated to it under this Agreement.

Section 3. Covenants . During the term of this Agreement NSM shall:

(a) diligently provide or subcontract for the provision of (in accordance with Section 18 hereof) the Services to Navios Maritime Containers as an independent contractor, and be responsible to Navios Maritime Containers for the due and proper performance of the same subject to the terms and conditions contained herein;

(b) retain at all times a qualified staff so as to maintain a level of expertise sufficient to provide the Services; and

(c) keep full and proper books, records and accounts showing clearly all transactions relating to its provision of Services in accordance with established general commercial practices and in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles.

Section 4. Non-exclusivity . NSM may provide services of a nature similar to the Services to any other person. There is no obligation for NSM to provide the Services to Navios Maritime Containers on an exclusive basis.

Section 5. Confidential Information . NSM shall be obligated to keep confidential, both during and after the term of this Agreement, all information it has acquired or developed in the course of providing Services under this Agreement, except to the extent disclosure of such information is required by applicable law, including, without limitation, applicable securities laws. Navios Maritime Containers shall be entitled to any equitable remedy available at law or equity, including specific performance, against a breach by NSM of this obligation. NSM shall not resist such application for relief on the basis that Navios Maritime Containers has an adequate remedy at law, and NSM shall waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy.

 

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Section 6. Service Fee/Reimbursement of Costs and Expenses . In consideration for NSM providing the Services, Navios Maritime Containers shall pay NSM the Fees as set out in Schedule B to this Agreement and the Extraordinary Fees and Costs as set out in Schedule C , if applicable, and Navios Maritime Containers shall reimburse NSM for the actual costs and expenses incurred by NSM in the manner provided for in Schedule B .

Section 7. General Relationship Between the Parties . The relationship between the parties is that of independent contractor. The parties to this Agreement do not intend, and nothing herein shall be interpreted so as, to create a partnership, joint venture or employee relationship between NSM and any one or more of Navios Maritime Containers or any member of the Containers Group. NSM will carry out the Services in respect of the Vessels as agent for and on behalf of Navios Maritime Containers.

Section 8. Force Majeure and Indemnity .

(a) Neither Navios Maritime Containers nor NSM shall be under any liability for any failure to perform any of their obligations hereunder by reason of any of the following force majeure events provided they have made all reasonable efforts to avoid, minimize or prevent the effect of such event:

 

  (i) acts of God;

 

  (ii) any circumstances arising out of war, threatened act of war or warlike operations, acts of terrorism, sabotage or piracy, or the consequences thereof;

 

  (iii) riots, civil commotion, blockades or embargoes;

 

  (iv) epidemics;

 

  (v) earthquakes, landslides, floods or other extraordinary weather conditions;

 

  (vi) fire, accident, explosion, except where caused by negligence of the party seeking to invoke force majeure;

 

  (vii) government requisition;

 

  (viii) strikes, lockouts or other industrial action, unless limited to the employees (which shall not in respect of NSM, include the crew) of the party seeking to invoke force majeure; or

 

  (ix) any other similar cause beyond the reasonable control of either party.

(b) Without prejudice to sub-clause 8(a) above, NSM shall be under no liability whatsoever to Navios Maritime Containers for any loss, damage, delay or expense of whatsoever nature, whether direct or indirect, (including but not limited to loss of profit arising out of or in connection with detention of or delay to the Vessels or Additional Vessels) as incurred and howsoever arising in the course of performance of the Services, unless and to the extent that such loss, damage, delay or expense is proved to have resulted solely from the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of NSM or their employees, agents or sub-contractors in connection with the Vessels, in which case (save where such loss, damage, delay or expense has resulted from NSM’s personal act or omission committed with the intent to cause same or recklessly and with knowledge that such loss, damage, delay or expense would probably result) NSM’s liability for each incident or series of incidents giving rise to a claim or claims shall never exceed a total of US$3,000,000.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding anything that may appear to the contrary in this Agreement, NSM shall not be responsible for any of the actions of the crew of the Vessels even if such actions are fraudulent, negligent, grossly negligent or willful.

(d) Except to the extent and solely for the amount therein set out that NSM would be liable under sub-clause 8(b), Navios Maritime Containers shall indemnify and hold harmless NSM and its employees, agents and sub-contractors against all actions, proceedings, claims, demands or liabilities whatsoever and howsoever arising which may be brought against them arising out of, relating to or based upon this Agreement including, without limitation, all actions, proceedings, claims, demands or liabilities brought under or relating to the environmental laws, regulations or conventions of any jurisdiction (“Environmental Laws”), or otherwise relating to pollution or the environment, and against and in respect of all costs and expenses (including legal costs and expenses on a full indemnity basis) they may suffer or incur in the course of the performance of this Agreement; provided however that such indemnity shall exclude any and all losses, actions, proceedings, claims, demands, costs, damages, expenses and liabilities whatsoever which may be caused by or due to the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of NSM or its employees or agents.

(e) Without prejudice to the general indemnity set out in this Section 8, Navios Maritime Containers hereby undertakes to indemnify NSM, their employees, agents and sub-contractors against all taxes, imposts and duties levied by any government as a result of the operations of Navios Maritime Containers or the Vessels, whether or not such taxes, imposts and duties are levied on Navios Maritime Containers or NSM. For the avoidance of doubt, such indemnity shall not apply to taxes imposed on amounts paid to NSM as consideration for the performance of Services for Navios Maritime Containers. Navios Maritime Containers shall pay all taxes, dues or fines imposed on the Vessels or NSM as a result of the operation of the Vessels.

(f) It is hereby expressly agreed that no employee or agent of NSM (including any sub-contractor from time to time employed by NSM) shall in any circumstances whatsoever be under any liability whatsoever to Navios Maritime Containers for any loss, damage or delay of whatsoever kind arising or resulting directly or indirectly from any act, neglect or default on his part while acting in the course of or in connection with his employment and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions in this Section 8, every exemption, limitation, condition and liberty herein contained and every right, exemption from liability, defense and immunity of whatsoever nature applicable to NSM or to which NSM are entitled hereunder shall also be available and shall extend to protect every such employee or agent of NSM acting as aforesaid.

(g) Navios Maritime Containers acknowledges that it is aware that NSM is unable to confirm that the Vessels, their systems, equipment and machinery are free from defects, and agrees that NSM shall not under any circumstances be liable for any losses, costs, claims, liabilities and expenses which Navios Maritime Containers may suffer or incur resulting from pre-existing or latent deficiencies in the Vessels, their systems, equipment and machinery.

The provisions of this Section 8 shall remain in force notwithstanding termination of this Agreement.

 

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Section 9. Term and Termination . With respect to each of the Vessels, this Agreement shall commence on the Closing Date and shall continue for five (5) years, which shall be automatically renewed for a period of other five (5) years, unless terminated by either party hereto on not less than one hundred and twenty (120) days’ notice if:

 

  (a) in the case of Navios Maritime Containers, there is a Change of Control of NSM;

 

  (b) in the case of NSM, there is a Change of Control of the General Partner (but only following the Conversion Transaction) or Navios Maritime Containers;

 

  (c) the other party breaches this Agreement in any material respect which remains unremedied;

 

  (d) a receiver is appointed for all or substantially all of the property of the other party;

 

  (e) an order is made to wind-up the other party;

 

  (f) a final judgment, order or decree which materially and adversely affects the ability of the other party to perform this Agreement shall have been obtained or entered against that party and such judgment, order or decree shall not have been vacated, discharged or stayed; or

 

  (g) the other party makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, files a petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation, is adjudged insolvent or bankrupt, commences any proceeding for a reorganization or arrangement of debts, dissolution or liquidation under any law or statute or of any jurisdiction applicable thereto or if any such proceeding shall be commenced.

At any time after the first anniversary of this Agreement, this Agreement may be terminated by either party hereto on not less than three hundred and sixty-five (365) days’ notice for any reason other than any of the reasons set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph. This Agreement shall not become effective unless and until the Closing Date has occurred.

This Agreement shall be deemed to be terminated with respect to a particular Vessel in the case of the sale of such Vessel or if such Vessel becomes a total loss or is declared as a constructive, compromised or arranged total loss or is requisitioned. Notwithstanding such deemed termination, any Fees outstanding at the time of the sale or loss shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

For the purpose of this clause:

 

  (i) the date upon which a Vessel is to be treated as having been sold or otherwise disposed of shall be the date on which Navios Maritime Containers ceases to be the legal owner of the Vessel;

 

  (ii) a Vessel shall not be deemed to be lost until either she has become an actual total loss or agreement has been reached with her underwriters in respect of her constructive, compromised or arranged total loss or if such agreement with her underwriters is not reached, it is adjudged by a competent tribunal that a constructive loss of the Vessel has occurred or the Vessel’s owners issue a notice of abandonment to the underwriters.

The termination of this Agreement shall be without prejudice to all rights accrued due between the parties prior to the date of termination.

 

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Section 10. Fees upon Termination with Respect to a Vessel . Upon termination of this Agreement, the Fee or Costs and Expenses, as may be the case, shall be adjusted with respect to a Vessel as at the effective date of termination of this Agreement, based on the amounts set forth in Schedule B . Any overpayment shall forthwith be refunded to Navios Maritime Containers and any underpayment shall forthwith be paid to NSM.

Section 11. Surrender of Books and Records . Upon termination of this Agreement, NSM shall forthwith surrender to Navios Maritime Containers any and all books, records, documents and other property in the possession or control of NSM relating to this Agreement and to the business, finance, technology, trademarks or affairs of Navios Maritime Containers and any member of the Containers Group and, except as required by law (including securities laws and regulations) or for accounting purposes, shall not retain any copies of same.

Section 12. Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and (in relation to such subject matter) supersedes and replaces all prior understandings and agreements, written or oral, between the parties.

Section 13. Amendments to Agreement . NSM reserves the right to make such changes to this Agreement as it shall consider necessary to take account of regulatory changes which come into force after the date hereof and which affect the operation of the Vessels. Such changes will be conveyed in writing to Navios Maritime Containers and will come into force on intimation or on the date on which such regulatory or other changes come into effect (whichever shall occur first).

Section 14. Severability . If any provision herein is held to be void or unenforceable, the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions herein shall remain unaffected and enforceable.

Section 15. Currency . Unless stated otherwise, all currency references herein are to United States Dollars.

Section 16. Law and Arbitration . This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of England. Any dispute under this Agreement shall be referred to arbitration in London in accordance with the Arbitration Act 1996 or any statutory modification or re-enactment then in force. The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the London Maritime Arbitrators Association’s (LMAA) Terms current at the time when the arbitration is commenced.

Save as after mentioned, the reference shall be to three arbitrators, one to be appointed by each party and the third by the two arbitrators so appointed. A party wishing to refer a dispute to arbitration shall appoint its arbitrator and send notice of such appointment to the other party requiring the other party to appoint its arbitrator within fourteen (14) calendar days of that notice and stating that it will appoint its arbitrator as sole arbitrator unless the other party appoints its own arbitrator and gives notice that it has done so within the fourteen (14) calendar days specified. If the other party does not appoint its own arbitrator and give notice that it has done so within the fourteen (14) calendar days specified, the party referring the dispute to arbitration may, without the requirement of any further prior notice to the other party, appoint its arbitrator as sole arbitrator and shall advise the other party accordingly. The award of a sole arbitrator shall be as binding as if he had been appointed by agreement. Nothing herein shall prevent the parties agreeing in writing to vary these provisions to provide for the appointment of a sole arbitrator.

In cases where neither the claim nor any counterclaim exceeds the sum of US$50,000 (or such other sum as the parties may agree) the arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the LMAA Small Claims Procedure current at the time when the arbitration proceedings are commenced.

 

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Section 17. Notice . Notice under this Agreement shall be given (via hand delivery or facsimile) as follows:

If to Navios Maritime Containers:

C/O Navios Maritime Holdings Inc.

7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2

Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco

Attn: Villy Papaefthymiou

Fax: +(30) 210 453-2070

If to NSM:

85 Akti Miaouli Street

Piraeus, Greece 185 38

Attn: Anna Kalathakis

Fax: +(30) 210 417-2070

Section 18. Subcontracting; Assignment; Succession . NSM shall not assign or sub-contract this Agreement to any party that is not a subsidiary or affiliate of NSM except upon the written consent of Navios Maritime Containers, provided for the avoidance of doubt that NMCLP may succeed to the rights and obligations of NMCI hereunder in connection with the Conversion Transaction by executing a joinder in the form of Exhibit A hereto. In the event of such sub-contracting NSM shall remain liable for the due performance of the Services and its other obligations under this Agreement, subject to Section 8(b).

Section 19. Waiver . The failure of either party to enforce any term of this Agreement shall not act as a waiver. Any waiver must be specifically stated as such in writing.

Section 20. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more signed counterparts, facsimile or otherwise, which shall together form one instrument.

 

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Exhibit 10.7.1

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

This AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (the “ Amendment ”), dated as of November 23, 2017, is made by and between Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands (“ NMCI ”) and Navios ShipManagement Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ NSM ”, and together with NMLP, the “ Parties ”) and amends the Management Agreement (the “ Management Agreement ”) entered into among the Parties on June 7, 2017 (together, with the Management Agreement, the “ Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Amendment shall have the meanings given them in the Agreement.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Schedule B, paragraph 1, is hereby amended and substituted in its entirety:

In consideration for the provision of the Services listed in Schedule “A” by NSM to NMCI, NMCI shall, during the term of this Agreement, pay NSM a fixed daily fee of US$6,100 per day for container vessels up to 5,500 TEU, payable on the last day of each month. In addition, NMCI shall pay to NSM dry-docking expenses at cost for each Vessel (together with the daily fee described in the preceding sentence and any applicable value added, sales or services taxes, the “ Fees ”).

 

2. Full Force and Effect. Except as modified by this Amendment, all other terms and conditions in the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

3. Effect. Unless the context otherwise requires, the Agreement, as amended, and this Amendment shall be read together and shall have effect as if the provisions of the Agreement, as amended, and this Amendment were contained in one agreement. After the effective date of this Amendment, all references in the Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereto,” “hereof,” “hereunder” or words of like import referring to the Agreement shall mean the Agreement, as amended, as further modified by this Amendment.

 

4. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in separate counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute a single instrument.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank. Signature page to follow.]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment effective as of the day and year first above written.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

/s/ Christos Christopoulos

By: Christos Christopoulos
Title: Chief Financial Officer
NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.

/s/ Vasiliki Papaefthymiou

By: Vasiliki Papaefthymiou
Title: Secretary/Director

[Signature Page — Amendment No. 8 to Management Agreement]

Exhibit 10.7.2

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

This AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (the “ Amendment ”), dated as of April 23, 2018, is made by and between Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands (“ NMCI ”) and Navios ShipManagement Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ NSM ”, and together with NA/LP, the “ Parties ”) and amends the Management Agreement (the “ Management Agreement ”) entered into among the Parties on June 7, 2017 as amended on November 23, 2017 (together, with the Management Agreement, the “ Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Amendment shall have the meanings given them in the Agreement.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Schedule B, paragraph 1, is hereby amended and substituted in its entirety:

In consideration for the provision of the Services listed in Schedule “A” by NSM to NMCI, NMCI shall, during the term of this Agreement, pay NSM a fixed daily fee of US$6,100 per day for container vessels up to 5,500 TEU and US$7,400 per day for container vessels above 8,000 TEU and up to 10,000 TEU, payable on the last day of each month. In addition, NMCI shall pay to NSM dry-docking expenses at cost for each Vessel (together with the daily fee described in the preceding sentence and any applicable value added, sales or services taxes, the “ Fees ”).

 

2. Full Force and Effect. Except as modified by this Amendment, all other terms and conditions in the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

3. Effect. Unless the context otherwise requires, the Agreement, as amended, and this Amendment shall be read together and shall have effect as if the provisions of the Agreement, as amended, and this Amendment were contained in one agreement. After the effective date of this Amendment, all references in the Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereto,” “hereof,” “hereunder” or words of like import referring to the Agreement shall mean the Agreement, as amended, as further modified by this Amendment.

 

4. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in separate counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute a single instrument.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank. Signature page to follow.]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment effective as of the day and year first above written.

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

/s/ Christos Christopoulos

By: Christos Christopoulos

Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.
/s/ Vasiliki Papaefthymiou
    By: Vasiliki Papaefthymiou
    Title: Secretary/Director

Exhibit 10.7.3

AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

This AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (the “ Amendment ”), dated as of June 1, 2018, is made by and between Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands (“ NMCI ”) and Navios ShipManagement Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ NSM ”, and together with NMLP, the “ Parties ”) and amends the Management Agreement (the “ Management Agreement ”) entered into among the Parties on June 7, 2017 (together, with the Management Agreement, the “Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Amendment shall have the meanings given them in the Agreement.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Schedule B, paragraph 1, is hereby amended and substituted in its entirety:

In consideration for the provision of the Services listed in Schedule “A” by NSM to NMCI, NMCI shall, during the term of this Agreement, pay NSM a fixed daily fee of US$6,100 per day for container vessels up to 5,500 TEU, US$6,700 per day for container vessels above 5,500 TEU and up to 8,000 TEU, and US$7,400 per day for container vessels above 8,000 TEU and up to 10,000 TEU, payable on the last day of each month. In addition, NMCI shall pay to NSM dry-docking expenses at cost for each Vessel (together with the daily fee described in the preceding sentence and any applicable value added, sales or services taxes, the “ Fees ”).

 

2. Full Force and Effect. Except as modified by this Amendment, all other terms and conditions in the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

3. Effect. Unless the context otherwise requires, the Agreement, as amended, and this Amendment shall be read together and shall have effect as if the provisions of the Agreement, as amended, and this Amendment were contained in one agreement. After the effective date of this Amendment, all references in the Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereto,” “hereof,” “hereunder” or words of like import referring to the Agreement shall mean the Agreement, as amended, as further modified by this Amendment.

 

4. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in separate counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute a single instrument.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank. Signature page to follow.]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment effective as of the day and year first above written.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.
/s/ Christos Christopoulos
By: Christos Christopoulos
Title: Chief Financial Officer
NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.
/s/ Vasiliki Papaefthymiou
By: Vasiliki Papaefthymiou
Title: Secretary/Director

Exhibit 10.8

EXECUTION VERSION

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT

THIS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT is made effective the 7th day of June, 2017 by and between NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands with its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Island, Ajeltake Road, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960 (“ NMCI ”) and NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Marshall Islands with its registered office at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MII96960 (“ NSM ”).

WHEREAS:

 

  A. Navios Maritime Containers owns vessels and requires certain administrative support services for the operation of its fleet; and

 

  B. Navios Maritime Containers wishes to engage NSM to provide and/or arrange such administrative support services to Navios Maritime Containers on the terms set out herein.

NOW THEREFORE, the parties agree that, in consideration for NSM providing the administrative support services set forth in Schedule A to this Agreement (the “ Services ”), and subject to the Terms and Conditions set forth in Article I attached hereto, Navios Maritime Containers shall pay to NSM for the costs and expenses (excluding out-of-pocket expenses) reasonably incurred by NSM in the manner provided for in Schedule B to this Agreement (the “ Costs and Expenses ”).

[Signature Page Follows]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have executed this Agreement by their duly authorized signatories with effect on the date first above written.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.
By:  

/s/ Angeliki Frangou

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
NAVIOS SHIPMANAGEMENT INC.
By:  

/s/ Anna Kalathaki

  Name:   Anna Kalathaki
  Title:   Director / Treasurer

[Signature Page to Administrative Services Agreement]


ARTICLE I.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Section 1. Definitions . In this Agreement, the term:

Additional Vessels ” means any other vessel of similar size and type the management of which, after its acquisition by Navios Maritime Containers, may be entrusted from time to time to NSM. Any such Additional Vessel for the purpose of this Agreement shall also be referred to herein as Vessels;

Agreement ” means this Administrative Services Agreement, as it may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time.

Change of Control ” means with respect to any entity, an event in which securities of any class entitling the holders thereof to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of the entity are acquired, directly or indirectly, by a “ person ” or “ group ” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) or 14(d)(2) of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), except Navios Maritime Partners L.P., Navios Maritime Holdings and Angeliki Frangou, who did not immediately before such acquisition own securities of the entity entitling such person or group to elect such majority (and for the purpose of this definition, any such securities held by another person who is related to such person shall be deemed to be owned by such person); provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Conversion Transaction shall not constitute a “Change of Control” for purposes hereof;

Closing Date ” means the date of the closing of the initial offering of the common shares of NMCI on the N-OTC exchange.

Compensation ” means wages, vacation pay, bonus and any other amounts approved by Navios Maritime Containers and payable to the Staff.

Containers Group ” means Navios Maritime Containers, the General Partner and subsidiaries of Navios Maritime Containers;

Conversion Transaction ” means an exchange offer of limited partner interests, or common units representing limited partner interests, in NMCLP, for common shares of NMCI, as a result of which exchange offer NMCLP succeeds to all or substantially all of the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of NMCI.

Costs and Expenses ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement;

Due Date ” has the meaning set forth on Schedule B to this Agreement;

Equityholders ” means holders of common shares of (or, following the Conversion Transaction, common units of or limited partner interests in) Navios Maritime Containers;

General Partner ” means Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation, or a wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to NMCLP as general partner of NMCLP, in its capacity as general partner of NMCLP;

LIBOR ” means the London Interbank Offered Rate;

 

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Limited Partnership Agreement ” means the Agreement of Limited Partnership of NMCLP, as from time to time amended;

Navios Maritime Containers ” means NMCI, prior to the Conversion Transaction, and NMCLP, after the Conversion Transaction;

NMCLP ” means Navios Maritime Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership;

NSM ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement;

Services ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement;

Staff ” means the individuals hired by NSM in the course of performing its obligations under this Agreement; and

Vessels ” means all vessels that are in the ownership of Navios Maritime Containers on the date of this Agreement and the Additional Vessels.

Section 2. General . NSM and Navios Maritime Containers will share in certain responsibilities and allocate such responsibilities among each other as described in this Agreement. With respect to allocation of responsibilities regarding the Staff (as defined in Section 1), NSM will retain the authority to hire, promote, terminate, discipline and reassign the Staff. Navios Maritime Containers will, however, retain sufficient direction over the Staff as necessary to conduct their business and without which Navios Maritime Containers would be unable to conduct its business, discharge any fiduciary responsibility that it may have, or comply with any applicable license, regulatory or statutory requirements of Navios Maritime Containers. Navios Maritime Containers’ authority includes the right to accept and cancel the assignment of any Staff. Further, Navios Maritime Containers retains full responsibility for it business, products, and services and any actions by any third-party, contractor, independent contractor or non-Staff employee. NSM shall provide all or such portion of the Services, in a commercially reasonable manner, as Navios Maritime Containers may from time to time direct, all under the supervision of Navios Maritime Containers.

Section 3. Covenants . During the term of this Agreement NSM shall:

(a) diligently provide the Services to Navios Maritime Containers as an independent contractor, and be responsible to Navios Maritime Containers for the due and proper performance of same;

(b) at the request and under the direction of Navios Maritime Containers, hire and retain at all times the qualified Staff so as to maintain a level of expertise sufficient to provide the Services set forth on Schedule A to this Agreement. NSM is responsible to pay the Compensation and to report compensation information and remit applicable tax and social security payments to the respective authorities; and

(c) keep full and proper books, records and accounts showing clearly all transactions relating to its provision of Services in accordance with established general commercial practices and in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, and allow Navios Maritime Containers and its representatives and its auditors to audit and examine such books, records and accounts at any time during customary business hours.

 

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Section 4. Non-exclusivity . NSM may provide services of a nature similar to the Services to any other person. There is no obligation for NSM to provide the Services to Navios Maritime Containers on an exclusive basis.

Section 5. Confidential Information . NSM shall be obligated to keep confidential, both during and after the term of this Agreement, all information it has acquired or developed in the course of providing Services under this Agreement, except to the extent disclosure of such information is required by applicable law including, without limitation, applicable securities laws. Navios Maritime Containers shall be entitled to any equitable remedy available at law or equity, including specific performance, against a breach by NSM of this obligation. NSM shall not resist such application for relief on the basis that Navios Maritime Containers has an adequate remedy at law, and NSM shall waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy.

Section 6. Payment of Costs and Expenses . In consideration for NSM providing the Services, Navios Maritime Containers shall pay to NSM the Costs and Expenses (excluding out-of-pocket expenses) in the manner provided in Schedule B to this Agreement.

Section 7. General Relationship Between the Parties . The relationship between the parties is that of independent contractor. The parties to this Agreement do not intend, and nothing herein shall be interpreted so as, to create a partnership, joint venture or employee relationship between NSM and any one or more of Navios Maritime Containers or any member of the Containers Group. NSM will carry out the Services in respect of the Vessels as agents for and on behalf of Navios Maritime Containers.

Section 8. Indemnity . Navios Maritime Containers shall indemnify and hold harmless NSM and its employees and agents against all actions, proceedings, claims, demands or liabilities whatsoever and howsoever arising which may be brought against them arising out of, relating to or based upon this Agreement including, without limitation, all actions, proceedings, claims, demands or liabilities brought under or relating to the environmental laws, regulations or conventions of any jurisdiction, or otherwise relating to pollution of the environment, and against and in respect of all costs and expenses (including legal costs and expenses on a full indemnity basis) they may suffer or incur due to defending or settling same; provided however that such indemnity shall exclude any and all losses, actions, proceedings, claims, demands, costs, damages, expenses and liabilities whatsoever which may be caused by or due to the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of NSM or its employees or agents.

Section 9. NO CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES . NEITHER NSM NOR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES SHALL BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SUFFERED BY NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS, OR FOR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, WITH RESPECT TO ANY TERM OR THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT, EVEN IF INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF IN ADVANCE. THIS LIMITATION APPLIES TO ALL CAUSES OF ACTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, BREACH OF CONTRACT, BREACH OF WARRANTY, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, FRAUD, MISREPRESENTATION AND OTHER TORTS.

Section 10. Term and Termination . This Agreement is effective as of the Closing Date and shall have an initial term of five (5) years, which shall be automatically renewed for a period of other five (5) years, unless terminated by either party hereto on not less than one hundred and twenty (120) days’ notice if:

 

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(a) in the case of Navios Maritime Containers, there is a Change of Control of NSM;

(b) in the case of NSM, there is a Change of Control of the General Partner (but only following the Conversion Transaction) or Navios Maritime Containers;

(c) the other party breaches this Agreement in any material respect which remains unremedied;

(d) a receiver is appointed for all or substantially all of the property of the other party;

(e) an order is made to wind-up the other party;

(f) a final judgment, order or decree which materially and adversely affects the ability of the other party to perform this Agreement shall have been obtained or entered against that party and such judgment, order or decree shall not have been vacated, discharged or stayed; or

(g) the other party makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, files a petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation, is adjudged insolvent or bankrupt, commences any proceeding for a reorganization or arrangement of debts, dissolution or liquidation under any law or statute or of any jurisdiction applicable thereto or if any such proceeding shall be commenced.

At any time after the first anniversary of this Agreement, this Agreement may be terminated by either party hereto on not less than three hundred and sixty-five (365) days’ notice for any reason other than any of the reasons set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph.

Section 11. Costs and Expenses Upon Termination; Rights Upon Termination . Upon termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 10 hereof, Navios Maritime Containers shall be obligated to pay to NSM any and all amounts payable pursuant to Section 6 hereof for Services provided prior to the time of termination and the provisions of Sections 5, 7, 8, 9, and 13–20 shall survive any such termination.

Section 12. Surrender of Books and Records . Upon termination of this Agreement, NSM shall forthwith surrender to Navios Maritime Containers any and all books, records, documents and other property in the possession or control of NSM relating to this Agreement and to the business, finance, technology, trademarks or affairs of Navios Maritime Containers and any member of the Containers Group and, except as required by law (including securities laws and regulations), shall not retain any copies of same.

Section 13. Force Majeure . Neither party shall be liable for any failure to perform any of their obligations hereunder by reason of any of the following force majeure events provided the party has made all reasonable efforts to avoid, minimize or prevent the effect of such event:

 

  a) acts of God;

 

  b) any circumstances arising out of war, threatened act of war or warlike operations, acts of terrorism, sabotage or piracy, or the consequences thereof;

 

  c) riots, civil commotion, blockades or embargoes;

 

  d) epidemics;

 

  e) earthquakes, landslides, floods or other extraordinary weather conditions;

 

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  f) fire, accident, explosion except where caused by negligence of the party seeking to invoke force majeure;

 

  g) government requisition;

 

  h) strikes, lockouts or other industrial action, unless limited to the employees (which shall not in respect of the Manager, include the crew) of the party seeking to invoke force majeure; or

 

  i) any other similar cause beyond the reasonable control of either party.

Section 14. Entire Agreement . This Agreement forms the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and replaces all previous agreements, written or oral, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

Section 15. Severability . If any provision herein is held to be void or unenforceable, the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions herein shall remain unaffected and enforceable.

Section 16. Currency . Unless stated otherwise, all currency references herein are to United States Dollars.

Section 17. Law and Arbitration . This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of England. Any dispute under this Agreement shall be put to arbitration in England, a jurisdiction to which the parties hereby irrevocably submit.

Save as after mentioned, the reference shall be to three arbitrators, one to be appointed by each party and the third by the two arbitrators so appointed. A party wishing to refer a dispute to arbitration shall appoint its arbitrator and send notice of such appointment to the other party requiring the other party to appoint its arbitrator within fourteen (14) calendar days of that notice and stating that it will appoint its arbitrator as sole arbitrator unless the other party appoints its own arbitrator and gives notice that it has done so within the fourteen (14) calendar days specified. If the other party does not appoint its own arbitrator and give notice that it has done so within the fourteen (14) calendar days specified, the party referring the dispute to arbitration may, without the requirement of any further prior notice to the other party, appoint its arbitrator as sole arbitrator and shall advise the other party accordingly. The award of a sole arbitrator shall be as binding as if he had been appointed by agreement. Nothing herein shall prevent the parties agreeing in writing to vary these provisions to provide for the appointment of a sole arbitrator.

In cases where neither the claim nor any counterclaim exceeds the sum of US$50,000 (or such other sum as the parties may agree) the arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the LMAA Small Claims Procedure current at the time when the arbitration proceedings are commenced.

Section 18. Notice . Notice under this Agreement shall be given (via hand delivery or facsimile) as follows:

If to Navios Maritime Containers:

C/O Navios Maritime Holdings

7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2

Monte Carlo, MC 98000 Monaco

Attn: Villy Papaefthymiou

Fax: +(30) 210 453-2070

 

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If to NSM:

85 Akti Miaouli Street

Piraeus, Greece 185 38

Attn: Anna Kalathakis

Fax: +(30) 210 417-2070

Section 19. Assignment; Succession . NSM shall not assign this Agreement to any party that is not a subsidiary or affiliate of NSM except upon the written consent of Navios Maritime Containers; provided for the avoidance of doubt that NMCLP may succeed to the rights and obligations of NMCI hereunder in connection with the Conversion Transaction by executing a joinder in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

Section 20. Waiver . The failure of either party to enforce any term of this Agreement shall not act as a waiver. Any waiver must be specifically stated as such in writing.

Section 21. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more signed counterparts, facsimile or otherwise, which shall together form one instrument.

 

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Exhibit A

Joinder

Reference is hereby made to the Administrative Services Agreement, entered into as of June 7, 2017 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Administrative Services Agreement ”), among Navios Maritime Containers Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ NMCI ”) and Navios ShipManagement Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation (“ NSM ”). Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Administrative Services Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Administrative Services Agreement.

In accordance with Section 19 of the Administrative Services Agreement, Navios Maritime Containers L.P., a Marshall Islands limited partnership, by its signature below, becomes a party to the Administrative Services Agreement, and agrees to all the terms, conditions, covenants and other provisions thereof with the same force and effect as if originally named therein.

This Joinder shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME PARTNERS L.P.
By:  

 

  Name:   Angeliki Frangou
  Title:   Chairman of the Board and
    Chief Executive Officer
Address for Notice:
85 Atki Miaouli Street
Piraeus, Greece 185 38
Phone: +30 (210) 417-2050
Fax: +30 (210) 453-1984
Attention: Villy Papaefthymiou

 

A-1


SCHEDULE A

SERVICES

NSM shall provide the following administrative support services (the “ Services ”) to Navios Maritime Containers, at the request and under the direction of Navios Maritime Containers:

(a) Keep and maintain at all times books, records and accounts which shall contain particulars of receipts and disbursements relating to the assets and liabilities of Navios Maritime Containers and such books, records and accounts shall be kept pursuant to normal commercial practices that will permit Navios Maritime Containers to prepare or cause to be prepared financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and in each case shall also be in accordance with those required to be kept by Navios Maritime Containers under applicable United States federal and applicable securities laws and regulations and as Navios Maritime Containers is required to keep and file under applicable foreign taxing regulations and the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and the regulations applicable with respect thereto, all as amended from time to time;

(b) Prepare all such returns, filings and documents, for review and approval by Navios Maritime Containers as may be required under the Limited Partnership Agreement or any other governing documents of Navios Maritime Containers as well as such other returns, filings, documents and instruments as may from time to time be requested or instructed by Navios Maritime Containers; and file such documents, as applicable, as directed by Navios Maritime Containers with the relevant authorities;

(c) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, advisory services to Navios Maritime Containers with respect to Navios Maritime Containers’ obligations under applicable securities laws and regulations in the United States and any applicable foreign jurisdictions and assist Navios Maritime Containers in arranging for compliance with continuous disclosure obligations under applicable securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the any securities exchange upon which Navios Maritime Containers’ securities are listed or any market where Navios Maritime Containers’ securities are traded, including the preparation for review, approval and filing by Navios Maritime Containers of reports and other documents with all applicable regulatory authorities, provided that nothing herein shall permit or authorize NSM to act for or on behalf of Navios Maritime Containers in its relationship with regulatory authorities except to the extent that specific authorization may from time to time be given by Navios Maritime Containers;

(d) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, advisory, clerical and investor relations services to assist and support Navios Maritime Containers in its communications with its Equityholders, including in connection with disclosures that may be required for regulatory compliance to its Equityholders and the wider financial markets, as Navios Maritime Containers may from time to time request or direct, provided that nothing herein shall permit or authorize NSM to determine the content of any such communications by Navios Maritime Containers to its Equityholders and the wider financial markets;

(e) At the request and under the direction of Navios Maritime Containers, handle, or arrange for the handling of, all administrative and clerical matters in respect of (i) the call and arrangement of all meetings of the Equityholders pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement or any other governing documents of Navios Maritime Containers, (ii) the preparation of all materials (including notices of meetings and information circulars) in respect thereof and (iii) the submission of all such materials to Navios Maritime Containers in sufficient time prior to the dates upon which they must be mailed, filed or otherwise relied upon so that Navios Maritime Containers has full opportunity to review, approve, execute and return them to NSM for filing or mailing or other disposition as Navios Maritime Containers may require or direct;

 

A-1


(f) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, or secure sufficient and necessary office space, equipment and personnel including all accounting, clerical, secretarial, corporate and administrative services as may be reasonably necessary for the performance of Navios Maritime Containers’ business;

(g) Arrange for the provision of such audit, accounting, legal, insurance and other professional services as are reasonably required by Navios Maritime Containers from time to time in connection with the discharge of its responsibilities under the Limited Partnership Agreement or any other governing documents of Navios Maritime Containers, to the extent such advice and analysis can be reasonably provided or arranged by NSM, provided that nothing herein shall permit NSM to select the auditor of Navios Maritime Containers, which shall be selected in accordance with the provisions for the appointment of the auditor pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement or any other governing documents of Navios Maritime Containers or as otherwise be required by law governing Navios Maritime Containers, or to communicate with the auditor other than in the ordinary course of making such books and records available for review as the auditors may require and to respond to queries from the auditors with respect to the accounts and statements prepared by, or arranged by, NSM, and in particular NSM will not have any of the authorities, rights or responsibilities of the audit committee of Navios Maritime Containers, but shall provide, or arrange for the provision of, information to such committee as may from time to time be required or requested; and provided further that nothing herein shall entitle NSM to retain legal counsel for Navios Maritime Containers unless such selection is specifically approved by NSM;

(h) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, such assistance and support as Navios Maritime Containers may from time to time request in connection with any new or existing financing for, or other commercial relationships for, Navios Maritime Containers, such assistance and support to be provided in accordance with the direction, and under the supervision of Navios Maritime Containers;

(i) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, such administrative and clerical services as may be required by Navios Maritime Containers to support and assist Navios Maritime Containers in considering any future acquisitions or divestments of assets of Navios Maritime Containers or other commercial transactions and the integration of any assets or businesses acquired by the Navios Maritime Containers, all under the direction and under the supervision of Navios Maritime Containers;

(j) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, such support and assistance to Navios Maritime Containers as Navios Maritime Containers may from time to time request in connection with any future offerings of equity or debt securities that Navios Maritime Containers may at any time determine is desirable for Navios Maritime Containers, all under the direction and supervision of Navios Maritime Containers;

(k) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, at the request and under the direction of Navios Maritime Containers, such communications to the transfer agent for Navios Maritime Containers as may be necessary or desirable;

 

A-2


(1) Prepare and provide, or arrange for the preparation and provision of, regular cash reports and other accounting information for review by Navios Maritime Containers, so as to permit and enable Navios Maritime Containers to make all determinations of financial matters required to be made pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement or any other governing documents of Navios Maritime Containers, including the determination of amounts available for distribution by Navios Maritime Containers to its Equityholders, and to assist Navios Maritime Containers in making arrangements with the transfer agent for Navios Maritime Containers for the payment of distributions to the Equityholders in accordance with the Limited Partnership Agreement or any other governing documents of Navios Maritime Containers;

(m) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, such assistance to Navios Maritime Containers as Navios Maritime Containers may request or direct with respect to the performance of the obligations to the Equityholders under the Limited Partnership Agreement or any other governing documents of Navios Maritime Containers and to provide monitoring of various obligations and rights under agreements entered into by Navios Maritime Containers and provide advance reports on a timely basis to Navios Maritime Containers advising of steps, procedures and compliance issues under such agreements, so as to enable Navios Maritime Containers to make all such decisions as would be necessary or desirable thereunder;

(n) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, such additional administrative and clerical services pertaining to Navios Maritime Containers, the assets and liabilities of Navios Maritime Containers and the Equityholders and matters incidental thereto as may be reasonably requested by Navios Maritime Containers from time to time;

(o) Negotiate and arrange, at the request and under the direction of Navios Maritime Containers, for interest rate swap agreements, foreign currency contracts, forward exchange contracts and any other hedging arrangements;

(p) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, information technology services;

(q) Maintain, or arrange for the maintenance of, Navios Maritime Containers’ and Navios Maritime Containers’ subsidiaries’ existence and good standing in necessary jurisdictions;

(r) Negotiate, at the request and under the direction of Navios Maritime Containers, loan and credit terms with lenders and monitor and maintain compliance therewith;

(s) Provide, or arrange for the provision of, at the request and under the direction of Navios Maritime Containers, cash management and services, including assistance with preparation of budgets, overseeing banking services and bank accounts and arranging for the deposit of funds; and

(t) Monitor the performance of investment managers.

Because Navios Maritime Containers controls its business affairs, it acknowledges that NSM is not responsible for any loss of revenue or business, any loss due to misuse, destruction, misappropriation, theft, conversion, or embezzlement of person, real or intellectual property of Navios Maritime Containers or is customers.

Navios Maritime Containers and NSM acknowledge that Navios Maritime Containers is the owner of all intellectual property, documents, reports, financial statements and correspondence that come as a result of the Services provided above.

 

A-3


SCHEDULE B

COSTS AND EXPENSES

Within thirty (30) days after the end of each month, NSM shall submit to Navios Maritime Containers an invoice for all Costs and Expenses (excluding out-of-pocket expenses) in connection with the provision of the Services listed in Schedule A by NSM to Navios Maritime Containers for such month. Each statement will contain such supporting detail as may be reasonably required to validate such amounts due.

Navios Maritime Containers shall make payment within fifteen (15) days of the date of each invoice (any such day on which a payment is due, the “ Due Date ”). All invoices for Services are payable in U.S. dollars. All amounts not paid within 10 days after the Due Date shall bear interest at the rate of 1.00% per annum over US$ LIBOR from such Due Date until the date payment is received in full by NSM.

 

B-1

Exhibit 10.9

SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT

June 11, 2018

between

NAVIOS MARITIME PARTNERS L.P.

and

NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.

 


SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of June 11, 2018, by and between NAVIOS MARITIME PARTNERS L.P., a limited partnership organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, acting through its subsidiary Navios Maritime Operating L.L.C. (the “ Seller ”), and NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC. (“ NMCI ”), a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, in connection with the IPO (as defined below) NMCI will be converted from a corporation to a Marshall Islands limited partnership named Navios Maritime Containers L.P., as contemplated by the Plan of Conversion, dated June 7, 2017 (together with NMCI, the “ Buyer ”).

WHEREAS, the Buyer , proposes to offer, issue and sell, pursuant to a registration statement on Form F-1 filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ IPO ”) units (the “ Units ”) representing common limited partner interests in the Buyer having aggregate value (based on the price paid by the public in the IPO (the “ IPO Price ”)) of $110 million.

WHEREAS, the Buyer wishes to purchase from the Seller, and the Seller wishes to sell to the Buyer, one or more of the container vessels (the “ Vessels ”) owned, indirectly, by the Seller and identified in Schedule A hereto.

WHEREAS, the purchase of any Vessel will be accomplished by the Buyer purchasing from the Seller, and the Seller selling to the Buyer, all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock (the “ Shares ”) of the Seller subsidiary (the “ Vessel Owning Subsidiary ”) that directly owns the Vessel as further described in Schedule A.

WHEREAS, the Buyer currently contemplates it will purchase the Vessel identified under the caption “Firm Vessel” in Schedule A (the “ Firm Vessel ” and the Shares of the Vessel Owning Subsidiary directly owning the Firm Vessel, the “ Firm Shares ”), subject only to the completion of the IPO no later than September 30, 2018.

WHEREAS, the Buyer may wish to purchase up to four additional Vessels from those identified under the caption “Option Vessels” in Schedule A (each Vessel, an “ Option Vessel ” and the Shares of the Vessel Owning Subsidiary directly owning the Option Vessel, the “ Option Shares ”), and the Seller is prepared to sell the Option Vessels if the Buyer elects to do so.

WHEREAS, each Vessel is subject to a charter identified in Schedule A (a “ Charter ”), and each Vessel’s Charter will continue upon delivery of the Vessel.

 


NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Interpretation

SECTION 1.01 Definitions . In this Agreement, unless the context requires otherwise or unless otherwise specifically provided herein, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set out below and grammatical variations of such terms shall have corresponding meanings:

Agreement ” means this share purchase agreement, including its recitals and schedules, as amended and supplemented;

Applicable Law ” in respect of any Person, property, transaction or event, means all laws, statutes, ordinances, regulations, municipal by-laws, treaties, judgments and decrees applicable to that Person, property, transaction or event and, whether or not having the force of law, all applicable official directives, rules, consents, approvals, authorizations, guidelines, orders, codes of practice and policies of any Governmental Authority having or purporting to have authority over that Person, property, transaction or event and all general principles of common law and equity;

Buyer ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Buyer Indemnitees ” has the meaning given to it in Section 10.01;

Charter ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Closing ” means the Firm Closing or any Option Closing;

Closing Date ” means the Firm Closing Date or any Option Closing Date;

Contracts ” has the meaning given to it in Section 5.08;

Encumbrance ” means any mortgage, lien, charge, assignment, adverse claim, hypothecation, restriction, option, covenant, condition or encumbrance, whether fixed or floating, on, or any security interest in, any property whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, any pledge or hypothecation of any property, any deposit arrangement, priority, conditional sale agreement, other title retention agreement or equipment trust, capital lease or other security arrangements of any kind;

Firm Closing ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.02;

Firm Closing Date ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.02;

Firm Purchase Price ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.03;

 

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Firm Shares ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Firm Vessel ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Governmental Authority ” means any domestic or foreign government, including federal, provincial, state, municipal, county or regional government or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, and includes any department, commission, bureau, board, administrative agency or regulatory body of any of the foregoing and any multinational or supranational organization;

IPO ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

IPO Price ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Losses ” means, with respect to any matter, all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, deficiencies, costs, expenses (including all costs of investigation, legal and other professional fees and disbursements, interest, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) or diminution of value, whether or not involving a claim from a third party, however specifically excluding consequential, special and indirect losses, loss of profit and loss of opportunity;

Manager ” means Navios Shipmanagement Inc.;

NMCI ” means Navios Maritime Containers Inc.;

Notice ” means any notice, citation, directive, order, claim, litigation, investigation, proceeding, judgment, letter or other communication, written or oral, actual or threatened, from any Person;

Notice of Exercise ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.05;

Option ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.04;

Option Closing ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.07;

Option Closing Date ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.07;

Option Price ” has the meaning given to it in Section 2.06;

Option Shares ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Option Vessel ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Organizational Documents ” has the meaning given to it in Section 5.03;

Parties ” means all parties to this Agreement and “ Party ” means any one of them;

 

3


Person ” means an individual, legal personal representative, corporation, body corporate, firm, partnership, trust, trustee, syndicate, joint venture, unincorporated organization or Governmental Authority;

Purchase Price ” means, with respect to a Closing, the Firm Purchase Price or the Option Price to be delivered by the Buyer at the Closing;

Seller ” means Navios Maritime Partners L.P.;

Seller Indemnities ” has the meaning given to it in Section 10.02;

Shares ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Subject Shares ” has the meaning given to it in Section 4.05;

Subject Subsidiary ” has the meaning given to it in Section 5.01;

Taxes ” means all income, franchise, business, property, sales, use, goods and services or value added, withholding, excise, alternate minimum capital, transfer, excise, customs, anti-dumping, stumpage, countervail, net worth, stamp, registration, franchise, payroll, employment, health, education, business, school, property, local improvement, development, education development and occupation taxes, surtaxes, duties, levies, imposts, rates, fees, assessments, dues and charges and other taxes required to be reported upon or paid to any domestic or foreign jurisdiction and all interest and penalties thereon;

Units ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Vessel Owning Subsidiary ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals;

Vessel ” has the meaning given to it in the recitals; and

SECTION 1.02 Rules of Construction . Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) The singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular.

(b) The word “or” is not exclusive.

(c) The words “including,” “include” and other words of similar import shall be interpreted to mean by way of example and not limitation, and shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”

(d) The words “Article,” “Section” and “Schedule” refer to an article, section, exhibit of or schedule to this Agreement.

 

4


ARTICLE II

Purchases and Sales of Shares; Closings

SECTION 2.01 Purchase and Sale of Firm Shares . The Seller agrees to sell and transfer to the Buyer, and the Buyer agrees to purchase from the Seller for the Firm Purchase Price and in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Firm Shares.

SECTION 2.02 Firm Closing . On the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the sale and transfer of the Firm Shares and payment of the Firm Purchase Price shall take place on a date as may be agreed upon in writing by the Seller and the Buyer (the “ Firm Closing Date ”). The sale and transfer of the Firm Shares is referred to as the “ Firm Closing .”

SECTION 2.03 Purchase Price for the Firm Shares . At Closing, in consideration of the Firm Shares being purchased, the Buyer shall pay to the Seller the amount of USD $36,000,000, to be paid in the form of (a) USD $29,880,000 in cash and (b) a number of Units having an aggregate value of USD $6,120,000, such value to be based upon the IPO Price (the “ Firm Purchase Price ”).

SECTION 2.04 Grant of Option . The Seller hereby grants to the Buyer, and the Buyer accepts from the Seller, an option to acquire (the “ Option ”) one or more of the Option Vessels by the Buyer purchasing from the Seller, and the Seller selling to the Buyer in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Option Shares issued by the Vessel Owning Subsidiary that directly owns the Option Vessel with respect to which the Buyer has exercised the Option.

SECTION 2.05 Exercise of Option . The Buyer may exercise the Option with respect to any Option Vessel, from time to time, by delivering to the Seller written notice of the Buyer’s exercise (a “ Notice of Exercise ”) specifying the Option Vessel to be purchased, provided that any Notice of Exercise must be delivered to the Seller no later than September 30, 2018 to be effective.

SECTION 2.06 Purchase Price for Option Shares . At an Option Closing, in consideration of the Option Shares being purchased the Buyer shall pay to the Seller the price set forth in Schedule A for the Option Shares to be purchased being delivered and sold to the Buyer at the Option Closing (the “ Option Price ”). The Option Price to be paid at any Option Closing shall be paid 83% in cash and 17% in Units, with the value of the Units to be based upon the IPO Price.

SECTION 2.07 Option Closing . On the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the sale and transfer of Option Shares and payment of the Option Purchase Price shall take place on a date as may be agreed upon in writing by the Seller and the Buyer (an “ Option Closing Date ”). The sale and transfer of the Option Shares is referred to as an “ Option Closin g”.

 

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SECTION 2.08 Payment of the Purchase Price . At any Closing, the Purchase Price will be paid by the Buyer to the Seller (a) with respect to the portion of the Purchase Price to be paid in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated in writing by the Seller and (b) with respect to the portion of the Purchase Price to be paid in Units, by causing the Buyer’s transfer agent and registrar for the Units to register the applicable number of Units in the name of the Seller (or the Seller’s designee) on the books of the Buyer, such Units to be held in an account established for the Seller (or the Seller’s designee) with the transfer agent.

ARTICLE III

Representations and Warranties of the Buyer

The Buyer represents and warrants to the Seller that as of the date hereof and on each Closing Date:

SECTION 3.01 Organization and Corporate Authority . The Buyer is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transaction contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Buyer, has been effectively authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, and constitutes legal, valid and binding obligations of the Buyer. No meeting has been convened or resolution proposed or petition presented and no order has been made to wind up the Buyer.

SECTION 3.02 Agreement Not in Breach of Other Instruments . The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby and the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or conflict with, any agreement or other instrument to which the Buyer is a party or by which it is bound, the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the Buyer, any judgment, decree, order or award of any court, Governmental Authority or arbitrator by which the Buyer is bound, or any Applicable Law that would have a material effect on the transaction contemplated hereby.

SECTION 3.03 No Legal Bar . The Buyer is not prohibited by any order, writ, injunction or decree of any body of competent jurisdiction from consummating the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and no such action or proceeding is pending or, to the best of its knowledge and belief, threatened against the Buyer that questions the validity of this Agreement, the transaction contemplated hereby or any action that has been taken by any of the Parties in connection herewith or in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby.

 

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ARTICLE IV

Representations and Warranties of the Seller

The Seller represents and warrants to the Buyer that as of the date hereof and on each Closing Date:

SECTION 4.01 Organization and Limited Partnership Authority . The Seller is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and has all requisite limited partnership power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transaction contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Seller, has been effectively authorized by all necessary action, limited partnership or otherwise, and constitutes legal, valid and binding obligations of the Seller. No meeting has been convened or resolution proposed or petition presented and no order has been made to wind up the Seller.

SECTION 4.02 Agreement Not in Breach of Other Instruments . The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby and the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or conflict with, any agreement or other instrument to which the Seller is a party or by which it is bound, the certificate of formation and the partnership agreement of the Seller, any judgment, decree, order or award of any court, Governmental Authority or arbitrator by which the Seller is bound, or any Applicable Law.

SECTION 4.03 No Legal Bar . The Seller is not prohibited by any order, writ, injunction or decree of any body of competent jurisdiction from consummating the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and no such action or proceeding is pending or, to the best of its knowledge and belief, threatened against the Seller that questions the validity of this Agreement, the transaction contemplated hereby or any action that has been taken by any of the Parties in connection herewith or in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby.

SECTION 4.04 Good and Marketable Title to Shares . The Seller is the registered owner of all of the Shares and now has, and at the Closing will have and convey to the Buyer, good and marketable title to the Shares, free and clear of any and all Encumbrances.

SECTION 4.05 Right to Enter Agreement . The Seller has and will continue to have the full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to transfer, convey and sell to the Buyer at any Closing any and all Shares not previously sold to the Buyer (the “ Subject Shares ”) and upon consummation of the purchase contemplated hereby, the Buyer will acquire from the Seller good and marketable title to the Subject Shares, free and clear of all covenants, conditions, restrictions, voting trust arrangements, liens, charges, encumbrances, options and adverse claims or rights whatsoever.

 

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ARTICLE V

Representations and Warranties of

the Seller Regarding the Vessel Owning Subsidiaries

The Seller represents and warrants to the Buyer that as of the date hereof and on each Closing Date:

SECTION 5.01 Organization Good Standing and Authority . Each Vessel Owning Subsidiary not previously sold to the Buyer (each, a “ Subject Subsidiary ”) is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Each Subject Subsidiary has full corporate power and authority to carry on its business as it is now, and has since its incorporation been, conducted, and is entitled to own, lease or operate the properties and assets it now owns, leases or operates and to enter into legal and binding contracts. Each Subject Subsidiary is qualified to do business, is in good standing and has all required and appropriate licenses and authorizations in each jurisdiction in which its failure to obtain or maintain such qualification, good standing, licensing or authorization would have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), assets, properties, business or prospects of the Subject Subsidiary. No meeting has been convened or resolution proposed or petition presented and no order has been made to wind up any Subject Subsidiary.

SECTION 5.02 Capitalization . The Subject Shares consist of the shares listed next to the Subject Subsidiary listed in Schedule A. The Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and constitute the total authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Subject Subsidiaries. Except as set forth in this Agreement, there are not, and on the Closing Date there will not be, outstanding (i) any options, warrants or other rights to purchase from a Subject Subsidiary any capital stock of the Subject Subsidiary, (ii) any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of such capital stock or (iii) any other commitments of any kind for the issuance of additional shares of capital stock or options, warrants or other securities of the Subject Subsidiary.

SECTION 5.03 Organizational Documents . The Seller has supplied to the Buyer true and correct copies of the organizational documents of each Subject Subsidiary, as in effect on the Closing Date (the “ Organizational Documents ”) and no amendments will be made to the Organizational Documents of any Subject Subsidiary prior to the Closing Date without the prior written consent of the Buyer (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld).

SECTION 5.04 Agreement Not in Breach of Other Instruments . Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby will violate, or result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or conflict with, or give any other party thereto a right to terminate any agreement or other instrument to which any Subject Subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound including, its Charter or any judgment, decree, order or award of any court, Governmental Authority or arbitrator applicable to the Subject Subsidiary.

SECTION 5.05 Litigation .

(a) There is no material action, suit or proceeding to which any Subject Subsidiary is a party (either as a plaintiff or defendant) pending before any court or Governmental Authority, authority or body or arbitrator; there is no material action, suit or proceeding threatened against any Subject Subsidiary; and, to the best knowledge of the Seller, there is no basis for any such material action, suit or proceeding;

 

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(b) No Subject Subsidiary has been permanently or temporarily enjoined by any order, judgment or decree of any court or any Governmental Authority from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the business, assets, or properties of the Subject Subsidiary; and

(c) There is not in existence any order, judgment or decree of any court or other tribunal or other agency enjoining or requiring any Subject Subsidiary to take any action of any kind with respect to its business, assets or properties.

SECTION 5.06 Indebtedness to and from Officers, etc . No Subject Subsidiary will be indebted, directly or indirectly, to any person who is an officer, director, stockholder or employee of any of the Seller or any spouse, child, or other relative or any affiliate of any such person, nor shall any such officer, director, stockholder, employee, relative or affiliate be indebted to any Subject Subsidiary.

SECTION 5.07 Personnel . No Subject Subsidiary has employees other than the crew serving on board the Vessel owned by the Subject Subsidiary, to the extent such crew members are not directly employed by the Manager.

SECTION 5.08 Contracts and Agreements . All material contracts and agreements, written or oral, to which a Subject Subsidiary is a party or by which any of its assets are bound, including its Charter (the “ Contracts ”), have been disclosed to the Buyer. No other contracts will be entered into by any Subject Subsidiary prior to the last Closing Date without the prior consent of the Buyer (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld).

(a) Each of the Contracts to which any Subject Subsidiary is a party is a valid and binding agreement of the Subject Subsidiary, and to the best knowledge of the Seller, of all other parties thereto;

(b) Each Subject Subsidiary has fulfilled all material obligations required pursuant to its Contracts to have been performed by it prior to the date hereof and has not waived any material rights thereunder; and

(c) There has not occurred any material default under any of the Contracts on the part of the Subject Subsidiary party thereto, or to the best knowledge of the Seller, on the part of any other party thereto nor has any event occurred that with the giving of notice or the lapse of time, or both, would constitute any material default on the part of the Subject Subsidiary party thereto under any of the Contracts nor, to the best knowledge of the Seller, has any event occurred that with the giving of notice or the lapse of time, or both, would constitute any material default on the part of any other party to any of the Contracts.

SECTION 5.09 Compliance with Law . The conduct of business by each Subject Subsidiary on the date hereof does not violate any Applicable Laws the enforcement of which would materially and adversely affect the business, assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Subject Subsidiary taken as a whole, nor has the Subject Subsidiary received any notice of any such violation.

 

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SECTION 5.10 No Undisclosed Liabilities . Other than the legal fees relating to the delivery of its Vessel and the registration of its Vessel with the relevant flag state, no Subject Subsidiary (or the Vessel owned by it) has any other liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise, and whether due or to become due (including any liability for Taxes and interest, penalties and other charges payable with respect to any such liability or obligation) except any liabilities disclosed to the Buyer in writing.

SECTION 5.11 Disclosure of Information . The Seller has disclosed to the Buyer all material information on, and about, each Subject Subsidiary and its Vessel and all such information is true, accurate and not misleading in any material respect. Nothing has been withheld from the material provided to the Buyer that would render such information untrue or misleading.

ARTICLE VI

Representations and Warranties of

the Seller regarding the Vessel

The Seller represents and warrants to the Buyer that at each Closing Date:

SECTION 6.01 Title to Vessel . Each Subject Subsidiary is the registered owner of the Vessel set forth next to the Subject Subsidiary’s name in Schedule A.

SECTION 6.02 No Encumbrances . Each Subject Subsidiary and its Vessel will be free of all Encumbrances.

SECTION 6.03 Condition . Each Subject Subsidiary’s Vessel will be (i) adequate and suitable for use by the Subject Subsidiary, ordinary wear and tear excepted; (ii) seaworthy in all material respects for hull and machinery insurance warranty purposes and in good running order and repair; (iii) insured against all risks, and in amounts, consistent with common industry practices; (iv) in compliance with maritime laws and regulations; and (v) in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of its class and classification society and all of the Vessel’s class certificates will be clean and valid and free of outstanding recommendations affecting class.

 

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ARTICLE VII

Pre-Closing Matters

SECTION 7.01 Covenants of the Seller Prior to the Closing . From the date of this Agreement to the final Closing Date, the Seller shall cause each Subject Subsidiary to conduct its businesses in the usual, regular and ordinary course in substantially the same manner as previously conducted. The Seller shall not, and shall not permit any Subject Subsidiary to, take any action that would result in any of the conditions to the purchase and sale of Subject Shares set forth in Article VIII not being satisfied. In addition, the Seller hereby agrees and covenants that it:

(a) shall cooperate with the Buyer and use its reasonable best efforts to obtain, at or prior to the Closing Date, any consents required in respect of the transfer of the rights and benefits under the Contracts;

(b) shall use its reasonable best efforts to take or cause to be taken promptly all actions and to do or cause to be done all things necessary, proper and advisable to consummate and make effective as promptly as practicable the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and to cooperate with the Buyer in connection with the foregoing, including using all reasonable best efforts to obtain all necessary consents, approvals and authorizations from each Governmental Authority and each other Person that are required to consummate the transaction contemplated under this Agreement;

(c) shall take or cause to be taken all necessary corporate action, steps and proceedings to approve or authorize validly and effectively the sale of the Shares of each Vessel Owning Subsidiary that the Buyer proposes to purchase and the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other agreements and documents contemplated hereby;

(d) shall not amend, alter or otherwise modify or permit any amendment, alteration or modification of any material provision of or terminate any Charter of any Subject Subsidiary without the prior written consent of the Buyer, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed;

(e) shall not exercise or permit any exercise of any rights or options contained in any Charter of a Subject Subsidiary, without the prior written consent of the Buyer, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed;

(f) shall cause each Subject Subsidiary to observe and perform in a timely manner, all of its covenants and obligations under its Charter, if any, and in the case of a default by another party thereto, it shall forthwith advise the Buyer of such default and shall, if requested by the Buyer, enforce all of its rights under such Charter in respect of such default; and

(g) shall not cause or, to the extent reasonably within its control, permit, any Encumbrances to attach to any Subject Subsidiary’s Vessel.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

Conditions Of Closing

SECTION 8.01 Conditions of the Seller . The obligation of the Seller to sell Subject Shares on any Closing Date is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the Seller) on or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions:

(a) the representations and warranties of the Buyer made in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects, on and as of such earlier date);

(b) the Buyer shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Buyer by the Closing Date;

(c) no legal or regulatory action or proceeding shall be pending or threatened by any Governmental Authority to enjoin, restrict or prohibit the purchase and sale of the Subject Shares;

(d) all proceedings to be taken in connection with the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and all documents incidental thereto shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Seller, and the Seller shall have received copies of all such documents and other evidence as it may reasonably request in order to establish the consummation of such transaction and the taking of all proceedings in connection therewith.

SECTION 8.02 Conditions of the Buyer . The obligation of the Buyer to purchase and pay for the Subject Shares on any Closing Date is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the Buyer) on or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions:

(a) the representations and warranties of the Seller in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects, on and as of such earlier date);

(b) the Seller shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Seller by the Closing Date;

(c) no legal or regulatory action or proceeding shall be pending or threatened by any Governmental Authority to enjoin, restrict or prohibit the purchase and sale of the Subject Shares;

 

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(d) the Buyer shall have received written consents from all third parties necessary or appropriate to effect the purchase and sale of the Subject Shares, other than such consents the absence of which, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), assets, properties, business or prospects of any Subject Subsidiary;

(e) the Buyer shall have consummated the IPO no later than September 30, 2018;

and

(f) all proceedings to be taken in connection with the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and all documents incidental thereto shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Buyer and its counsel, and the Buyer shall have received copies of all such documents and other evidence as it or its counsel may reasonably request in order to establish the consummation of such transaction and the taking of all proceedings in connection therewith.

ARTICLE IX

Termination, Amendment and Waiver

SECTION 9.01 Termination of Agreement . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement may be terminated and the purchase and sale of the remaining Subject Subsidiaries contemplated by this Agreement abandoned at any time prior to the Closing:

(a) by mutual written consent of the Seller and the Buyer;

(b) by the Seller if any of the conditions set forth in Section 8.01 shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the Seller;

(c) by the Buyer if any of the conditions set forth in Section 8.02 shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the Buyer; or

(d) by the Buyer or the Seller, if no Closing shall have taken place on or before September 30, 2018

provided , however , that the Party seeking termination pursuant to clause (b), (c) or (d) may not then be in material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement. In the event of termination pursuant to clause (d), written notice thereof shall forthwith be given to the Buyer or the Seller, as applicable, and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will be terminated without further action by any Party.

 

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SECTION 9.02 Amendments and Waivers . This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each Party hereto. By an instrument in writing the Buyer, on the one hand, or the Seller, on the other hand, may waive compliance by the other with any term or provision of this Agreement that such other Party was or is obligated to comply with or perform.

ARTICLE X

Indemnification

SECTION 10.01 Indemnity by the Seller . The Seller shall be liable for, and shall indemnify the Buyer and each of its directors, employees, agents and representatives (the “ Buyer Indemnitees ”) against and hold them harmless from, any Losses, suffered or incurred by such Buyer Indemnitee:

(a) by reason of, arising out of or otherwise in respect of any inaccuracy in, breach of any representation or warranty, or a failure to perform or observe fully any covenant, agreement or obligation of, the Seller in or under this Agreement or in or under any document, instrument or agreement delivered pursuant to this Agreement by the Seller; or

(b) any fees, expenses or other payments incurred or owed by the Seller to any brokers, financial advisors or comparable other persons retained or employed by it in connection with the transaction contemplated by this Agreement.

SECTION 10.02 Indemnity by the Buyer . The Buyer shall indemnify the Seller and its affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (the “ Seller Indemnitees ”) against and hold them harmless from, any Losses, suffered or incurred by such Seller Indemnitee by reason of, arising out of or otherwise in respect of any inaccuracy in, breach of any representation or warranty, or a failure to perform or observe fully any covenant, agreement or obligation of, the Buyer in or under this Agreement or in or under any document, instrument or agreement delivered pursuant to this Agreement by the Buyer.

SECTION 10.03 “ As Is, Where Is Sale .” The Buyer acknowledges and agrees that, subject only to the representations and warranties in Article VI, it is acquiring all Vessels on an “as is, where is” basis.

ARTICLE XI

Miscellaneous

SECTION 11.01 Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands applicable to contracts made and to be performed wholly within such jurisdiction without giving effect to conflict of law principles thereof, except that if it is mandatory that the law of some other jurisdiction wherein a Vessel is located apply, then, to the extent required by law, the law of the other jurisdiction shall apply, but only with respect to the Vessel whose location has caused such other jurisdiction’s law to apply.

 

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SECTION 11.02 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

SECTION 11.03 Complete Agreement . This Agreement and Schedule hereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to the transaction contemplated herein and, except as provided herein, supersede all previous oral and written and all contemporaneous oral negotiations, commitments, writings and understandings.

SECTION 11.04 Interpretation . The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

SECTION 11.05 Severability . If any of the provisions of this Agreement are held by any court of competent jurisdiction to contravene, or to be invalid under, the laws of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the subject matter hereof, such contravention or invalidity shall not invalidate the entire Agreement. Instead, this Agreement shall be construed as if it did not contain the particular provision or provisions held to be invalid, and an equitable adjustment shall be made and necessary provision added so as to give effect, as nearly as possible, to the intention of the Parties as expressed in this Agreement at the time of execution of this Agreement.

SECTION 11.06 Third Party Rights . A person who is not a Party to this Agreement has no right to enforce or to enjoy the benefit of any term of this Agreement, except that the Seller Indemnitees and the Buyer Indemnitees shall have express third party beneficiary rights with respect to Article X.

SECTION 11.07 Assignment . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns; provided, however, that neither this Agreement nor any rights hereunder shall be assignable by any of the Parties without the prior written consent of the other Party; provided, however, that the Buyer can assign without the consent of the Seller, written or otherwise, any of the Buyer’s rights hereunder to Boheme Navigation Company or any other of the Buyer’s wholly-owned subsidiaries.

SECTION 11.08 Notices . Any notice, claim or demand in connection with this Agreement shall be delivered to the Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address or email for a Party as may be designated by notice by such Party to the other Party):

(a) if to the Seller, as follows:

7, Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2, MC 98000 Monaco

Attention: Efstratios Desypris

Email: sdesypris@navios.com

 

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(b) if to the Buyer, as follows:

7, Avenue de Grande Bretagne, Office 11B2, MC 98000 Monaco

Attention: Vasiliki Papaefthymiou

Email: vpapaefthymiou@navios.com

and any such notice shall be deemed to have been received, (i) if sent by email, on the day sent if sent during normal business hours on a working day in the place to which it is sent, or otherwise, on the next working day in the place to which it is sent or, (ii) if sent by courier, forty eight (48) hours from the time of dispatch.

[ Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows. ]

 

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IN WITNESS HEREOF, each of the Parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be signed as of the date first above written.

 

NAVIOS MARITIME PARTNERS L.P.
By:  

/s/ Efstratios Desypris

  Efstratios Desypris
  Chief Financial Officer
NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS INC.
By:  

/s/ Chris Christopoulos

  Chris Christopoulos
  Chief Financial Officer

 

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SCHEDULE A

VESSEL, VESSEL OWNING SUBSIDIARY, CAPITALIZATION, PRICE AND

CHARTER

Firm Vessel

 

Vessel Name

and IMO

Number

  

Vessel

Owning

Subsidiary

  

Number of

Shares

   Shares
Purchase
Price
 

Hyundai

HongKong

9305661

  

Rubina

Shipping

Corporation

  

500

at a par value

of $1 each

   $ 36,000,000  

Option Vessels

 

Hyundai

Busan 9305659

  

Christal

Shipping

Corporation

  

500

at a par value

of $1 each

   $ 36,000,000  

Hyundai

Tokyo 9305673

  

Beryl

Shipping

Corporation

  

500

at a par value

of $1 each

   $ 36,000,000  

Hyundai

Shanghai

9305647

  

Cheryl

Shipping

Corporation

  

500

at a par value

of $1 each

   $ 36,000,000  

Hyundai

Singapore

9305685

  

Topaz

Shipping

Corporation

  

500

at a par value

of $1 each

   $ 36,000,000  

Charter

(i) Time Charter with Messers Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd., dated October 29, 2013

(ii) Time Charter with Messers Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd., dated October 29, 2013

(iii) Time Charter with Messers Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd., dated October 29, 2013

(iv) Time Charter with Messers Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd., dated October 29, 2013

(v) Time Charter with Messers Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd., dated October 29, 2013

Exhibit 21.1

SUBSIDIARIES OF NAVIOS MARITIME CONTAINERS L.P.

 

Name of Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of Incorporation

Boheme Navigation Company    Marshall Islands
Navios Partners Containers Finance Inc.    Marshall Islands
Navios Partners Containers Inc.    Marshall Islands
Anthimar Marine Inc.    Marshall Islands
Bertyl Ventures Co.    Marshall Islands
Clan Navigation Limited    Marshall Islands
Ebba Navigation Limited    Marshall Islands
Enplo Shipping Limited    Marshall Islands
Evian Shiptrade Ltd.    Marshall Islands
Fairy Shipping Corporation    Marshall Islands
Inastros Maritime Corp.    Marshall Islands
Isolde Shipping Inc.    Marshall Islands
Jasmer Shipholding Ltd.    Marshall Islands
Jaspero Shiptrade S.A.    Marshall Islands
Legato Shipholding Inc.    Marshall Islands
Limestone Shipping Corporation    Marshall Islands
Morven Chartering Inc.    Marshall Islands
Nefeli Navigation S.A.    Marshall Islands
Olympia II Navigation Limited    Marshall Islands
Peran Maritime Inc.    Marshall Islands
Pingel Navigation Limited    Marshall Islands
Rodman Maritime Corp.    Marshall Islands
Silvanus Marine Company    Marshall Islands
Sui An Navigation Limited    Marshall Islands
Theros Ventures Limited    Marshall Islands
Thetida Marine Co.    Marshall Islands
Velour Management Corp.    Marshall Islands
Zoner Shiptrade S.A.    Marshall Islands

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” and to the use of our report dated June 15, 2018 (except for Notes 1, 13 and 14, as to which the date is , 2018), in Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (Form F-1/A, No. 333-225677) and related Prospectus of Navios Maritime Containers L.P. for the registration of its common units.

Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A.

Athens, Greece

The foregoing consent is in the form that will be signed upon the completion of the reorganization described in Note 1 to the financial statements and the finalization of capital accounts described in Notes 13 and 14 to the financial statements.

/s/ Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A.

Athens, Greece

July 2, 2018