e424b5
The
information contained in this preliminary prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus is not complete and may be
changed. A registration statement relating to the securities has
been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange
Commission. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these
securities and are not a soliciting or a solicitation of an
offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the
offer or sale is not permitted.
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Filed
Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration
No. 333-173929
Subject to
Completion
Preliminary
Prospectus Supplement dated November 30, 2011
PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT
(To
Prospectus dated May 10, 2011)
7,000,000
Shares
SCORPIO TANKERS
INC.
COMMON STOCK
Scorpio
Tankers Inc. is offering 7,000,000 shares of its common
stock.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol STNG. The last reported sale price
of our common stock on November 29, 2011 was
$6.30 per share.
Investing in the common stock involves risks. See
Risk Factors beginning on
page S-13.
PRICE $ PER SHARE
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Underwriting
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Price to
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Discounts and
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Proceeds to
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Public
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Commissions
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Company
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Per Share
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$
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$
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$
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Total
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$
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$
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$
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We have granted the underwriters the right to purchase an
additional 1,050,000 shares of common stock to cover
over-allotments.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
Commission) nor any state securities commission has
approved or disapproved of these securities, or determined if
this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to
the contrary is a criminal offense.
The underwriters are offering the common stock as set forth
under Underwriting. The underwriters expect to
deliver the shares of common stock to purchasers on
December , 2011.
MORGAN STANLEY
November , 2011
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Prospectus Supplement
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S-ii
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S-iii
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S-1
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S-3
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S-4
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S-6
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S-12
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S-13
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S-16
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S-17
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S-18
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S-19
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S-20
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S-25
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S-26
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S-26
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S-26
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Prospectus
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1
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5
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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12
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14
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19
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27
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27
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28
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28
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29
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36
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36
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37
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37
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Corporate
Information
We are a Marshall Islands corporation with principal executive
offices at 9, Boulevard Charles III Monaco 98000. Our
telephone number at that address is
377-9898-5716.
We also maintain an office at 150 East
58th
Street, New York, NY 10155 and our telephone number at this
address is
(212) 542-1616.
We maintain a website on the Internet at
http://www.scorpiotankers.com.
The information on our website is not incorporated by reference
into this prospectus supplement and does not constitute a part
of this prospectus supplement.
S-i
IMPORTANT
NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus
supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering
and also adds to and updates information contained in the
accompanying base prospectus and the documents incorporated by
reference into this prospectus supplement and the base
prospectus. The second part, the base prospectus, gives more
general information about securities we may offer from time to
time, some of which does not apply to this offering. Generally,
when we refer only to the prospectus, we are referring to both
parts combined, and when we refer to the accompanying
prospectus, we are referring to the base prospectus.
If the description of this offering varies between this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you
should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.
This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the
documents incorporated into each by reference include important
information about us, the shares of common stock being offered
and other information you should know before investing. You
should read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus together with additional information described under
the heading, Where You Can Find More Information
before investing in our common stock.
We prepare our financial statements, including all of the
financial statements incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement, in U.S. dollars, or Dollars, and in
conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards
(IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board
(IASB). We have a fiscal year end of December 31.
We have authorized only the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the
accompanying prospectus, and any free writing prospectus
prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you.
We have not, and any underwriters have not, authorized anyone to
provide you with information that is different. We and the
underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no
assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others
may give you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to
buy, shares of common stock only in jurisdictions where offers
and sales are permitted. The information contained in or
incorporated by reference in this document is accurate only as
of the date such information was issued, regardless of the time
of delivery of this prospectus supplement or any sale of our
shares of common stock.
S-ii
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Matters discussed in this document may constitute
forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for
forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to
provide prospective information about their business.
Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans,
objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and
underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other
than statements of historical facts.
We desire to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are
including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe
harbor legislation. This document and any other written or oral
statements made by us or on our behalf may include
forward-looking statements, which reflect our current views with
respect to future events and financial performance. The words
believe, anticipate, intend,
estimate, forecast, project,
plan, potential, may,
should, expect and similar expressions
identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this document are based upon
various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon
further assumptions, including without limitation,
managements examination of historical operating trends,
data contained in our records and other data available from
third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were
reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently
subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are
difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control,
we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these
expectations, beliefs or projections.
In addition to these important factors and matters discussed
elsewhere in this prospectus, and in the documents incorporated
by reference in this prospectus, important factors that, in our
view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength
of world economies and currencies, general market conditions,
including fluctuations in charterhire rates and vessel values,
changes in demand in the tanker vessel markets, changes in the
companys operating expenses, including bunker prices,
insurance costs, changes in governmental rules and regulations
or actions taken by regulatory authorities including those that
may limit the commercial useful lives of tankers, potential
liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic
and international political conditions, potential disruption of
shipping routes due to accidents or political events, and other
important factors described from time to time in the reports we
file with the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange. We
caution readers of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying
prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference not to
place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of their dates. We undertake no obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements. These forward
looking statements are not guarantees of our future performance,
and actual results and future developments may vary materially
from those projected in the forward looking statements.
S-iii
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
This section summarizes some of the key information that is
contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. It
may not contain all of the information that may be important to
you. As an investor or prospective investor, you should review
carefully the entire prospectus, any free writing prospectus
that may be provided to you in connection with the offering of
the common shares and the information incorporated by reference
in this prospectus, including the sections entitled Risk
Factors beginning on
page S-15
of this prospectus supplement; on page 5 of the
accompanying prospectus in our Registration Statement on
Form F-3,
effective May 10, 2011; and in our Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed on
April 21, 2011. Unless the context otherwise requires, when
used in this prospectus supplement, the terms Scorpio
Tankers, the Company, we,
our and us refer to Scorpio Tankers Inc.
and its subsidiaries. Scorpio Tankers Inc. refers
only to Scorpio Tankers Inc. and not its subsidiaries. The
financial information included or incorporated by reference into
this prospectus represents our financial information and the
operations of our subsidiaries. Unless otherwise indicated, all
references to currency amounts in this prospectus are in
U.S. dollars.
Our
Company
We are Scorpio Tankers Inc., a company incorporated in the
Republic of the Marshall Islands. We provide seaborne
transportation of crude oil and other petroleum products
worldwide. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we own
and operate 12 tankers (one LR2, four LR1, four Handymax, two
MRs, and one post-Panamax) that have a weighted average age of
5.8 years compared to a weighted average age of
9.0 years for the global fleet as of October 31, 2011,
and time charter-in and operate seven tankers (one LR2 and six
Handymax), which we refer to collectively as our Operating
Fleet. In addition to our Operating Fleet, we have entered into
contracts with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd. of South Korea, or
Hyundai, for the construction of five 52,000 deadweight tons, or
dwt, product tankers for an aggregate purchase price of
approximately $187.0 million. In June 2011, we paid a total
of $18.7 million to Hyundai representing a 10% deposit of
the aggregate purchase price. We refer to these five product
tanker newbuildings as our Newbuilding Vessels. We plan to
finance the balance of the aggregate purchase price for four of
our five Newbuilding Vessels with cash on hand, cash flows from
operations, borrowings under our 2010 Revolving Credit Facility
(defined below) and approximately $92.0 million of
borrowings under our proposed senior secured credit facility
with Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB for which we have entered into
a term sheet, which we refer to as the proposed senior secured
credit facility. Our entry into this senior secured credit
facility is subject to certain conditions, including without
limitation, the negotiation and execution of definitive
documentation by us and our lenders. Although, we are currently
in discussions to obtain financing for the fifth Newbuilding
Vessel, which will be necessary to fund the final delivery
installment scheduled for October 2012, we can not assure you
that we will be able to obtain such financing on terms
acceptable to us or at all. Please see the sections of this
prospectus supplement entitled Risk Factors and
The Proposed Senior Secured Credit Facility.
Our Newbuilding Vessels will be the first to be delivered from
Hyundai with new propulsion technology, which is expected to
reduce the vessels consumption of fuel by approximately
10% compared to existing designs. Our Newbuilding Vessels are
scheduled to be delivered to us between July and October 2012
and will further increase the carrying capacity of our Operating
Fleet by approximately 260,000 dwt and reduce the weighted
average age of our owned fleet to 5.0 years, based upon dwt
capacity.
We intend to continue to grow our fleet through timely and
selective acquisitions of modern, high-quality tankers. We
expect to focus future vessel acquisitions primarily on
medium-sized product or coated tankers. However, we will also
consider purchasing other classes of tankers if we determine
that those vessels would, in our view, present favorable
investment opportunities. We are currently in negotiations with
Hyundai for the construction of two additional tankers of
approximately 52,000 dwt that we expect to take delivery of
between December 2012 and March 2013. These negotiations are
preliminary and we cannot assure you that we will reach an
agreement on definitive terms. If we are unsuccessful in
entering into definitive agreements with respect to these
vessels, we may purchase other newbuilding or secondhand tanker
vessels ranging in size from approximately 35,000 dwt to
approximately 200,000 dwt that generally are not more than five
years old.
S-1
Our
Fleet
The following table presents summary information concerning our
Operating Fleet as of the date of this prospectus supplement:
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Vessel Name
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Year Built
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Dwt
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Ice Class
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Employment
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Vessel Type
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Owned vessels
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STI Highlander
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2007
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37,145
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1A
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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STI Gladiator
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2003
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40,083
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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STI Matador
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2003
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40,096
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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STI Conqueror
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2005
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40,158
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1B
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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STI Coral
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2008
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49,900
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Spot
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MR
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STI Diamond
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2008
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49,900
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Spot
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MR
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Noemi
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2004
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72,515
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Time
Charter(3)
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LR1
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Senatore
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2004
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72,514
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SPTP(4)
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LR1
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STI Harmony
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2007
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73,919
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1A
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SPTP(4)
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LR1
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STI Heritage
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2008
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73,919
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1A
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SPTP(4)
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LR1
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Venice
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2001
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81,408
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1C
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SPTP(4)
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Post-Panamax
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STI Spirit
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2008
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113,100
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SLR2P(5)
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LR2
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Owned Dwt
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744,657
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Time Charter Info
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Base Daily
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Time chartered-in
vessels
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Rate
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Expiry(1)
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Kraslava
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2007
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37,258
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1B
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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$12,070
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26-Jan-12
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Krisjanis Valdemars
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2007
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37,266
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1B
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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$12,000
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14-Dec-11(6)
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Kazdanga
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2007
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37,312
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1B
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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$12,345
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27-Jun-12(7)
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Histria Azure
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2007
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40,394
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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$12,250
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31-Jan-13(8)
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Histria Perla
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2005
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40,471
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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$13,000
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15-Jul-13(9)
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Histria Coral
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2006
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40,426
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SHTP(2)
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Handymax
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$13,000
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17-Jul-13(9)
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Khawr Aladid
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2006
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106,003
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SLR2P(5)
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LR2
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$12,000
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25-Apr-12(10)
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Time Chartered-In Dwt
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339,130
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Total Dwt
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1,083,787
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(1)
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Redelivery to the owner is plus or
minus 30 days from the expiry date.
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(2)
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This vessel operates in the Scorpio
Handymax Tanker Pool, or SHTP, which is operated by Scorpio
Commercial Management, or SCM. The Scorpio Handymax Tanker Pool
and SCM are controlled by the Lolli-Ghetti family of which our
founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Emanuele
Lauro, is a member.
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(3)
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Noemi
is time chartered by
King Dustin, a company affiliated with the Lolli-Ghetti family.
The daily time charter rate is $24,500, and the time charter
expires on January 21, 2012, plus or minus 30 days.
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(4)
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This vessel operates in Scorpio
Panamax Tanker Pool, or SPTP. The Scorpio Panamax Tanker Pool is
operated by SCM and controlled by the Lolli-Ghetti family.
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(5)
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This vessel operates in the Scorpio
LR2 Pool, or SLR2P. The Scorpio LR2 Pool is operated by SCM and
controlled by the Lolli-Ghetti family.
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(6)
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This charter agreement contains a
50% profit and loss sharing agreement with the vessel owner
whereby 50% of the vessels profits and losses above or
below $12,000 per day are split with the vessel owner.
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(7)
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This charter agreement contains an
option for us to extend the charter for an additional year at a
rate of $13,335 per day.
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(8)
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This vessel is currently off-hire
and is expected to be re-delivered to us in January 2012. We
have amended the current charter agreement to extend the term
for one year after the vessel is redelivered to us at $12,000
per day. Pursuant to this charter agreement, we have an option
to extend the term of the charter for four months at
$12,250 per day and a second option to further extend the
term of the charter agreement for an additional year at
$13,650 per day.
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(9)
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Represents the average rate for the
two year term of the agreement. The rate for the first year is
$12,750 per day and the rate for the second year is $13,250 per
day. The agreement contains an option for us to extend the
charter for an additional year at a rate of $14,500 per day.
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(10)
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This charter agreement contains
options for us to extend the charter for a period up to two
years from delivery at a rate of $13,250 per day.
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S-2
Vessel
Management and Employment
All of the vessels that we own and operate are commercially
managed by Scorpio Commercial Management S.A.M., or SCM, which
is owned and controlled by members of the Lolli-Ghetti family,
of which our founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
Mr. Emanuele Lauro, is a member. SCMs services
include securing employment, in pools, in the spot market and on
time charters. SCM also manages the Scorpio LR2 Tanker Pool,
Scorpio Panamax Tanker Pool and the Scorpio Handymax Tanker
Pool, which we refer to as the Scorpio Group Pools. When our
vessels operate in one of the commercial pools managed by SCM,
we pay SCM an agent fee of $250 per vessel per day plus 1.25%
commission per charter fixture for Panamax, LR1 and
LR2 vessels and $300 per vessel per day for Handymax
vessels. When our vessels are operating outside of such
commercial pools, we pay SCM a fee of $250 per vessel per day
plus a 1.25% commission of gross revenues per charter fixture
for Panamax, LR1 and LR2 vessels and $300 per vessel per
day for Handymax and MR vessels, which are the same fees SCM
charges third parties.
All of the vessels that we own and operate are technically
managed by Scorpio Ship Management S.A.M., or SSM, which is also
owned and controlled by members of the Lolli-Ghetti family. SSM
facilitates vessel support, such as crew, provisions, deck and
engine stores, insurance, maintenance and repairs, and other
services as necessary to operate the vessels, including drydocks
and vetting/inspection under a technical management agreement.
We currently pay SSM $548 per vessel per day to provide
technical management services for each of our vessels, which are
the same fees SSM charges third parties.
We have an administrative services agreement with Liberty
Holding Company, or Liberty, an entity affiliated with the
Lolli-Ghetti family, pursuant to which Liberty provides us with
accounting, legal compliance, financial, information technology
services, and the provision of administrative staff and office
space. Liberty has contracted these services to SCM. We
reimburse Liberty for direct or indirect expenses that they
incur in providing these services.
In general, we operate the majority of our vessels in
spot-oriented commercial pools such as, the Scorpio Group Pools.
In certain circumstances our vessels operate directly in the
spot market or on a time charter (for example, following the
acquisition of a vessel). To increase vessel utilization and
revenues, we participate in commercial pools with other
shipowners of similar modern, well-maintained vessels. By
operating a large number of vessels as an integrated
transportation system, commercial pools offer customers greater
flexibility and a higher level of service while achieving
scheduling efficiencies. Pools employ experienced commercial
managers and operators who have close working relationships with
customers and brokers, while technical management is performed
by each shipowner. Pools negotiate charters with customers
primarily in the spot market. The size and scope of these pools
enable them to enhance utilization rates for pool vessels by
securing backhaul voyages and contracts of affreightment, thus
generating higher effective revenues than otherwise might be
obtainable in the spot market. As mentioned above, in other
circumstances, our vessels may operate on time charters, which
provide us with a fixed and stable cash flow for a known period
of time. Time charters also mitigate in part the seasonality of
the spot market business, which is generally weaker in the
second and third quarters of the year. In the future, we may
look to enter our vessels into time charter contracts. We may
also enter into time charter contracts with profit sharing
agreements, which would enable us to benefit if the spot market
increases.
S-3
RECENT
AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
In October 2011, we entered into an agreement to charter-in a
2006 built LR2 product tanker (106,003 dwt), the Khawr
Aladid, for six months at $12,000 per day. We have options
to extend this charter for a period up to two years from
delivery at $13,250 per day. The Khawr Aladid
participates in the Scorpio LR2 Pool.
In October 2011, an aggregate of 228,324 shares were
purchased at an average price of $5.48 per share, including
commissions, under our $20.0 million share buyback program,
which was authorized by our board of directors on July 9,
2010. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, an aggregate
of 723,665 shares have been repurchased at an average price
of $7.60 per share, including commissions, and approximately
$14.5 million of repurchasing capacity remains under this
program. All of the shares purchased pursuant to this program
were purchased in the open market at times and prices selected
in our sole discretion and were removed from our outstanding
share capital listed throughout this prospectus supplement
(though such shares have not been retired).
On November 29, 2011, we borrowed $33.0 million under our
2010 Revolving Credit Facility to fund the second installment
payment of $28.1 million to Hyundai for our Newbuilding Vessels,
which is due on December 2, 2011, and for general corporate
purposes.
Our
Credit Facilities
On May 3, 2011, we entered into an additional credit
facility with Nordea Bank Finland plc (and the lenders named
therein) for a senior secured term loan facility of up to
$150 million, or the 2011 Credit Facility. Borrowings under
this facility are available to be drawn down until May 3,
2012. The 2011 Credit Facility matures on May 3, 2017 and
may be used to finance up to 50% of the cost of future
acquisition of vessels, which will serve as the collateral for
the credit facility. In May 2011, we drew down an aggregate of
$35 million under the 2011 Credit Facility to finance the
purchase of STI Coral and STI Diamond. As of
November 29, 2011, we had $34.3 million of outstanding
borrowings and $115 million of available borrowings under
this facility.
On July 12, 2011, we amended our credit facility with
Nordea Bank Finland plc (and the lenders named therein) dated
June 2, 2010, or the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility, to
convert it from a term loan to a reducing revolving credit
facility. As of November 29, 2011, we had $111.0 million of
outstanding borrowings and $21.9 million of available
borrowings under this facility. The borrowing capacity under
this facility reduces by $4.1 million each quarter until
the facility matures on June 2, 2015.
On September 22, 2011, we amended the financial covenants
in the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility and the 2011 Credit
Facility, and on September 28, 2011, we amended the
financial covenants in the senior secured term loan facility
with DVB Bank SE (and the lenders named therein) dated
March 9, 2011, or the STI Spirit Credit Facility. The
material terms of the amendments provide that (1) the ratio
of EBITDA to interest expense shall be no less than 2.00 to 1.00
(calculated quarterly on a trailing four quarter basis)
commencing with the third fiscal quarter of 2011 until the first
quarter of 2013, at which point it will increase to 2.50 to
1.00; and (2) with respect to the 2010 and 2011 Credit
Facilities, unrestricted cash and cash equivalents shall be not
less than $20.0 million, including up to $5 million in
availability under the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility, until we
own, directly or indirectly, more than 15 vessels, at which
time the amount increases by $750,000 per each additional
vessel. This covenant is in place until the fourth quarter of
2012, after which unrestricted cash and cash equivalents shall
at all times be no less than $15.0 million until we own,
directly or indirectly, more than 15 vessels, at which time
the amount will increase by $750,000 per each additional owned
vessel.
We are currently in negotiations with the lenders of our 2011
Credit Facility to extend the drawdown period, which currently
ends in May 2012, to May 2013. In addition, we are also in
negotiations with the lenders of our three credit facilities to
further reduce the ratio of EBITDA to interest expense. As of
September 30, 2011, we were in compliance with all of the
financial and other covenants under our credit facilities.
On September 30, 2011, we entered into a term sheet with
Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and Skandinaviska
Enskilda Banken AB for a proposed $92.0 million senior
secured credit facility to be used to partially finance the
purchase of four of the five Newbuilding Vessels, which will
also provide the security for this senior secured credit
facility. Our entry into this senior secured credit facility is
subject to certain conditions,
S-4
including without limitation, the negotiation and execution of
definitive documentation by us and the lenders. Please see the
section of this prospectus supplement entitled The
Proposed Senior Secured Credit Facility.
As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we had total
outstanding borrowings of $171.9 million and available
borrowings of $136.9 million, subject to certain
conditions, under our three existing credit facilities. If we
are successful in entering the proposed senior secured credit
facility, our available borrowings would increase to
$228.9 million.
Interest
Rate Swaps
In August 2011, we entered into six interest rate swap
agreements with three different banks to manage the interest
costs and the risk associated with changing interest rates on
our 2011 Credit Facility and 2010 Revolving Credit Facility. The
notional amount of the swaps relating to the 2011 Credit
Facility is $24 million with an average fixed rate of 1.30%
starting on July 2, 2012 and expiring on June 30,
2015. The notional amount of the swaps relating to the 2010
Revolving Credit Facility is $51 million with an average
fixed rate of 1.27% starting on July 2, 2012 and expiring
on June 2, 2015. Hedge effectiveness is measured quarterly
and as at September 30, 2011. All of the interest rate swap
agreements qualified for hedge accounting and were deemed to be
effective; therefore, any adjustment to the market value of the
interest rate swaps appears in other comprehensive (loss) income
(within equity, outside of the Profit or Loss statement).
Underwritten
Public Offering
On May 18, 2011, we offered and sold 6,900,000 shares
of common stock in an underwritten public offering, which amount
included 900,000 shares pursuant to the underwriters
exercise of their over-allotment option, at a public offering
price of $10.50 per share. We received net proceeds of
approximately $68.5 million, after deducting
underwriters discounts and offering expenses.
S-5
RECENT
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL TANKER MARKET
All the information and data presented in this section,
including the analysis of the various sectors of the oil tanker
shipping industry has been provided by Drewry. Drewry has
advised that the statistical and graphical information contained
herein is drawn from its database and other sources. In
connection therewith, Drewry has advised that: (a) certain
information in Drewrys database is derived from estimates
or subjective judgments; (b) the information in the
databases of other maritime data collection agencies may differ
from the information in Drewrys database; (c) while
Drewry has taken reasonable care in the compilation of the
statistical and graphical information and believes it to be
accurate and correct, data compilation is subject to limited
audit and validation procedures.
Oil
Tanker Demand
Demand for crude oil and refined petroleum products is affected
by a number of factors including general economic conditions
(including increases and decreases in industrial production),
oil prices, environmental concerns, weather conditions, and
competition from alternative energy sources.
As the following figures indicate world oil consumption grew at
a fairly consistent rate in the period 2000 to 2008, but growth
came to an abrupt halt in 2009 as the world went into a global
depression. The downturn was short-lived and when the world
economy returned to positive growth in 2010, global oil
consumption rose by approximately 3.0%. Provisional data for
2011 suggests further increases in global consumption in the
first nine months of the year, albeit at lower levels than seen
in 2010.
(1) Provisional
Source: Drewry Maritime Research
Regionally, oil consumption is either static or declining in
most of the developed world, but is increasing in most of the
developing world. In recent years, Asia, in particular China has
been the main generator of additional demand for oil, with this
demand largely supplied from traditional sources such as the
Middle East. In the period 2000 to 2010 Chinese oil consumption
grew by a CAGR of 6.7% to reach 9.2 million barrels per day
in 2010.
Oil consumption on a per capita basis is still low in countries
such as China and India when compared with the United States and
Western Europe.
Seasonal trends also affect world oil consumption and
consequently oil tanker demand. While trends in consumption do
vary with season, peaks in tanker demand quite often precede
seasonal consumption peaks, as refiners and suppliers anticipate
consumer demand. Seasonal peaks in oil demand can broadly be
classified into two main categories: increased demand prior to
Northern Hemisphere winters as heating oil consumption increases
and increased demand for gasoline prior to the summer driving
season in the United States.
S-6
Production trends have naturally followed the underlying pattern
in oil consumption, allowing for the fact that changes in the
level of oil inventories also play a part in determining
production levels.
Production and exports from the Middle East (largely OPEC) have
historically had a significant impact on the demand for tanker
capacity, and, consequently, on tanker charter hire rates, due
to the relatively long distances between this supply source and
typical destination ports. Oil exports from short-haul regions,
such as Latin America and the North Sea, are significantly
closer to ports used by the primary consumers of such exports,
which results in shorter average voyage length as compared to
oil exports from the Middle East. Therefore, production in
short-haul regions historically has had less of an impact on the
demand for larger vessels while increasing the demand for
vessels in the Handy, Panamax and Aframax market segments.
Oil
Refinery Capacity
Oil refineries also vary greatly in the quantity, variety and
specification of products that they produce, and it is common
for tankers to take products into and out of the same refinery.
This global multi-directional trade pattern enables owners and
operators of product tankers to engage in charters of
triangulation, and thereby maximize revenue.
Changes in refinery throughput are to a certain extent driven by
changes in the location of capacity, and capacity increases are
taking place mostly in the developing world, especially in Asia.
In turn, this is leading to changes in voyage patterns and
longer voyages.
In response to growing domestic demand, Chinese refinery
throughput has grown at the fastest rate of any global region in
the last decade, with the Middle East and other emerging
economies following behind. By contrast, refinery throughput in
North America has actually declined in the last decade.
The shift in global refinery capacity from the developed to the
developing world is likely to continue as refinery development
plans are heavily focused on areas such as Asia and the Middle
East, with relatively little capacity additions planned for
North America and Europe.
Chinese refinery throughput has grown at the fastest rate of any
global region in the last decade, with the Middle East and other
developing regions following behind. By contrast, refinery
throughput in North America has actually declined in the last
decade. The shift in global refinery capacity from the developed
to the developing world is likely to continue as refinery
development plans are heavily focused on areas such as Asia and
the Middle East, with relatively little capacity additions
planned for regions such as North America and Europe.
World Oil
Trades
World oil trades are naturally the result of geographical
imbalances between areas of oil consumption and production,
although it is important to recognize that in sectors such as
refined petroleum products, arbitrage can have an impact on
trade flows.
The volume of crude oil moved by sea each year also reflects the
underlying changes in world oil consumption and production.
Seaborne trade in crude oil in 2010 is provisionally estimated
at 2.3 billion tons, while refined petroleum product
movements are provisionally estimated at 875 million tons.
Demand for oil tankers is primarily determined by the volume of
crude oil and refined petroleum products transported and the
distances over which they are transported. Tanker demand is
generally expressed in ton miles and is measured as the product
of the volume of oil carried (measured in metric tons)
multiplied by the distance over which it is carried (measured in
miles).
The transportation of crude oil is typically unidirectional, in
that most oil is transported from a few areas of production to
many regions of consumption, where it is refined into petroleum
products. Conversely, the transportation of refined petroleum
products and associated cargoes is multi-directional, in that
there are several areas of both production and consumption.
The growth in the volume of oil moved by sea since 2000 had been
quite modest, but the absolute volume of trade hides the fact
that changes in the pattern or trade have had quite a positive
impact on tanker demand when
S-7
expressed in terms of ton miles. In the period 2000 to 2010 ton
mile demand in the tanker sector grew at a CAGR of 3.2%, whereas
the overall increase in trade over the same period was 1.6%. As
a result of changes in the pattern of trade the average haul
length of refined product trades has risen from a recent market
low of 2,544 miles (loaded voyage only) in 2002 to
3,320 miles in 2010, equivalent to an increase of 30%.
One of the reasons for the increase in average voyage lengths is
the growth in Chinese crude oil imports and in particular the
fact that it is sourcing crude oil from long haul destinations
such as West Africa and Brazil. Chinese crude oil imports almost
tripled in the period 2000 to 2010 and in so doing had a very
positive impact on demand for crude oil tankers, especially
VLCCs.
Oil
Tanker Supply
The world oil tanker fleet is generally divided into five major
types of vessel classifications, based on vessel carrying
capacity. Additionally, the tanker fleet is divided between
crude tankers that carry crude oil or residual fuel oil
(dirty products), and product tankers that carry
refined petroleum products (clean products) such as
gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, naphtha and gas oil.
The main fleet categories are Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC),
Suezmax, Aframax, Panamax and Handy oil tankers.
|
|
|
|
|
Category
|
|
Size Range
Dwt
|
|
|
Handy
|
|
|
10-49,999
|
|
Panamax
|
|
|
50-79,999
|
|
Aframax
|
|
|
80-119,999
|
|
Suezmax
|
|
|
120-199,999
|
|
VLCC
|
|
|
200,000 +
|
|
In order to benefit from economies of scale, tanker charterers
transporting crude oil will typically charter the largest
possible vessel, taking into consideration port and canal size
restrictions and optimal cargo lot sizes.
While product tankers can carry dirty products, they generally
do not switch between clean and dirty cargoes, as a
vessels tank must be cleaned prior to loading a different
cargo type. Product tankers do not form a distinct vessel
classification, but are identified on the basis of various
factors, including technical and trading histories.
The following analysis focuses on straight product
tankers and does not include ships with chemical carrying
capability.
Oil
Tanker Fleet October 31, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deadweight
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
% of Fleet
|
|
|
Capacity
|
|
|
% of Fleet
|
|
Size Category
|
|
Tons
|
|
|
Vessels
|
|
|
(Number)
|
|
|
(Million Dwt )
|
|
|
(Dwt)
|
|
|
VLCC
|
|
|
>200,000
|
|
|
|
570
|
|
|
|
18.3
|
|
|
|
173.4
|
|
|
|
43.9
|
|
Suezmax
|
|
|
120,000-199,000
|
|
|
|
439
|
|
|
|
14.1
|
|
|
|
67.6
|
|
|
|
17.1
|
|
Aframax
|
|
|
80,000-119,000
|
|
|
|
892
|
|
|
|
28.7
|
|
|
|
94.7
|
|
|
|
24.0
|
|
Panamax
|
|
|
50,000-79,999
|
|
|
|
453
|
|
|
|
14.6
|
|
|
|
31.5
|
|
|
|
8.0
|
|
Handymax/size
|
|
|
10,000-49,999
|
|
|
|
756
|
|
|
|
24.3
|
|
|
|
27.4
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,110
|
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
|
|
394.6
|
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
Source: Drewry Maritime Research
Between the end of 2000 and October 2011 the overall size of the
tanker fleet grew by approximately 50%, with increases in fleet
size taking place across all sectors, with the exception of the
small ship category.
S-8
The
Product Tanker Fleet
The supply of tankers is measured in deadweight tons, or dwt.
The supply of tanker capacity is determined by the age and size
of the existing global fleet, the number of vessels on order and
the number of ships removed from the fleet by scrapping and
international regulations. Other factors which can affect the
short-term supply of tankers include the number of combined
carriers (vessels capable of trading wet and dry cargoes)
trading in the oil market and the number of tankers in storage,
dry-docked, awaiting repairs or otherwise not available or out
of commission (collectively,
lay-up
or total inactivity).
The product tanker fleet as of October 31, 2011 by the
above definition comprises 1,220 ships of 68.5 million dwt.
World
Product(1)
Tanker Fleet October 31, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Size Range
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Deadweight
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Capacity
|
|
|
% of Fleet
|
|
Size Category
|
|
Tons)
|
|
|
Vessels
|
|
|
% of Fleet
|
|
|
(Million Dwt )
|
|
|
(Dwt)
|
|
|
LR2
|
|
|
>80,000
|
|
|
|
175
|
|
|
|
14.3
|
%
|
|
|
19.1
|
|
|
|
27.9
|
%
|
LR1
|
|
|
50,000-79,999
|
|
|
|
333
|
|
|
|
27.3
|
%
|
|
|
23.3
|
|
|
|
34.0
|
%
|
MR2
|
|
|
25,000-49,999
|
|
|
|
564
|
|
|
|
46.2
|
%
|
|
|
24.0
|
|
|
|
35.0
|
%
|
MR1
|
|
|
10,000-24,999
|
|
|
|
148
|
|
|
|
12.1
|
%
|
|
|
2.2
|
|
|
|
3.2
|
%
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,220
|
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
|
|
68.5
|
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
(1)
Excludes chemical tankers
Source: Drewry Maritime Research
Over the years, the supply of the smallest product tanker
category (10,000-29,999 dwt) fleet has declined in favor of the
larger ships that are more suited to long-haul routes.
Left Hand
Scale = Million Dwt; Right Hand Scale = No of Ships
Source: Drewry Research
S-9
Oil
Tanker Orderbook
As of October 31, 2011 the tanker orderbook amounted to 536
tankers of 85.2 million dwt, equivalent to 21.6% of the
current fleet.
World Oil
Tanker Orderbook, October 31, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deadweight
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
% of Fleet
|
|
|
Capacity
|
|
|
% of Fleet
|
|
Size Category
|
|
Tons
|
|
|
Vessels
|
|
|
(Number)
|
|
|
(Million Dwt )
|
|
|
(Dwt)
|
|
|
VLCC
|
|
|
>200,000
|
|
|
|
144
|
|
|
|
25.3
|
|
|
|
45.5
|
|
|
|
26.2
|
|
Suezmax
|
|
|
120,000-199,999
|
|
|
|
126
|
|
|
|
28.7
|
|
|
|
19.5
|
|
|
|
28.8
|
|
Aframax
|
|
|
80,000-119,999
|
|
|
|
107
|
|
|
|
12.0
|
|
|
|
11.8
|
|
|
|
12.5
|
|
Panamax
|
|
|
50,000-79,999
|
|
|
|
92
|
|
|
|
20.3
|
|
|
|
5.7
|
|
|
|
18.1
|
|
Handy
|
|
|
10,000-49,9999
|
|
|
|
67
|
|
|
|
8.9
|
|
|
|
2.7
|
|
|
|
9.9
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
536
|
|
|
|
17.2
|
%
|
|
|
85.2
|
|
|
|
21.6
|
%
|
Source: Drewry Maritime Research
Product
Tanker Orderbook
As of October 31, 2011 the product tanker orderbook
amounted to 180 ships of 11.5 million dwt, equivalent to
16.8% of the current fleet. Other tankers within these size
ranges that do not have protective coatings and are thus
suitable for carrying only crude cargoes have been excluded from
the table below.
World
Product Tanker Orderbook, October 31, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
% of
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deadweight
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
Fleet
|
|
|
Capacity
|
|
|
% of Fleet
|
|
Size Category
|
|
Tons
|
|
|
Vessels
|
|
|
(No)
|
|
|
(Million Dwt)
|
|
|
(Dwt)
|
|
|
LR2
|
|
|
>80,000
|
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
|
19.49
|
%
|
|
|
3.8
|
|
|
|
19.9
|
%
|
LR1
|
|
|
50,000-79,999
|
|
|
|
85
|
|
|
|
25.5
|
%
|
|
|
5.1
|
|
|
|
21.8
|
%
|
MR2
|
|
|
25,000-49,999
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
9.9
|
%
|
|
|
2.5
|
|
|
|
10.4
|
%
|
MR1
|
|
|
10,000-24,999
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
3.4
|
%
|
|
|
0.1
|
|
|
|
4.5
|
%
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
180
|
|
|
|
14.8
|
%
|
|
|
11.5
|
|
|
|
16.8
|
%
|
Source: Drewry Maritime Research
World
Product Tanker Orderbook Delivery Schedule, October 31,
2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2014+
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Size
|
|
No.
|
|
|
M Dwt
|
|
|
No.
|
|
|
M Dwt
|
|
|
No.
|
|
|
M Dwt
|
|
|
No.
|
|
|
M Dwt
|
|
|
No.
|
|
|
M Dwt
|
|
|
10,000-24,999
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0.0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0.0
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
|
25,000-49,999
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
1.0
|
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
|
1.1
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
0.3
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0.0
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
2.5
|
|
50,000-79,999
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
|
1.2
|
|
|
|
41
|
|
|
|
2.3
|
|
|
|
27
|
|
|
|
1.6
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0.0
|
|
|
|
85
|
|
|
|
5.1
|
|
80,000+
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
1.0
|
|
|
|
19
|
|
|
|
2.1
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
0.5
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
|
3.8
|
|
Total
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
|
3.3
|
|
|
|
88
|
|
|
|
5.6
|
|
|
|
40
|
|
|
|
2.5
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
|
|
|
180
|
|
|
|
11.5
|
|
No. = Number of Vessels. M Dwt =
Millions of Dwt.
Source: Drewry Maritime Research
S-10
The
Product Tanker Freight Market
Freight
Rates
Tanker charter hire rates and vessel values for all tankers are
influenced by the supply and demand for tanker capacity.
However, the product segment generally appears less volatile
than other crude market segments because these vessels mainly
transport refined petroleum products that are not subject to the
same degree of volatility as the crude oil market. Also, time
charter rates are generally less volatile than spot rates,
because they reflect the fact that the vessel is fixed for a
longer period of time. In the spot market, rates will reflect
the immediate underlying conditions in vessel supply and demand
and are thus prone to more volatility. The recent trends in
rates in the time charter equivalent of spot rates and time
charter rates are shown in the tables below.
Tanker charter hire rates and vessel values for all tankers are
strongly influenced by the supply and demand for tanker
capacity. Small changes in tanker utilization have historically
led to relatively large fluctuations in tanker charter rates for
VLCCs, more moderate price volatility in the Suezmax, Aframax
and Panamax markets and less volatility in the Handy market
compared to the tanker market as a whole.
From 2005 to 2007, time charter rates for all sizes of oil
tankers rose quite steeply, reflecting the fact that buoyant
demand for oil and increased sea-borne movements of oil
generated additional demand for tanker capacity. This led to a
much tighter balance between vessel demand and supply. However,
as the world economy weakened in the second half of 2008, demand
for oil also fell and had a negative impact on tanker demand and
freight rates. Rates therefore declined in 2009, only to recover
in the early part of 2010, before falling once again in the
summer months and thereafter remaining weak into 2011.
Oil
Tanker One Year Time Charter Rates:
2000-2011
(US$/Day
Period Averages)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Size Category
|
|
Handysize
|
|
|
Handymax
|
|
|
Aframax
|
|
|
Suezmax
|
|
|
VLCC
|
|
DWT
|
|
30,000
|
|
|
45,000
|
|
|
90-95,000
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
280,000
|
|
|
2000
|
|
|
12,454
|
|
|
|
13,958
|
|
|
|
18,854
|
|
|
|
27,042
|
|
|
|
35,250
|
|
2001
|
|
|
15,583
|
|
|
|
17,563
|
|
|
|
23,125
|
|
|
|
30,500
|
|
|
|
37,958
|
|
2002
|
|
|
11,417
|
|
|
|
13,288
|
|
|
|
16,896
|
|
|
|
17,750
|
|
|
|
23,458
|
|
2003
|
|
|
13,267
|
|
|
|
14,846
|
|
|
|
19,146
|
|
|
|
26,104
|
|
|
|
33,604
|
|
2004
|
|
|
15,629
|
|
|
|
19,029
|
|
|
|
29,500
|
|
|
|
37,875
|
|
|
|
53,900
|
|
2005
|
|
|
18,854
|
|
|
|
25,271
|
|
|
|
35,021
|
|
|
|
42,292
|
|
|
|
60,125
|
|
2006
|
|
|
21,417
|
|
|
|
26,792
|
|
|
|
35,233
|
|
|
|
42,667
|
|
|
|
55,992
|
|
2007
|
|
|
22,000
|
|
|
|
24,500
|
|
|
|
33,143
|
|
|
|
43,042
|
|
|
|
53,333
|
|
2008
|
|
|
21,438
|
|
|
|
23,092
|
|
|
|
34,708
|
|
|
|
46,917
|
|
|
|
74,662
|
|
2009
|
|
|
13,675
|
|
|
|
14,850
|
|
|
|
19,663
|
|
|
|
27,825
|
|
|
|
38,533
|
|
2010
|
|
|
11,000
|
|
|
|
12,388
|
|
|
|
18,571
|
|
|
|
25,967
|
|
|
|
36,083
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 2011
|
|
|
12,300
|
|
|
|
14,500
|
|
|
|
13,500
|
|
|
|
18,000
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Drewry Maritime Research
In general terms, time charter rates are less volatile than spot
rates, because they reflect the fact that the vessel is fixed
for a longer period of time. In the spot market, rates will
reflect the immediate underlying conditions in vessel supply and
demand and are thus prone to more volatility.
S-11
THE
OFFERING
|
|
|
Common shares presently outstanding |
|
32,069,059 common shares |
|
Common shares to be offered |
|
7,000,000 common shares |
|
Over-allotment |
|
We have granted the underwriters a
30-day
option to purchase, from time to time, up to an additional
1,050,000 of our common shares to cover over-allotments. |
|
Common shares to be outstanding immediately after this offering
|
|
39,069,059 common shares |
|
assuming no exercise of over-allotment:
|
|
39,069,059 common shares |
|
assuming full exercise of over-allotment:
|
|
40,119,059 common shares |
|
Use of proceeds |
|
We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately
$ million from this offering
assuming the underwriters over-allotment option is not
exercised, and approximately $ if
the underwriters over-allotment option is exercised in
full, in each case after deducting underwriting discounts and
commissions and estimated expenses payable by us. |
|
|
|
We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering as follows: |
|
|
|
Approximately
$ million to partially repay
outstanding indebtedness under our 2010 Revolving Credit
Facility (our intention is to re-draw all or a portion of the
amount available under the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility to
fund the acquisition of two 52,000 dwt newbuilding tankers that
we are currently negotiating to have constructed at Hyundai); and
|
|
|
|
The balance of approximately
$ million for general
corporate purposes, including vessel acquisitions and working
capital.
|
|
|
|
Upon the completion of this offering, we will use these net
proceeds to partially repay the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility,
which has a final maturity date of June 2015 and bears interest
at LIBOR plus 3.00% per annum. Following the completion of this
offering and the application of the net proceeds described
above, we will have approximately
$ million in borrowing
capacity under our 2010 Revolving Credit Facility. Our intention
is to re-draw all or a portion of the amount available under the
2010 Revolving Credit Facility to fund the acquisition of two
52,000 dwt newbuilding tankers that we are currently negotiating
to have constructed at Hyundai. If we are unsuccessful in
entering into definitive agreements with Hyundai for the
construction of such vessels, we intend to use such borrowing
capacity to fund the purchase of other newbuilding or secondhand
tanker vessels ranging in size from approximately 35,000 dwt to
approximately 200,000 dwt that generally are not more than five
years old that we may identify. We refer you to the section of
this prospectus supplement entitled Use of Proceeds. |
|
Listing |
|
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol STNG. |
Unless we indicate otherwise or the context otherwise requires,
all information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters
do not exercise their over-allotment option.
S-12
RISK
FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk.
You should carefully consider the risks set forth below and
discussion of risks under the heading Risk Factors
beginning on page 5 of the accompanying prospectus, in our
Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2010 and the other
documents we have incorporated by reference in this prospectus
that summarize the risks that may materially affect our business
before making an investment in our securities. Please see
Where You Can Find Additional Information
Information Incorporated by Reference. The occurrence of
one or more of those risk factors could adversely impact our
results of operations or financial condition.
We may
use the net proceeds of this offering for purposes with which
you do not agree.
We plan to use $ million of
the net proceeds of this offering to partially repay outstanding
indebtedness under our 2010 Revolving Credit Facility. Our
intention is to re-draw all or a portion of the amount available
under the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility to fund the acquisition
of two 52,000 dwt newbuilding tankers that we are currently
negotiating to have constructed at Hyundai. If we are
unsuccessful in entering into definitive agreements with respect
to these vessels, we may purchase other newbuilding or
secondhand tanker vessels ranging in size from approximately
35,000 dwt to approximately 200,000 dwt that generally are not
more than five years old. While we currently plan to ultimately
use a portion of the net proceeds to fund a portion of the
construction price of the two vessels described above, because
our use of the net proceeds from this offering depends on a
number of factors, including, among others, our ability to
negotiate definitive contracts on terms acceptable to us, our
working capital requirements and incurrence of any material
expenses or liabilities, our actual use of the proceeds may vary
substantially from our current intentions. Please see the
section of this prospectus supplement entitled Use of
Proceeds.
We cannot
assure you that we will enter into the proposed senior secured
credit facility or, if we do so, that we will be able to borrow
all or any of the amounts committed thereunder.
We have executed a term sheet with Credit Agricole Corporate and
Investment Bank and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB for a
proposed senior secured credit facility; however, we do not
expect to enter into definitive documentation for this new
senior secured credit facility prior to the closing of this
offering. Our entry into this senior secured credit facility is
subject to certain conditions, including without limitation, the
negotiation and execution of definitive documentation by us and
our lenders. There are no penalties imposed on the lenders for
failure to enter into a definitive agreement. Accordingly, we
cannot assure you that we will be successful in entering into
the proposed senior secured credit facility. In addition, even
if we enter into this agreement, borrowings under such facility
will be subject to certain customary conditions, financial
covenants and undertakings to be specified in the definitive
documentation for this facility. We cannot assure you that we
will be able to satisfy such conditions or be able to borrow all
or any of the amounts committed under the proposed senior
secured credit facility. If we do not enter into this facility
or are unable to borrow the amounts committed thereunder, we
will attempt to arrange alternative financing. We cannot assure
you that we will be able at arrange such alternative financing
on terms that are acceptable to us or at all and as a result, we
could be in default of our obligations under our contract to
purchase the Newbuilding Vessels.
We may
not be able to raise equity or debt financing sufficient to pay
the cost of all of our Newbuilding Vessels and the other two
vessels that we are currently in negotiations to acquire, which
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The net proceeds from this offering, borrowings under our 2010
Revolving Credit Facility, which are subject to certain
conditions, and available cash on hand are not sufficient to pay
the cost of all of our Newbuilding Vessels and the other two
vessels that we are currently in negotiations to acquire. If we
are not able to borrow additional funds, raise other capital or
utilize available cash on hand, we may not be able to acquire
these vessels, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows. If for any reason we fail to make a payment when due,
which may result in a default under our newbuilding contracts,
or otherwise fail to take delivery of our Newbuilding Vessels,
we would be prevented from realizing potential revenues
S-13
from this project, we could also lose our yard payments that
were paid to Hyundai, which as of November 29, 2011
amounted to $18.7 million, and we could be liable for
penalties and damages under such contracts.
In the
event Hyundai does not perform under its agreements with us for
the construction of our Newbuilding Vessels and we are unable to
enforce certain refund guarantees, we may lose all or part of
our investment, which would have a material adverse effect on
our results of operations, financial condition and cash
flows.
Currently, we have newbuilding contracts with Hyundai for the
construction of five 52,000 deadweight tons, or dwt, product
tankers, which are scheduled to be delivered to us between July
2012 and October 2012. As of November 29, 2011, we have
made total yard payments in the amount of $18.7 million and
we have remaining yard installments in the amount of
$168.3 million, of which, approximately $28.1 million
is due in December 2011, approximately $33.6 million is due
in the six months ending June 30, 2012 and approximately
$106.6 million is due in the six months ending
December 31, 2012, before we take possession of these
vessels.
In the event Hyundai does not perform under the contracts
discussed above and we are unable to enforce certain refund
guarantees with third party banks for any reason, we may lose
all or part of our investment, which would have a material
adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition
and cash flows.
We are
dependent on spot-oriented pools and spot charters and any
decrease in spot charter rates in the future may adversely
affect our earnings.
We currently operate a fleet of 12 owned vessels and seven time
chartered-in vessels. Of those vessels, one vessel is employed
on a time charter with a remaining duration of approximately one
month and the remaining vessels are employed in either the spot
market or in the Scorpio Group Pools, which are spot
market-oriented tanker pools, exposing us to fluctuations in
spot market charter rates.
Historically, the tanker markets have been volatile as a result
of the many conditions and factors that can affect the price,
supply and demand for tanker capacity. The recent global
economic crisis may further reduce demand for transportation of
oil over longer distances and supply of tankers to carry that
oil, which may materially affect our revenues, profitability and
cash flows. The spot charter market may fluctuate significantly
based upon tanker and oil supply and demand. The successful
operation of our vessels in the competitive spot charter market,
including within the Scorpio Group Pools, depends upon, among
other things, obtaining profitable spot charters and minimizing,
to the extent possible, time spent waiting for charters and time
spent traveling unladen to pick up cargo. The spot market is
very volatile, and, in the past, there have been periods when
spot rates have declined below the operating cost of vessels. If
future spot charter rates decline, then we may be unable to
operate our vessels trading in the spot market profitably, meet
our obligations, including payments on indebtedness, or to pay
dividends in the future. Furthermore, as charter rates for spot
charters are fixed for a single voyage which may last up to
several weeks, during periods in which spot charter rates are
rising, we will generally experience delays in realizing the
benefits from such increases.
Our ability to renew the charters on our vessels on the
expiration or termination of our current charters, or on vessels
that we may acquire in the future, the charter rates payable
under any replacement charters and vessel values will depend
upon, among other things, economic conditions in the sectors in
which our vessels operate at that time, changes in the supply
and demand for vessel capacity and changes in the supply and
demand for the seaborne transportation of energy resources.
An
over-supply of tanker capacity may lead to reductions in charter
rates, vessel values, and profitability.
The market supply of tankers is affected by a number of factors
such as demand for energy resources, oil, and petroleum
products, as well as strong overall economic growth in parts of
the world economy including Asia. If the capacity of new ships
delivered exceeds the capacity of tankers being scrapped and
lost, tanker capacity will increase. In addition, according to
Drewry, as of the end of October 2011, the newbuilding order
book which extends to 2015 equaled approximately 21.6% of the
existing world tanker fleet and the order book may increase
further in proportion to the existing fleet. If the supply of
tanker capacity increases and if the demand for tanker capacity
S-14
decreases or does not increase correspondingly, charter rates
could materially decline. A reduction in charter rates and the
value of our vessels may have a material adverse effect on our
results of operations and available cash.
The
market values of our vessels may decrease, which could cause us
to breach covenants in our credit facilities and adversely
affect our operating results.
The market values of tankers have generally experienced high
volatility. The market prices for tankers declined significantly
from historically high levels reached in early 2008 and remain
at relatively low levels. You should expect the market value of
our vessels to fluctuate depending on general economic and
market conditions affecting the shipping industry and prevailing
charterhire rates, competition from other shipping companies and
other modes of transportation, types, sizes and ages of vessels,
applicable governmental regulations and the cost of
newbuildings. If the market value of our fleet declines, we may
not be able to obtain other financing or incur debt on terms
that are acceptable to us or at all. We believe that the current
aggregate market value of our vessels will be in excess of loan
to value amounts required under our credit facilities, which
requires that the fair market value of the vessels pledged as
collateral never be less than 150% of the aggregate principal
amount outstanding for the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility and
2011 Credit Facility and 140% of the aggregate principal amount
outstanding for the STI Spirit Credit Facility. In addition, our
three credit facilities require us to maintain a ratio of EBITDA
to interest expense of no less than 2.00 to 1.00 (calculated
quarterly on a trailing four quarter basis) commencing with the
third fiscal quarter of 2011 until the first quarter of 2013, at
which point such ratio will increase to 2.50 to 1.00. A decrease
in vessel values or a failure to meet this ratio could cause us
to breach certain covenants in our existing credit facilities
and future financing agreements that we may enter into from time
to time. If we breach such covenants and we are unable to remedy
the relevant breach, our lenders could accelerate our debt and
foreclose on vessels in our fleet. If we sell any vessel at any
time when vessel prices have fallen and before we have recorded
an impairment adjustment to our financial statements, the sale
may be at less than the vessels carrying amount on our
financial statements, resulting in a loss and a reduction in
earnings.
Investors
may experience significant dilution as a result of any future
offerings.
After the sale of
the
common shares offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement, we
will have
approximately
common shares outstanding, which represents an increase of
approximately % in our issued and
outstanding common shares. In order to fund further growth of
our fleet beyond our contracted Newbuilding Vessels, we may sell
additional common shares in the future. Purchasers of the shares
we sell in this offering, as well as our existing shareholders,
will experience significant dilution if we sell shares at prices
significantly below the price at which they invested.
S-15
USE OF
PROCEEDS
We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately
$ million from this offering
assuming the underwriters over-allotment option is not
exercised, and approximately $ if
the underwriters over-allotment option is exercised in
full, in each case after deducting underwriting discounts and
commissions and estimated expenses payable by us.
We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Approximately $ million to
partially repay outstanding indebtedness under our 2010
Revolving Credit Facility (our intention is to re-draw all or a
portion of the amount available under the 2010 Revolving Credit
Facility to fund the acquisition of two 52,000 dwt newbuilding
tankers that we are currently negotiating to have constructed at
Hyundai); and
|
|
|
|
The balance of approximately
$ million for general
corporate purposes, including vessel acquisitions and working
capital.
|
Upon the completion of this offering, we will use these net
proceeds to partially repay the 2010 Revolving Credit Facility,
which has a final maturity date of June 2015 and bears interest
at LIBOR plus 3.00% per annum. Following the completion of this
offering and the application of the net proceeds described
above, we will have approximately
$ million in borrowing
capacity under our 2010 Revolving Credit Facility. Our intention
is to re-draw all or a portion of the amount available under the
2010 Revolving Credit Facility to fund the acquisition of two
52,000 dwt newbuilding tankers that we are currently negotiating
to have constructed at Hyundai. If we are unsuccessful in
entering into definitive agreements with Hyundai for the
construction of such vessels, we intend to use such borrowing
capacity to fund the purchase of other newbuilding or secondhand
tanker vessels ranging in size from approximately 35,000 dwt to
approximately 200,000 dwt that generally are not more than five
years old that we may identify.
In the future, we intend to make opportunistic vessel
acquisitions at attractive prices and we may purchase
newbuilding vessels or secondhand vessels that meet our
specifications, either directly from shipyards or from the
current owners. The timing of these acquisitions will depend on
our ability to identify suitable vessels on attractive purchase
terms. We expect to borrow under new and existing credit
facilities to fund our future vessel acquisitions. Please see
Item 5.B Operating and Financial Review and
Prospects Liquidity and Capital Resources in
our annual report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2010 and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations for the Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2011 Liquidity and Capital
Resources in our report on
Form 6-K
dated November 30, 2011, which are incorporated by
reference herein, as well as Summary Recent
and Other Developments Our Credit Facilities
and The Proposed Senior Secured Credit Facility
herein for a description of our outstanding indebtedness.
Because our use of the net proceeds from this offering depends
on a number of factors, including, among others, our ability to
identify suitable tanker vessels for purchase, negotiate
purchase contracts on terms acceptable to us, our working
capital requirements and incurrence of any material expenses or
liabilities, our actual use of the proceeds may vary
substantially from our current intentions.
S-16
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization at
September 30, 2011, on:
|
|
|
|
|
an actual basis;
|
|
|
|
an as adjusted basis to give effect to the drawdown on
November 29, 2011 of $33.0 million from our 2010
Revolving Credit Facility that will be used for the payment of
the second installment of $28.1 million under our
agreements with Hyundai for the construction of our Newbuilding
Vessels, which is due on December 2, 2011 and not reflected
in this table; and
|
|
|
|
an as further adjusted basis to give effect to the issuance and
sale
of shares
of our common stock in this offering at the offering price of
$ , after deducting the offering
expenses of $ and underwriting
discounts and commissions resulting in net proceeds to us of
approximately $ .
|
There have been no significant adjustments to our capitalization
since September 30, 2011, as so adjusted. You should read
the information below in connection with the section of this
prospectus supplement entitled Use of Proceeds, and
the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and
related notes for the nine months ended September 30, 2011,
included in our report on
Form 6-K,
filed with the Commission, on November 30, 2011.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of September 30, 2011
|
|
|
|
Actual
|
|
|
As adjusted
|
|
|
As Further Adjusted
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
$
|
25,494,568
|
|
|
$
|
58,494,568
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current debt:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bank
loan(1)
|
|
$
|
3,110,981
|
|
|
$
|
3,110,981
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current debt:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bank
loan(1)
|
|
$
|
131,250,936
|
|
|
$
|
164,250,936
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total debt
|
|
$
|
134,361,917
|
|
|
$
|
167,361,917
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common shares
|
|
$
|
320,691
|
|
|
$
|
320,691
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
325,885,347
|
|
|
|
325,885,347
|
|
|
|
|
|
Treasury shares
|
|
|
(4,246,854
|
)
|
|
|
(4,246,854
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Hedging reserve
|
|
|
(637,667
|
)
|
|
|
(637,667
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Retained earnings
|
|
|
1,137,193
|
|
|
|
1,137,193
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders equity
|
|
$
|
322,458,710
|
|
|
$
|
322,458,710
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
$
|
456,820,627
|
|
|
$
|
489,820,627
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
Bank loan presented at
September 30, 2011 is shown net of $4.5 million of
deferred financing fees that are amortized over the term of the
loan.
|
S-17
THE
PROPOSED SENIOR SECURED CREDIT FACILITY
The following is a summary of the terms set forth in the term
sheet for the proposed senior secured credit facility. Our
ability to enter into the proposed credit facility is subject to
certain conditions, including the negotiation and execution of
definitive documentation by us and the lenders thereto. As a
result, the terms may change and there can be no assurance that
all closing conditions will be satisfied or that we will reach
an agreement on definitive terms. There are no penalties imposed
on the lenders for failure to enter into a definitive
agreement.
On September 29, 2011, we entered into a term sheet with
Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and Skandinaviska
Enskilda Banken AB, or the lenders, for a proposed
$92.0 million credit facility to be used to partially
finance the fourth pre-delivery installment and fully finance
the delivery installment for four of our five Newbuilding
Vessels, which will also be pledged as collateral to provide the
security for this senior secured credit facility. Under this
proposed senior secured credit facility, our wholly-owned
subsidiaries that own the four Newbuilding Vessels will be the
borrowers and Scorpio Tankers Inc. will be the corporate
guarantor.
This proposed senior secured credit facility will be made
available in four tranches of $23.0 million each, one
tranche for each of the four Newbuilding Vessels, which is
approximately 61% of the contracted price for each vessel. Each
tranche will be comprised of two advances. Drawdowns will be
available after payment is made for the first 39% of the
contracted price for each vessel, subject to certain other
conditions precedent. Each tranche will be repayable in 28
consecutive quarterly installments of $375,000, commencing on
the first quarterly payment date to occur after the delivery of
the corresponding vessel, with the first quarterly installment
pro-rated accordingly. Any outstanding amount under a tranche
will be due in full on the date of the seventh anniversary of
delivery of the corresponding vessel. This proposed senior
secured credit facility will bear interest at a margin of 2.7%
plus (i) LIBOR (3 or 6 months), or (ii) the
interest rate quoted by the lenders for making available or
maintaining their commitment in the loan, if LIBOR does not
accurately reflect the actual funding cost of the lenders. In
addition, we will be required to pay a quarterly commitment fee
equal to 1.10% per annum on any undrawn amounts.
This proposed senior secured credit facility will contain
financial covenants and other customary covenants, including
requirements that we will maintain (i) a minimum working
capital balance of $200,000 for each of the four Newbuilding
Vessels, beginning on the drawdown date of the second advance
for each corresponding vessel, (ii) a ratio of net debt to
consolidated total capitalization of not more than 0.60 to 1.00,
(iii) a ratio of consolidated EBITDA to consolidated net
interest expense, on a trailing four-quarter basis, of not less
than 2.00 to 1.00 for the quarter ending December 31, 2011
until and including the quarter ending December 31, 2012,
and increasing to 2.50 to 1.00 for each quarter thereafter,
(iv) a minimum consolidated liquidity of not less than
$15,000,000 until we own a fleet of 15 vessels, to increase
by $750,000 per each additionally owned vessel, and (v) a
minimum consolidated tangible net worth of not less than
$150,000,000 plus (a) 25% of our cumulative, positive
consolidated net income for each fiscal quarter commencing on or
after July 1, 2010, and (b) 50% of the value of the
equity proceeds realized from any issuance of our Equity
Interests occurring on or after July 1, 2010, in addition
to other customary affirmative and negative covenants.
This proposed senior secured credit facility will also require
the borrowers to maintain an average security maintenance cover
ratio (the ratio of the charter-free market value of the
relevant vessel to the amount outstanding under the tranche,
plus the pro rata amount of the mark to market of any swap
credit line in favor of the swap banks) of not less than the
average of the percentages required for all tranches (the
percentage required will be either 140%, or 120% if the relevant
vessel is subject to acceptable long term employment).
This proposed senior secured credit facility will also contain a
provision that permits our lenders, with our agreement, to
increase the margin or reduce the term of the credit facility,
or both, if the lenders determine in good faith that there is a
material adverse change in the syndication market and such
amendments are necessary to ensure the successful syndication of
the credit facility.
This proposed senior secured credit facility will also contain
customary events of default, including among others, a
cross-default provision, and will also require, among other
things, post-delivery security in the form of first preferred
mortgages over each vessel and a first priority assignment of
the collateral vessels earnings.
S-18
PRICE
RANGE OF OUR COMMON SHARES
Shares of our common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol STNG. The high and low prices of
our common shares on the New York Stock Exchange for the
quarters ended June 30, 2011 and September 30, 2011
and the months of May, June, July, August, September, October
and November to and including November 28, 2011.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
For the quarters ended:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, 2011
|
|
$
|
10.08
|
|
|
$
|
4.93
|
|
June 30, 2011
|
|
$
|
12.18
|
|
|
$
|
9.25
|
|
For the most recent six months:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November 2011*
|
|
$
|
7.03
|
|
|
$
|
5.55
|
|
October 2011
|
|
|
6.70
|
|
|
|
4.69
|
|
September 2011
|
|
$
|
7.33
|
|
|
$
|
4.93
|
|
August 2011
|
|
$
|
8.01
|
|
|
$
|
5.74
|
|
July 2011
|
|
$
|
10.08
|
|
|
$
|
7.23
|
|
June 2011
|
|
$
|
10.24
|
|
|
$
|
9.25
|
|
May 2011
|
|
$
|
12.18
|
|
|
$
|
9.94
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
As of November 28, 2011.
|
S-19
UNDERWRITING
Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an
underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, the
underwriters named below, for whom Morgan Stanley &
Co. LLC is acting as representative, have severally agreed to
purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, the number of
shares indicated below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
Name
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
The underwriters are offering the shares of common stock subject
to their acceptance of the shares from us and subject to prior
sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations
of the several underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of
the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus are
subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their
counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are
obligated to take and pay for all of the shares of common stock
offered by this prospectus if any such shares are taken.
However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for
the shares covered by the underwriters over-allotment
option described below.
The underwriters initially propose to offer part of the shares
of common stock directly to the public at the offering price
listed on the cover page of this prospectus and part to certain
dealers. After the initial offering of the shares of common
stock, the offering price and other selling terms may from time
to time be varied by the representative.
We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for
30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to
1,050,000 additional shares of common stock at the public
offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus, less
underwriting discounts and commissions. The underwriters may
exercise this option if the underwriters sell more than
7,000,000 shares in connection with this offering. To the
extent the option is exercised, each underwriter will become
obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase
approximately the same percentage of the additional shares of
common stock as the number listed next to the underwriters
name in the preceding table bears to the total number of shares
of common stock listed next to the names of all underwriters in
the preceding table.
The following table shows the per share and total public
offering price, underwriting discounts and commissions and
proceeds before expenses to us. These amounts are shown assuming
both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters
option to purchase up to an additional 1,050,000 shares of
common stock.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Per Share
|
|
No Exercise
|
|
Full Exercise
|
|
Public offering price
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by us
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Proceeds, before expenses, to us
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The estimated offering expenses payable by us, exclusive of
underwriting discounts and commissions, are approximately
$ .
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol STNG.
We, our directors and executive officers have agreed that,
without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley &
Co. LLC on behalf of the underwriters, we and they will not,
during the period ending 90 days after the date of this
prospectus (the restricted period):
|
|
|
|
|
offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or
contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell,
grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or
|
S-20
|
|
|
|
|
indirectly, any shares of common stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock;
|
|
|
|
|
|
enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to
another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences
of ownership of the common stock; or
|
|
|
|
file any registration statement with the SEC relating to the
offering of any shares of common stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock;
|
whether any such transaction described in the first two bullet
points above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or
such other securities, in cash or otherwise. In addition, we and
each such person agrees that, without the prior written consent
of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC on behalf of the
underwriters, it will not, during the restricted period, make
any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the
registration of any shares of common stock or any security
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock.
The restrictions described in the immediately preceding
paragraph do not apply to:
|
|
|
|
|
the sale of shares to the underwriters;
|
|
|
|
the issuance by us of shares of common stock upon the exercise
of an option or a warrant or the conversion of a security
outstanding on the date of this prospectus of which the
underwriters have been advised in writing;
|
|
|
|
transactions by any person other than us relating to shares of
common stock or other securities acquired in open market
transactions after the completion of the offering of the shares;
provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act),
as amended, is required or voluntarily made in connection with
subsequent sales of the common stock or other securities
acquired in such open market transactions;
|
|
|
|
transfers or distributions of shares of common stock or any
security convertible into common stock (i) as a bona fide
gift or gifts or (ii) to limited partners or stockholders
of the transferor or distributor; provided that each donee,
distributee or transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the
terms of the
lock-up
agreement prior to such transfer and no filing by any party
(donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in
beneficial ownership of shares of common stock, shall be
required or shall be voluntary during the restricted period;
|
|
|
|
the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to
Rule 10b5-1
under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of common
stock,provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer
of common stock during the restricted period and no public
announcement or filing under the Exchange Act regarding the
establishment of such plan shall be required or shall be
voluntarily made; or
|
|
|
|
awards under our 2010 Equity Incentive Plan.
|
The 90 day restricted period described in the immediately
preceding paragraph will be extended if:
|
|
|
|
|
during the last 17 days of the 90 day restricted
period we issue an earnings release or material news or a
material event relating to us occurs, or
|
|
|
|
prior to the expiration of the 90 day restricted period, we
announce that we will release earnings results during the
16 day period beginning on the last day of the 180 day
period,
|
in which case the restrictions described in the immediately
preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration
of the 18 day period beginning on the issuance of the
earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or
material event.
In order to facilitate the offering of the common stock, the
underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain
or otherwise affect the price of the common stock. Specifically,
the underwriters may sell more shares than they are obligated to
purchase under the underwriting agreement, creating a short
position. A short sale is covered if the short position is no
greater than the number of shares available for purchase by the
underwriters under the over-allotment option. The underwriters
can close out a covered short sale by exercising the
over-allotment option or purchasing shares in the open market.
In determining the source of shares to close out a covered
S-21
short sale, the underwriters will consider, among other things,
the open market price of shares compared to the price available
under the over-allotment option. The underwriters may also sell
shares in excess of the over-allotment option, creating a naked
short position. The underwriters must close out any naked short
position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short
position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are
concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of
the common stock in the open market after pricing that could
adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. As an
additional means of facilitating this offering, the underwriters
may bid for, and purchase, shares of common stock in the open
market to stabilize the price of the common stock. These
activities may raise or maintain the market price of the common
stock above independent market levels or prevent or retard a
decline in the market price of the common stock. The
underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and
may end any of these activities at any time.
From time to time, the underwriters and their affiliates have
provided, and continue to provide, investment banking services
to the Company. The estimated offering expenses payable by us,
in addition to the underwriting discounts and commissions, are
approximately $ million,
which includes legal, accounting and printing costs and various
other fees associated with the offering of the common stock.
We and the underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other
against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on
websites maintained by one or more of the underwriters
and/or
selling group members, if any, participating in this offering.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC may agree to allocate a
number of shares of common stock for sale to on-line brokerage
account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the
representative to underwriters that may make Internet
distributions on the same basis as other allocations.
If you purchase shares of common stock offered in this
prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other
charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase,
in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of
this prospectus supplement.
Pricing
of the Offering
The public offering price was determined by negotiations between
us and the representative. Among the factors considered in
determining the public offering price were our future prospects
and those of our industry in general, our earnings and certain
other financial and operating information in recent periods, and
the price-earnings ratios, price-sales ratios, market prices of
securities and certain financial and operating information of
companies engaged in activities similar to ours.
Selling
Restrictions
Notice to
Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area
which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a
Relevant Member State) an offer to the public of any
shares of our common stock may not be made in that Relevant
Member State, except that an offer to the public in that
Relevant Member State of any shares of our common stock may be
made at any time under the following exemptions under the
Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that
Relevant Member State:
|
|
|
|
|
to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in
the Prospectus Directive;
|
|
|
|
to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has
implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending
Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified
investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted
under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior
consent of the representatives for any such offer; or
|
|
|
|
in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of
the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of shares
of our common stock shall result in a requirement for the
publication by us or any underwriter of a prospectus pursuant to
Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
|
S-22
For purposes of this provision, the expression an offer to
the public in relation to any shares of our common stock
in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form
and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the
offer and any shares of our common stock to be offered so as to
enable an investor to decide to purchase any shares of our
common stock, as the same may be varied in that Member State by
any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member
State, and the expression Prospectus Directive means
Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010
PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant
Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in
the Relevant Member State, and the expression 2010 PD
Amending Directive means Directive 2010/73/EU.
United
Kingdom
Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:
(a) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated
and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an
invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity
(within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received by
it in connection with the issue or sale of the shares of our
common stock in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the
FSMA does not apply to us; and
(b) it has complied and will comply with all applicable
provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in
relation to the shares of our common stock in, from or otherwise
involving the United Kingdom.
Notice to
Prospective Investors in France
Neither this prospectus nor any other offering material relating
to the shares described in this prospectus has been submitted to
the clearance procedures of the Autorité des Marchés
Financiers or of the competent authority of another member state
of the European Economic Area and notified to the Autorité
des Marchés Financiers. The shares have not been offered or
sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to
the public in France. Neither this prospectus nor any other
offering material relating to the shares has been or will be:
|
|
|
|
|
released, issued, distributed or caused to be released, issued
or distributed to the public in France: or
|
|
|
|
used in connection with any offer for subscription or sale of
the shares to the public in France.
|
Such offers, sales and distributions will be made in France only:
|
|
|
|
|
to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés)
and/or to a
restricted circle of investors (cercle restraint
dinvestisseurs), in each case investing for their own
account, all as defined in, and in accordance with
articles L.411-2,
D.411-1, D.411-2, D.734-1, D.744-1, D.754-1 and D.764-1 of the
French Code monétaire et financier;
|
|
|
|
to investment services providers authorized to engage in
portfolio management on behalf of third parties; or
|
|
|
|
in a transaction that, in accordance with
article L.411-2-II-l
o -or-
3o of the
French Code monétaire et financier and
article 211-2
of the General Regulations (Réglement
Général) of the Autorité des Marchés
Financiers, does not constitute a public offer (appel
public à lépargne).
|
The shares may be resold directly or indirectly, only in
compliance with
articles L.411-1,
L.411-2, L.412-1 and L.621-8 through L.621-8-3 of the French
Code monétaire et financier.
Notice to
Prospective Investors in Switzerland
Neither this prospectus nor any other material relating to the
common stock which is the subject of the offering contemplated
by this prospectus constitute an issue prospectus pursuant to
Article 652a of the Swiss Code of Obligations. The common
stock will not be listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange and,
therefore, the documents relating to the common stock,
including, but not limited to, this document, do not claim to
comply with the disclosure standards of the listing rules of SWX
Swiss Exchange and corresponding prospectus schemes annexed to
the listing rules of the SWX Swiss Exchange. The common stock is
being offered in Switzerland by way of a private placement, i.e.
to a small number of selected investors only, without any public
offer and only to investors who do not purchase the shares with
the intention to distribute them to the public. The investors
will be individually approached by us from time to time. This
prospectus or any other material relating to the common stock
are personal and confidential and do not constitute an offer to
any other person. This prospectus or any other material relating
to the common stock may only be used by those investors to whom
it has been handed out in connection with the
S-23
offering described herein and may neither directly nor
indirectly be distributed or made available to other persons
without our express consent. Such materials may not be used in
connection with any other offer and shall in particular not be
copied
and/or
distributed to the public in (or from) Switzerland.
Notice to
Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The shares may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of
any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not
constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the
Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or
(ii) to professional investors within the
meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws
of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in
other circumstances which do not result in the document being a
prospectus within the meaning of the Companies
Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong) and no advertisement,
invitation or document relating to the shares may be issued or
may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue
(in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is
directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed
or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do
so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to
shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to
persons outside Hong Kong or only to professional
investors within the meaning of the Securities and Futures
Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made
thereunder.
Notice to
Prospective Investors in Japan
The shares offered in this prospectus have not been registered
under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan. The shares have
not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold,
directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the account of any
resident of Japan, except (i) pursuant to an exemption from
the registration requirements of the Securities and Exchange Law
and (ii) in compliance with any other applicable
requirements of Japanese law.
Notice to
Prospective Investors in Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the
Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus
and any other document or material in connection with the offer
or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the
shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares
be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for
subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to
persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional
investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures
Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the SFA),
(ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1),
or any person pursuant to Section 275(lA), and in
accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of
the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance
with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the
SFA, in each case subject to compliance with conditions set
forth in the SFA.
Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under
Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
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a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined
in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to
hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned
by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited
investor; or
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a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose
sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the
trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,
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shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that
corporation or the beneficiaries rights and interest
(howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred
within six months after that corporation or that trust has
acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under
Section 275 of the SFA except:
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to an institutional investor (for corporations, under
Section 274 of the SFA) or to a relevant person defined in
Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an
offer that is made on terms that such shares, debentures and
units of shares and debentures of that corporation or such
rights and interest in that trust are acquired at a
consideration of not less than $200,000 (or its equivalent in a
foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is
to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other
assets, and further for corporations, in accordance with the
conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA;
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where no consideration is or will be given for the
transfer; or
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where the transfer is by operation of law.
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S-24
EXPENSES
The following are the estimated expenses of the issuance and
distribution of the securities being registered under the
registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part,
all of which will be paid by us.
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Commission Registration Fee
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$
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5,805
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*
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Printing and Engraving Expenses
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$
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80,000
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Legal Fees and Expenses
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$
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100,000
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Accountants Fees and Expenses
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$
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78,272
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Miscellaneous Costs
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$
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135,923
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Total
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$
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400,000
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*
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The Commission Registration Fee of
$58,050 covering all of the securities being offered under the
registration statement on
Form F-3
(file
no. 333-173929)
filed with the Commission with an effective date of May 10,
2011, of which this prospectus supplement forms a part, was
previously paid. We allocate the cost of these fees on an
approximately pro-rata basis with each offering.
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S-25
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the common shares and certain other matters
relating to United States Federal income and Marshall Islands
tax considerations and to Marshall Islands corporations law will
be passed upon for us by Seward & Kissel LLP, New
York, New York. The underwriters have been represented in
connection with this offering by Davis Polk & Wardwell
LLP.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 2010, incorporated in this prospectus by
reference from the Companys Annual Report on
Form 20-F,
have been audited by Deloitte LLP, an independent registered
public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is
incorporated by reference. Such consolidated financial
statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report
of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting
and auditing.
The international oil tanker shipping industry information in
this prospectus supplement attributed to Drewry Shipping
Consultants Ltd., or Drewry, has been reviewed by Drewry, which
has confirmed to us that such sections accurately describe the
international tanker market, subject to the availability and
reliability of the data supporting the statistical information
presented in this prospectus supplement.
WHERE YOU
CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, we filed a
registration statement relating to the securities offered by
this prospectus with the Commission. This prospectus is a part
of that registration statement, which includes additional
information.
Government
Filings
We file annual and special reports with the Commission. You may
read and copy any document that we file and obtain copies at
prescribed rates from the Commissions Public Reference
Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public
Reference Room by calling 1 (800) SEC-0330. The Commission
maintains a website
(http://www.sec.gov)
that contains reports, proxy and information statements and
other information regarding issuers that file electronically
with the Commission. Further information about our company is
available on our website at
http://www.scorpiotankers.com.
The information on our website does not constitute a part of
this prospectus.
Information
Incorporated by Reference
The Commission allows us to incorporate by reference
information that we file with it. This means that we can
disclose important information to you by referring you to those
filed documents. The information incorporated by reference is
considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that
we file later with the Commission prior to the termination of
this offering will also be considered to be part of this
prospectus and will automatically update and supersede
previously filed information, including information contained in
this document.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and
certain future filings made with the Commission under
Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934:
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Our Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the
Commission on April 21, 2011, which contains our audited
consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal
year for which those statements have been filed.
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Our Reports of Foreign Private Issuer on
Form 6-K,
filed with the Commission on May 10, 2011, August 18,
2011 and November 30, 2011 (the
Form 6-K
dated November 30, 2011 supersedes our
Form 6-K
filed on November 16, 2011, which contains our financial
results for the nine months ended September 30, 2011).
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We are also incorporating by reference all subsequent annual
reports on
Form 20-F
that we file with the Commission and certain current reports on
Form 6-K
that we furnish to the Commission after the date of this
S-26
prospectus (if they state that they are incorporated by
reference into this prospectus) until we file a post-effective
amendment indicating that the offering of the securities made by
this prospectus has been terminated. In all cases, you should
rely on the later information over different information
included in this prospectus or the prospectus supplement.
We have authorized only the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus, and any free writing prospectus
prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you.
We have not, and any underwriters have not, authorized any other
person to provide you with different information. We and the
underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no
assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others
may give you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making
an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the
offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the
information appearing in this prospectus and any accompanying
prospectus supplement as well as the information we previously
filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference, is
accurate as of the dates of those documents only. Our business,
financial condition and results of operations and prospects may
have changed since those dates.
You may request a free copy of the above mentioned filing or any
subsequent filing we incorporated by reference into this
prospectus by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
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Monaco
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New York
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9, Boulevard Charles III, Monaco 98000
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150 East 58th Street - New York, NY 10155, USA
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Tel: +377-9798-5716
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Tel: 1 212 542 1616
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Information
Provided by the Company
We will furnish holders of our common shares with annual reports
containing audited financial statements and a report by our
independent registered public accounting firm. The audited
financial statements will be prepared in accordance with
International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the
International Accounting Standards Board. As a foreign
private issuer, we are exempt from the rules under the
Securities Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content
of proxy statements to shareholders. While we furnish proxy
statements to shareholders in accordance with the rules of the
New York Stock Exchange, those proxy statements do not conform
to Schedule 14A of the proxy rules promulgated under the
Securities Exchange Act. In addition, as a foreign private
issuer, our officers and directors are exempt from the
rules under the Securities Exchange Act relating to short swing
profit reporting and liability.
S-27
PROSPECTUS
$500,000,000
SCORPIO TANKERS
INC.
Through this prospectus, we may periodically offer:
(1) our common shares,
(2) our preferred shares,
(3) our debt securities, which may be guaranteed by
one or more of our subsidiaries,
(4) our warrants,
(5) our purchase contracts, and
(6) our units.
We may also offer securities of the types listed above
that are convertible or exchangeable into one or more of the
securities listed above.
The aggregate offering price of all securities issued
under this prospectus may not exceed $500.0 million. The
securities issued under this prospectus may be offered directly
or through underwriters, agents or dealers. The names of any
underwriters, agents or dealers will be included in a supplement
to this prospectus.
The prices and other terms of the securities that we will
offer will be determined at the time of their offering and will
be described in a supplement to this prospectus.
Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol STNG.
An investment in these securities involves risks. See the
section entitled Risk Factors beginning on
page 5 of this prospectus, and other risk factors contained
in the applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents
incorporated by reference herein and therein.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus is May 10, 2011
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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1
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5
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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12
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14
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19
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27
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27
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28
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28
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29
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36
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36
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37
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37
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Unless otherwise indicated, all references to
dollars and $ in this prospectus are to,
and amounts presented in, United States dollars and financial
information presented in this prospectus that is derived from
financial statements incorporated by reference is prepared in
accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or
the Commission, using a shelf registration process. Under the
shelf registration process, we may sell the common shares,
preferred shares, debt securities and related guarantees,
warrants, purchase contracts and units described in this
prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount
of $500,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general
description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer
securities, we will provide you with a supplement to this
prospectus that will describe the specific information about the
securities being offered and the specific terms of that
offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or
change the information contained in this prospectus. If there is
any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and
any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus
supplement. Before purchasing any securities, you should read
carefully both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement,
together with the additional information described below.
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a
registration statement we filed with the Commission and do not
contain all the information in the registration statement. Forms
of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of
the offered securities are filed as exhibits to the registration
statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus
supplement about these documents are summaries and each
statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the
document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual
documents for a more complete description of the relevant
matters. For further information about us or the securities
offered hereby, you should refer to the registration statement,
which you can obtain from the Commission as described below
under Where You Can Find Additional Information.
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any
prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person
to provide you with different information. If anyone provides
you with different or inconsistent information, you should not
rely on it. We will not make any offer to sell these securities
in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
You should assume that the information appearing in this
prospectus and the applicable supplement to this prospectus is
accurate as of the date on its respective cover, and that any
information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the
date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we
indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results
of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
This section summarizes some of the key information that
appears later in this prospectus. It may not contain all of the
information that may be important to you. You should review
carefully the risk factors and the more detailed information and
financial statements included in this prospectus before making
an investment decision. Unless the context otherwise requires,
when used in this prospectus, the terms Scorpio
Tankers, the Company, we,
our and us refer to Scorpio Tankers Inc.
and its subsidiaries. Scorpio Tankers Inc. refers
only to Scorpio Tankers Inc. and not its subsidiaries. The
financial information included in this prospectus represents our
financial information and the operations of our subsidiaries.
Unless otherwise indicated, all references to currency amounts
in this prospectus are in U.S. dollars.
Our
Company
We are Scorpio Tankers Inc., a company incorporated in the
Republic of The Marshall Islands. We provide seaborne
transportation of crude oil and other petroleum products
worldwide. As of the date of this prospectus, we own and operate
ten tankers (four LR1, four Handymax, one LR2 and one
post-Panamax) and time charter-in four tankers (one LR1 and
three Handymax) that have an average age of 5.6 years.
Further, we have agreed to acquire two LR1 tankers which are
expected to be delivered to us in May 2011. In addition, we have
options to purchase two 2008-built LR1 ice
class-1A
tankers, which expire in September 2011.
We believe that the current dynamics in the tanker market will
present attractive vessel purchase opportunities for ship
operators that have the necessary capital resources. We intend
to use available cash to purchase additional modern tankers
ranging in size from approximately 35,000 deadweight tons, or
dwt, to approximately 200,000 dwt, and that generally are not
more than five years old. We may purchase secondhand vessels
that meet our specifications or newbuilding vessels, either
directly from shipyards or from the current owners with shipyard
contracts. The timing of these acquisitions will depend on our
ability to identify suitable vessels on attractive purchase
terms.
Our founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
Mr. Emanuele Lauro, is a member of the Lolli-Ghetti family,
which has been involved in shipping since the early 1950s
through the Italian company Navigazione Alta Italia, or NAI. The
Lolli-Ghetti family owns and controls the Scorpio Group, which
includes Scorpio Ship Management S.A.M., or SSM; and Scorpio
Commercial Management S.A.M., or SCM; which provide us and third
parties with technical and commercial management services,
respectively; Liberty Holding Company Ltd., or Liberty, which
provides us with administrative services; and other affiliated
entities. Our President, Mr. Robert Bugbee, also has a
senior management position at Scorpio Group, and was formerly
the President and Chief Operating Officer of OMI Corporation, or
OMI, which was a publicly traded shipping company.
1
Our
Fleet
Below is our fleet list as of the date of this prospectus:
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Ice
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Vessel Name
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Year Built
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DWT
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Class
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Employment
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Owned
vessels(*)
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1
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Noemi
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2004
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72,515
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Time
Charter(1)
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2
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Senatore
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2004
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72,514
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SPTP(2)
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3
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Venice
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2001
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81,408
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1C
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SPTP(2)
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4
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STI Conqueror
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2005
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40,158
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1B
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SHTP(3)
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5
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STI Harmony
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2007
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73,919
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1A
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SPTP(2)
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6
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STI Heritage
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2008
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73,919
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1A
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SPTP(2)
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7
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STI Matador
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2003
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40,096
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SHTP(3)
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8
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STI Gladiator
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2003
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40,083
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SHTP(3)
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9
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STI Highlander
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2007
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37,145
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1A
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SHTP(3)
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10
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STI Spirit
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2008
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113,100
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SLR2P(4)
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Owned DWT
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644,857
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Time Chartered-In
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Daily Base
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(TC-IN) Vessels
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Expense
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Expiry(5)
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11
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BW Zambesi
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2010
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76,577
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SPTP(2)
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$
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13,850
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11-Dec-11(6
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12
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Histria Azure
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2007
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40,394
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SHTP(3)
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$
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12,250
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06-Feb-12(7
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13
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Kraslava
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2007
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37,258
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1B
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SHTP(3)
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$
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12,070
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26-Jan-11
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14
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Krisjanis Valdemars
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2007
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37,266
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1B
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SHTP(3)
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$
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12,000
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14-Dec-11(8
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TC-IN DWT
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191,495
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Total DWT
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836,352
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(*)
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In April 2011, we agreed to acquire
two LR1 product tankers, each 51,000 dwt, for an aggregate
purchase price of $70.0 million. The vessels were built in
2008 at the STX shipyard in Korea and are charter free.
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The vessels are expected to be
delivered in the first half of May 2011 and will be financed
with a combination of
cash-on-hand
and borrowing under a new $150 million credit facility
described under Recent Developments. Following
delivery, the vessels will be named the STI Coral and
STI Diamond.
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(1)
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Noemi
is time chartered by
King Dustin, which is a related party, with an expiration of
January 21, 2012, plus or minus 30 days at the
charterers option.
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(2)
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The vessel operates in the Scorpio
Panamax Tanker Pool (SPTP). SPTP is operated by Scorpio
Commercial Management (SCM). SPTP and SCM are related parties of
the Company.
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(3)
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These vessels operate in the
Scorpio Handymax Tanker Pool (SHTP). SHTP is operated by Scorpio
Commercial Management (SCM). SHTP and SCM are related parties of
the Company.
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(4)
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This vessel operates in the Scorpio
LR2 Pool (SLR2P). SLR2P is operated by Scorpio Commercial
Management (SCM). SLR2P and SCM are related parties of the
Company.
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(5)
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Redelivery from the charterer is
plus or minus 30 days from the expiry date at the
Companys option.
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(6)
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The agreement contains an optional
second year for a rate of $14,850/ day.
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(7)
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The agreement contains an option
for a second year at a rate of $13,750/ day, or $12,250/day with
a 50% profit sharing agreement whereby 50% of the profits over
$12,250/day will be distributed to the vessel owner.
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(8)
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The agreement contains a 50% profit
and loss sharing agreement with the vessel owner whereby we
would split all of the vessels profits and losses above or
below $12,000/day with the vessel owner.
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Our chartering policy is to employ our vessels in the spot
charter market or on time charter. Where we plan to employ a
vessel in the spot charter market, we intend to generally place
such vessel in a tanker pool managed by our
2
commercial manager that pertains to that vessels size
class. We believe this policy allows us to obtain attractive
charterhire rates for our vessels while managing our exposure to
short-term fluctuations in the tanker chartering market.
Currently 13 of our 14 owned or chartered in tanker vessels are
employed in pools managed by SCM.
Corporate
Structure
We were incorporated under the laws of the Republic of The
Marshall Islands on July 1, 2009. We currently maintain our
principal executive offices at 9, Boulevard Charles III, Monaco
98000. Our telephone at this address is +377-9798-5716. We also
maintain an office in the United States at 150 East
58th Street, New York, NY 10155. The telephone number at
our New York office is
212-542-1616.
We own each of the vessels in our owned fleet, and expect to own
each additional vessel that we acquire into our owned fleet in
the future, through separate wholly-owned subsidiaries
incorporated in the Republic of The Marshall Islands. The
vessels in our time chartered-in fleet are chartered-in to our
wholly-owned subsidiary, STI Chartering and Trading Ltd.
Recent
Developments
In April 2011, we agreed to acquire two LR1 product tankers,
each 51,000 dwt, for an aggregate purchase price of
$70.0 million. The vessels were built in 2008 at the STX
shipyard in Korea and are charter free. The vessels are expected
to be delivered in the first half of May 2011 and will be
financed with a combination of
cash-on-hand
and borrowing under a new $150 million credit facility
described below. Following delivery, the vessels will be named
the STI Coral and STI Diamond.
On May 3, 2011, we executed a credit facility with Nordea
Bank Finland plc, acting through its New York branch, DnB NOR
Bank ASA, acting through its New York branch, and ABN AMRO Bank
N.V., or the lead arrangers, for a senior secured term loan
facility of up to $150 million, or the 2011 Credit Facility.
Borrowings under the 2011 Credit Facility are available until
May 3, 2012 and bear interest at LIBOR plus an applicable
margin of 2.75% per annum when our debt to capitalization (total
debt plus equity) ratio is less than 45%, 3.00% per annum when
our debt to capitalization ratio is greater than or equal to 45%
but less than or equal to 50%, and 3.25% when our debt to
capitalization ratio is greater than 50%. A commitment fee equal
to 40% of the applicable margin is payable on the unused daily
portion of the credit facility. The credit facility matures on
May 3, 2017 and can only be used to finance up to 50% of
the cost of future vessel acquisitions, which vessels would be
the collateral for the credit facility.
Borrowings for each vessel financed under this facility
represent a separate tranche, with repayment terms dependent on
the age of the vessel at acquisition. Each tranche under the new
credit facility is repayable in equal quarterly installments,
with a lump sum payment at maturity, based on a full repayment
of such tranche when the vessel to which it relates is sixteen
years of age. Our subsidiaries, which may at any time own one or
more of our vessels, will act as guarantors under the credit
facility.
The credit facility requires us to comply with a number of
covenants, including financial covenants; delivery of quarterly
and annual financial statements and annual projections;
maintaining adequate insurances; compliance with laws (including
environmental); compliance with ERISA; maintenance of flag and
class of the initial vessels; restrictions on consolidations,
mergers or sales of assets; approvals on changes in the Manager
of our initial vessels; limitations on liens; limitations on
additional indebtedness; prohibitions on paying dividends if a
covenant breach or an event of default has occurred or would
occur as a result of payment of a dividend; prohibitions on
transactions with affiliates; and other customary covenants.
The financial covenants include:
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The ratio of net debt to capitalization shall be no greater than
0.60 to 1.00.
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Consolidated tangible net worth shall be no less than
US$150,000,000 plus 25% of cumulative positive net income (on a
consolidated basis) for each fiscal quarter from July 1,
2010 going forward and 75% of the value of any new equity issues
from July 1, 2010 going forward.
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Commencing with the third fiscal quarter of 2011, we shall
maintain a ratio of consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the loan
agreement) to consolidated net interest expense (as defined in
the loan agreement) of not
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less than 2.50 to 1.00. Such ratio shall be calculated quarterly
on a trailing quarter basis from and including the third fiscal
quarter of 2011, provided that for the third fiscal quarter of
2012 and all periods thereafter such ratio shall be calculated
on a trailing four quarter basis.
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We need to maintain not less than US$15,000,000 of cash and cash
equivalents, including all amounts on deposit with any lead
arranger, until we own directly or indirectly a fleet of
15 vessels; we shall maintain cash and cash equivalents,
including all amounts on deposit with any lead arranger, of not
less than US$15,000,000 plus US$750,000 per each additional
vessel that we directly or indirectly own over 15 vessels.
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The aggregate fair market value of the collateral vessels shall
at all times be no less than 150% of the then aggregate
outstanding principal amount of loans under the credit facility.
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The 2011 Credit Facility will used to finance 50% of the cost of
the STI Coral and STI Diamond.
The
Securities We May Offer
We may use this prospectus to offer up to $500.0 million of
our:
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common shares,
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preferred shares,
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debt securities, which may be guaranteed by one or more of our
subsidiaries,
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warrants,
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purchase contracts, and
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units.
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We may also offer securities of the types listed above that are
convertible or exchangeable into one or more of the securities
listed above.
A prospectus supplement will describe the specific types,
amounts, prices, and detailed terms of any of these offered
securities and may describe certain risks in addition to those
set forth below associated with an investment in the securities.
Terms used in the prospectus supplement will have the meanings
described in this prospectus, unless otherwise specified.
4
RISK
FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk.
You should carefully consider the risks set forth below and
discussion of risks under the heading Risk Factors
in our Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2010 and the other
documents we have incorporated by reference in this prospectus
that summarize the risks that may materially affect our business
before making an investment in our securities. Please see
Where You Can Find Additional Information
Information Incorporated by Reference. In addition, you
should also consider carefully the risks set forth under the
heading Risk Factors in any prospectus supplement
before investing in any securities offered by this prospectus.
The occurrence of one or more of those risk factors could
adversely impact our results of operations or financial
condition.
The Price
of Our Common Shares After This Offering May be
Volatile.
The price of our common shares may fluctuate due to factors such
as:
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actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly and annual
results and those of other public companies in our industry;
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mergers and strategic alliances in the crude tanker and product
tanker industries;
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market conditions in the crude tanker and product tanker
industries;
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changes in government regulation;
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the failure of securities analysts to publish research about us
after this offering, or shortfalls in our operating results from
levels forecast by securities analysts;
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announcements concerning us or our competitors; and
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the general state of the securities market.
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The seaborne transportation industry has been highly
unpredictable and volatile. The market for our common shares in
this industry may be equally volatile. Consequently, you may not
be able to sell the common shares at prices equal to or greater
than those paid by you in this offering.
We are
Incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Which Does
Not have a Well-Developed Body of Corporate Law and, as a
Result, Shareholders May have Fewer Rights and Protections Under
Marshall Islands Law Than Under a Typical Jurisdiction in the
United States.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our articles of
incorporation and bylaws and by the Marshall Islands Business
Corporations Act, or 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 Republic of The Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. The
rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the law
of the Republic 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. Shareholder rights may
differ as well. While the BCA does specifically incorporate the
non-statutory law, or judicial case law, of the State of
Delaware and other states with substantially similar legislative
provisions, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in
protecting their interests in the face of actions by management,
directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of
a corporation incorporated in a United States jurisdiction.
Please see the section of this prospectus titled
Enforceability of Civil Liabilities beginning on
page 12.
It May be
Difficult to Serve Process on or Enforce a United States
Judgment Against us, Our Officers and Our Directors.
We are a Republic of The Marshall Islands corporation and some
of our directors and officers and certain of the experts named
in this offering are located outside the United States. In
addition, a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of
our directors, officers and experts are located outside of the
United States. As a result, you may have difficulty serving
legal process within the United States upon us or any of these
persons. You may also have difficulty enforcing, both in and
outside the United States, judgments you may obtain in
U.S. courts against us or
5
any of these persons in any action, including actions based upon
the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal or state
securities laws. Furthermore, there is substantial doubt that
the courts of the Republic of The Marshall Islands or of the
non-U.S. jurisdictions
in which our offices are located would enter judgments in
original actions brought in those courts predicated on
U.S. federal or state securities laws.
We May
Issue Additional Common Shares or Other Equity Securities
Without Your Approval, Which Would Dilute Your Ownership
Interests and May Depress the Market Price of Our Common
Shares.
We may issue additional common 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.
Our issuance of additional common shares or other equity
securities of equal or senior rank would have the following
effects:
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our existing shareholders proportionate ownership interest
in us will decrease;
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the amount of cash available for dividends payable on our common
shares may decrease;
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the relative voting strength of each previously outstanding
common share may be diminished; and
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the market price of our common shares may decline.
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6
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Matters discussed in this document may constitute
forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for
forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to
provide prospective information about their business.
Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans,
objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and
underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other
than statements of historical facts.
We desire to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are
including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe
harbor legislation. This document and any other written or oral
statements made by us or on our behalf may include
forward-looking statements which reflect our current views with
respect to future events and financial performance. The words
believe, anticipate, intend,
estimate, forecast, project,
plan, potential, may,
should, expect and similar expressions
identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this document are based upon
various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon
further assumptions, including without limitation,
managements examination of historical operating trends,
data contained in our records and other data available from
third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were
reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently
subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are
difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control,
we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these
expectations, beliefs or projections.
In addition to these important factors and matters discussed
elsewhere in this prospectus, and in the documents incorporated
by reference in this prospectus, important factors that, in our
view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength
of world economies and currencies, general market conditions,
including fluctuations in charterhire rates and vessel values,
changes in demand in the tanker vessel markets, changes in the
companys operating expenses, including bunker prices,
insurance costs, changes in governmental rules and regulations
or actions taken by regulatory authorities including those that
may limit the commercial useful lives of tankers, potential
liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic
and international political conditions, potential disruption of
shipping routes due to accidents or political events, and other
important factors described from time to time in the reports we
file with the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange. We
caution readers of this prospectus and any prospectus supplement
not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of their dates. We undertake no obligation
to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These
forward looking statements are not guarantees of our future
performance, and actual results and future developments may vary
materially from those projected in the forward looking
statements.
7
RATIO OF
EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The following table sets forth our unaudited ratio of earnings
to fixed charges for the years ended December 31, 2010,
2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.
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Years Ended December 31,
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2010
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2009
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2008
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2007
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2006
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(unaudited)
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Earnings:
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Add:
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Income before income taxes
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(2,822,098
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3,418,037
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12,185,924
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12,053,792
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19,158,254
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Fixed charges (calculated below)
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3,244,335
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730,037
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1,915,413
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1,953,344
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3,041,684
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Earnings
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422,237
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4,148,074
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14,101,337
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14,007,136
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22,199,938
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Fixed charges:
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Interest on bank loans
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2,984,765
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699,115
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1,710,907
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1,953,344
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3,041,684
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Amortization of deferred financing fees
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246,130
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Interest component of rent
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13,440
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30,922
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204,506
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Fixed charges
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3,244,335
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730,037
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1,915,413
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1,953,344
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3,041,684
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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0.13(1
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5.68
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7.36
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7.17
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7.30
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Our earnings were insufficient to
cover fixed charges and accordingly, the ratio coverage was less
than 1:1. We would have needed to generate additional earnings
of $2,822,098 to achieve coverage of 1:1 in 2010.
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8
USE OF
PROCEEDS
Unless we specify otherwise in any prospectus supplement, we
will use the net proceeds from the sale of securities that we
may offer by this prospectus for making vessel acquisitions if
market conditions warrant; capital expenditures; working
capital; debt repayment and for general corporate purposes.
9
OUR
CAPITALIZATION
Information about our capitalization will be included in a
prospectus supplement.
10
DILUTION
Information about the amount by which the offering price of our
common shares issued pursuant to this prospectus exceeds the net
tangible book value per share of our common shares following
such issuance will be included in a prospectus supplement.
11
ENFORCEABILITY
OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are a Marshall Islands company, and our principal executive
office is located outside of the United States in Monaco,
although we also have an office in New York. Some of our
directors, officers and the experts named in this registration
statement reside outside the United States. In addition, a
substantial portion of our assets and the assets of certain of
our directors, officers and experts are located outside of the
United States. As a result, you may have difficulty serving
legal process within the United States upon us or any of these
persons. You may also have difficulty enforcing, both in and
outside the United States, judgments you may obtain in United
States courts against us or these persons.
PLAN OF
DISTRIBUTION
We may sell or distribute the securities included in this
prospectus through underwriters, through agents, to dealers, in
private transactions, at market prices prevailing at the time of
sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, or at
negotiated prices.
In addition, we may sell some or all of our securities included
in this prospectus through:
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a block trade in which a broker-dealer may resell a portion of
the block, as principal, in order to facilitate the transaction;
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purchases by a broker-dealer, as principal, and resale by the
broker-dealer for its account; or
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a
broker solicits purchasers.
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In addition, we may enter into option or other types of
transactions that require us or them to deliver our securities
to a broker-dealer, who will then resell or transfer the
securities under this prospectus. We may enter into hedging
transactions with respect to our securities. For example, we may:
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enter into transactions involving short sales of our common
shares by broker-dealers;
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sell common shares short and deliver the shares to close out
short positions;
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enter into option or other types of transactions that require us
to deliver common shares to a broker-dealer, who will then
resell or transfer the common shares under this
prospectus; or
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loan or pledge the common shares to a broker-dealer, who may
sell the loaned shares or, in the event of default, sell the
pledged shares.
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We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or
sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties
in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable
prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those
derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by
this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement,
including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may
use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to
settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings
of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement
of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of
stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an
underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be
identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a
post-effective amendment). In addition, we may otherwise loan or
pledge securities to a financial institution or other third
party that in turn may sell the securities short using this
prospectus. Such financial institution or other third party may
transfer its economic short position to investors in our
securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other
securities.
Any broker-dealers or other persons acting on our behalf that
participates with us in the distribution of the securities may
be deemed to be underwriters and any commissions received or
profit realized by them on the resale of the securities may be
deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. As of
the date of this prospectus, we are not a party to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding between any broker or
dealer and us with respect to the offer or sale of the
securities pursuant to this prospectus.
12
At the time that any particular offering of securities is made,
to the extent required by the Securities Act, a prospectus
supplement will be distributed, setting forth the terms of the
offering, including the aggregate number of securities being
offered, the purchase price of the securities, the initial
offering price of the securities, the names of any underwriters,
dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other items
constituting compensation from us and any discounts, commissions
or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.
Underwriters or agents could make sales in privately negotiated
transactions
and/or any
other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an
at-the-market
offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the
Securities Act, which includes sales made directly on or through
the New York Stock Exchange, the existing trading market for our
shares of common stock, or sales made to or through a market
maker other than on an exchange.
We will bear costs relating to all of the securities being
registered under this Registration Statement.
As a result of requirements of the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority, or FINRA, formerly the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., the maximum commission or discount to
be received by any FINRA member or independent broker/dealer may
not be greater than eight percent (8%) of the gross proceeds
received by us for the sale of any securities being registered
pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act.
13
DESCRIPTION
OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following is a description of the material terms of our
amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws.
Please see our amended and restated articles of incorporation
and bylaws, copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the
registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Purpose
Our purpose, as stated in our amended and restated articles of
incorporation, is to engage in any lawful act or activity for
which corporations may now or hereafter be organized under the
Business Corporations Act of the Marshall Islands, or the BCA.
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws do
not impose any limitations on the ownership rights of our
shareholders.
Authorized
Capital Stock
Under our amended and restated articles of incorporation our
authorized capital stock consists of 250 million common
shares, par value $0.01 per share, of which
24,924,913 shares are currently issued and outstanding, and
25 million preferred shares, par value $0.01 per share, of
which no shares are issued and outstanding.
Common
Shares
Each outstanding common share entitles the holder to one vote on
all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. Subject to
preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares of
preferred stock, holders of common shares are entitled to
receive ratably all dividends, if any, declared by our board of
directors out of funds legally available for dividends. Upon our
dissolution or liquidation or the sale of all or substantially
all of our assets, after payment in full of all amounts required
to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock
having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our
common shares are entitled to receive pro rata our remaining
assets available for distribution. Holders of common shares do
not have conversion, redemption or pre-emptive rights to
subscribe to any of our securities. The rights, preferences and
privileges of holders of common shares are subject to the rights
of the holders of any shares of preferred stock, which we may
issue in the future.
Preferred
Shares
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize our
board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred
stock and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred
stock, the terms and rights of that series, including:
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the designation of the series;
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the number of shares of the series;
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the preferences and relative, participating, option or other
special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or
restrictions of such series; and
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the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.
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Registrar
and Transfer Agent
The registrar and transfer agent for our common shares is
Computershare, Inc.
Listing
Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol STNG.
Directors
Our directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by
shareholders entitled to vote. There is no provision allowing
for cumulative voting.
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Our amended and restated bylaws require our board of directors
to consist of at least one member. Our board of directors
consists of five members. Our amended and restated bylaws may be
amended by the vote of a majority of our entire board of
directors.
Directors are elected annually on a staggered basis, and each
shall serve for a three year term and until his successor shall
have been duly elected and qualified, except in the event of his
death, resignation, removal, or the earlier termination of his
term of office. Our board of directors, as advised by our
Compensation Committee, has the authority to fix the amounts
which shall be payable to the members of the board of directors
for attendance at any meeting or for services rendered to us.
Shareholder
Meetings
Under our amended and restated bylaws, annual meetings of
shareholders will be held at a time and place selected by our
board of directors. The meetings may be held in or outside of
the Republic of The Marshall Islands. Special meetings may be
called at any time by a majority of our board of directors, the
chairman of our board of directors or an officer of the Company
who is also a director. 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. One or more shareholders
representing at least one-third of the total voting rights of
our total issued and outstanding shares present in person or by
proxy at a shareholder meeting shall constitute a quorum for the
purposes of the meeting.
Dissenters
Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the BCA, our shareholders have the right to dissent from
various corporate actions, including any merger or consolidation
and 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. 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.
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 both at the time the
derivative action is commenced and at the time of the
transaction to which the action relates.
Limitations
on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and
Directors
The BCA authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the
personal liability of directors and officers to corporations and
their shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of
directors fiduciary duties. Our amended and restated
articles of incorporation and bylaws include a provision that
eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary
damages for actions taken as a director to the fullest extent
permitted by law.
Our bylaws provide that we must indemnify our directors and
officers to the fullest extent authorized by law. We are also
expressly authorized to advance certain expenses (including
attorneys fees and disbursements and court costs) to our
directors and officers and carry directors and
officers insurance providing indemnification for our
directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities.
We believe that these indemnification provisions and this
insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors
and executive officers.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in
our articles of incorporation and bylaws may discourage
shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against 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, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. In
addition, your
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investment 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 currently no pending material litigation or proceeding
involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which
indemnification is sought.
Anti-Takeover
Effect of Certain Provisions of Our Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
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 us. However, these anti-takeover provisions, which are
summarized below, could also discourage, delay or prevent
(1) the merger or acquisition of us by means of a tender
offer, a proxy contest or otherwise that a shareholder may
consider in its best interest and (2) the removal of
incumbent officers and directors.
Blank
Check Preferred Stock
Under the terms of our amended and restated articles of
incorporation, our board of directors has authority, without any
further vote or action by our shareholders, to issue up to
25 million shares of blank check preferred stock. Our board
of directors may issue shares of preferred stock on terms
calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control
of us or the removal of our management.
Election
and Removal of Directors
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation prohibit
cumulative voting in the election of directors. Our bylaws
require parties other than the board of directors to give
advance written notice of nominations for the election of
directors. Our articles of incorporation also provide that our
directors may be removed for cause upon the affirmative vote of
not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of our
capital stock entitled to vote for those directors. These
provisions may discourage, delay or prevent the removal of
incumbent officers and directors.
Limited
Actions by Stockholders
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our
bylaws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken
by our shareholders must be effected at an annual or special
meeting of shareholders or by the unanimous written consent of
our shareholders. Our amended and restated articles of
incorporation and our bylaws provide that, unless otherwise
prescribed by law, only a majority of our board of directors,
the chairman of our board of directors or an officer of the
Company who is also a director may call special meetings of our
shareholders and the business transacted at the special meeting
is limited to the purposes stated in the notice. Accordingly, a
shareholder may be prevented from calling a special meeting for
shareholder consideration of a proposal over the opposition of
our board of directors and shareholder consideration of a
proposal may be delayed until the next annual meeting.
Advance
Notice Requirements For Shareholder Proposals and Director
Nominations
Our bylaws provide that 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 shareholders notice must be received at
our principal executive offices not less than 150 days nor
more than 180 days prior to the one year anniversary of the
immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders. Our bylaws
also specify requirements as to the form and content of a
shareholders 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.
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Classified
Board of Directors
As described above, our amended and restated 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.
Accordingly, approximately one-third of our board of directors
will be 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 two years.
Business
Combinations
Although the BCA does not contain specific provisions regarding
business combinations between companies organized
under the laws of the Marshall Islands and interested
shareholders, we have included these provisions in our
articles of incorporation. Specifically, our articles of
incorporation prohibit us from engaging in a business
combination with certain persons for three years following
the date the person becomes an interested shareholder.
Interested shareholders generally include:
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any person who is the beneficial owner of 15% or more of our
outstanding voting stock; or
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any person who is our affiliate or associate and who held 15% or
more of our outstanding voting stock at any time within three
years before the date on which the persons status as an
interested shareholder is determined, and the affiliates and
associates of such person.
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Subject to certain exceptions, a business combination includes,
among other things:
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certain mergers or consolidations of us or any direct or
indirect majority-owned subsidiary of ours;
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any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other
disposition of our assets or of any subsidiary of ours having an
aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the
aggregate market value of all of our assets, determined on a
combined basis, or the aggregate value of all of our outstanding
stock;
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certain transactions that result in the issuance or transfer by
us of any stock of ours to the interested shareholder;
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any transaction involving us or any of our subsidiaries that has
the effect of increasing the proportionate share of any class or
series of stock, or securities convertible into any class or
series of stock, of ours or any such subsidiary that is owned
directly or indirectly by the interested shareholder or any
affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder; and
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any receipt by the interested shareholder of the benefit
directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a shareholder)
of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial
benefits provided by or through us.
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These provisions of our articles of incorporation do not apply
to a business combination if:
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before a person became an interested shareholder, our board of
directors approved either the business combination or the
transaction in which the shareholder became an interested
shareholder;
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upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the
shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested
shareholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding
at the time the transaction commenced, other than certain
excluded shares;
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at or following the transaction in which the person became 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 the holders of at least two-thirds of our
outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interest
shareholder;
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the shareholder was or became an interested shareholder prior to
the closing of our initial public offering in 2010;
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a shareholder became an interested shareholder inadvertently and
(i) as soon as practicable divested itself of ownership of
sufficient shares so that the shareholder ceased to be an
interested shareholder; and (ii) would not, at any time
within the three-year period immediately prior to a business
combination between us and such shareholder, have been an
interested shareholder but for the inadvertent acquisition of
ownership; or
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the business combination is proposed prior to the consummation
or abandonment of and subsequent to the earlier of the public
announcement or the notice required under our articles of
incorporation which (i) constitutes one of the transactions
described in the following sentence; (ii) is with or by a
person who either was not an interested shareholder during the
previous three years or who became an interested shareholder
with the approval of the board; and (iii) is approved or
not opposed by a majority of the members of the board of
directors then in office (but not less than one) who were
directors prior to any person becoming an interested shareholder
during the previous three years or were recommended for election
or elected to succeed such directors by a majority of such
directors. The proposed transactions referred to in the
preceding sentence are limited to:
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(i)
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a merger or consolidation of us (except for a merger in respect
of which, pursuant to the BCA, no vote of our shareholders is
required);
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(ii)
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a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other
disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions),
whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of us
or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of ours
(other than to any direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary or
to us) having an aggregate market value equal to 50% or more of
either the aggregate market value of all of our assets
determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value
of all the outstanding shares; or
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(iii)
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a proposed tender or exchange offer for 50% or more of our
outstanding voting stock.
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DESCRIPTION
OF DEBT SECURITIES
We may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more
series, under one or more indentures, each dated as of a date on
or prior to the issuance of the debt securities to which it
relates. We may issue senior debt securities and subordinated
debt securities pursuant to separate indentures, a senior
indenture and a subordinated indenture, respectively, in each
case between us and the trustee named in the indenture. These
indentures will be filed either as exhibits to an amendment to
this Registration Statement, or as an exhibit to a Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, or Exchange Act, report that will be
incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement or a
prospectus supplement. We will refer to any or all of these
reports as subsequent filings. The senior indenture
and the subordinated indenture, as amended or supplemented from
time to time, are sometimes referred to individually as an
indenture and collectively as the
indentures. Each indenture will be subject to and
governed by the Trust Indenture Act. The aggregate
principal amount of debt securities which may be issued under
each indenture will be unlimited and each indenture will contain
the specific terms of any series of debt securities or provide
that those terms must be set forth in or determined pursuant to,
an authorizing resolution, as defined in the applicable
prospectus supplement,
and/or a
supplemental indenture, if any, relating to such series.
Certain of our subsidiaries may guarantee the debt securities we
offer. Those guarantees may or may not be secured by liens,
mortgages, and security interests in the assets of those
subsidiaries. The terms and conditions of any such subsidiary
guarantees, and a description of any such liens, mortgages or
security interests, will be set forth in the prospectus
supplement that will accompany this prospectus.
The following description of the terms of the debt securities
sets forth certain general terms and provisions. The statements
below are not complete and are subject to, and are qualified in
their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the
applicable indenture. The specific terms of any debt securities
that we may offer, including any modifications of, or additions
to, the general terms described below as well as any applicable
material U.S. federal income tax considerations concerning
the ownership of such debt securities will be described in the
applicable prospectus supplement or supplemental indenture.
Accordingly, for a complete description of the terms of a
particular issue of debt securities, the general description of
the debt securities set forth below should be read in
conjunction with the applicable prospectus supplement and
indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
General
Neither indenture limits the amount of debt securities which may
be issued, and each indenture provides that debt securities may
be issued up to the aggregate principal amount from time to
time. The debt securities may be issued in one or more series.
The senior debt securities will be unsecured and will rank on
parity with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated
indebtedness. Each series of subordinated debt securities will
be unsecured and subordinated to all present and future senior
indebtedness of debt securities will be described in an
accompanying prospectus supplement.
You should read the subsequent filings relating to the
particular series of debt securities for the following terms of
the offered debt securities:
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the designation, aggregate principal amount and authorized
denominations;
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the issue price, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate
principal amount;
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the maturity date;
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the interest rate per annum, if any;
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if the offered debt securities provide for interest payments,
the date from which interest will accrue, the dates on which
interest will be payable, the date on which payment of interest
will commence and the regular record dates for interest payment
dates;
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any optional or mandatory sinking fund provisions or conversion
or exchangeability provisions;
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the date, if any, after which and the price or prices at which
the offered debt securities may be optionally redeemed or must
be mandatorily redeemed and any other terms and provisions of
optional or mandatory redemptions;
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if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple
thereof, the denominations in which offered debt securities of
the series will be issuable;
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if other than the full principal amount, the portion of the
principal amount of offered debt securities of the series which
will be payable upon acceleration or provable in bankruptcy;
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any events of default not set forth in this prospectus;
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the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in
which principal, premium and interest will be payable, if other
than the currency of the United States of America;
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if principal, premium or interest is payable, at our election or
at the election of any holder, in a currency other than that in
which the offered debt securities of the series are stated to be
payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms and
conditions upon which, the election may be made;
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whether interest will be payable in cash or additional
securities at our or the holders option and the terms and
conditions upon which the election may be made;
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if denominated in a currency or currencies other than the
currency of the United States of America, the equivalent price
in the currency of the United States of America for purposes of
determining the voting rights of holders of those debt
securities under the applicable indenture;
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if the amount of payments of principal, premium or interest may
be determined with reference to an index, formula or other
method based on a coin or currency other than that in which the
offered debt securities of the series are stated to be payable,
the manner in which the amounts will be determined;
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any restrictive covenants or other material terms relating to
the offered debt securities, which may not be inconsistent with
the applicable indenture;
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whether the offered debt securities will be issued in the form
of global securities or certificates in registered form;
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any terms with respect to subordination;
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any listing on any securities exchange or quotation system;
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additional provisions, if any, related to defeasance and
discharge of the offered debt securities; and
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the applicability of any guarantees.
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Unless otherwise indicated in subsequent filings with the
Commission relating to the indenture, principal, premium and
interest will be payable and the debt securities will be
transferable at the corporate trust office of the applicable
trustee. Unless other arrangements are made or set forth in
subsequent filings or a supplemental indenture, principal,
premium and interest will be paid by checks mailed to the
holders at their registered addresses.
Unless otherwise indicated in subsequent filings with the
Commission, the debt securities will be issued only in fully
registered form without coupons, in denominations of $1,000 or
any integral multiple thereof. No service charge will be made
for any transfer or exchange of the debt securities, but we may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge payable in connection with these debt
securities.
Some or all of the debt securities may be issued as discounted
debt securities, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which
at the time of issuance is below market rates, to be sold at a
substantial discount below the stated principal amount. United
States federal income consequences and other special
considerations applicable to any discounted securities will be
described in subsequent filings with the Commission relating to
those securities.
We refer you to applicable subsequent filings with respect to
any deletions or additions or modifications from the description
contained in this prospectus.
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Senior
Debt
We may issue senior debt securities under a senior debt
indenture. These senior debt securities would rank on an equal
basis with all our other unsecured debt except subordinated debt.
Subordinated
Debt
We may issue subordinated debt securities under a subordinated
debt indenture. Subordinated debt would rank subordinate and
junior in right of payment, to the extent set forth in the
subordinated debt indenture, to all our senior debt (both
secured and unsecured).
In general, the holders of all senior debt are first entitled to
receive payment of the full amount unpaid on senior debt before
the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities are
entitled to receive a payment on account of the principal or
interest on the indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated debt
securities in certain events.
If we default in the payment of any principal of, or premium, if
any, or interest on any senior debt when it becomes due and
payable after any applicable grace period, then, unless and
until the default is cured or waived or ceases to exist, we
cannot make a payment on account of or redeem or otherwise
acquire the subordinated debt securities.
If there is any insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation or other
similar proceeding relating to us or our property, then all
senior debt must be paid in full before any payment may be made
to any holders of subordinated debt securities.
Furthermore, if we default in the payment of the principal of
and accrued interest on any subordinated debt securities that is
declared due and payable upon an event of default under the
subordinated debt indenture, holders of all our senior debt will
first be entitled to receive payment in full in cash before
holders of such subordinated debt can receive any payments.
Senior debt means:
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the principal, premium, if any, interest and any other amounts
owing in respect of our indebtedness for money borrowed and
indebtedness evidenced by securities, notes, debentures, bonds
or other similar instruments issued by us, including the senior
debt securities or letters of credit;
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all capitalized lease obligations;
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all hedging obligations;
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all obligations representing the deferred purchase price of
property; and
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all deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of
obligations of the type referred to above;
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but senior debt does not include:
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subordinated debt securities; and
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any indebtedness that by its terms is subordinated to, or ranks
on an equal basis with, our subordinated debt securities.
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Covenants
Any series of offered debt securities may have covenants in
addition to or differing from those included in the applicable
indenture which will be described in subsequent filings prepared
in connection with the offering of such securities, limiting or
restricting, among other things:
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the ability of us or our subsidiaries to incur either secured or
unsecured debt, or both;
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the ability to make certain payments, dividends, redemptions or
repurchases;
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our ability to create dividend and other payment restrictions
affecting our subsidiaries;
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our ability to make investments;
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mergers and consolidations by us or our subsidiaries;
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sales of assets by us;
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our ability to enter into transactions with affiliates;
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our ability to incur liens; and
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sale and leaseback transactions.
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Modification
of the Indentures
Each indenture and the rights of the respective holders may be
modified by us only with the consent of holders of not less than
a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt
securities of all series under the respective indenture affected
by the modification, taken together as a class. But no
modification that:
(1) changes the amount of securities whose holders must
consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(2) reduces the rate of or changes the interest payment
time on any security or alters its redemption provisions (other
than any alteration to any such section which would not
materially adversely affect the legal rights of any holder under
the indenture) or the price at which we are required to offer to
purchase the securities;
(3) reduces the principal or changes the maturity of any
security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed
for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;
(4) waives a default or event of default in the payment of
the principal of or interest, if any, on any security (except a
rescission of acceleration of the securities of any series by
the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the
outstanding securities of that series and a waiver of the
payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(5) makes the principal of or interest, if any, on any
security payable in any currency other than that stated in the
security;
(6) makes any change with respect to holders rights
to receive principal and interest, the terms pursuant to which
defaults can be waived, certain modifications affecting
shareholders or certain currency-related issues; or
(7) waives a redemption payment with respect to any
security or change any of the provisions with respect to the
redemption of any securities;
will be effective against any holder without his consent. Other
terms as specified in subsequent filings may be modified without
the consent of the holders.
Events of
Default
Each indenture defines an event of default for the debt
securities of any series as being any one of the following
events:
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default in any payment of interest when due which continues for
30 days;
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default in any payment of principal or premium when due;
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default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when due;
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default in the performance of any covenant in the debt
securities or the applicable indenture which continues for
60 days after we receive notice of the default;
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default under a bond, debenture, note or other evidence of
indebtedness for borrowed money by us or our subsidiaries (to
the extent we are directly responsible or liable therefor)
having a principal amount in excess of a minimum amount set
forth in the applicable subsequent filing, whether such
indebtedness now exists or
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is hereafter created, which default shall have resulted in such
indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to
the date on which it would otherwise have become due and
payable, without such acceleration having been rescinded or
annulled or cured within 30 days after we receive notice of
the default; and
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events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization.
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An event of default of one series of debt securities does not
necessarily constitute an event of default with respect to any
other series of debt securities.
There may be such other or different events of default as
described in an applicable subsequent filing with respect to any
class or series of offered debt securities.
In case an event of default occurs and continues for the debt
securities of any series, the applicable trustee or the holders
of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt
securities then outstanding of that series may declare the
principal and accrued but unpaid interest of the debt securities
of that series to be due and payable. Any event of default for
the debt securities of any series which has been cured may be
waived by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding.
Each indenture requires us to file annually after debt
securities are issued under that indenture with the applicable
trustee a written statement signed by two of our officers as to
the absence of material defaults under the terms of that
indenture. Each indenture provides that the applicable trustee
may withhold notice to the holders of any default if it
considers it in the interest of the holders to do so, except
notice of a default in payment of principal, premium or interest.
Subject to the duties of the trustee in case an event of default
occurs and continues, each indenture provides that the trustee
is under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers
under that indenture at the request, order or direction of
holders unless the holders have offered to the trustee
reasonable indemnity. Subject to these provisions for
indemnification and the rights of the trustee, each indenture
provides that the holders of a majority in principal amount of
the debt securities of any series then outstanding have the
right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising
any trust or power conferred on the trustee as long as the
exercise of that right does not conflict with any law or the
indenture.
Defeasance
and Discharge
The terms of each indenture provide us with the option to be
discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt
securities issued thereunder upon the deposit with the trustee,
in trust, of money or U.S. government obligations, or both,
which through the payment of interest and principal in
accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount
sufficient to pay any installment of principal, premium and
interest on, and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect
of, the debt securities on the stated maturity of the payments
in accordance with the terms of the debt securities and the
indenture governing the debt securities. This right may only be
exercised if, among other things, we have received from, or
there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue
Service a ruling to the effect that such a discharge will not be
deemed, or result in, a taxable event with respect to holders.
This discharge would not apply to our obligations to register
the transfer or exchange of debt securities, to replace stolen,
lost or mutilated debt securities, to maintain paying agencies
and hold moneys for payment in trust.
Defeasance
of Certain Covenants
The terms of the debt securities provide us with the right to
omit complying with specified covenants and that specified
events of default described in a subsequent filing will not
apply. In order to exercise this right, we will be required to
deposit with the trustee money or U.S. government
obligations, or both, which through the payment of interest and
principal will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay
principal, premium, if any, and interest on, and any mandatory
sinking fund payments in respect of, the debt securities on the
stated maturity of such payments in accordance with the terms of
the debt securities and the indenture governing such debt
securities. We will also be required to deliver to the trustee
an opinion of counsel to the effect that we have received from,
or there has been published by, the IRS a ruling to the effect
that the deposit and related covenant defeasance will not cause
the holders of such series to recognize income, gain or loss for
federal income tax purposes.
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A subsequent filing may further describe the provisions, if any,
of any particular series of offered debt securities permitting a
discharge defeasance.
Subsidiary
Guarantees
Certain of our subsidiaries may guarantee the debt securities we
offer. In that case, the terms and conditions of the subsidiary
guarantees will be set forth in the applicable prospectus
supplement. Unless we indicate differently in the applicable
prospectus supplement, if any of our subsidiaries guarantee any
of our debt securities that are subordinated to any of our
senior indebtedness, then the subsidiary guarantees will be
subordinated to the senior indebtedness of such subsidiary to
the same extent as our debt securities are subordinated to our
senior indebtedness.
Global
Securities
The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in
part in the form of one or more global securities that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, a depository identified in an
applicable subsequent filing and registered in the name of the
depository or a nominee for the depository. In such a case, one
or more global securities will be issued in a denomination or
aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate
principal amount of outstanding debt securities of the series to
be represented by the global security or securities. Unless and
until it is exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities in
definitive certificated form, a global security may not be
transferred except as a whole by the depository for the global
security to a nominee of the depository or by a nominee of the
depository to the depository or another nominee of the
depository or by the depository or any nominee to a successor
depository for that series or a nominee of the successor
depository and except in the circumstances described in an
applicable subsequent filing.
We expect that the following provisions will apply to depository
arrangements for any portion of a series of debt securities to
be represented by a global security. Any additional or different
terms of the depository arrangement will be described in an
applicable subsequent filing.
Upon the issuance of any global security, and the deposit of
that global security with or on behalf of the depository for the
global security, the depository will credit, on its book-entry
registration and transfer system, the principal amounts of the
debt securities represented by that global security to the
accounts of institutions that have accounts with the depository
or its nominee. The accounts to be credited will be designated
by the underwriters or agents engaging in the distribution of
the debt securities or by us, if the debt securities are offered
and sold directly by us. Ownership of beneficial interests in a
global security will be limited to participating institutions or
persons that may hold interest through such participating
institutions. Ownership of beneficial interests by participating
institutions in the global security will be shown on, and the
transfer of the beneficial interests will be effected only
through, records maintained by the depository for the global
security or by its nominee. Ownership of beneficial interests in
the global security by persons that hold through participating
institutions will be shown on, and the transfer of the
beneficial interests within the participating institutions will
be effected only through, records maintained by those
participating institutions. The laws of some jurisdictions may
require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of
the securities in certificated form. The foregoing limitations
and such laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial
interests in the global securities.
So long as the depository for a global security, or its nominee,
is the registered owner of that global security, the depository
or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole
owner or holder of the debt securities represented by the global
security for all purposes under the applicable indenture. Unless
otherwise specified in an applicable subsequent filing and
except as specified below, owners of beneficial interests in the
global security will not be entitled to have debt securities of
the series represented by the global security registered in
their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical
delivery of debt securities of the series in certificated form
and will not be considered the holders thereof for any purposes
under the indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a
beneficial interest in the global security must rely on the
procedures of the depository and, if such person is not a
participating institution, on the procedures of the
participating institution through which the person owns its
interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture.
24
The depository may grant proxies and otherwise authorize
participating institutions to give or take any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action which a holder is entitled to give or take under the
applicable indenture. We understand that, under existing
industry practices, if we request any action of holders or any
owner of a beneficial interest in the global security desires to
give any notice or take any action a holder is entitled to give
or take under the applicable indenture, the depository would
authorize the participating institutions to give the notice or
take the action, and participating institutions would authorize
beneficial owners owning through such participating institutions
to give the notice or take the action or would otherwise act
upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.
Unless otherwise specified in applicable subsequent filings,
payments of principal, premium and interest on debt securities
represented by a global security registered in the name of a
depository or its nominee will be made by us to the depository
or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of
the global security.
We expect that the depository for any debt securities
represented by a global security, upon receipt of any payment of
principal, premium or interest, will credit participating
institutions accounts with payments in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the
principal amount of the global security as shown on the records
of the depository. We also expect that payments by participating
institutions to owners of beneficial interests in the global
security held through those participating institutions will be
governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is
now the case with the securities held for the accounts of
customers registered in street names, and will be the
responsibility of those participating institutions. None of us,
the trustees or any agent of ours or the trustees will have any
responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records
relating to or payments made on account of beneficial interests
in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or
reviewing any records relating to those beneficial interests.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable subsequent filings,
a global security of any series will be exchangeable for
certificated debt securities of the same series only if:
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the depository for such global securities notifies us that it is
unwilling or unable to continue as depository or such depository
ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act
and, in either case, a successor depository is not appointed by
us within 90 days after we receive the notice or become
aware of the ineligibility;
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we in our sole discretion determine that the global securities
shall be exchangeable for certificated debt securities; or
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there shall have occurred and be continuing an event of default
under the applicable indenture with respect to the debt
securities of that series.
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Upon any exchange, owners of beneficial interests in the global
security or securities will be entitled to physical delivery of
individual debt securities in certificated form of like tenor
and terms equal in principal amount to their beneficial
interests, and to have the debt securities in certificated form
registered in the names of the beneficial owners, which names
are expected to be provided by the depositorys relevant
participating institutions to the applicable trustee.
In the event that the Depository Trust Company, or DTC,
acts as depository for the global securities of any series, the
global securities will be issued as fully registered securities
registered in the name of Cede & Co., DTCs
partnership nominee.
DTC is a member of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, a
limited-purpose trust company under New York State banking law
and a registered clearing agency with the U.S Securities and
Exchange Commission. Established in 1973, DTC was created to
reduce costs and provide clearing and settlement efficiencies by
immobilizing securities and making book-entry
changes to ownership of the securities. DTC provides securities
movements for the net settlements of the National Securities
Clearing Corporation, or NSCC, and settlement for institutional
trades (which typically involve money and securities transfers
between custodian banks and broker/dealers), as well as money
market instruments.
DTC is a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing
Company, or DTCC. DTCC is a holding company established in 1999
to combine DTC and NSCC. DTCC, through its subsidiaries,
provides clearing, settlement and
25
information services for equities, corporate and municipal
bonds, government and mortgage backed securities, money market
instruments and over the-counter derivatives. In addition, DTCC
is a leading processor of mutual funds and insurance
transactions, linking funds and carriers with their distribution
networks. DTCCs customer base extends to thousands of
companies within the global financial services industry. DTCC
serves brokers, dealers, institutional investors, banks, trust
companies, mutual fund companies, insurance carriers, hedge
funds and other financial intermediaries either
directly or through correspondent relationships.
DTCC is industry-owned by its customers who are members of the
financial community, such as banks, broker/dealers, mutual funds
and other financial institutions. DTCC operates on an at-cost
basis, returning excess revenue from transaction fees to its
member firms. All services provided by DTC are regulated by the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The 2010 DTCC Board of Directors is composed of
19 directors serving one-year terms. Thirteen directors are
representatives of clearing agency participants, including
international broker/dealers, custodian and clearing banks, and
investment institutions; of these, two directors are designated
by DTCCs preferred shareholders, which are NYSE Euronext
and FINRA. Three directors are from non-participants. The
remaining three are the chairman and chief executive officer,
president, and chief operating officer of DTCC. All of the Board
members except those designated by the preferred shareholders
are elected annually.
To facilitate subsequent transfers, the debt securities may be
registered in the name of DTCs nominee, Cede &
Co. The deposit of the debt securities with DTC and their
registration in the name of Cede & Co. will effect no
change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the
actual beneficial owners of the debt securities. DTCs
records reflect only the identity of the direct participating
institutions to whose accounts debt securities are credited,
which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participating
institutions remain responsible for keeping account of their
holdings on behalf of their customers.
Delivery of notices and other communications by DTC to direct
participating institutions, by direct participating institutions
to indirect participating institutions, and by direct
participating institutions and indirect participating
institutions to beneficial owners of debt securities are
governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or
regulatory requirements as may be in effect.
Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. consents or votes with
respect to the debt securities. Under its usual procedures, DTC
mails a proxy to the issuer as soon as possible after the record
date. The proxy assigns Cede & Co.s consenting
or voting rights to those direct participating institution to
whose accounts the debt securities are credited on the record
date.
If applicable, redemption notices shall be sent to
Cede & Co. If less than all of the debt securities of
a series represented by global securities are being redeemed,
DTCs practice is to determine by lot the amount of the
interest of each direct participating institutions in that issue
to be redeemed.
To the extent that any debt securities provide for repayment or
repurchase at the option of the holders thereof, a beneficial
owner shall give notice of any option to elect to have its
interest in the global security repaid by us, through its
participating institution, to the applicable trustee, and shall
effect delivery of the interest in a global security by causing
the direct participating institution to transfer the direct
participating institutions interest in the global security
or securities representing the interest, on DTCs records,
to the applicable trustee. The requirement for physical delivery
of debt securities in connection with a demand for repayment or
repurchase will be deemed satisfied when the ownership rights in
the global security or securities representing the debt
securities are transferred by direct participating institutions
on DTCs records.
DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities
depository for the debt securities at any time. Under such
circumstances, in the event that a successor securities
depository is not appointed, debt security certificates are
required to be printed and delivered as described above.
We may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry
transfers through the securities depository. In that event, debt
security certificates will be printed and delivered as described
above.
The information in this section concerning DTC and DTCs
book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe
to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for its
accuracy.
26
DESCRIPTION
OF WARRANTS
We may issue warrants to purchase our debt or equity securities
or securities of third parties or other rights, including rights
to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value,
rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies,
securities or indices, or any combination of the foregoing.
Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other
securities and may be attached to, or separate from, such
securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a
separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a
warrant agent. The terms of any warrants to be issued and a
description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant
agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following
terms of any warrants in respect of which this prospectus is
being delivered:
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the title of such warrants;
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the aggregate number of such warrants;
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the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued;
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the currency or currencies, in which the price of such warrants
will be payable;
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the securities or other rights, including rights to receive
payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price
of one or more specified commodities, currencies, securities or
indices, or any combination of the foregoing, purchasable upon
exercise of such warrants;
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the price at which and the currency or currencies, in which the
securities or other rights purchasable upon exercise of such
warrants may be purchased;
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the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall
commence and the date on which such right shall expire;
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if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants
which may be exercised at any one time;
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if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with
which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants
issued with each such security;
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if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the
related securities will be separately transferable;
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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;
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if applicable, a discussion of any material U.S. federal
income tax considerations; and
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any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures
and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such
warrants.
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DESCRIPTION
OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS
We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of:
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debt or equity securities issued by us or securities of third
parties, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of
such securities or any combination of the above as specified in
the applicable prospectus supplement;
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currencies; or
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commodities.
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Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to
purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on
specified dates, such securities, currencies or commodities at a
specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all
as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may,
however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any
purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase
contract or the cash value of the
27
property otherwise deliverable or, in the case of purchase
contracts on underlying currencies, by delivering the underlying
currencies, as set forth in the applicable prospectus
supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also
specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell
such securities, currencies or commodities and any acceleration,
cancellation or termination provisions, provisions relating to
U.S. federal income tax considerations, if any, or other
provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract.
The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments
to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be
deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus
supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or pre-funded on
some basis. The purchase contracts may require the holders
thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be
described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Alternatively, purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy
their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are
issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase
contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute
indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid purchase contracts will be
issued under either the senior indenture or the subordinated
indenture.
DESCRIPTION
OF UNITS
As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may
issue units consisting of one or more purchase contracts,
warrants, debt securities, preferred shares, common shares or
any combination of such securities. The applicable prospectus
supplement will describe:
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the terms of the units and of the purchase contracts, warrants,
debt securities, preferred shares and common shares comprising
the units, including whether and under what circumstances the
securities comprising the units may be traded separately;
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a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the
units;
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if applicable, a discussion of any material U.S. federal
income tax considerations; and
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a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement,
transfer or exchange of the units.
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EXPENSES
The following are the estimated expenses of the issuance and
distribution of the securities being registered under the
registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part,
all of which will be paid by us.
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$
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58,050
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SEC Registration Fee
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$
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*
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Printing and Engraving Expenses
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$
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*
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Legal Fees and Expenses
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$
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*
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Accountants Fees and Expenses
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$
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*
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NYSE Listing Fee
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$
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*
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FINRA Fee
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$
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50,500
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Blue Sky Fees and Expenses
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$
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*
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Transfer Agents Fees and Expenses
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$
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*
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Miscellaneous Costs
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$
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*
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Total
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$
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*
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*
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To be provided by a prospectus
supplement or as an exhibit to a Current Report on
Form 6-K
that is incorporated by reference into this registration
statement.
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28
TAX
CONSIDERATIONS
Marshall
Islands Tax Considerations
The following are the material Marshall Islands tax consequences
of our activities to us and holders of our common shares. We are
incorporated in the Marshall Islands. Under current Marshall
Islands law, we are not subject to tax on income or capital
gains, and no Marshall Islands withholding tax will be imposed
upon payments of dividends by us to our shareholders.
United
States Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following are the material United States federal income tax
consequences to us of our activities and to United States
Holders and
Non-United
States Holders, each as defined below, of the ownership of
common shares. The following discussion of United States federal
income tax matters is based on the United States Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, or the Code, judicial decisions,
administrative pronouncements, and existing and proposed
regulations issued by the United States Department of the
Treasury, or the Treasury Regulations, all of which are subject
to change, possibly with retroactive effect. The discussion
below is based, in part, on the description of our business
herein and assumes that we conduct our business as described
herein. References in the following discussion to the
Company, we, our and
us are to Scorpio Tankers Inc. and its subsidiaries
on a consolidated basis.
United
States Federal Income Taxation of Operating Income: In
General
We earn and anticipate that we will continue to earn
substantially all our income from the hiring or leasing of
vessels for use on a time charter basis, from participation in a
pool or from the performance of services directly related to
those uses, all of which we refer to as shipping
income.
Unless exempt from United States federal income taxation under
the rules of Section 883 of the Code, or Section 883,
as discussed below, a foreign corporation such as the Company
will be subject to United States federal income taxation on its
shipping income that is treated as derived from
sources within the United States, which we refer to as
United States source shipping income. For United
States federal income tax purposes, United States source
shipping income includes 50% of shipping income that is
attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that
does not both begin and end, in the United States.
Shipping income attributable to transportation exclusively
between
non-United
States ports will be considered to be 100% derived from sources
entirely outside the United States. Shipping income derived from
sources outside the United States will not be subject to any
United States federal income tax.
Shipping income attributable to transportation exclusively
between United States ports is considered to be 100% derived
from United States sources. However, we are not permitted by
United States law to engage in the transportation of cargoes
that produces 100% United States source shipping income.
Unless exempt from tax under Section 883, our gross United
States source shipping income would be subject to a 4% tax
imposed without allowance for deductions, as described more
fully below.
Exemption
of Operating Income from United States Federal Income
Taxation
Under Section 883 and the Treasury Regulations thereunder,
a foreign corporation will be exempt from United States
federal income taxation on its United States source shipping
income if:
(1) it is organized in a qualified foreign
country, which is one that grants an equivalent
exemption from tax to corporations organized in the United
States in respect of each category of shipping income for which
exemption is being claimed under Section 883; and
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(2) one of the following tests is met:
(A) more than 50% of the value of its shares is
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by qualified
shareholders, which as defined includes individuals who
are residents of a qualified foreign country, which
we refer to as the 50% Ownership Test; or
(B) its shares are primarily and regularly traded on
an established securities market in a qualified foreign
country or in the United States, to which we refer as the
Publicly-Traded Test.
The Republic of The Marshall Islands, the jurisdiction where we
and our ship-owning subsidiaries are incorporated, has been
officially recognized by the United States Internal Revenue
Service, or the IRS, as a qualified foreign country that grants
the requisite equivalent exemption from tax in
respect of each category of shipping income we earn and
currently expect to earn in the future. Therefore, we will be
exempt from United States federal income taxation with respect
to our United States source shipping income if we satisfy either
the 50% Ownership Test or the Publicly-Traded Test.
For our 2010 tax year, we intend to take the position that we
satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test and we anticipate that we will
continue to satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test for future taxable
years. However, as discussed below, this is a factual
determination made on an annual basis. We do not currently
anticipate a circumstance under which we would be able to
satisfy the 50% Ownership Test.
Publicly-Traded
Test
The Treasury Regulations under Section 883 provide, in
pertinent part, that shares of a foreign 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 stock 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. Our common shares, which constitute our sole class of
issued and outstanding stock, are primarily traded
on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE.
Under the Treasury Regulations, our common shares will be
considered to be regularly traded on an established
securities market if one or more classes of our stock
representing more than 50% of our outstanding stock, by both
total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to
vote and total value, are listed on such market, to which we
refer as the Listing Threshold. Since our common
shares are listed on the NYSE, we expect to satisfy the Listing
Threshold.
It is further required that with respect to each class of stock
relied upon to meet the Listing Threshold, (i) such class
of stock is 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, or the
Trading Frequency Test; and (ii) the aggregate
number of shares of such class of stock traded on such market
during the taxable year is at least 10% of the average number of
shares of such class of stock outstanding during such year or as
appropriately adjusted in the case of a short taxable year, or
the Trading Volume Test. The Company currently
satisfies and anticipates that it will continue to satisfy the
Trading Frequency Test and Trading Volume Test. Even if this
were not the case, the Treasury Regulations provide that the
Trading Frequency Test and Trading Volume Tests will be deemed
satisfied if, as is the case with our common shares, such class
of stock is traded on an established securities market in the
United States and such class of stock is regularly quoted by
dealers making a market in such stock.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Treasury Regulations provide,
in pertinent part, that a class of stock will not be considered
to be regularly traded on an established securities
market for any taxable year during which 50% or more of the vote
and value of the outstanding shares of such class are owned,
actually or constructively under specified 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% Override
Rule.
For purposes of being able to determine the persons who actually
or constructively own 5% or more of the vote and value of our
common shares, or 5% Shareholders, the Treasury
Regulations permit us to rely on those persons that are
identified on Schedule 13G and Schedule 13D filings
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or
the SEC, as owning 5% or more of our common shares. The Treasury
Regulations further provide
30
that an investment company which is registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, will not be treated
as a 5% Shareholder for such purposes.
In the event the 5% Override Rule is triggered, the Treasury
Regulations provide that the 5% Override Rule will nevertheless
not apply if we can establish that within the group of 5%
Shareholders, there are sufficient qualified shareholders for
purposes of Section 883 to preclude non-qualified
shareholders in such group from owning 50% or more of our common
shares for more than half the number of days during the taxable
year. In order to benefit from this exception to the 5% Override
Rule, the Company must satisfy certain substantiation
requirements in regards to the identify of its 5% Shareholders.
Based on Schedule 13G and Schedule 13D filings with
the SEC, the Company believes that the 5% Override Rule may have
been triggered for the 2010 taxable year, in which case the
Company will not satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test for the 2010
taxable year unless within the group of our 5% Shareholders
there were sufficient qualified 5% Shareholders to preclude
nonqualified 5% Shareholders from owning 50% or more of our
common shares for more than half the number of days during the
2010 taxable year. We believe that, during the 2010 taxable
year, there existed sufficient qualified 5% Shareholders for the
Company to avail itself of this exception to the 5% Override
Rule. The Company intends to take this position on its United
Sates federal income tax return for the 2010 taxable year and
expects that it will be able to satisfy the substantiation
requirements in regards to its 5% Shareholders.
Accordingly, we believe that we currently satisfy the
Publicly-Traded Test. However, there are factual circumstances
beyond our control that could cause us to lose the benefit of
the Section 883 exemption. For example, if we trigger the
5% Override Rule for any future taxable year, there is no
assurance that we will have sufficient qualified 5% Shareholders
to preclude nonqualified 5% Shareholders from owning 50% or more
of our common shares for more than half the number of days
during such taxable year, or that we will be able to satisfy the
substantiation requirements in regards to our 5% Shareholders.
United
States Federal Income Taxation In Absence of Section 883
Exemption
If the benefits of Section 883 are unavailable, our United
States source shipping income would be subject to a 4% tax
imposed by Section 887 of the Code on a gross basis,
without the benefit of deductions, which we refer to as the
4% gross basis tax regime, to the extent that such
income is not considered to be effectively connected
with the conduct of a United States trade or business, as
described below. Since under the sourcing rules described above,
no more than 50% of our shipping income would be treated as
being United States source shipping income, the maximum
effective rate of United States federal income tax on our
shipping income would never exceed 2% under the 4% gross basis
tax regime.
To the extent our United States source shipping income is
considered to be effectively connected with the
conduct of a United States trade or business, as described
below, any such effectively connected United States
source shipping income, net of applicable deductions, would be
subject to United States federal income tax, currently imposed
at rates of up to 35%. In addition, we would generally be
subject to the 30% branch profits tax on earnings
effectively connected with the conduct of such trade or
business, as determined after allowance for certain adjustments,
and on certain interest paid or deemed paid attributable to the
conduct of our United States trade or business.
Our United States source shipping income would be considered
effectively connected with the conduct of a United
States trade or business only if:
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we have, or are considered to have, a fixed place of business in
the United States involved in the earning of United States
source shipping income; and
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substantially all of our United States source shipping income is
attributable to regularly scheduled transportation, such as the
operation of a vessel that follows a published schedule with
repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points
for voyages that begin or end in the United States.
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We do not currently have, intend to have, or permit
circumstances that would result in having, any vessel sailing to
or from the United States on a regularly scheduled basis. Based
on the foregoing and on the expected mode
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of our shipping operations and other activities, it is
anticipated that none of our United States source shipping
income will be effectively connected with the
conduct of a United States trade or business.
United
States Federal Income Taxation of Gain on Sale of
Vessels
If we qualify for exemption from tax under Section 883 in
respect of the shipping income derived from the international
operation of our vessels, then gain from the sale of any such
vessel should likewise be exempt from United States federal
income tax under Section 883. If, however, our shipping
income from such vessels does not for whatever reason qualify
for exemption under Section 883, then any gain on the sale
of a vessel will be subject to United States federal income tax
if such sale occurs in the United States. To the extent
possible, we intend to structure the sales of our vessels so
that the gain therefrom is not subject to United States federal
income tax. However, there is no assurance we will be able to do
so.
United
States Federal Income Taxation of United States
Holders
The following is a discussion of the material United States
federal income tax considerations relevant to an investment
decision by a United States Holder, as defined below, with
respect to our common shares. This discussion does not purport
to deal with the tax consequences of owning common shares to all
categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special
rules. This discussion only addresses considerations relevant to
those United States Holders who purchase common shares in an
offering made under this prospectus and hold such shares as
capital assets, that is, generally for investment purposes. You
are encouraged to consult your own tax advisors concerning the
overall tax consequences arising in your own particular
situation under United States federal, state, local or foreign
law of the ownership of common shares.
As used herein, the term United States Holder means
a beneficial owner of common shares that is an individual United
States citizen or resident, a United States corporation or other
United States entity taxable as a corporation, an estate the
income of which is subject to United States federal income
taxation regardless of its source, or a trust if a court within
the United States is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over
the administration of the trust and one or more United States
persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions
of the trust.
If a partnership holds our common shares, the tax treatment of a
partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and
upon the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in
a partnership holding common shares, you are encouraged to
consult your tax advisor.
Distributions
Subject to the discussion of passive foreign investment
companies below, any distributions made by us with respect to
our common shares to a United States Holder will generally
constitute dividends to the extent of our current or accumulated
earnings and profits, as determined under United States federal
income tax principles. Distributions in excess of such earnings
and profits will be treated first as a nontaxable return of
capital to the extent of the United States Holders tax
basis in his common shares on a
dollar-for-dollar
basis and thereafter as capital gain. Because we are not a
United States corporation, United States Holders that are
corporations will not be entitled to claim a dividends received
deduction with respect to any distributions they receive from
us. Dividends paid with respect to our common shares will
generally be treated as passive category income for
purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for United
States foreign tax credit purposes.
Dividends paid on our common shares to a United States Holder
who is an individual, trust or estate (a
United States Non-Corporate Holder) will
generally be treated as qualified dividend income
that is taxable to such United States Non-Corporate Holder at
preferential tax rates (through 2012) provided that
(1) the common shares are readily tradable on an
established securities market in the United States (such as the
NYSE, on which our common shares are traded); (2) we are
not a passive foreign investment company for the taxable year
during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding
taxable year (which, as discussed below, we have not been, are
not and do not anticipate being in the future); (3) the
United States Non-Corporate 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
Non-Corporate Holder is not under an obligation to make related
payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or
related property.
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Legislation has been previously introduced in the United States
Congress which, if enacted in its present form, would preclude
our dividends from qualifying for such preferential rates
prospectively from the date of its enactment. Further, in the
absence of legislation extending the term of the preferential
tax rates for qualified dividend income, all dividends received
by a taxpayer in tax years beginning on January 1, 2013 or
later will be taxed at ordinary graduated tax rates. Any
distributions out of earnings and profits we pay which are not
eligible for these preferential rates will be taxed as ordinary
income to a United States Non-Corporate Holder.
Special rules may apply to any extraordinary
dividend generally, a dividend in an amount
which is equal to or in excess of 10% of a shareholders
adjusted tax basis in his common shares paid by us.
If we pay an extraordinary dividend on our common
shares that is treated as qualified dividend income,
then any loss derived by a United States Non-Corporate Holder
from the sale or exchange of such common shares will be treated
as long-term capital loss to the extent of such dividend.
Sale,
Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Shares
Assuming we do not constitute a passive foreign investment
company for any taxable year, a United States Holder generally
will recognize taxable gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or
other disposition of our 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 Holders tax basis in such shares. Such gain
or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the
United States Holders holding period is greater than one
year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition.
Such capital gain or loss will generally be treated as United
States source income or loss, as applicable, for United States
foreign tax credit purposes. Long-term capital gains of United
States Non-Corporate Holders are currently eligible for reduced
rates of taxation. A United States Holders ability to
deduct capital losses is subject to certain limitations.
Passive
Foreign Investment Company Status and Significant Tax
Consequences
Special United States federal income tax rules apply to a United
States Holder that holds shares in a foreign corporation
classified as a passive foreign investment company,
or a PFIC, for United States federal income tax purposes. In
general, we will be treated as a PFIC with respect to a United
States Holder if, for any taxable year in which such Holder
holds our common shares, either:
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at least 75% of our gross income for such taxable year consists
of passive income (e.g., dividends, interest, capital gains and
rents derived other than in the active conduct of a rental
business); or
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at least 50% of the average value of our assets during such
taxable year produce, or are held for the production of, passive
income.
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For purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC, we will be
treated as earning and owning our proportionate share of the
income and assets, respectively, of any of our subsidiary
corporations in which we own at least 25% of the value of the
subsidiarys stock. Income earned, or deemed earned, by us
in connection with the performance of services would not
constitute passive income. By contrast, rental income would
generally constitute passive income unless we were
treated under specific rules as deriving our rental income in
the active conduct of a trade or business.
Based on our current operations and future projections, we do
not believe that we have been, are, nor do we expect to become,
a passive foreign investment company with respect to any taxable
year. Although there is no legal authority directly on point,
our belief is based principally on the position that, for
purposes of determining whether we are a passive foreign
investment company, the gross income we derive or are deemed to
derive from the time chartering and voyage chartering activities
of our wholly-owned subsidiaries should constitute services
income, rather than rental income. Accordingly, such income
should not constitute passive income, and the assets that we own
and operate in connection with the production of such income, in
particular, the vessels, should not constitute assets that
produce or are held for the production of passive income for
purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC. Therefore, based
on our current operations and future projections, we should not
be treated as a PFIC with respect to any taxable year. There is
substantial legal authority supporting this position, consisting
of case law and IRS pronouncements concerning the
characterization of income derived from time charters and voyage
charters as
33
services income for other tax purposes. However, there is also
authority that characterizes time charter income as rental
income rather than services income for other tax purposes. It
should be noted that in the absence of any legal authority
specifically relating to the statutory provisions governing
PFICs, the IRS or a court could disagree with our position.
Furthermore, although we intend to conduct our affairs in a
manner to avoid being classified as a PFIC with respect to any
taxable year, we cannot assure you that the nature of our
operations will not change in the future.
As discussed more fully below, if we were to be treated as a
PFIC for any taxable year, a United States Holder would be
subject to different United States federal income taxation rules
depending on whether the United States Holder makes an election
to treat us as a Qualified Electing Fund, which
election we refer to as a QEF election. As an
alternative to making a QEF election, a United States Holder
should be able to make a
mark-to-market
election with respect to our common shares, as discussed below.
In addition, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable
year after 2010, a United States Holder would be required to
file an annual report with the IRS for that year with respect to
such Holders common shares.
Taxation
of United States Holders Making a Timely QEF
Election
If a United States Holder makes a timely QEF election, which
United States Holder we refer to as an Electing
Holder, the Electing Holder must report for United States
federal income tax purposes his pro rata share of our ordinary
earnings and net capital gain, if any, for each taxable year of
the Company during which it is a PFIC that ends with or within
the taxable year of the Electing Holder, regardless of whether
distributions were received from us by the Electing Holder. No
portion of any such inclusions of ordinary earnings will be
treated as qualified dividend income. Net capital
gain inclusions of United States Non-Corporate Holders would be
eligible for preferential capital gain tax rates. The Electing
Holders adjusted tax basis in the common shares will be
increased to reflect taxed but undistributed earnings and
profits. Distributions of earnings and profits that had been
previously taxed will result in a corresponding reduction in the
adjusted tax basis in the common shares and will not be taxed
again once distributed. An Electing Holder would not, however,
be entitled to a deduction for its pro rata share of any losses
that we incur with respect to any taxable year. An Electing
Holder would generally recognize capital gain or loss on the
sale, exchange or other disposition of our common shares. A
United States Holder would make a timely QEF election for our
shares by filing one copy of IRS Form 8621 with his United
States federal income tax return for the first year in which he
held such shares when we were a PFIC. If we were to be treated
as a PFIC for any taxable year, we would provide each United
States Holder with all necessary information in order to make
the QEF election described above.
Taxation
of United States Holders Making a
Mark-to-Market
Election
Alternatively, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any
taxable year and, as we anticipate will be the case, our common
shares are treated as marketable stock, a United
States Holder would be allowed to make a
mark-to-market
election with respect to our common shares, provided the United
States Holder completes and files IRS Form 8621 in
accordance with the relevant instructions and related Treasury
Regulations. If that election is made, the United States Holder
generally would include as ordinary income in each taxable year
the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the common
shares at the end of the taxable year over such Holders
adjusted tax basis in the common shares. The United States
Holder would also be permitted an ordinary loss in respect of
the excess, if any, of the United States Holders adjusted
tax basis in the common shares over its 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. A United States Holders tax basis in his common
shares would be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss
amount. Gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition
of our common shares would be treated as ordinary income, and
any loss realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of
the common shares would be treated as ordinary loss to the
extent that such loss does not exceed the net
mark-to-market
gains previously included by the United States Holder.
Taxation
of United States Holders Not Making a Timely QEF or
Mark-to-Market
Election
Finally, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable
year, a United States Holder who does not make either a QEF
election or a
mark-to-market
election for that year, whom we refer to as a Non-Electing
Holder, would be subject to special rules with respect to
(1) any excess distribution (i.e., the portion of any
distributions
34
received by the Non-Electing Holder on the common shares in a
taxable year in excess of 125% of the average annual
distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder in the three
preceding taxable years, or, if shorter, the Non-Electing
Holders holding period for the common shares), and
(2) any gain realized on the sale, exchange or other
disposition of our common shares. Under these special rules:
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the excess distribution or gain would be allocated ratably over
the Non-Electing Holders aggregate holding period for the
common shares;
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the amount allocated to the current taxable year, and any
taxable year prior to the first taxable year in which we were a
PFIC, would be taxed as ordinary income and would not be
qualified dividend income; and
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the amount allocated to each of the other taxable years would be
subject to tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the
applicable class of taxpayer for that year, and an interest
charge for the deemed tax deferral benefit would be imposed with
respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other
taxable year.
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United
States Federal Income Taxation of
Non-United
States Holders
A beneficial owner of common shares (other than a partnership)
that is not a United States Holder is referred to herein as a
Non-United
States Holder.
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. If you are a partner in
a partnership holding common shares, you are encouraged to
consult your tax advisor.
Dividends
on Common Stock
A Non-United
States Holder generally will not be subject to United States
federal income tax or withholding tax on dividends received from
us with respect to his common shares, unless that income is
effectively connected with the
Non-United
States Holders conduct of a trade or business in the
United States. If the
Non-United
States Holder is entitled to the benefits of a United States
income tax treaty with respect to those dividends, that income
is subject to United Stated federal income tax only if it is
attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the
Non-United
States Holder in the United States.
Sale,
Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Shares
Non-United
States Holders generally will not be subject to United States
federal income tax or withholding tax on any gain realized upon
the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common shares,
unless:
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the gain is effectively connected with the
Non-United
States Holders conduct of a trade or business in the
United States (and, if the
Non-United
States Holder is entitled to the benefits of a United States
income tax treaty with respect to that gain, that gain is
attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the
Non-United
States Holder in the United States); or
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the
Non-United
States Holder is an individual who is present in the United
States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of
disposition and other conditions are met.
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If the
Non-United
States Holder is engaged in a United States trade or business
for United States federal income tax purposes, dividends on the
common shares, and gains from the sale, exchange or other
disposition of such shares, that are 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 in the previous section relating to the taxation of
United States Holders. In addition, if you are a corporate
Non-United
States Holder, your earnings and profits that are attributable
to the effectively connected income, subject to certain
adjustments, may be subject to an additional branch
profits tax at a rate of 30%, or at a lower rate as may be
specified by an applicable United States income tax treaty.
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Backup
Withholding and Information Reporting
In general, dividend payments, or other taxable distributions,
made within the United States to you will be subject to
information reporting requirements if you are a non-corporate
United States Holder. Such payments or distributions may also be
subject to backup withholding if you are a non-corporate United
States Holder and you:
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fail to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number;
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are notified by the IRS that you have failed to report all
interest or dividends required to be shown on your United States
federal income tax returns; or
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in certain circumstances, fail to comply with applicable
certification requirements.
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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-8ECI or
W-8IMY, as
applicable.
If you are a
Non-United
States Holder and you sell your common shares to or through a
United States office of a broker, the payment of the proceeds is
subject to both United States backup withholding and information
reporting unless you certify that you are a
non-United
States person, under penalties of perjury, or you otherwise
establish an exemption. If you sell your common shares through a
non-United
States office of a
non-United
States broker and the sales proceeds are paid to you outside the
United States, then information reporting and backup withholding
generally will not apply to that payment. However, United States
information reporting requirements, but not backup withholding,
will apply to a payment of sales proceeds, even if that payment
is made to you outside the United States, if you sell your
common shares through a
non-United
States office of a broker that is a United States person or has
some other contacts with the United States. Such information
reporting requirements will not apply, however, if the broker
has documentary evidence in its records that you are a
non-United
States person and certain other conditions are met, or you
otherwise establish an exemption.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, you
generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under
backup withholding rules that exceed your United States federal
income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS.
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will
be passed upon for us by Seward & Kissel LLP, New
York, New York, with respect to matters of the law of the
Republic of the Marshall Islands and with respect to matters of
United States and New York law.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements, incorporated in this
Prospectus by reference from the Companys Annual Report on
Form 20-F,
have been audited by Deloitte LLP, an independent registered
public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is
incorporated by reference. Such consolidated financial
statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report
of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting
and auditing.
The sections in this prospectus attributed to Drewry, including
the section entitled The International Oil Tanker Shipping
Industry incorporated by reference to our annual report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2010, have been reviewed by
Drewry, which has confirmed to us that such sections accurately
describe the international tanker market, subject to the
availability and reliability of the data supporting the
statistical information presented in this prospectus.
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WHERE YOU
CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, we filed a
registration statement relating to the securities offered by
this prospectus with the Commission. This prospectus is a part
of that registration statement, which includes additional
information.
Government
Filings
We file annual and special reports with the Commission. You may
read and copy any document that we file and obtain copies at
prescribed rates from the Commissions Public Reference
Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public
Reference Room by calling 1 (800) SEC-0330. The Commission
maintains a website
(http://www.sec.gov)
that contains reports, proxy and information statements and
other information regarding issuers that file electronically
with the Commission. Further information about our company is
available on our website at
http://www.scorpiotankers.com.
The information on our website does not constitute a part of
this prospectus.
Information
Incorporated by Reference
The Commission allows us to incorporate by reference
information that we file with it. This means that we can
disclose important information to you by referring you to those
filed documents. The information incorporated by reference is
considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that
we file later with the Commission prior to the termination of
this offering will also be considered to be part of this
prospectus and will automatically update and supersede
previously filed information, including information contained in
this document.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any
future filings made with the Commission under
Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934:
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Our Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the
Commission on April 21, 2011, which contains our audited
consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal
year for which those statements have been filed.
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Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on
Form 6-K,
filed with the Commission on April 27, 2011.
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We are also incorporating by reference all subsequent annual
reports on
Form 20-F
that we file with the Commission and certain current reports on
Form 6-K
that we furnish to the Commission after the date of this
prospectus (if they state that they are incorporated by
reference into this prospectus) until we file a post-effective
amendment indicating that the offering of the securities made by
this prospectus has been terminated. In all cases, you should
rely on the later information over different information
included in this prospectus or the prospectus supplement.
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any
accompanying prospectus supplement. We have not, and any
underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide
you with different information. If anyone provides you with
different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on
it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to
sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or
sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information
appearing in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus
supplement as well as the information we previously filed with
the Commission and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of
the dates on the front cover of those documents only. Our
business, financial condition and results of operations and
prospects may have changed since those dates.
You may request a free copy of the above mentioned filing or any
subsequent filing we incorporated by reference to this
prospectus by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
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Monaco
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New York
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9, Boulevard Charles III, Monaco 98000
Tel: +377-9798-5716
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150 East 58th Street - New York, NY 10155, USA
Tel: +1 212 542 1616
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Information
Provided by the Company
We will furnish holders of our common shares with annual reports
containing audited financial statements and a report by our
independent registered public accounting firm. The audited
financial statements will be prepared in accordance with
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. As a
foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules
under the Securities Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and
content of proxy statements to shareholders. While we furnish
proxy statements to shareholders in accordance with the rules of
the New York Stock Exchange, those proxy statements do not
conform to Schedule 14A of the proxy rules promulgated
under the Securities Exchange Act. In addition, as a
foreign private issuer, our officers and directors
are exempt from the rules under the Securities Exchange Act
relating to short swing profit reporting and liability.
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GLOSSARY
OF SHIPPING TERMS
The following are definitions of certain terms that are commonly
used in the shipping industry.
Aframax Tanker. A tanker ranging in size from
85,000 dwt to 120,000 dwt.
Annual Survey. The inspection of a vessel
pursuant to international conventions, by a classification
society surveyor, on behalf of the flag state, that takes place
every year.
Ballast. A voyage during which the vessel is
not laden with cargo.
Bareboat Charter. A charter of a vessel under
which the vessel-owner is usually paid a fixed daily or monthly
rate for a certain period of time during which the charterer is
responsible for the ship operating expenses and voyage expenses
of the vessel and for the management of the vessel. In this
case, all voyage related costs, including vessel fuel, or
bunker, and port dues as well as all vessel operating costs,
such as
day-to-day
operations, maintenance, crewing and insurance are paid by the
charterer. A bareboat charter is also known as a demise
charter or a time charter by demise and
involves the use of a vessel usually over longer periods of time
ranging over several years The owner of the vessel receives
monthly charterhire payments on a per day basis and is
responsible only for the payment of capital costs related to the
vessel.
Bunkers. Fuel oil used to operate a
vessels engines, generators and boilers.
CERCLA. Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act.
Charter. The hiring of a vessel, or use of its
carrying capacity, for either (1) a specified period of
time or (2) to carry a cargo for a fixed fee from a loading
port to a discharging port. The contract for a charter is called
a charterparty.
Charterer. The party that hires a vessel
pursuant to a charter.
Charterhire. Money paid to the vessel-owner by
a charterer for the use of a vessel under a time charter or
bareboat charter. Such payments are usually made during the
course of the charter every 15 or 30 days in advance or in
arrears by multiplying the daily charter rate times the number
of days and, under a time charter only, subtracting any time the
vessel was deemed to be off-hire. Under a bareboat charter such
payments are usually made monthly and are calculated on a 360 or
365 day calendar year basis.
Charter Rate. The amount of money agreed
between the charterer and the vessel-owner accrued on a daily or
monthly basis that is used to calculate the vessels
charterhire.
Classification Society. An independent society
that certifies that a vessel has been built and maintained
according to the societys rules for that type of vessel
and complies with the applicable rules and regulations of the
country in which the vessel is registered, as well as the
international conventions which that country has ratified. A
vessel that receives its certification is referred to as being
in class as of the date of issuance.
Clean petroleum Products. Liquid products
refined from crude oil, whose color is less than or equal to 2.5
on the National Petroleum Association scale. Clean products
include naphtha, jet fuel, gasoline and diesel/gasoil.
Contract of Affreightment. A contract of
affreightment, or COA, relates to the carriage of specific
quantities of cargo with multiple voyages over the same route
and over a specific period of time which usually spans a number
of years. A COA does not designate the specific vessels or
voyage schedules that will transport the cargo, thereby
providing both the charterer and ship owner greater operating
flexibility than with voyage charters alone. The charterer has
the flexibility to determine the individual voyage scheduling at
a future date while the ship owner may use different ships to
perform these individual voyages. As a result, COAs are mostly
entered into by large fleet operators such as pools or ship
owners with large fleets of the same vessel type. All of the
ships operating, voyage and capital costs are borne by the
ship owner while the freight rate normally is agreed on a per
cargo ton basis.
Deadweight ton or dwt. A unit of a
vessels capacity for cargo, fuel oil, stores and crew,
measured in metric tons of 1,000 kilograms. A vessels dwt
or total deadweight is the total weight necessary to submerge
the vessel to its maximum permitted draft.
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Dirty Petroleum Products. Liquid products
refined from crude oil, whose color is greater than 2.5 on the
National Petroleum Association scale. Dirty products usually
require heating during a voyage, because their viscosity or
waxiness makes discharge difficult at ambient temperatures.
Double-hull. Hull construction design in which
a vessel has an inner and outer side and bottom separated by
void space, usually 2 meters in width.
Draft. Vertical distance between the waterline
and the bottom of the vessels keel.
Drydocking. The removal of a vessel from the
water for inspection
and/or
repair of those parts of a vessel which are below the water
line. During drydockings, which are required to be carried out
periodically, certain mandatory classification society
inspections are carried out and relevant certifications issued.
Drydockings are generally required once every 30 to
60 months.
Gross ton. A unit of weight equal to 2,240
pounds.
Handymax (also known as MR or Medium Range)
tanker. A tanker ranging in size from 25,000 dwt
to 50,000 dwt.
Handysize Tanker: A tanker ranging in size
from 10,000 dwt to 25,000 dwt.
Hull. Shell or body of a vessel.
IMO. International Maritime Organization, a
United Nations agency that issues international regulations and
standards for seaborne transportation.
ISM Code. International Safety Management Code
for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention,
which, among other things, requires vessel-owners to obtain a
safety management certification for each vessel they manage.
ISPS Code. International Security Code for
Ports and Ships, which enacts measures to detect and prevent
security threats to vessels and ports.
Intermediate Survey. The inspection of a
vessel by a classification society surveyor which takes place
between two and three years before and after each special survey
for such vessel pursuant to the rules of international
conventions and classification societies.
LR1. Abbreviation for Long Range 1 product
tanker, denoting a category of vessels with cargo capacity of
60,000 to 80,000 dwt, normally used in the transportation of
various refined oil products.
LR2. Abbreviation for Long Range 2 product
tanker, denoting a category of vessels with cargo capacity of
80,000 to 120,000 dwt, normally used in the transportation of
refined oil products, particularly naptha, and also crude oil.
Metric Ton. A unit of weight equal to 1,000
kilograms.
Newbuilding. A new vessel under construction
or just completed.
Off-hire. The period a vessel is unable to
perform the services for which it is required under a time
charter. Off-hire periods typically include days spent
undergoing repairs and drydocking, whether or not scheduled.
OPA. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 of the United
States (as amended).
Panamax Tanker. A tanker ranging in size from
55,000 dwt to 85,000 dwt. The term is derived from the maximum
length, breadth and draft capable of passing fully loaded
through the Panama Canal.
Post-Panamax. A vessel whose dimensions exceed
the current maximum allowable for movement through the Panama
canal.
Period Charter. A period charter is an
industry term referring to both time and bareboat charters.
These charters are referred to as period charters or period
market charters due to use of the vessel by the charterer over a
specific period of time.
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Product Tanker. A tanker designed for the
carriage of refined petroleum products whose cargo tanks are
usually coated with epoxy-based paint to facilitate the cleaning
of the tanker between the carriage of different cargoes and to
prevent product contamination and hull corrosion. A product
tanker typically has multiple cargo tanks capable of handling
different cargoes simultaneously. The vessel may have equipment
designed for the loading and unloading of cargoes with a high
viscosity.
Protection and Indemnity (or P&I)
Insurance. Insurance obtained through mutual
associations (called Clubs) formed by vessel-owners
to provide liability insurance protection against a large
financial loss by one member by contribution towards that loss
by all members. To a great extent, the risks are reinsured.
Revenue Days. Revenue days are the total
number of calendar days our vessels were in our possession
during a period, less the total number of off-hire days during
the period associated with major repairs or drydockings.
Consequently, revenue days represent the total number of days
available for the vessel to earn revenue. Idle days, which are
days when a vessel is available to earn revenue, yet is not
employed, are included in revenue days. We use revenue days to
show changes in net vessel revenues between periods.
Refined Petroleum Products. Refined crude oil
products, such as fuel oils, gasoline and jet fuel.
Scrapping. The disposal of old or damaged
vessel tonnage by way of sale as scrap metal.
Single-hull. A hull construction design in
which a vessel has only one hull.
Sister Ship. Vessels of the same type and
specification.
SOLAS. The International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea 1974, as amended, adopted under the
auspices of the IMO.
Special Survey. An extensive inspection of a
vessel by classification society surveyors that must be
completed within five years. Special surveys require a vessel to
be drydocked.
Spot Charter. A spot charter is an industry
term referring to both voyage and trip time charters. These
charters are referred to as spot charters or spot market
charters due to their short term duration, consisting mostly of
a single voyage between one load port and one discharge port.
Spot Market. The market for the immediate
chartering of a vessel, usually for single voyages.
Strict Liability. Liability that is imposed
without regard to fault.
Suezmax Tanker. Tanker ranging in size from
120,000 dwt to 200,000 dwt. The term is derived from the maximum
length, breadth and draft capable of passing fully loaded
through the Suez Canal.
Tanker. Vessel designed for the carriage of
liquid cargoes in bulk with cargo space consisting of many
tanks. Tankers carry a variety of products including crude oil,
refined petroleum products, liquid chemicals and liquid gas.
Time Charter. A time charter is a contract
under which a charterer pays a fixed daily hire rate on a
semi-monthly or monthly basis for a fixed period of time for use
of the vessel. Subject to any restrictions in the charter, the
charterer decides the type and quantity of cargo to be carried
and the ports of loading and unloading. The charterer pays the
voyage related expenses such as fuel, canal tolls, and port
charges. The vessel-owner pays all vessel operating costs such
as the management expenses and crew costs as well as for the
capital costs of the vessel. Any delays at port or during the
voyages are the responsibility of the charterer, except for
certain specific exceptions such as loss of time arising from
vessel breakdown and routine maintenance.
Time Charter Equivalent Revenue or Rates. Time
charter equivalent, or TCE, revenue or rates, is a standard
shipping industry performance measure which is used to compare
results between different charter types. TCE revenue is vessel
revenue less voyage expenses. The TCE rate achieved on a given
voyage is expressed in U.S. dollars/day and is generally
calculated by taking TCE revenue and dividing that figure by the
number of days in the period.
Trip Time Charter. A trip time charter is a
short term time charter where the vessel performs a single
voyage between load port(s) and discharge port(s) and the
charterer pays a fixed daily hire rate on a semi-monthly basis
for use of the vessel. The difference between a trip time
charter and a voyage charter is only in the form of payment for
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use of the vessel and the respective financial responsibilities
of the charterer and vessel-owner as described under time
charter and voyage charter.
Ton. See Metric ton.
Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC). A tanker
whose size is above 200,000 dwt and has a typical cargo capacity
of about 350,000 dwt.
Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). A tanker
whose size is above 200,000 dwt and has a typical cargo capacity
of about 300,000 dwt.
Vessel Operating Costs. The costs of operating
a vessel that is incurred during a charter, primarily consisting
of crew wages and associated costs, insurance premiums,
lubricants and spare parts, and repair and maintenance costs.
Vessel operating costs exclude fuel and port charges, which are
known as voyage expenses. For a time charter, the
vessel-owner pays vessel operating costs. For a bareboat
charter, the charterer pays vessel operating costs.
Vessel Revenues. Vessel revenues primarily
include revenues from time charters, pool revenues and voyage
charters (in the spot market). Vessel revenues are affected by
hire rates and the number of days a vessel operates. Vessel
revenues are also affected by the mix of business between
vessels on time charter, vessels in pools and vessels operating
on voyage charter. Revenues from vessels in pools and on voyage
charter are more volatile, as they are typically tied to
prevailing market rates.
Voyage Charter. A voyage charter involves the
carriage of a specific amount and type of cargo from specific
load port(s) to specific discharge port(s), subject to various
cargo handling terms. Most of these charters are of a single
voyage nature between two specific ports, as trading patterns do
not encourage round voyage trading. The owner of the vessel
receives one payment derived by multiplying the tons of cargo
loaded on board by the cost per cargo ton, as agreed to
transport that cargo between the specific ports. The owner is
responsible for the payment of all expenses including voyage,
operating and capital costs of the vessel. The charterer is
typically responsible for any delay at the loading or
discharging ports.
Voyage Expenses. Voyage expenses primarily
include bunkers, port charges, canal tolls, cargo handling
operations and brokerage commissions paid by us under voyage
charters. These expenses are subtracted from voyage charter
revenues to calculate time charter equivalent revenues.
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