EX-1.1 2 tv495761_ex1-1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

[•] Shares

 

GOODBULK LTD.

 

COMMON SHARES, PAR VALUE $1.00 PER SHARE

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

[•], 2018

 

 

 

 

[•], 2018

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 

c/oMorgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

 

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

 

As Representatives of the

several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

GoodBulk Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC are acting as Representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), [•] of its common shares, par value $1.00 per share (the “Firm Shares”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [•] of its common shares, par value $1.00 per share (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent the Representatives shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such common shares granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The common shares, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Shares.

 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-225376), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional Common Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

 

 1 

 

 

For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof.

 

1.          Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)          The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

 

(b)          (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

 

 2 

 

 

(c)          The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representatives’ prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

 

(d)          The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as an exempted company in good standing under the laws of Bermuda, has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(e)          Each subsidiary of the Company has been formed, is validly existing as a corporation or company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate or limited liability power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued shares of capital stock or equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for (1) those pledges arising under the Company’s credit facilities, each as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and (2) such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims as would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and the only subsidiaries of the Company are those listed on Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

 3 

 

 

(f)          Under the current laws and regulations of Bermuda, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Shares in cash may be freely remitted out of Bermuda and may be paid in, or freely converted into, United States dollars, in each case without there being required any consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body in Bermuda; and except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, all such dividends and other distributions paid by the Company will not be subject to withholding under the laws and regulations of Bermuda.

 

(g)          None of the Company’s subsidiaries is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any cash distributions to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, from making any other distribution on such entity’s equity securities, or from transferring any of such entity’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus. Neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries currently have, or currently intend to make, any loans or advances to the Company or any other subsidiaries.

 

(h)          No stamp, documentary, issuance, registration, transfer, withholding, capital gains, income or other taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company or any of its subsidiaries in Bermuda or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement, (ii) the creation, allotment and issuance of the Shares, (iii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters, or (iv) the resale and delivery of the shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein.

 

(i)          Any amounts payable with respect to the Shares upon liquidation of the Company or upon redemption thereof and distributions declared and payable on the Shares may be paid by the Company to the holder thereof in United States dollars that may be freely transferred out of Bermuda and all such payments made to holders thereof or therein who are non-residents of Bermuda will not be subject to income, withholding or other taxes under laws and regulations of Bermuda or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and will otherwise be free and clear of any other tax, duty, withholding or deduction in Bermuda or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in Bermuda or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein.

 

(j)          There are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares under the laws of Bermuda, provided such shares remained listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or any other “appointed stock exchange.”

 

(k)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(l)           Based on its current and expected operations, including the anticipated utilization of the cash proceeds from the offering in the Company’s business, the Company believes that it will not be a Passive Foreign Investment Company (“PFIC”) within the meaning of Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, with respect to its 2018 taxable year and does not expect to become a PFIC in the foreseeable future, except in each case as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

 4 

 

 

(m)         It is not necessary under the laws of Bermuda for any of the Underwriters or any holder of Shares of the Company to be qualified or entitled to carry out business in Bermuda (i) to enable the Underwriters to enforce their rights under this Agreement or to enable any holder of Shares to enforce their respective rights thereunder, provided that they are not otherwise engaged in business in Bermuda, or (ii) solely by reason of the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement.

 

(n)          This Agreement is in proper form under the laws of Bermuda for the enforcement thereof against the Company, and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence in Bermuda of this Agreement.

 

(o)          The authorized share capital of the Company conforms as to legal matters in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(p)          The Common Shares outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

(q)          The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, paid for and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(r)          The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement and the Operative Agreements (as defined below), and the issuance and sale of the Shares will not contravene, result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of any of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or pursuant to, (i) the organizational or governing documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation, judgment or order of any governmental body or agency or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, or (iii) any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party or by which any of the Company is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or its subsidiaries is subject, except for such breach, violation or default, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), which would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, or have a material adverse effect on the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations under each of the Operative Agreements, as the case may be; a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

 5 

 

 

(s)          As of the Closing Date, each of the agreements listed on Schedule III to this Agreement (the “Operative Agreements”), has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the respective parties thereto; each such agreement is a valid and legally binding agreement of respective parties thereto, enforceable against such parties in accordance with its terms; provided, that, with respect to each such agreement, the enforceability thereof may be limited by (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (B) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; the Time of Sale Prospectus contains a summary of the terms of each Operative Agreement which summary is accurate, complete and fair in all material respects; and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has sent or received any communication regarding termination of any Operative Agreement and no such termination has been threatened by the Company or any subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, by any third party.

 

(t)          No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement or the Operative Agreements, except such as have been obtained or that may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or the Financial Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

(u)          There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(v)         There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which any of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or a material adverse effect on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Operative Agreements or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described in all material respects; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described in all material respects or filed as required.

 

 6 

 

 

(w)          Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its respective organizational or governing documents, (ii) in violation of any applicable statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any competent court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority or (iii) in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except in each case covered by clauses (ii) and (iii) such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or materially adversely affect the Company’s power or ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(x)          Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(y)          The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

 7 

 

 

(z)          Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, (A)(i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, C Transport Holding Ltd. and C Transport Maritime S.A.M. (together, the “Manager”) with respect to the services it provided to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is in violation of any applicable United States federal, state, local or non-U.S. statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, other requirement or rule of law (including common law), or decision or order of any competent domestic or foreign governmental agency, governmental body or court applicable to them, relating to pollution, to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, discharge, disposal or release of Hazardous Substances (as defined below), to the protection or restoration of the environment or natural resources (including biota), to health and safety including as such relates to exposure to Hazardous Substances, and to natural resource damages (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries occupies, operates or uses any real property contaminated with Hazardous Substances requiring the Company or any of its subsidiaries to conduct investigation, remediation or other response action pursuant to Environmental Law, (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is liable for any release of Hazardous Substances, including at any off-site treatment, storage or disposal site, (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, the Manager, with respect to the services it provides to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has received any notice of any actual or potential liability nor is subject to any claim by any governmental agency or governmental body or person, relating to Environmental Laws or Hazardous Substances, and (v) the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Manager, with respect to the services it provides to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, have received and are in compliance with all, and have no liability under any, permits, licenses, authorizations, identification numbers or other approvals required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, except in each case covered by clauses (i) – (v) such as would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) to the knowledge of the Company there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in a violation of, liability under, or claim pursuant to any Environmental Law that would have a Material Adverse Effect and (C) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no requirements proposed for adoption or implementation under any Environmental Law that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this subsection “Hazardous Substances” means (x) petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and mold, and (y) any other chemical, material or substance defined or regulated as toxic or hazardous or as a pollutant, contaminant or waste under Environmental Laws.

 

(aa)         In the ordinary course of its business, the Company reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries. On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that it has not incurred any costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(bb)         Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), has taken, directly or indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

 8 

 

 

(cc)         There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

 

(dd)         There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

(ee)         (i) None of (1) the Company, its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, or any of their respective directors or officers, (2) to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries, or (3) to the Company’s knowledge, the Manager or any of its employees, agents or representatives, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action or secure an improper advantage, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) the Company, its subsidiaries and their controlled affiliates, and to the Company’s knowledge, the Manager, have conducted their businesses in material compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (iii) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

 

(ff)         The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, and to the Company’s knowledge, the operations of the Manager, are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries and the Manager conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

 9 

 

 

(gg)         (i) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or officers, or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Manager, any employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or the Manager, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:

 

(A)         the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or

 

(B)         located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

 

(ii)         The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

(A)         to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

 

(B)         in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

(iii)        Since inception, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

 

(hh)         Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding share capital, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its share capital other than ordinary and customary dividends and distributions; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the share capital, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

 

 10 

 

 

(ii)         The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except (i) for those arising under credit facilities, or (ii) as are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company and its subsidiaries own no real property.

 

(jj)         Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or hold a right to license or use, or, to the knowledge of the Company, can acquire on reasonable terms, all patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(kk)         No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company, the Manager or any of their respective subsidiaries exists, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ll)          The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, the refusal of which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

 11 

 

 

(mm)       The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to obtain such certificates, authorizations or permits would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(nn)         The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”) generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

(oo)         The historical financial statements included in the Time of Sale Prospectus, together with the related notes thereto, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the entities purported to be shown thereby as of the date shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with IFRS, applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except in the case of the unaudited interim financial statements, which are subject to normal, year-end adjustments and exclude certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission; and the schedules included in the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, present fairly the information required to be stated therein in all material respects. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Time of Sale Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein in all material respects and have been compiled on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited and unaudited financial statements included in the Time of Sale Prospectus from which it has been derived.

 

(pp)         Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any Common Shares during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

 12 

 

 

(qq)       The Company is a “foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(rr)         The courts of Bermuda would recognize as a valid judgment any final monetary judgment obtained against the Company in the courts of the State of New York based upon this Agreement under which a sum of money is payable (other than a sum of money payable in respect of multiple damages, taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty) and would give a judgment based thereon provided that (a) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment; (b) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of Bermuda; (c) such judgment was not obtained by fraud; (d) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of Bermuda; (e) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of Bermuda; and (f) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of Bermuda.

 

(ss)         Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of its or their properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the Bermuda. The irrevocable and unconditional waiver and agreement of the Company contained in Section 16(a) not to plead or claim any such immunity in any legal action, suit or proceeding based on this Agreement is valid and binding under the laws of Bermuda.

 

(tt)         The choice of law of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid choice of law under the laws of Bermuda and will be honored by the courts of Bermuda. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 16(a) has, to the extent permitted by law, legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of the Specified Courts (as defined in Section 16(a)), and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 16(b), has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any of the Specified Courts.

 

(uu)        The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all United States federal, state and local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect); and except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties that are currently owed and due) required to be paid by them and that are currently owed and due, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 13 

 

 

(vv)        Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Time of Sale Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

(ww)       Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S.A. (“Deloitte”), who have expressed their opinion with respect to the audited financial statements and related notes thereto filed with the Commission as a part of the Time of Sale Prospectus are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act.

 

(xx)         (i) Each of the Vessels is owned directly by the respective subsidiaries listed on Schedule IV to this Agreement and has been duly registered as a vessel under the laws and regulations and flag of the jurisdiction set forth opposite its name on Schedule IV to this Agreement in the sole ownership of the subsidiary set forth opposite its name on Schedule IV to this Agreement and no other action is necessary to establish and perfect such entity’s title to and interest in such Vessel as against any charterer or other third party, except where the failure to take any such action would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; each such subsidiary has good title to the applicable Vessel, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests and claims and all defects of the title of record except for those mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests and claims arising under credit facilities, each as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and any other encumbrances which would not, in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and each such Vessel is in good standing with respect to the payment of past and current taxes, fees and other amounts payable under the laws of the jurisdiction where it is registered as would affect its registry with the ship registry of such jurisdiction except for failures to be in good standing which would not, in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) each of the Vessels is operated in compliance in all material respects with the rules, codes of practice, conventions, protocols, guidelines or similar requirements or restrictions imposed, published or promulgated by any governmental authority, classification society or insurer applicable to the respective Vessel (collectively, “Maritime Guidelines”) and all applicable international, national, state and local conventions, laws, regulations, orders, governmental licenses and other requirements (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws), in each case as in effect on the date hereof, except where such failure to be in compliance would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and each subsidiary are qualified to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate the Vessels under all applicable international, national, state and local conventions, laws, regulations, orders, governmental licenses and other requirements (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws) and Maritime Guidelines, including the laws, regulations and orders of each Vessel’s flag state, in each case as in effect on the date hereof, except where such failure to be so qualified would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) each of the Vessels is classed by a classification society which is a full member of the International Association of Classification Societies and each such Vessel is in class with valid class and trading certificates, without any overdue recommendations, in each case based on the classification and certification requirement in effect on the date hereof.

 

 14 

 

 

(yy)         The Company and its subsidiaries do not maintain any “employee benefit plans” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) subject to Title I of ERISA.

 

(zz)         From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.

 

(aaa)        The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives, with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(bbb)        As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (B) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (C) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except for any statements or omissions based upon information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

 

 15 

 

 

(ccc)        Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any securities rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

 

(ddd)        The Company has been designated as non-resident of Bermuda for the purposes of the Bermuda Exchange Control Act 1972 and as such is free to acquire, hold, transfer and sell foreign currency and securities without restriction under such legislation (including the payment of dividends, interests, premiums or additional amounts or other distributions which may be lawfully made by the Company under the Bermuda Companies Act 1981).

 

2.          Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at $[•] a share (the “Purchase Price”).

 

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [•] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. The Representatives may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least two business days (or at least one business day if the purchase date is to be the same as the Closing Date for the Firm Shares) after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

 

3.          Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[•] a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[•] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[•] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

 

 16 

 

 

4.          Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company in immediately available Federal or other funds against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [•], 2018 or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than [•], 2018 as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

 

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than [•], 2018 as shall be designated in writing by you.

 

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

 

5.          Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [•] (New York City time) on the date hereof.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

 

(a)          Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the date of this Agreement that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

 17 

 

 

(b)          The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

 

(c)          The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, United States counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

(d)          The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Conyers Dill & Pearman, Limited, Bermuda counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

(e)          The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Cozen O’Connor LLP, Liberian counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

The opinions of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Conyers Dill & Pearman, Limited and Cozen O’Connor LLP described in Section 5(c), 5(d) and 5(e) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

 

(f)          The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as may be requested by the Representatives.

 

(g)          The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, from Deloitte, independent registered public accounting firm, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

 

(h)         The Underwriters shall have received on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company with respect to certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

(i)          The Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market, subject to official notice of issuance, and satisfactory evidence thereof shall have been provided to the Representatives.

 

(j)          FINRA shall have raised no objections to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

 18 

 

 

(k)          The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and each of the officers and directors and the shareholders of the Company listed on Schedule V relating to sales and certain other dispositions of Common Shares or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

 

(l)          On or before the date of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have received a certificate satisfying the beneficial ownership due diligence requirements of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network from the Company in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, along with such additional supporting documentation as the Underwriters have requested in connection with the verification of the foregoing certificate.

 

(m)          The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following:

 

(i)          a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of such Option Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before such Option Closing Date;

 

(ii)         an opinion and negative assurance letter of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and opinions of Conyers Dill & Pearman, Limited and Cozen O’Connor LLP, outside counsel to the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinions required by Sections 5(c)-(e) hereof;

 

(iii)        an opinion and negative assurance letter of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(f) hereof;

 

(iv)        a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Deloitte, independent registered public accounting firm, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than three business days prior to such Option Closing Date; and

 

(v)         a certificate dated the Option Closing Date of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company substantially in the same form and substance as the certificate furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof; and

 

 19 

 

 

(vi)         such other documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

 

6.          Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)          To furnish to you upon request, without charge, five (5) conformed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the second business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section  6(e) or 6(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

 

(b)          Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

(c)          To furnish to the Representatives a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object in a timely manner.

 

(d)          Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

 

(e)          If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

 20 

 

 

(f)          If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

(g)          To use commercially reasonable efforts to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(h)          To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

 21 

 

 

(i)          All sums payable by the Company under this Agreement shall be paid free and clear of and without deductions or withholdings of any present or future taxes or duties, unless the deduction or withholding is required by law, in which case the Company shall pay such additional amount as will result in the receipt by each Underwriter of the full amount that would have been received had no deduction or withholding been made, except that no additional amounts would be payable for (i) any taxes or duties that are imposed as a result of a connection between the jurisdiction imposing the taxes or duties and an Underwriter (other than a connection arising solely as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereunder), or (ii) any deduction or withholding that would not have been imposed but for a failure of an Underwriter to provide upon reasonable request any certification or documentation to the extent necessary in order to eliminate or reduce such withholding or deduction.

 

(j)          The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify and hold the Underwriters harmless against, any stamp, issue, registration, documentary, sales, transfer or other similar taxes or duties imposed under the laws of Bermuda or any political sub-division or taxing authority thereof or therein that is payable in connection with (i) the execution, delivery, consummation or enforcement of this Agreement, (ii) the creation, allotment and issuance of the Shares, (iii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters, or (iv) the resale and delivery of the Shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein.

 

(k)          Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other similar taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum (not to exceed $5,000), (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA, provided that the reimbursement obligation for any legal fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with FINRA shall be documented and not exceed $25,000, (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Shares and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Nasdaq, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, if the use of such chartered aircraft has been expressly approved by the Company (it being understood and agreed that 50% of such aircraft cost shall be the responsibility of the Underwriters), (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 10 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

 

 22 

 

 

(l)          The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (a) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (b) completion of the Restricted Period (as defined in this Section 6).

 

(m)          If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares.

 

 23 

 

 

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) the issuance by the Company of Common Shares upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security of which the Underwriters have been advised in writing, (c) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Common Shares, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Shares during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Shares may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period (d) any options and other awards granted under any equity incentive plan, now existing or hereafter established and described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided that the Company shall cause the recipient of such options or awards issued pursuant to this clause (d) during the Restricted Period to enter into an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, (e) the filing by the Company of (A) any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto relating to any equity incentive plan described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (B) one or more registration statements with the Commission in respect of any Common Shares issued under or the grant of any award pursuant to an employee benefit plan inherited by the Company in connection with any merger or acquisition and not eligible to be registered on Form S-8, (f) Common Shares or other securities of the Company issued in connection with an acquisition of assets or equity of an unaffiliated third party (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition of equity interests or otherwise), provided that (x) the aggregate number of shares issued pursuant to this clause (f) shall not exceed five (5%) of the total number of outstanding Common Shares immediately following the issuance and sale of the Shares pursuant hereto and (y) the recipient of any such Common Shares or securities issued pursuant to this clause (f) during the Restricted Period shall enter into an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto; (g) the issuance of one common share in exchange for the Class A share as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; or (h) the issuance of Common Shares as part of the acquisition of vessels described in “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

If Morgan Stanley, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 5(k) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

 24 

 

 

7.         Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

 

8.          Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth (i) in the [•] paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Shares, (ii) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Shares under the heading “Underwriters,” (iii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances under the heading “Underwriters” and (iv) the paragraphs related to stabilization and syndicate covering transactions under the heading “Underwriters” constitute the only information furnished by the several Underwriters for inclusion in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication. The Company agrees and confirms that references to “affiliates” of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC that appear in this Agreement shall be understood to include Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd.

 

(b)          Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.

 

 25 

 

 

(c)          In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred, documented fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into (A) more than 90 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (B) more than 15 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of notice specifying the terms of such settlement and that the indemnified party intends to enter into such settlement, and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

 

 26 

 

 

(d)          To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

 

(e)          The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

 27 

 

 

(f)          The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

 

9.          Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE MKT or The Nasdaq Global Market, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

 

10.         Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

 

 28 

 

 

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements reasonably satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the documented fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder provided, however, that in the event any such termination is effected after the Closing Date but prior to any Option Closing Date with respect to the purchase of any Option Shares, the Company shall only reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) incurred by the Underwriters after the Closing Date in connection with the proposed purchase of any such Option Shares. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that the Company shall not pay or reimburse any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any Underwriter that defaults on its obligations to purchase the Shares.

 

11.         Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

 

 29 

 

 

(b)          The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

12.         Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

 

13.         Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

 

14.         Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

 

15.         Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you in care of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, Attention: IBCM-Legal, with a copy to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 101 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10178, Attention: Finnbarr D. Murphy; and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to GoodBulk Ltd., c/o C Transport Maritime S.A.M., 7 Rue du Gabian, Gildo Pastor Center, 98000 Monaco, Attention: Andrew Garcia, with a copy to Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Richard D. Truesdell Jr; Marcel Fausten.

 

16.         Submission to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agents for Service. (a) The Company irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in The City of New York (the “Specified Courts”) over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the offering of the Shares (each, a “Related Proceeding”). The Company irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any Related Proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such Related Proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity (on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise) from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process with respect to itself or its property, the Company irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such immunity in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding.

 

 30 

 

 

(b)          The Company hereby irrevocably appoints Cogency Global, Inc., with offices at 10 E. 40th Street, 10th Floor, New York, New York 10016 as its agent for service of process in any Related Proceeding and agrees that service of process in any such Related Proceeding may be made upon it at the office of such agent. The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. The Company represents and warrants that such agent has agreed to act as the Company’s agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect.

 

 31 

 

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  GoodBulk Ltd.
   
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

Accepted as of the date hereof, on behalf of itself and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto:

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 
   
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.  

 

By: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

By: Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 

By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter  Number of Firm Shares To
Be Purchased
 
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC     
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC     
Clarksons Platou Securities, Inc.     
Evercore Group L.L.C.     
Pareto Securities AS     
UBS Securities LLC     
ABN AMRO Securities (USA) LLC     
Total:     

 

 I-1 

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

Time of Sale Prospectus

 

1.Preliminary Prospectus issued [•], 2018

 

2.[free writing prospectus, if any]

 

3.The initial public offering price per share for the Shares is $[ ].

 

4.The number of Firm Shares purchased by the Underwriters from the Company is [ ].

 

 II-1 

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

Operative Agreements

 

1.Commercial Management Agreement between Goodbulk Ltd. and C Transport Holding Ltd., dated January 5, 2017

 

2.Supplement to the Commercial Management Agreement between GoodBulk Ltd. and C Transport Holding Ltd., dated November 7, 2017

 

3.Services Agreement between GoodBulk Ltd. and C Transport Holding Ltd., dated January 5, 2017

 

4.Supplement to the Services Agreement between GoodBulk Ltd. and C Transport Holding Ltd., dated November 7, 2017

 

5.Shipmanagement Agreements between C Transport Maritime S.A.M. and each vessel-owning subsidiary of GoodBulk Ltd listed on Schedule IV hereto.

 

 III-1 

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

Vessels

 

Owning Entity   Vessel Name   Jurisdiction of
Owning Entity
  Jurisdiction of
Vessel
Registration
             
Angel Carrier Co. Ltd.   Aquacarrier   Liberia   Liberia
Aquacharm Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquacharm   Liberia   Liberia
Aquahope Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquahope   Liberia   Liberia
Aquajoy Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquajoy   Liberia   Liberia
Aquakatana Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquakatana   Liberia   Liberia
Aquaknight Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquaknight   Liberia   Liberia
Aquakula Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquakula   Liberia   Liberia
Aquamarine Carrier Co. Ltd.   Aquamarine   Liberia   Liberia
Aquapride Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquapride   Liberia   Liberia
Aquavictory Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquavictory   Liberia   Liberia
Atlantic Bridge Shipping Co. Ltd   Aquabridge   Liberia   Liberia
Belle Taine Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquataine   Liberia   Liberia
Iron Range Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquarange   Liberia   Liberia
Itasca Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquamarie   Liberia   Liberia
Maka Franz Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquamaka   Liberia   Liberia
Minnehaha Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquahaha   Liberia   Liberia
Minnetonka Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquatonka   Liberia   Liberia
Nautical Dream Shipping Co. Ltd.   Nautical Dream   Liberia   Liberia
Pretty Carrier Co. Ltd.   Aquaenna   Liberia   Liberia
Proud Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquaproud   Liberia   Liberia
Scope Carrier Co. Ltd.   Aquascope   Liberia   Liberia
Silver Surfer Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquasurfer   Liberia   Liberia
Singapore Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquadonna   Liberia   Liberia
Voyageurs Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquavoyageurs   Liberia   Liberia
Aquakatie Shipping Co. Ltd.   Aquakatie   Liberia   Liberia

 

 IV-1 

 

 

SCHEDULE V

 

Lock-up Parties

 

To Come.

 

 V-1 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER]

 

_____________, 2018

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 

c/oMorgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

 

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

 

As Representatives of the

several Underwriters

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (together with Morgan Stanley, the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with GoodBulk Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including the Representatives (the “Underwriters”), of [•] shares (the “Shares”) of the common shares, par value $1.00, of the Company (the “Common Shares”).

 

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Restricted Period”) relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Shares beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to:

 

 A-1 

 

 

(a) transactions relating to Common Shares or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, provided that no filing under the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Common Shares or other securities acquired in such open market transactions;

 

(b) transfers of Common Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares (i) as a bona fide gift; (ii) to any member of the immediate family of the undersigned or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned or if the undersigned is a trust, to any beneficiary (including such beneficiary’s estate) of the undersigned; (iii) to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, investment fund or other entity controlled or managed, or under common control or management by the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned; (iv) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned; (v) as part of a distribution to the undersigned’s partners, members, stockholders or affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (each, an “Affiliate”)); (vi) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (b)(i) through (v); or (vii) repurchases by the Company pursuant to equity award plans or pursuant to agreements under which the Common Shares were issued, as described in the Prospectus; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (b)(i) through (vi), (1) each donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this letter for the balance of the lock-up period and (2) no filing under the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Common Shares, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period;

 

(c) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Common Shares, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Shares during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Shares may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period;

 

(d) the exercise of options to purchase Common Shares granted under any equity incentive plan of the Company, which plan is described in the registration statement related to the Public Offering (the “Registration Statement”) and the Prospectus, provided that the underlying shares shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this agreement and provided further that no filing under the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period;

 

 A-2 

 

 

(e) the transfer or sale of Common Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares to the Company in connection with a vesting event of such securities or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s securities, which securities or options have been issued pursuant to an equity incentive plan of the Company described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis or to cover tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise provided that no filing under the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period;

 

(f) the transfer or disposition of the undersigned’s Common Shares (or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares) that occurs pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, provided that each transferee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this letter; or

 

(g) the transfer of Common Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Common Shares involving a change of control of the Company; provided that in the event that the tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Common Shares owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this agreement.

 

For purposes of this agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin and “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, other than the Company, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity), occurring after the consummation of the Public Offering.

 

In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Common Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Common Shares except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase in the offering.

 

 A-3 

 

 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) Morgan Stanley agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Common Shares, Morgan Stanley will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company will agree in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by Morgan Stanley hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

 

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this agreement will automatically terminate and the undersigned will be released from all obligations hereunder upon the earliest to occur, if any, of the following events (i) the Company advises the Representatives prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the Public Offering is withdrawn, (iii) the Underwriting Agreement is executed but is terminated (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Shares to be sold thereunder, or (iv) December 31, 2018, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date.

 

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

 

 A-4 

 

 

  Very truly yours,
   
   
  (Name of Director, Officer or Shareholder)
   
   
  (Authorized Signature)
   
   
  (Address)

 

 A-5 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF WAIVER OF LOCK-UP

 

_____________, 20__

 

[Name and Address of

Officer or Director

Requesting Waiver]

 

Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:

 

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the offering by GoodBulk Ltd. (the “Company”) of _____ common shares, $1.00 par value (the “Common Shares”), of the Company and the lock-up letter dated ____, 2018 (the “Lock-up Letter”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated ____, 20__, with respect to ____ Common Shares (the “Shares”).

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC hereby agrees to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Letter, but only with respect to the Shares, effective _____, 20__; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

 

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Letter shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
   
  Acting severally on behalf of itself and the several Underwriters.

 

  By: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

cc: Company

 

 B-1 

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

 

GoodBulk Ltd.

[Date]

 

GoodBulk Ltd. (the “Company”) announced today that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, a lead book-running manager in the Company’s recent public sale of _____ common shares, is [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to ____ common shares held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver][release] will take effect on ____, 20__ , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

 C-1