Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

18. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

As of December 31, 2021, the Company had unfunded capital commitments of $0.9 million for miscellaneous vessel equipment payable during 2023. The Company has indefinitely deferred an additional $9.4 million of orders with respect to one FSV that the Company had previously reported as unfunded capital commitments.

In December 2015, the Brazilian Federal Revenue Office issued a tax-deficiency notice to Seabulk Offshore do Brasil Ltda, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of SEACOR Marine (“Seabulk Offshore do Brasil”), with respect to certain profit participation contributions (also known as “PIS”) and social security financing contributions (also known as “COFINS”) requirements alleged to be due from Seabulk Offshore do Brasil (“Deficiency Notice”) in respect of the period of January 2011 until December 2012. In January 2016, the Company administratively appealed the Deficiency Notice on the basis that, among other arguments, (i) such contributions were not applicable in the circumstances of a 70%/30% cost allocation structure, and (ii) the tax inspector had incorrectly determined that values received from outside of Brazil could not be classified as expense refunds. The initial appeal was dismissed by the Brazilian Federal Revenue Office and the Company appealed such dismissal and is currently awaiting an administrative trial. Local Brazilian law was enacted that supports the Company’s position that such contribution requirements are not applicable, but it is uncertain whether such law will be taken into consideration with respect to administrative proceedings commenced prior to the enactment of the law. Accordingly, the success of Seabulk Offshore do Brasil in the administrative proceedings cannot be assured and the matter may need to be addressed through judicial court proceedings. The potential levy arising from the Deficiency Notice is R$18.4 million based on a historical potential levy of R$12.87 million (USD $3.3 million and USD $2.3 million, respectively, based on the exchange rate as of December 31, 2021).

As of December 31, 2021, SEACOR Holdings had no outstanding guarantees on behalf of the Company for performance obligations under sale-leaseback arrangements and pursuant to the terms of the Tax Refund Agreement with SEACOR Holdings, the Company no longer had to maintain a portion of the refund in an account to solely satisfy such obligations guaranteed by SEACOR Holdings.

On April 13, 2021, the SEACOR Power, a liftboat owned by a subsidiary of the Company with nineteen individuals on board, capsized off the coast of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The incident resulted in the death of several crew members, including the captain of the vessel and five other employees of the Company. The incident also resulted in the constructive total loss of the SEACOR Power. The Company is responsible for the salvage operations related to the vessel and is coordinating these efforts with the U.S. Coast Guard. The salvage operations are currently ongoing and the Company expects salvage costs to be covered by insurance proceeds.

The capsizing of the SEACOR Power garnered significant attention from the media as well as local, state and federal politicians. The National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”) and the U.S. Coast Guard are currently investigating the incident to determine the cause of the incident and the Company is fully cooperating with the investigations in all respects and continues to gather information about the incident. It is expected that the NTSB and U.S. Coast Guard investigations will take a significant period of time to complete, possibly as much as two years or longer. Numerous civil lawsuits have been filed against the Company and other third parties by the family members of deceased crew members and the surviving crew members employed by the Company or by the third parties. On June 2, 2021, the Company filed a Limitation of Liability Act complaint in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana (“Limitation Action”), which has the effect of enjoining all existing civil lawsuits and requiring the plaintiffs to file their claims relating to the capsizing of the SEACOR Power in the Limitation Action. There is significant uncertainty in the amount and timing of costs and potential liabilities relating to the incident involving the SEACOR Power, the impact the incident will have on the Company’s reputation and the resulting possible impact on the Company’s business.

In the normal course of its business, the Company becomes involved in various other litigation matters including, among others, claims by third parties for alleged property damages and personal injuries. Management has used estimates in determining the Company’s potential exposure to these matters and has recorded reserves in its financial statements related thereto where appropriate. It is possible that a change in the Company’s estimates of that exposure could occur, but the Company does not expect such changes in estimated costs would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries are participating employers in two industry-wide, multi-employer, defined benefit pension funds in the United Kingdom: the U.K Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund (“MNOPF”) and the U.K. Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund (“MNRPF”). The Company’s participation in the MNOPF began with the acquisition of the Stirling group of companies (the “Stirling Group”) in 2001 and relates to certain officers employed between 1978 and 2002 by the Stirling Group and/or its predecessors. The Company’s participation in the MNRPF also began with the acquisition of the Stirling Group in 2001 and relates to ratings employed by the Stirling Group and/or its predecessors through today. Both of these plans are in deficit positions and, depending upon the results of future actuarial valuations, it is possible that the plans could experience funding deficits that will require the Company to recognize payroll related operating expenses in the periods invoices are received. As of December 31, 2021, all invoices related to MNOPF and MNRPF have been settled in full.

On October 19, 2021, the Company was informed by the MNRPF that two issues had been identified during a review of the MNRPF by the applicable trustee that would potentially give rise to material additional liabilities for the MNRPF. The MNRPF has indicated that the investigations into these issues remain ongoing, and that further updates will be provided as significant developments arise. Should such additional liabilities require the MNRPF to collect additional funds from participating employers, it is possible that the Company will be invoiced for a portion of such funds and recognize payroll related operating expenses in the periods invoices are received.