(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile
Number and Address of Company Contact Person)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section
12(b) of the Act.
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section
12(g) of the Act.
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant
to Section 15(d) of the Act.
Indicate the number of outstanding shares
of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant
is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934.
Note – Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant
required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those
Sections.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
(1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding
12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted
and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such
shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
N/A
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated
filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting
the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filling:
If “Other” has been checked
in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow.
N/A
(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN
BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent
to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court.
N/A
This annual report on Form 20-F contains
forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of U.S. securities laws, and Globus Maritime Limited desires to
take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary
statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation.
The “Company,” “Globus,”
“Globus Maritime,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Globus Maritime Limited and its
subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires.
Forward-looking statements provide our
current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements include statements about our expectations, beliefs,
plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts or that are not present facts or
conditions. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology or
words, such as “anticipate,” “approximately,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,”
“expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “pending,”
“perceive,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seeks,”
“should,” “views” or similar words or phrases or variations thereon, or the negatives of those words or
phrases, or statements that events, conditions or results “can,” “will,” “may,” “must,”
“would,” “could” or “should” occur or be achieved and similar expressions in connection with
any discussion, expectation or projection of future operating or financial performance, costs, regulations, events or trends.
The absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements and information
are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions, which are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks and
changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict.
Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, all statements in this annual report on Form 20-F concerning or relating to estimated and projected earnings, margins,
costs, expenses, expenditures, cash flows, growth rates, future financial results and liquidity are forward-looking statements.
In addition, we, through our senior management, from time to time may make forward-looking public statements concerning our expected
future operations and performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting
our best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Other factors may affect the
accuracy of these forward-looking statements and our actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these
forward-looking statements. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those estimated by us may include, but are not limited to, those factors and conditions described under “Item
3.D. Risk Factors” as well as general conditions in the economy, dry bulk industry and capital markets. We undertake
no obligation to revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this annual report
on Form 20-F or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or new information, other than any obligation to disclose material
information under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this annual report on
Form 20-F including, without limitation, in the sections entitled “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and
Prospects,” “Item 4.A. History and Development of the Company” and “Item 8.A. Consolidated
Statements and Other Financial Information—Dividend Policy.”
References to our common shares are references
to Globus Maritime Limited’s registered common shares, par value $0.004 per share, or, as applicable, the ordinary shares
of Globus Maritime Limited prior to our redomiciliation into the Marshall Islands on November 24, 2010.
References to our Class B shares are references
to Globus Maritime Limited’s registered Class B shares, par value $0.001 per share, none of which are currently outstanding.
We refer to both our common shares and Class B shares as our shares. References to our shareholders are references to the holders
of our common shares and Class B shares. References to our Series A Preferred Shares are references to our shares of Series A
preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, 2,567 of which were outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and on the date of this annual
report on Form 20-F.
On July 29, 2010, we effected a four-for-one
reverse split of our common shares. Unless otherwise noted, all historical share numbers and per share amounts in this annual
report on Form 20-F have been adjusted to give effect to this reverse split.
Unless otherwise indicated, all references
to “dollars” and “$” in this annual report on Form 20-F are to, and amounts are presented in, U.S. dollars.
References to our ships, our vessels or out fleet relates to the ships that we own, unless context otherwise requires.
Certain financial information has been
rounded, and, as a result, certain totals shown in this annual report on Form 20-F may not equal the arithmetic sum of the figures
that should otherwise aggregate to those totals.
PART
I
Item 1. Identity of Directors,
Senior Management and Advisers
Not Applicable.
Item 2. Offer Statistics
and Expected Timetable
Not Applicable.
Item 3. Key Information
A. Selected Financial
Data
The following tables set forth our selected
consolidated financial and operating data. The summary consolidated financial data as of and for the years ended December 31,
2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance
with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB.
The data set forth below should be read in conjunction with “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects”
and our audited consolidated financial statements, related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this annual
report on Form 20-F. Results of operations in any period are not necessarily indicative of results in any future period.
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
(Expressed
in Thousands of U.S. Dollars, except per share data)
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Consolidated Statement of comprehensive loss/income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Voyage revenue
|
|
|
12,715
|
|
|
|
26,378
|
|
|
|
29,434
|
|
|
|
32,197
|
|
|
|
35,559
|
|
Voyage expenses
|
|
|
(2,384
|
)
|
|
|
(4,254
|
)
|
|
|
(2,892
|
)
|
|
|
(4,450
|
)
|
|
|
(3,283
|
)
|
Net revenue(1)
|
|
|
10,331
|
|
|
|
22,124
|
|
|
|
26,542
|
|
|
|
27,747
|
|
|
|
32,276
|
|
Vessel operating expenses
|
|
|
(10,321
|
)
|
|
|
(9,707
|
)
|
|
|
(10,031
|
)
|
|
|
(10,400
|
)
|
|
|
(7,967
|
)
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
(6,085
|
)
|
|
|
(5,624
|
)
|
|
|
(5,622
|
)
|
|
|
(11,255
|
)
|
|
|
(10,180
|
)
|
Depreciation of drydocking costs
|
|
|
(1,062
|
)
|
|
|
(574
|
)
|
|
|
(434
|
)
|
|
|
(763
|
)
|
|
|
(318
|
)
|
Amortization of fair value of time charter attached to vessels
|
|
|
(41
|
)
|
|
|
(746
|
)
|
|
|
(1,261
|
)
|
|
|
(1,823
|
)
|
|
|
(779
|
)
|
Administrative expenses
|
|
|
(1,751
|
)
|
|
|
(1,896
|
)
|
|
|
(2,092
|
)
|
|
|
(1,869
|
)
|
|
|
(2,078
|
)
|
Administrative expenses payable to related parties
|
|
|
(465
|
)
|
|
|
(522
|
)
|
|
|
(620
|
)
|
|
|
(598
|
)
|
|
|
(1,150
|
)
|
Share-based payments
|
|
|
(60
|
)
|
|
|
(60
|
)
|
|
|
189
|
|
|
|
(977
|
)
|
|
|
(364
|
)
|
(Impairment Loss)/Reversal of impairment
|
|
|
(20,144
|
)
|
|
|
2,240
|
|
|
|
1,679
|
|
|
|
(80,244
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Other (expenses)/income, net
|
|
|
(110
|
)
|
|
|
(1
|
)
|
|
|
127
|
|
|
|
(68
|
)
|
|
|
(124
|
)
|
Operating (loss)/profit before financing activities
|
|
|
(29,708
|
)
|
|
|
5,234
|
|
|
|
8,477
|
|
|
|
(80,250
|
)
|
|
|
9,316
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
|
41
|
|
|
|
47
|
|
|
|
52
|
|
Interest expense and finance costs
|
|
|
(2,783
|
)
|
|
|
(2,137
|
)
|
|
|
(3,571
|
)
|
|
|
(3,358
|
)
|
|
|
(2,821
|
)
|
Gain on derivative financial instruments
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
738
|
|
|
|
693
|
|
|
|
369
|
|
Foreign exchange gains/(losses), net
|
|
|
87
|
|
|
|
103
|
|
|
|
(8
|
)
|
|
|
64
|
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year
|
|
|
(32,396
|
)
|
|
|
3,212
|
|
|
|
5,677
|
|
|
|
(82,804
|
)
|
|
|
6,925
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic (loss)/earnings per share for the year
|
|
|
(3.20
|
)
|
|
|
0.29
|
|
|
|
0.52
|
|
|
|
(8.22
|
)
|
|
|
0.80
|
|
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share for the year
|
|
|
(3.20
|
)
|
|
|
0.29
|
|
|
|
0.52
|
|
|
|
(8.22
|
)
|
|
|
0.79
|
|
Weighted average number of common shares, basic
|
|
|
10,266,690
|
|
|
|
10,234,361
|
|
|
|
10,215,997
|
|
|
|
10,142,979
|
|
|
|
8,688,543
|
|
Weighted average number of common shares, diluted
|
|
|
10,266,690
|
|
|
|
10,234,361
|
|
|
|
10,215,997
|
|
|
|
10,142,979
|
|
|
|
8,738,444
|
|
Dividends declared per common share
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
0.25
|
|
|
|
0.64
|
|
Dividends declared per Series A Preferred Share
|
|
|
174.65
|
|
|
|
113.88
|
|
|
|
128.66
|
|
|
|
157.25
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA(2) (unaudited)
|
|
|
(2,376
|
)
|
|
|
9,938
|
|
|
|
14,115
|
|
|
|
13,835
|
|
|
|
20,593
|
|
(1) Net Revenue is computed by subtracting
voyage expenses from revenue. Net Revenue is not a recognized measurement under IFRS and should not be considered as
an alternative or comparable to net income.
(2) Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA represents
net earnings before interest and finance costs net, gains or losses from the change in fair value of derivative financial instruments,
foreign exchange gains or losses, income taxes, depreciation, depreciation of drydocking costs, amortization of fair value of
time charter attached to vessels, impairment and gains or losses from sale of vessels. Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA does not represent
and should not be considered as an alternative to total comprehensive income/(loss) or cash generated from operations, as determined
by IFRS, and our calculation of Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA
is not a recognized measurement under IFRS.
Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA is included
herein because it is a basis upon which we assess our financial performance and because we believe that it presents useful information
to investors regarding a company’s ability to service and/or incur indebtedness and it is frequently used by securities
analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry.
Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA has limitations
as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported
under IFRS. Some of these limitations are:
|
Ø
|
Adjusted
(LBITDA)/EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;
|
|
Ø
|
Adjusted
(LBITDA)/EBITDA does not reflect the interest expense or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal
payments on our debt;
|
|
Ø
|
Adjusted
(LBITDA)/EBITDA does not reflect changes in or cash requirements for our working capital needs; and
|
|
Ø
|
other
companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative
measure.
|
Because of these limitations, Adjusted
(LBITDA)/EBITDA should not be considered a measure of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business.
The following table sets forth a reconciliation
of total comprehensive (loss)/income to Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA (unaudited) for the periods presented:
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
(Expressed in Thousands of U.S. Dollars)
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Total comprehensive (loss)/income
for the year
|
|
|
(32,396
|
)
|
|
|
3,212
|
|
|
|
5,677
|
|
|
|
(82,804
|
)
|
|
|
6,925
|
|
Interest and finance costs, net
|
|
|
2,774
|
|
|
|
2,125
|
|
|
|
3,530
|
|
|
|
3,311
|
|
|
|
2,769
|
|
(Gain)/loss on derivative financial instruments
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(738
|
)
|
|
|
(693
|
)
|
|
|
(369
|
)
|
Foreign exchange (gains)/losses, net
|
|
|
(87
|
)
|
|
|
(103
|
)
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
(64
|
)
|
|
|
(9
|
)
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
6,085
|
|
|
|
5,624
|
|
|
|
5,622
|
|
|
|
11,255
|
|
|
|
10,180
|
|
Depreciation of drydocking costs
|
|
|
1,062
|
|
|
|
574
|
|
|
|
434
|
|
|
|
763
|
|
|
|
318
|
|
Amortization of fair value of time charter attached to vessels
|
|
|
41
|
|
|
|
746
|
|
|
|
1,261
|
|
|
|
1,823
|
|
|
|
779
|
|
(Impairment Loss)/ Reversal of Impairment
|
|
|
20,144
|
|
|
|
(2,240
|
)
|
|
|
(1,679
|
)
|
|
|
80,244
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Adjusted (LBITDA)/EBITDA
(unaudited)
|
|
|
(2,377
|
)
|
|
|
9,938
|
|
|
|
14,115
|
|
|
|
13,835
|
|
|
|
20,593
|
|
|
|
As of December 31,
|
|
|
|
(Expressed in Thousands of U.S. Dollars)
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Statements of financial position data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total non-current assets
|
|
|
110,140
|
|
|
|
141,834
|
|
|
|
133,707
|
|
|
|
140,966
|
|
|
|
242,592
|
|
Total current assets (including “Non-current assets
classified as held for sale”)
|
|
|
4,697
|
|
|
|
10,235
|
|
|
|
21,955
|
|
|
|
24,756
|
|
|
|
13,467
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
114,837
|
|
|
|
152,069
|
|
|
|
155,662
|
|
|
|
165,722
|
|
|
|
256,059
|
|
Total equity
|
|
|
30,535
|
|
|
|
63,319
|
|
|
|
60,340
|
|
|
|
55,182
|
|
|
|
140,019
|
|
Total non-current liabilities
|
|
|
14,673
|
|
|
|
40,314
|
|
|
|
72,801
|
|
|
|
78,812
|
|
|
|
105,584
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
69,629
|
|
|
|
48,436
|
|
|
|
22,521
|
|
|
|
31,728
|
|
|
|
10,456
|
|
Total equity and liabilities
|
|
|
114,837
|
|
|
|
152,069
|
|
|
|
155,662
|
|
|
|
165,722
|
|
|
|
256,059
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Expressed in Thousands of U.S. Dollars)
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Consolidated statements of cash flows
data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash (used in)/generated from operating
activities
|
|
|
(60
|
)
|
|
|
9,521
|
|
|
|
12,357
|
|
|
|
14,370
|
|
|
|
19,774
|
|
Net cash (used in)/generated from investing activities
|
|
|
5,351
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
(1,016
|
)
|
|
|
(341
|
)
|
|
|
(61,782
|
)
|
Net cash (used in)/generated from financing activities
|
|
|
(8,369
|
)
|
|
|
(9,333
|
)
|
|
|
(17,123
|
)
|
|
|
(11,680
|
)
|
|
|
25,681
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Ownership days(1)
|
|
|
2,380
|
|
|
|
2,555
|
|
|
|
2,555
|
|
|
|
2,562
|
|
|
|
2,125
|
|
Available days(2)
|
|
|
2,336
|
|
|
|
2,513
|
|
|
|
2,527
|
|
|
|
2,498
|
|
|
|
2,111
|
|
Operating days(3)
|
|
|
2,252
|
|
|
|
2,500
|
|
|
|
2,486
|
|
|
|
2,471
|
|
|
|
2,083
|
|
Bareboat charter days(4)
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
365
|
|
|
|
365
|
|
|
|
366
|
|
|
|
365
|
|
Fleet utilization(5)
|
|
|
96.4
|
%
|
|
|
99.5
|
%
|
|
|
98.4
|
%
|
|
|
98.9
|
%
|
|
|
98.7
|
%
|
Average number of vessels(6)
|
|
|
6.5
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
|
|
5.8
|
|
Daily time charter equivalent (TCE) rate(7)
|
|
$
|
4,333
|
|
|
$
|
7,969
|
|
|
$
|
9,961
|
|
|
$
|
10,660
|
|
|
$
|
15,619
|
|
(1) Ownership days are the aggregate
number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet has been owned by us.
(2) Available days are the number of
our ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee,
vessel upgrades or special surveys.
(3) Operating days are the number of
available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that the vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen
circumstances.
(4) Bareboat charter days are the aggregate
number of days in a period during which the vessels in our fleet are subject to a bareboat charter.
(5) We calculate fleet utilization
by dividing the number of our operating days during a period by the number of our available days during the period.
(6) Average number of vessels is measured
by the sum of the number of days each vessel was part of our fleet during a relevant period divided by the number of calendar
days in such period.
(7) Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) rates
are our revenue less net revenue from our bareboat charters less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our
available days during the period excluding bareboat charter days. TCE is a measure not in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, or GAAP. Please read “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects.”
The following table reflects the calculation of our daily TCE
rates for the periods presented.
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
(Expressed in Thousands of U.S. Dollars, except number of days and daily
TCE rates)
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
|
12,715
|
|
|
|
26,378
|
|
|
|
29,434
|
|
|
|
32,197
|
|
|
|
35,559
|
|
Less: Voyage expenses
|
|
|
2,384
|
|
|
|
4,254
|
|
|
|
2,892
|
|
|
|
4,450
|
|
|
|
3,283
|
|
Less: bareboat charter net revenue
|
|
|
304
|
|
|
|
5,006
|
|
|
|
5,006
|
|
|
|
5,020
|
|
|
|
5,006
|
|
Net revenue excluding bareboat charter net revenue
|
|
|
10,027
|
|
|
|
17,118
|
|
|
|
21,536
|
|
|
|
22,727
|
|
|
|
27,270
|
|
Available days net of bareboat charter days
|
|
|
2,314
|
|
|
|
2,148
|
|
|
|
2,162
|
|
|
|
2,132
|
|
|
|
1,746
|
|
Daily TCE rate
|
|
|
4,333
|
|
|
|
7,969
|
|
|
|
9,961
|
|
|
|
10,660
|
|
|
|
15,619
|
|
B. Capitalization and Indebtedness
Not Applicable.
C. Reasons for the Offer
and Use of Proceeds
Not Applicable.
D. Risk Factors
This annual report on Form 20-F contains
forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of U.S. securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties. Our
actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements and information. Factors that
may cause such a difference include those discussed below and elsewhere in this annual report on Form 20-F.
Some of the following risks relate
principally to the industry in which we operate and our business in general. Other risks relate principally to the securities
market and ownership of our common shares. The occurrence of any of the events described in this section could significantly and
negatively affect our business, financial condition, operating results, and ability to pay dividends or the trading price of our
common shares.
Risks relating to Our Industry
The international dry bulk shipping
industry is cyclical and volatile.
The international seaborne transportation
industry is cyclical and has high volatility in charter rates, vessel values and profitability. Fluctuations in charter rates
result from changes in the supply and demand for vessel capacity and changes in the supply and demand for energy resources, commodities,
semi-finished and finished consumer and industrial products internationally carried at sea. Since the early part of 2009, rates
have been volatile, but gradually recovered from market lows with further improvements taking place in the first half of 2010,
before leveling out in the second half of 2010, declining in 2011 throughout 2012. In 2013 rates remained volatile reaching their
lows in January 2013 and their highs in December 2013 while volatility continued during 2014 as well, with rates reaching their
highs during January 2014 and their lows during July 2014. In 2015, the decreasing trend in rates continued and in December reached
an all-time low, which have remained fairly depressed. Currently all of our vessels are chartered on short-term time charters
and on the spot market, and we are exposed therefore to changes in spot market and short-term charter rates for dry bulk vessels
and such changes affect our earnings and the value of our dry bulk vessels at any given time. The supply of and demand for shipping
capacity strongly influences freight rates. The factors affecting the supply and demand for vessels are outside of our control,
and the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions are unpredictable.
Factors that influence demand for vessel
capacity include:
|
•
|
port and canal congestion charges;
|
|
•
|
general dry bulk shipping market
conditions, including fluctuations in charterhire rates and vessel values and demand
for and production of dry bulk products;
|
|
•
|
global and regional economic
and political conditions, including exchange rates, trade deals, and the rate and geographic
distributions of economic growth;
|
|
•
|
environmental and other regulatory
developments;
|
|
•
|
the distance dry bulk cargoes
are to be moved by sea; and
|
|
•
|
changes in
seaborne and other transportation patterns.
|
Factors that influence the supply of vessel capacity include:
|
•
|
the size of the newbuilding orderbook;
|
|
•
|
the price of steel and vessel equipment;
|
|
•
|
technological advances in vessel design and capacity;
|
|
•
|
the number of newbuild deliveries,
which among other factors relates to the ability of shipyards to deliver newbuilds by
contracted delivery dates and the ability of purchasers to finance such newbuilds;
|
|
•
|
the scrapping rate of older vessels;
|
|
•
|
port and canal congestion;
|
|
•
|
the number of vessels that are in or out of service, including
due to vessel casualties; and
|
|
•
|
changes in environmental and other regulations that may
limit the useful lives of vessels.
|
In addition to the prevailing and anticipated
freight rates, factors that affect the rate of newbuilding, scrapping and laying-up include newbuilding prices, secondhand vessel
values in relation to scrap prices, costs of bunkers and other operating costs, costs associated with classification society surveys,
normal maintenance costs, insurance coverage costs, the efficiency and age profile of the existing dry bulk fleet in the market,
and government and industry regulation of maritime transportation practices, particularly environmental protection laws and regulations.
These factors influencing the supply of and demand for shipping capacity are outside of our control, and we may not be able to
correctly assess the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions.
We anticipate that the future demand for
our dry bulk vessels and charter rates will be dependent upon continued economic growth in the world’s economies, seasonal
and regional changes in demand and changes to the capacity of the global dry bulk vessel fleet and the sources and supply of dry
bulk cargo to be transported by sea. Adverse economic, political, social or other developments could negatively impact charter
rates and therefore have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and ability to pay dividends. We may
also decide that it makes economic sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs,
but those vessels will not be able to earn any hire.
The dry bulk vessel charter market remains significantly
below its high in 2008.
The revenues, earnings and profitability
of companies in our industry are affected by the charter rates that can be obtained in the market, which is volatile and has experienced
significant declines since its highs in the middle of 2008. The Baltic Dry Index, or the BDI, which is published daily by the
Baltic Exchange Limited, or the Baltic Exchange, a London-based membership organization that provides daily shipping market information
to the global investing community, is an average of selected ship brokers’ assessments of time charter rates paid by a customer
to hire a dry bulk vessel to transport dry bulk cargoes by sea. The BDI has long been viewed as the main benchmark to monitor
the movements of the dry bulk vessel charter market and the performance of the entire dry bulk shipping market. The BDI declined
from a high of 11,793 in May 2008 to a low of 663 in December 2008, which represents a decline of 94.0% within a single calendar
year. Since 2009, the BDI has remained fairly depressed (compared to historical numbers). The BDI reached as high as 1,222 in
August 5, 2015 and a new all-time low of 471 in December 16, 2015. The BDI ranged from 290 to 473 from January until March 2016,
with 290 being its new all-time low. The dry bulk market remains volatile and significantly depressed.
The decline and volatility in charter
rates is primarily due to the number of newbuilding deliveries as vessel oversupply is gradually taking its toll on the market.
Increased demand for dry bulk commodities has been unable to fully absorb new deadweight tonnage, or dwt, that entered the market
in recent years. Although the number of dry bulk carriers on order has declined from the historic highs in recent years, there
remains a substantial amount of capacity on order. Due to a lack of financing, we expect cancellations and/or slippage of newbuilding
orders. While vessel supply will continue to be affected by the delivery of new vessels and the removal of vessels from the global
fleet, either through scrapping or accidental losses, an over-supply of dry bulk carrier capacity could exacerbate the recent
decrease in charter rates or prolong the period during which low charter rates prevail.
The decline and volatility in charter
rates in the dry bulk market also affects the value of our dry bulk vessels, which follows the trends of dry bulk charter rates,
and earnings on our charters, and similarly affects our cash flows, liquidity and compliance with the covenants contained in our
loan arrangements.
Global economic conditions may continue
to negatively impact the dry bulk shipping industry.
In the current global economy, operating
businesses have recently faced tightening credit, weakening demand for goods and services, weak international liquidity conditions,
and declining markets.
The international shipping industry and dry bulk market
are highly competitive.
The shipping industry and dry bulk market
are capital intensive and highly fragmented with many charterers, owners and operators of vessels and are characterized by intense
competition. Competition arises primarily from other vessel owners, some of whom have substantially greater resources than we
do. The trend towards consolidation in the industry is creating an increasing number of global enterprises capable of competing
in multiple markets, which may result in a greater competitive threat to us. Our competitors may be better positioned to devote
greater resources to the development, promotion and employment of their businesses than we are. Competition for the transportation
of cargo by sea is intense and depends on customer relationships, operating expertise, professional reputation, price, location,
size, age, condition and the acceptability of the vessel and its operators to the charterers. Competition may increase in some
or all of our principal markets, including with the entry of new competitors, who may operate larger fleets through consolidations
or acquisitions and may be able to sustain lower charter rates and offer higher quality vessels than we are able to offer. We
may not be able to continue to compete successfully or effectively with our competitors and our competitive position may be eroded
in the future, which could have an adverse effect on our fleet utilization and, accordingly, business, financial condition, results
of operations and ability to pay dividends.
The Euro may not be stable and countries may not be able
to refinance their debts.
As a result of the credit crisis in Europe,
in particular in Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, concerns persist regarding the debt burden of certain Eurozone
countries and their ability to meet future financial obligations and the overall stability of the Euro. Despite efforts by European
Council in establishing the European Financial Stability Facility and the European Stability Mechanism, and the work of central
bankers to renegotiate sovereign debt, concerns persist regarding the debt burden of Eurozone countries, their ability to meet
future financial obligations, and the overall stability of the Euro. An extended period of adverse development in the outlook
for European countries could reduce the overall demand for dry bulk cargoes and for our services.
The current state of the global
financial markets and current economic conditions may adversely impact the dry bulk shipping industry.
Global financial markets and economic
conditions have been, and continue to be, volatile. Recently, operating businesses in the global economy have faced tightening
credit, weakening demand for goods and services, deteriorating international liquidity conditions, and declining markets. There
has been a general decline in the willingness by banks and other financial institutions to extend credit, particularly in the
shipping industry, due to the historically volatile asset values of vessels. As the shipping industry is highly dependent on the
availability of credit to finance and expand operations, it has been negatively affected by this decline.
Also, as a result of concerns about the
stability of financial markets generally and the solvency of counterparties specifically, the cost of obtaining money from the
credit markets has increased as many lenders have increased interest rates, enacted tighter lending standards, refused to refinance
existing debt at all or on terms similar to current debt and reduced, and in some cases ceased, to provide funding to borrowers.
Due to these factors, we cannot be certain that financing will be available if needed and to the extent required, on acceptable
terms. If financing is not available when needed, or is available only on unfavorable terms, we may be unable to meet our obligations
as they come due or we may be unable to enhance our existing business, complete additional vessel acquisitions or otherwise take
advantage of business opportunities as they arise.
If the current global economic environment
persists or worsens, we may be negatively affected in the following ways:
|
·
|
we
may not be able to employ our vessels at charter rates as favorable to us as historical
rates or operate our vessels profitably; and
|
|
·
|
the
market value of our vessels could decrease, which may cause us to recognize losses if
any of our vessels are sold.
|
In addition, lower demand for dry bulk
cargoes as well as diminished trade credit available for the delivery of such cargoes have led to decreased demand for dry bulk
carriers, creating downward pressure on charter rates and vessel values. The relatively weak global economic conditions have and
may continue to have a number of adverse consequences for dry bulk and other shipping sectors, including, among other things:
|
·
|
low charter rates,
particularly for vessels employed on short-term time charters or in the spot market;
|
|
·
|
decreases in the
market value of dry bulk vessels and limited secondhand market for the sale of vessels;
|
|
·
|
limited financing
for vessels;
|
|
·
|
widespread loan
covenant defaults; and
|
|
·
|
declaration of bankruptcy
by certain vessel operators, vessel owners, shipyards and charterers.
|
The occurrence of any of the foregoing
could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. We may also decide
that it makes economic sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those
vessels will not be able to earn any hire.
We depend on spot charters in volatile shipping markets.
We currently charter all five vessels
we own on the spot charter market. The spot charter market is highly competitive and spot charter rates may fluctuate significantly
based upon available charters and the supply of and demand for seaborne shipping capacity. While our focus on the spot market
may enable us to benefit if industry conditions strengthen, we must consistently procure spot charter business. Conversely, such
dependence makes us vulnerable to declining market rates for spot charters and to the off-hire periods including ballast passages.
Rates within the spot charter market are subject to volatile fluctuations while longer-term time charters provide income at pre-determined
rates over more extended periods of time. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in keeping our vessels fully employed
in these short-term markets or that future spot rates will be sufficient to enable the vessels to be operated profitably. At current
spot charter rates, we don’t believe that we will be operating profitably. A significant decrease in charter rates would
affect value and adversely affect our profitability, cash flows and ability to pay dividends. We cannot give assurances that future
available spot charters will enable us to operate our vessels profitably.
We may also decide that it makes economic
sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those vessels will not be able
to earn any hire.
An over-supply of dry bulk carrier capacity may depress
charter rates.
The market supply of dry bulk vessels
has been increasing as a result of the delivery of numerous newbuilding orders over the last few years. Newbuildings were delivered
in significant numbers starting at the beginning of 2006 and continued to be delivered through 2015. An oversupply of dry bulk
vessel capacity, particularly during a period of economic recession, may result in a reduction of charter hire rates. If we cannot
enter into charters on acceptable terms, we may have to secure charters on the spot market, where charter rates are more volatile
and revenues are, therefore, less predictable, or we may not be able to charter our vessels at all. In addition, a material increase
in the net supply of dry bulk vessel capacity without corresponding growth in dry bulk vessel demand could have a material adverse
effect on our fleet utilization (including ballast days) and our charter rates generally, and could, accordingly, materially adversely
affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay dividends.
We may also decide that it makes economic
sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those vessels will not be able
to earn any hire.
The market values of our vessels
have declined, and may decline further and have triggered certain financial covenants under our existing and potentially future
loan and credit facilities.
The market value of dry bulk vessels has
generally experienced high volatility, and is currently at a low value. The market prices for secondhand and newbuilding dry bulk
vessels in the recent past have declined from historically high levels to low levels within a short period of time. The market
value of our vessels may increase and decrease depending on a number of factors including:
|
Ø
|
prevailing level of charter rates;
|
|
Ø
|
age of vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
general economic and market
conditions affecting the shipping industry;
|
|
Ø
|
competition from other shipping
companies;
|
|
Ø
|
configurations, sizes and
ages of vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
supply and demand for vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
other modes of transportation;
|
|
Ø
|
governmental or other regulations;
and
|
|
Ø
|
technological advances.
|
Our loan agreement with DVB Bank SE, which
we refer to as the DVB Loan Agreement, our loan agreement with HSH Nordbank AG, which we refer to as the HSH Loan Agreement, and
our loan agreement with Commerzbank, which we refer to as Kelty Loan Agreement, are secured by mortgages on our vessels, and require
us to maintain specified collateral coverage ratios and to satisfy financial covenants, including requirements based on the market
value of our vessels and our net worth. Since the middle of 2008, the prevailing conditions in the dry bulk charter market coupled
with the general difficulty in obtaining financing for vessel purchases have led to a significant decline in the market values
of our vessels. Furthermore, each of our loan arrangements contains a cross-default provision that may be triggered by a default
under any of our other loans, other than the unsecured credit facilities with Firment Trading Limited and Silaner Investments
Limited, both affiliates of our chairman Mr. George Feidakis, which we refer to as the Firment Credit Facility and Silaner Credit
Facility, respectively.
As of December 31, 2015, we were in breach
of most of the covenants included in our loan agreements with HSH Nordbank AG, Commerzbank AG and DVB Bank SE and therefore the
total amount outstanding for these loans was classified under current liabilities. For a more detailed discussion see Item 5.B
Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness and Note 12 in the Consolidated Financial Statements filed herewith.
Further declines of market values of our
vessels may affect our ability to comply with various covenants and could also limit the amount of funds we are permitted to borrow
under our current or future loan arrangements. If we are unable to comply with the financial and other covenants under any of
the DVB Loan Agreement, the HSH Loan Agreement, the Firment Credit Facility or the Silaner Credit Facility, and if we are unable
to obtain relaxations and/or waivers, our lenders could accelerate our indebtedness and foreclose on vessels in our fleet, which
would impair our ability to continue to conduct our business. If our indebtedness were accelerated in full or in part, it would
be very difficult in the current financing environment for us to refinance our debt or obtain additional financing and we could
lose our vessels if our lenders foreclose upon their liens, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition, ability
to continue our business and pay dividends.
For a more detailed discussion on our
loan covenants and cross-default provisions, see “Item 5.B Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness.”
If we sell any vessel at a time when vessel
prices have fallen and before we have recorded an impairment adjustment to our consolidated financial statements, the sale price
may be agreed at a value lower than the vessel’s depreciated book value as in our consolidated financial statements at that
time, resulting in a loss and a respective reduction in earnings. If the market values of our vessels decrease, such decrease
and its effects could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to
pay dividends.
If a determination is made that a vessel’s
future useful life is limited or its future earnings capacity is reduced, it could result in an impairment of its value on our
consolidated financial statements that would result in a charge against our earnings and the reduction of our stockholders’
equity. These impairment costs could be very substantial.
The Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board inspection of our independent accounting firm, could lead to findings in our auditors' reports and challenge the accuracy
of our published audited consolidated financial statements.
Auditors of U.S. public companies are
required by law to undergo periodic Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, inspections that assess their compliance
with U.S. law and professional standards in connection with performance of audits of financial statements filed with the SEC.
For several years certain European Union countries, including Greece, did not permit the PCAOB to conduct inspections of accounting
firms established and operating in such European Union countries, even if they were part of major international firms. Accordingly,
unlike for most U.S. public companies, the PCAOB was prevented from evaluating our auditor's performance of audits and its quality
control procedures, and, unlike stockholders of most U.S. public companies, we and our shareholders were deprived of the possible
benefits of such inspections. During 2015, Greece agreed to allow the PCAOB to conduct inspections of accounting firms operating
in Greece. In the future, such PCAOB inspections could result in findings in our auditors' quality control procedures, question
the validity of the auditor's reports on our published consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal
control over financial reporting, and cast doubt upon the accuracy of our published audited consolidated financial statements.
Our industry is subject to complex laws and regulations.
Our operations are subject to numerous
laws and regulations in the form of international conventions and treaties, national, state and local laws and national and international
regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which our vessels operate or are registered, which can significantly affect the ownership
and operation of our vessels. These requirements include but are not limited to: U.S. Oil Pollution Act 1990, as amended, which
we refer to as OPA; International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended, which we refer to as SOLAS; International
Convention on Load Lines, 1966; International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as amended by the 1978
Protocol, which we refer to as MARPOL; International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001, which
we refer to as the Bunker Convention; International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the
Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996, as superseded by the 2010 Protocol, which we refer to as the HNS Convention;
International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969, as amended by the 1992 Protocol and further amended
in 2000, which we refer to as the CLC; International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation
for Oil Pollution Damage, 1971, as amended, which we refer to as the Fund Convention; and Marine Transportation Security Act of
2002, which we refer to as the MTSA.
Government regulation of vessels, particularly
in the area of environmental requirements, can be expected to become more stringent in the future and could require us to incur
significant capital expenditures on our vessels to keep them in compliance, or even to scrap or sell certain vessels altogether.
Compliance with such laws, regulations and standards, where applicable, may require installation of costly equipment or operational
changes and increased management costs and may affect the resale value or useful lives of our vessels. We may also incur additional
costs in order to comply with other existing and future regulatory obligations, including, but not limited to, costs relating
to air emissions, the management of ballast water, recycling of vessels, maintenance and inspection, elimination of tin-based
paint, development and implementation of safety and emergency procedures and insurance coverage or other financial assurance of
our ability to address pollution incidents. These costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations,
cash flows and financial condition and our ability to pay dividends.
These requirements can also affect the
resale prices or useful lives of our vessels or require reductions in capacity, vessel modifications or operational changes or
restrictions. Failure to comply with these requirements could lead to decreased availability of or more costly insurance coverage
for environmental matters or result in the denial of access to certain jurisdictional waters or ports, or detention in certain
ports. Under local, national and foreign laws, as well as international treaties and conventions, we could incur material liabilities,
including cleanup obligations and claims for impairment of the environment, personal injury and property damages in the event
that there is a release of petroleum or other hazardous materials from our vessels or otherwise in connection with our operations.
Violations of, or liabilities under, environmental regulations can result in substantial penalties, fines and other sanctions,
including, in certain instances, seizure or detention of our vessels. Events of this nature would have a material adverse effect
on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The operation of our vessels is affected
by the requirements set forth in the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention,
or ISM Code. The ISM Code requires the party with operational control of the vessel to develop, implement and maintain an extensive
“Safety Management System” that includes, among other things, the adoption of a safety and environmental protection
policy setting forth instructions and procedures for safe vessel operation and protection of the environment and describing procedures
for dealing with emergencies. Further details in relation to the ISM Code are set out below in the section headed “Environmental
and Other Regulations”. The failure of a shipowner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code may subject it to increased
liability, and, if the implementing legislation so provides, to criminal sanctions, may invalidate or result in the loss of existing
insurance or decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and may result in a denial of access to, or detention
in, certain ports. In addition, if we fail to maintain ISM Code certification for our vessels, we may also breach covenants in
certain of our credit and loan facilities that require that our vessels be ISM-Code certified. If we breach such covenants due
to failure to maintain ISM Code certification and are unable to remedy the relevant breach, our lenders could accelerate our indebtedness
and foreclose on the vessels in our fleet securing those credit and loan facilities. As of the date of this annual report on Form
20-F, each of our vessels is ISM Code-certified.
Climate
change and greenhouse gas restrictions may be imposed.
Due to concern over the risk of climate
change, a number of countries and the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, have adopted, or are considering the adoption
of, regulatory frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These regulatory measures may include, among others, adoption of
cap and trade regimes, carbon taxes, increased efficiency standards and incentives or mandates for renewable energy. In addition,
although the emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping currently are not subject to the Kyoto Protocol to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which required adopting countries to implement national programs to reduce
emissions of certain gases, a new treaty may be adopted in the future that includes restrictions on shipping emissions. Compliance
with changes in laws, regulations and obligations relating to climate change could increase our costs related to operating and
maintaining our vessels and require us to install new emission controls, acquire allowances or pay taxes related to our greenhouse
gas emissions, or administer and manage a greenhouse gas emissions program. Revenue generation and strategic growth opportunities
may also be adversely affected.
Charterers have been placed under
significant financial pressure, thereby increasing our charter counterparty risk.
The continuing weakness in demand for
dry bulk shipping services and any future declines in such demand could result in financial challenges faced by our charterers
and may increase the likelihood of one or more of our charterers being unable or unwilling to pay us contracted charter rates.
We expect to generate most of our revenues from these charters and if our charterers fail to meet their obligations to us, we
will sustain significant losses which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Capital expenditures and other costs necessary to operate
and maintain our vessels may increase.
Changes in safety or other equipment standards,
as well as compliance with standards imposed by maritime self-regulatory organizations and customer requirements or competition,
may require us to make additional expenditures. In order to satisfy these requirements, we may, from time to time, be required
to take our vessels out of service for extended periods of time, with corresponding losses of revenues. In the future, market
conditions may not justify these expenditures or enable us to operate some or all of our vessels profitably during the remainder
of their economic lives.
We may also decide that it makes economic
sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those vessels will not be able
to earn any hire.
Seasonal fluctuations in industry demand could affect
us.
We operate our vessels in markets that
have historically exhibited seasonal variations in demand and, as a result, in charter rates. This seasonality may result in quarter-to-quarter
volatility in our results of operations, which could affect the amount of dividends, if any, that we pay to our shareholders.
The market for marine dry bulk transportation services is typically stronger in the fall and winter months in anticipation of
increased consumption of coal and other raw materials in the northern hemisphere during the winter months. In addition, unpredictable
weather patterns in these months tend to disrupt vessel scheduling and supplies of certain commodities. This seasonality could
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may also decide that it makes economic
sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those vessels will not be able
to earn any hire.
Our insurance may not be adequate
to cover our losses that may result from our operations.
We carry insurance to protect us against
most of the accident-related risks involved in the conduct of our business, including marine hull and machinery insurance, war
risk insurance, protection and indemnity insurance, which includes pollution risks, crew insurance and war risk insurance. However,
we may not be adequately insured to cover losses from our operational risks, which could have a material adverse effect on us.
Additionally, our insurers may refuse to pay particular claims and our insurance may be voidable by the insurers if we take, or
fail to take, certain action, such as failing to maintain certification of our vessels with applicable maritime regulatory organizations.
Any significant uninsured or underinsured loss or liability could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations,
cash flows and financial condition and our ability to pay dividends. It may also result in protracted legal litigation. In addition,
we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates in the future during adverse insurance market conditions.
We maintain, for each of our vessels, pollution liability coverage insurance for $1.0 billion per event. If damages from a catastrophic
spill exceed our insurance coverage, it would have a materially adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial
condition and our ability to pay dividends to our shareholders.
Moreover, insurers have over the last
few years increased premiums and reduced or restricted coverage for losses caused by terrorist acts generally.
In addition, we do not currently carry
and may not carry loss-of-hire insurance, which covers the loss of revenue during extended vessel off-hire periods, such as those
that occur during an unscheduled drydocking due to damage to the vessel from accidents. Accordingly, any loss of a vessel or extended
vessel off-hire, due to an accident or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations,
financial condition and our ability to pay dividends.
Our vessels are exposed to operational risks.
The operation of any vessel includes risks
such as weather conditions, mechanical failure, collision, fire, contact with floating objects, cargo or property loss or damage
and business interruption due to political circumstances in countries, piracy, terrorist attacks, armed hostilities and labor
strikes. Such occurrences could result in death or injury to persons, loss, damage or destruction of property or environmental
damage, delays in the delivery of cargo, loss of revenues from or termination of charter contracts, governmental fines, penalties
or restrictions on conducting business, higher insurance rates and damage to our reputation and customer relationships generally.
In the past, political conflicts have
also resulted in attacks on vessels, mining of waterways and other efforts to disrupt international shipping, particularly in
the Arabian Gulf region. Acts of terrorism and piracy have also affected vessels trading in regions such as the South China Sea,
the Gulf of Aden and parts of the Indian Ocean and West Africa. Continuing conflicts and recent developments in the Middle East
and North Africa, including Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Libya, and the presence of United States and other armed forces in the
Middle East and Asia could produce armed conflict or be the target of terrorist attacks, and lead to civil disturbance and uncertainty
in financial markets. If these attacks and other disruptions result in areas where our vessels are deployed being characterized
by insurers as “war risk” zones or Joint War Committee “war, strikes, terrorism and related perils” listed
areas, premiums payable for such coverage could increase significantly and such insurance coverage may be more difficult or impossible
to obtain. In addition, there is always the possibility of a marine disaster, including oil spills and other environmental damage.
Although our vessels carry a relatively small amount of oil used for fuel (“bunkers”), a spill of oil from one of
our vessels or losses as a result of fire or explosion could be catastrophic under certain circumstances.
We may not be adequately insured against
all risks, and our insurers may not pay particular claims. With respect to war risks insurance, which we usually obtain for certain
of our vessels making port calls in designated war zone areas, such insurance may not be obtained prior to one of our vessels
entering into an actual war zone, which could result in that vessel not being insured. Even if our insurance coverage is adequate
to cover our losses, we may not be able to timely obtain a replacement vessel in the event of a loss. Under the terms of our credit
facilities, we will be subject to restrictions on the use of any proceeds we may receive from claims under our insurance policies.
Furthermore, in the future, we may not be able to maintain or obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates for our fleet.
We may also be subject to calls, or premiums, in amounts based not only on our own claim records but also the claim records of
all other members of the protection and indemnity associations through which we receive indemnity insurance coverage for tort
liability. Our insurance policies also contain deductibles, limitations and exclusions which may increase our costs in the event
of a claim or decrease any recovery in the event of a loss. If the damages from a catastrophic oil spill or other marine disaster
exceeded our insurance coverage, the payment of those damages could have a material adverse effect on our business and could possibly
result in our insolvency.
In general, we do not carry loss of hire
insurance. Occasionally, we may decide to carry loss of hire insurance when our vessels are trading in areas where a history of
piracy has been reported. Loss of hire insurance covers the loss of revenue during extended vessel off-hire periods, such as those
that occur during an unscheduled drydocking or unscheduled repairs due to damage to the vessel. Accordingly, any loss of a vessel
or any extended period of vessel off- hire, due to an accident or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
We may also decide that it makes economic
sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those vessels will not be able
to earn any hire.
We may be subject to funding calls
by our protection and indemnity clubs, and our clubs may not have enough resources to cover claims made against them.
We are indemnified for legal liabilities
incurred while operating our vessels through membership of protection and indemnity, or P&I, associations, otherwise known
as P&I clubs. P&I clubs are mutual insurance clubs whose members must contribute to cover losses sustained by other club
members. The objective of a P&I club is to provide mutual insurance based on the aggregate tonnage of a member’s vessels
entered into the club. Claims are paid through the aggregate premiums of all members of the club, although members remain subject
to calls for additional funds if the aggregate premiums are insufficient to cover claims submitted to the club. Claims submitted
to the club may include those incurred by members of the club, as well as claims submitted by other P&I clubs with which our
club has entered into interclub agreements. We cannot assure you that the P&I club to which we belong will remain viable or
that we will not become subject to additional funding calls, which could adversely affect us.
If our vessels suffer damage, they may
need to be repaired at a drydocking facility. The costs of drydocking repairs are unpredictable and may be substantial. We may
have to pay drydocking costs that our insurance does not cover in full. The loss of earnings while these vessels are being repaired
and repositioned, as well as the actual cost of these repairs, would decrease our earnings. In addition, space at drydocking facilities
is sometimes limited and not all drydocking facilities are conveniently located. We may be unable to find space at a suitable
drydocking facility or our vessels may be forced to travel to a drydocking facility that is not conveniently located to our vessels’
positions. The loss of earnings while these vessels are forced to wait for space or to travel to more distant drydocking facilities
would decrease our earnings.
We may be subject to increased inspection
procedures, tighter import and export controls and new security regulations.
International shipping is subject to various
security and customs inspection and related procedures in countries of origin and destination and trans-shipment points. Inspection
procedures can result in the seizure of the cargo and contents of our vessels, delays in the loading, offloading or delivery and
the levying of customs duties, fines or other penalties against us.
It is possible that changes to inspection
procedures could impose additional financial and legal obligations on us. Furthermore, changes to inspection procedures could
also impose additional costs and obligations on our customers and may, in certain cases, render the shipment of certain types
of cargo impractical. Any such changes or developments may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition,
results of operations and our ability to pay dividends.
Rising fuel prices may adversely
affect our profits.
Fuel is a significant, if not the largest,
expense if vessels are under voyage charter or if consumed during ballast days. Moreover, the cost of fuel will affect the profit
we can earn on the spot market. Upon redelivery of vessels at the end of a time charter, we may be obliged to repurchase the fuel
on board at prevailing market prices, which could be materially higher than fuel prices at the inception of the time charter period.
As a result, an increase in the price of fuel may adversely affect our profitability. The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable
and fluctuates based on events outside our control, including geopolitical events, supply and demand for oil and gas, actions
by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil and gas producers, war and unrest in oil producing countries
and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns. Further, fuel may become much more expensive in the future,
which may reduce the profitability and competitiveness of our business versus other forms of transportation, such as truck or
rail.
Increases in crew costs may adversely affect our profits.
Crew costs are a significant expense for
us under our charters. There is a limited supply of well-qualified crew. We generally bear crewing costs under our charters. Increases
in crew costs may adversely affect our profitability.
The operation of dry bulk vessels has certain unique
operational risks.
The operation of certain vessel types,
such as dry bulk vessels, has certain unique risks. With a dry bulk vessel, the cargo itself and its interaction with the vessel
can be a risk factor. By their nature, dry bulk cargoes are often heavy, dense, easily shifted and react badly to water exposure.
In addition, dry bulk vessels are often subjected to battering during unloading operations with grabs, jackhammers (to pry encrusted
cargoes out of the hold) and small bulldozers. This may cause damage to the vessel. Vessels damaged due to treatment during unloading
procedures may be more susceptible to breach while at sea. Hull breaches in dry bulk vessels may lead to the flooding of the vessels
holds. If a dry bulk vessel suffers flooding in its forward holds, the bulk cargo may become so dense and waterlogged that its
pressure may buckle the vessels bulkheads leading to the loss of a vessel. If we are unable to adequately maintain our vessels
we may be unable to prevent these events. Any of these circumstances or events could negatively impact our business, financial
condition, results of operations and ability to pay dividends. In addition, the loss of any of our vessels could harm our reputation
as a safe and reliable vessel owner and operator.
Maritime claimants could arrest our vessels.
Crew members, suppliers of goods and services
to a vessel, shippers of cargo and other parties may be entitled to a maritime lien against a vessel, or other assets of the relevant
vessel-owning company, for unsatisfied debts, claims or damages even if we are not at fault, for example, if we pay a supplier
for bunkers who subcontracts the supply and does not pay such subcontractor. In many jurisdictions, a claimant may seek to obtain
security for its claim by arresting a vessel through foreclosure proceedings. The arrest or attachment of one or more of our vessels,
could cause us to default on a charter, breach covenants in the DVB Loan Agreement, or the HSH Loan Agreement, interrupt our cash
flow and require us to pay large sums of money to have the arrest or attachment lifted. Please see “Item 5.B. Liquidity
and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” for further information.
In addition, in some jurisdictions, such
as South Africa, under the “sister ship” theory of liability, a claimant may arrest both the vessel which is subject
to the claimant’s maritime lien and any “associated” vessel, which is any vessel owned or controlled by the
same owner. Claimants could attempt to assert “sister ship” liability against one vessel in our fleet for claims relating
to another of our vessels.
Governments could requisition our
vessels during a period of war or emergency.
A government could requisition one or
more of our vessels for title or for hire. Requisition for title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes
the owner. Requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and effectively becomes the charterer at dictated
charter rates. Generally, requisitions occur during a period of war or emergency, although governments may elect to requisition
vessels in other circumstances. Even if we would be entitled to compensation in the event of a requisition of one or more of our
vessels, the amount and timing of payment would be uncertain. Government requisition of one or more of our vessels may negatively
impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay dividends.
The ongoing uncertainty related to the Greek sovereign
debt crisis may adversely affect our operating results.
Greece has experienced a macroeconomic
downturn during recent years, including as a result of the sovereign debt crisis and the related austerity measures implemented
by the Greek government. Our operations in Greece may be subjected to new regulations or regulatory action that may require us
to incur new or additional compliance or other administrative costs and may require that we pay to the Greek government new taxes
or other fees. We also face the risk that strikes, work stoppages, civil unrest and violence within Greece may disrupt our shore-side
operations located in Greece. The Greek government’s taxation authorities have increased their scrutinization of individuals
and companies to secure tax law compliance. If economic and financial market conditions remain uncertain, persist or deteriorate
further, the Greek government may impose further changes to tax and other laws to which may be subject or change the ways they
are enforced, which may adversely affect our business, compliance costs, operating results, and financial condition.
Compliance with safety and other
vessel requirements imposed by classification societies may be costly.
The hull and machinery of every commercial
vessel must be certified as safe and seaworthy in accordance with applicable rules and regulations, and accordingly vessels must
undergo regular surveys. All of the vessels that we operate or manage are classed by one of the major classification societies,
including Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK), DNV GL, Bureau Veritas and Rina Services SPA. Vessels must undergo annual surveys, immediate
surveys and special surveys. In lieu of a special survey, a vessel’s machinery may be on a continuous survey cycle, under
which the machinery would be surveyed over a five-year period. Our vessels are on special survey cycles for hull inspection and
continuous survey cycles for machinery inspection. Every vessel is also required to be drydocked every two to three years for
inspection of its underwater parts. If any vessel does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual, intermediate or special
survey, the vessel may be unable to trade between ports and may be unemployable which could trigger the violation of certain covenants
in the DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement. Such an occurrence could have a material adverse impact on our business,
financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay dividends. Please see “Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”
for further information.
A further economic slowdown or changes
in the economic, regulatory and political environment in the Asia Pacific region could reduce dry bulk trade demand.
A significant number of the port calls
made by our vessels involve the transportation of dry bulk products to ports in the Asia Pacific region. As a result, continued
economic slowdown in the region or changes in the regulatory environment, and particularly in China or Japan, could have an adverse
effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Before the global economic financial crisis
that began in 2008, China had one of the world’s fastest growing economies in terms of gross domestic product, or GDP, which
had a significant impact on shipping demand. The growth rate of China’s GDP continues to remain below pre-2008 levels. In
addition, China has imposed measures to restrain lending, which may further contribute to a slowdown in its economic growth. China
and other countries in the Asia Pacific region may continue to experience slowed or even negative economic growth in the future.
Many of the economic and political reforms
adopted by the Chinese government are unprecedented or experimental and may be subject to revision, change or abolition based
upon the outcome of such experiments. If the Chinese government does not continue to pursue a policy of economic reform, the level
of imports of exports of dry bulk products to and from China could be adversely affected by changes to these economic reforms
by the Chinese government, as well as by changes in political, economic and social conditions or other relevant policies of the
Chinese government, such as changes in laws, regulations or restrictions on importing commodities into the country. Notwithstanding
economic reform, the Chinese government may adopt policies that favor domestic shipping companies and may hinder our ability to
compete with them effectively. Moreover, a significant or protracted slowdown in the economies of the United States, the European
Union or various Asian countries or changes in the regulatory environment may adversely affect economic growth in China and elsewhere.
Our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected by an economic
downturn or changes in the regulatory environment in any of these countries.
We conduct a substantial amount
of business in China.
The Chinese legal system is based on written
statutes and their legal interpretation by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Prior court decisions
may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. Since 1979, the Chinese government has been developing a comprehensive
system of commercial laws, and considerable progress has been made in introducing laws and regulations dealing with economic matters
such as foreign investment, corporate organization and governance, commerce, taxation and trade. However, because these laws and
regulations are relatively new, there is a general lack of internal guidelines or authoritative interpretive guidance and because
of the limited number of published cases and their non-binding nature interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations
involve uncertainties. We conduct a substantial portion of our business in China or with Chinese counter parties. For example,
we enter into charters with Chinese customers, which charters may be subject to new regulations in China. We may, therefore, be
required to incur new or additional compliance or other administrative costs, and pay new taxes or other fees to the Chinese government.
Changes in laws and regulations, including with regards to tax matters, and their implementation by local authorities could affect
our vessels that are either chartered to Chinese customers or that call to Chinese ports and could have a material adverse effect
on our business, results of operations and financial condition and our ability to pay dividends.
The Chinese economy differs from the economies
of western countries in such respects as structure, government involvement, level of development, growth rate, capital reinvestment,
allocation of resources, bank regulation, currency and monetary policy, rate of inflation and balance of payments position. Although
state-owned enterprises still account for a substantial portion of the Chinese industrial output, in general, the Chinese government
is reducing the level of direct control that it exercises over the economy. There is an increasing level of freedom and autonomy
in areas such as allocation of resources, production, pricing and management and a gradual shift in emphasis to a “market
economy” and enterprise reform, although it still acts with greater control than a truly free-market economy. Many of the
Chinese government’s reforms are unprecedented or experimental and may be subject to revision, change or abolition based
upon the outcome of such experiments. The level of imports to and exports from China could be adversely affected by the failure
to continue market reforms or changes to existing pro-export economic policies. The level of imports to and exports from China
may also be adversely affected by changes in political, economic and social conditions (including a slowing of economic growth)
or other relevant policies of the Chinese government, such as changes in laws, regulations or export and import restrictions,
internal political instability, changes in currency policies, changes in trade policies and territorial or trade disputes. A decrease
in the level of imports to and exports from China could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
If economic conditions throughout
the world do not improve, it will impede our operations.
Negative trends in the global economy
that emerged in 2008 continue to adversely affect global economic conditions. In addition, the world economy continues to face
a number of new challenges, including uncertainty related to the winding down of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s bond buying
program and declining global growth rates. These challenges also include continuing turmoil and hostilities in the Middle East,
Ukraine, North Africa and other geographic areas and countries and continuing economic weakness in the European Union. An extended
period of deterioration in the outlook for the world economy could increase our bunker prices and lessen overall demand for our
services. Such changes could adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows.
We face risks attendant to changes in
economic environments, changes in interest rates and instability in the banking and securities markets around the world, among
other factors. We cannot predict how long the current market conditions will last. However, these recent and developing economic
and governmental factors, together with the concurrent decline in charter rates and vessel values, may have a material adverse
effect on our results of operations and may cause the price of our common shares to decline.
Continued economic slowdown in the Asia
Pacific region, particularly in China, may exacerbate the effect on us, as we anticipate a significant number of the port calls
made by our vessels will continue to involve the loading or discharging of dry bulk commodities in ports in the Asia Pacific region.
Before the global economic financial crisis that began in 2008, China had one of the world’s fastest growing economies in
terms of GDP, which had a significant impact on shipping demand. The growth rate of China’s GDP is estimated to have decreased
to approximately 6.9% for the year ended December 31, 2015, which is China’s lowest growth rate for the past five years,
and continues to remain below pre-2008 levels. China has recently imposed measures to restrain lending, which may further contribute
to a slowdown in its economic growth, while it has announced plans to gradually transition from an investment led growth model
to a consumption driven economic growth model, which could lead to smaller demand for iron ore and other commodities. This transition
may take place over the span of a number of years, and there can be no assurance as to the time frame for such a transformation
or that any such transformation will occur at all. It is possible that China and other countries in the Asia Pacific region
will continue to experience slowed or even negative economic growth in the near future. Moreover, the current economic slowdown
in the economies of the United States, the European Union and other Asian countries may further adversely affect economic growth
in China and elsewhere. Our business, financial condition and results of operations, ability to pay dividends, if any, as well
as our future prospects, will likely be materially and adversely affected by a further economic downturn in any of these countries.
Company Specific Risk Factors
There are doubts about our ability
to continue as a going concern.
We had a working capital deficit (being
our total consolidated current liabilities exceeding our total consolidated current assets) of $64.9 million as of December 31,
2015. See “—At December 31, 2015, Globus’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets” for more information.
As of December 31, 2015, we were in breach
in most of the covenants included in our loan agreements with HSH Nordbank AG, Commerzbank AG and DVB Bank SE. Although none of
the lenders declared an event of default and we have obtained relaxations and waivers as described herein, if breaches like these
persist, our lenders may require immediate repayment of their loans.
Our ability to become profitable depends
upon our ability to generate revenues and/or obtain financing adequate to fulfill our shipping activities, and achieving a level
of revenues adequate to support our operating expenses has raised substantial doubts about our ability to continue as a going
concern. We plan to attempt to raise additional capital by selling securities through one or more private placement or public
offerings, which may include a rights offering, or by borrowing additional funds. All of our vessels are pledged as collateral
to a bank, and therefore if we were to sell one or more vessels, the net proceeds of such sale would be used first to repay the
outstanding debt to which the vessel is collateralized with, and the remainder, if any, would be for our use, subject to the terms
of our remaining loan and credit arrangements. However, the doubts raised relating to our ability to continue as a going concern
may make our securities an unattractive investment for potential investors. These factors, among others, may make it difficult
to raise any additional capital.
We have a number of unsecured credit facilities
outstanding in addition to secured loan agreements. When those unsecured credit facilities, namely the Firment Credit Facility
and Silaner Credit Facility, become due, it is not likely that we will have the cash flow to repay these facilities if the current
economic conditions don’t improve, unless we are able to raise funds by incurring new debt or issuing new securities.
At December 31, 2015, Globus’s
current liabilities exceeded its current assets.
Working capital, which is current assets,
minus current liabilities, including the current portion of long-term debt, amounted to a working capital deficit of $64.9 million
as of December 31, 2015.
Current liabilities include:
(1) the total amount outstanding
of $27.3 million with respect to the HSH Loan Agreement with HSH Nordbank AG. Globus reached to an agreement in principle (which
is subject to completing final documentation) with HSH Nordbank AG in April 2016, which included the principal repayment of $1.39
million in 2016. For more information, see Item 5.B Liquidity and Capital Resources – Indebtedness.”
(2) the total amount outstanding
of $15.65 million with respect to the Kelty Loan Agreement. In March 2016, Globus reached a settlement agreement with Commerzbank.
Commerzbank agreed to settle the outstanding indebtedness of $15.65 million in return for the sale of the shares of Kelty Marine
Ltd. for $6.86 million plus overdue interest of $40,708. If the total amount of cash and bank balances and bank deposits exceeds
$10 million in the aggregate as declared on June 30, 2016 then we must pay to Commerzbank any excess amounts. If there is no excess,
Globus will be released from its guarantee. For more information, see Item 5.B Liquidity and Capital Resources – Indebtedness.”
(3) the total amount outstanding
of $21 million with respect to the Loan Agreement with DVB Bank SE. In April 2016, Globus reached an agreement with the lender
on certain amendments and waivers to the terms of the loan agreement which are valid for the period from March 1, 2016 to March
31, 2017. It was agreed that Globus will make a principal prepayment of $1.7 million for 2016, which we have made, and the remaining
amount will be deferred to the balloon payments. For more information, see Item 5.B Liquidity and Capital Resources – Indebtedness.”
As of December 31, 2015, the Company was
in breach of the financial covenants included in all of its loan agreements, the total outstanding balance of those loans was
classified under current liabilities, except for the outstanding balance with Firment Trading Limited.
In March 2016, the Company reached a settlement
with Commerzbank AG, and in April 2016 the Company entered into a supplemental agreement with DVB Bank SE and an agreement in
principle (which is subject to completing final documentation) with HSH Nordbank AG. Subject to completing final documentation
with HSH Nordbank AG, all the covenant breaches were remediated or waived. For more information, see Item 5.B Liquidity and Capital
Resources – Indebtedness.”
After the effect of these agreements the
working capital deficit becomes approximately $20 million as of December 31, 2015.
We were in breach of the covenants
contained in the DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement
.
As of December 31, 2015, the Company was
in breach of the financial covenants included in all of its loan agreements, the total outstanding balance of those loans was
classified under current liabilities, except for the outstanding balance with Firment Trading Limited.
We received relaxations and/or waivers
regarding the covenants contained in the DVB Loan Agreement and HSH Loan Agreement in April 2016. Our supplemental agreement with
HSH Nordbank AG is subject to completing final documentation. The relaxations and/or waivers conditionally provide for the suspension
of certain financial covenants, including maintaining a minimum liquidity and minimum net worth, and allows for certain payments
of dividends.
See “Item 5.B Liquidity and Capital
Resources – Indebtedness.”
All our loan arrangements with third parties
(that is, all of our loan arrangements other than the Firment Credit Facility and the Silaner Credit Facility, which are both
affiliates of our chairman Mr. George Feidakis) contain cross-default provisions that provide that if we are in default under
any of our loan arrangements, the lender of another loan arrangement can declare a default under its other loan arrangement, which
could result in our default of all of our loan arrangements. Because of the presence of cross-default provisions in these loan
arrangements, the refusal of any lender to grant or extend a relaxation or waiver could result in most of our indebtedness being
accelerated, notwithstanding that other lenders have relaxed or waived covenant defaults under their respective loan arrangements.
Our supplemental agreement with HSH Nordbank AG is subject to completing final documentation.
As of the date of this annual report on
Form 20-F, none of our lenders had declared an event of default under the relevant loan agreements for which we were not in compliance
as of December 31, 2015.
Restrictive covenants in the DVB
Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement may impose financial and other restrictions on us, including cross-default provisions,
and we cannot assure you that we will be able to borrow funds from future debt arrangements.
The DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan
Agreement impose operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions may limit our ability to, among other things:
|
Ø
|
create or permit liens on
our assets;
|
|
Ø
|
engage in mergers or consolidations;
|
|
Ø
|
change the flag or classification
society of our vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
change the management of
our vessels.
|
These
restrictions could limit our ability to finance our future operations or capital needs, make acquisitions or pursue available
business opportunities. In addition, the DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement will, and future credit arrangements will
likely,
require us to maintain specified financial ratios and
satisfy financial covenants during the remaining terms of such agreements, some of which are based upon the market value of our
fleet. If the market value of our fleet declines sharply, we may not be in compliance with certain provisions of the DVB Loan
Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement, and we may not be able to refinance our debt or obtain additional financing. The market
value of dry bulk vessels is sensitive, among other things, to changes in the dry bulk charter market, with vessel values deteriorating
in times when dry bulk charter rates are falling and improving when charter rates are anticipated to rise. The current low charter
rates in the dry bulk market, along with the oversupply of dry bulk carriers and the prevailing difficulty in obtaining financing
for vessel purchases, have adversely affected dry bulk vessel values, including the vessels in our fleet. As a result, we may
not meet certain minimum asset coverage ratios and other financial ratios which are included in our loan arrangements.
For a more detailed discussion on our
loan covenants, including breaches of them and relaxations and/or waivers we obtained, see “Item 5.B Liquidity and Capital
Resources—Indebtedness.”
Events beyond our control, including changes
in the economic and business conditions in the shipping sectors in which we operate, may affect our ability to comply with these
covenants. We cannot assure you that we will satisfy these requirements or that our lenders will remediate or waive any failure
to do so.
If an event of default occurs under the
DVB Loan Agreement or the HSH Loan Agreement the respective lender could elect to declare the outstanding debt, together with
accrued interest and other fees, to be immediately due and payable and proceed against the collateral securing that debt, which
could constitute all or substantially all of our assets.
Furthermore, each of our loan arrangements
with third parties contains a cross-default provision that may be triggered by a default under any of our other loans (This excludes
the unsecured credit facility with Firment Trading Limited and Silaner Investments Limited, which are both affiliates of our chairman
Mr. George Feidakis.) A cross-default provision means that a default on one loan could result in a default on all of our other
loans. Because of the presence of cross-default provisions in these secured loan arrangements, the refusal of any one lender to
grant or extend a relaxation or waiver could result in most of our indebtedness being accelerated even if our other secured lenders
have relaxed or waived covenant defaults under their respective loan arrangements. If our indebtedness is accelerated, it will
be very difficult in the current financing environment for us to refinance our debt or obtain additional financing and we could
lose our vessels if our lenders foreclose their liens, and our ability to conduct our business would be severely impaired.
Our discretion is limited because we may
need to obtain consent from our lenders in order to engage in certain corporate actions. Our lenders’ interests may be different
from ours, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to obtain our lenders’ consent when needed. This may limit our ability
to pay dividends to our shareholders, finance our future operations or pursue business opportunities.
We cannot assure you that we will
be able to refinance our existing indebtedness or obtain additional financing.
We may finance future fleet expansion
with additional secured indebtedness. While we may refinance amounts drawn under the DVB Loan Agreement, the HSH Loan Agreement,
the Firment Credit Facility or Silaner Credit Facility or secure new debt facilities with the net proceeds of future debt and
equity offerings, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so at an interest rate or on terms that are acceptable to us
or at all. Our ability to obtain bank financing or to access the capital markets for future offerings may be limited by our financial
condition at the time of any such financing or offering, including the actual or perceived credit quality of our charterers and
the market value of our fleet, as well as by adverse market conditions resulting from, among other things, general economic conditions,
weakness in the financial markets and contingencies and uncertainties that are beyond our control. Significant contraction, de-leveraging
and reduced liquidity in credit markets worldwide is reducing the availability and increasing the cost of credit.
If we are not able to refinance the DVB
Loan Agreement, the HSH Loan Agreement, the Firment Credit Facility and the Silaner Credit Facility or obtain new debt financing
on terms acceptable to us, we will have to dedicate a portion of our cash flow from operations to pay the principal and interest
of this indebtedness. If we are not able to satisfy these obligations, we may have to undertake alternative financing plans. In
addition, debt service payments under the DVB Loan Agreement, the HSH Loan Agreement, the Firment Credit Facility and the Silaner
Credit Facility or alternative financing may limit funds otherwise available for working capital, capital expenditures, the payment
of dividends and other purposes. Our inability to obtain additional or replacement financing at anticipated costs or at all may
materially affect our results of operation, our ability to implement our business strategy, our payment of dividends and our ability
to continue as a going concern.
In December 2013, we entered into a credit
facility for up to $4.0 million with Firment Trading Limited, a company related to us through common control, for the purpose
of financing its general working capital needs. During December 2014, the credit limit of the facility increased from $4.0 to
$8.0 million, and in December 2015 the credit limit of the facility increased from $8.0 to $20.0 million. In December 2015, the
Firment Credit Facility was assigned from Firment Trading Limited, a Cypriot company, to Firment Trading Limited, a Marshall Islands
corporation, each of which is a company related to us through common control. We have the right to drawdown any amount up to $20.0
million or prepay any amount, during the availability period, in multiples of $0.1 million. Currently, we have $15.9 million drawn
under the Firment Credit Facility. Any prepaid amount can be re-borrowed in accordance with the terms of the Firment Credit Facility.
Please read “Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” for further information.
In February 2015, we entered into a new
loan agreement with HSH Nordbank AG, the HSH Loan Agreement, for up to $30.0 million for the purpose of a partial refinancing
of our then existing credit facility with Credit Suisse AG. Please read “Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”
for further information. We were in breach of covenants contained in this agreement as of December 31, 2015, and have agreed with
HSH to relax or waive certain provisions thereof. Our supplemental agreement with HSH Nordbank AG is subject to completing final
documentation.
It was agreed that the Company would receive
relaxations and/or waivers or covenant amendments until March 2017 regarding the financial covenants contained in the HSH Loan
Agreement. More specifically we agreed:
|
·
|
the
aggregate fair market value of the mortgaged vessels must equal or exceed 60% of the
outstanding balance under the loan agreement instead of 125%;
|
|
·
|
the
ratio of Globus’s total liabilities to its market adjusted total assets shall always
be not higher than 200% instead of 75%;
|
|
·
|
the
Company’s requirement to maintain a minimum market adjusted net worth of more than
or equal $30 million was waived;
|
|
·
|
the
vessel owning subsidiaries must each maintain a minimum liquidity of $70,000 in an account
pledged to the bank instead of $250,000; and
|
|
·
|
The
requirement that Globus maintain a minimum liquidity of greater than 5% of its consolidated
indebtedness was waived. Please see “Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”
for further information.
|
In January 2016, we entered into a credit
facility for up to $3.0 million with Silaner Investments Limited, a company related to us through common control, for the purpose
of financing its general working capital needs. Currently, we have $2.15 million drawn under the Silaner Credit Facility. Any
prepaid amount can be re-borrowed in accordance with the terms of the Silaner Credit Facility. Please read “Item 5.B. Liquidity
and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” for further information.
We may not finalize documentation
on our April 2016 loan modification from HSH.
In April, 2016 we reached an agreement
in principle with HSH which, among other matters, modified our loan repayment schedule and relaxed or waived what would have otherwise
been violations of loan covenants. We intend to complete the formal documentation of this arrangement and have no reason to believe
that HSH does not similarly intend to do so.
If we are unable to complete formal documentation
of this agreement, and are unable to enforce the terms of the agreement in principle or to otherwise refinance the HSH Loan Agreement
or obtain new debt financing on terms acceptable to us, we will have to dedicate a portion of our cash flow from operations to
pay the principal and interest of this indebtedness. If we are not able to satisfy these obligations, we may have to undertake
alternative financing plans, and we would be in breach of the covenants under the HSH Loan Agreement. Even if we enforce the terms
that we believe have been agreed, such may take a fair amount of time and expense to accomplish.
In addition, debt service payments under
the HSH Loan Agreement may limit funds otherwise available for working capital, capital expenditures, the payment of dividends
and other purposes. Our inability to obtain additional or replacement financing at anticipated costs or at all may materially
affect our results of operation, our ability to implement our business strategy, our payment of dividends and our ability to continue
as a going concern.
Please see “Item 5.B. Liquidity
and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” for further information.
Our common shares may be delisted from Nasdaq, which
could affect its market price and liquidity.
We are required to meet certain qualitative
and financial tests (including a minimum bid price for our common shares of $1.00 per share, at least 500,000 publicly held shares,
at least 300 public holders, and a market value of publicly held securities of $1 million), as well as other corporate governance
standards, to maintain the listing of our common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. It is possible that we could fail to satisfy
one or more of these requirements. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain compliance with the minimum bid
price, shareholders’ equity, number of publicly held shares or other listing standards in the future. We may receive notices
from Nasdaq that we have failed to meet its requirements, and proceedings to delist our stock could be commenced. In such event,
Nasdaq rules permit us to appeal any delisting determination to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. If we are unable to maintain or regain
compliance in a timely manner and our common shares are delisted, it could be more difficult to buy or sell our common shares
and obtain accurate quotations, and the price of our shares could suffer a material decline. Delisting may also impair our ability
to raise capital. Delisting of our shares would breach a number of our credit facilities and loan arrangements, some of which
contain cross default provisions. There could also be adverse tax consequences—please read “Item 10.E Taxation –
United States Tax Considerations - United States Federal Income Taxation of United States Holders – Distributions”
for further information.
In October 2015, when the Company’s
common shares traded on the Nasdaq Global Market, the Company received written notification from the Nasdaq Stock Market dated
October 22, 2015 indicating that because the market value of the Company's publicly held common stock ("MVPHS") for
the previous 30 consecutive business days was below the minimum requirement of $5,000,000, the Company no longer met the minimum
MVPHS continued listing requirement for the Nasdaq Global Market, as set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(b)(1)(C). Pursuant
to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(D), the Company was granted a grace period of 180 calendar days (or until April 19, 2016) to
regain compliance with Nasdaq's MVPHS requirement. Furthermore, in November 2015, the Company received written notification from
the Nasdaq Stock Market dated November 9, 2015 indicating that because the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock
for the previous 30 consecutive business days was below $1.00 per share, the Company no longer met the minimum bid price continued
listing requirement for the Nasdaq Global Market, as set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). Pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rules,
the applicable grace period to regain compliance was 180 days, or until May 9, 2016. Subsequent to these two events the Company
monitored closely both its MVPHS and closing bid price and looked into ways of curing both deficiencies. The Company transferred
from the Nasdaq Global Market to the Nasdaq Capital Market, where the MVPHS requirement is only $1,000,000. The Company’s
common shares commenced trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 11, 2016. However, the Company is still facing the bid price
requirement deadline of May 9, 2016. If at that time, and as per the November 9, 2015 letter the Company received, it meets the
$1,000,000 MVPHS and all other initial listing standards (except the bid price) then the Company will receive a written notification
from Nasdaq confirming its eligibility for a second grace period of 180 days. The Company deems it in the best interest of its
shareholders to remain listed and currently intends to do so by providing a written notice to Nasdaq of its intention to effect
a reverse stock split if necessary.
We may be unable to successfully
employ our vessels on long-term time charters or take advantage of favorable opportunities involving short-term or spot market
charter rates.
Our strategy involves employing our vessels
primarily on time charters generally with durations between three months and five years. As of December 31, 2015, all of our vessels
were employed on short-term time charters or on spot charters. Although time charters with durations of one to five years may
provide relatively steady streams of revenue, if our vessels were committed to such charters they may not be available for re-chartering
or for spot market voyages when such employment would allow us to realize the benefits of comparably more favorable charter rates.
In addition, in the future, we may not be able to enter into new time charters on favorable terms. The market is volatile, and
in the past charter rates have declined below operating costs of vessels and such is currently the case. If we are required to
enter into a charter when charter rates are low, employ our vessels on the spot market during periods when charter rates have
fallen or we are unable to take advantage of short-term opportunities on the spot or charter market, our earnings and profitability
could be adversely affected. We cannot assure you that future charter rates will enable us to operate our vessels profitably or
to pay dividends, or both.
We may also decide that it makes economic
sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those vessels will not be able
to earn any hire.
As we expand our business, we may
have difficulty improving our operating and financial systems and recruiting suitable employees and crew for our vessels.
Our current operating and financial systems
may not be adequate if we expand the size of our fleet, and our attempts to improve those systems may be ineffective. In addition,
as we seek to expand our internal technical management capabilities and our fleet, we or our crewing agents may need to recruit
suitable additional seafarers and shore based administrative and management personnel. We cannot guarantee that we or our crewing
agents will be able to hire suitable employees or a sufficient number of employees if and as we expand our fleet. If we or our
crewing agent encounter business or financial difficulties, we may not be able to adequately staff our vessels. If we are unable
to develop and maintain effective financial and operating systems or to recruit suitable employees as we expand our fleet, our
financial performance may be adversely affected and, among other things, the amount of cash available for distribution as dividends
to our shareholders may be reduced or eliminated.
Recently, the limited supply of and increased
demand for well-qualified crew, due to the increase in the size of the global shipping fleet, has created upward pressure on crewing
costs, which we generally bear under our time and spot charters. Increases in crew costs may adversely affect our profitability,
results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
The smuggling of drugs or other
contraband onto our vessels may lead to governmental claims against us.
We expect that our vessels will call at
ports where smugglers may attempt to hide drugs and other contraband on vessels, with or without the knowledge of crew members.
To the extent that our vessels are found with contraband, whether inside or attached to the hull of our vessel, and whether with
or without the knowledge of any of our crew, we may face governmental or other regulatory claims that could have an adverse effect
on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
Labor interruptions could disrupt
our business.
Our vessels are manned by masters, officers
and crews (totaling 133 as of December 31, 2015). Seafarers manning the vessels in our fleet are covered by industry-wide collective
bargaining agreements that set basic standards. Any labor interruptions or employment disagreements with our crew members could
disrupt our operations and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial
condition and ability to pay dividends. We cannot assure you that collective bargaining agreements will prevent labor interruptions.
Our charterers may renegotiate or default on their charters.
Our charters provide the charterer the
right to terminate the charter on the occurrence of stated events or the existence of specified conditions. In addition, the ability
and willingness of each of our charterers to perform its obligations under its charter with us will depend on a number of factors
that are beyond our control. These factors may include general economic conditions, the condition of the dry bulk shipping industry
and the overall financial condition of the counterparties. The costs and delays associated with the default of a charterer of
a vessel may be considerable and may adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and
ability to pay dividends.
In the recent depressed dry bulk market
conditions, there have been numerous reports of charterers renegotiating their charters or defaulting on their obligations under
their charters. If our current charterers or a future charterer defaults on a charter, we will seek the remedies available to
us, which may include arbitration or litigation to enforce the contract, although such efforts may not be successful and for short
term charters may cost more to enforce than the potential recovery. We cannot predict whether our charterers will, upon the expiration
of their charters, re-charter our vessels on favorable terms or at all. If our charterers decide not to re-charter our vessels,
we may not be able to re-charter them on terms similar to the terms of our current charters or at all. If we receive lower charter
rates under replacement charters or are unable to re-charter all of our vessels, this may adversely affect our business, results
of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
The aging of our fleet may result
in increased operating costs in the future.
In general, the cost of maintaining a
vessel in good operating condition increases with the age of the vessel. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the weighted average
age of the vessels in our fleet was 7.4 and 8.1 years, respectively. As of March 31, 2016, the weighted average age of the five
vessels we own was 8.1. Our oldest vessel was built in 2005, and our youngest vessel was built in 2010. As our fleet ages, we
will incur increased costs. Older vessels are typically less fuel efficient and more costly to maintain than more recently constructed
vessels due to improvements in engine technology. Cargo insurance rates, paid by charterers, increase with the age of a vessel,
making older vessels less desirable to charterers. Governmental regulations, safety or other equipment standards related to the
age of vessels may require expenditures for alterations or the addition of new equipment, to our vessels and may restrict the
type of activities in which our vessels may engage. We cannot assure you that, as our vessels age, further market conditions will
justify those expenditures or enable us to operate our vessels profitably during the remainder of their useful lives.
We may also decide that it makes economic
sense to lay up one or more vessels. While our vessels are laid up, we will pay lay-up costs, but those vessels will not be able
to earn any hire.
We may have difficulty managing
our planned growth properly.
Any future acquisitions of additional
vessels will impose additional responsibilities on our management and staff and may require us to increase the number of our personnel.
In the event of a future acquisition of additional vessels, we will also have to increase our customer base to provide continued
employment for the new vessels.
We intend to continue to stabilize and
then to try to grow our business through disciplined acquisitions of vessels that meet our selection criteria and newly built
vessels if we can negotiate attractive purchase prices. Our future growth will primarily depend on:
|
Ø
|
locating and acquiring suitable
vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
identifying and consummating
acquisitions;
|
|
Ø
|
enhancing our customer base;
|
|
Ø
|
managing our expansion; and
|
|
Ø
|
obtaining required financing
on acceptable terms.
|
A delay in the delivery to us of any such
vessel, or the failure of the shipyard to deliver a vessel at all, could cause us to breach our obligations under a related charter
and could adversely affect our earnings. In addition, the delivery of any of these vessels with substantial defects could have
similar consequences. A shipyard could fail to deliver a new-building on time or at all because of:
|
Ø
|
work
stoppages or other hostilities or political or economic disturbances that disrupt the operations of the shipyard;
|
|
Ø
|
quality
or engineering problems;
|
|
Ø
|
bankruptcy
or other financial crisis of the shipyard;
|
|
Ø
|
a backlog
of orders at the shipyard;
|
|
Ø
|
weather
interference or catastrophic events, such as major earthquakes or fires;
|
|
Ø
|
our
requests for changes to the original vessel specifications or disputes with the shipyard;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
shortages of or
delays in the receipt of necessary construction materials, such as steel; or
|
|
Ø
|
shortages
of or delays in the receipt of necessary equipment, such as main engines, electricity generators and propellers.
|
In addition, if we enter a new-building
or secondhand contract in the future, we may seek to terminate the contract due to market conditions, financing limitations or
other reasons. The outcome of contract termination negotiations may require us to forego deposits on construction or purchase
and pay additional cancellation fees. In addition, where we have already arranged a future charter with respect to the terminated
new-building contract, we would need to provide an acceptable substitute vessel to the charterer to avoid breaching our charter
agreement.
During periods in which charter rates
are high, vessel values generally are high as well, and it may be difficult to consummate vessel acquisitions or enter into new-building
contracts at favorable prices. During periods when charter rates are low, such as the current market, we may be unable to fund
the acquisition of new-buildings, whether through lending or cash on hand. For these reasons, we may be unable to execute our
growth plans or avoid significant expenses and losses in connection with our future growth efforts.
Growing any business by acquisition presents
numerous risks, such as undisclosed liabilities and obligations, the possibility that indemnification agreements will be unenforceable
or insufficient to cover potential losses and difficulties associated with imposing common standards, controls, procedures and
policies, obtaining additional qualified personnel, managing relationships with customers and integrating newly acquired assets
and operations into existing infrastructure. We cannot give any assurance that we will be successful in executing our growth plans
or that we will not incur significant expenses and losses in connection with our future growth.
To the extent we scrap or sell vessels,
we may decide to terminate the employment of some of our staff.
Legislative or regulatory changes in Greece may adversely
affect our results from operations.
Globus Shipmanagement Corp., our ship
management subsidiary, who we refer to as our Manager, is regulated under Greek Law 89/67, and conducts its operations and those
on our behalf primarily in Greece. Greece has been implementing new legislative measures to address financial difficulties, several
of which as a response from oversight by the International Monetary Fund and by European regulatory bodies such as the European
Central bank. Such legislative actions may impose new regulations on our operations in Greece that will require us to incur new
or additional compliance or other administrative costs and may require that our Manager or we pay to the Greek government new
taxes or other fees. Any such taxes, fees or costs we incur could be in amounts that are significantly greater than those in the
past and could adversely affect our results from operations.
For example, in January 2013, tax law
4110/2013 amended the long-standing provisions of art. 26 of law 27/1975 by imposing a fixed annual tonnage tax on vessels flying
a foreign (i.e., non-Greek) flag which are managed by a Law 89 company, establishing an identical tonnage tax regime as the one
already in force for vessels flying the Greek flag. This tax varies depending on the size of the vessel, calculated in gross registered
tonnage, as well as on the age of each vessel. Payment of this tonnage tax completely satisfies all income tax obligations of
both the shipowning company and of all its shareholders up to the ultimate beneficial owners. Any tax payable to the state of
the flag of each vessel as a result of its registration with a foreign flag registry (including the Marshall Islands) is subtracted
from the amount of tonnage tax due to the Greek tax authorities.
The Greek crisis could adversely
affect the operations of our fleet manager, which has offices in Greece.
Globus Shipmanagement Corp., our Manager,
has an office in Greece. As a result of the ongoing economic slump in Greece and the capital controls imposed by the government
in June 2015, our Manager may be subjected to new regulations that may require us to incur new or additional compliance or other
administrative costs and may require that we pay to the Greek government new taxes or other fees. Furthermore, renewed political
uncertainty and social unrest due to the worsening economic conditions and the growing refugee population in the country may undermine
Greece's political and economic stability and may lead it to exit the Eurozone, which may adversely affect the operations of our
Manager located in Greece. We also face the risk that enhanced capital controls, strikes, work stoppages, civil unrest and violence
within Greece may disrupt the operations of our Manager.
We rely on our information systems
to conduct our business.
The efficient operation of our business
is dependent on computer hardware and software systems. Information systems are vulnerable to security breaches by computer hackers
and cyber terrorists. We rely on industry accepted security measures and technology to securely maintain confidential and proprietary
information maintained on our information systems. However, these measures and technology may not adequately prevent security
breaches. In addition, the unavailability of the information systems or the failure of these systems to perform as anticipated
for any reason could disrupt our business and could result in decreased performance and increased operating costs, causing our
business and results of operations to suffer. Any significant interruption or failure of our information systems or any significant
breach of security could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We expect that a limited number
of financial institutions will hold our cash including financial institutions that may be located in Greece.
We expect that a limited number of financial
institutions will hold all of our cash, including some institutions located in Greece. Our bank accounts are with banks in Switzerland,
Germany and Greece.
Of the financial institutions located in Greece, none are subsidiaries of international banks. We
do not expect that these balances will be covered by insurance in the event of default by these financial institutions. The occurrence
of such a default could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows,
and we may lose part or all of our cash that we deposit with such banks.
Purchasing and operating secondhand
vessels may result in increased operating costs and reduced fleet utilization.
While we have the right to inspect previously
owned vessels prior to our purchase of them, such an inspection does not provide us with the same knowledge about their condition
that we would have if these vessels had been built for and operated exclusively by us. A secondhand vessel may have conditions
or defects that we are not aware of when we buy the vessel and which may require us to incur costly repairs to the vessel. These
repairs may require us to put a vessel into drydocking, which would increase cash outflows and related expenses, while reducing
our fleet utilization. Furthermore, we usually do not receive the benefit of warranties on secondhand vessels.
The declaration and payment of dividends
to holders of our common shares will depend on a number of factors and will always be subject to the discretion of our board of
directors.
We are not in compliance with our loan
covenants, and were we to receive a notice of default and be unable to cure it under the terms of our loan covenants, we may be
forbidden from issuing dividends. There can be no assurance that dividends will be paid to holders of our shares in any anticipated
amounts and frequency at all. Our policy is, to the extent permitted by law and applicable contractual obligations, to declare
and pay to holders of our shares a variable quarterly dividend in excess of 50% of the net income of the previous quarter subject
to any reserves our board of directors may from time to time determine are required. However, we may incur other expenses or liabilities
that would reduce or eliminate the cash available for distribution as dividends, including as a result of the risks described
in this section of this annual report on Form 20-F. The DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement also prohibit our declaration
and payment of dividends under some circumstances. Under each of the DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement we will be
prohibited from paying dividends if an event of default has occurred or any event has occurred or circumstance arisen which with
the giving of notice or the lapse of time or the satisfaction of any other condition would constitute an event of default under
the DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement. Please read “Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”
for further information. We may also enter into new financing or other agreements that may restrict our ability to pay dividends.
In addition, we may pay dividends to the holders of our Series A Preferred Shares prior to the holders of our shares.
The declaration and payment of dividends
to holders of our shares will be subject at all times to the discretion of our board of directors, and will be paid equally on
a per-share basis between our common shares and our Class B shares, to the extent any are issued and outstanding. We can provide
no assurance that dividends will be paid in the future.
There may be a high degree of variability
from period to period in the amount of cash, if any, that is available for the payment of dividends based upon, among other things:
|
Ø
|
the
rates we obtain from our charters as well as the rates obtained upon the expiration of our existing charters;
|
|
Ø
|
the
level of our operating costs;
|
|
Ø
|
the
number of unscheduled off-hire days and the timing of, and number of days required for, scheduled drydocking of our vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
vessel
acquisitions and related financings;
|
|
Ø
|
restrictions
in the DVB Loan Agreement and the HSH Loan Agreement and in any future debt arrangements;
|
|
Ø
|
our
ability to obtain debt and equity financing on acceptable terms as contemplated by our growth strategy;
|
|
Ø
|
prevailing
global and regional economic and political conditions;
|
|
Ø
|
the
effect of governmental regulations and maritime self-regulatory organization standards on the conduct of our business;
|
|
Ø
|
our overall financial condition;
|
|
Ø
|
our cash requirements and
availability;
|
|
Ø
|
the amount of cash reserves
established by our board of directors; and
|
|
Ø
|
restrictions under Marshall
Islands law.
|
Marshall Islands law generally prohibits
the payment of dividends other than from surplus or net profits, or while a company is insolvent or would be rendered insolvent
by the payment of such a dividend. We may not have sufficient funds, surplus, or net profits to make distributions.
We may incur expenses or liabilities or
be subject to other circumstances in the future that reduce or eliminate the amount of cash that we have available for distribution
as dividends, if any. Our growth strategy contemplates that we will finance the acquisition of our new-buildings or selective
acquisitions of vessels through a combination of our operating cash flow and debt financing through our subsidiaries or equity
financing. If financing is not available to us on acceptable terms, our board of directors may decide to finance or refinance
acquisitions with a greater percentage of cash from operations to the extent available, which would reduce or even eliminate the
amount of cash available for the payment of dividends. We may also enter into other agreements that will restrict our ability
to pay dividends.
The amount of cash we generate from our
operations may differ materially from our net income or loss for the period, which will be affected by non-cash items. We may
incur other expenses or liabilities that could reduce or eliminate the cash available for distribution as dividends. As a result
of these and the other factors mentioned above, we may pay dividends during periods when we record losses and may not pay dividends
during periods when we record net income, if we pay dividends at all.
We may declare and pay dividends
only to the holders of our Series A Preferred Shares or prior to declaring and paying any dividends to our common shareholders.
Our Series A Preferred Shares are entitled
to receive dividends at the sole discretion of the Remuneration Committee. The declaration and payment of any dividend to holders
of our common shares and Class B shares is also at the discretion of our board of directors. It is possible in the future that
we will pay dividends only to holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, or to holders of the Series A Preferred Shares prior to
the holders of our common shareholders (by which we mean the holders of common and Class B shares). As a result of such potential
dividend policy, the market price of our common shares could be adversely affected. Please read “Item 5.B. Liquidity and
Capital Resources—Indebtedness” for further information.
We are a holding company, and we
will depend on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us in order to satisfy our financial obligations or to make
dividend payments.
We are a holding company and our subsidiaries,
which are all directly and wholly owned by us, will conduct all of our operations and own all of our operating assets. We have
no significant assets other than the equity interests in our wholly owned subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make dividend
payments depends on our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. If we are unable to obtain funds from our subsidiaries,
our board of directors may exercise its discretion not to declare or pay dividends. In addition, our subsidiaries are subject
to limitations on the payment of dividends under Marshall Islands or Maltese law.
Management may be unable to provide
reports as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting or our independent registered public accounting
firm may be unable to provide us with unqualified attestation reports as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial
reporting.
Under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, which we refer to as Sarbanes-Oxley, we are required to include in each of our annual reports on Form 20-F a report
containing our management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and we may
also be required to include, in our future annual reports, a related attestation of our independent registered public accounting
firm. Our Manager, Globus Shipmanagement, will provide substantially all of our financial reporting, and we will depend on the
procedures it has in place. If in such annual reports on Form 20-F our management cannot provide a report as to the effectiveness
of our internal control over financial reporting or our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to provide us
with an unqualified attestation report as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as required by
Section 404, investors could lose confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial statements, which could result in
a decrease in the value of our common shares.
Unless we set aside reserves or
are able to borrow funds for vessel replacement, at the end of a vessel’s useful life our revenues will decline.
As of December 31, 2015 and December 31,
2014, the vessels in our current fleet had a weighted average age of 7.4 and 8.1 years, respectively. The weighted average of
the vessels we own as of March 31, 2016 was 8.1 years. Our oldest vessel was built in 2005, and our youngest vessel was built
in 2010. Unless we maintain reserves or are able to borrow or raise funds for vessel replacement, we will be unable to replace
the vessels in our fleet upon the expiration of their remaining useful lives, which we expect to be 25 years from the date of
their construction. Our cash flows and income are dependent on the revenues earned by the chartering of our vessels to customers.
If we are unable to replace the vessels in our fleet upon the expiration of their useful lives, our business, results of operations,
financial condition and ability to pay dividends will be materially adversely affected. Any reserves set aside for vessel replacement
may not be available for dividends.
Investments in derivative instruments
such as forward freight agreements could result in losses.
From time to time, we may take positions
in derivative instruments including forward freight agreements, or FFAs. FFAs and other derivative instruments may be used to
hedge a vessel owner’s exposure to the charter market by providing for the sale of a contracted charter rate along a specified
route and period of time. Upon settlement, if the contracted charter rate is less than the average of the rates, as reported by
an identified index, for the specified route and time period, the seller of the FFA is required to pay the buyer an amount equal
to the difference between the contracted rate and the settlement rate, multiplied by the number of days in the specified period.
Conversely, if the contracted rate is greater than the settlement rate, the buyer is required to pay the seller the settlement
sum. If we take positions in FFAs or other derivative instruments and do not correctly anticipate charter rate movements over
the specified route and time period, we could suffer losses in the settling or termination of the FFA. This could adversely affect
our results of operations, cash flow and ability to pay dividends.
We depend upon a few significant customers for a large
part of our revenues.
We may derive a significant part of our
revenue from a small number of customers. During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, we derived substantially all
of our revenues from approximately 32, 33 and 18 customers, respectively, and approximately 36%, 54% and 60%, respectively, of
our revenues during those years, were derived from four customers. If one or more of our customers that contribute to a significant
part of our revenues is unable to perform under a charter with us and we are not able to find a replacement charter, or if such
a customer exercises certain rights to terminate the charter, we could suffer a loss of revenues that could materially adversely
affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash available for distribution as dividends to our shareholders.
We could lose a customer or the benefits of a time charter
if, among other things:
|
Ø
|
the
customer fails to make charter payments because of its financial inability, disagreements with us or otherwise;
|
|
Ø
|
the
customer terminates the charter because of our non-performance, including failure to deliver the vessel within a fixed period
of time, the vessel is lost or damaged beyond repair, serious deficiencies in the vessel, prolonged periods of off-hire or
our default under the charter; or
|
|
Ø
|
the customer terminates the
charter because the vessel has been subject to seizure for more than 30 days.
|
If we lose a key customer, we may be unable
to obtain charters on comparable terms with charterers of comparable standing or we may have increased exposure to the volatile
spot market, which is highly competitive and subject to significant price fluctuations. We would not receive any revenues from
such a vessel while it remained unchartered, but we may be required to pay expenses necessary to maintain the vessel in proper
operating condition, insure it and service any indebtedness secured by such vessel. The loss of any of our customers, time charters
or vessels or a decline in payments under our charters could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations
and financial condition and our ability to pay dividends.
In addition, we are earning management
fees on the
m/v
Energy Globe
. If that vessel is sold, we will likely stop acting as manager and will no longer receive
management fees for this service.
We will earn income in 2016 by managing
a third party vessel.
We currently earn $900 per day to manage
the
m/v
Energy Globe
as further described in “Item 4.A - History and Development of the Company.” If
the ship is sold or if the current owner does not believe that we are providing adequate or economical management services, it
may terminate the ship management agreement, and we will no longer be earning this additional revenue. The loss of this revenue
could negatively impact us.
The superior voting rights of our
Class B shares, if issued, may limit our common shareholders’ ability to influence corporate matters.
We currently have no Class B shares outstanding.
Under our articles of incorporation, our Class B shares have 20 votes per share, and our common shares have one vote per share.
Even if we issue or otherwise sell additional
common shares after an issuance of Class B shares, holders of our Class B shares, depending on the number, may have substantial
control and influence over our management and affairs and over all matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election
of directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets. It is possible
that, because of this dual class stock structure, holders of our Class B shares will be able to control all matters submitted
to our shareholders for approval even though they may own significantly less than 50% of the aggregate number of outstanding shares
of our common shares and Class B shares. This potential concentrated control could limit our common shareholders’ ability
to influence corporate matters and, as a result, we may take actions that our common shareholders do not view as beneficial. As
a result, the market price of our common shares could be adversely affected.
Provisions of our articles of incorporation
and bylaws may have anti-takeover effects.
Several provisions of our articles of
incorporation and bylaws, which are summarized below, may have anti-takeover effects. These provisions are intended to avoid costly
takeover battles, lessen our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to
maximize shareholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire our company. However, these anti-takeover provisions
could also discourage, delay or prevent the merger or acquisition of our company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or
otherwise that a shareholder may consider in its best interest and the removal of incumbent officers and directors.
Multi Class Stock
. Our multi-class
stock structure, which consists of common shares, Class B shares, and preferred shares, can provide holders of our Class B shares
or preferred shares a significant degree of control over all matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election of
directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets.
Blank Check Preferred Shares
. Under
the terms of our articles of incorporation, our board of directors has authority, without any further vote or action by our shareholders,
to issue up to 100 million shares of “blank check” preferred shares. Our board could authorize the issuance of preferred
shares with voting or conversion rights that could dilute the voting power or rights of the holders of common shares. The issuance
of preferred shares, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could,
among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us or the removal of our management
and may harm the market price of our common shares.
Classified Board of Directors
.
Our articles of incorporation provide for the division of our board of directors into three classes of directors, with each class
as nearly equal in number as possible, serving staggered, three-year terms beginning upon the expiration of the initial term for
each class. Approximately one-third of our board of directors is elected each year. This classified board provision could discourage
a third party from making a tender offer for our shares or attempting to obtain control of us. It could also delay shareholders
who do not agree with the policies of our board of directors from removing a majority of our board of directors for up to two
years.
Election of Directors
. Our articles
of incorporation do not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors. Our bylaws require parties, other than the
chairman of the board of directors, board of directors and shareholders holding 30% or more of the voting power of the aggregate
number of our shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, to provide advance written notice of nominations for the election
of directors. These provisions may discourage, delay or prevent the removal of incumbent officers and directors.
Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder
Proposals and Director Nominations
. Our bylaws provide that shareholders, other than shareholders holding 30% or more of the
voting power of the aggregate number of our shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, seeking to nominate candidates
for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of shareholders must provide timely notice of their proposal
in writing to the corporate secretary. Generally, to be timely, a shareholder’s notice must be received at our principal
executive offices not less than 150 days or more than 180 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding
annual meeting of shareholders. Our bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a shareholder’s notice.
These provisions may impede a shareholder’s ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders or make nominations
for directors at an annual meeting of shareholders.
We generate revenues from the trading
of our vessels in U.S. dollars but incur a portion of our expenses in other currencies.
We generate substantially all of our revenues
from the trading of our vessels in U.S. dollars, but during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 we incurred approximately
18% and 20%, respectively, of our vessel operating expenses, and certain administrative expenses, in currencies other than the
U.S. dollar. This difference could lead to fluctuations in net profit due to changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative
to the other currencies. Expenses incurred in foreign currencies against which the U.S. dollar falls in value can increase, decreasing
our revenues. We have not hedged our currency exposure, and, as a result, our results of operations and financial condition, denominated
in U.S. dollars, and our ability to pay dividends could suffer.
Increases in interest rates may
cause the market price of our shares to decline.
An increase in interest rates may cause
a corresponding decline in demand for equity investments in general. Any such increase in interest rates or reduction in demand
for our shares resulting from other relatively more attractive investment opportunities may cause the trading price of our shares
to decline. If LIBOR increases, then our payments pursuant to certain existing loans will increase. See “Item 11. Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”
Our chairman of the board of directors
beneficially owns a majority of our total outstanding common shares and controls matters on which our shareholders are entitled
to vote.
As of December 31, 2015, Mr. George Feidakis,
the chairman of our board of directors, beneficially owns a majority of our outstanding common shares. Please read “Item
7.A. Major Shareholders.” Until such time that we issue additional securities or Mr. George Feidakis sells all or a portion
of his common shares, Mr. George Feidakis can control the outcome of matters on which our shareholders are entitled to vote, including
the election of directors and other significant corporate actions. The interests of Mr. George Feidakis may be different from
your interests.
The public market may not continue
to be active and liquid enough for you to resell our common shares in the future.
The price of our common shares may be
volatile and may fluctuate due to factors such as:
|
Ø
|
actual or anticipated
fluctuations in our quarterly and annual results and those of other public companies in our industry;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
mergers and strategic alliances in the dry bulk
shipping industry;
|
|
Ø
|
market
conditions in the dry bulk shipping industry;
|
|
Ø
|
changes
in government regulation;
|
|
Ø
|
shortfalls
in our operating results from levels forecast by securities analysts;
|
|
Ø
|
announcements
concerning us or our competitors; and
|
|
Ø
|
the
general state of the securities market.
|
Furthermore, as of December 31, 2015,
Mr. George Feidakis, the chairman of our board of directors, beneficially owns a majority of our outstanding common shares. Please
read “Item 7.A. Major Shareholders.” Where a substantial percentage of the shares of publicly traded companies are
held by a small number of shareholders, the shares may have a lower trading volume than similarly-sized publicly traded companies.
Until such time as we issue additional securities or Mr. George Feidakis sells all or a portion of his common shares, we may have
a lower trading volume than similarly-sized companies, which means shareholders who buy or sell relatively small amounts of our
common shares could have a disproportionately large impact on our share price, either positively or negatively, and could thus
make our share price more volatile than it otherwise would be.
The dry bulk shipping industry has been
highly unpredictable and volatile. The market for common shares in this industry may be equally volatile.
We may have to pay tax on U.S. source
shipping income.
Under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, or the Code, 50% of the gross shipping income of a vessel-owning or chartering company that is attributable
to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States is characterized as U.S. source
shipping income and such income is subject to a 4% U.S. federal income tax without allowance for deductions, unless that corporation
qualifies for exemption from tax under section 883 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, which
we refer to as the Section 883 Exemption. The eligibility of Globus Maritime and our subsidiaries to qualify for the Section 883
Exemption is determined each taxable year and is dependent on certain circumstances related to the ownership of our shares and
on interpretations of existing U.S. Treasury regulations, each of which could change. We can therefore give no assurance that
we will in fact be eligible to qualify for the Section 883 Exemption for all taxable years. In addition, changes to the Code,
the U.S. Treasury regulations or the interpretation thereof by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, or the courts could
adversely affect the ability of Globus Maritime and our subsidiaries to take advantage of the Section 883 Exemption.
If we are not entitled to the Section
883 Exemption for any taxable year in which any company in the group earns U.S. source shipping income, any company earning such
U.S. source shipping income, would be subject to a 4% U.S. federal income tax on the gross amount of the U.S. source shipping
income for the year (or an effective rate of 2% on shipping income attributable to the transportation of freight to or from the
United States). The imposition of this taxation could have a negative effect on our business and revenues and would result in
decreased earnings available for distribution to our shareholders.
For a more complete discussion, please
read the section entitled “Item 10.E. Taxation— United States Tax Considerations— United States Federal Income
Taxation of the Company.”
U.S. tax authorities could treat
us as a “passive foreign investment company,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to
U.S. shareholders.
A foreign corporation will be treated
as a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either at least 75% of
its gross income for any taxable year consists of certain types of “passive income” or at least 50% of the average
value of the corporation’s assets produce or are held for the production of those types of “passive income.”
For purposes of these tests, “passive income” includes dividends, interest and gains from the sale or exchange of
investment property and rents and royalties other than rents and royalties that are received from unrelated parties in connection
with the active conduct of a trade or business. For purposes of these tests, income derived from the performance of services does
not constitute “passive income.”
U.S. shareholders of a PFIC are subject
to a disadvantageous U.S. federal income tax regime with respect to the income derived by the PFIC, the distributions they receive
from the PFIC, and the gain, if any, they derive from the sale or other disposition of their shares in the PFIC, unless those
shareholders make an election available under the Code (which election could itself have adverse consequences for such shareholders).
In particular, U.S. shareholders who are individuals would not be eligible for the preferential tax rate on qualified dividends.
Please read “Item 10.E. Taxation— United States Tax Considerations— United States Federal Income Taxation of
United States Holders” for a more comprehensive discussion of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. shareholders
if we are treated as a PFIC.
Based on our current operations and anticipated
future operations, we believe we should not be treated as a PFIC. In this regard, we intend to treat gross income we derive or
are deemed to derive from our time chartering activities as services income, rather than rental income. Accordingly, we believe
that our income from our time chartering activities should not constitute “passive income,” and that the assets we
own and operate in connection with the production of that income do not constitute assets that produce or are held for the production
of “passive income.”
There are legal uncertainties involved
in this determination, because there is no direct legal authority under the PFIC rules addressing our current and projected future
operations. Moreover, a case decided in 2009 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that, contrary to the position
of the IRS in that case, and for purposes of a different set of rules under the Code, income received under a time charter of
vessels should be treated as rental income rather than services income. If the reasoning of this case were extended to the PFIC
context, the gross income we derive or are deemed to derive from our time chartering activities would be treated as rental income,
and we would be a PFIC unless an active leasing exception applies. Although the IRS has announced that it will not follow the
reasoning of this case, and that it intends to treat the income from standard industry time charters as services income, no assurance
can be given that a U.S. court will not follow the aforementioned case. Moreover, no assurance can be given that we would not
constitute a PFIC for any future taxable year if there were to be changes in our assets, income or operations.
If the IRS were to find that we are or
have been a PFIC for any taxable year, our U.S. shareholders will face adverse U.S. tax consequences and information reporting
obligations, as more fully described under “Item 10.E. Taxation—United States Tax Considerations—United States
Federal Income Taxation of United States Holders.”
We could face penalties under European
Union, United States or other economic sanctions.
Our business could be adversely impacted
if we are found to have violated economic sanctions under the applicable laws of the European Union, the United States or another
applicable jurisdiction against countries such as Iran, Sudan, Syria, North Korea and Cuba. U.S. economic sanctions, for example,
prohibit a wide scope of conduct, target numerous countries and individuals, are frequently updated or changed and have vague
application in many situations.
Many economic sanctions relate to our
business, including prohibitions on certain kinds of trade with countries, such as exportation or re-exportation of commodities,
or prohibitions against certain transactions with designated nationals who may be operating under aliases or through non-designated
companies. The imposition of Ukrainian-related economic sanctions on Russian persons, first imposed in March 2014, is an example
of economic sanctions with a potentially widespread and unpredictable impact on shipping. Certain of our charterers or other
parties with whom we have entered into contracts regarding our vessels may be affiliated with persons or entities that are the
subject of sanctions imposed by the U.S. government, the European Union and/or other international bodies relating to the annexation
of Crimea by Russia in 2014. If we determine that such sanctions require us to terminate existing contracts or if we are found
to be in violation of such applicable sanctions, our results of operations may be adversely affected or we may suffer reputational
harm.
Additionally, the U.S. Iran Threat Reduction
Act (which was signed into law in 2012) amended the Exchange Act to require issuers that file annual or quarterly reports under
Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act to include disclosure in their annual and quarterly reports as to whether the issuer or its
affiliates have knowingly engaged in certain activities prohibited by sanctions against Iran or transactions or dealings with
certain identified persons. We are subject to this disclosure requirement.
There can be no assurance that we will
be in compliance with all applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations in the future, particularly as the scope of certain
laws may be unclear and may be subject to changing interpretations. Any such violation could result in fines or other penalties
and could severely impact our ability to access U.S. capital markets and conduct our business, and could result in some investors
deciding, or being required, to divest their interest, or not to invest, in us. Even inadvertent violations of economic sanctions
can result in the imposition of material fines and restrictions and could adversely affect our business, financial condition and
results of operations, our reputation, and the market price of our common shares.
Our vessels may call on ports subject
to economic sanctions or embargoes.
From time to time on charterers’
instructions, our vessels may call on ports located in countries subject to sanctions and embargoes imposed by the United States
government and countries identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran, Sudan and Syria. The
U.S. sanctions and embargo laws and regulations vary in their application, as they do not all apply to the same covered persons
or proscribe the same activities, and such sanctions and embargo laws and regulations may be amended or strengthened over time.
On May 1, 2012, President Obama signed Executive Order 13608 which prohibits foreign persons from violating or attempting to violate,
or causing a violation of any sanctions in effect against Iran or facilitating any deceptive transactions for or on behalf of
any person subject to U.S. sanctions. Any persons found to be in violation of Executive Order 13608 will be deemed a foreign sanctions
evader and will be banned from all contacts with the United States, including conducting business in U.S. dollars.
On July 14, 2015, the P5+1 (the United
States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia and China) and the EU announced that they reached a landmark agreement with Iran
titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the JCPOA, which is intended to restrict significantly Iran’s ability
to develop and produce nuclear weapons while simultaneously easing sanctions directed at non-U.S. persons for conduct involving
Iran, but taking place outside of U.S. jurisdiction and not involving U.S. persons. On January 16, 2016, the United States joined
the EU and the United Nations in lifting a significant number of sanctions on Iran following an announcement by the International
Atomic Energy Agency, or the IAEA, that Iran had satisfied its obligations under the JCPOA.
U.S. sanctions prohibiting certain conduct
that is now permitted under the JCPOA have not actually been repealed or permanently terminated at this time. Rather, the U.S.
government has implemented changes to the sanctions regime by: (1) issuing waivers of certain statutory sanctions provisions;
(2) committing to refrain from exercising certain discretionary sanctions authorities; (3) removing certain individuals and entities
from sanctions lists; and (4) revoking certain Executive Orders and specified sections of Executive Orders. These sanctions will
not be permanently “lifted” until the earlier of October 18, 2023, or upon a report from the IAEA stating that all
nuclear material in Iran is being used for peaceful activities.
Although we believe that we have been
in compliance with all applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations, and intend to maintain such compliance, there can
be no assurance that we will be in compliance in the future as such regulations and sanctions may be amended over time, and the
U.S. retains the authority to revoke the aforementioned relief if Iran fails to meet its commitments under the JCPOA. Any such
violation could result in fines, penalties or other sanctions that could severely impact our ability to access U.S. capital markets
and conduct our business, and could result in some investors deciding, or being required, to divest their interest, or not to
invest, in us. In addition, certain institutional investors may have investment policies or restrictions that prevent them from
holding securities of companies that have contracts with countries identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism.
The determination by these investors not to invest in, or to divest from, our common shares may adversely affect the price at
which our common shares trade. Moreover, our charterers may violate applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations as a
result of actions that do not involve us or our vessels, and those violations could in turn negatively affect our reputation.
In addition, our reputation and the market for our securities may be adversely affected if we engage in certain other activities,
such as entering into charters with individuals or entities in countries subject to U.S. sanctions and embargo laws that are not
controlled by the governments of those countries, or engaging in operations associated with those countries pursuant to contracts
with third parties that are unrelated to those countries or entities controlled by their governments. Investor perception of the
value of our common shares may be adversely affected by the consequences of war, the effects of terrorism, civil unrest and governmental
actions in these and surrounding countries.
We are subject to Marshall Islands
corporations law, which is not well-developed.
Our corporate affairs are governed by
our articles of incorporation, our bylaws and by the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act, or the BCA. The provisions of
the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of a number of states in the United States. However, there have been few judicial
cases in the Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. The rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the laws of the
Marshall Islands are not as clearly established as the rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under statutes or judicial
precedent in existence in certain United States jurisdictions. The rights of shareholders of corporations incorporated in or redomiciled
into the Marshall Islands may differ from the rights of shareholders of corporations incorporated in the United States. While
the BCA provides that it is to be applied and construed according to the laws of the State of Delaware and other states with substantially
similar legislative provisions, there have been few court cases interpreting the BCA in the Marshall Islands and we cannot predict
whether Marshall Islands courts would reach the same conclusions as United States courts. Thus, you may have more difficulty in
protecting your interests in the face of actions by our management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders
of a corporation incorporated in a United States jurisdiction that has developed a more substantial body of case law in the corporate
law area.
It may be difficult to serve us
with legal process or enforce judgments against us, our directors, our significant shareholders, or our management.
Our business is operated primarily from
our offices in Greece. In addition, our largest shareholder and a majority of our directors and officers are non-residents of
the United States, and all of our assets and a substantial portion of the assets of these non-residents are located outside the
United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or against these individuals
in the United States if you believe that your rights have been infringed under securities laws or otherwise. You may also have
difficulty enforcing, both within and outside of the United States, judgments you may obtain in the United States courts against
us or these persons in any action, including actions based upon the civil liability provisions of United States federal or state
securities laws. There is also substantial doubt that the courts of the Marshall Islands or Greece would enter judgments in original
actions brought in those courts predicated on United States federal or state securities laws.
The nature of our operations may
make the outcome of any bankruptcy proceedings difficult to predict.
We redomiciled into the Marshall Islands
and our subsidiaries are incorporated under the laws of the Marshall Islands or Malta, we have limited operations in the United
States and we maintain limited assets, if any, in the United States. Consequently, in the event of any bankruptcy, insolvency,
liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or similar proceeding involving us or any of our subsidiaries, bankruptcy laws other
than those of the United States could apply. The Marshall Islands does not have a bankruptcy statute or general statutory mechanism
for insolvency proceedings. If we become a debtor under U.S. bankruptcy law, bankruptcy courts in the United States may seek
to assert jurisdiction over all of our assets, wherever located, including property situated in other countries. There can be
no assurance, however, that we would become a debtor in the United States, or that a U.S. bankruptcy court would accept,
or be entitled to accept, jurisdiction over such a bankruptcy case, or that courts in other countries that have jurisdiction over
us and our operations would recognize a U.S. bankruptcy court’s jurisdiction if any other bankruptcy court would determine
it had jurisdiction. These factors may delay or prevent us from entering bankruptcy in the United States and may affect the ability
of our shareholders to receive any recovery following our bankruptcy.
We, or our large shareholders, may
sell additional securities in the future.
The market price of our common shares
could decline due to sales of a large number of our securities in the market, including sales of shares by our large shareholders,
or the perception that these sales could occur. These sales could also make it more difficult or impossible for us to sell equity
securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate to raise funds through future offerings of shares.
We may issue additional common shares,
including Class B shares, or other equity securities without your approval.
We may issue additional common shares,
including Class B shares, or other equity securities of equal or senior rank in the future in connection with, among other things,
future vessel acquisitions, repayment of outstanding indebtedness or our equity incentive plan, without shareholder approval,
in a number of circumstances. For example, in April 2012, we issued 3,347 Series A Preferred Shares, and 2,567 of these shares
remain outstanding.
Our issuance of additional common shares,
including Class B shares, or other equity securities of equal or senior rank would have the following effects:
|
Ø
|
our existing shareholders’ proportionate
ownership interest in us will decrease;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
the amount of cash available for dividends payable
on our common shares may decrease;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
the relative voting strength of each previously
outstanding share may be diminished; and
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
the market price of our common shares may decline,
and we could be forced to delist our shares from Nasdaq.
|
Because we are a foreign private issuer, we are not bound by
any Nasdaq rule that requires shareholder approval for certain issuances of our securities. We therefore can issue securities
in such amounts and at such times as we feel appropriate, all without shareholder approval. See “Item 16G. Corporate Governance.”
Item 4. Information on the
Company
A. History and Development
of the Company
We originally incorporated as Globus Maritime
Limited on July 26, 2006 pursuant to the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (as amended), and began operations in September 2006. Following
the conclusion of our initial public offering on June 1, 2007, our common shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange’s
Alternative Investment Market, or AIM, under the ticker “GLBS.L.” On July 29, 2010, we effected a one-for-four reverse
stock split, with our issued share capital resulting in 7,240,852 common shares of $0.004 each.
On November 24, 2010, we redomiciled into
the Marshall Islands pursuant to the BCA and a resale registration statement for our common shares was declared effective by the
SEC. Once the resale registration statement was declared effective by the SEC, our common shares began trading on the Nasdaq Global
Market under the ticker “GLBS.” Our common shares were suspended from trading on the AIM on November 24, 2010 and
were delisted from the AIM on November 26, 2010.
On June 30, 2011, we completed a follow-on
public offering in the United States under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which we refer to as the Securities Act, of
2,750,000 common shares at a price of $8.00 per share, the net proceeds of which amounted to approximately $20 million.
As of December 31, 2015, our issued and
outstanding capital stock consisted of 10,319,151 common shares and 2,567 Series A Preferred Shares.
On April 11, 2016, our common shares began
trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market instead of the Nasdaq Global Market.
Our executive office is located at the
office of Globus Shipmanagement Corp., which we refer to as our Manager, at 128 Vouliagmenis Avenue, 3rd Floor, 166 74 Glyfada,
Athens, Greece. Our telephone number is +30 210 960 8300. Our registered agent in the Marshall Islands is The Trust Company of
the Marshall Islands, Inc. and our registered address in the Marshall Islands is Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake
Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960. We maintain our website at www.globusmaritime.gr. Information that is available on or
accessed through our website does not constitute part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this annual report on Form
20-F.
As of December 31, 2010, our fleet comprised
a total of five dry bulk vessels, consisting of one Panamax, three Supramaxes and one Kamsarmax, with a weighted average age of
approximately 4.0 years and a total carrying capacity of 319,664 dwt.
In March 2011, we purchased a 2007-built
Supramax vessel for $30.3 million. The vessel was delivered in September 2011 and was named “Sun Globe.” In May 2011,
we purchased a 2005-built Panamax vessel for $31.4 million. The vessel was delivered in June 2011 and was named “Moon Globe.”
As of December 31, 2014 and 2013 our fleet
comprised a total of seven dry bulk vessels, consisting of two Panamax, four Supramaxes and one Kamsarmax, with a weighted average
age of approximately 8.1 and 7.1 years, respectively, and a total carrying capacity of 452,886 dwt.
In July 2015, we sold “
Tiara
Globe
”, a 1998-built Panamax. As of December 31, 2015, our fleet comprised a total of six dry bulk vessels, consisting
of one Panamax, four Supramaxes and one Kamsarmax, with an average age of 7.4 years and carrying capacity of 379,958 dwt. The
weighted average age of the vessels we owned as of March 31, 2016 was 8.1 years, and their carrying capacity was 300,571 dwt.
In March 2016, we sold all of the shares
of Kelty Marine Ltd., the owner of the
m/v
Energy Globe
, to an unrelated third party. We reached a settlement agreement
with Commerzbank relating to the Kelty Loan Agreement in March 2016. Commerzbank agreed to settle the outstanding indebtedness
of $15.65 million in return for the sale of the shares of Kelty Marine Ltd. for $6.86 million plus overdue interest of $40,708.
If the total amount of cash and bank balances and bank deposits exceeds $10 million in the aggregate as declared on June 30, 2016
then we must pay to Commerzbank any excess amounts. If there is no excess, Globus will be released from its guarantee.
As of March 31, 2016, our fleet comprised
a total of five dry bulk vessels consisting of one Panamax and four Supramaxes.
Our capital expenditures, which principally
consist of purchasing, operating and maintaining dry bulk vessels, for the previous three fiscal years, consisted of deferred
drydocking costs of $1.6 million in 2015, deferred drydocking costs of $1.5 million in 2014, and deferred drydocking costs of
$0.8 million in 2013.
B. Business
Overview
We are an integrated dry bulk shipping
company, providing marine transportation services on a worldwide basis. We own, operate and manage a fleet of dry bulk vessels
that transport iron ore, coal, grain, steel products, cement, alumina and other dry bulk cargoes internationally. Our Manager
also manages one dry bulk vessel that we do not own. We intend to grow our fleet through timely and selective acquisitions of
modern vessels in a manner that we believe will provide an attractive return on equity and will be accretive to our earnings and
cash flow based on anticipated market rates at the time of purchase. There is no guarantee however, that we will be able to find
suitable vessels to purchase or that such vessels will provide an attractive return on equity or be accretive to our earnings
and cash flow.
Our
operations are managed by our Athens, Greece-based wholly owned subsidiary, Globus Shipmanagement Corp.,
which
we refer to as our Manager, which provides in-house commercial and technical management for our vessels and for one vessel that
we used to own but recently sold. Our Manager has entered into a ship management agreement with each of our wholly owned vessel-owning
subsidiaries to provide services that include managing day-to-day vessel operations, such as supervising the crewing, supplying,
maintaining of vessels and other services, and has also entered into a shipmanagement agreement with Kelty Marine Ltd., which
is no longer owned by us, after its sale to an unrelated third party.
The following table presents information
concerning the vessels we own:
Vessel
|
|
Year
Built
|
|
Flag
|
|
Direct
Owner
|
|
Shipyard
|
|
Vessel Type
|
|
Delivery
Date
|
|
Carrying
Capacity
(dwt)
|
|
m/v River Globe
|
|
2007
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
|
Devocean Maritime Ltd.
|
|
Yangzhou Dayang
|
|
Supramax
|
|
December 2007
|
|
|
53,627
|
|
m/v Sky Globe
|
|
2009
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
|
Domina Maritime Ltd.
|
|
Taizhou Kouan
|
|
Supramax
|
|
May 2010
|
|
|
56,855
|
|
m/v Star Globe
|
|
2010
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
|
Dulac Maritime S.A.
|
|
Taizhou Kouan
|
|
Supramax
|
|
May 2010
|
|
|
56,867
|
|
m/v Moon Globe
|
|
2005
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
|
Artfull Shipholding S.A.
|
|
Hudong-Zhonghua
|
|
Panamax
|
|
June 2011
|
|
|
74,432
|
|
m/v Sun Globe
|
|
2007
|
|
Malta
|
|
Longevity Maritime Limited
|
|
Tsuneishi Cebu
|
|
Supramax
|
|
September 2011
|
|
|
58,790
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total:
|
|
|
|
|
300,571
|
|
We own each of our vessels through separate,
wholly owned subsidiaries, five of which are incorporated in the Marshall Islands, and one of which is incorporated in Malta.
All of our Supramax vessels are geared. Geared vessels can operate in ports with minimal shore-side infrastructure. Due to the
ability to switch between various dry bulk cargo types and to service a wider variety of ports, the day rates for geared vessels
tend to have a premium.
Our Manager also manages the
m/v
Energy Globe
, a 2010-built Kamsarmax with 79,387 dwt capacity, that we sold to an unrelated third party in March 2016 when
we reached a settlement agreement with Commerzbank relating to the Kelty Loan Agreement. Commerzbank agreed to settle the outstanding
indebtedness of $15.65 million in return for the sale of the shares of Kelty Marine Ltd. for $6.86 million plus overdue interest
of $40,708. If the total amount of cash and bank balances and bank deposits exceeds $10 million in the aggregate then we must
pay to Commerzbank any excess amounts. If there is no excess, Globus will be released from its guarantee.
We budget 20 days per year in drydocking
per vessel. Actual length will vary based on the condition of each vessel, shipyard schedules and other factors.
Employment of our Vessels
Our strategy is to employ our vessels
on a mix of all types of charter contracts, including bareboat charters, time charters and spot charters. We believe this strategy
provides the cash flow stability, reduced exposure to market downturns and high utilization rates of the charter market, while
at the same time enabling us to benefit from periods of increasing spot market rates. We may, however, seek to employ a greater
portion of our fleet on the spot market or on time charters with longer durations, should we believe it to be in our best interests.
In addition, we generally seek to stagger the expiration dates of our charters to reduce exposure to volatility in the shipping
cycle when our vessels come off of charter. We also continually monitor developments in the dry bulk shipping industry and, subject
to market demand, will adjust the number of vessels on charters and the charter periods for our vessels according to market conditions.
We and our Manager have developed relationships
with a number of international charterers, vessel brokers, financial institutions, insurers and shipbuilders. We have also developed
a network of relationships with vessel brokers who help facilitate vessel charters and acquisitions.
On the date of the filing of this Annual
Report on 20-F, all of our vessels were employed on spot charters.
Each of our vessels travels across the
world and not on any particular route. The charterers of our vessels, whether time, bareboat or on the spot market, select the
locations to which our vessels travel.
Time Charter
A time charter is a contract for the use
of a vessel for a fixed period of time at a specified daily rate. Under a time charter, the vessel owner provides crewing, insuring,
repairing and maintenance and other services related to the vessel’s operation, the cost of which is included in the daily
rate, and the customer is responsible for substantially all of the vessel voyage costs, including the cost of bunkers (fuel oil)
and canal and port charges. The owner also pays commissions typically ranging from 0% to 6.25% of the total daily charter hire
rate of each charter to unaffiliated ship brokers and to in-house brokers associated with the charterer, depending on the number
of brokers involved with arranging the charter.
Basic Hire Rate
and Term
“Basic hire rate” refers to
the basic payment from the customer for the use of the vessel. The hire rate is generally payable semi-monthly or 15 days, in
advance, in U.S. dollars as specified in the charter. As of December 31, 2015, we had no vessel under a time charter.
Off-hire
When the vessel is “off-hire,”
the charterer generally is not required to pay the basic hire rate, and we are responsible for all costs. Prolonged off-hire may
lead to vessel substitution or termination of the time charter. A vessel generally will be deemed off-hire if there is a loss
of time due to, among other things, operational deficiencies; drydocking for examination or painting the bottom; equipment breakdowns;
damages to the hull; or similar problems.
Ship Management and Maintenance
We are responsible for the technical management
of the vessel and for maintaining the vessel, periodic drydocking, cleaning and painting and performing work required by regulations.
Globus Shipmanagement provides the technical, commercial and day-to-day operational management of our vessels. Technical management
includes crewing, maintenance, repair and drydockings. During the 2015 year, we paid Globus Shipmanagement $700 per vessel per
day. All fees payable to Globus Shipmanagement for vessels that we own are eliminated upon consolidation of our accounts.
After its sale to an unrelated third party,
Kelty Marine Ltd., owner of the
m/v Energy Globe
, pays Globus Shipmanagement $900 per day to manage its vessel. These fees
will not be eliminated upon consolidation of our accounts, as Kelty Marine Ltd. is no longer owned by Globus Maritime Limited.
Termination
We are generally entitled to suspend performance under the
time charter if the customer defaults in its payment obligations. Either party may terminate the charter in the event of war in
specified countries.
Commissions
During the year ended December 31, 2015,
we paid commissions ranging from 1.25% to 5.00% relevant to each time charter agreement then in effect.
Bareboat Charter
A bareboat charter is a contract pursuant
to which the vessel owner provides the vessel to the charterer for a fixed period of time at a specified daily rate, and the charterer
provides for all of the vessel’s operating expenses. The charterer undertakes to maintain the vessel in a good state of
repair and efficient operating condition and drydock the vessel during this period as per the classification society requirements.
We had a bareboat charter with Eastern Media International Corporation and Far Eastern Silo & Shipping (Panama) S.A. with
reference to
m/v
Energy Globe
(formerly called
m/v
Jin Star
) which expired in January 2015.
Redelivery
Upon the expiration of a bareboat charter,
typically the charterer must redeliver the vessel in as good structure, state, condition and class as that in which the vessel
was delivered.
Ship Management
and Maintenance
Under a bareboat charter, the charterer
is responsible for all of the vessel’s operating expenses, including crewing, insuring, maintaining and repairing the vessel,
any drydocking costs, and the stores, lube oils and communication expenses. Under a bareboat charter, the charterer is also responsible
for the voyage costs, and generally assumes all risk of operation. The charterer covers the costs associated with the vessel’s
special surveys and related drydocking falling within the charter period.
Commissions
We paid a 3.75% commission on a bareboat
charter that ended in January 2015, although the amounts of commissions on future bareboat charters may change.
Our Customers
We seek to charter our vessels to customers
who we perceive as creditworthy thereby minimizing the risk of default by our charterers. We also try to select charterers depending
on the type of product they want to carry and the geographical areas in which they tend to trade.
Our assessment of a charterer’s
financial condition and reliability is an important factor in negotiating employment for our vessels. We generally charter our
vessels to operators, trading houses (including commodities traders), shipping companies and producers and government-owned entities
and generally avoid chartering our vessels to companies we believe to be speculative or undercapitalized entities. Since our operations
began in September 2006, our customers have included COSCO Bulk Carrier Co., Ltd, Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/S, ED & F Man
Shipping Limited, Transgrain, Far Eastern Silo and Shipping (Panama) S.A., and Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. Ltd. In addition, during
the periods when some of our vessels were trading on the spot market, they have been chartered to charterers such as Cargill International
SA, Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG, Western Bulk Carriers KS and others, thus expanding our customer base.
Competition
Our business fluctuates in line with the
main patterns of trade of the major dry bulk cargoes and varies according to changes in the supply and demand for these items.
We operate in markets that are highly competitive and based primarily on supply and demand. We compete for charters on the basis
of price, vessel location, size, age and condition of the vessel, as well as on our reputation as an owner and operator. We compete
with other owners of dry bulk vessels in the Panamax, Supramax and Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels, but we also compete with owners
for the purchase and sale of vessels of all sizes. Those competitors may be better capitalized or have more liquidity than we
do. In this period of significantly depressed pricing and over capacity, better liquidity may be a major competitive advantage,
and we believe that some of our competitors may be better capitalized than we are.
Ownership of dry bulk vessels is highly
fragmented. It is likely that we will face substantial competition for long-term charter business from a number of experienced
companies. Many of these competitors will have larger dry bulk vessel fleets and greater financial resources than us, which may
make them more competitive. It is also likely that we will face increased numbers of competitors entering into our transportation
sectors, including in the dry bulk sector. Many of these competitors have strong reputations and extensive resources and experience.
Increased competition may cause greater price competition, especially for long-term charters. We believe that no single competitor
has a dominant position in the markets in which we compete.
The process for obtaining longer term
time charters generally involves a lengthy and intensive screening and vetting process and the submission of competitive bids.
In addition to the quality and suitability of the vessel, longer term shipping contracts may be awarded based upon a variety of
other factors relating to the vessel operator, including:
|
Ø
|
environmental, health and
safety record;
|
|
Ø
|
compliance with regulatory
industry standards;
|
|
Ø
|
reputation for customer service,
technical and operating expertise;
|
|
Ø
|
shipping experience and quality
of vessel operations, including cost-effectiveness;
|
|
Ø
|
quality, experience and technical
capability of crews;
|
|
Ø
|
the ability to finance vessels
at competitive rates and overall financial stability;
|
|
Ø
|
relationships with shipyards
and the ability to obtain suitable berths;
|
|
Ø
|
construction management experience,
including the ability to procure on-time delivery of new vessels according to customer specifications;
|
|
Ø
|
willingness to accept operational
risks pursuant to the charter, such as allowing termination of the charter for force majeure events; and
|
|
Ø
|
competitiveness of the bid
in terms of overall price.
|
As a result of these factors, we may be
unable to expand our relationships with existing customers or obtain new customers for long-term time charters on a profitable
basis, if at all. However, even if we are successful in employing our vessels under longer term charters, our vessels will not
be available for trading on the spot market during an upturn in the market cycle, when spot trading may be more profitable. If
we cannot successfully employ our vessels in profitable charters, our results of operations and operating cash flow could be materially
adversely affected.
The Dry Bulk Shipping Industry
The world dry bulk fleet is generally
divided into six major categories, based on a vessel’s cargo carrying capacity. These categories consist of: Handysize,
Handymax/Supramax, Panamax, Kamsarmax, Capesize and Very Large Ore Carrier.
Ø
Handysize
.
Handysize
vessels have a carrying capacity of up to 39,999 dwt. These vessels are primarily involved in carrying minor bulk cargoes. Increasingly,
vessels of this type operate on regional trading routes, and may serve as trans-shipment feeders for larger vessels. Handysize
vessels are well suited for small ports with length and draft restrictions. Their cargo gear enables them to service ports lacking
the infrastructure for cargo loading and unloading.
Ø
Handymax/Supramax
. Handymax vessels
have a carrying capacity of between 40,000 and 59,999 dwt. These vessels operate on a large number of geographically dispersed
global trade routes, carrying primarily iron ore, coal, grains and minor bulks. Within the Handymax category there is also a sub-sector
known as
Supramax
. Supramax bulk vessels are vessels between 50,000 to 59,999 dwt, normally offering cargo loading and
unloading flexibility with on-board cranes, while at the same time possessing the cargo carrying capability approaching conventional
Panamax bulk vessels. Hence, the earnings potential of a Supramax dry bulk vessel, when compared to a conventional Handymax vessel
of 45,000 dwt, is greater.
Ø
Panamax
. Panamax vessels have
a carrying capacity of between 60,000 and 79,999 dwt. These vessels carry coal, grains, and, to a lesser extent, minor bulks,
including steel products, forest products and fertilizers. Panamax vessels are able to pass through the Panama Canal, making them
more versatile than larger vessels.
Ø
Kamsarmax
(also known as Post
Panamax). Kamsarmax vessels typically have a carrying capacity of between 80,000 and 109,999 dwt. These vessels tend to be shallower
and have a larger beam than a standard Panamax vessel with a higher cubic capacity. They have been designed specifically for loading
high cubic cargoes from draught restricted ports. The term Kamsarmax stems from Port Kamsar in Guinea, where large quantities
of bauxite are exported from a port with only 13.5 meter draught and a 229 meter length overall restriction, but no beam restriction.
Ø
Capesize
. Capesize vessels have
carrying capacities of between 110,000 and 199,999 dwt. Only the largest ports around the world possess the infrastructure to
accommodate vessels of this size. Capesize vessels are mainly used to transport iron ore or coal and, to a lesser extent, grains,
primarily on long-haul routes.
Ø
VLOC
. Very large ore carriers
are in excess of 200,000 dwt. VLOCs are built to exploit economies of scale on long-haul iron ore routes.
The supply of dry bulk shipping capacity,
measured by the amount of suitable vessel tonnage available to carry cargo, is determined by the size of the existing worldwide
dry bulk fleet, the number of new vessels on order, the scrapping of older vessels and the number of vessels out of active service
(i.e., laid up or otherwise not available for hire). In addition to prevailing and anticipated freight rates, factors that affect
the rate of newbuilding, scrapping and laying-up include newbuilding prices, secondhand vessel values in relation to scrap prices,
costs of bunkers and other voyage expenses, costs associated with classification society surveys, normal maintenance and insurance
coverage, the efficiency and age profile of the existing fleets in the market and government and industry regulation of marine
transportation practices. The supply of dry bulk vessels is not only a result of the number of vessels in service, but also the
operating efficiency of the fleet. Dry bulk trade is influenced by the underlying demand for the dry bulk commodities which, in
turn, is influenced by the level of worldwide economic activity. Generally, growth in gross domestic product and industrial production
correlate with peaks in demand for marine dry bulk transportation services.
Dry bulk vessels are one of the most versatile
elements of the global shipping fleet in terms of employment alternatives. They seldom operate on round trip voyages with high
ballasting times. Rather, they often participate in triangular or multi-leg voyages.
Charter Rates
In the time charter market, rates vary
depending on the length of the charter period and vessel specific factors such as age, speed, size and fuel consumption. In the
voyage charter market, rates are influenced by cargo size, commodity, port dues and canal transit fees, as well as delivery and
redelivery regions. In general, a larger cargo size is quoted at a lower rate per ton than a smaller cargo size. Routes with costly
ports or canals generally command higher rates. Voyages loading from a port where vessels usually discharge cargo, or discharging
from a port where vessels usually load cargo, are generally quoted at lower rates. This is because such voyages generally increase
vessel efficiency by reducing the unloaded portion (or ballast leg) that is included in the calculation of the return charter
to a loading area.
Within the dry bulk shipping industry,
the freight rate indices issued by the Baltic Exchange in London are the references most likely to be monitored. These references
are based on actual charter hire rates under charters entered into by market participants as well as daily assessments provided
to the Baltic Exchange by a panel of major shipbrokers. The Baltic Exchange, an independent organization comprised of shipbrokers,
shipping companies and other shipping players, provides daily independent shipping market information and has created freight
rate indices reflecting the average freight rates (that incorporate actual business concluded as well as daily assessments provided
to the exchange by a panel of independent shipbrokers) for the major bulk vessel trading routes. These indices include the Baltic
Panamax Index, the index with the longest history and, more recently, the Baltic Capesize Index.
Charter (or hire) rates paid for dry bulk
vessels are generally a function of the underlying balance between vessel supply and demand. Over the past 25 years, dry bulk
cargo charter rates have passed through cyclical phases and changes in vessel supply and demand have created a pattern of rate
“peaks” and “troughs.” Generally, spot/voyage charter rates will be more volatile than time charter rates,
as they reflect short term movements in demand and market sentiment. The BDI declined from a high of 11,793 in May 2008 to a low
of 663 in December 2008, which represents a decline of 94.0% within a single calendar year. During 2009, 2010 and 2011, the BDI
remained volatile. During 2009, the BDI reached a low of 772 in January 2009 and a high of 4,661 in November 2009. During 2010,
the BDI reached a high of 4,209 in May 2010 and a low of 1,700 in July 2010. During 2011, the BDI remained volatile, ranging from
a low of 1,042 on February 4, 2011 to a high of 2,173 on October 14, 2011. The BDI continued to decline during the start of 2012
reaching a 26-year low of 647 on February 3, 2012 and thereafter increased to a high of 1,165 on May 8, 2012. During 2013, the
BDI remained volatile reaching a low of 698 on January 2, 2013 and improved to 2,337 as of December 12, 2013, while volatility
continued during 2014 with BDI reaching its highs of 2,113 in January 2, 2014 and its lows of 723 in July 22, 2014. The BDI reached
as high as 1,222 in August 5, 2015 and a new all-time low of 471 in December 16, 2015. From January 1 to March 31, 2016, the BDI
has ranged from a high of 473 on January 4, 2016 to a new all-time low of 290 on February 11, 2016.
Vessel Prices
New-building prices increased significantly
after 2002, due to tightness in shipyard capacity, high steel prices, rising labor cost, high levels of new ordering and stronger
freight rates. However, with the sudden and steep decline in freight rates after August 2008 and lack of new vessel ordering,
new-building vessel values entered a downward trend and have continued to gradually decline.
In broad terms, the secondhand market
is affected by both the newbuilding prices as well as the overall freight expectations and sentiment observed at any given time.
The steep increase in newbuilding prices and the strength of the charter market have also affected values, to the extent that
prices rose sharply in 2004 and 2005, before dipping in the early part of 2006, only to rise thereafter to new highs in the first
half of 2008. However, the sudden and sharp downturn in freight rates since August 2008 has also had a very negative impact on
secondhand values which have continued to gradually decline.
Seasonality
Our fleet consists of dry bulk vessels
that operate in markets that have historically exhibited seasonal variations in demand and, as a result, in charter rates. The
dry bulk sector is typically stronger in the fall and winter months in anticipation of increased consumption of coal and other
raw materials in the northern hemisphere during the winter months. Such seasonality will affect the rates we obtain on the vessels
in our fleet that operate on the spot market.
Permits and Authorizations
We are required by various governmental
and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain certain permits, licenses and certificates with respect to our vessels. The kinds of
permits, licenses and certificates required depend upon several factors, including the commodity transported, the waters in which
the vessel operates, the nationality of the vessel’s crew and the age of a vessel. We have been able to obtain all permits,
licenses and certificates currently required to permit our vessels to operate. Additional laws and regulations, environmental
or otherwise, may be adopted which could limit our ability to do business or increase the cost of us doing business.
Inspection by Classification Societies
Every oceangoing vessel must be “classed”
by a classification society. The classification society certifies that the vessel is “in class,” signifying that the
vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of the classification society and complies with applicable rules
and regulations of the vessel’s country of registry and the international conventions of which that country is a member.
In addition, where surveys are required by international conventions and corresponding laws and ordinances of a flag state, the
classification society will undertake them on application or by official order, acting on behalf of the authorities concerned.
The classification society also undertakes
on request other surveys and checks that are required by regulations and requirements of the flag state. These surveys are subject
to agreements made in each individual case and/or to the regulations of the country concerned. For maintenance of the class certification,
regular and extraordinary surveys of hull, machinery, including the electrical plant, and any special equipment classed are required
to be performed as follows:
|
Ø
|
Annual
Surveys
. For seagoing vessels, annual surveys are conducted for the hull and the machinery, including the electrical plant
and where applicable for special equipment classed, at intervals of 12 months from the date of commencement of the class period
indicated in the certificate.
|
|
Ø
|
Intermediate
Surveys
. Extended annual surveys are referred to as intermediate surveys and typically are conducted two and one-half
years after commissioning and each class renewal. Intermediate surveys may be carried out on the occasion of the second or
third annual survey.
|
|
Ø
|
Class
Renewal Surveys
. Class renewal surveys, also known as special surveys, are carried out for the vessel’s hull, machinery,
including the electrical plant, and for any special equipment classed, at the intervals indicated by the character of classification
for the hull. At the special survey the vessel is thoroughly examined, including audio-gauging to determine the thickness
of the steel structures. Should the thickness be found to be less than class requirements, the classification society would
prescribe steel renewals. The classification society may grant a one-year grace period for completion of the special survey.
Substantial amounts of money may have to be spent for steel renewals to pass a special survey if the vessel experiences excessive
wear and tear. In lieu of the special survey every four or five years, depending on whether a grace period was granted, a
shipowner has the option of arranging with the classification society for the vessel’s hull or machinery to be on a
continuous survey cycle, in which every part of the vessel would be surveyed within a five-year cycle. At an owner’s
application, the surveys required for class renewal may be split according to an agreed schedule to extend over the entire
period of class. This process is referred to as continuous class renewal.
|
All areas subject to survey as defined
by the classification society are required to be surveyed at least once per class period, unless shorter intervals between surveys
are prescribed elsewhere. The period between two subsequent surveys of each area must not exceed five years.
Most insurance underwriters make it a
condition for insurance coverage that a vessel be certified as “in class” by a classification society that is a member
of the International Association of Classification Societies. All the vessels that we own and operate or manage are certified
as being “in class” by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK), DNV GL, Bureau Veritas or Rina Services SPA. Typically, all
new and secondhand vessels that we purchase must be certified prior to their delivery under our standard purchase contracts and
memoranda of agreement. Under our standard purchase contracts, unless negotiated otherwise, if the vessel is not certified on
the date of closing, we would have no obligation to take delivery of the vessel. Although we may not have an obligation to accept
any vessel that is not certified on the date of closing, we may determine nonetheless to purchase the vessel, should we determine
it to be in our best interests. If we do so, we may be unable to charter such vessel after we purchase it until it obtains such
certification, which could increase our costs and affect the earnings we anticipate from the employment of the vessel.
Vessels are drydocked during intermediate
and special surveys for repairs of their underwater parts. If “in water survey” notation is assigned, the vessel owner
has the option of carrying out an underwater inspection of the vessel in lieu of drydocking, subject to certain conditions. In
the event that an “in water survey” notation is assigned as part of a particular intermediate survey, drydocking would
be required for the following special survey thereby generally achieving a higher utilization for the relevant vessel. Drydocking
can be undertaken as part of a special survey if the drydocking occurs within 15 months prior to the special survey deadline.
The following table lists the dates by
which we expect to carry out the next drydockings and special surveys for the vessels in our fleet:
Vessel
Name
|
|
Drydocking
|
|
Special
Survey
|
|
Classification
Society
|
m/v River Globe
|
|
December 2017
|
|
December 2017
|
|
Class NK
|
m/v Sky Globe
|
|
December 2017
|
|
November 2019
|
|
DNV GL
|
m/v Star Globe
|
|
July 2018
|
|
May 2020
|
|
DNV GL
|
m/v Moon Globe
|
|
June 2017
|
|
November 2020
|
|
Class NK
|
m/v
Sun Globe
|
|
August 2017
|
|
August 2017
|
|
Bureau Veritas
|
Following an incident or a scheduled survey,
if any defects are found, the classification surveyor will issue a “recommendation or condition of class” which must
be rectified by the vessel owner within the prescribed time limits.
Risk Management and Insurance
General
The operation of any cargo vessel embraces a wide variety of
risks, including the following:
|
Ø
|
mechanical failure or damage,
for example by reason of the seizure of a main engine crankshaft;
|
|
Ø
|
cargo loss, for example arising
from hull damage;
|
|
Ø
|
personal injury, for example
arising from collision or piracy;
|
|
Ø
|
losses due to piracy, terrorist
or war-like action between countries;
|
|
Ø
|
environmental damage, for
example arising from marine disasters such as oil spills and other environmental mishaps;
|
|
Ø
|
physical damage to the vessel,
for example by reason of collision;
|
|
Ø
|
damage to other property,
for example by reason of cargo damage or oil pollution; and
|
|
Ø
|
business interruption, for
example arising from strikes and political or regulatory change.
|
The value of such losses or damages may
vary from modest sums, for example for a small cargo shortage damage claim, to catastrophic liabilities, for example arising out
of a marine disaster, such as a serious oil or chemical spill, which may be virtually unlimited. While we maintain the traditional
range of marine and liability insurance coverage for our fleet (hull and machinery insurance, war risks insurance and protection
and indemnity coverage) in amounts and to extents that we believe are prudent to cover normal risks in our operations, we cannot
insure against all risks, and we cannot be assured that all covered risks are adequately insured against. Furthermore, there can
be no guarantee that any specific claim will be paid by the insurer or that it will always be possible to obtain insurance coverage
at reasonable rates. Any uninsured or under-insured loss could harm our business and financial condition.
Hull and Machinery and War Risks
The principal coverages for marine risks
(covering loss or damage to the vessels, rather than liabilities to third parties) are hull and machinery insurance and war risk
insurance. These address the risks of the actual or constructive total loss of a vessel and accidental damage to a vessel’s
hull and machinery, for example from running aground or colliding with another ship. These insurances provide coverage which is
limited to an agreed “insured value” which, as a matter of policy, is never less than the particular vessel’s
fair market value. Reimbursement of loss under such coverage is subject to policy deductibles that vary according to the vessel
and the nature of the coverage. Hull and machinery deductibles may, for example, be between $75,000 and $150,000 per incident
whereas the war risks insurance has a more modest incident deductible of, for example, $30,000.
Protection and
Indemnity Insurance
Protection and indemnity insurance is
a form of mutual indemnity insurance provided by mutual marine protection and indemnity associations, or “P&I Clubs,”
formed by vessel owners to provide protection from large financial loss to one club member by contribution towards that loss by
all members.
Each of the vessels that we operate is
entered in the Gard P&I (Bermuda) Ltd. which we refer to as the Club, for third party liability marine insurance coverage. The
Club is a mutual insurance vehicle. As a member of the Club, we are insured, subject to agreed deductibles and our terms
of entry, for our legal liabilities and expenses arising out of our interest in an entered ship, out of events occurring during
the period of entry of the ship in the Club and in connection with the operation of the ship, against specified risks. These
risks include liabilities arising from death of crew and passengers, loss or damage to cargo, collisions, property damage, oil
pollution and wreck removal.
The Club benefits from its membership
in the International Group of P&I Clubs, or the International Group, for its main reinsurance program, and maintains a separate
complementary insurance program for additional risks.
The Club’s policy year commences
each February. The mutual calls are levied by way of Estimated Total Premiums, or ETP, and the amount of the final installment
of the ETP varies in accordance with the actual total premium ultimately required by the Club for a particular policy year. Members
have a liability to pay supplementary calls which may be levied by the Club if the ETP is insufficient to cover the Club’s
outgoings in a policy year.
Cover per claim is generally limited to
an unspecified sum, being the amount available from reinsurance plus the maximum amount collectable from members of the International
Group by way of overspill calls. Certain exceptions apply, including a $1.0 billion limit on claims in respect of oil pollution,
a $3.0 billion limit on cover for passenger and crew claims and a sub-limit of $2.0 billion for passenger claims.
To the extent that we experience either
a supplementary or an overspill call, our policy is to expense such amounts. To the extent that the Club depends on funds paid
in calls from other members in our industry, if there were an industry-wide slow-down, other members might not be able to meet
the call and we might not receive a payout in the event we made a claim on a policy.
Uninsured Risks
Not all risks are insured and not all
risks are insurable. The principal insurable risks which nevertheless remain uninsured across our fleet are “loss of hire”
and “strikes.” We will not insure these risks because we regard the costs as disproportionate. These insurances provide,
subject to a deductible, a limited indemnity for hire that is not receivable by the shipowner for reasons set forth in the policy.
For example, loss of hire risk may be covered on a 14/90/90 basis, with a 14 days deductible, 90 days cover per incident and a
90-day overall limit per vessel per year. Should a vessel on time charter, where the vessel is paid a fixed hire day by day, suffer
a serious mechanical breakdown, the daily hire will no longer be payable by the charterer. The purpose of the loss of hire insurance
is to secure the loss of hire during such periods.
Environmental and Other Regulations
Sources of Applicable
Rules and Standards
Shipping is one of the world’s most
heavily regulated industries, and it is subject to many industry standards. Government regulation significantly affects the ownership
and operation of vessels. These regulations consist mainly of rules and standards established by international conventions, but
they also include national, state and local laws and regulations in force in jurisdictions where vessels may operate or are registered,
and which may be more stringent than international rules and standards. This is the case particularly in the United States and,
increasingly, in Europe.
A variety of governmental and private
entities subject vessels to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections. These entities include local port authorities (the U.S.
Coast Guard, harbor masters or equivalent entities), classification societies, flag state administration (country vessel of registry),
and charterers, particularly terminal operators. Certain of these entities require vessel owners to obtain permits, licenses and
certificates for the operation of their vessels. Failure to maintain necessary permits or approvals could require a vessel owner
to incur substantial costs or temporarily suspend operation of one or more of its vessels.
Heightened levels of environmental and
quality concerns among insurance underwriters, regulators and charterers continue to lead to greater inspection and safety requirements
on all vessels and may accelerate the scrapping of older vessels throughout the industry. Increasing environmental concerns have
created a demand for vessels that conform to stricter environmental standards. Vessel owners are required to maintain operating
standards for all vessels that will emphasize operational safety, quality maintenance, continuous training of officers and crews
and compliance with U.S. and international regulations. Because laws and regulations are frequently changed and may impose increasingly
stricter requirements, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with these requirements, or the impact of these requirements
on the resale value or useful lives of our vessels. In addition, a future serious marine incident that causes significant adverse
environmental impact could result in additional legislation or regulation that could negatively affect our profitability.
The following is an overview of certain
material conventions, laws and regulations that affect our business and the operation of our vessels. It is not a comprehensive
summary of all the conventions, laws and regulations to which we are subject.
The International Maritime Organization,
or IMO, is a United Nations agency setting standards and creating a regulatory framework for the shipping industry and has negotiated
and adopted a number of international conventions. These fall into two main categories, consisting firstly of those concerned
generally with vessel safety and security standards, and secondly of those specifically concerned with measures to prevent pollution
from vessels.
Ship Safety Regulation
A primary international safety convention
is the Safety of Life at Sea Convention of 1974, as amended, or SOLAS, including the regulations and codes of practice that form
part of its regime. Much of SOLAS is not directly concerned with preventing pollution, but some of its safety provisions are intended
to prevent pollution as well as promote safety of life and preservation of property. These regulations have been and continue
to be regularly amended as new and higher safety standards are introduced with which we are required to comply.
An amendment of SOLAS introduced in 1993
the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention, or ISM Code, which has been mandatory
since July 1998. The purpose of the ISM Code is to provide an international standard for the safe management and operation of
vessels and for pollution prevention. Under the ISM Code, the party with operational control of a vessel is required to develop,
implement and maintain an extensive safety management system that includes, among other things, the adoption of a safety and environmental
protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for operating its vessels safely and protecting the environment and
describing procedures for responding to emergencies. The ISM Code requires that vessel operators obtain a Safety Management Certificate
for each vessel they operate. This certificate issued after verification that the vessel’s operator and its shipboard management
operate in accordance with the approved safety management system and evidences that the vessel complies with the requirements
of the ISM Code. No vessel can obtain a Safety Management Certificate unless its operator has been awarded a document of compliance,
issued by the respective flag state for the vessel, under the ISM Code.
Another amendment of SOLAS, made after
the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, introduced special measures to enhance maritime security, including
the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, or ISPS Code, which sets out measures for the enhancement of security
of vessels and port facilities.
The vessels that we operate maintain ISM
and ISPS certifications for safety and security of operations.
Regulations to Prevent Pollution
from Ships
In the second main category of international
regulation which deals with prevention of pollution, the primary convention is the International Convention for the Prevention
of Pollution from Ships 1973 as amended by the 1978 Protocol, or MARPOL, which imposes environmental standards on the shipping
industry set out in its Annexes I-VI. These contain regulations for the prevention of pollution by oil (Annex I), by noxious liquid
substances in bulk (Annex II), by harmful substances in packaged forms within the scope of the International Maritime Dangerous
Goods Code (Annex III), by sewage (Annex IV), by garbage (Annex V) and by air emissions (Annex VI).
These regulations have been and continue
to be regularly amended and supplemented as new and higher standards of pollution prevention are introduced with which we are
required to comply.
For example, MARPOL Annex VI sets limits
on Sulphur Oxides (SOx) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and particulate matter emissions from vessel exhausts and prohibits deliberate
emissions of ozone depleting substances. It also regulates the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from cargo tankers
and certain gas carriers, as well as shipboard incineration of specific substances. Annex VI also includes a global cap on the
sulphur content of fuel oil with a lower cap on the sulphur content applicable inside special areas, the “Emission Control
Areas” or ECAs. Already established ECAs include the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, including the English Channel, the North
American area and the US Caribbean Sea area. The global cap on the sulphur content of fuel oil is currently 3.5% to be reduced
to 0.5% from January 1, 2010. From January 1, 2015 the cap on the sulphur content of fuel oil for vessels operating in ECAs has
been 0.1%. Annex VI also provides for progressive reductions in NOx emissions from marine diesel engines installed in vessels.
Limiting NOx emissions is set on a three tier reduction, the final one of which (“Tier III”) to apply to engines installed
on vessels constructed on or after January 1, 2016 and which operate in the North American ECA or the US Caribbean Sea ECA. The
Tier III requirements would also apply to engines of vessels operating in other ECAs as may be designated in the future by the
IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (or MEPC) for Tier III NOx control. The Tier III requirements do not apply
to engines installed on vessels constructed prior to January 1, 2021, if they are of less than 500 gross tons, of 24 m or over
in length, and have been designed and used solely for recreational purposes. We anticipate incurring costs at each stage of implementation
on all these areas. Currently we are compliant in all our vessels.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In
February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force. Pursuant to
the Kyoto Protocol, adopting countries are required to implement national programs to reduce emissions of certain gases, generally
referred to as greenhouse gases, which are suspected of contributing to global warming. Currently, the greenhouse gas emissions
from international shipping do not come under the Kyoto Protocol. . In December 2009, more than 27 nations, including the United
States, entered into the Copenhagen Accord. The Copenhagen Accord is non-binding, but is intended to pave the way for a comprehensive,
international treaty on climate change. On December 12, 2015 the Paris Agreement was adopted by 195 countries. The Paris Agreement
(which is also non-binding) deals with greenhouse gas emission reduction measures and targets from 2020 in order to limit the
global temperature increases above pre-industrial levels to well below 2˚ Celsius. Although shipping was ultimately not included
in the Paris Agreement, it is expected that the adoption of the Paris Agreement may lead to regulatory changes in relation to
curbing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. In July 2011 the IMO adopted regulations imposing technical and operational measures
for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. These new regulations formed a new chapter in Annex VI of MARPOL and became effective
on January 1, 2013. The new technical and operational measures include the “Energy Efficiency Design Index,” which
is mandatory for newbuilding vessels, and the “Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan,” which is mandatory for all
vessels. In addition, the IMO is evaluating various mandatory measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping,
which may include market-based instruments or a carbon tax. In October 2014 the IMO’s MEPC agreed in principle to develop
a system of data collection regarding fuel consumption of vessels.
Work
on the development of such a system continued during 2015.
The EU also has indicated that it intends
to propose an expansion of an existing EU emissions trading regime to include emissions of greenhouse gases from vessels, and
individual countries in the EU may impose additional requirements. The EU recently adopted Regulation (EU) 2015/757 on the monitoring,
reporting and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from vessels (or the MRV Regulation), which was published in the Official
Journal on May 19, 2015 and entered into force on July 1, 2015. The MRV Regulation is to apply to all vessels over 5,000 gross
tonnage (except for a few types, such as, amongst others, warships and fish catching or processing vessels), irrespective of flag,
in respect of carbon dioxide emissions released during intra-EU voyages and EU incoming and outgoing voyages. The first reporting
period will commence on January 1, 2018.. The monitoring, reporting and verification system adopted by the MRV Regulation may
be the precursor to a market-based mechanism to be adopted in the future. In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, or EPA, issued an “endangerment finding” regarding greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. While this finding
in itself does not impose any requirements on our industry, it authorizes the EPA to regulate directly greenhouse gas emissions
through a rule-making process. Any passage of new climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the IMO, EU,
the United States or other countries or states where we operate that restrict emissions of greenhouse gases could have a significant
financial and operational impact on our business through increased compliance costs or additional operational restrictions that
we cannot predict with certainty at this time.
Anti-Fouling Requirements
In 2001, the IMO adopted the International
Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships, or the Anti-fouling Convention. The Anti-fouling Convention,
which entered into force in September 2008, prohibits and/or restricts the use of organotin compound coatings to prevent the attachment
of mollusks and other sea life to the hulls of vessels. Vessels of over 400 gross tons engaged in international voyages must obtain
an International Anti-Fouling System Certificate and undergo a survey before the vessel is put into service or before the Anti-fouling
System Certificate is issued for the first time and when the anti-fouling systems are altered or replaced.
Other International Regulations to
Prevent Pollution
In addition to MARPOL, other more specialized
international instruments have been adopted to prevent different types of pollution or environmental harm from vessels.
In February 2004, the IMO adopted an International
Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, or the BWM Convention. The BWM Convention
aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from one region to another, by establishing standards and procedures for
the management and control of vessels’ ballast water and sediments. The BWM Convention’s implementing regulations
require vessels to conduct ballast water management in accordance with the standards set out in the convention, which include
performance of ballast water exchange in accordance with the requirements set out in the relevant regulation and the gradual phasing
in of a ballast water performance standard which requires ballast water treatment and the installation of ballast water treatment
systems on board the vessels. The BWM Convention will not enter into force until 12 months after it has been adopted by 30 states,
the combined merchant fleets of which represent not less than 35.0% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping.
Under the BWM Convention, vessels are required to implement a Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan, carry a Ballast Water
Record Book and an International Ballast Water Management Certificate. The BWM Convention has not come into force yet as although
more than 30 states have adopted it to date, their combined merchant fleets currently constitute less than 35% of the gross tonnage
of the world’s merchant fleet.
The
Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships adopted by the IMO in 2009, or the
Recycling Convention, deals with issues relating to ship recycling and aims to address the occupational health and safety, as
well as environmental risks relating to ship recycling.
It
contains regulations regarding the design, construction, operation, maintenance and recycling of vessels, as well as regarding
their survey and certification to verify compliance with the requirements of the Recycling Convention. The Recycling Convention,
amongst other things, prohibits and/or restricts the installation or use of hazardous materials on vessels and requires vessels
to have on board an inventory of hazardous materials specific to each vessel. It also requires ship recycling facilities to develop
a ship-recycling plan for each vessel prior to its recycling. Parties to the Recycling Convention are to ensure that ship-recycling
facilities are designed, constructed and operated in a safe and environmentally sound manner and that they are authorized by competent
authorities after verification of compliance with the requirements of the Recycling Convention. The Recycling Convention (which
is not effective yet) is to enter into force 24 months after a specified minimum number of states with a combined gross tonnage
and maximum annual recycling volume during the preceding 10 years have ratified it.
A MARPOL regulation and the International
Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 also require owners and operators of vessels to adopt
Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans. Another MARPOL regulation sets out similar requirements for the adoption of shipboard
marine pollution emergency plans for noxious liquid substances with respect to vessels carrying such substances in bulk. Periodic
training and drills for response personnel and for vessels and their crews are required.
European Regulations
European regulations in the maritime sector
are in general based on international law most of which were promulgated by the IMO and then adopted by the Member States. However,
since the
Erika
incident in 1999, when the
Erika
broke in two off the coast of France while carrying heavy fuel
oil, the European Union (or EU) has become increasingly active in the field of regulation of maritime safety and protection of
the environment. It has been the driving force behind a number of amendments of MARPOL (including, for example, changes to accelerate
the timetable for the phase-out of single hull tankers, and prohibiting the carriage in such tankers of heavy grades of oil),
and if dissatisfied either with the extent of such amendments or with the timetable for their introduction it has been prepared
to legislate on a unilateral basis. In some instances where it has done so, international regulations have subsequently been amended
to the same level of stringency as that introduced in the EU, but the risk is well established that EU regulations (and other
jurisdictions) may from time to time impose burdens and costs on shipowners and operators which are additional to those involved
in complying with international rules and standards.
In some areas of regulation the EU has
introduced new laws without attempting to procure a corresponding amendment of international law. Notably, it adopted in 2005
a directive on ship-source pollution (which has been amended in 2009), imposing criminal sanctions for discharges of oil and other
noxious substances from vessels sailing in its waters, irrespective of their flag not only where such pollution is caused by intent
or recklessness (which would be an offense under MARPOL), but also where it is caused by “serious negligence.” The
directive could therefore result in criminal liability being incurred in circumstances where it would not be incurred under international
law. Experience has shown that in the emotive atmosphere often associated with pollution incidents, retributive attitudes towards
vessel interests have found expression in negligence being alleged by prosecutors and found by courts on grounds which the international
maritime community has found hard to understand. Moreover, there is skepticism that the notion of “serious negligence”
is likely to prove any narrower in practice than ordinary negligence. Criminal liability for a pollution incident could not only
result in us incurring substantial penalties or fines but may also, in some jurisdictions, facilitate civil liability claims for
greater compensation than would otherwise have been payable.
The
EU has also adopted legislation requiring the use of low sulphur fuel. Under Council Directive 1999/32/EC as subsequently amended
(most recently by Directive 2012/33/EU), from January 1, 2015, vessels are required to burn fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding
0.1%
while within EU member states’ territorial
seas, exclusive economic zones and pollution control zones falling within sulphur oxide (SOx) Emission Control Areas (or SECAs),
such as the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, including the English Channel. Further sea areas may be designated as SECAs in the future
by the IMO in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI.
The EU has also adopted legislation (Directive
2009/16/EC on Port State Control, as subsequently amended) which requires the Member States to refuse access to their ports to
certain sub-standard vessels according to various factors, such as the vessel’s condition, flag and number of previous detentions
within certain preceding periods; creates obligations on the part of EU member port states to inspect minimum percentages of vessels
using their ports annually; and provides for increased surveillance of vessels posing a high risk to maritime safety or the marine
environment. If deficiencies are found that are clearly hazardous to safety, health or the environment, the state is required
to detain the vessel or stop loading or unloading until the deficiencies are addressed. Member states are also required to implement
their own separate systems of proportionate penalties for breaches of these standards.
Commission Regulation (EU) No 802/2010,
which was adopted by the European Commission in September 2010, as part of the implementation of the Port State Control Directive
and came into force on January 1, 2011, as subsequently amended by Regulation 1205/2012 of December 14, 2012, introduced
a ranking system (published on a public website and updated daily) displaying shipping companies operating in the EU with the
worst safety records. The ranking is judged upon the results of the technical inspections carried out on the vessels owned by
a particular shipping company. Those shipping companies that have the most positive safety records are rewarded by being subjected
to fewer inspections, whilst those with the most safety shortcomings or technical failings recorded upon inspection are to be
subjected to a greater frequency of official inspections of their vessels.
By Directive 2009/15/EC of April 23, 2009
(on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organizations and for the relevant activities of maritime administrations)
as amended by Directive 2014/111/EU of December 17, 2014, the European Union has established measures to be followed by the Member
States for the exercise of authority and control over classification societies, including the ability to seek to suspend or revoke
the authority of classification societies that are negligent in their duties.
The EU has also adopted Regulation (EU)
No 1257/2013 which lays down rules in relation to ship recycling and management of hazardous materials on vessels. The Regulation
lays down requirements for the recycling of vessels in an environmentally sound manner at approved recycling facilities which
meet certain requirements, so as to minimize the adverse effects of recycling on human health and the environment. The Regulation
also lays down rules for the control and proper management of hazardous materials on vessels and prohibits or restricts the installation
or use of certain hazardous materials on vessels. The Regulation aims at facilitating the ratification of the Recycling Convention.
It applies to vessels flying the flag of a Member State and certain of its provisions apply to vessels flying the flag of a third
country calling at a port or anchorage of a Member State. For example, when calling at a port or anchorage of a Member State,
the vessels flying the flag of a third country will be required, amongst other things, to have on board an inventory of hazardous
materials which complies with the requirements of the Regulation and to be able to submit to the relevant authorities of that
Member State a copy of a statement of compliance issued by the relevant authorities of the country of their flag and verifying
the inventory. The Regulation is to apply not earlier than December 31, 2015 and not later than December 31, 2018, although certain
of its provisions are to apply from December 31, 2014 and certain others from December 31, 2020.
Compliance Enforcement
The flag state, as defined by the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, has overall responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of international maritime
regulations for all vessels granted the right to fly its flag. The “Shipping Industry Guidelines on Flag State Performance”
issued by the International Chamber of Shipping in cooperation with other international shipping associations evaluates flag states
based on factors such as port state control record, ratification of major international maritime treaties, use of recognized organizations
conducting survey work on their behalf which comply with the IMO guidelines, age of fleet, compliance with reporting requirements
and participation at IMO meetings. The vessels that we operate are flagged in the Marshall Islands and Malta. Marshall Islands-
and Malta-flagged vessels have historically received a good assessment in the shipping industry.
Noncompliance with the ISM Code or other
IMO regulations may subject the shipowner or bareboat charterer to increased liability and, if the implementing legislation so
provides, to criminal sanctions, may lead to decreases in available insurance coverage for affected vessels or may invalidate
or result in the loss of existing insurance cover and may result in the denial of access to, or detention in, some ports. The
U.S. Coast Guard and European Union authorities have, for example, indicated that vessels not in compliance with the ISM Code
will be prohibited from trading in U.S. and European Union ports, respectively. As of the date of this annual report on Form 20-F,
each of our vessels is ISM Code certified. However, there can be no assurance that such certificate will be maintained.
The IMO continues to review and introduce
new regulations. It is impossible to predict what additional regulations, if any, may be passed by the IMO and what effect, if
any, such regulations may have on our operations.
United States Environmental
Regulations and Laws Governing Civil Liability for Pollution
Environmental legislation in the United
States merits particular mention as it is in many respects more onerous than international laws, representing a high-water mark
of regulation with which shipowners and operators must comply, and of liability likely to be incurred in the event of non-compliance
or an incident causing pollution.
U.S. federal legislation, including notably
the OPA, establishes an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from oil spills,
including bunker oil spills from dry bulk vessels as well as cargo or bunker oil spills from tankers. The OPA affects all owners
and operators whose vessels trade in the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in United States
waters, which includes the United States’ territorial sea and its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Under the OPA,
vessel owners, operators and bareboat charterers are “responsible parties” and are jointly, severally and strictly
liable without regard to fault (unless the spill results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an
act of war) for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from discharges or substantial threats of discharges
of oil from their vessels. The OPA expressly allows the individual states of the United States to impose their own liability regimes
for the discharge of petroleum products. In addition to potential liability under the OPA as the relevant federal legislation,
vessel owners may in some instances incur liability on an even more stringent basis under state law in the particular state where
the spillage occurred.
The OPA requires the owner or operator
of any non-tank vessel of 400 gross tons or more that carries oil of any kind as a fuel for main propulsion, including bunkers,
to prepare and submit a response plan for each vessel. The vessel response plans must include detailed information on actions
to be taken by vessel personnel to prevent or mitigate any discharge or substantial threat of such a discharge of oil from the
vessel.
The OPA limits the liability of responsible
parties to the greater of $1,100 per gross ton or $939,800 per non-tank vessel (subject to possible adjustment for inflation).
However, these limits of liability do not apply if an incident was proximately caused by violation of applicable United States
federal safety, construction or operating regulations or by a responsible party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct,
or if the responsible party fails or refuses to report the incident or to cooperate and assist in connection with oil removal
activities.
In addition, the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA, which applies to the discharge of hazardous substances (other than oil)
whether on land or at sea, contains a similar liability regime and provides for cleanup, removal and natural resource damages.
Liability under CERCLA is limited to the greater of $300 per gross ton or $0.5 million for vessels not carrying hazardous substances
as cargo or residue ($5.0 million for vessels carrying hazardous substances) unless the incident is caused by gross negligence,
willful misconduct or a violation of certain regulations, in which case liability is unlimited.
We maintain, for each of our vessels,
protection and indemnity coverage against pollution liability risks in the amount of $1.0 billion per event. This insurance coverage
is subject to exclusions, deductibles and other terms and conditions. If any liabilities or expenses fall within an exclusion
from coverage, or if damages from a catastrophic incident exceed the $1.0 billion limitation of coverage per event, our cash flow,
profitability and financial position could be adversely impacted.
We believe our insurance and protection
and indemnity coverage as described above meets the requirements of the OPA.
The OPA requires owners and operators
of all vessels over 300 gross tons, even those that do not carry petroleum or hazardous substances as cargo, to establish and
maintain with the U.S. Coast Guard evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet their potential liabilities under the
OPA. The U.S. Coast Guard has implemented regulations requiring evidence of financial responsibility for containerships in the
amount of $1,400 per gross ton, which includes the OPA limitation on liability of $1,100 per gross ton and the CERCLA liability
limit of $300 per gross ton for vessels not carrying hazardous substances as cargo or residue. Under the regulations, vessel owners
and operators may evidence their financial responsibility by showing proof of insurance, surety bond, self-insurance or guaranty.
Under the OPA, an owner or operator of
a fleet of vessels is required only to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility in an amount sufficient to cover the vessel
in the fleet having the greatest limited liability under the OPA.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s regulations
concerning certificates of financial responsibility provide, in accordance with the OPA, that claimants may bring suit directly
against an insurer or guarantor that furnishes the guaranty that supports the certificates of financial responsibility. In the
event that such insurer or guarantor is sued directly, it is prohibited from asserting any contractual defense that it may have
had against the responsible party and is limited to asserting those defenses available to the responsible party and the defense
that the incident was caused by the willful misconduct of the responsible party.
The OPA specifically permits individual
states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to oil pollution incidents occurring within their boundaries, and some
states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for oil spills. In some cases, states that have enacted such
legislation have not yet issued implementing regulations defining vessels owners’ responsibilities under these laws. We
intend to comply with all applicable state regulations in the ports where our vessels call.
The United States Clean Water Act, or
CWA, prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances in U.S. navigable waters and imposes strict liability in the form
of penalties for unauthorized discharges. The CWA also imposes substantial liability for the costs of removal, remediation and
damages and complements the remedies available under CERCLA.
The EPA enacted rules governing the regulation
of ballast water discharges and other discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels within U.S. waters. Under the rules,
commercial vessels 79 feet in length or longer (other than commercial fishing vessels), or Regulated Vessels, are required to
obtain a CWA permit regulating and authorizing such normal discharges. This permit, which the EPA has designated as the Vessel
General Permit for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of Vessels, or VGP, incorporates the current U.S. Coast Guard
requirements for ballast water management as well as supplemental ballast water requirements, and includes limits applicable to
specific discharge streams, such as deck runoff, bilge water and gray water.
For each discharge type, among other things,
the VGP establishes effluent limits pertaining to the constituents found in the effluent, including best management practices,
or BMPs, designed to decrease the amount of constituents entering the waste stream. Unlike land-based discharges, which are deemed
acceptable by meeting certain EPA-imposed numerical effluent limits, each of the VGP discharge limits is deemed to be met when
a Regulated Vessel carries out the BMPs pertinent to that specific discharge stream. The VGP imposes additional requirements on
certain Regulated Vessel types that emit discharges unique to those vessels. Administrative provisions, such as inspection, monitoring,
recordkeeping and reporting requirements are also included for all Regulated Vessels.
The VGP application procedure, known as
the Notice of Intent, or NOI, may be accomplished through the “eNOI” electronic filing interface. We submitted NOIs
for all our vessels to which the CWA applies. The Vessel General Permit contains limits on effluents, and specific measures with
respect to ships operating on the Great Lakes.
In addition, pursuant to Section 401 of
the CWA, which requires each state to certify federal discharge permits such as the VGP, certain states have enacted additional
discharge standards as conditions to their certification of the VGP. These local standards bring the VGP into compliance with
more stringent state requirements, such as those further restricting ballast water discharges and preventing the introduction
of non-indigenous species considered to be invasive. The VGP and related state-specific regulations and any similar restrictions
enacted in the future will increase the costs of operating in the relevant waters.
The U.S. National Invasive Species Act,
or NISA, was enacted in 1996 in response to growing reports of harmful organisms being released into U.S. ports through ballast
water taken on by vessels in foreign ports. NISA established a ballast water management program for vessels entering U.S. waters.
Under NISA, mid-ocean ballast water exchange is voluntary, except for vessels heading to the Great Lakes or Hudson Bay, or vessels
engaged in the foreign export of Alaskan North Slope crude oil. However, NISA’s reporting and record keeping requirements
are mandatory for vessels bound for any port in the United States.
In March 2012, the U.S. Coast Guard issued
a final rule establishing standards for the allowable concentration of living organisms in ballast water discharged in U.S. waters
and requiring the phase-in of Coast Guard approved ballast water management systems. The rule went into effect in June 2012, and
adopts ballast water discharge standards for vessels calling on U.S. ports and intending to discharge ballast water equivalent
to those set in IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention. The final rule requires that ballast water discharge have no
more than 10 living organisms per milliliter for organisms between 10 and 50 micrometers in size. For organisms larger than 50
micrometers, the discharge can have 10 living organisms per cubic meter of discharge. The U.S. Coast Guard will review the practicability
of implementing a more stringent ballast water discharge standard. The rule requires installation of Coast Guard approved ballast
water management systems by new vessels constructed on or after December 1, 2013, and existing vessels as of their first drydocking
after January 1, 2016. If Coast Guard type approved technologies are not available by a vessel’s compliance date, the vessel
may request an extension to the deadline from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Security Regulations
Since the terrorist attacks of September
11, 2001, there have been a variety of initiatives intended to enhance vessel security. In November 2002, the MTSA came into effect.
To implement certain portions of the MTSA, in July 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard issued regulations requiring the implementation
of certain security requirements aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Similarly,
in December 2002, amendments to SOLAS created a new chapter of the convention dealing specifically with maritime security. The
new chapter went into effect on July 1, 2004, and imposes various detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities,
most of which are contained in the newly created ISPS Code. Among the various requirements are:
|
Ø
|
on-board
installation of automatic information systems to enhance vessel-to-vessel and vessel-to-shore communications;
|
|
Ø
|
on-board
installation of ship security alert systems;
|
|
Ø
|
the
development of vessel security plans; and
|
|
Ø
|
compliance
with flag state security certification requirements.
|
The U.S. Coast Guard regulations, intended
to be aligned with international maritime security standards, exempt non-U.S. vessels from MTSA vessel security measures, provided
such vessels have on board a valid International Ship Security Certificate that attests to the vessel’s compliance with
SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code. The vessels in our fleet that we operate have on board valid International Ship
Security Certificates and, therefore, will comply with the requirements of the MTSA.
International Laws Governing Civil Liability
to Pay Compensation or Damages
Although the United States is not a party
to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969, as amended by the 1992 Protocol and further
amended in 2000, or the CLC (which has been adopted by the IMO and sets out a liability regime in relation to oil pollution damage),
many countries are parties and have ratified either the original CLC or its 1992 Protocol. Under the CLC, a vessel’s registered
owner is strictly liable for pollution damage caused in the territorial waters or, under the 1992 Protocol, in the exclusive economic
zone or equivalent area, of a contracting state by discharge of persistent oil, subject to certain defenses and subject to the
right to limit liability. The original CLC applies to vessels carrying oil as cargo and not in ballast, whereas the CLC as amended
by the 1992 Protocol applies to tanker vessels and combination carriers (i.e., vessels which sometimes carry oil in bulk and sometimes
other cargoes) but only when the latter carry oil in bulk as cargo and during any voyage following such carriage (to the extent
they have oil residues on board). The limits on liability are based on the use of the International Monetary Fund currency unit
of Special Drawing Rights, or SDR. Under the 2000 amendment to the 1992 Protocol that became effective on November 1, 2003, for
vessels between 5,000 and 140,000 gross tons (a unit of measurement for the total enclosed spaces within a vessel), liability
is limited to approximately 4.51 million SDR plus 631 SDR for each additional gross ton over 5,000. For vessels of over 140,000
gross tons, liability is limited to 89.77 million SDR. The exchange rate between SDRs and U.S. dollars was 0.710181 per dollar
on April 26, 2016. Under the original CLC, the right to limit liability is forfeited where the incident causing the damage is
caused by the owner’s actual fault or privity and under the 1992 Protocol where the relevant incident is caused by the owner’s
personal act or omission, committed with the intent to cause such damage, or recklessly and with knowledge that such damage would
probably result. Vessels trading with states that are parties to these conventions must provide evidence of insurance covering
the liability of the owner. In jurisdictions where the CLC has not been adopted, various legislative schemes or common law govern,
and liability is imposed either on the basis of fault or in a manner similar to that of the convention. We believe that our protection
and indemnity insurance will cover the liability under the regime adopted by the IMO.
The CLC is supplemented by the International
Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage 1971, as amended (or the Fund
Convention). The purpose of the Fund Convention was the creation of a supplementary compensation fund (the International Oil Pollution
Compensation Fund, or IOPC Fund) which provides additional compensation to victims of a pollution incident who are unable to obtain
adequate or any compensation under the CLC.
In 2001, the IMO adopted the International
Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, or the Bunker Convention, which covers liability and compensation
for pollution damage caused in the territorial waters or the exclusive economic zone or equivalent area of ratifying states by
discharges of “bunker oil.” The Bunker Convention defines “bunker oil” as “any hydrocarbon mineral
oil, including lubricating oil, used or intended to be used for the operation or propulsion of the ship, and any residues of such
oil.” The Bunker Convention imposes strict liability (subject to certain defenses) on the shipowner (which term includes
the registered owner, bareboat charterer, manager and operator of the vessel). It also requires registered owners of vessels over
a certain size to maintain insurance for pollution damage in an amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national
or international limitation regime (but not exceeding the amount calculated in accordance with the Convention on Limitation of
Liability for Maritime Claims of 1976, as amended by the 1996 Protocol to it, or the 1976 Convention). The Bunker Convention entered
into force in November 2008. In other jurisdictions, liability for spills or releases of oil from vessels’ bunkers continues
to be determined by the national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the events or damages occur.
The IMO’s International Convention
on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 1996, as superseded
by the 2010 Protocol, or the HNS Convention, sets out a liability regime for loss or damage caused by hazardous or noxious substances
carried on board a vessel. These substances are listed in the convention itself or defined by reference to lists of substances
included in various IMO conventions and codes. The HNS Convention covers loss or damage by contamination to the environment, costs
of preventive measures and further damage caused by such measures, loss or damage to property outside the ship and loss of life
or personal injury caused by such substances on board or outside the ship. It imposes strict liability (subject to certain defenses)
on the registered owner of the vessel and provides for limitation of liability and compulsory insurance. The owner’s right
to limit liability is lost if it is proved that the damage resulted from the owner’s personal act or omission, committed
with the intent to cause such damage, or recklessly and with knowledge that such damage would probably result. The HNS Convention
has not entered into force yet.
Outside the United States, national laws
generally provide for the owner to bear strict liability for pollution, subject to a right to limit liability under applicable
national or international regimes for limitation of liability. The most widely applicable international regime limiting maritime
pollution liability is the 1976 Convention. However, claims for oil pollution damage within the meaning of the CLC or any Protocol
or amendment to it are expressly excepted from the limitation regime set out in the 1976 Convention. Rights to limit liability
under the 1976 Convention are forfeited where it is proved that the loss resulted from the shipowner’s personal act or omissions,
committed with the intent to cause such loss, or recklessly and with knowledge that such loss would probably result. Some states
have ratified the 1996 Protocol to the 1976 Convention, which provides for liability limits substantially higher than those set
forth in the original 1976 Convention to apply in such states. Finally, some jurisdictions are not a party to either the 1976
Convention or the 1996 Protocol, and some are parties to other earlier limitation of liability conventions and, therefore, shipowners’
rights to limit liability for maritime pollution in such jurisdictions may be different or uncertain.
The Maritime Labour Convention
The International Labour Organization’s
Maritime Labour Convention was adopted in 2006 (“MLC 2006”). The basic aims of the MLC 2006 are to ensure comprehensive
worldwide protection of the rights of seafarers and to establish a level playing field for countries and ship owners committed
to providing decent working and living conditions for seafarers, protecting them from unfair competition on the part of substandard
ships. The Convention was ratified on August 20, 2012, and all our vessels have been certified, as required. We do not expect
that the MLC 2006 requirements will have a material effect on our operations.
C. Organizational
Structure
Globus Maritime Limited is a holding company.
As of April 22, 2016, Globus wholly owns six operational subsidiaries, five of which are Marshall Islands corporations and one
of which is incorporated in Malta. Five of our operational subsidiaries each own one vessel and our sixth operational subsidiary,
our Manager, provides the technical and day-to-day commercial management of our fleet and to one vessel that we sold to an unrelated
third party in March 2016. Our Manager maintains ship management agreements with each of our vessel-owning subsidiaries as well
as with the third party vessel that it manages. For additional information about these subsidiaries, see “Exhibit 8.1 Subsidiaries
of Globus Maritime Limited”.
D. Property,
Plants and Equipment
In August 2006, our Manager entered into
a rental agreement for 350 square meters of office space for our operations within a building owned by Cyberonica S.A., a company
related to us through common control. Rental expense was €14,578 per month until December 31, 2015. The rental agreement
provided for an annual increase in rent of 2% above the rate of inflation as set by the Bank of Greece. The contract ran for nine
years and could have been terminated by us with six months’ notice, and terminated at the end of 2015. We renewed the rental
agreement at a monthly rate of €10,360, but otherwise on substantially similar terms. We do not presently own any real estate.
As of December 31, 2015, we owed Cyberonica approximately $191,000 of back rent.
For information about our vessels and
how we account for them, see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects. A. Operating Results – Results
of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies – Impairment of Long-Lived Assets.” Other than our vessels, we
do not have any material property. Our vessels are subject to priority mortgages, which secure our obligations under our various
loan and credit facilities.
For further details regarding our loan
agreements and credit facilities, please see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — B. Liquidity
and Capital Resources — Indebtedness.”
We have no manufacturing capacity, nor
do we produce any products.
We believe that our existing facilities
are adequate to meet our needs for the foreseeable future.
Item 4A.
Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 5. Operating
and Financial Review and Prospects
The following discussion should be
read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto included elsewhere in this annual
report on Form 20-F. We believe that the following discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Actual results or plan of operations could differ materially from those anticipated by forward-looking information due to factors
discussed under “Item 3.D. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this annual report on Form 20-F. Please see the
section “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” at the beginning of this annual report on Form 20-F.
A. Operating Results
Overview
We are an integrated dry bulk shipping
company, which began operations in September 2006, providing marine transportation services on a worldwide basis. We own, operate
and manage a fleet of dry bulk vessels that transport iron ore, coal, grain, steel products, cement, alumina and other dry bulk
cargoes internationally, and we manage one ship that we do not own. Following the conclusion of our initial public offering on
June 1, 2007, our common shares were listed on the AIM under the ticker “GLBS.L.” On July 29, 2010, we effected a
one-for-four reverse stock split, with our issued share capital resulting in 7,240,852 common shares of $0.004 each. On November
24, 2010, we redomiciled into the Marshall Islands pursuant to the BCA and a resale registration statement for our common shares
was declared effective by the SEC. Once the resale registration statement was declared effective by the SEC, our common shares
began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker “GLBS.” We delisted our common shares from the AIM on November
26, 2010.
On June 30, 2011, we completed a follow-on
public offering in the United States under the Securities Act, of 2,750,000 common shares at a price of $8.00 per share, the net
proceeds of which amounted to approximately $20 million. As of December 31, 2015, our issued and outstanding capital stock consisted
of 10,319,151 common shares and 2,567 Series A Preferred Shares.
As of December 31, 2010, our fleet consisted
of five dry bulk vessels (three Supramaxes, one Panamax and one Kamsarmax) with an aggregate carrying capacity of 319,664 dwt.
In March 2011, we purchased from an unaffiliated third party a 2007-built Supramax vessel for $30.3 million. The vessel was delivered
in September 2011 and was named “Sun Globe.” In May 2011, we purchased from an unaffiliated third party a 2005-built
Panamax vessel for $31.4 million. The vessel was delivered in June 2011 and was named “Moon Globe.” As of December
31, 2014 and 2013, our fleet consisted of seven dry bulk vessels (four Supramaxes, two Panamax and one Kamsarmax) with an aggregate
carrying capacity of 452,886 dwt.
In July 2015, we sold “
Tiara
Globe
”, a 1998-built Panamax. As of December 31, 2015 our fleet comprised a total of six dry bulk vessels, consisting
of one Panamax, four Supramaxes and one Kamsarmax, with an average age of 7.4 years and carrying capacity of 379,958 dwt.
In March 2016, we reached a settlement
agreement with Commerzbank relating to the Kelty Loan Agreement. Commerzbank agreed to settle the outstanding indebtedness of
$15.65 million in return for the sale of the shares of Kelty Marine Ltd. for $6.86 million plus overdue interest of $40,708. If
the total amount of cash and bank balances and bank deposits exceeds $10 million in the aggregate as declared on June 30, 2016
then we must pay to Commerzbank any excess amounts. If there is no excess, Globus will be released from its guarantee.
We intend to stabilize and then try to
grow our fleet through timely and selective acquisitions of modern vessels in a manner that we believe will provide an attractive
return on equity and will be accretive to our earnings and cash flow based on anticipated market rates at the time of purchase.
There is no guarantee however, that we will be able to find suitable vessels to purchase or that such vessels will provide an
attractive return on equity or be accretive to our earnings and cash flow.
Our strategy is to generally employ our
vessels on a mix of all types of charter contracts, including bareboat charters, time charters and spot charters although all
of our vessels are currently on the spot market. We may, from time to time, enter into charters with longer durations depending
on our assessment of market conditions.
We seek to manage our fleet in a manner
that allows us to maintain profitability across the shipping cycle and thus maximize returns for our shareholders. To accomplish
this objective we have historically deployed our vessels primarily on a mix of bareboat and time charters (with terms of between
three months and five years) and spot charters although all of our vessels are currently on the spot market. According to our
assessment of market conditions, we have adjusted the mix of these charters to take advantage of the relatively stable cash flow
and high utilization rates associated with time charters or to profit from attractive spot charter rates during periods of strong
charter market conditions.
The average number of vessels in our fleet
for the year ended December 31, 2015 was 6.5, and for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 was 7.0.
Our operations are managed by our Athens,
Greece-based wholly owned subsidiary, Globus Shipmanagement Corp., our Manager, who provides in-house commercial and technical
management services to our vessels and to one third-party owned ship which was previously owned by us until March 2016. Our Manager
enters into a ship management agreement with each of our wholly owned vessel-owning subsidiaries to provide such services as well
to the owner of the ship that it manages but is not owned by us.
Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
We believe that the important measures
for analyzing trends in our results of operations consist of the following:
|
Ø
|
Ownership
days
. We define ownership days as the aggregate number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet has been
owned by us. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues
and the amount of expenses that we record during a period.
|
|
Ø
|
Available
days
. We define available days as the number of our ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our vessels
are off-hire due to scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades or special surveys. The shipping industry
uses available days to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
|
|
Ø
|
Operating
days
. Operating days are the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that the vessels are
off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate
number of days in a period during which vessels generate revenues.
|
|
Ø
|
Fleet
utilization
. We calculate fleet utilization by dividing the number of our operating days during a period by the number
of our available days during the period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company’s efficiency
in finding suitable employment for its vessels and minimizing the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons
other than scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades and special surveys.
|
|
Ø
|
Average
number of vessels
. We measure average number of vessels by the sum of the number of days each vessel was part of our fleet
during a relevant period divided by the number of calendar days in such period.
|
|
Ø
|
TCE
rates
. We define TCE rates as our revenue less net revenue from our bareboat charters less voyage expenses during a period
divided by the number of our available days during the period excluding bareboat charter days, which is consistent with industry
standards. TCE is a non-GAAP measure. TCE rate is a standard shipping industry performance measure used primarily to compare
daily earnings generated by vessels on time charters with daily earnings generated by vessels on voyage charters, because
charter hire rates for vessels on voyage charters are generally not expressed in per day amounts while charter hire rates
for vessels on time charters generally are expressed in such amounts.
|
The following table reflects our ownership
days, available days, operating days, average number of vessels and fleet utilization for the periods indicated.
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Ownership days
|
|
|
2,380
|
|
|
|
2,555
|
|
|
|
2,555
|
|
|
|
2,562
|
|
|
|
2,125
|
|
Available days
|
|
|
2,336
|
|
|
|
2,513
|
|
|
|
2,527
|
|
|
|
2,498
|
|
|
|
2,111
|
|
Operating days
|
|
|
2,252
|
|
|
|
2,500
|
|
|
|
2,486
|
|
|
|
2,471
|
|
|
|
2,083
|
|
Bareboat charter days
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
365
|
|
|
|
365
|
|
|
|
366
|
|
|
|
365
|
|
Fleet utilization
|
|
|
96.4
|
%
|
|
|
99.5
|
%
|
|
|
98.4
|
%
|
|
|
98.9
|
%
|
|
|
98.7
|
%
|
Average number of vessels
|
|
|
6.5
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
|
|
5.8
|
|
Daily time charter equivalent (TCE) rate
|
|
$
|
4,333
|
|
|
$
|
7,969
|
|
|
$
|
9,961
|
|
|
$
|
10,660
|
|
|
$
|
15,619
|
|
We utilize TCE because we believe it is
a meaningful measure to compare period-to-period changes in our performance despite changes in the mix of charter types (i.e.,
voyage charters, spot charters and time charters) under which our vessels may be employed between the periods. Our management
also utilizes TCE to assist them in making decisions regarding employment of our vessels. We believe that our method of calculating
TCE is consistent with industry standards and is determined by dividing revenue after deducting voyage expenses, and net revenue
from our bareboat charters, by available days for the relevant period excluding bareboat charter days. Voyage expenses primarily
consist of brokerage commissions and port, canal and fuel costs that are unique to a particular voyage, which would otherwise
be paid by the charter under a time charter contract.
The following table reflects the calculation of our daily TCE
rates for the periods indicated.
|
|
Year ended December
31,
|
|
|
|
(Expressed in Thousands of U.S. Dollars,
except number of days and daily TCE rates)
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
|
12,715
|
|
|
|
26,378
|
|
|
|
29,434
|
|
|
|
32,197
|
|
|
|
35,559
|
|
Less: Voyage expenses
|
|
|
2,384
|
|
|
|
4,254
|
|
|
|
2,892
|
|
|
|
4,450
|
|
|
|
3,283
|
|
Less: bareboat charter net revenue
|
|
|
304
|
|
|
|
5,006
|
|
|
|
5,006
|
|
|
|
5,020
|
|
|
|
5,006
|
|
Net revenue excluding bareboat charter net revenue
|
|
|
10,027
|
|
|
|
17,118
|
|
|
|
21,536
|
|
|
|
22,727
|
|
|
|
27,270
|
|
Available days net of bareboat charter days
|
|
|
2,314
|
|
|
|
2,148
|
|
|
|
2,162
|
|
|
|
2,132
|
|
|
|
1,746
|
|
Daily TCE rate
|
|
|
4,333
|
|
|
|
7,969
|
|
|
|
9,961
|
|
|
|
10,660
|
|
|
|
15,619
|
|
Lack of Historical Operating Data for Vessels Before their
Acquisition
Consistent with shipping industry practice,
we were not and have not been able obtain the historical operating data for the secondhand vessels we purchase, in part because
that information is not material to our decision to acquire such vessels, nor do we believe such information would be helpful
to potential investors in our common shares in assessing our business or profitability. We purchased our vessels under a standardized
agreement commonly used in shipping practice, which, among other things, provides us with the right to inspect the vessel and
the vessel’s classification society records. The standard agreement does not provide us the right to inspect, or receive
copies of, the historical operating data of the vessel. Accordingly, such information was not available to us. Prior to the delivery
of a purchased vessel, the seller typically removes from the vessel all records, including past financial records and accounts
related to the vessel. Typically, the technical management agreement between a seller’s technical manager and the seller
is automatically terminated and the vessel’s trading certificates are revoked by its flag state following a change in ownership.
In addition, and consistent with shipping
industry practice, we treat the acquisition of vessels from unaffiliated third parties as the acquisition of an asset rather than
a business. We believe that, under the applicable provisions of Rule 11-01(d) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act, the
acquisition of our vessels does not constitute the acquisition of a “business” for which historical or pro forma financial
information would be provided pursuant to Rules 3-05 and 11-01 of Regulation S-X.
Although vessels are generally acquired
free of charter, we may in the future acquire some vessels with charters. Where a vessel has been under a voyage charter, the
vessel is usually delivered to the buyer free of charter. It is rare in the shipping industry for the last charterer of the vessel
in the hands of the seller to continue as the first charterer of the vessel in the hands of the buyer. In most cases, when a vessel
is under time charter and the buyer wishes to assume that charter, the vessel cannot be acquired without the charterer’s
consent and the buyer entering into a separate direct agreement, called a novation agreement, with the charterer to assume the
charter. The purchase of a vessel itself does not transfer the charter because it is a separate service agreement between the
vessel owner and the charterer.
If the Company acquires a vessel subject
to a time charter, it amortizes the amount of the component that is attributable to favorable or unfavorable terms relative to
market terms and is included in the cost of that vessel, over the remaining term of the lease. The amortization is included in
line “amortization of fair value of time charter attached to vessels” in the income statement component of the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income.
If we purchase a vessel and assume or
renegotiate a related time charter, we must take the following steps before the vessel will be ready to commence operations:
|
Ø
|
obtain
the charterer’s consent to us as the new owner;
|
|
Ø
|
obtain
the charterer’s consent to a new technical manager;
|
|
Ø
|
in some
cases, obtain the charterer’s consent to a new flag for the vessel;
|
|
Ø
|
arrange
for a new crew for the vessel, and where the vessel is on charter, in some cases, the crew must be approved by the charterer;
|
|
Ø
|
replace
all hired equipment on board, such as gas cylinders and communication equipment;
|
|
Ø
|
negotiate
and enter into new insurance contracts for the vessel through our own insurance brokers;
|
|
Ø
|
register
the vessel under a flag state and perform the related inspections in order to obtain new trading certificates from the flag
state;
|
|
Ø
|
implement
a new planned maintenance program for the vessel; and
|
|
Ø
|
ensure
that the new technical manager obtains new certificates for compliance with the safety and vessel security regulations of
the flag state.
|
The following discussion is intended to
help you understand how acquisitions of vessels affect our business and results of operations.
Our business is comprised of the following
main elements:
|
Ø
|
employment and operation of our
dry bulk vessels and management of a vessel owned by a third party; and
|
|
Ø
|
management of the
financial, general and administrative elements involved in the conduct of our business and ownership of our dry bulk vessels.
|
The employment and operation of our vessels and the vessel
we manage require the following main components:
|
Ø
|
vessel
maintenance and repair;
|
|
Ø
|
crew
selection and training;
|
|
Ø
|
vessel
spares and stores supply;
|
|
Ø
|
contingency
response planning;
|
|
Ø
|
onboard
safety procedures auditing;
|
|
Ø
|
vessel
insurance arrangement;
|
|
Ø
|
vessel
security training and security response plans (ISPS);
|
|
Ø
|
obtaining
ISM certification and audit for each vessel within the six months of taking over a vessel;
|
|
Ø
|
vessel
hire management;
|
|
Ø
|
vessel
performance monitoring.
|
The management of financial, general and
administrative elements involved in the conduct of our business and ownership of our vessels requires the following main components:
|
Ø
|
management
of our financial resources, including banking relationships, i.e., administration of bank loans and bank accounts;
|
|
Ø
|
management
of our accounting system and records and financial reporting;
|
|
Ø
|
administration
of the legal and regulatory requirements affecting our business and assets; and
|
|
Ø
|
management
of the relationships with our service providers and customers.
|
The principal factors that affect our profitability, cash flows
and shareholders’ return on investment include:
|
Ø
|
rates and periods of hire;
|
|
Ø
|
levels of vessel operating
expenses, including repairs and drydocking;
|
|
Ø
|
purchase and sale of vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
management
fees for any third party ships that we manage;
|
|
Ø
|
financing costs; and
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
|
Revenue
Overview
We generate revenues by charging our customers
for the use of our vessels to transport their dry bulk commodities. We also currently generate revenues by managing one vessel
that we don’t own under a ship management agreement. Under a time charter, the charterer pays us a fixed daily charter hire
rate and bears all voyage expenses, including the cost of bunkers (fuel oil) and port and canal charges. We remain responsible
for paying the chartered vessel’s operating expenses, including the cost of crewing, insuring, repairing and maintaining
the vessel, the costs of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. Under a bareboat charter,
the charterer pays us a fixed daily charter hire rate and bears all voyage expenses, as well as the vessel’s operating expenses.
Spot charters can be spot voyage charters
or spot time charters. Spot voyage charters involve the carriage of a specific amount and type of cargo on a load-port to discharge-port
basis, subject to various cargo handling terms, and the vessel owner is paid on a per-ton basis. Under a spot voyage charter,
the vessel owner is responsible for the payment of all expenses including capital costs, voyage and expenses, such as port, canal
and bunker costs. A spot time charter is a contract to charter a vessel for an agreed period of time at a set daily rate. Under
spot time charters, the charterer pays the voyage expenses.
Revenues
Our revenues are driven primarily by the
number of vessels in our fleet, the number of days during which our vessels operate and the amount of daily hire rates that our
vessels earn under charters or on the spot market, which, in turn, are affected by a number of factors, including:
|
Ø
|
the duration of our charters;
|
|
Ø
|
the number of days our vessels
are hired to operate on the spot market;
|
|
Ø
|
our decisions relating to
vessel acquisitions and disposals;
|
|
Ø
|
the amount of time that we
spend positioning our vessels for employment;
|
|
Ø
|
the amount of time that our
vessels spend in drydocking undergoing repairs;
|
|
Ø
|
maintenance and upgrade work;
|
|
Ø
|
the age, condition and specifications
of our vessels;
|
|
Ø
|
levels of supply and demand
in the dry bulk shipping industry; and
|
|
Ø
|
other factors affecting spot
market charter rates for dry bulk vessels.
|
Our revenues in 2015, 2014 and 2013 decreased
when compared to their respective prior year, mainly due to lower daily time charter and spot rates earned on average from our
vessels on a year over year basis. We did not manage any vessels in 2015, 2014, or 2013, and therefore such is not discussed or
analyzed in this section.
Employment of our Vessels
As of April 22, 2016, we employed our
vessels as follows:
|
Ø
|
m/v
Star Globe
– on a time charter with Cam Shipping Pte Ltd., that began in April
2016 and is expected to expire in May 2015, at the gross rate of $4,750 per day.
|
|
Ø
|
m/v
River Globe
– on a time charter with Korea Line Corporation, Seoul, Korea,
that began in March 2016 and is expected to expire in May 2016, at the gross rate of
$4,500 per day.
|
|
Ø
|
m/v
Sky Globe
– currently seeking employment.
|
|
Ø
|
m/v
Moon Globe
– on a time charter with Windrose SDS Shipping & Trading S.A.,
that began in February 2016 and is expected to expire in May 2016, at the gross rate
of $4,250 per day.
|
|
Ø
|
m/v
Sun Globe
– on a time charter with Jaldhi, that began in March 2016 and is
expected to expire in May 2016, at the gross rate of $5,000 per day.
|
Our charter agreements subject us to counterparty
risk. In depressed market conditions, charterers may seek to renegotiate the terms of their existing charter parties or avoid
their obligations under those contracts. Should counterparties to one or more of our charters fail to honor their obligations
under their agreements with us, we could sustain significant losses which could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and ability to pay dividends.
Voyage Expenses
We charter our vessels primarily through
time charters under which the charterer is responsible for most voyage expenses, such as the cost of bunkers (fuel oil), port
expenses, agents’ fees, canal dues, extra war risks insurance and any other expenses related to the cargo.
Whenever we employ our vessels on a voyage
basis (such as trips for the purpose of geographically repositioning a vessel or trip(s) after the end of one time charter and
up to the beginning of the next time charter), we incur voyage expenses that include port expenses and canal charges and bunker
(fuel oil) expenses.
If we charter our vessels on bareboat
charters, the charterer will pay for most of the voyage expenses.
As is common in the shipping industry,
we have historically paid commissions ranging from 0% to 6.25% of the total daily charter hire rate of each charter to unaffiliated
ship brokers and in-house brokers associated with the charterers, depending on the number of brokers involved with arranging the
charter.
For the year ended December 31, 2015 commissions
amounted to $0.7 million. For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, commissions amounted to $1.3 million each year, respectively.
We believe that the amounts and the structures
of our commissions are consistent with industry practices.
These commissions are directly related
to our revenues. We therefore expect that the amount of total commissions will increase if the size of our fleet grows as a result
of additional vessel acquisitions and employment of those vessels.
Net Revenue
We calculate our net revenue by subtracting
our voyage expenses from our revenues. Net revenue is not a recognized measurement under IFRS and should not be considered as
an alternative or comparable to net income.
Vessel Operating Expenses
Vessel operating expenses include costs
for crewing, insurance, repairs and maintenance, lubricants, spare parts and consumable stores, statutory and classification tonnage
taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. We calculate daily vessel operating expenses by dividing vessel operating expenses by
ownership days for the relevant time period excluding bareboat charter days.
Our vessel operating expenses have historically
fluctuated as a result of changes in the size of our fleet. In addition, a portion of our vessel operating expenses is in currencies
other than the U.S. dollar, such as costs related to repairs, spare parts and consumables. These expenses may increase or decrease
as a result of fluctuation of the U.S. dollar against these currencies.
We expect that crewing costs will increase
in the future due to the shortage in the supply of qualified sea-going personnel. In addition, we expect that maintenance costs
will increase as our vessels age. Other factors that may affect the shipping industry in general, such as the cost of insurance,
may also cause our expenses to increase. To the extent that we purchase additional vessels, we expect our vessel operating expenses
to increase accordingly.
Depreciation
The cost of each of the Company’s
vessels is depreciated on a straight-line basis over each vessel’s remaining useful economic life, after considering the
estimated residual value of each vessel, beginning when the vessel is ready for its intended use. Management estimates that the
useful life of new vessels is 25 years, which is consistent with industry practice. The residual value of a vessel is the product
of its lightweight tonnage and estimated scrap value per lightweight ton. The residual values and useful lives are reviewed at
each reporting date and adjusted prospectively, if appropriate. During the fourth quarter of 2015 we reduced the scrap rate from
$335/ton to $240/ton due to the reduced scrap rates worldwide. This resulted to an extra depreciation expense of $91,000 included
in the consolidated statement of comprehensive loss/income for 2015.
We do not expect these assumptions to
change significantly in the near future. We expect that these charges will increase if we acquire additional vessels.
Depreciation of Drydocking Costs
Vessels are required to be drydocked for
major repairs and maintenance that cannot be performed while the vessels are operating. Drydockings occur approximately every
2.5 years. The costs associated with the drydockings are capitalized and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the period
between drydockings, to a maximum of 2.5 years. At the date of acquisition of a vessel, we estimate the component of the cost
that corresponds to the economic benefit to be derived until the first scheduled drydocking of the vessel under our ownership
and this component is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the remaining period through the estimated drydocking date. We
expect that drydocking costs will increase as our vessels age and if we acquire additional vessels.
Amortization of Fair Value of Time Charter Attached to Vessels
If the Company acquires a vessel subject
to a time charter, it amortizes the amount of the component that is attributable to favorable or unfavorable terms relative to
market terms and is included in the cost of that vessel, over the remaining term of the lease. The amortization is included in
line “amortization of fair value of time charter attached to vessels” in the income statement component of the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income.
Administrative Expenses
Our administrative expenses include payroll
expenses, traveling, promotional and other expenses associated with us being a public company, which include the preparation of
disclosure documents, legal and accounting costs, director and officer liability insurance costs and costs related to compliance.
We expect that our administrative expenses will increase as we enlarge our fleet.
Administrative Expenses Payable to Related Parties
Our administrative expenses payable to
related parties include cash remuneration of our executive officers and directors and rental of our office space.
Share Based Payments
We operate an equity-settled, share based
compensation plan. The value of the service received in exchange of the grant of shares is recognized as an expense. The total
amount to be expensed over the vesting period, if any, is determined by reference to the fair value of the share awards at the
grant date. The relevant expense is recognized in the income statement component of the consolidated statement of comprehensive
income, with a corresponding impact in equity.
Impairment Loss
We assess at each reporting date whether
there is an indication that a vessel that we own may be impaired. The vessel’s recoverable amount is estimated when events
or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. If such indication exists and where the carrying
value exceeds the estimated recoverable amounts, the vessel is written down to its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount
is the greater of fair value less costs to sell and value-in-use. In assessing value-in-use, the estimated future cash flows are
discounted to their present value using a discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and
the risks specific to the vessel. Impairment losses are recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income. A previously
recognized impairment loss is reversed only if there has been a change in the estimates used to determine the asset’s recoverable
amount since the last impairment loss was recognized. If that is the case, the carrying amount of the asset is increased to its
recoverable amount. That increased amount cannot exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation,
had no impairment loss been recognized for the asset in prior years. Such reversal is recognized in the consolidated statement
of comprehensive income. After such a reversal, the depreciation charge is adjusted in future periods to allocate the asset’s
revised carrying amount, less any residual value, on a systematic basis over its remaining useful life.
Gain/ (Loss) on Sale of Vessels
Gain or loss on the sale of vessels is
the residual value remaining after deducting from the vessels’ sale proceeds, the carrying value of the vessels at the respective
date of delivery to their new owners and the total expenses associated with the sale.
Other (Expenses)/Income, Net
We include other operating expenses or
income that is not classified otherwise. It mainly consists of provisions for insurance claims deductibles and refunds from insurance
claims.
Interest Income from Bank Balances
& Bank Deposits
We earn interest on the funds we have
deposited with banks as well as from short-term certificates of deposit.
Interest Expense and Finance Costs
We incur interest expense and financing
costs in connection with the indebtedness under our credit arrangements, including our Credit Facility, the Kelty Loan Agreement,
the DVB Loan Agreement, the HSH Loan Agreement, the Firment Credit Facility and the Silaner Credit Facility that we entered into
in January 2016. We also incurred financing costs in connection with establishing those arrangements, which is included in our
finance costs and amortization and write-off of deferred finance charges. As of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, we had $78.6
million, $84.6 million and $91.5 million of indebtedness outstanding under our then existing credit arrangements, respectively.
We incurred interest expense and financing costs relating to our outstanding debt as well as our available but undrawn Credit
Facility, if any. We will incur additional interest expense in the future on our outstanding borrowings and under future borrowings
to finance future acquisitions. Please see “Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” for further
information.
Gain/ (Loss) on Derivative Financial
Instruments
We may enter into derivative financial
instruments, which mainly consist of interest rate SWAP agreements. Derivative financial instruments are initially recognized
at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently remeasured at fair value. Changes in the
fair value of these derivative instruments are recognized immediately in the income statement component of the consolidated statement
of comprehensive income.
Foreign Exchange Gains/ (Losses), Net
We generate substantially all of our revenues
from the trading of our vessels in U.S. dollars but incur a portion of our expenses in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
We convert U.S. dollars into foreign currencies to pay for our non-U.S. dollar expenses, which we then hold on deposit until the
date of each transaction. Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates create foreign exchange gains or losses when we mark-to-market
these non-U.S. dollar deposits. Because a portion of our expenses is payable in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, our expenses
may from time to time increase relative to our revenues as a result of fluctuations in exchange rates, which could affect the
amount of net income that we report in future periods.
Results of Operations
The following is a discussion of our operating
results for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to the year ended December 31, 2014 and for the year ended December 31,
2014 compared to the year ended December 31, 2013. Variances are calculated on the numbers presented in the discussion over operating
results.
Year ended December
31, 2015 compared to the year ended December 31, 2014
As of December 31, 2015, our fleet consisted
of six dry bulk vessels (four Supramaxes, one Panamax and one Kamsarmax) with an aggregate carrying capacity of 379,958 dwt, while
as of December 31, 2014 our fleet consisted of seven dry bulk vessels (four Supramaxes, two Panamax and one Kamsarmax) with an
aggregate carrying capacity of 452,886 dwt. During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 we had an average of 6.5 and 7.0
dry bulk vessels in our fleet, respectively.
During the year ended December 31, 2015,
we achieved an operating loss of $29.7 million including an impairment loss from sale of vessel “
Tiara Globe
”
of $7.7 million and impairment loss of vessel “Energy Globe” of $12.4 million, while during the year ended December
31, 2014, we achieved an operating profit of $5.2 million including a non-cash impairment gain from impairment reversal of $2.2
million.
Revenue
. Revenue decreased by $13.7
million, or 52%, to $12.7 million in 2015, compared to $26.4 million in 2014 due to the unfavorable average shipping rates achieved
by our vessels during 2015 compared to 2014. Net revenues (Revenues minus Voyage expenses) decreased by $11.8 million, or 53%,
to $10.3 million in 2015, from $22.1 million in 2014. The decrease is primarily attributable to a decrease in average TCE rates
due to unfavorable shipping rates. In 2015, we had total operating days of 2,252 and fleet utilization of 96.4%, compared to 2,500
operating days and a fleet utilization of 99.5% in 2014. We also had 2,380 ownership days in 2015 compared to 2,555 in 2014 due
to the sale of
m/v Tiara Globe
in July 2015.
Voyage expenses.
Voyage expenses
decreased by $1.9 million, or 44%, to $2.4 million in 2015, compared to $4.3 million in 2014. The decrease is attributed to the
decrease in bunkers expenses incurred during periods that our vessels were seeking employment by $1.2 million, or 44%, to $1.5
million in 2015, compared to $2.7 million in 2014.
Vessel
operating expenses.
Vessel operating expenses increased by $0.6 million, or 6%, to $10.3 million in 2015, compared to $9.7
million in 2014
.
The breakdown of our operating expenses for the
year 2015 was as follows:
Crew expenses
|
|
|
57
|
%
|
Repairs and spares
|
|
|
16
|
%
|
Insurance
|
|
|
9
|
%
|
Stores
|
|
|
9
|
%
|
Lubricants
|
|
|
5
|
%
|
Other
|
|
|
4
|
%
|
Daily vessel operating expenses were $4,377
in 2015 compared to $4,432 in 2014, representing a decrease of 1% due to our continued efforts towards cost efficiency.
Depreciation
. Depreciation increased
by $0.5 million, or 8%, to $6.1 million in 2015, compared to $5.6 million in 2014 although the average number of vessels reduced
due to the sale of m/v Tiara Globe in July 2015. This is attributed to the change of the scrap rate from $335/ton to $240/ton
during the fourth quarter of 2015 due to the reduced scrap rates worldwide.
Amortization of fair value of time
charter attached to vessels
. Amortization of fair value of time charter attached to vessels during the years ended December
31, 2015 and 2014 were $41,000 and $746,000, respectively. Amortization refers to the fair value of above market time charters
attached to the vessels
m/v Moon Globe
and
m/v Sun Globe
acquired during the second half of 2011, which is amortized
on a straight line basis over the remaining period of the time charters. The time charter attached to
m/v Moon Globe
expired
in June 2013. The time charter attached to the m/v
Sun Globe
expired in January 2015.
Administrative expenses payable to
related parties.
Administrative expenses payable to related parties decreased by $57,000, or 11%, to $465,000 in 2015 compared
to $522,000 in 2014. Administrative expenses decreased due to changes in the Euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate relating to payments
for our rent, directors and officers.
Administrative expenses.
Administrative
expenses decreased by $0.1 million, or 5% to $1.8 million in 2015 from $1.9 million in 2014 mainly due to the efforts of the Company
to reduce its expenditures in this area.
Share-based payments.
Share-based
payments remained the same during both 2015 and 2014, which was $60,000.
(Impairment loss)/Reversal of impairment
.
During the year ended December 31, 2015, we recognized an impairment loss of $20.1 million; $7.7 million was attributed to the
sale of
m/v Tiara Globe
and $12.4 million was recorded for
m/v Energy Globe,
as we concluded that the recoverable
amount of the vessel was lower than its carrying amount. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we recognized an impairment
reversal of $2.2 million with reference to the vessel
m/v Tiara Globe
. As of December 31, 2014, the Company decided that
the vessel no longer met the criteria to be classified as held for sale and was subsequently measured at its recoverable amount
at that date of $13.6 million resulting in an impairment reversal of $2.2 million.
Interest expense and finance costs.
Interest expense increased by $0.7 million, or 33.3%, to $2.8 million in 2015, compared to $2.1 million in 2014. Our weighted
average interest rate for 2015 was 3.05% compared to 2.22% during 2014. Total borrowings outstanding as of December 31, 2015 amounted
to $78.6 million compared to $84.6 million as of December 31, 2014. The increase in interest expense is attributed to the increase
of the weighted average interest rate for the year ended December 31, 2015, which was 3.05%, compared to the weighted average
interest rate for the year ended December 31, 2014, which was 2.22%. All of our credit and loan facilities are denominated in
U.S. dollars.
Year ended December
31, 2014 compared to the year ended December 31, 2013
As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, our
fleet consisted of seven dry bulk vessels (four Supramaxes, two Panamax and one Kamsarmax) with an aggregate carrying capacity
of 452,886 dwt. During the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 we had an average of 7.0 dry bulk vessels in our fleet.
During 2014, we achieved an operating
profit of $5.2 million including a non-cash impairment gain from impairment reversal of $2.2 million, while during 2013, we achieved
an operating profit of $8.5 million including a non-cash impairment gain from impairment reversal of $1.7 million.
Revenue
. Revenue decreased by $3.0
million, or 10%, to $26.4 million in 2014, compared to $29.4 million in 2013 due to the unfavorable average shipping rates achieved
by our vessels during 2014 compared to 2013. Net revenues (Revenues minus Voyage expenses) decreased by $4.4 million, or 17%,
to $22.1 million in 2014, from $26.5 million in 2013. The decrease is primarily attributable to a decrease in average TCE rates
due to unfavorable shipping rates which effectively reduced our net revenues by approximately $4.3 million, assuming all other
variables were held constant. TCE rates decreased due to the unfavorable average shipping rates achieved by our vessels and to
an increase in our voyage expenses incurred during periods that our vessels were seeking employment. Revenue was further decreased
by $0.1 million due to 1% decrease in our available days assuming all other variables were held constant. In 2014, we had total
operating days of 2,500 and fleet utilization of 99.5%, compared to 2,486 operating days and a fleet utilization of 98.4% in 2013.
Voyage expenses.
Voyage expenses
increased by $1.4 million, or 48%, to $4.3 million in 2014, compared to $2.9 million in 2013. The increase is attributed to the
increase in bunkers expenses incurred during periods that our vessels were seeking employment by $1.3 million, or 93%, to $2.7
million in 2014, compared to $1.4 million in 2013.
Vessel
operating expenses.
Vessel operating expenses decreased by $0.3 million, or 3%, to $9.7 million in 2014, compared to $10.0
million in 2013 due to our continued efforts towards operational efficiency
.
The breakdown of our operating expenses for the year 2014 was as follows:
Crew expenses
|
|
|
56
|
%
|
Repairs and spares
|
|
|
15
|
%
|
Insurance
|
|
|
10
|
%
|
Stores
|
|
|
10
|
%
|
Lubricants
|
|
|
6
|
%
|
Other
|
|
|
3
|
%
|
Daily vessel operating expenses were $4,432
in 2014 compared to $4,580 in 2013, representing a decrease of 3% due to our continued efforts towards cost efficiency.
Depreciation
. Depreciation remained
the same during both 2014 and 2013, which was $5.6 million.
Amortization of fair value of time
charter attached to vessels
. Amortization of fair value of time charter attached to vessels during the years ended December
31, 2014 and 2013 were $0.7 and $1.3 million, respectively. Amortization refers to the fair value of above market time charters
attached to the vessels
m/v Moon Globe
and
m/v Sun Globe
acquired during the second half of 2011, which is amortized
on a straight line basis over the remaining period of the time charters. The time charter attached to
m/v Moon Globe
expired
in June 2013.
Administrative expenses payable to
related parties.
Administrative expenses payable to related parties decreased by $0.1 million, or 17%, to $0.5 million in
2014 compared to $0.6 million in 2013, mainly due to the departure of our Chief Financial Officer in January 2013 when his severance
pay incurred.
Administrative expenses.
Administrative
expenses decreased by $0.2 million, or 10% to $1.9 million in 2014 from $2.1 million in 2013 mainly due to a decrease in legal
fees incurred during 2014 compared to 2013.
Share based payments.
Share based
payments decreased by $0.2 million in 2014 compared to 2013. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company revised its
estimate on the number of shares that were to be awarded at the end of the award period at December 31, 2014, with reference to
the long time incentive plan, based on the non-market and service vesting conditions of the award. As of December 31, 2013 we
reversed $0.2 million corresponding to the expense that had accrued since February 22, 2012, the grant date of the award.
Reversal of impairment /(impairment
loss)
. During the year ended December 31, 2014 we recognized an impairment reversal of $2.2 million with reference to the
vessel
m/v Tiara Globe
. As of December 31, 2014 the Company decided that the vessel no longer met the criteria to be classified
as held for sale and was subsequently measured at its recoverable amount at that date of $13.6 million resulting in an impairment
reversal of $2.2 million. As of December 31, 2013,
m/v Tiara Globe
, classified as held for sale, was re-measured at fair
value of $11.8 million, less estimated cost to sell of $0.4 million, less deferred drydocking costs of $0.8 million, which resulted
in a gain of $1.7 million when compared to the fair value less costs to sell as of December 31, 2012.
Interest expense and finance costs.
Interest expense decreased by $1.5 million, or 42%, to $2.1 million in 2014, compared to $3.6 million in 2013 mainly due to
the termination of both our five year swap agreements during November 2013. Our weighted average interest rate for 2014 was 2.22%
compared to 3.14% during 2013 including the effect from our interest rate swap agreements in effect at that time or 2.54% excluding
the effect from our interest rate swap agreements. Total borrowings outstanding as of December 31, 2014 amounted to $84.6 million
compared to $91.5 million as of December 31, 2013. All of our credit and loan facilities are denominated in U.S. dollars.
Gain/(loss) on derivative financial
instruments.
Both our interest rate swap agreements, which were fixed at unfavourable terms compared to the market, reached
their maturity during November 2013.
Inflation
Inflation has only a moderate effect on our expenses given
current economic conditions. In the event that significant global inflationary pressures appear, these pressures would increase
our operating, voyage, administrative and financing costs.
Critical Accounting Policies
The discussion and analysis of our financial
condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance
with IFRS as issued by the IASB. The preparation of those consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and
judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent
assets and liabilities at the date of our consolidated financial statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates under
different assumptions and conditions.
Critical accounting policies are those
that reflect significant judgments of uncertainties and potentially result in material different results under different assumptions
and conditions. We have described below what we believe are our most critical accounting policies, because they generally involve
a comparatively higher degree of judgment in their application. For a description of all our significant accounting policies,
see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included in this annual report on Form 20-F.
Our ability to continue as a going
concern
When assessing our ability to continue
as a going concern, our management must make judgments and estimates about various aspects of our business, including the following:
|
Ø
|
plans
to raise new funds, restructure our debt and reorganize our capital structure;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
the
timing and amount of cash flows from operating activities;
|
|
Ø
|
the
marketability of assets to be disposed of and the timing and amount of related cash proceeds
to be used to repay our indebtedness;
|
|
Ø
|
plans
to reduce and delay our expenditures;
|
|
Ø
|
our
ability to comply with the various debt covenants; and
|
|
Ø
|
the
present and future regulatory, business, credit and competitive environment in which
we operate.
|
These factors individually and collectively
will have a significant effect on our financial condition and results of operations and on our ability to generate sufficient
cash to repay our indebtedness as it becomes due. We plan to attempt to raise additional capital by selling securities through
one or more private placement or public offerings, which may include a rights offering, or by borrowing additional funds. All
of our vessels are pledged as collateral to a bank, and therefore if we were to sell one or more vessels, the net proceeds of
such sale would be used first to repay the outstanding debt to which the vessel is collateralized with, and the remainder, if
any, would be for our use, subject to the terms of our remaining loan and credit arrangements. However, the doubts raised relating
to our ability to continue as a going concern may make our securities an unattractive investment for potential investors.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets:
We assess at each reporting date whether there is an indication that a vessel may be impaired. The vessel’s recoverable
amount is estimated when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable.
If such indication exists and where the
carrying value exceeds the estimated recoverable amounts, the vessel is written down to its recoverable amount. The recoverable
amount is the greater of fair value less costs to sell and value-in-use. In assessing value-in-use, the estimated future cash
flows are discounted to their present value using a discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of
money and the risks specific to the vessel. This assessment is made at the individual vessel level as separately identifiable
cash flow information for each vessel is available. We determine the fair value of our assets based on management estimates and
assumptions and by making use of available market data and taking into consideration third party valuations.
Discounted future cash flows for each
vessel were determined and compared to the vessel’s carrying value. The projected net discounted future cash flows for the
first three years were determined by considering an estimate daily time charter equivalent based on the most recent blended (for
modern and older vessels) one-year time charter rate available for each type of vessel. For the remaining useful life of the vessels
the Company used the historical ten-year blended average one-year time charter rates substituting for the years 2007 and 2008
that were considered as extreme values, with the years 2004 and 2005. The rates were adjusted assuming an annual growth rate as
published by the International Monetary Fund, net of commissions. Expected outflows for scheduled vessels maintenance were taken
into consideration as well as vessel operating expenses assuming an average annual inflation rate of approximately 4%. The average
time charter rates used were in line with the overall chartering strategy, especially in periods/years of depressed charter rates;
reflecting the full operating history of vessels of the same type and particulars with the Company’s operating fleet (Supramax
and Panamax vessels with deadweight tonnage (“dwt”) of over 50,000 and 70,000, respectively) and they covered at least
one full business cycle. The average annual inflation rate applied on vessels’ maintenance and operating costs approximated
current projections for global inflation rate for the remaining useful life of the Company’s vessels. Effective fleet utilization
was assumed at 90% (including ballast days), taking into account the period(s) each vessel is expected to undergo her scheduled
maintenance (drydocking and special surveys), as well as an estimate of the period(s) needed for finding suitable employment and
off-hire for reasons other than scheduled maintenance, assumptions in line with the Company’s expectations for future fleet
utilization under the current fleet deployment strategy.
Impairment losses are recognized in the
consolidated statement of comprehensive income. A previously recognized impairment loss is reversed only if there has been a change
in the estimates used to determine the asset’s recoverable amount since the last impairment loss was recognized. If that
is the case, the carrying amount of the asset is increased to its recoverable amount. That increased amount cannot exceed the
carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation, had no impairment loss been recognized for the asset in
prior years. Such reversal is recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income. After such a reversal, the depreciation
charge is adjusted in future periods to allocate the asset’s revised carrying amount, less any residual value, on a systematic
basis over its remaining useful life.
During the year ended December 31, 2015,
we recognized an impairment loss of $7.7 million due to the sale of
m/v Tiara Globe
and an impairment loss of $12.4 million
for
m/v Energy Globe
as we concluded that the recoverable amount of the vessel was lower than its carrying amount
.
During the year ended December 31, 2014,
we recognized an impairment reversal of $2.2 million with reference to
m/v Tiara Globe
. As of December 31, 2014, the Company
decided that such vessel no longer met the criteria to be classified as held for sale and was subsequently measured at its recoverable
amount at that date of $13.6 million resulting in an impairment reversal of $2.2 million. As of December 31, 2014, no impairment
loss was recognized as our vessels’ recoverable amounts, excluding
m/v Tiara Globe
, exceeded their carrying amounts.
During the year ended December 31, 2013,
we recognized a gain from an impairment reversal of $1.7 million. As of December 31, 2013,
m/v Tiara Globe
, classified
as held for sale, was re-measured at fair value of $11.8 million, less estimated cost to sell of $0.4 million, less deferred drydocking
costs incurred of $0.8 million, which resulted in a gain of $1.7 million when compared to the fair value less cost to sell as
of December 31, 2012. As of December 31, 2013, no impairment loss was recognized as our vessels’ recoverable amounts, excluding
m/v Tiara Globe
, exceeded their carrying amounts.
Although we believe that the assumptions
used to evaluate impairment are reasonable and appropriate, these assumptions are highly subjective and we are not able to estimate
the variability between the assumptions used and actual results that is reasonably likely to result in the future.
As of December 31, 2015, we owned
and operated a fleet of six vessels, with an aggregate carrying value of $110.1 million. The carrying value of each of our vessels
does not necessarily represent its fair market value or the amount that could be obtained if the vessel were sold. Our estimates
of the market values assume that the vessels are in good and seaworthy condition without need for repair and, if inspected, would
be certified as being in class without any recommendations of any kind. Because vessel values are highly volatile, these estimates
may not be indicative of either current or future prices that we could achieve if we were to sell any of the vessels. As our impairment
test (as described in “—
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets”
) showed that the recoverable amount of m/v Energy
Globe was lower than its carrying amount we recognized an impairment loss of $12.4 million. As of December 31, 2014, we believe
that for all our vessels the basic charter-free market value less estimated costs to sell was lower than the vessel’s carrying
value by approximately $30.9 million in the aggregate, however we did not proceed with the recording of an impairment as our impairment
test showed that the vessels’ recoverable amounts exceeded their carrying amounts.
A vessel-by-vessel carrying value summary
as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 follows:
Dry bulk Vessels
|
|
Dwt
|
|
|
Year
Built
|
|
|
Month and Year
of Acquisition
|
|
Purchase Price (in
millions of U.S.
Dollars)
|
|
|
Carrying Value
as of December 31,
2015 (in millions of
U.S. Dollars)
|
|
|
Carrying Value
as of December 31,
2014 (in millions of
U.S. Dollars)
|
|
m/v River Globe
|
|
|
53,627
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
December 2007
|
|
|
57.5
|
|
|
|
18.6
|
|
|
|
18.9
|
|
m/v Sky Globe
|
|
|
56,855
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
May 2010
|
|
|
32.8
|
|
|
|
20.6
|
|
|
|
21.7
|
|
m/v Star Globe
|
|
|
56,867
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
May 2010
|
|
|
32.8
|
|
|
|
20.1
|
|
|
|
20.7
|
|
m/v Sun Globe
|
|
|
58,790
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
September 2011
|
|
|
30.3
|
|
|
|
20.0
|
|
|
|
21.1
|
|
m/v Tiara Globe(1)
|
|
|
72,928
|
|
|
|
1998
|
|
|
December 2007
|
|
|
66.8
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
13.6
|
|
m/v Moon Globe
|
|
|
74,432
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
June 2011
|
|
|
31.4
|
|
|
|
17.9
|
|
|
|
19.1
|
|
m/v Energy Globe (ex Jin Star)
|
|
|
79,387
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
June 2010
|
|
|
41.1
|
|
|
|
12.9
|
|
|
|
26.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
110.1
|
|
|
|
141.7
|
|
(1) m/v Tiara Globe was sold in July
2015.
Vessels, net:
Vessels are stated
at cost, less accumulated depreciation (including depreciation of drydocking costs and component attributable to favorable or
unfavorable lease terms relative to market terms) and accumulated impairment losses. Vessel cost consists of the contract price
for the vessel and any material expenses incurred upon acquisition (initial repairs, improvements and delivery expenses, interest
and on-site supervision costs incurred during the construction periods). Any seller’s credit, which is the amounts received
from the seller of the vessels until date of delivery, is deducted from the cost of the vessel. Subsequent expenditures for conversions
and major improvements are also capitalized when the recognition criteria are met. Otherwise, these amounts are charged to expenses
as incurred.
Vessels Depreciation:
The cost
of each of the Company’s vessels is depreciated on a straight-line basis over each vessel’s remaining useful economic
life, after considering the estimated residual value of each vessel, beginning when the vessel is ready for its intended use.
Management estimates that the useful life of new vessels is 25 years, which is consistent with industry practice. The residual
value of a vessel is the product of its lightweight tonnage and estimated scrap value per lightweight ton. The residual values
and useful lives are reviewed at each reporting date and adjusted prospectively, if appropriate. Depreciation is based on the
cost of the vessel less its estimated residual value. Secondhand vessels are depreciated from the date of their acquisition through
their remaining estimated useful lives. A decrease in the useful life of a vessel or in its residual value would have the effect
of increasing the annual depreciation charge. When regulations place limitations over the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide
basis, its useful life is adjusted to end at the date such regulations become effective. During the fourth quarter of 2015 we
reduced the scrap rate from $335/ton to $240/ton due to the reduced scrap rates worldwide. This resulted to an extra depreciation
expense of $91,000 included in the consolidated statement of comprehensive loss/income for 2015.
Drydocking costs:
Vessels are required
to be drydocked for major repairs and maintenance that cannot be performed while the vessels are operating. Drydockings occur
approximately every 2.5 years. The costs associated with the drydockings are capitalized and depreciated on a straight-line basis
over the period between drydockings, to a maximum of 2.5 years. At the date of acquisition of a vessel, management estimates the
component of the cost that corresponds to the economic benefit to be derived until the first scheduled drydocking of the vessel
under our ownership and this component is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the remaining period through the estimated
drydocking date. Costs capitalized are limited to actual costs incurred, such as shipyard rent, paints and related works and surveyor
fees in relation to obtaining the class certification. If a drydocking is performed prior to the scheduled date, the remaining
unamortized balances of previous drydockings are immediately written off. Unamortized balances of vessels that are sold are written
off and included in the calculation of the resulting gain or loss in the period of the vessel’s sale.
Amortization of lease component:
When we acquire a vessel subject to a time charter, we amortize the amount of the component attributable to the favorable or unfavorable
terms of the time charter relative to market terms which is included in the cost of that vessel, over the remaining term of the
time charter.
Non-current assets held for sale:
Non-current assets and disposal groups classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of carrying amount and fair value
less costs to sell. We determine the fair value of our assets based on management estimates and assumptions and by making use
of available market data and taking into consideration third party valuations. If the carrying amount exceeds fair value less
costs to sell, we recognize a loss under impairment loss in the income statement component of the consolidated statement of comprehensive
income. Non-current assets and disposal groups are classified as held for sale if their carrying amounts will be recovered through
a sale transaction rather than through continuing use. This condition is regarded as met only when the sale is highly probable
and the asset or disposal group is available for immediate sale in its present condition. Management must be committed to the
sale, which should be expected to qualify for recognition as a complete sale within one year from the date of classification.
Events or circumstances may extend the period to complete the sale beyond one year. An extension of the period required to complete
a sale does not preclude an asset from being classified as held for sale if the delay is caused by events or circumstances beyond
the entity’s control and there is sufficient evidence that the entity remains committed to its plan to sell the asset. Property,
plant and equipment and intangible assets once classified as held for sale are not depreciated or amortized. If the Company has
classified an asset as held for sale but the criteria discussed above are no longer met, the Company ceases to classify the asset
as held for sale. The Company measures a non-current asset that ceases to be classified as held for sale at the lower of (1) its
carrying amount before the asset was classified as held for sale, adjusted for any depreciation, amortization or revaluation that
would have been recognised had the asset not been classified as held for sale and (2) its recoverable amount at the date of the
subsequent decision to cease classifying the asset as held for sale.
Revenue:
We typically generate
our revenues from charterers for the charter hire of our vessels. Vessels are chartered using time charters, where a contract
is entered into for the use of a vessel for a specific period of time and a specified daily charter hire rate. If a time charter
agreement exists and collection of the related revenue is reasonably assured, revenue is recognized on a straight line basis over
the period of the time charter. Such revenues are treated in accordance with IAS 17 as lease income. Associated voyage expenses,
which primarily consist of commissions, are recognized on a pro rata basis over the duration of the period of the time charter.
Deferred revenue relates to cash received prior to the financial position date and is related to revenue earned after such date.
In 2016 certain revenues will be derived from managing a third party vessel.
Voyage expense:
Consisting primarily
of port expenses and owner’s expenses paid by the charterer, canal and bunker expenses that are unique to a particular charter
under time charter arrangements or by us under voyage charter arrangements. Furthermore, voyage expenses include commission on
revenue paid by us.
Trade receivables, net:
The amount
shown as trade receivables at each financial position date includes estimated recoveries from charterers for hire, freight and
demurrage billings, net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Trade receivables are measured at amortized cost less impairment
losses, which are recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income. At each financial position date, all potentially
uncollectible accounts are assessed individually for the purpose of determining the appropriate allowance for doubtful accounts.
Although we may believe that our provisions are based on fair judgment at the time of their creation, it is possible that an amount
under dispute will not be recovered and the estimated provision of doubtful accounts would be inadequate. If any of our revenues
become uncollectible, these amounts would be written-off at that time.
Derivative financial instruments:
Derivative financial instruments are initially recognized at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and
are subsequently remeasured at fair value. The fair value of these instruments at each reporting date is derived principally from
or corroborated by observable market data. Inputs include quoted prices for similar assets, liabilities (risk adjusted) and market-corroborated
inputs, such as market comparables, interest rates, yield curves and other items that allow value to be determined. Changes in
the fair value of these derivative instruments are recognized immediately in the income statement component of the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income.
Share
based payments:
The Company measures the cost of equity-settled
transactions with employees by reference to the fair value of the equity instruments at the date at which they are granted. Estimating
fair value for share-based payment transactions may require determination of the most appropriate valuation model, which is depended
on the terms and conditions of the grant. This estimate also requires determination of the most appropriate inputs to the valuation
model including, expected volatility and dividend yield and making assumptions about them
.
B. Liquidity
and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2015, we had $2.0 million
of “cash and cash equivalents” that consisted of $0.25 million cash on hand and cash at banks and $1.75 million in
bank deposits. In addition we had an amount of $5.4 million available to be drawn under the Firment Credit Facility.
As of December 31, 2015, we had an aggregate
debt outstanding of $78.6 million, which included $27.3 million from HSH Facility, $15.7 million from the Kelty Loan Agreement,
$21.0 million from the DVB Loan Agreement and $14.6 million from the Firment Credit Facility issued for the purpose of financing
our general working capital needs.
As of December 31, 2014, we had $5.1 million
of “cash and cash equivalents” that consisted of $4.0 million cash on hand and cash at banks and $1.1 million in bank
deposits. In addition we had an amount of $0.5 million available to be drawn under the Firment Credit Facility.
As of December 31, 2014, we had an aggregate
debt outstanding of $84.6 million, which included $35.0 million from our Credit Facility, $17.6 million from the Kelty Loan Agreement,
$24.5 million from the DVB Loan Agreement and $7.5 million from the Firment Credit Facility issued for the purpose of financing
our general working capital needs.
Please see “Item 5.B. Liquidity
and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” for further information about our loan agreements and credit facilities.
Our primary uses of funds have been capital
expenditures for the acquisition of vessels, vessel operating expenses, general and administrative expenses, expenditures incurred
in connection with ensuring that our vessels comply with international and regulatory standards, financing expenses and repayments
of bank loans and payments of dividends to our shareholders. We do not have any commitments for newbuilding contracts.
Since our operations began in 2006, we
have financed our capital requirements mainly through equity subscriptions from shareholders, long-term bank debt and cash from
operations, including cash from sales of vessels. To finance further vessel acquisitions of either new or secondhand vessels,
we anticipate that our primary sources of funds will be our current cash, cash from continuing operations, additional indebtedness
to be raised and, possibly, future equity or debt financings.
Working capital, which is current assets,
minus current liabilities, including the current portion of long-term debt and non-current assets and associated liabilities classified
as held for sale, amounted to a working capital deficit of $64.9 million as of December 31, 2015 and to a working capital deficit
of $38.2 million as of December 31, 2014. If we are unable to satisfy our liquidity requirements, we may not be able to continue
as a going concern. We plan to attempt to raise additional capital by selling securities through one or more private placement
or public offerings, which may include a rights offering, or by borrowing additional funds. All of our vessels are pledged as
collateral to a bank, and therefore if we were to sell one or more vessels, the net proceeds of such sale would be used first
to repay the outstanding debt to which the vessel collateralized, and the remainder, if any, would be for our use, subject to
the terms of our remaining loan and credit arrangements. However, the doubts raised relating to our ability to continue as a going
concern may make our securities an unattractive investment for potential investors.
Current liabilities as of December 31,
2015, include the total amount outstanding of $27.3 million with respect to the HSH Loan Agreement with HSH Nordbank AG, the total
amount outstanding of $15.65 million with respect to the Kelty Loan Agreement with Commerzbank and the total amount of $21.0 million
with respect to the DVB Loan Agreement with DVB Bank SE.
In December 2013, we entered into a credit
facility for up to $4.0 million with Firment Trading Limited, a company related to us through common control, for the purpose
of financing its general working capital needs. During December 2014, the credit limit of the facility increased from $4.0 to
$8.0 million. During December 2015, the credit limit of the facility increased from $8.0 to $20.0 million. In December 2015, the
Firment Credit Facility was assigned from Firment Trading Limited, a Cypriot company, to Firment Trading Limited, a Marshall Islands
corporation, each of which is a company related to us through common control. We have the right to drawdown any amount up to $20.0
million or prepay any amount, during the availability period, in multiples of $0.1 million. Currently, we have $15.9 million drawn
under the Firment Credit Facility.
In January 2016, we entered into a credit
facility for up to $3.0 million with Silaner Investments Limited, a company related to us through common control, for the purpose
of financing its general working capital needs. Currently, we have $2.15 million drawn under the Silaner Credit Facility. Any
prepaid amount can be re-borrowed in accordance with the terms of the facility.
Based on the Company’s cash flow
projections for the year ending December 31, 2016, cash on hand and cash generated from operating activities will not be sufficient
for the Company to cover scheduled debt payments or finance its operations due in 2016. However, after the agreements reached
with the banks and the new supplemental agreement with Firment Trading Limited and the new agreement with Silaner Investments
Limited, the Company believes it will be in position to have sufficient liquidity to cover its debt payments and finance its operations
until the end of 2016.
Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents were $2.0 million
as of December 31, 2015, $5.1 million as of December 31, 2014 and $5.9 million as of December 31, 2013, while $0.25 million was
cash on hand and cash at banks. $1.75 million, or 87.5% of our cash and cash equivalents, was in bank deposits at the end of 2015.
Restricted cash that consist of cash pledged
as collateral was $0.5 at the end of 2015, $1.0 million at the end of 2014 and $1.0 million at the end of 2013. We consider highly
liquid investments such as bank time deposits with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Net Cash (Used In) / Generated
From Operating Activities
Net cash generated used in operating activities
in 2015 amounted to $0.1 million compared to net cash generated from operating activities of $9.5 million in 2014. The decrease
is primarily attributable to a decrease in the general shipping rates and average TCE rates achieved by the vessels in our fleet.
Net cash generated from operating activities
decreased by $2.9 million, or 23%, to $9.5 million in 2014, compared to $12.4 million in 2013. The decrease is primarily attributable
to a decrease in the general shipping rates and average TCE rates achieved by the vessels in our fleet.
Net Cash (Used In)/ Generated
From Investing Activities
Net cash generated from investing activities
was $5.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2015, which was mainly attributable to $5.3 million net proceeds from sale
of vessel.
We had no significant investing activities
during 2014.
Net cash used in investing activities
was $1.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2013, which was mainly attributable to $1.0 million time deposit with original
maturity of more than three months.
Net Cash Used In Financing
Activities
Net cash used in financing activities
during the year ended December 31, 2015 amounted to $8.4 million and consisted of $45.5 million of indebtedness that we repaid
under our existing credit and loan facilities, $0.5 million paid on our Series A Preferred Shares, a $0.5 million decrease of
pledged bank deposits, $2.4 million of interest paid, reduced by $39.5 million in proceeds drawn from the Firment Credit Facility
entered into for financing general working capital needs and from the HSH Loan Agreement entered into for part refinancing our
then existing credit facility with Credit Suisse AG
Net cash used in financing activities
during the year ended December 31, 2014 amounted to $9.3 million and consisted of $12.4 million of indebtedness that we repaid
under our existing credit and loan facilities, $0.4 million paid on our Series A Preferred Shares, $2.0 million of interest paid,
reduced by $5.5 million in proceeds drawn from the Firment Credit Facility entered into for financing general working capital
needs.
Net cash used in financing activities
during the year ended December 31, 2013 amounted to $17.1 million and consisted of $16.4 million of indebtedness that we repaid
under our existing credit and loan facilities, $0.2 million paid on our Series A Preferred Shares, $3.5 million of interest paid,
reduced by $1.0 million of pledged time deposit released, and proceeds of $2.0 million from the Firment Credit Facility entered
into for financing general working capital needs.
Indebtedness
We operate in a capital intensive industry
which requires significant amounts of investment, and we fund a portion of this investment through long-term bank debt.
As of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013,
we and our vessel-owning subsidiaries had outstanding borrowings under our Credit Facility, the Kelty Loan Agreement, the DVB
Loan Agreement, HSH Loan Agreement and our Firment Credit Facility of an aggregate of $78.6 million, $84.6 million and $91.5 million,
respectively.
Credit Facility
General
In November 2007, Globus Maritime Limited
entered into a $120.0 million secured reducing revolving Credit Facility with Credit Suisse AG, which was supplemented from time
to time. Our Credit Facility is available to us in connection with vessel acquisitions by our vessel-owning subsidiaries as well
as for working capital purposes. During February 2015, we entered into a new loan agreement with HSH Nordbank AG, the HSH Loan
Agreement, for up to $30.0 million for the purpose of part refinancing our existing Credit Facility with Credit Suisse AG. In
March 2015, we prepaid $30.0 million to Credit Suisse AG, and the remaining amount outstanding of $5.0 million was paid in July
2015.
Our Credit Facility permitted us to borrow
funds up to the reducing facility limit which began at $120.0 million and which was reduced on “Reduction Dates” every
six months (in May and November) according to the following agreed schedule: (1) by $10.0 million on each of the first to fourth
Reduction Dates, inclusive, (2) by $4.5 million on each of the fifth to fifteenth Reduction Dates, inclusive, and (3) by $30.5
million on the sixteenth and final Reduction Date, which was November 2015. Consequently, on every Reduction Date that the outstanding
balance exceeded the applicable reduced facility limit, we were required to pay a principal installment to the bank to ensure
that the outstanding balance remained at or below the applicable facility limit.
We
were permitted to voluntarily prepay principal installments to the bank without penalty at any time between Reduction Dates. Such
voluntarily prepaid principal amounts became undrawn amounts under the Credit Facility and we could have re-borrowed such amounts,
or parts thereof, subject to the reducing facility limit. Our Credit Facility had commitment fees of 0.25% per annum on any undrawn
amounts under the facility,
other than undrawn
amounts relating to approximately $14.9 million, in which the commitment fee was 0.5%. Interest on outstanding balances was historically
payable at 0.95% per annum over LIBOR, except when the aggregate security value of the mortgaged vessels is more than 200% of
the outstanding balances, in which case the interest was 0.75% per annum over LIBOR. The interest rate was changed as of March
31, 2014. Please see “–Revisions to Credit Facility” below.
Our ability to borrow amounts under our
Credit Facility was subject to satisfaction of certain customary conditions precedent and compliance with terms and conditions
included in our Credit Facility documentation. To the extent that the vessels in our fleet that secure our obligations under our
Credit Facility were insufficient to satisfy minimum security requirements, we were required to grant additional security or obtain
a waiver or consent from the lender.
Security
Our obligations under our Credit Facility
were secured by a first preferred mortgage on four vessels (the
m/v Tiara Globe
,
m/v River Globe
,
m/v Sky Globe
and
m/v Star Globe
). Our Credit Facility was later secured by the
m/v Tiara Globe.
See “–HSH Loan
Agreement.” Our Credit Facility was also secured by a first priority assignment of any time charter or other contract of
employment of any vessel that acts as security, a first priority account pledge over the operating account of the vessel-owning
company and an assignment of the vessel’s insurances and earnings. Each of the vessel-owning subsidiaries that owns a vessel
pledged as security under our Credit Facility guaranteed our obligations under the facility. In February 2015, we paid down certain
aspects of our Credit Facility, and certain of the security was released. See “–HSH Loan Agreement” for more
information.
Covenants
Our Credit Facility contained financial
and other covenants. During December 2012 and December 2014, we agreed with Credit Suisse to amend our Credit Facility and waive
certain covenants, which agreements were memorialized by supplemental agreements in March 2013 and February 2015, respectively,
covering the periods from December 28, 2012 to March 31, 2014 (“first waiver period”) and from December 31, 2014 to
November 30, 2015 (“second waiver period”) respectively. The covenants as amended provided that:
|
Ø
|
The
aggregate charter free-market value of the mortgaged vessels during the first waiver
period should have equaled or exceeded 110% (instead of 133%) of the outstanding balance
under the facility, minus the aggregate amount, if any, standing to the credit of our
operating accounts or any bank accounts opened with the lender, which are subject to
an encumbrance in favor of the lender and designated as a “security account”
by the lender for purposes of the Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013,
the ratio was 181% and 172% respectively;
|
|
Ø
|
During
the first waiver period Credit Suisse fully waived the requirement that the ratio of
our consolidated market adjusted net worth to our total assets should have exceeded 35%
at all times. During the second waiver period Credit Suisse reduced its requirement to
15%. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the ratio was 29% and 37%, respectively, corresponding
to a $11.3 million shortfall and a $5.3 million excess amount of the required amount
based on the fair market value of the fleet respectively when compared to the original
minimum requirement of 35%;
|
|
Ø
|
During
the first waiver period Globus should have had consolidated cash and cash equivalents,
not less than the greater of (1) $5.0 million (instead of $10.0 million) and (2) the
sum determined by the bank to be the aggregate of the total principal amount of all borrowed
money and interest accruing thereon, payable by the Company and which falls due in the
six-month period commencing on any relevant day. This minimum liquidity requirement however,
was changed permanently as of March 31, 2014. Please see “–Revisions to Credit
Facility” below;
|
|
Ø
|
Globus
was not permitted to pay dividends on its common shares during the first waiver period;
Restriction on dividend payments was changed permanently as of March 31, 2014. Please
see “–Revisions to Credit Facility” below;
|
|
Ø
|
During
the first waiver period, our Credit Facility bore interest at LIBOR plus a margin of
2.10% while during the second waiver period the facility to bear interest at LIBOR plus
a margin of 2.00% on the amounts outstanding as of March 25, 2015 (“test date”).
For any amounts prepaid before the test date, the facility to bear interest at LIBOR
plus a margin of 1.20%; and
|
|
Ø
|
Mr.
George Feidakis maintains at least 35% of our total issued voting share capital.
|
Revisions to Credit
Facility
During March 2014, the Company reached
an agreement with Credit Suisse on permanently revising certain terms of our Credit Facility. The Company agreed with Credit Suisse
that:
|
Ø
|
The
Company must maintain cash and cash equivalents of not less than $5.0 million conditional
on the Company not declaring and paying dividends to common shareholders. In the event
of dividend payment, the Company must maintain cash and cash equivalents of not less
than $7.0 million and must maintain such amount during a continuous period of at least
three months following the dividend payment, upon which the minimum amount will be reduced
to the $5.0 million requirement.
|
|
Ø
|
From
March 31, 2014 onwards the Credit Facility bore interest at LIBOR plus a margin of 1.20%.
|
|
Ø
|
The
Company was prohibited from paying dividends to the holders of preferred shares in an
amount that will exceed $0.5 million per fiscal year when cash and cash equivalents of
the Company was less than $7.0 million.
|
Our Credit Facility also contained general
covenants that required us to comply with the ISPS Code, carry all required licenses and provide consolidated financial statements
to the bank. In addition, our Credit Facility included customary events of default, including those relating to a failure to pay
principal or interest, a breach of covenant, representation and warranty, a cross-default to other indebtedness and non-compliance
with security documents. We were permitted, prior to the supplemental agreements and revisions described above, to pay dividends
in respect of any of our financial quarters (other than during the waiver period described above) so long as we were not in default
of our Credit Facility at the time of the declaration or payment of the dividends nor would a default occur as a result of the
declaration or payment of such dividends.
As of December 31, 2014, we had a $35.0
million outstanding balance under our Credit Facility which was equal to our Credit Facility. Our Credit Facility was fully repaid
in 2015.
During February 2015, we entered into
a new loan agreement with HSH Nordbank AG, which we refer to as the HSH Loan Agreement, for up to $30.0 million for the purpose
of a partial refinancing of our Credit Facility. In March 2015, we prepaid $30.0 million to Credit Suisse reducing the outstanding
balance under the Credit Facility to $5.0 million which was settled in July 2015 from the proceeds from the sale of
m/v Tiara
Globe
. With effect of the prepayment, Credit Suisse released its securities over
m/v
River Globe
,
m/v
Star Globe
and
m/v
Sky Globe
as well as the securities over their respective vessel-owning subsidiaries.
Our Credit Facility was fully repaid in 2015.
As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, we were
in compliance with the covenants of our Credit Facility, as amended and in effect.
DVB Loan Agreement
In June 2011, Globus through its wholly
owned subsidiaries, Artful Shipholding S.A. and Longevity Maritime Limited, entered into the DVB Loan Agreement for an amount
up to $40.0 million with DVB Bank SE and used funds borrowed thereunder to finance part of the purchase price for the
m/v Moon
Globe
and
m/v Sun Globe
. Globus acts as guarantor for this loan.
In June 2011, $19.0 million was drawn
(Tranche A) for the purpose of partly financing the acquisition of the m/v Moon Globe. Tranche A was originally payable in 30
quarterly installments of $440,000 and a balloon payment of $5.3 million payable together with the 30th and last installment payable
in December 2018. Tranche A is now payable, subsequent to the third waiver described below, in 28 quarterly installments of $440,000
and a balloon payment of $6.18 million payable together with the 28th and last installment payable in December 2018. As of December
31, 2015, the outstanding principal balance of Tranche A was $10.58 million. The Company prepaid $880,000 in April 2016, with
the next installment becoming due in March 2017.
In September 2011, $18.0 million was drawn
(Tranche B) for the purpose of partly financing the acquisition of the m/v Sun Globe. Tranche B was originally payable in 30 quarterly
installments of $416,250 and a balloon payment of $5.0 million payable together with the 30th and last installment payable in
March 2019. Tranche B is now payable, subsequent to the third waiver described below, in 28 quarterly installments of $416,250
and a balloon payment of $5.84 million payable together with the 28th and last installment payable in March 2019. As of December
31, 2015, the outstanding principal balance of Tranche B was $10.42 million. The Company prepaid $832,500 in April 2016 with the
next installment becoming due in March 2017.
The DVB Loan Agreement contains the following
provisions:
Interest
Interest on outstanding loan balances
are payable at LIBOR plus 2.5% per annum and any outstanding amount under the DVB Loan Agreement may be prepaid in a multiple
of $500,000 with five days business prior written notice. A variable prepayment fee applied in case of refinancing of the DVB
loan agreement by another lender within the first three years of a new loan, but was not applicable in case of the sale of a vessel
or repayment of such facility by equity.
Security
The obligations under the DVB Loan Agreement
is secured by a first priority mortgage on the
m/v Sun Globe
and the
m/v Moon Globe
, as well as assignment of the
time charters and assignments of earnings, insurances and requisition compensation.
Covenants
The DVB Loan Agreement contains financial
and other covenants. During December 2012 and December 2014, we agreed with DVB Bank to amend our loan agreement and waive certain
covenants, which agreements were memorialized by supplemental agreements in April 2013, February 2015 and April 2016, respectively,
covering the periods from December 31, 2012 to March 31, 2014 (“first waiver period”), from December 31, 2014 to March
30, 2016 (“second waiver period”) and from March 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 (“third waiver period”), respectively.
The covenants as in effect and as amended provided that:
|
Ø
|
During
the first waiver period the aggregate charter free-market value of the mortgaged vessels
should have equaled or exceed 107% (instead of 120% during the first two years and 130%
thereafter) of the outstanding balance under the DVB Loan Agreement less any cash held
in DVB Bank’s account and pledged to DVB Bank up to $1.0 million. During the second
waiver period the required percentage was set at 110%. During the third waiver period
the required percentage was set at 50%. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the aggregate
fair market value of the Mortgaged vessels was approximately 92% and 137% respectively
of the outstanding balance under the DVB Loan Agreement less any cash pledged to DVB
Bank;
|
|
Ø
|
A
quarterly cash sweep mechanism was put into effect in April 2013 and implemented on all
vessels mortgaged under the DVB Loan Agreement on an individual vessel basis until the
security value equals or exceeds 130% of the loan outstanding. Under this mechanism,
all earnings of these vessels after operating expenses, drydocking provision, general
and administrative expenses and debt service, if any, are to be used as applied towards
the balloon payment of the relevant tranche;
|
|
Ø
|
During
both the first and the second waiver periods Globus must maintain a minimum market adjusted
net worth of more than $20.0 million (instead of $50.0 million) and a minimum liquidity
of $5.0 million (instead of the lesser of $10.0 million and $1.0 million per vessel owned
by us). As of December 31, 2014 the market adjusted net worth of Globus was $36.2 million.
During the third waiver period the application of this clause is waived so long as Globus
is not otherwise in default under the DVB Loan Agreement and no legal proceeding has
been taken against it or any of its subsidiaries for an amount exceeding $500,000;
|
|
Ø
|
During
both the first and the second waiver periods the ratio of our market adjusted net worth
to our total assets must be greater than 15% (instead of 35%). As of December 31, 2014
the ratio was 29% corresponding to $11.3 million shortfall of the required fair market
value of the fleet respectively when compared to the original minimum requirement of
35%. During the third waiver period the application of this clause is waived so long
as Globus is not otherwise in default under the DVB Loan Agreement and no legal proceeding
has been taken against it or any of its subsidiaries for an amount exceeding $500,000;
|
|
Ø
|
Globus
was permitted to pay dividends on its common shares until the first waiver period provided
that no event of default had occurred and was continuing at the time of declaration or
payment of such dividends, nor would result from the declaration or payment of such dividends.
During the first waiver period Globus may pay dividends to the holders of preferred shares
in an aggregate amount that will not exceed $500,000 per fiscal year. During the third
waiver period and at any time thereafter Globus is allowed to pay dividends to its shareholders
provided that (i) no event of default has occurred and is continuing at the time of declaration
or payment of such dividends, nor would result from the declaration or payment of such
dividends and (ii) there is no less than $500,000 standing to the credit of each Minimum
Liquidity Account at the time of declaration or payment of the dividends and (iii) the
amount of each balloon payment is not more than $5,300,000 in respect of the Artful Advance
and not more than $5,012,500 in respect of the Longevity Advance at the time of declaration
or payment of the dividends; during the third waiver period and at any time thereafter
each of Artful Shipholding S.A. and Longevity Maritime Limited is allowed to pay dividends
to its shareholders provided that (i) no event of default has occurred and is continuing
at the time of declaration or payment of such dividends, nor would result from the declaration
or payment of such dividends and (ii) there is no less than $500,000 standing to the
credit of each Minimum Liquidity Account and (iii) the amount of each balloon payment
is not more than $5,300,000 in respect of the Artful Advance and not more than $5,012,500
in respect of the Longevity Advance;
|
|
Ø
|
The
vessel-owning subsidiaries that own a vessel pledged as security under the DVB Loan Agreement
will each maintain a minimum liquidity of $500,000. During the third waiver period this
obligation is waived and the amount deposited from time to time in such Account will
not be more than $500,000 in aggregate;
|
|
Ø
|
Mr.
George Feidakis and Mr. George Karageorgiou maintain at least 35% of our total voting
share capital; and
|
|
Ø
|
We
maintain our listing on a major stock exchange in the United States, Europe or Asia.
|
The amendments with respect to the first
waiver are subject to $1.0 million prepayment, which was paid in April 2013. The prepayment was applied against the balloon payment.
The amendments with respect to the second
waiver period are subject to a $3.4 million prepayment initially agreed to be paid no later than June 30, 2015, and subsequently
verbally agreed to be paid at the dates of the original repayment schedule, and which we paid at such installment times.
The amendments with respect to the third
waiver were subject to $1.7 million prepayment, which was paid in April 2016, and the number of quarterly payments and the amount
of the balloon payments were revised (as described above). The prepayment was applied against the four consecutive quarterly installments
following the prepayment.
As of December 31, 2014, we were in compliance
with the loan covenants of the DVB Loan Agreement, as amended and in effect.
As of December 31, 2015, we were not in
compliance with three loan covenants of the DVB Loan Agreement:
|
Ø
|
The
aggregate charter free-market value of the mortgaged vessels did not exceed 107% of the
outstanding balance under the DVB Loan Agreement less any cash held in DVB Bank’s
account and pledged to DVB Bank up to $1.0 million. As of December 31, 2015, the ratio
was approximately 92%.
|
|
Ø
|
Globus
should maintain a minimum market adjusted net worth of more than $20.0 million and a
minimum liquidity of $5.0 million. As of December 31, 2015 market adjusted net worth
was $(24.5) million and the liquidity of the Company was $2.5 million.
|
|
Ø
|
The
ratio of our market adjusted net worth to our total assets should be greater than 15%.
As of December 31, 2015 this ratio was -41%.
|
Kelty Loan Agreement
In June 2010, through our wholly owned
subsidiary, Kelty Marine Ltd., we entered into the $26.7 million Kelty Loan Agreement with Deutsche Schiffsbank Aktiengesellschaft
(now Commerzbank) and used funds borrowed thereunder to finance part of the purchase price for the
m/v Energy Globe
(formerly
called
m/v Jin Star)
. We acted as guarantor for this loan.
The Kelty Loan Agreement had a term of
seven years and is payable in 28 equal quarterly installments of $500,000 starting in September 2010, as well as a balloon payment
of $12.65 million payable together with the 28th and final installment payable in June 2017. Interest on outstanding balances
under the Kelty Loan Agreement was payable at LIBOR plus a variable margin. The applicable margin is determined on the basis of
the “loan to value ratio,” which is a fraction where the numerator was the principal amount outstanding under the
Kelty Loan Agreement and the denominator was the charter free market value of the
m/v Energy Globe
(formerly called
m/v
Jin Star)
and any amount of free liquidity maintained with Commerzbank. Set forth below is the margin that would have applied
to the loan, depending on the applicable loan to value ratio in any given application period:
Loan to Value Ratio
|
|
Margin
|
|
Less than 45%
|
|
|
2.25
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equal or greater than 45% and less than or equal to 60%
|
|
|
2.40
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greater than 60% and less than or equal to 70%
|
|
|
2.50
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greater than 70%
|
|
|
2.75
|
%
|
Kelty Marine could have prepaid the loan
in a minimum amount of $1 million and multiples thereof, up to $2 million per year without any penalty. The Kelty Loan Agreement
had a commitment fee of 0.5% per annum on the amount of the undrawn balance of the agreement through September 30, 2010, and had
a 0.75% flat management fee on the loan amount. On April 29, 2013, the Company prepaid $3.0 million together with the scheduled
installment due on June 28, 2013 against its six following scheduled installment payments.
Security
The loan was secured by a first preferred
mortgage on the
m/v Energy Globe
(formerly called
m/v Jin Star)
, assignment of insurances, earnings and requisition
compensation on the vessel and assignment of the bareboat charter.
Covenants
The Kelty Loan Agreement contained financial
and other covenants requiring Kelty Marine to, among other things, ensure that:
|
Ø
|
Kelty Marine did
not undergo a change of control;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
Kelty Marine and/or
the Company maintained at least $1 million in minimum liquidity with Commerzbank;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
the ratio of our
shareholders’ equity to total assets was not less than 25%;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
we had a minimum
equity of $50 million;
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
the market value
of the
m/v Energy Globe
(formerly called
m/v Jin Star)
and any additional security provided, including the minimum
liquidity with Commerzbank, was or exceeded 130% of the aggregate principal amount of debt outstanding under the Kelty Loan
Agreement; and
|
|
|
|
|
Ø
|
Mr. George Feidakis
and Mr. George Karageorgiou, our founders, maintained in the aggregate at least 37% of the shareholding in us.
|
The Kelty Loan Agreement permitted us
to declare and pay dividends without prior written permission of the lender so long as there is no event of default under such
agreement.
As of December 31, 2015, we were not in
compliance with the security value requirement that requires the market value of the
m/v Energy Globe
(formerly called
m/v Jin Star)
and any additional security provided, including the minimum liquidity with the lender, to be equal or greater
than 130% (the actual ratio we achieved was 80%) of the aggregate principal amount of debt outstanding under the Kelty Loan Agreement.
We were not in compliance with the minimum liquidity if $1 million with Commerzbank (the actual liquidity was $0.5 million) and
the requirement of a minimum equity of $50 million (the actual equity was $30.5 million). As of December 31, 2015, the outstanding
principal balance was $15.65 million.
In March 2016, we reached a settlement
agreement with Commerzbank relating to the Kelty Loan Agreement. Commerzbank agreed to settle the outstanding indebtedness of
$15.65 million in return for the sale of the shares of Kelty Marine Ltd. for $6.86 million plus overdue interest of $40,708. If
the total amount of cash and bank balances and bank deposits exceeds $10 million in the aggregate as declared on June 30, 2016
then we must pay to Commerzbank any excess amounts. If there is no excess, Globus will be released from its guarantee.
Firment Credit
Facility
In December 2013, Globus Maritime Limited
entered into a credit facility for up to $4.0 million with Firment Trading Limited, a company related to us through common control,
for the purpose of financing its general working capital needs. The Firment Credit Facility is unsecured and remains available
until its final maturity date, originally at December 12, 2015, when Globus Maritime Limited must repay all drawn and outstanding
amounts at that time. During December 2014 the credit limit of the facility increased from $4.0 to $8.0 million and its final
maturity date was extended to April 29, 2016. During December 2015 the credit limit of the facility increased from $8.0 to $20.0
million and its final maturity date was extended to April 12, 2017. In December 2015, the Firment Credit Facility was assigned
from Firment Trading Limited, a Cypriot company, to Firment Trading Limited, a Marshall Islands corporation, each of which is
a company related to us through common control. We have the right to drawdown any amount up to $20.0 million or prepay any amount,
during the availability period in multiples of $100,000. Any prepaid amount can be re-borrowed in accordance with the terms of
the facility. Interest on drawn and outstanding amounts is charged at 5% per annum and no commitment fee is charged on the amounts
remaining available and undrawn.
As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the
amounts drawn and outstanding with respect to the facility were $14.6 and $7.5 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015,
there was an amount of $5.4 million available to be drawn under the Firment Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014,
and as of the date of this annual report on Form 20-F, we were in compliance with the loan covenants of the Firment Credit Facility.
Silaner Credit
Facility
In January 2016, Globus Maritime Limited
entered into a credit facility for up to $3.0 million with Silaner Investments Limited, a company related through common control,
for the purpose of financing its general working capital needs. The Silaner Credit Facility is unsecured and remains available
until its final maturity date at January 12, 2018, when Globus Maritime Limited must repay all drawn and outstanding amounts at
that time. We have the right to drawdown any amount up to $3.0 million or prepay any amount in multiples of $100,000. Any prepaid
amount can be re-borrowed in accordance with the terms of the facility. Interest on drawn and outstanding amounts is charged at
5% per annum and no commitment fee is charged on the amounts remaining available and undrawn.
As of the date of this annual report on
Form 20-F, we were in compliance with the loan covenants of the Silaner Credit Facility.
HSH Loan Agreement
In February 2015, through our wholly owned
subsidiaries, Devocean Maritime Ltd. Domina Maritime Ltd. and Dulac Maritime S.A., we entered into the HSH Loan Agreement for
an amount up to $30.0 million with HSH Nordbank AG and used funds borrowed thereunder with the purpose to part refinance our then
existing Credit Facility with Credit Suisse. On March 3, 2015, $29.4 million was drawn as follows:
$8.6 million was drawn (Tranche A) for
the purpose of prepaying the amount outstanding to our Credit Facility with Credit Suisse with respect to
m/v River Globe
.
Tranche A was originally payable in 19 quarterly installments of $239,115 starting in June 2015 and a balloon payment of $4.0
million payable together with the 19
th
and last installment payable in December 2019. The balance outstanding of Tranche
A at December 31, 2015 was $7,862,655 payable in 16 equal quarterly installments of $239,115 starting in March 2016, as well as
a balloon payment of $4,036,115 due together with the 16th and final installment due in December 2019.
$10.1 million was drawn (Tranche B) for
the purpose of prepaying the amount outstanding to our Credit Facility with Credit Suisse with respect to
m/v Sky Globe
.
Tranche B was originally payable in 19 quarterly installments of $230,000 starting in June 2015 and a balloon payment of $5.7
million payable together with the 19
th
and last installment payable in December 2019. The balance outstanding of Tranche
B at December 31, 2015 was $9,410,000 payable in 16 equal quarterly installments of $230,000 starting in March 2016, as well as
a balloon payment of $5,730,000 due together with the 16th and final installment due in December 2019.
$10.7 million was drawn (Tranche C) for
the purpose of prepaying the amount outstanding to our Credit Facility with Credit Suisse with respect to
m/v Star Globe
.
Tranche C was originally payable in 19 quarterly installments of $224,480 starting in June 2015 and a balloon payment of $6.5
million payable together with the 19
th
and last installment payable in December 2019. The balance outstanding of Tranche
C at December 31, 2015 was $10,051,560 payable in 16 equal quarterly installments of $224,480 starting in March 2016, as well
as a balloon payment of $6,459,880 due together with the 16th and final installment due in December 2019.
There is no amount remaining available
to be drawn under the HSH Loan Agreement.
Interest on outstanding loan balances
are payable at LIBOR plus 3.0% per annum for interest periods of three months and at LIBOR plus 3.1% for interest periods of one
month, where interest periods are at the option of the borrower.
Security
Our obligations under our HSH Loan Agreement
are secured by a first preferred mortgage on three vessels (
m/v River Globe
,
m/v Sky Globe
and
m/v Star Globe
).
Our loan agreement is also secured by a first priority assignment of any time charter or other contract of employment of any vessel
that acts as security, a first priority account pledge over the operating account of the vessel-owning company and an assignment
of the vessel’s insurances and earnings. Each of the vessel-owning subsidiaries that owns a vessel pledged as security under
our loan agreement has agreed to the obligations under the facility. Globus Maritime Limited acts as guarantor for this loan.
Subject to the below, the HSH Loan Agreement
contains various covenants requiring the vessels owning companies and Globus to, amongst others things, ensure that:
|
Ø
|
the
aggregate fair market value of the mortgaged vessels and any additional security must
equal or exceed 125% of the outstanding balance under the loan agreement.
|
|
Ø
|
the
ratio of Globus’s total liabilities to its market adjusted total assets shall always
be not higher than 0.75:1.00.
|
|
Ø
|
Globus
to maintain a minimum market adjusted net worth of more than or equal to $30.0 million.
|
|
Ø
|
the
vessel owning subsidiaries must each maintain a minimum liquidity of $250,000 in an account
pledged to the bank,
|
|
Ø
|
Globus
shall maintain a minimum liquidity of greater than 5% of its consolidated indebtedness.
|
As of December 31, 2015, we were in breach
of all the above covenants except for the minimum liquidity requirement of $250,000 for each vessel owing subsidiary.
In March 2016, the Company repaid the
principal instalment of $693,595.
During April 2016, Globus reached an agreement
in principle with HSH Nordbank AG on certain amendments and relaxations and/or waivers to the terms of the loan agreement. Subject
to completing documentation, it was agreed that the Company will receive relaxations and/or waivers for 2016 to March 2017 regarding
certain financial covenants: the minimum value of the mortgaged vessels will be reduced to 60% of the balance of the loan; the
ratio of Globus’s total liabilities to its market adjusted total assets will be reduced to 2:1, the minimum liquidity requirement
of Globus and the market adjusted net worth requirements would be waived, and the vessel owning subsidiaries must each maintain
a minimum liquidity of $70,000.
The Company also agreed in April 2016,
subject to final documentation, to repay only one instead of three principal instalments during 2016 using the pledged cash of
$750,000 that has already deposited in HSH accounts, the remaining two instalments would be deferred to March 2017 principal repayment
date. In addition, if there is any excess amount over a TCE rate of $6,500, the excess will be used to reduce the deferred amounts.
If the cash sweep that occurs in 2017 does not result in the payment in full of the deferred amounts, then the remaining deferred
amounts will be deferred to the final balloon payment. In addition, HSH and Globus will look for potential buyers of the relevant
ships in a mutual process to ideally sell the vessels for an amount that allows for the full repayment of the HSH Loan Agreement.
A $50,000 restructuring fee will also be paid.
All the Company’s loan and credit
arrangements with unaffiliated third parties (this excludes the Silaner Credit Facility and the Firment Credit Facility, which
are both affiliates of our chairman Mr. George Feidakis) contain cross-default provisions that provide that if the Company is
in default under any of its loan or credit arrangements, the lender of another loan or credit arrangement can declare a default
under its other loan or credit arrangement, which could result in the Company’s default in all of its loan and credit arrangements
with unaffiliated third parties. Because of the presence of cross-default provisions in these loan and credit arrangements with
unaffiliated third parties, the refusal of any lender to grant or extend a relaxation or a waiver could result in most of its
indebtedness being accelerated, notwithstanding that other lenders have relaxed or waived covenant defaults under their respective
loan arrangements.
As of December 31, 2015, the Company was
in breach of most of the covenants included in its loan agreements with HSH Nordbank AG, Commerzbank AG and DVB Bank SE and therefore
the total amount outstanding for these loans was classified under current liabilities.
In March 2016, the Company reached a settlement
with Commerzbank AG, and in April 2016 the Company entered into a supplemental agreement with DVB Bank SE and an agreement in
principle (which is subject to completing final documentation) with HSH Nordbank AG. Subject to completing final documentation
of our supplemental agreement with HSH Nordbank AG, as of the date hereof, the Company was not in breach of any of its loan and
credit arrangements.
Financial Instruments
The major trading currency of our business
is the U.S. dollar. Movements in the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies can potentially impact our operating and administrative
expenses and therefore our operating results.
In November 2008, in an effort to mitigate
the exposure to interest rate movements, we entered into two interest rate swap agreements for a notional amount of $25.0 million
in total. Both interest rate swap agreements reached maturity in November 2013.
We believe that we have a low risk approach
to treasury management. Cash balances are invested in term deposit accounts, with their maturity dates projected to coincide with
our liquidity requirements. Credit risk is diluted by placing cash on deposit with a variety of institutions in Europe, including
a small number of banks in Greece, which are selected based on their credit ratings. We have policies to limit the amount of credit
exposure to any particular financial institution.
As of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013,
we did not use and have not used any financial instruments designated in our consolidated financial statements as those with hedging
purposes.
Capital Expenditures
We make capital expenditures from time
to time in connection with our vessel acquisitions or vessel improvements. We have no agreements to purchase any additional vessels,
but may do so in the future. We expect that any purchases of vessels will be paid for with cash from operations, with funds from
new credit facilities from banks with whom we currently transact business, with loans from banks with whom we do not have a banking
relationship but will provide us funds at terms acceptable to us, with funds from equity or debt issuances or any combination
thereof.
We incur additional capital expenditures
when our vessels undergo surveys. This process of recertification may require us to reposition these vessels from a discharge
port to shipyard facilities, which will reduce our operating days during the period. The loss of earnings associated with the
decrease in operating days, together with the capital needs for repairs and upgrades, is expected to result in increased cash
flow needs. We expect to fund these expenditures with cash on hand.
C. Research
and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc.
We incur, from time to time, expenditures
relating to inspections for acquiring new vessels that meet our standards. Such expenditures are insignificant and they are expensed
as they incur.
D. Trend
Information
Please read “Item 4.B. Information on the
Company—Business Overview.”
E. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
F. Tabular Disclosure
of Contractual Obligations
The following table sets forth our contractual obligations
and their maturity dates as of December 31, 2015:
|
|
Within
One
Year
|
|
|
One to Three
Years
|
|
|
Three to
Five Years
|
|
|
More than
Five years
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
(in thousands of U.S. Dollars)
|
|
Long term debt
|
|
|
8,200
|
|
|
|
70,378
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
78,578
|
|
Interest on long term debt
|
|
|
2,647
|
|
|
|
3,308
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
5,955
|
|
G. Safe Harbor
See the section entitled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements” at the beginning of this annual report on Form 20-F.
Item 6. Directors, Senior
Management and Employees
A. Directors and Senior Management
The following table sets forth information
regarding our executive officers and our directors. Our articles of incorporation provide for a board of directors serving staggered,
three-year terms, other than any members of our board of directors that may serve at the option of the holders of preferred shares,
if any are issued with relevant appointment powers. The term of our Class I directors expires at our annual general meeting of
shareholders in 2017, the term of our Class II directors expires at our annual general meeting of shareholders in 2018 and the
term of our Class III directors expires at our annual general meeting of shareholders in 2016. Officers are appointed from time
to time by our board of directors and hold office until a successor is appointed or their employment is terminated. The business
address of each of the directors and officers is c/o Globus Shipmanagement Corp., 128 Vouliagmenis Avenue, 3rd Floor, 166 74 Glyfada,
Athens, Greece.
Name
|
|
Position
|
|
Age
|
Georgios Feidakis
|
|
Chairman of the Board of Directors
|
|
65
|
Amir Eilon
|
|
Director
|
|
67
|
Jeffrey O. Parry
|
|
Director
|
|
56
|
Athanasios Feidakis
|
|
Director, President, Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
29
|
Olga Lambrianidou
|
|
Secretary
|
|
60
|
Georgios (“George”) Feidakis
,
a Class III director, is our co-founder and principal shareholder and has served as our non-executive chairman of the board of
directors since inception. Mr. George Feidakis is also the major shareholder and Chairman of F.G. Europe S.A., a company Mr. George
Feidakis has been involved with since 1994 and that has been listed on the Athens Stock Exchange since 1968, and acts as a director
and executive for several of its subsidiaries. FG Europe is active in four lines of business and distributes well-known brands
in Greece, the Balkans, Turkey and Italy. FG Europe is in the air-conditioning and white/brown electric goods market in Greece
and is active in power generation and mobile telephony. Mr. George Feidakis is also the director and chief executive officer of
R.F. Energy S.A., a company that plans, develops and controls the operation of energy projects, and acts as a director and executive
for several of its subsidiaries.
Athanasios (“Thanos”) Feidakis
* a Class I Director was appointed to our board of directors in July 2013 to fill a vacancy in our board of directors. As
of December 28, 2015, Mr. Feidakis was also appointed our President, CEO and CFO, immediately after the resignation of Mr. Georgios
Karageorgiou. From October 2011 through June 2013, Mr. Feidakis worked for our operations and chartering department as an
operator. Prior to that and from September 2010 to May 2011, Mr. Athanasios Feidakis worked for ACM, a shipbroking firm, as an
S&P broker, and from October 2007 to April 2008, he worked for Clarksons, a shipbroking firm, as a chartering trainee on the
dry cargo commodities chartering and on the sale and purchase of vessels. From April 2011 to the present, Mr. Athanasios Feidakis
has been a director of F.G. Europe S.A., a company controlled by his family, specializing in the distribution of well-known brands
in Greece, the Balkans, Turkey and Italy. F.G. Europe is also active in the air-conditioning and white/brown electric goods market
and in power generation and mobile telephony in Greece. From December 2008 to the present, Mr. Athanasios Feidakis has been the
President of Cyberonica S.A., a family owned company specializing in real estate development. Mr. Athanasios Feidakis holds a
B.Sc. in Business Studies and a M.Sc. in Shipping Trade and Finance from the Cass Business School (City University London) and
an MBA from London School of Economics. In addition, Mr. Athanasios Feidakis has professional qualifications in dry cargo chartering
and operations from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.
Amir Eilon
, a Class III director,
has served as our director since June 2007. Mr. Eilon has been a director of Eilon & Associates Limited since February 1999,
which provides general corporate advice. Mr. Eilon was previously a non-executive chairman of Spring plc, listed on the London
Stock Exchange, from mid-2004 to August 2009 and a director of Flamingo Holdings, a venture capital backed private company, from
March 2007 to April 2009. Mr. Eilon was the managing director of Credit Suisse First Boston Private Equity from 1998 to 1999,
the managing director of BZW from 1990 to 1998, where he was head of global capital markets, and the managing director of Morgan
Stanley, London from 1985 to 1990, where he was responsible for international equity capital markets. Mr. Eilon is a Non-Executive
Chairman of Intern Avenue, a company that matches companies offering paid intern opportunities to young talent looking for employment,
and is a Non-Executive Director of Articheck, a company developing conservatory art software. Mr. Eilon is also the Non-Executive
director of Alcentra Limited, a debt-instrument asset management company and a wholly owned subsidiary of BNYMellon.
Jeffrey O. Parry
, a Class
II director, has served as our director since July 2010. Mr. Parry is currently the president of Mystic Marine Advisors LLC, a
Connecticut-based advisory firm specializing in turnaround and emerging shipping companies, and has been affiliated with such
company since August 1998. Mr. Parry is chairman of the board of directors of TBS Shipping Limited since April 2012 and
acted as its interim chief executive officer from October 2012 to December 2012. Mr. Parry also serves a non-executive director
of Valhalla Shipping Inc. since January 2016 and served as its executive chairman from April 2014 to December 2015. From
July 2008 to October 2009, he was president and chief executive officer of Nasdaq-listed Aries Maritime Transport Limited. Mr.
Parry has also served as the managing director of A.G. Pappadakis & Co. Ltd, an Athens-based shipowner from March 2007 to
July 2008, and managing director of Poten Capital Services LLC, a U.S. broker/dealer firm specializing in shipping from
February 2003 to March 2007. Mr. Parry holds a B.A. from Brown University and an MBA from Columbia University.
Olga Lambrianidou
, our secretary,
has been a corporate consultant to the Company since November 2010, and was appointed as secretary to the Company in December
2012. Prior to joining us, Ms. Lambrianidou was the Corporate Secretary and Investor Relations Officer of NewLeads Holdings Ltd.,
formerly known as Aries Maritime Limited from 2008 to 2010, and of DryShips Inc., a dry bulk publicly trading shipping company
from 2006 to 2008. Ms. Lambrianidou was Corporate Secretary, Investor Relations Officer and Human Resources Manager with OSG Ship
Management (GR) Ltd., formerly known as Stelmar Shipping Ltd. from 2000 to 2006. Prior to 2000, Ms. Lambrianidou worked in the
banking and insurance fields in the United States. She holds a BBA Degree in Marketing/English Literature from Pace University
and an MBA Degree in Banking/Finance from the Lubin School of Business of Pace University in New York.
Georgios (“George”) Karageorgiou
was our CEO since inception, and was also President, CFO, and Director until December 28, 2015 at which time he resigned from
offices he held in the Company. Mr. Karageorgiou has agreed to remain as an employee of ours until June 30, 2016. Mr. Karageorgiou
started his career as a projects engineer for Kassos Maritime Enterprises from 1990 to 1992. From 1992 to March 2004, Mr. Karageorgiou
worked in various executive positions as well as a director for Stelmar Shipping Limited, a shipping company listed on the New
York Stock Exchange between 2001 and 2004. Between 1995 and 2005 Mr. Karageorgiou was also a director of easyGroup Ltd, easyJet
Holdings Ltd, easyInternetCafe Ltd, easyCruise Ltd, Stelinvest Corp. and a number of other easyGroup companies. Mr. Karageorgiou
holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.E. in Ocean Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and an M.Sc. in Shipping
Trade and Finance from City University Business School.
*Athanasios Feidakis is the son of our
Chairman, George Feidakis. Other than the aforementioned, there are no other family relationships between any of our directors
or senior management. There are no arrangements or understandings with major shareholders, customers, suppliers or others, pursuant
to which any person referred to above was selected as a director or member of senior management.
B. Compensation
The aggregate compensation, other than
share based compensation paid to members of our senior management in 2015, 2014 and 2013, was approximately $0.1 million, $0.1
million and $0.2 million, respectively. In addition, our senior management received no shares in 2015, 2014 and 2013. Our former
Chief Executive Officer Mr. George Karageorgiou is currently the holder of all 2,567 of our outstanding Series A Preferred Shares.
Information about dividends paid to our shareholders, including to holders of Series A Preferred Shares, is contained in “Item
8. Financial Information - A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information - Our Dividends Policy and Restrictions
on Dividends.”
The aggregate compensation other than
share based compensation paid to our non-executive directors in 2015, 2014 and 2013 was approximately $0, $68,000 and $165,000,
respectively, plus reimbursements for actual expenses incurred while acting in their capacity as a director. In addition, in 2015,
2014 and 2013, non-executive directors received an aggregate of 73,487 common shares, 18,306 common shares and 19,841 common shares,
respectively. 31,777 common shares have been approved for issuance to our directors but have not yet been issued. We have not
yet paid our non-executive directors the cash amounts that we agreed to pay them for their service to us in 2015; such amount
in the aggregate is $185,000. We also owe our non-executive directors $117,000 for their service to us in 2014.
Our Greek employees are bound by Greek
labor law, which provides certain payments to these employees upon their dismissal or retirement. We accrued as of December 31,
2015 a non-current liability of $73,291 for such payments.
We do not have a retirement plan for our officers or directors.
C. Board Practices
Our board of directors and executive officers oversee and supervise
our operations.
Each director holds office until his successor
is elected or appointed, unless his office is earlier vacated in accordance with the articles of incorporation or with the provisions
of the BCA. In addition to cash compensation, we pay each of Mr. Eilon, Mr. Parry $20,000 in common shares annually. 31,777 common
shares have been approved for issuance to our directors but have not yet been issued. The members of our senior management are
appointed to serve at the discretion of our board of directors. Our board of directors and committees of our board of directors
schedule regular meetings over the course of the year. Under the Nasdaq rules, we believe that Mr. Eilon and Mr. Parry are independent.
On December 28, 2015, Mr. Thanos Feidakis
resigned from the board of directors as a Class II director and was immediately reappointed by the Board as a Class I director
whose term will expire at the Company’s 2017 annual meeting of shareholders. This was accomplished solely in order to provide
for an equal apportionment of the members of the board of directors of Globus Maritime Limited, among the three classes of its
classified board of directors.
We have an Audit Committee, a Remuneration
Committee and a Nomination Committee.
The
Audit Committee is comprised of
Amir Eilon and
Jeffrey O. Parry. It is responsible for ensuring that our financial performance is properly reported on and monitored, for reviewing
internal control systems and the auditors’ reports relating to our accounts and for reviewing and approving all related
party transactions. Our board of directors has determined that Amir Eilon is our audit committee financial expert. Each Audit
Committee member has experience in reading and understanding financial statements, including statements of financial position,
statements of comprehensive income and statements of cash flows.
The Remuneration Committee is comprised
of Jeffrey O. Parry, Athanasios Feidakis, and Amir Eilon. It is responsible for determining, subject to approval from our board
of directors, the remuneration guidelines to apply to our executive officers, secretary and other members of the executive management
as our board of directors designates the Remuneration Committee to consider. It is also responsible for suggesting the total individual
remuneration packages of each director including, where appropriate, bonuses, incentive payments and share options. The Remuneration
Committee is responsible for declaring dividends on our Series A Preferred Shares, if any. The Remuneration Committee will also
liaise with the Nomination Committee to ensure that the remuneration of newly appointed executives falls within our overall remuneration
policies. While Athanasios Feidakis is not an independent director, we believe that, as a family member of a significant shareholder,
who has a substantial vested interest in our success, his particular input will significantly aid and assist us.
The Nomination Committee is comprised
of George Feidakis, Amir Eilon and Jeffrey O. Parry. It is responsible for reviewing the structure, size and composition of our
board of directors and identifying and nominating candidates to fill board positions as necessary.
For information about the term of each
director, see “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees - A. Directors and Senior Management”.
D. Employees
As of December 31, 2015, we had approximately
twelve full-time employees and three consultants, all of whom were hired through our Manager. All of these employees are located
in Greece and are engaged in the service and management of our fleet. None of our employees are covered by collective bargaining
agreements, although certain crew members are parties to collective bargaining agreements. We do not employ a significant number
of temporary employees.
E. Share
Ownership
With respect to the total number of common
shares owned by all of our officers and directors, individually and as a group, please read “Item 7. Major Shareholders
and Related Party Transactions.”
Incentives program
We maintain an equity incentive program,
because we believe that equity awards are important to align our employees’ interests with those of our shareholders. Our
equity incentive program is administered by our Remuneration Committee. The Remuneration Committee generally measures our performance
in terms of total shareholder return, which is calculated based on changes in our share price and our dividends paid over a calendar
year, which we refer to as TSR.
Our board of directors believe that these
awards keep our employees focused on our growth, as well as dividend growth and its impact on our share price, over an extended
time period.
The 2012 Equity Incentive Plan of Globus
Maritime Limited, or the “EIP,” provides for the award of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock,
restricted stock units and unrestricted stock, for directors, officers and employees (including any prospective officer or employee)
of our Company and our subsidiaries and affiliates and consultants and service providers (including individuals who are employed
by or provide services to any entity that is itself such a consultant or service provider) to our Company and our subsidiaries
and affiliates, with the goal of providing such persons the incentive to enter into and remain in the service of the Company or
its affiliates, acquire a proprietary interest in the success of the Company, maximize their performance and enhance
the long-term performance of the Company.
Administration
. The EIP
is administered by the Remuneration Committee of our Board of Directors, or such other committee of the Board of Directors designated
by the Board of Directors. We refer to the body administering the EIP as the “Administrator.” The EIP allows the Administrator
to delegate its rights to the extent consistent with applicable law and our organizational documents. The Administrator has the
authority to, among other things, designate the persons to receive awards under the EIP; determine the types of awards granted
to a participant under the EIP; determine the number of shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights or
other matters are to be calculated with respect to, awards; determine the terms and conditions of any awards; determine whether,
and to what extent, and under what circumstances, awards may be settled or exercised in cash, shares, other securities, other
awards or other property, or cancelled, forfeited or suspended, and the methods by which awards may be settled, exercised, cancelled,
forfeited or suspended; determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, shares, other securities, other
awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an award shall be deferred, either automatically or at the election
of the holder thereof or the Administrator; construe, interpret and implement the EIP and any Award Agreement; prescribe, amend,
rescind or waive rules and regulations relating to the EIP, including rules governing its operation, and appoint such agents as
it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the EIP; make all determinations necessary or advisable in administering
the EIP; correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the EIP or any Award Agreement; and make any
other determination and take any other action that the Administrator deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the
EIP. The Board of Directors has the right to alter or amend the EIP.
Number of Shares
. Subject
to adjustment in the event of any distribution, recapitalization, split, merger, consolidation or similar corporate event, 1,000,000
of our common shares are available for delivery pursuant to awards granted under the EIP. Awards may not be paid in cash. Shares
subject to an award under the EIP that are canceled, forfeited, exchanged, settled in cash or otherwise terminated, including
withheld to satisfy exercise prices or tax withholding obligations, are available for delivery pursuant to other awards. Shares
issued pursuant to the EIP may be authorized but unissued common shares or treasury shares.
Award Agreements
. Each award
granted under the EIP shall be evidenced by a written certificate, which we refer to as an Award Agreement, which shall contain
such provisions as the Administrator may deem necessary or desirable and which may, but need not, require execution or acknowledgment
by a grantee. Each Award shall be subject to all of the terms and provisions of the EIP and the applicable Award Agreement.
Stock Options
. A stock option
is a right to purchase shares at a specified price during a specified time period. The EIP permits the grant of options covering
our common shares. The Administrator may make grants under the EIP to participants containing such terms as the Administrator
shall determine. No option shall be treated as an “incentive stock option” for purposes of the Code. Stock options
granted will become exercisable over a period determined by the Administrator. Each Award Agreement with respect to an option
shall set forth the exercise price of such Award and, unless otherwise specifically provided in the Award Agreement, the exercise
price of an option shall equal the fair market value of a common share on the date of grant; provided that in no event may such
exercise price be less than the greater of the fair market value of a common share on the date of grant and the par value of a
common share.
Restricted Shares
. A restricted
share grant is an award of common shares that vests over a period of time and is subject to forfeiture until it has vested. The
Administrator may determine to make grants of restricted shares under the EIP to participants containing such terms as the Administrator
shall determine. The Administrator will determine the period over which restricted shares granted to participants will vest and
the voting provisions. The Administrator, in its discretion, may base its determination upon the achievement of specified financial
objectives.
Stock Appreciation Rights
.
A stock appreciation right is the right, subject to the terms of the EIP and the applicable Award Agreement, to receive from the
Company an amount equal to (i) the excess of the fair market value of a common share on the date of exercise of the stock appreciation
right over the exercise price of the stock appreciation right, multiplied by (ii) the number of shares with respect to which the
stock appreciation right is exercised. Each Award Agreement with respect to a stock appreciation right shall set forth the exercise
price of such Award and, unless otherwise specifically provided in the Award Agreement, the exercise price of a stock appreciation
right shall equal the fair market value of a common share on the date of grant; provided that in no event may such exercise price
be less than the greater of (A) the fair market value of a common share on the date of grant and (B) the par value of a common
share. Payment upon exercise of a stock appreciation right shall be in cash or in common shares (valued at their fair market value
on the date of exercise of the stock appreciation right) or any combination of both, all as the Administrator shall determine.
Upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right granted in connection with an option, the number of shares subject to the option
shall be reduced by the number of shares with respect to which the stock appreciation right is exercised. Upon the exercise of
an option in connection with which a stock appreciation right has been granted, the number of shares subject to the stock appreciation
right shall be reduced by the number of shares with respect to which the option is exercised.
Restricted Stock Unit
. A
restricted stock unit is a notional share that entitles the grantee to receive a common share upon the vesting of the restricted
stock unit or, in the discretion of the Administrator, cash equivalent to the value of a common share. The Administrator may determine
to make grants of restricted stock units under the EIP to participants containing such terms as the Administrator shall determine.
The Administrator will determine the period over which restricted stock units granted to participants will vest.
Unrestricted Stock
. The
Administrator may grant (or sell at a purchase price at least equal to par value) common shares free of restrictions under the
EIP to available participants and in such amounts and subject to such forfeiture provisions as the Administrator shall determine.
Common shares may be thus granted or sold in respect of past services or other valid consideration.
Tax Withholding
. At our
discretion, and subject to conditions that the Administrator may impose, a participant may elect that his minimum statutory tax
withholding with respect to an award may be satisfied by withholding from any payment related to an award or by the withholding
of shares issuable pursuant to the award based on the fair market value of the shares.
Award Adjustments
. If the
Administrator determines that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Company shares, other securities
or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off,
combination, repurchase or exchange of Company shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights
to purchase Company shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Company
shares such that an adjustment is determined by the Administrator to be appropriate or desirable, then the Administrator shall,
in such manner as it may deem equitable or desirable, adjust any or all of the number of shares or other securities of the Company
(or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted under the EIP. The Administrator
is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual
or nonrecurring events (including the events described above in the first sentence of this paragraph, the occurrence of a Change
in Control (as defined in the EIP) affecting the Company, any affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any affiliate,
or of changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange,
accounting principles or law, whenever the Administrator determines that such adjustments are appropriate or desirable, including
providing for adjustment to (1) the number of shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities
or property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate and (2) the exercise price with respect
to any Award and a substitution or assumption of Awards, accelerating the exercisability or vesting of, or lapse of restrictions
on, Awards, or accelerating the termination of Awards by providing for a period of time for exercise prior to the occurrence of
such event, or, if deemed appropriate or desirable, providing for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award in consideration
for the cancellation of such Award (it being understood that, in such event, any option or stock appreciation right having a per
share exercise price equal to, or in excess of, the fair market value of a share subject to such option or stock appreciation
right may be cancelled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor).
Change in Control
. Upon
a “change of control” (as defined in the EIP), and unless the Administrator decides otherwise:
|
·
|
Any
Award then outstanding shall become fully vested and any restriction and forfeiture provisions
thereon imposed pursuant to the EIP and the Award Agreement shall lapse and any Award
in the form of an option or stock appreciation right shall be immediately exercisable.
|
|
·
|
To
the extent permitted by law and not otherwise limited by the terms of the EIP, the Administrator
may amend any Award Agreement in such manner as it deems appropriate.
|
|
·
|
An
award recipient who is terminated or dismissed from their position for any reason other
than “for cause” within one year of the change in control may, for a limited
time, exercise any outstanding option or stock appreciation right, but only to the extent
that the grantee was entitled to exercise the Award on the date of his or her termination
of employment or consultancy/service relationship or dismissal from the Board of Directors.
|
Termination of Employment or Service
.
The consequences of the termination of a grantee’s employment, consulting arrangement, or membership on the Board of Directors
will be determined by the Administrator in the terms of the relevant Award Agreement. Generally, the Administrator may modify
these consequences. The Administrator can impose any forfeiture or vesting provisions in any Award Agreement.
2015, 2014, 2013
Grants
No awards were granted pursuant to the
equity incentive plan during the year ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, but we issued shares directly to the directors,
which was not part of the equity incentive program.
Item 7. Major
Shareholders and Related Party Transactions
A. Major
Shareholders
The following table sets forth information
concerning ownership of our common shares as of April 22, 2016 by persons who beneficially own more than 5.0% of our outstanding
common shares, each person who is a director of our company, each executive officer named in this annual report on Form 20-F and
all directors and executive officers as a group.
Beneficial ownership of shares is determined
under rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and generally includes any shares over which a person
exercises sole or shared voting or investment power. Except as indicated in the footnotes to this table and subject to community
property laws where applicable, the persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares
shown as beneficially owned by them.
The numbers of shares and percentages
of beneficial ownership are based on approximately 10,390,579 common shares outstanding on April 22, 2016. All common shares owned
by the shareholders listed in the table below have the same voting rights as the other of our outstanding common shares.
The address for those individuals for
which an address is not otherwise indicated is: c/o Globus Shipmanagement Corp., 128 Vouliagmenis Avenue, 3rd Floor, 166 74 Glyfada,
Athens, Greece.
Name and address of beneficial owner
|
|
Number of common
shares beneficially
owned as of April 22,
2016
|
|
|
Percentage of common
shares beneficially owned as
of April 22, 2016
|
|
5% Beneficial Owners
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Broadbill Investment Partners, LLC (2)
|
|
|
582,131
|
|
|
|
5.6
|
%
|
Officers and Directors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
George Feidakis (1)
|
|
|
5,204,475
|
|
|
|
50.1
|
%
|
George Karageorgiou (former CEO)
|
|
|
354,184
|
|
|
|
3.4
|
%
|
Amir Eilon
|
|
|
108,304
|
|
|
|
1.0
|
%
|
Jeffrey O. Parry
|
|
|
29,884
|
|
|
|
0.3
|
%
|
Athanasios Feidakis
|
|
|
457,902
|
|
|
|
4.4
|
%
|
All executive officers and directors as a group (five
persons)
|
|
|
6,154,749
|
|
|
|
59.2
|
%
|
*Less than 1.0% of the outstanding
shares.
(1) Mr. George Feidakis beneficially
owns 4,724,475 of his common shares through Firment Trading Limited, a Cypriot company, for which he exercises sole voting and
investment power through two companies that hold Firment Trading’s shares in trust for Mr. George Feidakis. Mr. George Feidakis
beneficially owns 480,000 common shares through F.G. Europre S.A., a Greek company of which Mr. George Feidakis is the majority
shareholder. Mr. George Feidakis and
Firment Trading Limited disclaim beneficial ownership over such common shares except
to the extent of their pecuniary interests in such shares.
(2)Based on information obtained in
a schedule 13G/A, filed with the SEC on January 29, 2016, by Broadbill Investment Partners, LLC (“Broadbill Investment LLC”)
and Broadbill Partners GP, LLC (“Broadbill Partners”, and together with Broadbill Investment LLC, the “Reporting
Persons”) with respect to common shares of Globus Maritime Limited owned by Broadbill Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership (“Broadbill LP”) and Broadbill Partners II, L.P., a limited partnership (“Broadbill II LP”).
The address of the principal business office of each of the Reporting Persons is Broadbill Investment Partners, LLC, 20 W. 22
nd
Street, Suite 816, New York, New York 10010.
To the best of our knowledge, except as
disclosed in the table above, we are not owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by another corporation or by any foreign
government. To the best of our knowledge, there are no agreements in place that could result in a change of control of us.
In the normal course of business, there
have been institutional investors that buy and sell our shares. It is possible that significant changes in the percentage ownership
of these investors will occur.
B. Related Party Transactions
Lease
During the 2015, 2014 and 2013 fiscal
years, we incurred rents of $195,000, $234,000 and $232,000, respectively, to Cyberonica S.A., a company owned by Mr. George Feidakis,
for the rental of 350 square meters of office space for our operations. As of December 31, 2015, we owed $191,000 of rent to Cyberonica
S.A.
Employment of Relative of Mr. George
Feidakis
In October 2011, we entered into an employment
agreement with Mr. Athanasios Feidakis, the son of our chairman of the board of directors and largest beneficial shareholder,
Mr. George Feidakis, to act in a non-managerial position. As of July 1, 2013, Mr. Athanasios Feidakis became a non-executive director
of the Company and such employment agreement was terminated. Mr. George Karageorgiou resigned from the position of President,
Chief Executive and Interim Chief Financial Officer and Director of Globus Maritime Limited on December 28, 2015, and Mr. Athanasios
Feidakis was appointed as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer as of the same day.
Firment Credit Facility
In December 2013, Globus Maritime Limited
entered into a credit facility for up to $4.0 million with Firment Trading Limited, a company related to us through common control,
for the purpose of financing its general working capital needs. The Firment Credit Facility is unsecured and remains available
until its final maturity date, originally at December 12, 2015, when Globus Maritime Limited must repay all drawn and outstanding
amounts at that time. During December 2014 the credit limit of the facility increased from $4.0 to $8.0 million and its final
maturity date was extended to April 29, 2016. During December 2015 the credit limit of the facility increased from $8.0 to $20.0
million and its final maturity date was extended to April 12, 2017. In December 2015, the Firment Credit Facility was assigned
from Firment Trading Limited, a Cypriot company, to Firment Trading Limited, a Marshall Islands corporation, each of which is
a company related to us through common control. We have the right to drawdown any amount up to $20.0 million or prepay any amount,
during the availability period in multiples of $100,000. Any prepaid amount can be re-borrowed in accordance with the terms of
the facility. Interest on drawn and outstanding amounts is charged at 5% per annum and no commitment fee is charged on the amounts
remaining available and undrawn.
As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the
amounts drawn and outstanding with respect to the facility were $14.6 and $7.5 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015,
there was an amount of $5.4 million available to be drawn under the Firment Credit Facility. Currently, $15.9 million is outstanding
with respect to this facility, and $4.1 million may be drawn.
Silaner Credit Facility
In January 2016, Globus Maritime Limited
entered into a credit facility for up to $3.0 million with Silaner Investments Limited, a company related through common control,
for the purpose of financing its general working capital needs. The Silaner Credit Facility is unsecured and remains available
until its final maturity date at January 12, 2018, when Globus Maritime Limited must repay all drawn and outstanding amounts at
that time. We have the right to drawdown any amount up to $3.0 million or prepay any amount in multiples of $100,000. Any prepaid
amount can be re-borrowed in accordance with the terms of the facility. Interest on drawn and outstanding amounts is charged at
5% per annum and no commitment fee is charged on the amounts remaining available and undrawn. Currently, $2.15 million is outstanding
with respect to this facility, and $0.85 million may be drawn.
Business Opportunities Agreement
In November 2010, Mr. George Feidakis
entered into a business opportunities arrangement with us. Under this agreement, Mr. George Feidakis is required to disclose to
us any business opportunities relating to dry bulk shipping that may arise during his service to us as a member of our board of
directors that could reasonably be expected to be a business opportunity that we may pursue. Mr. George Feidakis agreed to disclose
all such opportunities, and the material facts attendant thereto, to our board of directors for our consideration and if our board
of directors fails to adopt a resolution regarding an opportunity within seven business days of disclosure, we will be deemed
to have declined to pursue the opportunity, in which event Mr. George Feidakis will be free to pursue it. Mr. George Feidakis
is also prohibited for six months after the termination of the agreement to solicit any of our or our subsidiaries’ senior
employees or officers. Mr. George Feidakis’ obligations under the business opportunities agreement will also terminate when
he no longer beneficially owns our shares representing at least 30% of the combined voting power of all our outstanding shares
or any other equity, or no longer serves as our director. Mr. George Feidakis remains free to conduct his other businesses that
are not related to dry bulk shipping.
Registration Rights Agreement
In November 2010, we entered into a registration
rights agreement with Firment Trading Limited and Kim Holdings S.A., pursuant to which we granted to them and their affiliates
(including Mr. George Feidakis and Mr. George Karageorgiou) and certain of their transferees, the right, under certain circumstances
and subject to certain restrictions to require us to register under the Securities Act our common shares held by them. Under the
registration rights agreement, these persons have the right to request us to register the sale of shares held by them on their
behalf and may require us to make available shelf registration statements permitting sales of shares into the market from time
to time over an extended period. In addition, these persons have the ability to exercise certain piggyback registration rights
in connection with registered offerings requested by shareholders or initiated by us.
C. Interests
of Experts and Counsel
Not Applicable.
Item 8. Financial
Information
A. Consolidated Statements
and Other Financial Information
See Item 18.
Legal Proceedings
We have not been involved in any legal
proceedings which may have, or have had, a significant effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or liquidity,
nor are we aware of any other proceedings that are pending or threatened which may have a significant effect on our business,
financial position, results of operations or liquidity. From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in
the ordinary course of business, principally personal injury and property casualty claims. We expect that these claims would be
covered by insurance, subject to customary deductibles. Those claims, even if lacking merit, could result in the expenditure of
significant financial and managerial resources.
Our Dividend Policy and Restrictions
on Dividends
Our dividend policy is to pay to holders
of our shares a variable quarterly dividend in excess of 50% of the net income of the previous quarter subject to any reserves
our board of directors may from time to time determine are required. We believe this policy maintains an appropriate level of
dividend cover taking into account the likely effects of the shipping cycle and the need to retain cash to reinvest in vessel
acquisitions.
In calculating our dividend to holders
of our shares, we exclude any gain on the sale of vessels and any unrealized gains or losses on derivatives. Our board of directors,
in its discretion, can determine in the future whether any capital surpluses arising from vessel sales are included in the calculation
of a dividend. Dividends will be paid in U.S. dollars equally on a per-share basis between our common shares and our Class B shares,
to the extent any are issued and outstanding.
Our Remuneration Committee will also determine
by unanimous resolution, in its sole discretion, when and to the extent dividends are paid to the holders of our Series A Preferred
Shares.
We are a holding company, with no material
assets other than the shares of our subsidiaries. Therefore, our ability to pay dividends depends on the earnings and cash flow
of those subsidiaries and their ability to pay dividends to us. Additionally, the declaration and payment of any dividend is subject
at all times to the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our earnings, financial condition
and anticipated cash requirements and availability, additional acquisitions of vessels, restrictions in our debt arrangements,
the provisions of Marshall Islands law affecting the payment of dividends to shareholders, required capital and drydocking expenditures,
reserves established by our board of directors, increased or unanticipated expenses, a change in our dividend policy, additional
borrowings and future issuances of securities, many of which are beyond our control.
Marshall Islands law generally prohibits
the payment of dividends other than from surplus (retained earnings and the excess of consideration received from the sale of
shares above the par value of the shares) or while a corporation is insolvent or would be rendered insolvent by the payment of
such dividend.
We historically paid dividends to our
common shareholders in amounts ranging from $0.03 per share to $0.50 per share. Historical dividend payments should not provide
any promise or indication of future dividend payments.
No
dividends were declared or paid on our common shares during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013.
Dividends
declared and paid on our Series A Preferred Shares during the year ended December 31, 2015 are as follows:
2015
|
|
$ per share
|
|
|
$000’s
|
|
|
Date declared
|
|
Date Paid
|
|
1st Preferred dividend
|
|
|
77.26
|
|
|
|
198
|
|
|
February 18, 2015
|
|
|
*
|
|
2nd Preferred dividend
|
|
|
97.39
|
|
|
|
250
|
|
|
December 21, 2015
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
448
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Settled with several payments, which final payment was made in January 2016.
Dividends
declared and paid on our Series A Preferred shares during the year ended December 31, 2014 are as follows:
2014
|
|
$ per share
|
|
|
$000’s
|
|
|
Date declared
|
|
Date Paid
|
|
1st Preferred dividend
|
|
|
86.54
|
|
|
|
223
|
|
|
May 9, 2014
|
|
|
May
13, 2014
|
|
2nd Preferred dividend
|
|
|
27.34
|
|
|
|
70
|
|
|
December 30, 2014
|
|
|
January
2, 2015
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
293
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends
declared and paid on our Series A Preferred shares during the year ended December 31, 2013 are as follows:
2013
|
|
$ per share
|
|
|
$000’s
|
|
|
Date declared
|
|
Date Paid
|
|
1st Preferred dividend
|
|
|
63.46
|
|
|
|
163
|
|
|
May 30, 2013
|
|
|
July
12, 2013
|
|
2nd Preferred dividend
|
|
|
65.20
|
|
|
|
167
|
|
|
December 27, 2013
|
|
|
January
15, 2014
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
330
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our loan agreements impose certain restrictions
to us with respect to dividend payments to our common shareholders and on the holders of Series A Preferred shares. Please see
“Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness.”
B. Significant Changes
There have been no significant changes
since the date of the annual consolidated financial statements included in this annual report on Form 20-F.
Item 9. The Offer and Listing
Our common shares began trading in the
United Kingdom on the London Stock Exchange through the AIM on June 6, 2007 under the stock symbol “GLBS.L.” All such
trades were conducted with pounds sterling. Our common shares were suspended from trading on the AIM as of November 24, 2010 and
were delisted from the AIM on November 26, 2010.
On November 24, 2010, we redomiciled into
the Marshall Islands pursuant to the BCA and a resale registration statement for our common shares was declared effective by the
SEC. Once the resale registration statement was declared effective by the SEC, our common shares began trading on the Nasdaq Global
Market under the ticker “GLBS.”
On April 11, 2016 our common shares began
trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market and ceased trading on the Nasdaq Global Market, without a change in our ticker.
The following table lists the high and
low sales prices on the Nasdaq Global Market and Nasdaq Capital Market, as applicable, for our common shares for the last six
months; the last nine fiscal quarters; and the last five fiscal years.
Prices indicated below with respect to
our common share price include inter-dealer prices, without retail mark up, mark down or commission and may not necessarily represent
actual transactions. All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars.
Period Ended
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monthly
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From April 1, to April 22, 2016
|
|
$
|
0.43
|
|
|
$
|
0.25
|
|
March 2016
|
|
$
|
0.22
|
|
|
$
|
0.13
|
|
February 2016
|
|
$
|
0.19
|
|
|
$
|
0.08
|
|
January 2016
|
|
$
|
0.21
|
|
|
$
|
0.06
|
|
December 2015
|
|
$
|
0.32
|
|
|
$
|
0.15
|
|
November 2015
|
|
$
|
0.64
|
|
|
$
|
0.27
|
|
October 2015
|
|
$
|
0.99
|
|
|
$
|
0.74
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quarterly
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First Quarter 2016
|
|
$
|
0.22
|
|
|
$
|
0.06
|
|
Fourth Quarter 2015
|
|
$
|
0.99
|
|
|
$
|
0.15
|
|
Third Quarter 2015
|
|
$
|
1.58
|
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
Second Quarter 2015
|
|
$
|
1.90
|
|
|
$
|
1.14
|
|
First Quarter 2015
|
|
$
|
2.54
|
|
|
$
|
1.20
|
|
Fourth Quarter 2014
|
|
$
|
3.40
|
|
|
$
|
2.22
|
|
Third Quarter 2014
|
|
$
|
3.62
|
|
|
$
|
2.78
|
|
Second Quarter 2014
|
|
$
|
4.29
|
|
|
$
|
3.37
|
|
First Quarter 2014
|
|
$
|
4.44
|
|
|
$
|
2.98
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yearly
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
$
|
2.54
|
|
|
$
|
0.15
|
|
2014
|
|
$
|
4.44
|
|
|
$
|
2.22
|
|
2013
|
|
$
|
4.21
|
|
|
$
|
1.70
|
|
2012
|
|
$
|
5.77
|
|
|
$
|
1.48
|
|
2011
|
|
$
|
10.92
|
|
|
$
|
2.50
|
|
Item 10. Additional Information
A. Share Capital
Not Applicable.
B. Memorandum and Articles
of Association
Purpose
Our objects and purposes, as provided
in Section 1.3 of our articles of incorporation, are to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may now or
hereafter be organized under the BCA.
Common Shares and Class B Shares
Generally, Marshall Islands law provides
that the holders of a class of stock of a Marshall Islands corporation are entitled to a separate class vote on any proposed amendment
to the relevant articles of incorporation that would change the aggregate number of authorized shares or the par value of that
class of shares or alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of that class so as to affect them adversely. Except
as described below, holders of our common shares and Class B shares will have equivalent economic rights, but holders of our common
shares will be entitled to one vote per share and holders of our Class B shares will be entitled to 20 votes per share. Each holder
of Class B shares (not including the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries) may convert, at its option, any or all of the
Class B shares held by such holder into an equal number of common shares.
Except as otherwise provided by the BCA,
holders of our common shares and Class B shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders,
including the election of directors.
The rights, preferences and privileges
of holders of our shares are subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred shares that have been issued and which we may
issue in the future.
Holders of our common shares do not have
conversion, redemption or pre-emptive rights to subscribe to any of our securities.
There is no limitation on the right to
own securities or the rights of non-resident shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our securities under Marshall Islands
law or our articles of incorporation or bylaws.
Preferred Shares
Our articles of incorporation authorize
our board of directors to establish and issue up to 100 million preferred shares and to determine, with respect to any series
of preferred shares, the rights and preferences of that series, including:
|
Ø
|
the designation of the series;
|
|
Ø
|
the number of preferred shares
in the series;
|
|
Ø
|
the
preferences and relative participating option or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions
of such series; and
|
|
Ø
|
the
voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series (subject to terms set forth below with regard to the policy of our board
of directors regarding preferred shares).
|
In April 2012 we issued an aggregate of
3,347 Series A Preferred Shares to our two executive officers, and 2,567 Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding. The holders
of our Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive, if funds are legally available, dividends payable in cash in an
amount per share to be determined by unanimous resolution of our Remuneration Committee, in its sole discretion. Our board of
directors or Remuneration Committee will determine whether funds are legally available under the BCA for such dividend. Any accrued
but unpaid dividends will not bear interest. Except as may be provided in the BCA, holders of our Series A Preferred Shares do
not have any voting rights. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of our Series A Preferred Shares will
be entitled to a preference in the amount of the declared and unpaid dividends, if any, as of the date of liquidation, dissolution
or winding up. Our Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into any of our other capital stock.
The Series A Preferred Shares are redeemable
at the written request of the Remuneration Committee, at par value plus all declared and unpaid dividends as of the date of redemption
plus any additional consideration determined by a unanimous resolution of the Remuneration Committee. We redeemed and cancelled
780 Series A Preferred Shares in January 2013.
Liquidation
In the event of our dissolution, liquidation
or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, after payment in full of the amounts, if any, required to be paid to our creditors
and the holders of preferred shares, our remaining assets and funds shall be distributed pro rata to the holders of our common
shares and Class B shares, and the holders of common shares and the holders of Class B shares shall be entitled to receive the
same amount per share in respect thereof.
Dividends
Declaration and payment of any dividend
is subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The timing and amount of dividend payments to holders of our shares will
depend on a series of factors and risks described under “Item 3.D. Risk Factors,” and includes risks relating
to earnings, financial condition, cash requirements and availability, restrictions in our current and future loan arrangements,
the provisions of the Marshall Islands law affecting the payment of dividends and other factors. The BCA generally prohibits the
payment of dividends other than from surplus or while we are insolvent or if we would be rendered insolvent upon paying the dividend.
Subject to preferences that may apply
to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of our common shares and Class B shares will be entitled
to share equally in any dividends that our board of directors may declare from time to time out of funds legally available for
dividends.
Conversion
Our common shares will not be convertible
into any other shares of our capital stock. Each of our Class B shares will be convertible at any time at the election of the
holder thereof into one of our common shares on a one-for-one basis. We will not reissue or resell any Class B shares that shall
have been converted into common shares.
Directors
Our directors will be elected by the vote
of the plurality of the votes cast by holders with voting power of our voting shares. Our articles of incorporation provide that
our board of directors must consist of at least three members. Shareholders may change the number of directors only by the affirmative
vote of holders of a majority of the total voting power of our outstanding capital stock (subject to the rights of any holders
of preferred shares). The board of directors may change the number of directors by a majority vote of the entire board of directors.
No contract or transaction between us
and one or more of our directors or officers will be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or
officer is present at or participates in the meeting of our board of directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract
or transaction, or solely because his or her or their votes are counted for such purpose, if (1) the material facts as to such
director’s interest in such contract or transaction and as to any such common directorship, officership or financial interest
are disclosed in good faith or known to the board of directors or committee, and the board of directors or committee approves
such contract or transaction by a vote sufficient for such purpose without counting the vote of such interested director, or,
if the votes of the disinterested directors are insufficient to constitute an act of the board, by unanimous vote of the disinterested
directors; or (2) the material facts as to such director’s interest in such contract or transaction and as to any such common
directorship, officership or financial interest are disclosed in good faith or known to the shareholders entitled to vote thereon,
and such contract or transaction is approved by vote of such shareholders.
Our board of directors has the authority
to fix the compensation of directors for their services.
Classified Board of Directors
Our articles of incorporation provide
for a board of directors serving staggered, three-year terms. Approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected
each year.
Removal of Directors; Vacancies
Our articles of incorporation provide
that directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the total voting power
of our outstanding capital stock. Our bylaws require parties to provide advance written notice of nominations for the election
of directors other than the board of directors and shareholders holding 30% or more of the voting power of the aggregate number
of our shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote.
No Cumulative Voting
The BCA provides that shareholders are
not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our articles of incorporation provide otherwise.
Our articles of incorporation prohibit cumulative voting.
Shareholder Meetings
Under our bylaws, annual shareholder meetings
will be held at a time and place selected by our board of directors. The meetings may be held in or outside of the Marshall Islands.
Special meetings may be called by the chairman of our board of directors, by resolution of our board of directors or by holders
of 30% or more of the voting power of the aggregate number of our shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at such meeting.
Our board of directors may set a record date between 15 and 60 days before the date of any meeting to determine the shareholders
that will be eligible to receive notice and vote at the meeting.
Dissenters’ Right of Appraisal
and Payment
Under the BCA, our shareholders have the
right to dissent from various corporate actions, including certain amendments to our articles of incorporation and certain mergers
or consolidations or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets not made in the usual course of our business, and receive
payment of the fair value of their shares, subject to exceptions. For example, the right of a dissenting shareholder to receive
payment of the fair value of his shares is not available if for the shares of any class or series of stock, which shares at the
record date fixed to determine the shareholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the meeting of shareholders to act upon
the agreement of merger or consolidation, were either (1) listed on a securities exchange or admitted for trading on an interdealer
quotation system or (2) held of record by more than 2,000 holders. In the event of any further amendment of our articles of incorporation,
a shareholder also has the right to dissent and receive payment for his or her shares if the amendment alters certain rights in
respect of those shares. The dissenting shareholder must follow the procedures set forth in the BCA to receive payment. In the
event that we and any dissenting shareholder fail to agree on a price for the shares, the BCA procedures involve, among other
things, the institution of proceedings in the high court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or in any appropriate court in
any jurisdiction in which our shares are primarily traded on a local or national securities exchange to fix the value of the shares.
Shareholders’ Derivative Actions
Under the BCA, any of our shareholders
may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the shareholder
bringing the action is a holder of common shares or a beneficial interest therein both at the time the derivative action is commenced
and at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or that the shares devolved upon the shareholder by operation of
law.
Amendment to our Articles of Incorporation
Except as otherwise provided by law, any
provision in our articles of incorporation requiring a vote of shareholders may only be amended by such a vote. Further, certain
sections may only be amended by affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the voting shares.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions
of our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
Mr. George Feidakis, the chairman of our
board of directors, owns beneficially a majority of our total outstanding common shares, and can effectively block any change
in control. Nonetheless, we note that certain provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws, which are summarized in
the following paragraphs, may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, defer or prevent a takeover attempt or hostile change
of control that a shareholder may consider in its best interest, including those attempts that may result in a premium over the
market price for our common shares held by shareholders.
Multiple Classes of Shares
Should we issue any, our Class B shares
will have 20 votes per share, while our common shares, which is the only class of shares listed on an established U.S. securities
exchange, will have one vote per share. Our board of directors also has authority under our articles of incorporation to issue
blank check preferred shares. Because of this share structure, any issuance of Class B shares or preferred shares may cause such
holders to be able to significantly influence matters submitted to our shareholders for approval even if such holders and their
affiliates come to own significantly less than 50% of the aggregate number of outstanding common shares, Class B shares, and preferred
shares. This control over shareholder voting could discourage others from initiating any potential merger, takeover or other change
of control transaction that other shareholders may view as beneficial and which would require shareholder approval.
Blank Check Preferred
Shares
Under the terms of our articles of incorporation,
our board of directors has authority, without any further vote or action by our shareholders, to issue up to 100 million shares
of blank check preferred shares. We currently have outstanding 2,567 Series A Preferred Shares. Except as may be provided in the
BCA, holders of our Series A Preferred Shares do not have any voting rights.
Classified Board
of Directors
Our articles of incorporation provide
for a board of directors serving staggered, three-year terms. Approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected
each year. This classified board of directors provision could discourage a third party from making a tender offer for our shares
or attempting to obtain control of us. It could also delay shareholders who do not agree with the policies of the board of directors
from removing a majority of the board of directors for two years.
No Cumulative Voting
The BCA provides that shareholders are
not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our articles of incorporation provide otherwise.
Our articles of incorporation prohibit cumulative voting.
Calling of Special
Meetings of Shareholders
Our bylaws provide that special meetings
of our shareholders may be called only by the chairman of our board of directors, by resolution of our board of directors or by
holders of 30% or more of the voting power of the aggregate number of our shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at
such meeting.
Advance Notice
Requirements for Shareholder Proposals and Director Nominations
Our bylaws provide that, with a few exceptions,
shareholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of shareholders
must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary.
Generally, to be timely, a shareholder’s
notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 150 days nor more than 180 days prior to the first anniversary
date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders. Our bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content
of a shareholder’s notice. These provisions may impede shareholders’ ability to bring matters before an annual meeting
of shareholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of shareholders.
Business Combinations
Although the BCA does not contain specific
provisions regarding “business combinations” between corporations incorporated under or redomiciled pursuant to the
laws of the Marshall Islands and “interested shareholders,” our articles of incorporation prohibit us from engaging
in a business combination with an interested shareholder for a period of three years following the date of the transaction in
which the person became an interested shareholder, unless, in addition to any other approval that may be required by applicable
law:
|
Ø
|
prior
to the date of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, our board of directors
approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder;
|
|
Ø
|
upon
consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder
owned at least 85.0% of our voting shares outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining
the number of shares outstanding those shares owned by (1) persons who are directors and officers and (2) employee stock plans
in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will
be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
|
|
Ø
|
at or
after the date of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the business combination
is approved by our board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of shareholders, and not by written consent,
by the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the voting power of the voting shares that are not owned by the interested
shareholder.
|
Among other transactions, a “business
combination” includes any merger or consolidation of us or any directly or indirectly majority-owned subsidiary of ours
with (1) the interested shareholder or any of its affiliates or (2) with any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association
or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested shareholder. Generally, an “interested shareholder”
is any person or entity (other than us and any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of ours) that:
|
Ø
|
owns
15.0% or more of our outstanding voting shares;
|
|
Ø
|
is an
affiliate or associate of ours and was the owner of 15.0% or more of our outstanding voting shares at any time within the
three-year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested
shareholder; or
|
|
Ø
|
is an
affiliate or associate of any person listed in the first two bullets, except that any person who owns 15.0% or more of our
outstanding voting shares, as a result of action taken solely by us will not be an interested shareholder unless such person
acquires additional voting shares, except as a result of further action by us and not caused, directly or indirectly, by such
person.
|
Additionally, the restrictions regarding
business combinations do not apply to persons that became interested shareholders prior to the effectiveness of our articles of
incorporation.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification
of Directors and Officers
The BCA authorizes corporations to limit
or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of certain
directors’ fiduciary duties. Our articles of incorporation include a provision that eliminates the personal liability of
directors for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by law (other than breach
of duty of loyalty, acts not taken in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law or transactions
for which the director derived an improper personal benefit) and provides that we must indemnify our directors and officers to
the fullest extent authorized by law. We are also expressly authorized to advance certain expenses to our directors and officers
and expect to carry directors’ and officers’ insurance providing indemnification for our directors and officers for
some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification provisions and the directors’ and officers’ insurance are
useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.
The limitation of liability and indemnification
provisions in our articles of incorporation may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach
of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against
directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, may otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. In addition,
an investor in our common shares may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against
directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
There is no pending material litigation
or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.
C. Material
Contracts
We refer you to “Item 7.B. Related
Party Transactions” for a discussion of our agreements with companies related to us. We also refer you to “Item 4. Information
on the Company,” “Item 5.B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” and “Item 6.E. Share
Ownership—Incentives Program” for a description of other material contracts.
Other than these agreements, we have no
material contracts, other than contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, to which the Company or any member of
the group is a party.
D. Exchange
Controls
Under Marshall Islands law, there are
currently no restrictions on the export or import of capital, including foreign exchange controls or restrictions that affect
the remittance of dividends, interest or other payments to holders of our common shares that are neither residents nor citizens
of the Marshall Islands.
E. Taxation
Marshall Islands Tax Considerations
The following is applicable only to persons
who are not citizens of and do not reside in, maintain offices in or engage in business in the Marshall Islands.
Because we do not, and we do not expect
that we or any of our future subsidiaries will, conduct business or operations in the Marshall Islands, and because we anticipate
that all documentation related to any offerings of our securities will be executed outside of the Marshall Islands, under current
Marshall Islands law our shareholders will not be subject to Marshall Islands taxation or withholding tax on our distributions.
In addition, our shareholders will not be subject to Marshall Islands stamp, capital gains or other taxes on the purchase, ownership
or disposition of our common shares, and our shareholders will not be required by the Marshall Islands to file a tax return related
to our common shares.
Malta Tax Considerations
One of our subsidiaries is incorporated in Malta, which imposes
taxes on us that are immaterial to our operations.
Greek Tax Considerations
In January 2013, a tax law 4110/2013 amended
the long-standing provisions of art. 26 of law 27/1975 by imposing a fixed annual tonnage tax on vessels flying a foreign (i.e.,
non-Greek) flag which are managed by a Law 89 company, establishing an identical tonnage tax regime as the one already in force
for vessels flying the Greek flag. This tax varies depending on the size of the vessel, calculated in gross registered tonnage,
as well as on the age of each vessel. Payment of this tonnage tax completely satisfies all income tax obligations of both the
shipowning company and of all its shareholders up to the ultimate beneficial owners. Any tax payable to the state of the flag
of each vessel as a result of its registration with a foreign flag registry (including the Marshall Islands) is subtracted from
the amount of tonnage tax due to the Greek tax authorities.
United States Tax Considerations
This discussion of United States federal
income taxes is based upon provisions of the Code, existing final, temporary and proposed regulations thereunder and current administrative
rulings and court decisions, all as in effect on the effective date of this annual report on Form 20-F and all of which are subject
to change, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially
from the consequences described below. No rulings have been or are expected to be sought from the IRS with respect to any of the
United States federal income tax consequences discussed below, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not take contrary
positions.
Further, the following summary does not
deal with all United States federal income tax consequences applicable to any given holder of our common shares, nor does it address
the United States federal income tax considerations applicable to categories of investors subject to special taxing rules, such
as expatriates, banks, real estate investment trusts, regulated investment companies, insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations,
dealers or traders in securities or currencies, partnerships, S corporations, estates and trusts, investors that hold their common
shares as part of a hedge, straddle or an integrated or conversion transaction, investors whose “functional currency”
is not the United States dollar or investors that own, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of our stock by vote or value. Furthermore,
the discussion does not address alternative minimum tax consequences or estate or gift tax consequences, or any state tax consequences,
and is limited to shareholders that will hold their common shares as “capital assets” within the meaning of Section
1221 of the Code. Each shareholder is encouraged to consult, and discuss with his or her own tax advisor the United States federal,
state, local and non-United States tax consequences particular to him or her of the acquisition, ownership or disposition of common
shares. Further, it is the responsibility of each shareholder to file all state, local and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal,
tax returns that may be required of it.
United States Federal
Income Taxation of the Company
Taxation of Operating Income
Unless exempt from United States federal
income taxation under the rules described below in “—The Section 883 Exemption,” a foreign corporation that
earns only transportation income is generally subject to United States federal income taxation under one of two alternative tax
regimes: (1) the 4% gross basis tax or (2) the net basis tax and branch profits tax. The Company is a Marshall Islands corporation
and its subsidiaries are incorporated in the Marshall Islands or Malta. There is no comprehensive income tax treaty between the
Marshall Islands and the United States, so the Company and its Marshall Islands subsidiaries cannot claim an exemption from this
tax under a treaty.
The 4% Gross Basis Tax
The United States imposes a 4% United
States federal income tax (without allowance of any deductions) on a foreign corporation’s United States source gross transportation
income to the extent such income is not treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business.
For this purpose, transportation income includes income from the use, hiring or leasing of a vessel, or the performance of services
directly related to the use of a vessel (and thus includes time charter, spot charter and bareboat charter income). The United
States source portion of transportation income is 50% of the income attributable to voyages that begin or end, but not both begin
and end, in the United States. As a result of this sourcing rule the effective tax rate is 2% of the gross income attributable
to U.S. voyages. Generally, no amount of the income from voyages that begin and end outside the United States is treated as United
States source, and consequently none of the transportation income attributable to such voyages is subject to this 4% tax. (Although
the entire amount of transportation income from voyages that begin and end in the United States would be United States source,
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries expects to have any transportation income from voyages that both begin and end
in the United States.)
The Net Basis Tax and Branch Profits Tax
The Company and each of its subsidiaries
do not expect to engage in any activities in the United States (other than port calls of its vessels) or otherwise have a fixed
place of business in the United States. Consequently, the Company and its subsidiaries are not expected to be subject to the net
basis or branch profits taxes. Nonetheless, if this situation were to change or if the Company or a subsidiary of the Company
were to be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, all or a portion of the Company’s or such subsidiary’s
taxable income, including gain from the sale of vessels, could be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of this United
States trade or business, or effectively connected income. Any effectively connected income, net of allowable deductions, would
be subject to United States federal corporate income tax (with the highest statutory rate currently being 35%). In addition, an
additional 30% branch profits tax would be imposed on the Company or such subsidiary at such time as the Company’s or such
subsidiary’s after-tax effectively connected income is deemed to have been repatriated to the Company’s or subsidiary’s
offshore office.
The 4% gross basis tax described above
is inapplicable to income that is treated as effectively connected income. A non-United States corporation’s United States
source transportation income would be considered to be effectively connected income only if the non-United States corporation
has or is treated as having a fixed place of business in the United States involved in the earning of the transportation income
and substantially all of its United States source transportation income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation
(such as a published schedule with repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points for voyages that begin or end
in the United States), or in the case of leasing income (such as bareboat charter income) is attributable to such fixed place
of business. The Company and its vessel-owning subsidiaries believe that their vessels will not operate to and from the United
States on a regularly scheduled basis. Based on the intended mode of shipping operations and other activities, the Company and
its vessel-owning subsidiaries do not expect to have any effectively connected income.
The
Section 883 Exemption
Both the 4% gross basis tax and the net
basis and branch profits taxes described above are inapplicable to transportation income that qualifies for the Section 883 Exemption.
To qualify for the Section 883 Exemption a foreign corporation must, among other things:
|
Ø
|
be organized
in a jurisdiction outside the United States that grants an equivalent exemption from tax to corporations organized in the
United States (an “Equivalent Exemption”);
|
|
Ø
|
satisfy
one of the following three ownership tests (discussed in more detail below): (1) the more than 50% ownership test, or 50%
Ownership Test, (2) the controlled foreign corporation test, or CFC Test, or (3) the “Publicly Traded Test”; and
|
|
Ø
|
meet
certain substantiation, reporting and other requirements (which include the filing of United States income tax returns).
|
The Company is a Marshall Islands corporation,
and each of the vessels in its fleet is owned by a separate wholly owned subsidiary organized in the Marshall Islands or Malta.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury recognizes the Marshall Islands and Malta as jurisdictions which grant an Equivalent Exemption;
therefore, the Company and each of its vessel-owning subsidiaries meets the first requirement for the Section 883 Exemption.
The 50
%
Ownership Test
In order to satisfy the 50% Ownership
Test, a non-United States corporation must be able to substantiate that more than 50% of the value of its shares is owned, directly
or indirectly, by “qualified shareholders.” For this purpose, qualified shareholders are: (1) individuals who are
residents (as defined in the Treasury regulations promulgated under Section 883 of the Code, or Section 883 Regulations) of countries,
other than the United States, that grant an Equivalent Exemption, (2) non-United States corporations that meet the Publicly Traded
Test of the Section 883 Regulations and are organized in countries that grant an Equivalent Exemption, or (3) certain foreign
governments, non-profit organizations, and certain beneficiaries of foreign pension funds. In order for a shareholder to be a
qualified shareholder, there generally cannot be any bearer shares in the chain of ownership between the shareholder and the taxpayer
claiming the exemption (unless such bearer shares are maintained in a dematerialized or immobilized book-entry system as permitted
under the Section 883 Regulations). A corporation claiming the Section 883 Exemption based on the 50% Ownership Test must obtain
all the facts necessary to satisfy the IRS that the 50% Ownership Test has been satisfied (as detailed in the Section 883 Regulations).
For the taxable year ended December 31, 2015, the Company believes that each of its vessel-owning subsidiaries satisfied the 50%
Ownership Test based on the beneficial ownership of more than 50% of the value of its shares by a qualifying shareholder, assuming
that such shareholder meets all of the substantiation and reporting requirements under Section 883 of the Code and the Section
883 Regulations for such taxable year, and that each such subsidiary should therefore qualify for the Section 883 Exemption for
such taxable year.
The CFC Test
The CFC Test requires that a non-United
States corporation be treated as a controlled foreign corporation, or a CFC, for United States federal income tax purposes for
more than half of the days in the taxable year. A CFC is a foreign corporation, more than 50% of the vote or value of which is
owned by significant U.S. shareholders (meaning U.S. persons who own at least 10% of the voting power of the foreign corporation).
In addition, more than 50% of the value of the shares of the CFC must be owned by qualifying U.S. persons for more than half of
the days during the taxable year concurrent with the period of time that the company qualifies as a CFC. For this purpose, a qualifying
U.S. person is defined as a U.S. citizen or resident alien, a domestic corporation or domestic tax-exempt trust, in each case,
if such U.S. person provides the company claiming the exemption with an ownership statement. The Company does not believe that
the requirements of the CFC Test will be met in the near future with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
The Publicly Traded Test
The Publicly Traded Test requires that
one or more classes of equity representing more than 50% of the voting power and value in a non-United States corporation be “primarily
and regularly traded” on an established securities market either in the United States or in a foreign country that grants
an Equivalent Exemption. The Section 883 Regulations provide, in relevant part, that the shares of a non-United States corporation
will be considered to be “primarily traded” on an established securities market in a country if the number of shares
of each class of shares that are traded during any taxable year on all established securities markets in that country exceeds
the number of shares in each such class that are traded during that year on established securities markets in any other single
country. The Section 883 Regulations also generally provide that shares will be considered to be “regularly traded”
on an established securities market if one or more classes of shares in the corporation representing in the aggregate more than
50% of the total combined voting power and value of all classes of shares of the corporation are listed on an established securities
market. Also, with respect to each class relied upon to meet this requirement (1) such class of shares must be traded on the market,
other than in minimal quantities, on at least 60 days during the taxable year or one-sixth of the days in a short taxable year,
and (2) the aggregate number of shares of such class of shares traded on such market during the taxable year is at least 10% of
the average number of shares of such class of shares outstanding during such year or as adjusted for a short taxable year. These
two tests are deemed to be satisfied if such class of shares is traded on an established market in the United States and such
shares are regularly quoted by dealers making a market in such shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Section
883 Regulations provide, in relevant part, that a class of shares will not be considered to be “regularly traded”
on an established securities market for any taxable year in which 50% or more of the vote and value of the outstanding shares
of such class are owned, actually or constructively under specified share attribution rules, on more than half the days during
the taxable year by persons who each own 5% or more of the vote and value of such class of outstanding shares, to which we refer
as the 5 Percent Override Rule.
For purposes of being able to determine
the person who actually or constructively own 5% or more of the vote and value of the Company’s common shares, or 5% Shareholders,
the Section 883 Regulations permit a company whose stock is traded on an established securities market in the United States to
rely on those persons that are identified on Schedule 13G and Schedule 13D filings with the SEC, as owning 5% or more of the company’s
common shares.
In the event the 5 Percent Override Rule
is triggered, the Section 883 Regulations provide that such rule will not apply if the Company can establish that within the group
of 5% Shareholders, there are sufficient qualified shareholders within the meaning of Section 883 and the Section 883 Regulations
to preclude non-qualified shareholders in such group from owning 50% or more of the total value of the Company’s common
shares for more than half the number of days during the taxable year.
The Company and its vessel-owning subsidiaries
should satisfy the 50% Ownership Test. It is also possible that the Company satisfies the Publicly Traded Test. However, if the
Company’s common shares are delisted (as described in “Item 3.D. Risk Factors—Company Specific Risk Factors—Our
common shares may be delisted from Nasdaq, which could affect its market price and liquidity”), the Publicly Traded Test
generally would not be met. The stock in the Company’s vessel-owning subsidiaries is not publicly traded, but if the Company
meets the Publicly Traded Test described above, the Company also may be a qualifying shareholder for purposes of applying the
50% Ownership Test as to any subsidiary claiming the Section 883 Exemption. However, if for any period after the Company issues
the Class B shares, the common shares represent less than 50% of the voting power of the Company, the Company would not be able
to satisfy the Publicly Traded Test for such period because less than 50% of the stock of the Company, measured by voting power,
would be listed on an established securities market.
A foreign corporation can only claim the
Section 883 Exemption if it receives the ownership statements required under the Section 883 Regulations certifying as to the
matters required to satisfy the relevant ownership test. Each of our vessel-owning subsidiaries has received, or expects to receive,
ownership statements, valid for the year ended December 31, 2015, certifying the qualifying shareholder status of a shareholder
beneficially owning more than 50% of the value of each such subsidiary’s stock and the status of intermediaries as required
to support a claim by each vessel-owning subsidiary of the Section 883 Exemption.
Each of the Company’s vessel-owning
subsidiaries has claimed the Section 883 Exemption on the basis that it satisfies the 50% Ownership Test and the Company intends
to continue to comply with the substantiation, reporting and other requirements that are applicable under Section 883 of the Code
to enable such subsidiaries to claim the exemption on this basis.
In the future, if the shareholders or
the relative ownership in the Company changes, if the Company believes that it (or its subsidiaries) can qualify for the Section
883 Exemption, each shareholder who is or may be a qualifying person will be asked to provide to the Company an ownership statement
for purposes of substantiating the relevant company’s entitlement to the exemption. An ownership statement is required to
be signed by the shareholder under penalties of perjury and contains information regarding the residence of the shareholder and
its ownership in the company claiming the Section 883 Exemption. If the Company or a subsidiary needs to obtain additional ownership
statements in order to establish a Section 883 Exemption, there is no guarantee that shareholders representing a sufficient ownership
interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries will provide ownership statements to the relevant company so that it will satisfy
any of the Section 883 ownership tests and the Section 883 Exemption would not apply to the Company. If in future years the shareholders
fail to update or correct such statements, the Company and its subsidiaries may be unable to continue to qualify for the Section
883 Exemption.
A corporation’s qualification for
the Section 883 Exemption is determined for each taxable year. If the Company and/or its subsidiaries were not to qualify for
the Section 883 Exemption in any year, the United States income taxes that become payable would have a negative effect on the
business of the Company and its subsidiaries, and would result in decreased earnings available for distribution to the Company’s
shareholders.
United States Taxation of Gain on Sale
of Vessels
If the Company’s subsidiaries qualify
for the Section 883 Exemption, then gain from the sale of any vessel would be exempt from tax under Section 883. If, however,
the gain is not exempt from tax under Section 883, the Company will not be subject to United States federal income taxation with
respect to such gain provided that the income from the vessel has never constituted effectively connected income and that the
sale is considered to occur outside of the United States under United States federal income tax principles. In general, a sale
of a vessel will be considered to occur outside of the United States for this purpose if title to the vessel, and risk of loss
with respect to the vessel, pass to the buyer outside of the United States. To the extent possible, the Company will attempt to
structure any sale of a vessel so that it is considered to occur outside of the United States.
United States Federal
Income Taxation of United States Holders
As used herein, “United States Holder”
means a beneficial owner of the Company’s common shares that is an individual citizen or resident of the United States for
United States federal income tax purposes, a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created or organized in or under
the laws of the United States or any state thereof (including the District of Columbia), an estate the income of which is subject
to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source or a trust where a court within the United States is able to
exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons (as defined in the Code)
have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust (or a trust that has made a valid election under U.S. Department
of the Treasury regulations to be treated as a domestic trust). A “Non-United States Holder” generally means any owner
(or beneficial owner) of common shares that is not a United States Holder, other than a partnership. If a partnership holds common
shares, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership.
Partners of partnerships holding common shares should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an investment
in the common shares (including their status as United States Holders or Non-United States Holders).
Distributions
Subject to the discussion of PFICs below,
any distributions made by the Company with respect to the common shares to a United States Holder will generally constitute dividends,
which may be taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income as described in more detail below, to the extent of the Company’s
current or accumulated earnings and profits as determined under United States federal income tax principles. Distributions in
excess of the Company’s earnings and profits will be treated as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the United
States Holder’s tax basis in its common shares and, thereafter, as capital gain. United States Holders that are corporations
generally will not be entitled to claim a dividends received deduction with respect to any distributions they receive from us.
Dividends paid in respect of the Company’s
common shares may qualify for the preferential rate attributable to qualified dividend income if: (1) the common shares are readily
tradable on an established securities market in the United States; (2) the Company is not a PFIC for the taxable year during which
the dividend is paid or in the immediately preceding taxable year; (3) the United States Holder has owned the common shares for
more than 60 days in the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the date on which the common shares become ex-dividend and (4)
the United States Holder is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar
or related property. The first requirement currently is and has been met, as our common shares were listed on the Nasdaq Global
Market until they became listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market with effect from April 11, 2016. Both the Nasdaq Global Market and
the Nasdaq Capital Market are tiers of the Nasdaq Stock Market, which is an established securities market. Further, there is no
minimal trading requirement for shares to be “readily tradable,” so as long as our common shares remain listed on
the Nasdaq Capital Market or the Nasdaq Global Market or any other established securities market in the United States, the first
requirement will be satisfied. However, if our common shares are delisted and are not tradable on an established securities market
in the United States (as described in “Item 3.D. Risk Factors—Company Specific Risk Factors—Our common shares
may be delisted from Nasdaq, which could affect its market price and liquidity”), the first requirement would not be satisfied,
and dividends paid in respect of our common shares would not would not qualify for the preferential rate attributable to qualified
dividend income. The second requirement is expected to be met as more fully described below under “—Consequences of
Possible PFIC Classification.” Satisfaction of the final two requirements will depend on the particular circumstances of
each United States Holder. Consequently, if any of these requirements are not met, the dividends paid to individual United States
Holders in respect of the Company’s common shares would not be treated as qualified dividend income and would be taxed as
ordinary income at ordinary rates.
Amounts taxable as dividends generally
will be treated as income from sources outside the United States and will, depending on your circumstances, be “passive”
or “general” income which, in either case, is treated separately from other types of income for purposes of computing
the foreign tax credit allowable to you. However, if (1) the Company is 50% or more owned, by vote or value, by United States
persons and (2) at least 10% of the Company’s earnings and profits are attributable to sources within the United States,
then for foreign tax credit purposes, a portion of our dividends would be treated as derived from sources within the United States.
Under such circumstances, with respect to any dividend paid for any taxable year, the United States source ratio of the Company’s
dividends for foreign tax credit purposes would be equal to the portion of the Company’s earnings and profits from sources
within the United States for such taxable year, divided by the total amount of the Company’s earnings and profits for such
taxable year.
Consequences of Possible
PFIC Classification
A non-United States entity treated as
a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes will be a PFIC in any taxable year in which, after taking into account
the income and assets of the corporation and certain subsidiaries pursuant to a “look through” rule, either: (1) 75%
or more of its gross income is “passive” income or (2) 50% or more of the average value of its assets is attributable
to assets that produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income. If a corporation is a PFIC in any taxable
year that a person holds shares in the corporation (and was not a qualified electing fund with respect to such year, as discussed
below), the shares held by such person will be treated as shares in a PFIC for all future years (absent an election which, if
made, may require the electing person to pay taxes in the year of the election). A United States Holder of shares in a PFIC would
be required to file an annual information return on IRS Form 8621 containing information regarding the PFIC as required by U.S.
Department of the Treasury regulations.
While there are legal uncertainties involved
in this determination, including as a result of adverse case law described herein, based upon the Company’s and its subsidiaries’
expected operations as described herein and based upon the current and expected future activities and operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries, the income of the Company and such subsidiaries from time charters should not constitute “passive
income” for purposes of applying the PFIC rules, and the assets that the Company owns for the production of this time charter
income should not constitute passive assets for purposes of applying the PFIC rules.
Although there is no legal authority directly
on point, this view is based principally on the position that the gross income that the Company and its subsidiaries derive from
time charters constitutes services income rather than passive rental income. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decided in
Tidewater
Inc. v. United States
, 565 F.3d 299 (5th Cir., 2009) that a typical time charter is a lease, and not a contract for the provision
of transportation services. In that case, the court was considering a tax issue that turned on whether the taxpayer was a lessor
where a vessel was under a time charter, and the court did not address the definition of passive income or the PFIC rules; however,
the reasoning of the case could have implications as to how the income from a time charter would be classified under such rules.
If the reasoning of the
Tidewater
case is applied to the Company’s situation and the Company’s or its subsidiaries’
time charters are treated as leases, the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ time charter income could be classified as
rental income and the Company would be a PFIC unless more than 25% of the income of the Company (taking into account the subsidiary
look through rule) is from spot charters plus other active income or an active leasing exception applies. The IRS has announced
that it will not follow the reasoning of the Tidewater case and would have treated the income from the time charters at issue
in that case as services income, including for other purposes of the Code. The Company intends to take the position that all of
its time, voyage and spot chartering activities will generate active services income and not passive leasing income, but in the
absence of direct legal authority specifically relating to the Code provisions governing PFICs, the IRS or a court could disagree
with this position. Although the matter is not free from doubt as described herein, based on the current operations and activities
of the Company and its subsidiaries and on the relative values of the vessels in the Company’s fleet and the charter income
in respect of the vessels, Globus Maritime Limited should not be treated as a PFIC during the taxable year ended December 31,
2015.
Based on the Company’s intention
and expectation that the Company’s subsidiaries’ income from spot, time and voyage chartering activities plus other
active operating income will be greater than 25% of the Company’s total gross income at all relevant times and that the
gross value of the vessels subject to such time, voyage or spot charters will exceed the gross value of all the passive assets
the Company owns at all relevant times, Globus Maritime Limited does not expect that it will constitute a PFIC with respect to
a taxable year in the near future.
The Company will try to manage its vessels
and its business so as to avoid being classified as a PFIC for a future taxable year; however there can be no assurance that the
nature of the Company’s assets, income and operations will remain the same in the future (notwithstanding the Company’s
current expectations). Additionally, no assurance can be given that the IRS or a court of law will accept the Company’s
position that the time charters that the Company’s subsidiaries have entered into or any other time charter that the Company
or a subsidiary may enter into will give rise to active income rather than passive income for purposes of the PFIC rules, or that
future changes of law will not adversely affect this position. The Company has not obtained a ruling from the IRS on its time
charters or its PFIC status and does not intend to seek one. Any contest with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the
market for the common shares and the prices at which they trade. In addition, the costs of any contest on the issue with the IRS
will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution and thus will be borne indirectly by the Company’s shareholders.
If Globus Maritime Limited were to be
classified as a PFIC in any year, each United States Holder of the Company’s shares will be subject (in that year and all
subsequent years) to special rules with respect to: (1) any “excess distribution” (generally defined as any distribution
received by a shareholder in a taxable year that is greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by the shareholder
in the three preceding taxable years or, if shorter, the shareholder’s holding period for the shares), and (2) any gain
realized upon the sale or other disposition of the common shares. Under these rules:
|
Ø
|
the
excess distribution or gain will be allocated ratably over the United States Holder’s holding period;
|
|
Ø
|
the
amount allocated to the current taxable year and any year prior to the first year in which the Company was a PFIC will be
taxed as ordinary income in the current year; and
|
|
Ø
|
the
amount allocated to each of the other taxable years in the United States Holder’s holding period will be subject to
United States federal income tax at the highest rate in effect for the applicable class of taxpayer for that year, and an
interest charge will be added as though the amount of the taxes computed with respect to these other taxable years were overdue.
|
In order to avoid the application of the
PFIC rules, United States Holders may make a qualified electing fund, or a QEF, election provided in Section 1295 of the Code
in respect of their common shares. Even if a United States Holder makes a QEF election for a taxable year of the Company, if the
Company was a PFIC for a prior taxable year during which such holder held the common shares and for which such holder did not
make a timely QEF election, the United States Holder would also be subject to the more adverse rules described above. Additionally,
to the extent any of the Company’s subsidiaries is a PFIC, an election by a United States Holder to treat Globus Maritime
Limited as a QEF would not be effective with respect to such holder’s deemed ownership of the stock of such subsidiary and
a separate QEF election with respect to such subsidiary is required. In lieu of the PFIC rules discussed above, a United States
Holder that makes a timely, valid QEF election will, in very general terms, be required to include its pro rata share of the Company’s
ordinary income and net capital gains, unreduced by any prior year losses, in income for each taxable year (as ordinary income
and long-term capital gain, respectively) and to pay tax thereon, even if no actual distributions are received for that year in
respect of the common shares and even if the amount of that income is not the same as the amount of actual distributions paid
on the common shares during the year. If the Company later distributes the income or gain on which the United States Holder has
already paid taxes under the QEF rules, the amounts so distributed will not again be subject to tax in the hands of the United
States Holder. A United States Holder’s tax basis in any common shares as to which a QEF election has been validly made
will be increased by the amount included in such United States Holder’s income as a result of the QEF election and decreased
by the amount of nontaxable distributions received by the United States Holder. On the disposition of a common share, a United
States Holder making the QEF election generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the
amount realized upon such disposition and its adjusted tax basis in the common share. In general, a QEF election should be made
by filing a Form 8621 with the United States Holder’s federal income tax return on or before the due date for filing such
United States Holder’s federal income tax return for the first taxable year for which the Company is a PFIC or, if later,
the first taxable year for which the United States Holder held common shares. In this regard, a QEF election is effective only
if certain required information is made available by the PFIC. Subsequent to the date that the Company first determines that it
is a PFIC, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide any United States Holder of common shares, upon request,
with the information necessary for such United States Holder to make the QEF election.
In
addition to the QEF election, Section 1296 of the Code permits United States Holders to make a “mark-to-market” election
with respect to marketable shares in a PFIC, generally meaning shares regularly traded on a qualified exchange or market and certain
other shares considered marketable under U.S. Department of the Treasury regulations. For this purpose, a class of shares is regularly
traded
on a qualified exchange or market for
any calendar year during which such class of shares is traded, other than in de minimis quantities, on at least 15 days during
each calendar quarter of the year. Our common shares historically have been regularly traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market or the
Nasdaq Global Market, which are established securities markets. However, if our common shares were to be delisted, (as described
in “Item 3.D. Risk Factors—Company Specific Risk Factors—Our common shares may be delisted from Nasdaq, which
could affect its market price and liquidity”), then the mark-to-market election generally would be unavailable to United
States Holders. If a United States Holder makes a mark-to-market election in respect of its common shares, such United States
Holder generally would, in each taxable year: (1) include as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the
common shares at the end of the taxable year over such United States Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common shares, and
(2) be permitted an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of such United States Holder’s adjusted tax basis in
the common shares over their fair market value at the end of the taxable year, but only to the extent of the net amount previously
included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election (with the United States Holder’s basis in the common shares
being increased and decreased, respectively, by the amount of such ordinary income or ordinary loss). The consequences of this
election are generally less favorable than those of a QEF election for United States Holders that are sensitive to the distinction
between ordinary income and capital gain, although this is not necessarily the case.
United States Holders are urged to consult
their tax advisors as to the consequences of making a mark-to-market or QEF election, as well as other United States federal income
tax consequences of holding shares in a PFIC.
As previously indicated, if the Company
were to be classified as a PFIC for a taxable year in which the Company pays a dividend or the immediately preceding taxable year,
dividends paid by the Company would not constitute “qualified dividend income” and, hence, would not be eligible for
the reduced rate of United States federal income tax.
Consequences
of Controlled Foreign Corporation Classification of the Company
If more than 50% of either the total combined
voting power of the shares of the Company entitled to vote or the total value of all of the Company’s outstanding shares
were owned, directly, indirectly or constructively by (i) citizens or residents of the United States, (ii) U.S. partnerships or
corporations, or U.S. estates or trusts (as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), each of which owned, directly, indirectly
or constructively 10% or more of the total combined voting power of the Company shares entitled to vote (each a “U.S. Shareholder”),
the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries generally would be treated as CFCs. U.S. Shareholders of a CFC are treated as receiving
current distributions of their shares of Subpart F Income of the CFC even if they do not receive actual distributions. The Company
or its subsidiaries may have income that would be treated as Subpart F Income, such as interest income, services income of Globus
Shipmanagement or passive leasing income in respect of vessel charters. Consequently, any United States Holders who are also U.S.
Shareholders may be required to include in their U.S. federal taxable income their pro rata share of the Subpart F income of the
Company and its subsidiaries, regardless of the amount of cash distributions received. The Company believes that its time charter
income will not be treated as passive rental income, but there can be no assurance that the IRS will accept this position. Please
read “—United States Federal Income Taxation of United States Holders—Consequences of Possible PFIC Classification.”
In the case where the Company and its
subsidiaries are CFCs, to the extent that the Company’s distributions to a United States Holder who is also a U.S. Shareholder
are attributable to prior inclusions of Subpart F income of such United States Holder, such distributions are not required to
be reported as additional income of such United States Holder.
Whether or not the Company or a subsidiary
will be a CFC will depend on the identity of the shareholders of the Company during each taxable year of the Company. As of the
date of this annual report on Form 20-F, the Company should not be a CFC based on the current shareholders in the Company.
If the Company or one of its subsidiaries
is a CFC, certain burdensome U.S. federal income tax and administrative requirements would apply to United States Holders that
are U.S. Shareholders, but such United States Holders generally would not also be subject to all of the requirements generally
applicable to owners of a PFIC. For example, a United States Holder that is a U.S. Shareholder will be required to annually file
IRS Form 5471 to report certain aspects of its indirect ownership of a CFC. United States Holders should consult with their own
tax advisors as to the consequences to them of being a U.S. Shareholder in a CFC.
Sale, Exchange
or Other Disposition of Common Shares
A United States Holder generally will
recognize taxable gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of common shares in an amount equal to the difference
between the amount realized by the United States Holder from such sale, exchange or other disposition and the United States Holder’s
tax basis in such common shares. Assuming the Company does not constitute a PFIC for any taxable year, this gain or loss will
generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the United States Holder’s holding period is greater than one
year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition. Long term capital gains recognized by a United States Holder other
than a corporation are generally taxed at preferential rates. A United States Holder’s ability to deduct capital losses
is subject to limitations.
United States
Federal Income Taxation of Non-United States Holders
A Non-United States Holder will generally
not be subject to United States federal income tax on dividends paid in respect of the common shares or on gains recognized in
connection with the sale or other disposition of the common shares provided that the Non-United States Holder makes certain tax
representations regarding the identity of the beneficial owner of the common shares, that such dividends or gains are not effectively
connected with the Non-United States Holder’s conduct of a United States trade or business and that, with respect to gain
recognized in connection with the sale or other disposition of the common shares by a non-resident alien individual, such individual
is not present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the sale or other disposition and other conditions
are met. If the Non-United States Holder is engaged in a United States trade or business for United States federal income tax
purposes, the income from the common shares, including dividends and gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of the
common stock, that is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business will generally be subject to regular United
States federal income tax in the same manner as discussed above relating to the taxation of United States Holders.
Net Investment
Income Tax
A
United States Holder that is an individual or estate, or a trust that does not fall into a special class of trusts that is exempt
from such tax, is subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (1) such United States Holder’s “net investment income”
(or undistributed “net investment income” in the case of estates and trusts) for the relevant taxable year and (2)
the excess of such United States Holder’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold (which
in the case of individuals will be between $125,000 and $250,000, depending on the individual’s circumstances). A United
States Holder’s net investment income will generally include its gross dividend income and its net gains from the disposition
of the common shares, unless such dividends or net gains are derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of a trade or business
(other than a trade or business that consists of certain passive or trading activities). Net investment income generally will
not include a United States Holder’s pro rata share of the Company’s income and gain (if we are a PFIC and that United
States Holder makes a QEF election, as described above in “—United States Federal Income Taxation of United States
Holders—Consequences of Possible PFIC Classification”) or Subpart F Income (if we are a CFC with respect to which
a United States Holder is a “U.S. Shareholder,” as described above in “—United States Federal Income Taxation
of United States Holders—
Consequences
of Controlled Foreign Corporation Classification of the Company”). However, a United States Holder may elect to treat inclusions
of income and gain from a QEF election or Subpart F Income as net investment income. Failure to make this election could result
in a mismatch between a United States Holder’s ordinary income and net investment income. If you are a United States Holder
that is an individual, estate or trust, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the applicability of the net investment
income tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the common shares.
Backup Withholding
and Information Reporting
Information reporting to the IRS may be
required with respect to payments on the common shares and with respect to proceeds from the sale of the common shares. With respect
to Non-United States Holders, copies of such information returns may be made available to the tax authorities in the country in
which the Non-United States Holder resides under the provisions of any applicable income tax treaty or exchange of information
agreement. A “backup” withholding tax may also apply to those payments if:
|
Ø
|
a holder
of the common shares fails to provide certain identifying information (such as the holder’s taxpayer identification
number or an attestation to the status of the holder as a Non-United States Holder);
|
|
Ø
|
such
holder is notified by the IRS that he or she has failed to report all interest or dividends required to be shown on his or
her federal income tax returns; or
|
|
Ø
|
in certain
circumstances, such holder has failed to comply with applicable certification requirements.
|
Backup withholding is not an additional
tax and may be refunded (or credited against the holder’s United States federal income tax liability, if any), provided
that certain required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.
United States Holders of common shares
may be required to file forms with the IRS under the applicable reporting provisions of the Code. For example, such United States
Holders may be required, under Sections 6038, 6038B, 6038D and/or 6046 of the Code, and the regulations thereunder, to supply
the IRS with certain information regarding the United States Holder, other United States Holders and the Company if (1) such person
owns at least 10% of the total value or 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares entitled to vote or (2)
the acquisition, when aggregated with certain other acquisitions that may be treated as related under applicable regulations,
exceeds $100,000. United States Holders may also be required to report information relating to an interest in common shares that
are not held in a financial account maintained by a U.S. or foreign financial institution. In the event a United States Holder
fails to file a form when required to do so, the United States Holder could be subject to substantial tax penalties.
Non-United States Holders may be required
to establish their exemption from information reporting and backup withholding by certifying their status on IRS Form W-8BEN,
W-8BEN-E, W-8ECI or W-8IMY, as applicable.
We encourage each United States Holder
and Non-United States Holder to consult with his, her or its own tax advisor as to the particular tax consequences to him, her
or it of holding and disposing of the Company’s common shares, including the applicability of any federal, state, local
or foreign tax laws and any proposed changes in applicable law.
F. Dividends
and Paying Agents
Not Applicable.
G. Statement
by Experts
Not Applicable.
H. Documents
on Display
We file reports and other information
with the SEC. These materials, including this annual report on Form 20-F and the accompanying exhibits, may be inspected and copied
at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, or from the SEC’s
website http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling 1 (800) SEC-0330
and you may obtain copies at prescribed rates.
I. Subsidiary
Information
Not Applicable.
Item 11. Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Interest Rates
We are exposed to market risks associated
with changes in interest rates relating to our loan arrangements with Commerzbank, DVB Bank and HSH. As of December 31, 2015,
we had a $15.65 million principal balance outstanding under the Kelty Loan Agreement with Commerzbank, a $21.0 million principal
balance outstanding under the DVB Loan Agreement with DVB Bank and a $27.3 million principal balance outstanding under the HSH
Loan Agreement.
We reached a settlement agreement with
Commerzbank relating to the Kelty Loan Agreement in March 2016. Commerzbank agreed to settle the outstanding indebtedness of $15.65
million in return for the sale of the shares of Kelty Marine Ltd. for $6.86 million plus overdue interest of $40,708. If the total
amount of cash and bank balances and bank deposits exceeds $10 million in the aggregate as declared on June 30, 2016 then we must
pay to Commerzbank any excess amounts. If there is no excess, Globus will be released from its guarantee.
In December 2013, we entered into a revolving
credit facility with a credit limit up to $4.0 million, which subsequently increased to $20.0 million in December 2015, with Firment
Trading Limited, a company related to us through common control, for the purpose of financing our general working capital needs.
We are not exposed to market risk with respect to this credit facility because interest is charged at a fixed rate of 5% per annum.
Interest costs incurred under our loan
arrangements are included in our consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
In 2015, the weighted average interest
rate for our then-outstanding facilities in total was 3.05% and the respective interest rates on our loan agreements, other than
the Firment Credit Facility, ranged from 1.32% to 3.42%, including margins.
We will continue to have debt outstanding,
which could impact our results of operations and financial condition. Although we may in the future prefer to generate funds through
equity offerings on terms acceptable to us rather than through the use of debt arrangements, we may not be able to do so. We expect
to manage any exposure in interest rates through our regular operating and financing activities and, when deemed appropriate,
through the use of derivative financial instruments.
During 2008 we entered into two interest
rate swap agreements in order to manage the risk associated with changing interest rates. Both swap agreements reached maturity
in November 2013. The total notional principal amount of these swaps was $25 million, which had specified rates and durations.
The following table sets forth the sensitivity
of our existing loans as of December 31, 2015 as to a 1.0% (100 basis points) increase in LIBOR, during the next five years, and
reflects the additional interest expense that will be incurred.
Year
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
2016
|
|
$
|
0.9
million
|
|
2017
|
|
$
|
0.4 million
|
|
2018
|
|
$
|
0.3 million
|
|
2019
|
|
$
|
0.1 million
|
|
2020
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Currency and Exchange Rates
We generate revenues from the trading
of our vessels in U.S. dollars but historically incur certain amounts of our operating expenses in currencies other than the U.S.
dollar. While we were incorporated in Jersey, the majority of our general and administrative expenses (including stock exchange
fees and advisor fees) were payable in U.K. pounds sterling. For cash management, or treasury, purposes, we convert U.S. dollars
into foreign currencies which we then hold on deposit until the date of each transaction. Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates
create foreign exchange gains or losses when we mark-to-market these non-U.S. dollar deposits.
For accounting purposes, expenses incurred
in Euro and other foreign currencies are converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date of each transaction.
Because a portion of our expenses are incurred in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, our expenses may from time to time increase
relative to our revenues as a result of fluctuations in exchange rates, which could affect the amount of net income that we report
in future periods. While we historically have not mitigated the risk associated with exchange rate fluctuations through the use
of financial derivatives, we may determine to employ such instruments from time to time in the future in order to minimize this
risk. Our use of financial derivatives would involve certain risks, including the risk that losses on a hedged position could
exceed the nominal amount invested in the instrument and the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction may be unable
or unwilling to satisfy its contractual obligations, which could have an adverse effect on our results.
Commodity Risk Exposure
The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable
and fluctuates as a result of events outside our control, including geo-political developments, supply and demand for oil and
gas, actions by members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil and gas producers, war and unrest in
oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns and regulations. Because we do not
intend to hedge our fuel costs, an increase in the price of fuel beyond our expectations may adversely affect our profitability,
cash flows and ability to pay dividends.
Inflation
We do not expect inflation to be a significant
risk to us in the current and foreseeable economic environment. In the event that inflation becomes a significant factor in the
global economy, inflationary pressures would result in increased operating, voyage and finance costs.
Item 12. Description of Securities
Other than Equity Securities
Not Applicable.