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ORGANIZATION AND NATURE OF BUSINESS
6 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
ORGANIZATION AND NATURE OF BUSINESS

1. ORGANIZATION AND NATURE OF BUSINESS

Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd. (the “Company”) was incorporated on February 2, 2001 in New York. On September 18, 2007, the Company amended the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to merge into a new Corporation, Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd. in Virginia.

 

The Company’s principal geographic market is in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). As PRC laws and regulations restrict foreign ownership of shipping agency service businesses, the Company provides its services in the PRC through Sino-Global Shipping Agency Ltd. (“Sino-China”), a Chinese legal entity, which holds the licenses and permits necessary to operate shipping services in the PRC. Sino-China is located in Beijing with branches in Qingdao, Tianjin, Qinhuangdao and Fangchenggang and provides general shipping agency services in all commercial ports in the PRC.

 

On November 13, 2007, the Company formed a wholly owned foreign-owned enterprise, Trans Pacific Shipping Limited (“Trans Pacific Beijing”), which has two subsidiaries, (i) the 90%-owned Trans Pacific Logistics Shanghai Limited (“Trans Pacific Shanghai”) and (ii) the 19.8%-owned Beijing Sino-Global Shipping Agency Development Co., Limited (“Sino-Global Development”). On October 31, 2011, Trans Pacific Beijing reduced its investment in Sino-Global Development from 40% to 19.8% by transferring 20.2% of its share to the other shareholder due to successive operating losses on Sino-Global Development.

 

Trans Pacific Beijing and Sino-China do not have a parent-subsidiary relationship. Trans Pacific Beijing has contractual arrangements with Sino-China and its shareholders that enable the Company to substantially control Sino-China.

 

To build an international shipping agency service network, the Company formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, Sino-Global Shipping Australia Pty Ltd. (“Sino-Global AUS”) in Perth, Australia on July 3, 2008, which serves the needs of customers shipping into and out of Western Australia. The Company also signed an agreement with Monson Agencies Australia (“Monson”), one of the largest shipping agency service providers in Australia. Through the Company’s relationship with Monson, the Company is able to provide general shipping agency services to all ports in Australia.

 

The Company established another wholly-owned subsidiary, Sino-Global Shipping (HK) Limited ("Sino-Global HK") to perform as a control and management center for southern Chinese ports and enables the Company to extend its offering of comprehensive shipping agency services to vessels going to and from one of the world's busiest ports. Sino-Global HK has signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Forbes & Company Limited (“Forbes”), which is a listed company on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BOM: 502865) and one of the largest shipping and logistic service providers in India. Through the Company’s relationship with Forbes, it is able to provide general shipping agency services to all ports in India.

 

 

On July 5, 2011, Sino-China signed a Strategic Cooperative Agreement with COSCO Container Shipping Agency Co. Limited, one of the largest state-owned shipping agents in China. The Agreement entitles us to use COSCO Container Shipping Agency’s name to market business in China and overseas. In addition, we are able to provide shipping agency services through over 50 COSCO’s offices in China.

 

On October 12, 2011, the Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with King & Sons Shipping Agency (“King & Sons”), subsidiary of Grindrod Limited, a public company listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE: GNDP) and one of the oldest shipping agents in South Africa. Through the Company’s relationship with King & Sons, it is able to provide general shipping agency services to all ports in South Africa.

 

On November 08, 2011, the Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wilson Sons Shipping Agency (“Wilson Sons”), the oldest and the leading independent Brazilian ship agent. Through the Company’s relationship with Wilson Sons, it is able to provide general shipping agency services to all ports in Brazil.

 

On May 20, 2008, the Company completed an initial public offering of 1,229,032 shares of common stock at a $7.75 offering price. Our shares started trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market the next day. Following the initial public offering, the Company’s Board authorized a stock repurchase program under which it was able to repurchase up to 10% of its then outstanding common stock for a period of 12 months. In September 2009, the Board approved the extension of the stock repurchase program for another six months ended April 2010. In total, the Company repurchased 125,191 shares of common stock from the open market at an average price of $2.98 per share including trading expenses. The total cost of stock repurchase was $372,527.