Date March 29, 2007 ARGYLE MARITIME CORP. CATON MARITIME CORP. DORCHESTER MARITIME CORP. LONGWOODS MARITIME CORP. McHENRY MARITIME CORP. SUNSWYCK MARITIME CORP. as Joint and Several Obligors -and- THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC as Issuer GUARANTEE...
Date
March 29, 2007
ARGYLE
MARITIME CORP.
XXXXX
MARITIME CORP.
DORCHESTER
MARITIME CORP.
LONGWOODS
MARITIME CORP.
XxXXXXX
MARITIME CORP.
SUNSWYCK
MARITIME CORP.
as
Joint
and Several Obligors
-and-
THE
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC
as
Issuer
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
relating
to
a
US$84,000,000 guarantee facility
INDEX
ClausePage
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
London
THIS
AGREEMENT
is made
on March 29, 2007
BETWEEN
(1) |
ARGYLE
MARITIME CORP.,
XXXXX
MARITIME CORP.,
DORCHESTER
MARITIME CORP.,
LONGWOODS
MARITIME CORP.,
XxXXXXX
MARITIME CORP. and
SUNSWYCK
MARITIME CORP.,
as Joint and Several Obligors; and
|
(2) |
THE
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC,
as Issuer
|
BACKGROUND
The
Issuer has agreed to make available to the Obligors a guarantee facility of
up
to $84,000,000 to provide performance guarantees in relation to the payment
of
the second, third and fourth scheduled stage payments payable under the
shipbuilding contracts for each of six newbuilding multipurpose carriers to
be
built at Yahua Shipyard, China having hull nos. NYHS200720, NYHS200721,
NYHS200722, NYHS200723, NYHS200724 and NYHS200725.
IT
IS AGREED
as
follows:
1 |
INTERPRETATION
|
1.1 |
Definitions.
Subject to Clause 1.5, in this
Agreement:
|
“Approved
Managers”
means,
Roymar Ship Management Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of New York
and having a place of business at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx
00000, XXX or such other company as the Issuer may from time to time approve
as
manager of the Ships;
“Availability
Period”
means
the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on:
(a) |
30
April 2007 (or such later date as the Issuer may agree with the Obligors);
or
|
(b) |
if
earlier, the date on which the Commitment is fully cancelled or
terminated;
|
“Available
Commitment”
means,
at any time, the Commitment less the Outstandings at that time;
“Bank
of America Facilities”
means
the credit facilities made available to Albermarle Maritime Corp and others
pursuant to the credit agreement dated 31 July 2006 made between Albermarle
Maritime Corp, the Corporate Guarantor, Bank of America N.A. and
others;
“Builder”
means
Nantong Yahua Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., a corporation organised and existing under
the laws of the People’s Republic of Chins, having its registered office at 0
Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx P.C. 226 361, The People’s Republic of
China;
“Business
Day”
means
a
day on which banks are open for general business in London and, in respect
of a
day on which a payment is required to be made under a Finance Document, also
in
New York City;
“China
Communications”
means
China Communications Construction Company Ltd, a corporation organised and
existing under the laws of the People’s Republic of China, having its registered
office at No. C88, An Ding Men Wai Street, Beijing 100011, the People’s Republic
of China;
“Commitment”
means
$84,000,000 as that amount may be reduced, cancelled or terminated in accordance
with this Agreement;
“Contract
Price”
means,
in relation to each Ship, the aggregate amount payable to the Seller pursuant
to
the terms of the Shipbuilding Contract for such Ship being in each case
$35,420,000;
“Contractual
Currency”
has
the
meaning given in Clause 15.4;
“Corporate
Guarantee”
means
a
guarantee in the form set out in Appendix B;
“Corporate
Guarantor”
means
TBS International Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of Bermuda
having its principal office at Suite 000, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxxxxx XX00, Xxxxxxx;
“Dollars”
and
“$”
means
the lawful currency for the time being of the United States of
America;
“Event
of Default”
means
any of the events or circumstances described in Clause 13.1;
“Fee
Letter”
means
any letter dated on or about the date of this Agreement between the Issuer
and
the Obligors setting out any fees referred to in Clause 14.1;
“Finance
Documents”
means:
(a) |
this
Agreement;
|
(b) |
the
Corporate Guarantee;
|
(c) |
the
Pre-delivery Security Assignments;
and
|
(d) |
the
Fee Letter;
|
(e) |
the
Intercreditor Agreement; and
|
(f) |
any
other document (whether creating a Security Interest or not) which
is
executed at any time by the Obligor or any other person as security
for,
or to establish any form of subordination or priorities arrangement
in
relation to, any amount payable to the Issuer under this Agreement
or any
of the other documents referred to in this
definition;
|
“Financial
Indebtedness”
means,
in relation to a person (the “debtor”),
a
liability of the debtor:
(a) |
for
principal, interest or any other sum payable in respect of any moneys
borrowed or raised by the debtor;
|
(b) |
under
any loan stock, bond, note or other security issued by the
debtor;
|
(c) |
under
any acceptance credit, guarantee or letter of credit facility made
available to the debtor;
|
(d) |
under
a financial lease, a deferred purchase consideration arrangement
or any
other agreement having the commercial effect of a borrowing or raising
of
money by the debtor (other than normal trade credit not exceeding
180
days);
|
(e) |
under
any foreign exchange transaction, any interest or currency swap or
any
other kind of derivative transaction entered into by the debtor
or,
if the agreement under which any such transaction is entered into
requires
netting of mutual liabilities, the liability of the debtor for the
net
amount;
or
|
(f) |
under
a guarantee, indemnity or similar obligation entered into by the
debtor in
respect of a liability of another person which would fall within
paragraphs (a) to (e) if the references to the debtor referred to
the
other person;
|
“Guarantee”
means
each guarantee issued or to be issued in favour of the Seller substantially
in
the form set out in Appendix C;
“Guarantee
Issue Date”
means,
in relation to a Guarantee, the date requested by the relevant Obligor for
the
Guarantee to be issued or (as the context requires) the date on which the
Guarantee is actually issued;
“Guarantee
Issue Request”
means,
in relation to a Guarantee, a notice in the form of Schedule 1 (or in any other
form which the Issuer approves or reasonably requires);
“Guaranteed
Obligations”
means,
in relation to a Guarantee, the actual and contingent, certain and future
obligations and liabilities owed by the relevant Obligor to the Seller and
secured by the Guarantee;
“Intercreditor
Agreement”
means
the intercreditor agreement executed or to be executed between the Obligors,
the
Issuer and the Security Trustee in the form set out in Appendix D;
“Issuer”
means
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, acting through the Shipping Business Centre,
0-00 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX (or through another branch or office
notified to the Issuer under Clause 20.6) or its direct or indirect successor
or
assign;
“LIBOR”
means,
for any period for which a rate of interest is to be determined under this
Agreement:
(a) |
the
rate per annum equal to the offered quotation for deposits in Dollars
for
a period equal to, or as near as possible equal to, that
period which
appears on REUTERS
BBA Page LIBOR 01 at
or about 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation
Date for that
period
(and, for the purposes of this Agreement, “REUTERS
BBA Page LIBOR 01”
means the display designated as “REUTERS
BBA Page LIBOR 01”
on the Reuters
Money News Service
or such other page as may replace REUTERS
BBA Page LIBOR 01
on
that service for the purpose of displaying rates comparable to that
rate
or on such other service as may be nominated by the British Bankers’
Association as the information vendor for the purpose of displaying
British Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates for Dollars);
or
|
(b) |
if
no rate is quoted on REUTERS BBA Page LIBOR 01 the rate per annum
determined by the Issuer to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars
are
offered to the Issuer by leading banks in the London Interbank Market
at
the Issuer’s request at or about 11.00 a.m. (London time) on the Quotation
Date for that period for a period equal to that period and for delivery
on
the first Business Day of it;
|
“Loan
Agreement”
means
the loan agreement of even date herewith made between (among others) the
Obligors as joint and several borrowers, the banks and financial institutions
listed in the Schedule 1 thereto as lenders and the Security Trustee relating
to
a loan facility of up to $150,000,000;
“Obligor
A”
means
Argyle Maritime Corp., being a corporation organised and existing under the
laws
of the Xxxxxxxx Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company
Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Xxxxxxxx Islands, MH
96960;
“Obligor
B”
means
Xxxxx Maritime Corp., being a corporation organised and existing under the
laws
of the Xxxxxxxx Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company
Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Xxxxxxxx Islands, MH
96960;
“Obligor
C”
means
Dorchester Maritime Corp., being a corporation organised and existing under
the
laws of the Xxxxxxxx Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company
Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Xxxxxxxx Islands, MH
96960;
“Obligor
D”
means
Longwoods Maritime Corp., being a corporation organised and existing under
the
laws of the Xxxxxxxx Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company
Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Xxxxxxxx Islands, MH
96960;
“Obligor
E”
means
XxXxxxx Maritime Corp., being a corporation organised and existing under the
laws of the Xxxxxxxx Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company
Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Xxxxxxxx Islands, MH
96960;
“Obligor
F”
means
Sunswyck Maritime Corp., being a corporation organised and existing under the
laws of the Xxxxxxxx Islands and having its registered office at Trust Company
Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Xxxxxxxx Islands, MH
96960;
“Obligors”
means
together Obligor A, Obligor B, Obligor C, Obligor D, Obligor E and Obligor
F
and, in the singular, means any of them;
“Other
Pre-delivery Security Assignments” means
the
Pre-delivery Security Assignments as defined in the Loan Agreement;
“Outstanding
Guarantee Amount”
means,
in relation to a Guarantee, the maximum amount for which the Guarantee was
issued less the aggregate amount of all reductions to it which have been made
in
accordance with the provisions of Clause 3.1;
“Outstandings”
means,
at any time, the aggregate of the Outstanding Guarantee Amounts;
“Overall
Agreement”
means
the overall agreement dated 24 February 2007 relating to the Shipbuilding
Contracts and made between the Corporate Guarantor and the Seller;
“Payment
Currency”
has
the
meaning given in Clause 15.4;
“Permitted
Security Interests”
means:
(a) |
Security
Interests created by the Finance Documents and Other Pre-delivery
Security
Assignments;
|
(b) |
any
Security Interest created in favour of a plaintiff or defendant in
any
proceedings or arbitration as security for costs and expenses where
the
relevant Obligor is actively prosecuting or defending such proceedings
or
arbitration in good faith; and
|
(c) |
Security
Interests arising by operation of law in respect of taxes which are
not
overdue for payment or in respect of taxes being contested in good
faith
by appropriate steps and in respect of which appropriate reserves
have
been made;
|
“Pertinent
Jurisdiction”,
in
relation to a company, means:
(a) |
England
and Wales;
|
(b) |
the
country under the laws of which the company is incorporated or
formed;
|
(c) |
a
country in which the company’s central management and control is or has
recently been exercised;
|
(d) |
a
country in which the overall net income of the company is subject
to
corporation tax, income tax or any similar
tax;
|
(e) |
a
country in which assets of the company (other than securities issued
by,
or loans to, related companies) having a substantial value are situated,
in which the company maintains a permanent place of business, or
in which
a Security Interest created by the company must or should be registered
in
order to ensure its validity or priority;
and
|
(f) |
a
country the courts of which have jurisdiction to make a winding up,
administration or similar order in relation to the company or which
would
have such jurisdiction if their assistance were requested by the
courts of
a country referred to in paragraphs (b) or (c)
above;
|
“Potential
Event of Default”
means
an event or circumstance which, with the giving of any notice, the lapse of
time, a determination (where required) of the Issuer and/or the satisfaction
of
any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default;
“Pre-delivery
Security Assignment”
means,
in relation to each Shipbuilding Contract and corresponding Refund Guarantees,
an assignment of the relevant Obligor’s rights under such Shipbuilding Contract
and Refund Guarantees to be executed by the relevant Obligor in favour of the
Issuer in the form set out in Appendix A;
“Quotation
Date”
means,
in relation to any period for which an interest rate is to be determined under
any provision of a Finance Document, the day on which quotations would
ordinarily be given by leading banks in the London Interbank Market for deposits
in the currency in relation to which such rate is to be determined for delivery
on the first day of that period;
“Refund
Guarantee”
means,
in relation to each Ship each refund guarantee issued by the Refund Guarantor
in
favour of the relevant Obligor pursuant to the Shipbuilding Agreement in respect
of such Ship;
“Refund
Guarantor”
means
Bank of Communications acting through its branch at 00 Xxx Xxxx Xx Xxx, Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 000000, Xxx People's Republic of China;
“Relevant
Person”
has
the
meaning given in Clause 13.7;
“Security
Interest”
means:
(a) |
a
mortgage, charge (whether fixed or floating) or pledge, any maritime
or
other lien or assignment by way of security or any other security
interest
of any kind;
|
(b) |
the
security rights of a plaintiff under an action in
rem;
and
|
(c) |
any
arrangement entered into by a person (A) the effect of which is to
place
another person (B) in a position which is similar, in economic terms,
to
the position in which B would have been had he held a security interest
over an asset of A; but this paragraph (c) does not apply to a right
of
set off or combination of accounts conferred by the standard terms
of
business of a bank or financial
institution;
|
“Security
Party”
means
the Corporate Guarantor and any other person who, as a surety or mortgagor,
as a
party to any subordination or priorities arrangement, or in any similar
capacity, executes a document falling within the last paragraph of the
definition of “Finance Documents” (but for the avoidance of doubt “Security
Party” shall not include the Issuer and the creditor parties under the Loan
Agreement);
“Security
Period”
means
the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date
on
which the Issuer notifies the Obligors and the Security Parties
that:
(a) |
all
amounts which have become due for payment by the Obligors or any
Security
Party under the Finance Documents have been
paid;
|
(b) |
no
amount is owing or has accrued (without yet having become due for
payment)
under any Finance Document;
|
(c) |
none
of the Obligors nor any Security Party has any future or contingent
liability under Clause 14, 15 or 16 or any other provision of this
Agreement or another Finance
Document;
|
(d) |
the
Issuer does not consider that there is a significant risk that any
payment
or transaction under a Finance Document would be set aside, or would
have
to be reversed or adjusted, in any present or possible future bankruptcy
of an Obligor or a Security Party or in any present or possible future
proceeding relating to a Finance Document or any asset covered (or
previously covered) by a Security Interest created by a Finance Document;
and
|
(e) |
each
Guarantee has been returned to the Issuer by the Seller endorsed
to the
effect that it is cancelled;
|
“Security
Trustee”
means
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc acting in the capacity of security trustee in
relation to the Loan Agreement and the loan facility to be made available
thereunder;
“Seller”
means
together China Communications and the Builder;
“Settlement
Amount”
means,
in relation to a Guarantee, the amount payable or as the case may be paid by
the
Issuer to the Seller in respect of the Guarantee;
“Settlement
Date”
means,
in relation to a Guarantee, the date on which payment of the Settlement Amount
is due to the Seller in respect of the Guarantee;
“Ship
A”
means
the multipurpose bulk carrier of about 35,000 dwt having Builder’s Hull No.
NYHS200720 to be constructed and sold by the Seller and to be purchased by
Obligor A pursuant to the relevant Shipbuilding Contract;
“Ship
B”
means
the multipurpose bulk carrier of about 35,000 dwt having Builder’s Hull No.
NYHS200721 to be constructed and sold by the Seller and to be purchased by
Obligor B pursuant to the relevant Shipbuilding Contract;
“Ship
C”
means
the multipurpose bulk carrier of about 35,000 dwt having Builder’s Hull No.
NYHS200722 to be constructed and sold by the Seller and to be purchased by
Obligor C pursuant to the relevant Shipbuilding Contract;
“Ship
D”
means
the multipurpose bulk carrier of about 35,000 dwt having Builder’s Hull No.
NYHS200723 to be constructed and sold by the Seller and to be purchased by
Obligor D pursuant to the relevant Shipbuilding Contract;
“Ship
E”
means
the multipurpose bulk carrier of about 35,000 dwt having Builder’s Hull No.
NYHS200724 to be constructed and sold by the Seller and to be purchased by
Obligor E pursuant to the relevant Shipbuilding Contract;
“Ship
F”
means
the multipurpose bulk carrier of about 35,000 dwt having Builder’s Hull No.
NYHS200725 to be constructed and sold by the Seller and to be purchased by
Obligor F pursuant to the relevant Shipbuilding Contract;
“Shipbuilding
Contract”
means,
in relation to Ship A, the shipbuilding contract dated 24 February 2007 made
between the Seller and Obligor A in respect of such Ship, in relation to Ship
B,
the shipbuilding contract dated 24 February 2007 made between the Seller and
Obligor B in respect of such Ship, in relation to Ship C, the shipbuilding
contract dated 24 February 2007 made between the Seller and Obligor C in respect
of such Ship, in relation to Ship D, the shipbuilding contract dated 24 February
2007 made between the Seller and Obligor D in respect of such Ship, in relation
to Ship E, the shipbuilding contract dated 24 February 2007 made between the
Seller and Obligor E in respect of such Ship and, in relation to Ship F, the
shipbuilding contract dated 24 February 2007 made between the Seller and Obligor
F in respect of such Ship and in each case, as supplemented by the Overall
Agreement;
“Ships”
means
together Ship A, Ship B, Ship C, Ship D, Ship E and Ship F and, in the singular,
means any of them; and
“Termination
Date”
means:
(a) |
in
relation to the Guarantee to be issued in respect of Ship A, 28 February
2010;
|
(b) |
in
relation to the Guarantee to be issued in respect of Ship B, 31 August
2010;
|
(c) |
in
relation to the Guarantee to be issued in respect of Ship C, 31 January
2011;
|
(d) |
in
relation to the Guarantee to be issued in respect of Ship D, 31 May
2011;
|
(e) |
in
relation to the Guarantee to be issued in respect of Ship E, 30 March
2011; and
|
(f) |
in
relation to the Guarantee to be issued in respect of Ship F, 31 July
2011.
|
1.2 |
Construction
of certain terms.
In
this Agreement:
|
“asset”
includes every kind of property, asset, interest or right, including any
present, future or contingent right to any revenues or other
payment;
“company”
includes any partnership, joint venture and unincorporated
association;
“consent”
includes an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption,
filing, registration, notarisation and legalisation;
“contingent
liability”
means
a
liability which is not certain to arise and/or the amount of which remains
unascertained;
“document”
includes a deed; also a letter, fax or telex;
“expense”
means
any order or decree, any kind of cost, charge or expense (including all legal
costs, charges and expenses) and any applicable value added or other
tax;
“law”
includes any order or decree, any form of delegated legislation, any treaty
or
international convention and any regulation, directive, decision or resolution
of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the United
Nations or its Security Council;
“legal
or administrative action”
means
any legal proceeding or arbitration and any administrative or regulatory action
or investigation;
“liability”
includes every kind of debt or liability (present or future, certain or
contingent), whether incurred as principal or surety or otherwise;
“months”
shall
be construed in accordance with Clause 1.3;
“parent
company”
has
the
meaning given in Clause 1.4;
“person”
includes any company; any state, political sub-division of a state and local
or
municipal authority; and any international organisation;
“policy”,
in
relation to any insurance, includes a slip, cover note, certificate of entry
or
other document evidencing the contract of insurance or its terms;
“regulation”
includes any regulation, rule, official directive, request or guideline whether
or not having the force of law of any governmental, intergovernmental or
supranational body, agency, department or regulatory, self-regulatory or other
authority or organisation;
“subsidiary”
has
the
meaning given in Clause 1.4; and
“tax”
includes any present or future tax, duty, impost, levy or charge of any kind
which is imposed by any state, any political sub-division of a state or any
local or municipal authority (including any such imposed in connection with
exchange controls), and any connected penalty, interest or fine.
1.3 |
Meaning
of “month”.
A
period of one or more “months”
ends on the day in the relevant calendar month numerically corresponding
to the day of the calendar month on which the period started
(“the
numerically corresponding day”),
but:
|
(a) |
on
the Business Day following the numerically corresponding day if the
numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day or, if there
is no
later Business Day in the same calendar month, on the Business Day
preceding the numerically corresponding day;
or
|
(b) |
on
the last Business Day in the relevant calendar month, if the period
started on the last Business Day in a calendar month or if the last
calendar month of the period has no numerically corresponding
day;
|
and
“month”
and
“monthly”
shall
be construed accordingly.
1.4 |
Meaning
of “subsidiary”.
A
company (S) is a subsidiary of another company (P)
if:
|
(a) |
a
majority of the issued shares in S (or a majority of the issued shares
in
S which carry unlimited rights to capital and income distributions)
are
directly owned by P or are indirectly attributable to P;
or
|
(b) |
P
has direct or indirect control over a majority of the voting rights
attaching to the issued shares of S;
or
|
(c) P
has the
direct or indirect power to appoint or remove a majority of the directors of
S;
or
(d) |
P
otherwise has the direct or indirect power to ensure that the affairs
of S
are conducted in accordance with the wishes of
P;
|
and
any
company of which S is a subsidiary is a parent company of S.
1.5 |
General
Interpretation.
In this Agreement:
|
(a) |
references
in Clause 1.1 to a Finance Document or any other document being in
the
form of a particular appendix include references to that form with
any
modifications to that form which the Issuer approves or reasonably
requires;
|
(b) |
references
to, or to a provision of, a Finance Document or any other document
are
references to it as amended or supplemented, whether before the date
of
this Agreement or otherwise;
|
(c) |
references
to, or to a provision of, any law include any amendment, extension,
re-enactment or replacement, whether made before the date of this
Agreement or otherwise;
|
(d) |
words
denoting the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa;
and
|
(e) |
Clauses
1.1 to 1.5 apply unless the contrary intention
appears.
|
1.6 |
Headings.
In
interpreting a Finance Document or any provision of a Finance Document,
all clause, sub-clause and other headings in that and any other Finance
Document shall be entirely
disregarded.
|
2 |
GUARANTEE
FACILITY
|
2.1 |
Availability
of guarantee facility.
Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Issuer shall
make
available to the Obligors a guarantee facility in an amount of $84,000,000
which shall be made available by the following
Guarantees:
|
(a) |
a
Guarantee in an amount not exceeding $14,000,000 as a performance
guarantee in favour of the Seller to secure the second, third and
fourth
instalments of the Contract Price due from the relevant Obligor under
the
Shipbuilding Contract for Ship A;
|
(b) |
a
Guarantee in an amount not exceeding $14,000,000 as a performance
guarantee in favour of the Seller to secure the second, third and
fourth
instalments of the Contract Price due from the relevant Obligor under
the
Shipbuilding Contract for Ship B;
|
(c) |
a
Guarantee in an amount not exceeding $14,000,000 as a performance
guarantee in favour of the Seller to secure the second, third and
fourth
instalments of the Contract Price due from the relevant Obligor under
the
Shipbuilding Contract for Ship C;
|
(d) |
a
Guarantee in an amount not exceeding $14,000,000 as a performance
guarantee in favour of the Seller to secure the second, third and
fourth
instalments of the Contract Price due from the relevant Obligor under
the
Shipbuilding Contract for Ship D;
|
(e) |
a
Guarantee in an amount not exceeding $14,000,000 as a performance
guarantee in favour of the Seller to secure the second, third and
fourth
instalments of the Contract Price due from the relevant Obligor under
the
Shipbuilding Contract for Ship E;
|
(f) |
a
Guarantee in an amount not exceeding $14,000,000 as a performance
guarantee in favour of the Seller to secure the second, third and
fourth
instalments of the Contract Price due from the relevant Obligor under
the
Shipbuilding Contract for Ship F.
|
2.2 |
Request
for issue of Guarantees.
Subject to the following conditions, an Obligor may make a request
for a
Guarantee to be issued by ensuring that the Issuer receives a completed
Guarantee Issue Request not later than 11 a.m. (London time) 3 Business
Days prior to the intended Guarantee Issue
Date.
|
2.3 |
Availability.
The conditions referred to in Clause 2.2 are
that:
|
(a) |
a
Guarantee Issue Date has to be a Business Day during the Availability
Period;
|
(b) |
the
maximum amount of a Guarantee shall be $14,000,000 and shall not,
when
aggregated with the amount of all other issued Guarantees, exceed
the
Commitment;
|
(c) |
the
Issuer must receive, together with the Guarantee Issue Request, a
final
draft of the form of Guarantee which it is being requested to issue
on the
intended Guarantee Issue Date; and
|
(d) |
the
form of each Guarantee has to be approved in writing by the Issuer
at
least 2 Business Days prior to the intended Guarantee Issue Date
but it
must in any event contain express
provisions:
|
(i) |
limiting
the total amount payable by the Issuer under it to a stated maximum
amount
in Dollars; and
|
(ii) |
stating
that it shall expire or be reduced to zero not later than the relevant
Termination Date.
|
2.4 |
Cancellation
of guarantee facility.
The Obligor may cancel the Available Commitment in whole or in part
subject to the condition that the Issuer has received from the Obligor
at
least 7 Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the amount to be
cancelled and the date on which the cancellation is to take effect.
The
Commitment shall be reduced permanently by the amount of the Available
Commitment so cancelled.
|
2.5 |
Change
of beneficial ownership of Obligors or the Corporate
Guarantor.
If
without the consent of the Issuer a change occurs after the date
of this
Agreement in the ultimate beneficial ownership of any shares in any
Obligor or the Corporate Guarantor or in the ultimate voting rights
attaching to any of those shares from that disclosed to the Issuer
pursuant to Schedule 2 Part A 10:
|
(a) |
the
Obligors shall promptly notify the Issuer upon becoming aware of
that
event; and
|
(b) |
the
Issuer shall not be obliged to provide a Guarantee requested in a
Guarantee Issue Request and the Issuer may, by not more than 10 days’
notice to the Obligors cancel the Available Commitment and require
the
Obligors either to procure the cancellation of any issued Guarantees
or to
provide cash security in respect of such issued Guarantees on the
same
terms mutatis mutandis as set out in Clause
5.6.
|
3 |
REDUCTION
OF GUARANTEES
|
3.1 |
Reduction
of Outstanding Guarantee Amounts.
The Outstanding Guarantee Amount of a Guarantee shall not be treated
as
reduced for the purposes of this Agreement unless and
until:
|
(a) |
the
Issuer has received a written confirmation from the Seller of the
amount
of such reduction; or
|
(b) |
the
Issuer has notified the relevant Obligor in writing that (notwithstanding
the absence of a written confirmation from the Seller) it is satisfied
that its liability under the Guarantee has been irrevocably reduced
or
discharged; or
|
(c) |
the
amount of the Guarantee irrevocably and unconditionally reduces in
accordance with its terms; or
|
(d) |
the
expiry date of the Guarantee elapses and the Issuer has notified
the
relevant Obligor in writing that it is satisfied that no claim or
demand
has been made, or may thereafter be made, under the Guarantee, such
notification not to be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.
|
4 |
SETTLEMENT
OF GUARANTEES
|
4.1 |
Notification
of Settlement Amounts.
The Issuer shall, immediately after receiving a demand from, or after
being notified by, the Seller that it is required to make payment
under a
Guarantee, notify the relevant Obligor that such payment is due and
of the
Settlement Amount and the Settlement
Date.
|
4.2 |
Relevant
Obligor’s settlement obligation.
The relevant Obligor shall:
|
(a) |
immediately
after notification from the Issuer under Clause 4.1, acknowledge
to the
Issuer that it will reimburse the Settlement Amount; and
|
(b) |
pay
to the Issuer the Settlement Amount in Dollars on the Settlement
Date.
|
4.3 |
Relevant
Xxxxxxx’s failure to reimburse.
If
the relevant Obligor fails to reimburse the Settlement Amount to
the
Issuer on the Settlement Date pursuant to Clause 4.2, it shall pay
to the
Issuer interest on the Settlement Amount from the Settlement Date
to the
date the Issuer is reimbursed by the relevant Obligor at the rate
described in Clause 6 such interest to be compounded in accordance
with
Clause 6.6 and payable on demand.
|
5 |
INDEMNITY
OF THE OBLIGORS
|
5.1 |
Obligors’
undertaking to indemnify.
Each Obligor agrees that it shall:
|
(a) |
pay
to the Issuer upon demand by the Issuer an amount equal to each
amount:
|
(i) |
demanded
from the Issuer under a Guarantee;
or
|
(ii) |
paid
by the Issuer to the Seller under Clause
5.8;
|
and
which
is not otherwise fully reimbursed, paid or repaid by the Obligors under this
Agreement;
(b) |
indemnify,
as a principal and independent debtor, the Issuer on demand against
all
actions, claims, demands, liabilities, costs, losses, damages and
expenses
incurred, suffered or sustained or any penalty or other expenditure
which
may result or which the Issuer may incur, suffer or sustain in connection
with or arising out of or in relation to any Guaranteed Obligations
and/or
the payment under or other performance of a Guarantee (including
without
limitation any correspondent bank
charges).
|
5.2 |
Guarantee
payments.
Each Obligor:
|
(a) |
irrevocably
authorises the Issuer to make any payment demanded from it pursuant
to a
Guarantee if that demand is made in accordance with its
terms;
|
(b) |
accepts
that any demand for payment made by the Seller pursuant to a Guarantee
and
which is made in accordance with its terms shall be conclusive evidence
that the Issuer was liable to make payment under the Guarantee and
any
payment which the Issuer makes pursuant to any such demand shall
be
accepted by the Obligors as binding upon the Obligors;
and
|
(c) |
acknowledges
and agrees that the Issuer shall not in any circumstances whatsoever
be
liable to the Obligors in respect of any loss or damage suffered
by the
Obligors by reason of the Issuer making a payment to the Seller in
connection with any payment demanded under a Guarantee.
|
5.3 |
Continuing
indemnities.
The liabilities and obligations of the Obligors under the indemnities
set
out in Clause 5.1 shall remain in force as a continuing security
until:
|
(a) |
the
full, prompt and complete performance of all the terms of such indemnities
including the proper and valid payment of all amounts that may become
due
to the Issuer under this Clause 5.3;
and
|
(b) |
subject
to Clause 5.4, an absolute discharge or release of the Obligors signed
by
the Issuer;
|
and
accordingly the Obligors shall not have, as regards those indemnities, any
of
the rights or defences of a surety.
5.4 |
Discharges.
Any such discharge or release referred to in Clause 5.3, and any
composition or arrangement which the Obligors may effect with the
Issuer,
shall be deemed to be made subject to the condition that it will
be void
if any payment or security which the Issuer, may previously have
received
or may thereafter receive is set aside under any applicable law or
proves
to have been for any reason invalid.
|
5.5 |
No
impairment.
Without limiting the generality of Clauses 5.3 and 5.4, the Obligors
shall
neither be discharged from any of their liabilities or obligations
under
Clause 5.1 by, nor have any claim against the Issuer in respect of:
|
(a) |
any
misrepresentation or non-disclosure respecting the affairs or condition
of
the Issuer made to the Obligors by any person;
or
|
(b) |
the
Seller and/or the Issuer releasing or granting any time or any indulgence
whatsoever or making any settlement, composition or arrangement with
the
Obligors, the Seller or any other person; or
|
(c) |
the
Seller and/or the Issuer asserting or pursuing, failing or neglecting
to
assert or pursue, or delaying in asserting or pursuing, or waiving,
any of
their rights or remedies against the Obligors, the Seller or any
other
person; or
|
(d) |
the
Seller and/or the Issuer and/or the Obligors, with the consent of
the
Obligors (or with or without the consent of the Obligors in the case
of
any variation agreed between the Seller and the Obligors or the person
whose obligations are guaranteed thereby), making, whether expressly
or by
conduct, any variation to any Guaranteed Obligations or a Guarantee;
or
|
(e) |
the
Seller and/or the Issuer and/or the Obligors:
|
(i) |
taking,
accepting, varying, dealing with, enforcing, abstaining from enforcing,
surrendering or releasing any security in relation to the Seller
or the
Issuer or any Obligor or any other person in such manner as it or
they
think fit; or
|
(ii) |
claiming,
proving for, accepting or transferring any payment in respect of
the
obligations and liabilities of any Obligor and/or the Seller relative
to
any Guaranteed Obligations or under this Agreement in any composition
by,
or winding up of, any Obligor and/or any third party or abstaining
from so
claiming, proving, accepting or transferring;
or
|
(f) |
any
assignment or transfer by the Seller of, or any succession to, any
of its
rights relative to any Guaranteed Obligations or a
Guarantee.
|
5.6 |
Provision
of cash collateral security.
Forthwith upon, or at any time following the occurrence of an Event
of
Default which is continuing the Issuer shall be entitled (but not
obliged)
to demand payment by the Obligors of, and the Obligors forthwith
upon such
demand shall pay to the Issuer for credit to an account of the Obligors
with the Issuer (subject to such Security Interest as the Issuer
may
reasonably specify or require), such amount as shall be the aggregate
of:
|
(i) |
any
Settlement Amount then due from the Obligors to the Issuer pursuant
to
Clause 4.2 and not reimbursed; and
|
(ii) |
the
Outstandings.
|
5.7 |
Application
of cash collateral security.
Subject always to the overriding provisions of Clause 15, moneys
received
by the Issuer pursuant to Clause 5.6 shall be applied (as between
the
Obligors on the one hand and the Issuer on the other) in the following
manner:
|
(a) |
firstly,
in or towards payment of any Settlement Amount then due from the
Obligors
to the Issuer pursuant to Clause 4.2 and not
reimbursed;
|
(b) |
secondly,
in payment to the Issuer for application from time to time by it
(and the
Obligors hereby irrevocably authorise the Issuer so to apply any
such
moneys) in or towards payment of, or reimbursement to the Issuer
for, any
amount which the Issuer shall or may at any time and from time to
time
thereafter pay or be or become liable to pay to the Seller under
or
pursuant to or in connection with a Guarantee (including any amount
payable under Clause 5.8); and
|
(c) |
thirdly,
in or towards payment of all other sums which may be owing to the
Issuer
under or in connection with a
Guarantee.
|
5.8 |
Negotiation
with the Seller.
Each Obligor:
|
(a) |
irrevocably
authorises the Issuer to negotiate with the Seller at any time after
the
occurrence of any Event of Default which is continuing with a view
to
arranging for the prepayment by the Issuer, for the account of the
Obligors of any Guaranteed Obligations; and
|
(b) |
agrees
that at any time after the occurrence of any Event of Default which
is
continuing the Issuer shall be entitled (but not, so far as the Obligors
are concerned, bound) to pay to the Seller, in such manner and upon
such
terms as the Issuer and
the Seller shall agree, any Guaranteed
Obligations.
|
6 |
DEFAULT
INTEREST
|
6.1 |
Payment
of default interest on overdue amounts.
The Obligors shall pay interest in accordance with the following
provisions of this Clause 6 on any amount payable by the Obligors
under
any Finance Document which the Issuer does not receive on or before
the
relevant date, that is:
|
(a) |
the
date on which the Finance Documents provide that such amount is due
for
payment; or
|
(b) |
if
a Finance Document provides that such amount is payable on demand,
the
date on which the demand is served on the Obligors;
or
|
(c) |
if
such amount has become immediately due and payable under Clause 13.4,
the
date on which it became immediately due and
payable.
|
6.2 |
Default
rate of interest.
Interest shall accrue on an overdue amount from (and including) the
relevant date until the date of actual payment (as well after as
before
judgment) at the rate per annum determined by the Issuer to be 1.5
per
cent. above, the rate set out in Clause
6.3.
|
6.3 |
Calculation
of default rate of interest.
The rate referred to in Clause 6.2 is, in respect of successive periods
of
any duration (including at call) up to 3 months which the Issuer
may
select from time to time:
|
(a) |
LIBOR;
or
|
(b) |
if
the Issuer determines that Dollar deposits for any such period are
not
being made available to it by leading banks in the London Interbank
Market
in the ordinary course of business, a rate from time to time determined
by
the Issuer by reference to the cost of funds to it from such other
sources
as the Issuer may from time to time
determine.
|
6.4 |
Notification
of interest periods and default rates.
The Issuer shall promptly notify the Obligors of each interest rate
determined by it under Clause 6.3 and of each period selected by
it for
the purposes of that Clause; but this shall not be taken to imply
that the
Obligors are liable to pay such interest only with effect from the
date of
the Issuer’s notification.
|
6.5 |
Payment
of accrued default interest.
Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, any interest due
under
this Clause shall be paid on the last day of the period by reference
to
which it was determined.
|
6.6 |
Compounding
of default interest.
Any such interest which is not paid at the end of the period by reference
to which it was determined shall thereupon be
compounded.
|
7 |
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
|
7.1 |
Documents,
fees and no default.
The Issuer’s obligation to issue any Guarantee is subject to the following
conditions precedent:
|
(a) |
that,
on or before the service of the first Guarantee Issue Request, the
Issuer
receives the documents described in Part A of Schedule 2 in form
and
substance satisfactory to it;
|
(b) |
that,
on or before a Guarantee Issue Date but prior to the issue of a Guarantee,
the Issuer receives the documents described in Part B of Schedule
2 in a
form satisfactory to it;
|
(c) |
that,
on or before each Guarantee Issue Date, the Issuer has received all
arrangement and commitment fees payable pursuant to Clause 18.1;
|
(d) |
that
both at the date of each Guarantee Issue Request and at each Guarantee
Issue Date:
|
(i) |
no
Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing or would result from the issue of the Guarantee;
and
|
(ii) |
the
representations and warranties in Clause 8.1 and those of the Obligors
or
any Security Party which are set out in the other Finance Documents
would
be true and not misleading if repeated on each of those dates with
reference to the circumstances then existing;
|
(e) |
that
the Issuer has received, and found to be acceptable to it, any further
opinions, consents, agreements and documents in connection with the
Finance Documents which the Issuer may reasonably request by notice
to the
Obligors prior to the Guarantee Issue
Date.
|
7.2 |
Waivers
of conditions precedent.
If
the Issuer, at its discretion, permits any Guarantee to be issued
before
certain of the conditions referred to in Clause 7.1 are satisfied,
the
Obligor shall ensure that those conditions are satisfied within 14
Business days after the Guarantee Issue Date (or such longer period
as the
Issuer may specify).
|
8 |
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
|
8.1 |
General.
Each Obligor represents and warrants to the Issuer as
follows.
|
8.2 |
Status.
It
is duly incorporated and validly existing and in good standing under
the
laws of the Xxxxxxxx Islands.
|
8.3 |
Share
capital and ownership.
It
has an authorised share capital of 500 registered and/or bearer shares
without par value, all of which shares have been issued, and the
legal
title and beneficial ownership of all those shares is held, free
of any
Security Interest or other claim, by Xxxxxxxxx Holdings
Limited.
|
8.4 |
Corporate
power.
It
has the corporate capacity, and has taken all corporate action and
obtained all consents necessary for
it:
|
(a) |
to
execute the Shipbuilding Contract to which it is a party and to purchase
and pay for its Ship under that Shipbuilding
Contract;
|
(b) |
to
execute the Finance Documents to which it is a party;
and
|
(c) |
to
make all the payments contemplated by, and to comply with, those
Finance
Documents.
|
8.5 |
Consents
in force.
All the consents referred to in Clause 8.4 remain in force and nothing
to
the best of the Obligors’ knowledge and belief has occurred which makes
any of them liable to revocation.
|
8.6 |
Legal
validity; effective Security Interests.
The Finance Documents to which it is a party, do now or, as the case
may
be, will, upon execution and delivery (and, where applicable, registration
as provided for in the Finance Documents):
|
(a) |
constitute
its legal, valid and binding obligations enforceable against it in
accordance with their respective terms;
and
|
(b) |
create
legal, valid and binding Security Interests enforceable in accordance
with
their respective terms over all the assets to which they, by their
terms,
relate;
|
subject
to any relevant insolvency laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and
subject to any qualifications as to matters of law which are specifically
referred to in any legal opinion delivered to the Issuer pursuant to Schedule
2.
8.7 |
No
third party Security Interests.
Without limiting the generality of Clause 8.6, at the time of the
execution and delivery of each Finance
Document:
|
(a) |
the
relevant Obligor or Obligors which are a party to that Finance Document
will have the right to create all the Security Interests which that
Finance Document purports to create;
and
|
(b) |
no
third party will to the best of the Obligors’ knowledge and belief have
any Security Interest (except for Permitted Security Interests) or
any
other interest, right or claim over, in or in relation to any asset
to
which a Security Interest created by a Finance Document,
relates.
|
8.8 |
No
conflicts.
The execution by that Obligor of each Finance Document to which it
is a
party and its compliance with each Finance Document to which it is
a party
will not involve or lead to a contravention
of:
|
(a) |
any
law or regulation in force at the date of this Agreement;
or
|
(b) |
the
constitutional documents of that Obligor;
or
|
(c) |
any
contractual or other obligation or restriction which is binding on
that
Obligor or any of its assets.
|
8.9 |
No
withholding taxes.
No
tax is imposed in any jurisdiction in which that Obligor is ordinarily
resident for tax by way of withholding or deduction or otherwise
on any
payment to be made under this
Agreement.
|
8.10 |
No
default.
No
Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing.
|
8.11 |
Information.
All information which has been provided in writing by or on behalf
of the
Obligors or any Security Party to the Issuer in connection with any
Finance Document was to the best of the Obligors’ knowledge and belief
true and not misleading as at the time it was given; all audited
and
unaudited accounts which have been so provided satisfied the requirements
of Clause 9.6; and there has been no material adverse change in the
financial position or state of affairs of the Obligors from that
disclosed
in the latest of those accounts.
|
8.12 |
No
litigation.
No
legal or administrative action involving the Obligors has been commenced
or taken or, to that Obligor’s knowledge, is likely to be commenced or
taken which, in either case, would be likely to have a material adverse
effect on the Obligors’ financial position or
profitability.
|
8.13 |
Validity
and completeness of Shipbuilding Contracts.
Each Shipbuilding Contract constitutes valid, binding and enforceable
obligations of the Seller and the relevant Obligor respectively in
accordance with its terms subject to any relevant insolvency laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally
and:
|
(a) |
each
copy of the Shipbuilding Contracts delivered to the Issuer before
the date
of this Agreement is a true and complete copy;
and
|
(b) |
no
amendments or additions to the Shipbuilding Contracts have been agreed
nor
has any Obligor or the Seller waived any of their respective rights
under
the Shipbuilding Contracts.
|
8.14 |
No
rebates etc.
There is no agreement or understanding to allow or pay any rebate,
premium, commission, discount or other benefit or payment (howsoever
described) to the Obligors, the Seller or a third party in connection
with
the purchase by the Obligors of the Ships, other than as disclosed
to the
Issuer in writing on or prior to the date of this
Agreement.
|
8.15 |
Compliance
with certain undertakings.
At
the date of this Agreement, each Obligor is in compliance with Clause
9.12
and (save as disclosed in writing to the Issuer) Clauses 9.3 and
9.8.
|
8.16 |
Taxes
paid.
Each Obligor has paid all taxes applicable to, or imposed on or in
relation to it or its business.
|
8.17 |
Conformity
of Financial Covenants. The
financial covenants set out in Schedule 3 conform to the financial
covenants given by the Corporate Guarantor and its subsidiaries under
the
Bank of America Facilities.
|
9 |
GENERAL
UNDERTAKINGS
AND FINANCIAL COVENANTS
|
9.1 |
General.
Each Obligor undertakes with the Issuer to comply with the following
provisions of this Clause 9 at all times during the Security Period,
except as the Issuer may otherwise
permit.
|
9.2 |
No
disposal of assets.
|
(a) |
No
Obligor will transfer or otherwise dispose
of:
|
(i) |
its
rights under the Shipbuilding Contract to which it is a party, whether
by
one transaction or a number of transactions, whether related or not
save
where the Guarantee relating thereto has been cancelled or where
that
Obligor has provided cash security in relation to such Guarantee
on the
same terms mutatis mutandis as set out in Clause 5.6;
or
|
(ii) |
any
debt payable to it or any other right (present, future or contingent
right) to receive a payment, including any right to damages or
compensation.
|
(b) |
No
Obligor will create or permit to arise any Security Interest (except
for
Permitted Security Interests) over its rights under the Shipbuilding
Contract and the Refund Guarantees to which it is a
party.
|
9.3 |
No
other liabilities or obligations to be incurred.
No
Obligor will incur any liability or obligation
except:
|
(a) |
liabilities
and obligations under the Shipbuilding Contract, the Finance Documents,
the Loan Agreement and the Finance Document (as defined in the Loan
Agreement) to which it is a party;
and
|
(b) |
liabilities
or obligations incurred in the ordinary course of supervising the
construction of, providing supplies for, operating and chartering
its Ship
(and for the avoidance of doubt the management fees payable by the
Obligors to the Approved Managers shall be a permitted expense);
and
|
(c) |
provided
the terms of Clause 10.3(c) are complied with, inter-company Indebtedness
from other companies which are in the same ultimate beneficial ownership
as the Obligors.
|
9.4 |
Information
provided to be accurate.
All financial and other information which is provided in writing
by or on
behalf of each Obligor under or in connection with any Finance Document
will to the best of that Xxxxxxx’s knowledge and belief be true and not
misleading and will not omit any material fact or consideration which,
if
disclosed would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the decision
of
a person considering whether to enter into this
Agreement.
|
9.5 |
Provision
of financial statements.
Each Obligor will procure that there is sent to the
Issuer:
|
(a) |
as
soon as possible, but in no event later than 120 days after the end
of
each of the Corporate Guarantor’s financial years, the annual audited
accounts of the Corporate Guarantor and its consolidated
subsidiaries;
|
(b) |
as
soon as possible, but in no event later than 30 days after the end
of each
quarter in each of the Corporate Guarantor’s financial years unaudited
accounts of the Corporate Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries
which are certified as to their correctness by its chief financial
officer.
|
9.6 |
Form
of financial statements.
All accounts (audited and unaudited) delivered under Clause 9.5
will:
|
(a) |
be
prepared in accordance with all applicable laws and generally accepted
accounting principles of the U.S.A. consistently
applied;
|
(b) |
give
a true and fair view of the financial condition of the relevant Obligor
at
the date of those accounts and of its profit for the period to which
those
accounts relate; and
|
(c) |
fully
disclose or provide for all significant liabilities of the relevant
Obligor.
|
9.7 |
Shareholder
and creditor notices.
Each Obligor will send the Issuer, at the same time as they are
despatched, copies of all communications which are despatched to
its
shareholders or creditors or any class of
them.
|
9.8 |
Consents.
Each Obligor will maintain in force and promptly obtain or renew,
and will
promptly send certified copies to the Issuer of, all consents
required:
|
(a) |
for
that Obligor to perform its obligations under any Finance Document
to
which it is a party;
|
(b) |
for
the validity or enforceability of any Finance Document to which it
is a
party;
|
and
the
Obligor will comply with the terms of all such consents.
9.9 |
Maintenance
of Security Interests.
Each Obligor will:
|
(a) |
at
its own cost, do all that it reasonably can to ensure that any Finance
Document validly creates the obligations and the Security Interests
which
it purports to create; and
|
(b) |
without
limiting the generality of paragraph (a), at its own cost, promptly
register, file, record or enrol any Finance Document with any applicable
court or authority, pay any applicable stamp, registration or similar
tax
in respect of any Finance Document, give any notice or take any other
step
which, in the reasonable opinion of the Issuer is or has become necessary
or desirable for any Finance Document to be valid, enforceable or
admissible in evidence or to ensure or protect the priority of any
Security Interest which it creates.
|
9.10 |
Notification
of litigation.
Each Obligor will provide the Issuer with details of any legal or
administrative action involving any Obligor or any Security Party
promptly
upon becoming aware of the same where such legal or administrative
action
might, if adversely determined, have a material adverse effect on
the
ability of that Obligor to perform its obligations under any Finance
Document to which it is a party
|
9.11 |
No
amendment to Shipbuilding Contracts.
No
Obligor will agree to any amendment or supplement to, or waive or
fail to
enforce, the Shipbuilding Contract to which it is a party or any
of its
provisions (and for the purposes of this Clause 9.11 an amendment
of a
Shipbuilding Contract will always be material if alone or with any
previous variations it increases the Contract Price thereunder by
more
than 5%).
|
9.12 |
Chief
Executive Office.
Each Obligor will maintain its chief executive office, and keep its
corporate documents and records, at Suite 000, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx,
Xxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx, XX00,
Xxxxxxx.
|
9.13 |
Confirmation
of no default.
Each Obligor will, within 2 Business Days after service by the Issuer
of a
written request, serve on the Issuer a notice which is signed by
the
representative director of such Obligor and
which:
|
(a) |
states
that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred
and is
continuing; or
|
(b) |
states
that no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred,
except for a specified event or matter, of which all material details
are
given.
|
9.14 |
Notification
of default.
Each Obligor will notify the Issuer as soon as it becomes aware
of:
|
(a) |
the
occurrence of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of Default;
or
|
(b) |
any
matter which indicates that an Event of Default or a Potential Event
of
Default may have occurred and is
continuing;
|
and
will
keep the Issuer fully up-to-date with all developments.
9.15 |
Provision
of further information.
Each Obligor will, as soon as practicable after receiving the request,
provide the Issuer with any additional financial or other information
relating:
|
(a) |
to
it and its Shipbuilding Contract;
or
|
(b) |
to
any other matter relevant to, or to any provision of, a Finance
Document;
|
which
may
be reasonably requested by the Issuer at any time.
9.16 |
Financial
Covenants.
|
(a) |
the
Obligors undertake to comply at all times with the financial covenants
set
out in Schedule 3;
|
(b) |
the
Obligors shall provide to the Issuer within 60 days after the end
of each
financial quarter of the Corporate Guarantor’s financial year a compliance
certificate in the form set out in Schedule 4 executed by the chief
financial officer of the Corporate Guarantor and confirming that
the
financial covenants set out in Schedule 3 have been complied with
during
each financial quarter; and
|
(c) |
a
formal review of the financial covenants set out in Schedule 3 will
be
undertaken by the Issuer upon expiry and prepayment of the Bank of
America
Facilities whichever is earlier.
|
9.17 |
Dividends.
The Obligors shall procure that the Corporate Guarantor does not
pay any
dividend or make any other form of distribution except where the
following
conditions are met:
|
(a) |
no
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time that
the
proposed dividend or distribution is to be
made;
|
(b) |
the
aggregate amount of all dividends or distributions in respect of
any
financial year of the Corporate Guarantor shall not exceed 50% of
the
Consolidated Net Income for such financial
year;
|
(c) |
prior
to the making of the proposed dividend or distribution the Obligors
have
provided to the Issuer a certificate executed by the chief financial
officer of the Corporate Guarantor confirming that the Corporate
Guarantor
is in compliance with the minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio
as set out in Schedule 3 for the Measurement Period immediately preceding
the date of the proposed dividend or
distribution.
|
For
the
purpose of this Clause 9.17, “Consolidated Net Income”, “Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio” and “Measurement Period” each shall have the meaning
given to such term in Schedule 3.
10 |
CORPORATE
UNDERTAKINGS
|
10.1 |
General.
Each Obligor also undertakes with the Issuer to comply with the following
provisions of this Clause 10 at all times during the Security Period
except as the Issuer may otherwise
permit.
|
10.2 |
Maintenance
of status.
Each Obligor will maintain its separate corporate existence and remain
in
good standing under the laws of the Xxxxxxxx
Islands.
|
10.3 |
Negative
undertakings.
No
Obligor will:
|
(a) |
carry
on any business other than in relation to the construction, purchase
and
eventual ownership, chartering and operation of its Ship; or
|
(b) |
effect
any form of redemption, purchase or return of share capital;
or
|
(c) |
provide
any form of credit or financial assistance
to:
|
(i) |
a
person who is directly or indirectly interested in that Xxxxxxx’s share or
loan capital; or
|
(ii) |
any
company in or with which such a person is directly or indirectly
interested or connected;
|
or
enter
into any transaction with or involving such a person or company on terms which
are, in any respect, less favourable to that Obligor than those which it could
obtain in a bargain made at arms’ length provided however that prior to an Event
of Default which is continuing that Obligor may provide loans to or incur
inter-company Indebtedness from other subsidiaries of the Corporate Guarantor
and may service such inter-company Indebtedness provided that in the case of
any
such inter- company Indebtedness the relevant lending company has first executed
an agreement in favour of the Issuer fully subordinating the rights of such
lending company in respect of such Indebtedness to those of the Issuer under
the
Finance Documents.
(d) |
issue,
allot or grant any person a right to any shares in its capital or
repurchase or reduce its issued share
capital;
|
(e) |
acquire
any shares or other securities other than US or UK Treasury bills
and
certificates of deposit issued by major North American or European
banks,
or enter into any transaction in a derivative;
or
|
(f) |
enter
into any form of amalgamation, merger or de-merger or any form of
reconstruction or reorganisation.
|
11 |
PAYMENTS
AND CALCULATIONS
|
11.1 |
Currency
and method of payments.
All payments to be made by the Obligors to the Issuer under a Finance
Document shall be made to the
Issuer:
|
(a) |
by
not later than 11.00 a.m. (New York City time) on the due
date;
|
(b) |
in
same day Dollar funds settled through the New York Clearing House
Interbank Payments System (or in such other Dollar funds and/or settled
in
such other manner as the Issuer shall specify as being customary
at the
time for the settlement of international transactions of the type
contemplated by this Agreement);
and
|
(c) |
to
the account of the Issuer at American Express Bank Limited, 0 Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000 XXX Account
No
000261123 for credit to the Issuer reference “TBS : Argyle and Others :
Guarantee Facility”, or to such other account with such other bank as the
Issuer may from time to time notify to the
Obligors.
|
11.2 |
Payment
on non-Business Day.
If
any payment by the Obligors under a Finance Document would otherwise
fall
due on a day which is not a Business
Day:
|
(a) |
the
due date shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day;
or
|
(b) |
if
the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next calendar month,
the due
date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business
Day;
|
and
interest shall be payable during any extension under paragraph (a) at the rate
payable on the original due date.
11.3 |
Basis
for calculation of periodic payments.
All interest and commitment fee and any other payments under any
Finance
Document which are of an annual or periodic nature shall accrue from
day
to day and shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number
of days
elapsed and a 360 day year.
|
11.4 |
Issuer
accounts.
The Issuer shall maintain an account showing any and all sums owing
to the
Issuer from the Obligors and each Security Party under the Finance
Documents and all payments in respect of those amounts made by the
Obligors and any Security Party.
|
11.5 |
Accounts
prima facie evidence.
If
the account maintained under Clause 11.4 shows an amount to be owing
by
the Obligors or a Security Party to the Issuer, that account shall
be
prima facie evidence that that amount is owing to the
Issuer.
|
12 |
APPLICATION
OF RECEIPTS
|
12.1 |
Normal
order of application.
Except as any Finance Document may otherwise provide, any sums which
are
received or recovered by the Issuer under or by virtue of any Finance
Document shall be applied:
|
(a) |
FIRST:
in or towards satisfaction of any amounts then due and payable under
the
Finance Documents (or any of them) in such order of application and/or
such proportions as the Issuer may specify by notice to the Obligors
and
the Security Parties;
|
(b) |
SECONDLY:
in retention of an amount equal to any amount not then due and payable
under any Finance Document but which the Issuer, by notice to the
Obligors
and the Security Parties, states in its opinion will or may become
due and
payable in the future and, upon those amounts becoming due and payable,
in
or towards satisfaction of them in accordance with the provisions
of this
Clause; and
|
(c) |
THIRDLY:
any surplus shall be paid to the Obligors or to any other person
appearing
to be entitled to it.
|
12.2 |
Variation
of order of application.
The Issuer may, by notice to the Obligors and the Security Parties,
provide for a different manner of application from that set out in
Clause
12.1 either as regards a specified sum or sums or as regards sums
in a
specified category or categories.
|
12.3 |
Notice
of variation of order of application.
The Issuer may give notices under Xxxxxx 12.2 from time to time;
and such
a notice may be stated to apply not only to sums which may be received
or
recovered in the future, but also to any sum which has been received
or
recovered on or after the third Business Day before the date on which
the
notice is served.
|
12.4 |
Appropriation
rights overridden.
This Clause 12 and any notice which the Issuer gives under Clause
12.2
shall override any right of appropriation possessed, and any appropriation
made, by the Obligors or any Security
Party.
|
13 |
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT
|
13.1 |
Events
of Default.
An
Event of Default
occurs if:
|
(a) |
any
Obligor or any Security Party fails to pay when due or (if so payable)
on
demand any sum payable under a Finance Document (and so that for
this
purpose (i) sums payable on demand shall be treated as having been
paid
when due within 3 Business Days of receipt of the demand and (ii)
if the
failure is caused by a disruption to the payments system referred
to in
Clause 11.1(b) which disruption is beyond the control of the Obligors,
such failure shall not constitute an Event of Default if payment
is made
within 3 Business days of its due date);
or
|
(b) |
any
breach occurs of Clause 7.2, 9.3, 10.2 or 10.3;
or
|
(c) |
any
breach occurs of Clause 9.16(a); or
|
(d) |
any
breach by any Obligor or any Security Party occurs of any provision
of a
Finance Document (other than a breach covered by paragraph (a) or
(b)) and
if, in the opinion of the Issuer, such default is capable of remedy,
such
default continues unremedied 10 Business days after written notice
from
the Issuer requesting action to remedy the same;
or
|
(e) |
any
representation, warranty or statement made by, or by an officer of,
any
Obligor or a Security Party in a Finance Document or in a Guarantee
Issue
Request or any other notice or document relating to a Finance Document
is
untrue or misleading in any material respect when it is made;
or
|
(f) |
any
of the following occurs in relation to any Financial Indebtedness
of a
Relevant Person:
|
(i) |
any
Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is not paid when due
or, if so
payable, on demand (or in either such case, within any applicable
grace
period); or
|
(ii) |
any
Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant Person becomes due and payable
or
capable of being declared due and payable prior to its stated maturity
date as a consequence of any event of default;
or
|
(iii) |
a
lease, hire purchase agreement or charter creating any Financial
Indebtedness of a Relevant Person is terminated by the lessor or
owner or
becomes capable of being terminated as a consequence of any termination
event; or
|
(iv) |
any
overdraft, loan, note issuance, acceptance credit, letter of credit,
guarantee, foreign exchange or other facility, or any swap or other
derivative contract or transaction, relating to any Financial Indebtedness
of a Relevant Person ceases to be available or becomes capable of
being
terminated as a result of any event of default, or cash cover is
required,
or becomes capable of being required, in respect of such a facility
as a
result of any event of default; or
|
(v) |
any
Security Interest securing any Financial Indebtedness of a Relevant
Person
becomes enforceable;
|
Provided
that no Event of Default will occur under this Clause 13.1(f) in relation to
the
Corporate Guarantor if the amount of Financial Indebtedness falling within
paragraphs (i) to (v) above is less than $2,500,000 (or its equivalent in any
other currency or currencies),
(g) |
any
of the following occurs in relation to a Relevant
Person:
|
(i) |
a
Relevant Person becomes, in the opinion of the Issuer, unable to
pay its
debts as they fall due; or
|
(ii) |
all
or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person are subject
to any
form of execution, attachment, arrest, sequestration or distress
in
respect of a sum of, or sums aggregating, $500,000 or more or the
equivalent in another currency and is not discharged within 1 month
of the
same being levied or sued out; or
|
(iii) |
any
administrative or other receiver is appointed over any substantial
part of
the assets of a Relevant Person; or
|
(iv) |
an
administrator is appointed (whether by the court or otherwise) in
respect
of a Relevant Person; or
|
(v) |
any
formal declaration of bankruptcy or any formal statement to the effect
that a Relevant Person is insolvent or likely to become insolvent
is made
by a Relevant Person or by the directors of a Relevant Person or,
in any
proceedings, by a lawyer acting for a Relevant Person; or
|
(vi) |
a
provisional liquidator is appointed in respect of a Relevant Person,
a
winding up order is made in relation to a Relevant Person or a winding
up
resolution is passed by a Relevant Person; or
|
(vii) |
a
resolution is passed, an administration notice is given or filed,
an
application or petition to a court is made or presented or any other
step
is taken by (aa) a Relevant Person, (bb) the members or directors
of a
Relevant Person, (cc) a holder of Security Interests which together
relate
to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person, or
(dd) a
government minister or public or regulatory authority of a Pertinent
Jurisdiction having jurisdiction over that Relevant Person for or
with a
view to the winding up of that or another Relevant Person or the
appointment of a provisional liquidator or administrator in respect
of
that or another Relevant Person, or that or another Relevant Person
ceasing or suspending business operations or payments to creditors,
save
that this paragraph does not apply to a fully solvent winding up
of a
Relevant Person other than an Obligor which is, or is to be, effected
for
the purposes of an amalgamation or reconstruction previously approved
by
the Issuer and effected not later than 3 months after the commencement
of
the winding up; or
|
(viii) |
an
administration notice is given or filed, an application or petition
to a
court is made or presented or any other step is taken by a creditor
of a
Relevant Person (other than a holder of Security Interests which
together
relate to all or substantially all of the assets of a Relevant Person)
for
the winding up of a Relevant Person or the appointment of a provisional
liquidator or administrator in respect of a Relevant Person in any
Pertinent Jurisdiction having jurisdiction over that Relevant Person,
unless the proposed winding up, appointment of a provisional liquidator
or
administration is being contested in good faith, on substantial grounds
and not with a view to some other insolvency law procedure being
implemented instead and either (aa) the application or petition is
dismissed or withdrawn within 30 days of being made or presented,
or (bb)
within 30 days of the administration notice being given or filed,
or the
other relevant steps being taken, other action is taken which will
ensure
that there will be no administration and (in both cases (aa) or (bb))
the
Relevant Person will continue to carry on business in the ordinary
way and
without being the subject of any actual, interim or pending insolvency
law
procedure; or
|
(ix) |
a
Relevant Person or its directors take any steps (whether by making
or
presenting an application or petition to a court, or submitting or
presenting a document setting out a proposal or proposed terms, or
otherwise) with a view to obtaining, in relation to that or another
Relevant Person, any form of moratorium, suspension or deferral of
payments, reorganisation of debt (or certain debt) by reason of financial
difficulties or arrangement with all or a substantial proportion
(by
number or value) of creditors or of any class of them or any such
moratorium, suspension or deferral of payments, reorganisation or
arrangement is effected by court order, by the filing of documents
with a
court, by means of a contract or in any other way at all;
or
|
(x) |
any
meeting of the members or directors, or of any committee of the board
or
senior management, of a Relevant Person is held or summoned for the
purpose of considering a resolution or proposal to authorise or take
any
action of a type described in paragraphs (iv) to (ix) or a step
preparatory to such action, or (with or without such a meeting) the
members, directors or such a committee resolve or agree that such
an
action or step should be taken or should be taken if certain conditions
materialise or fail to materialise;
or
|
(xi) |
in
a Pertinent Jurisdiction other than England or Wales or to the
jurisdiction of whose courts any part of that Relevant Person’s assets are
subject, any event occurs, any proceedings are opened or commenced
or any
step is taken which, in the opinion of the Issuer is similar to any
of the
foregoing; or
|
(h) |
any
Obligor ceases or suspends carrying on its business or a part of
its
business which, in the opinion of the Issuer, is material in the
context
of this Agreement; or
|
(i) |
it
becomes unlawful in any Pertinent Jurisdiction or
impossible:
|
(i) |
for
any Obligor or any Security Party to discharge any liability under
a
Finance Document or to comply with any other obligation which the
Issuer
considers material under a Finance Document unless provided that
none of
the interests of the Issuer is prejudiced in any way during the relevant
period, the discharge of that liability or compliance with that obligation
or exercise or enforcement of those rights ceases to be unlawful
within 30
days; or
|
(ii) |
for
the Issuer to exercise or enforce any right under, or to enforce
any
Security Interest created by, a Finance Document;
or
|
(j) |
any
official consent necessary to enable any Obligor or any Security
Party to
comply with any provision which the Issuer considers material of
a Finance
Document or any of the Shipbuilding Contracts is not granted, expires
without being renewed, is revoked or becomes liable to revocation
or any
condition of such a consent is not fulfilled; or
|
(k) |
any
provision which the Issuer considers in its reasonable opinion material
of
a Finance Document proves to have been or becomes invalid or
unenforceable, or a Security Interest created by a Finance Document
proves
to have been or becomes invalid or unenforceable or such a Security
Interest proves to have ranked after, or loses its priority to, another
Security Interest or any other third party claim or interest;
or
|
(l) |
the
security constituted by a Finance Document is in any way imperilled
or in
jeopardy; or
|
(m) |
an
Event of Default (as defined in the Loan Agreement) occurs;
or
|
(n) |
any
other event occurs or any other circumstances arise or develop including,
without limitation a change in the financial position, state of affairs
or
prospects of any Obligor in the light of which the Issuer considers
that
there is a significant risk that any Obligor is, or will later become,
unable to discharge its liabilities under the Finance Documents as
they
fall due.
|
13.2 |
Actions
following an Event of Default.
On, or at any time after, the occurrence of an Event of Default and
while
the Event of Default is continuing the Issuer
may:
|
(a) |
serve
on the Obligors a notice stating that all obligations of the Issuer
to the
Obligors under this Agreement are terminated;
and/or
|
(b) |
serve
on the Obligors a notice stating that all other amounts accrued or
owing
under this Agreement are immediately due and payable or are due and
payable on demand; and/or
|
(c) |
take
any other action which, as a result of the Event of Default or any
notice
served under paragraph (a) or (b), the Issuer is entitled to take
under
any Finance Document or any applicable
law.
|
13.3 |
Termination
of obligations.
On
the service of a notice under Clause 13.2(a), all the obligations
of the
Issuer to the Obligors under this Agreement shall terminate and the
amount
specified in Clause 5.6 shall become immediately due and payable
or, as
the case may be, payable on demand.
|
13.4 |
Acceleration
of liabilities.
On
the service of a notice under Clause 13.2(b), all amounts accrued
or owing
from the Obligors or any Security Party under this Agreement and
every
other Finance Document shall become immediately due and payable or,
as the
case may be, payable on demand.
|
13.5 |
Multiple
notices; action without notice.
The Issuer may serve notices under Clauses 13.2(a) and (b) simultaneously
or on different dates and it may take any action referred to in Clauses
13.2 if no such notice is served or simultaneously with or at any
time
after the service of both or either of such
notices.
|
13.6 |
Exclusion
of Issuer liability.
Neither the Issuer nor any receiver or manager appointed by the Issuer,
shall have any liability
to
the Obligors or a Security Party:
|
(a) |
for
any loss caused by an exercise of rights under, or enforcement of
a
Security Interest created by, a Finance Document or by any failure
or
delay to exercise such a right or to enforce such a Security Interest;
or
|
(b) |
as
mortgagee in possession or otherwise, for any income or principal
amount
which might have been produced by or realised from any asset comprised
in
such a Security Interest or for any reduction (however caused) in
the
value of such an asset;
|
except
that this does not exempt the Issuer or a receiver or manager from
liability for losses shown to have been caused directly and mainly
by the
dishonesty or the wilful misconduct of the Issuer’s own officers and
employees or (as the case may be) such receiver’s or manager’s own
partners or employees.
|
13.7 |
Relevant
Persons.
In
this Clause 13 a “Relevant
Person”
means any Obligor and any Security
Party.
|
13.8 |
Interpretation.
In
Clause 13.1(f) references to an event of default or a termination
event
include any event, howsoever described, which is similar to an event
of
default in a facility agreement or a termination event in a finance
lease;
and in Clause 13.1(g) “petition”
includes an application.
|
14 |
FEES
AND EXPENSES
|
14.1 |
Arrangement
and commitment fees. The
Obligors shall pay to the Issuer:
|
(a) |
on
Guarantee Issue Date in respect of each Guarantee an arrangement
fee in
respect of such Guarantee in the amount specified in the Fee Letter;
and
|
(b) |
quarterly
in arrears during the period from (and including) the first Guarantee
Issue Date to the date of cancellation or termination of the last
Guarantee and on the last day of that period a commitment fee at
the rate
specified in the Fee Letter.
|
14.2 |
Costs
of negotiation, preparation etc.
The Obligors shall pay to the Issuer on its demand the amount of
all
expenses incurred by the Issuer in connection with the negotiation,
preparation, execution or registration of any Finance Document or
any
related document or with any transaction contemplated by a Finance
Document or a related document.
|
14.3 |
Costs
of variation, amendments, enforcement etc.
The Obligors shall pay to the Issuer, on the Issuer’s demand, the amount
of all expenses incurred by the Issuer (in the case of paragraphs
(a) and
(b) such expenses to be reasonably incurred) in connection with:
|
(a) |
any
amendment or supplement to a Finance Document, or any proposal for
such an
amendment to be made;
|
(b) |
any
consent or waiver by the Issuer under or in connection with a Finance
Document, or any request for such a consent or
waiver;
|
(c) |
any
step taken by the Issuer with a view to the protection, exercise
or
enforcement of any right or Security Interest created by a Finance
Document or for any similar
purpose.
|
There
shall be recoverable under paragraph (c) the full amount of all legal
expenses, whether or not such as would be allowed under rules of
court or
any taxation or other procedure carried out under such
rules.
|
14.4 |
Documentary
taxes.
The Obligors shall promptly pay any tax payable on or by reference
to any
Finance Document, and shall, on the Issuer’s demand, fully indemnify the
Issuer against any claims, expenses, liabilities and losses resulting
from
any failure or delay by the Obligors to pay such a
tax.
|
14.5 |
Certification
of amounts.
A
notice which is signed by 2 officers of the Issuer, which states
that a
specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to the Issuer under
this
Clause 14 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed
breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate
amount, is due shall (save in the case of manifest error) be prima
facie
evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is
due.
|
15 |
INDEMNITIES
|
15.1 |
Indemnities
regarding issue of Guarantees.
Without prejudice to the Obligors’ indemnity contained in Clause 5, the
Obligors shall fully indemnify the Issuer on its demand in respect
of all
claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which are made or brought
against
or incurred by the Issuer, or which the Issuer reasonably and with
due
diligence estimates that it will incur, as a result of or in connection
with:
|
(a) |
a
Guarantee not being issued on the date specified in the relevant
Guarantee
Issue Request for any reason other than a default by the
Issuer;
|
(b) |
any
failure (for whatever reason) by the Obligors to make payment of
any
amount due under a Finance Document on the due date or, if so payable,
on
demand (after giving credit for any default interest paid by the
Obligors
on the amount concerned under Clause
6);
|
(c) |
the
occurrence and/or continuance of an Event of Default or a Potential
Event
of Default;
|
and
in respect of any tax (other than tax on its overall net income)
for which
the Issuer is liable in connection with any amount paid or payable
to the
Issuer (whether for its own account or otherwise) under any Finance
Document.
|
15.2 |
Breakage
costs.
Without limiting its generality, Clause 15.1 covers any claim, expense,
liability or loss, including a loss of a prospective profit, incurred
by
the Issuer in liquidating or employing deposits from third parties
acquired or arranged to fund or maintain any overdue
amount.
|
15.3 |
Miscellaneous
indemnities.
The Obligors shall fully indemnify the Issuer on its demand in respect
of
all claims, expenses, liabilities and losses which may be made or
brought
against or incurred by the Issuer, in any country, as a result of
or in
connection with any action taken, or omitted or neglected to be taken,
under or in connection with any Finance Document by the Issuer or
by any
receiver appointed under a Finance Document other than claims, expenses,
liabilities and losses which are shown to have been directly and
mainly
caused by the dishonesty or wilful misconduct or reckless action
with
knowledge of the probable consequences of the officers or employees
of the
Issuer.
|
15.4 |
Currency
indemnity.
If
any sum due from the Obligors or any Security Party to the Issuer
under a
Finance Document or under any order or judgment relating to a Finance
Document has to be converted from the currency in which the Finance
Document provided for the sum to be paid (the “Contractual
Currency”)
into another currency (the “Payment
Currency”)
for the purpose of:
|
(a) |
making
or lodging any claim or proof against the Obligors or any Security
Party,
whether in its liquidation, any arrangement involving it or otherwise;
or
|
(b) |
obtaining
an order or judgment from any court or other tribunal;
or
|
(c) |
enforcing
any such order or judgment;
|
the
Obligors shall indemnify the Issuer against the loss arising when
the
amount of the payment actually received by the Issuer is converted
at the
available rate of exchange into the Contractual
Currency.
|
In
this Clause 15.4, the “available
rate of exchange”
means the rate at which the Issuer is able at the opening of business
(London time) on the Business Day after it receives the sum concerned
to
purchase the Contractual Currency with the Payment
Currency.
|
This
Clause 15.4 creates a separate liability of the Obligors which is
distinct
from their other liabilities under the Finance Documents and which
shall
not be merged in any judgment or order relating to those other
liabilities.
|
15.5 |
Certification
of amounts.
A
notice which is signed by 2 officers of the Issuer, which states
that a
specified amount, or aggregate amount, is due to the Issuer under
this
Clause 15 and which indicates (without necessarily specifying a detailed
breakdown) the matters in respect of which the amount, or aggregate
amount, is due shall (save in the case of manifest error) be prima
facie
evidence that the amount, or aggregate amount, is
due.
|
16 |
NO
SET-OFF OR TAX DEDUCTION
|
16.1 |
No
deductions.
All amounts
due from an Obligor under a Finance Document shall be
paid:
|
(a) |
without
any form of set-off, cross-claim or condition; and
|
(b) |
free
and clear of any tax deduction except a tax deduction which that
Obligor
is required by law to make.
|
16.2 |
Grossing-up
for taxes.
If
an Obligor is required by law to make a tax deduction from any
payment:
|
(a) |
that
Obligor shall notify the Issuer as soon as it becomes aware of the
requirement;
|
(b) |
that
Obligor shall pay the tax deducted to the appropriate taxation authority
promptly, and in any event before any fine or penalty
arises;
|
(c) |
the
amount due in respect of the payment shall be increased by the amount
necessary to ensure that the Issuer receives and retains (free from
any
liability relating to the tax deduction) a net amount which, after
the tax
deduction, is equal to the full amount which it would otherwise have
received.
|
No
Obligor shall be obliged to pay any additional amount pursuant to paragraph
(c)
above in respect of any deduction which would not have been required if the
Issuer had completed a declaration, claim, exemption, or other form which it
has
been requested by the Obligors or an applicable taxation authority to complete
and which it is able to complete.
16.3 |
Evidence
of payment of taxes.
Within one month after making any tax deduction, the Obligor concerned
shall deliver to the Issuer documentary evidence satisfactory to
the
Issuer that the tax had been paid to the appropriate taxation
authority.
|
16.4 |
Tax
credits.
If
the Issuer receives for its own account a repayment or obtains relief
or
credit in respect of tax paid or otherwise payable by it in respect
of or
calculated by reference to the increased payment made by an Obligor
under
Clause 16.2, it shall pay to the relevant Obligor a sum equal to
the
proportion of the repayment, relief or credit which it allocates
to the
amount due from that Obligor in respect of which that Obligor made
the
increased payment:
|
(a) |
the
Issuer shall not be obliged to allocate to this transaction any part
of a
tax repayment, relief or credit which is referable to a class or
number of
transactions;
|
(b) |
nothing
in this Clause 16.4 shall oblige the Issuer to arrange its tax affairs
in
any particular manner, to claim any type of relief, credit, allowance
or
deduction instead of, or in priority to, another or to make any such
claim
within any particular time;
|
(c) |
nothing
in this Clause 16.4 shall oblige the Issuer to make a payment which
would
leave it in a worse position than it would have been in if the relevant
Obligor had not been required to make a tax deduction from a payment;
and
|
(d) |
any
allocation or determination made by the Issuer under or in connection
with
this Clause 16.4 shall (save in the case of manifest error) be conclusive
and binding on the Obligors.
|
16.5 |
Exclusion
of tax on overall net income.
In
this Clause 16 “tax
deduction”
means any deduction or withholding for or on account of any present
or
future tax except tax on the Issuer’s overall net
income.
|
17 |
ILLEGALITY,
ETC
|
17.1 |
Illegality.
This Clause 17 applies if the Issuer notifies the Obligors that it
has
become, or will with effect from a specified
date, become:
|
(a) |
unlawful
or prohibited as a result of the introduction of a new law, an amendment
to an existing law or a change in the manner in which an existing
law is
or will be interpreted or applied; or
|
(b) |
contrary
to, or inconsistent with, any
regulation,
|
for
the Issuer to maintain or give effect to any of its obligations under
this
Agreement or any Guarantee in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement.
|
17.2 |
Notification
and effect of illegality.
On
the Issuer notifying the Obligors under Clause
17.1:
|
(a) |
the
Commitment shall be cancelled;
|
(b) |
the
Obligors shall use their best endeavours to procure the prompt
cancellation of the Outstandings and the return of each Guarantee
to the
Issuer endorsed by the Seller to the effect that it is cancelled;
and
|
(c) |
by
no later than the date specified in the Issuer’s notice under Clause 17.1
as the date on which the notified event would become effective, the
Obligors shall pay to the Issuer the amount due under Clause
5.6.
|
17.3 |
Mitigation.
If circumstances arise which would result in a notification under
Clause
17.1 then, without in any way limiting the rights of the Issuer under
Clause 17.2, the Issuer shall notify the Obligor and shall use reasonable
endeavours to transfer its obligations and liabilities under this
Agreement and the Guarantees and its rights under this Agreement
and the
Finance Documents to another office or financial institution not
affected
by the circumstances but the Issuer shall not be under any obligation
to
take any such action if, in its opinion, to do so would or
might:
|
(a) |
have
an adverse effect on its business, operations or financial condition;
or
|
(b) |
involve
it in any activity which is unlawful or prohibited or any activity
that is
contrary to, or inconsistent with, any official requirement; or
|
(c) |
involve
it in any expense (unless indemnified to its satisfaction) or tax
disadvantage.
|
18 |
INCREASED
COSTS
|
18.1 |
Increased
costs.
This Clause
18
applies if the Issuer notifies the Obligors that it considers that
as a
result of:
|
(a) |
the
introduction or alteration after the date of this Agreement of a
law or an
alteration after the date of this Agreement in the manner in which
a law
is interpreted or applied (disregarding any effect which relates
to the
application to payments under this Agreement of a tax on the Issuer’s
overall net income); or
|
(b) |
complying
with any regulation (including any which relates to capital adequacy
or
liquidity controls or which affects the manner in which the Issuer
allocates capital resources to its obligations under this Agreement)
which
is introduced, or altered, or the interpretation or application of
which
is altered, after the date of this
Agreement,
|
the
Issuer (or a parent company of it) has incurred or will incur an
“increased
cost”.
|
18.2 |
Meaning
of “increased costs”.
In
this Clause 18, “increased
costs”
means:
|
(a) |
an
additional or increased cost incurred as a result of, or in connection
with, the Issuer having entered into, or being a party to, this Agreement
or having taken an assignment of rights under this Agreement, of
funding
or maintaining the Outstandings or other unpaid sums or performing
its
obligations under this Agreement, or of having outstanding all or
any part
of the Outstandings or other unpaid sums;
or
|
(b) |
a
reduction in the amount of any payment to the Issuer under this Agreement
or in the effective return which such a payment represents to the
Issuer
or on its capital;
|
(c) |
an
additional or increased cost of funding all or maintaining all or
any part
of the Outstandings or other unpaid sums or (as the case may require)
the
proportion of that cost attributable to the Outstandings or other
unpaid
sums; or
|
(d) |
a
liability to make a payment, or a return foregone, which is calculated
by
reference to any amounts received or receivable by the Issuer under
this
Agreement;
|
but
not
an item attributable to a change in the rate of tax on the overall net income
of
the Issuer (or a parent company of it) or an item covered by the indemnity
for
tax in Clause 15.1 or by Clause 16 or an item arising directly out of the
implementation by the applicable authorities having jurisdiction over the Issuer
of the matters set out in the statement of the Basle Committee on Banking
Regulations and Supervisory Practices dated July, 1988 and entitled
“International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards”, to the
extent and according to the timetable provided for in the
statement.
For
the purposes of this Clause 18.2 the Issuer may in good faith allocate
or
spread costs and/or losses among its assets and liabilities (or any
class
of its assets and liabilities) on such basis as it considers
appropriate.
|
18.3 |
Payment
of increased costs.
The Obligors shall pay to the Issuer, on its demand, the amounts
which the
Issuer from time to time notifies the Obligors that it has specified
to be
necessary to compensate it for the increased cost (provided that
such
demand is accompanied by a certificate from the Issuer confirming
the
amount of its increased cost and including a calculation
thereof).
|
18.4 |
Notice
of cancellation.
If
the Obligors are not willing to continue to compensate the Issuer
for the
increased cost under Clause 18.3, the Obligors may give the Issuer
not
less than 14 days’ notice of its intention to cancel the Commitment and
procure the cancellation of the
Outstandings.
|
18.5 |
Cancellation.
A
notice under Clause 18.4 shall be irrevocable; and on the date specified
in its notice of intended cancellation:
|
(a) |
the
Commitment shall be cancelled;
|
(b) |
the
Obligors shall procure the cancellation of the Outstandings and the
return
of each Guarantee to the Issuer endorsed by the Seller to the effect
that
it is cancelled; and
|
(c) |
the
Obligors shall pay to the Issuer the amount due under Clause
5.6.
|
18.6 |
Mitigation.
If circumstances arise which would result in a notification under
Clause
18.1 then, without in any way limiting the rights of the Issuer under
Clause 18.3, the Issuer shall notify the Obligor and shall use reasonable
endeavours to transfer its obligations and liabilities under this
Agreement and the Guarantees and its rights under this Agreement
and the
Finance Documents to another office or financial institution not
affected
by the circumstances but the Issuer shall not be under any obligation
to
take any such action if, in its opinion, to do so would or
might:
|
(a) |
have
an adverse effect on its business, operations or financial condition;
or
|
(b) |
involve
it in any activity which is unlawful or prohibited or any activity
that is
contrary to, or inconsistent with, any official requirement; or
|
(c) |
involve
it in any expense (unless indemnified to its satisfaction) or tax
disadvantage.
|
19 |
SET-OFF
|
19.1 |
Application
of credit balances.
The Issuer
may without prior notice following the occurrence of an Event of
Default
which is continuing:
|
(a) |
apply
any balance (whether or not then due) which at any time stands to
the
credit of any account in the name of any Obligors at any office in
any
country of the Issuer in or towards satisfaction of any sum then
due from
the Obligors to the Issuer under any of the Finance Documents;
and
|
(b) |
for
that purpose:
|
(i) |
break,
or alter the maturity of, all or any part of a deposit of any
Obligor;
|
(ii) |
convert
or translate all or any part of a deposit or other credit balance
into
Dollars;
|
(iii) |
enter
into any other transaction or make any entry with regard to the credit
balance which the Issuer considers appropriate.
|
19.2 |
Existing
rights unaffected.
The Issuer shall not be obliged to exercise any of its rights under
Clause
19.1; and those rights shall be without prejudice and in addition
to any
right of set-off, combination of accounts, charge, lien or other
right or
remedy to which the Issuer is entitled (whether under the general
law or
any document).
|
19.3 |
No
Security Interest.
This Clause 19 gives the Issuer a contractual right of set-off only,
and
does not create any equitable charge or other Security Interest over
any
credit balance of the Obligors.
|
20 |
TRANSFERS
AND CHANGES IN ISSUING
OFFICE
|
20.1 |
Transfer
by Obligor.
No
Obligor
may, without the consent of the Issuer transfer any of its rights,
liabilities or obligations under any Finance
Document.
|
20.2 |
Transfer
by Issuer.
The Issuer may transfer all or any of the rights and interests which
it
has under or by virtue of the Finance Documents with the prior written
consent of the Obligors, (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed)
or
without the consent of the Obligors if an Event of Default or a Potential
Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing.
|
20.3 |
Rights
of transferee.
In
respect of any breach of a warranty, undertaking, condition or other
provision of a Finance Document, or any misrepresentation made in
or in
connection with a Finance Document, a transferee of any of the Issuer’s
rights or interests under or by virtue of the Finance Documents shall
be
entitled to recover damages by reference to the loss incurred by
that
transferee as a result of the breach or misrepresentation irrespective
of
whether the Issuer would have incurred a loss of that kind or
amount.
|
20.4 |
Sub-participation;
subrogation assignment.
The Issuer may sub-participate all or any part of its rights and/or
obligations under or in connection with the Finance Documents without
the
consent of, or any notice to, the Obligors; and the Issuer may assign,
in
any manner and terms agreed by it, all or any part of those rights
to an
insurer or surety who has become subrogated to
them.
|
20.5 |
Disclosure
of information.
The Issuer may disclose to a potential assignee or sub-participant
any
information which the Issuer has received in relation to the Obligors,
any
Security Party or their affairs under or in connection with any Finance
Document.
|
20.6 |
Change
of issuing office.
The Issuer may change its issuing office by giving notice to the
Obligors
and the change shall become
effective on the later of:
|
(a) |
the
date on which the Obligors receive the notice;
and
|
(b) |
the
date, if any, specified in the notice as the date on which the change
will
come into effect.
|
20.7 |
No
additional costs.
If
the Issuer transfers or sub-participates any part of its rights and/or
obligations under the Finance Documents or changes its issuing office
pursuant to this Clause 20 and as a result of circumstances existing
at
the date the transfer, sub-participation or change occurs, the Obligors
would be obliged to make an increased payment to the Issuer under
any
applicable Clauses of this Agreement then the Issuer is only entitled
to
recover payment under those Clauses to the same extent as the Issuer
would
have been if the transfer, sub-participation or change of issuing
office
had not occurred.
|
21 |
VARIATIONS
AND WAIVERS
|
21.1 |
Variations,
waivers etc. by Issuer.
A
document shall be effective to vary, waive, suspend or limit any
provision
of a Finance Document, or the Issuer’s rights or remedies under such a
provision or the general law, only if the document is signed, or
specifically agreed to by fax, by the Obligors and the Issuer and,
if the
document relates to a Finance Document to which a Security Party
is party,
by that Security Party.
|
21.2 |
Exclusion
of other or implied variations.
Except for a document which satisfies the requirements of Clauses
21.1, no
document, and no act, course of conduct, failure or neglect to act,
delay
or acquiescence on the part of the Issuer (or any person acting on
its
behalf) shall result in the Issuer (or any person acting on its behalf)
being taken to have varied, waived, suspended or limited, or being
precluded (permanently or temporarily) from enforcing, relying on
or
exercising:
|
(a) |
a
provision of this Agreement or another Finance Document;
or
|
(b) |
an
Event of Default; or
|
(c) |
a
breach by any Obligor or a Security Party of an obligation under
a Finance
Document or the general law; or
|
(d) |
any
right or remedy conferred by any Finance Document or by the general
law;
|
and
there shall not be implied into any Finance Document any term or
condition
requiring any such provision to be enforced, or such right or remedy
to be
exercised, within a certain or reasonable
time.
|
22 |
NOTICES
|
22.1 |
General.
Unless otherwise specifically provided, any notice under or in connection
with any Finance Document shall be given by letter or fax and references
in the Finance Documents to written notices, notices in writing and
notices signed by particular persons shall be construed
accordingly.
|
22.2 |
Addresses
for communications.
A
notice
shall be sent:
|
(a) |
to
the Obligors:Suite
306
|
Commerce
Building
One
Chancery Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
HM12
Bermuda
Mailing
Address:
P.O.
Box
HM 2522
Hamilton
HMGX
Bermuda
Attention:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
Fax: x0-000-000-0000
With
a
copy to:
TBS
Shipping Services Inc.
000
Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Yonkers,
NY 10710 U.S.A.
Attention:
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Fax
:
x0-000-000-0000
(b) |
to
the Issuer:The
Royal Bank of Scotland plc
|
Shipping
Business Centre
0-00
Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
London
EC3R 3HX
Fax
No:
x00
000
000 0000
Attention:
Ship Finance Portfolio Management
or
to
such other address as the relevant party may notify the other.
22.3 |
Effective
date of notices.
Subject to Clauses
22.4 and 22.5:
|
(a) |
a
notice which is delivered personally or posted shall be deemed to
be
served, and shall take effect, at the time when it is
delivered;
|
(b) |
a
notice which is sent by fax shall be deemed to be served, and shall
take
effect, 2 hours after its transmission is completed.
|
22.4 |
Service
outside business hours. However,
if under Clause 22.3 a notice would be deemed to be
served:
|
(a) |
on
a day which is not a business day in the place of receipt;
or
|
(b) |
on
such a business day, but after 5 p.m. local
time;
|
the
notice shall (subject to Clause 22.5) be deemed to be served, and
shall
take effect, at 9 a.m. on the next day which is such a business
day.
|
22.5 |
Illegible
notices.
Clauses 22.3 and 22.4 do not apply if the recipient of a notice notifies
the sender within 1 hour after the time at which the notice would
otherwise be deemed to be served that the notice has been received
in a
form which is illegible in a material
respect.
|
22.6 |
Xxxxx
notices.
A
notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall not be
invalid
by reason that its contents or the manner of serving it do not comply
with
the requirements of this Agreement or, where appropriate, any other
Finance Document under which it is served
if:
|
(a) |
the
failure to serve it in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement
or other Finance Document, as the case may be, has not caused any
party to
suffer any significant loss or prejudice;
or
|
(b) |
in
the case of incorrect and/or incomplete contents, it should have
been
reasonably clear to the party on which the notice was served what
the
correct or missing particulars should have
been.
|
22.7 |
English
language.
Any notice under or in connection with a Finance Document shall be
in
English.
|
22.8 |
Meaning
of “notice”.
In
this Clause 22 “notice”
includes any demand, consent, authorisation, approval, instruction,
waiver
or other communication.
|
23 |
JOINT
AND SEVERAL LIABILITY
|
23.1 |
General.
All liabilities and obligations of the Obligors under this Agreement
shall, whether expressed to be so or not, be several and, if and
to the
extent consistent with Clause 23.2,
joint.
|
23.2 |
No
impairment of Obligor's obligations.
The liabilities and obligations of an Obligor shall not be impaired
by:
|
(a) |
this
Agreement being or later becoming void, unenforceable or illegal
as
regards any other Obligor;
|
(b) |
the
Issuer entering into any rescheduling, refinancing or other arrangement
of
any kind with any other Obligor;
|
(c) |
the
Issuer releasing any other Obligor or any Security Interest created
by a
Finance Document; or
|
(d) |
any
combination of the foregoing.
|
23.3 |
Principal
debtors.
Each Obligor declares that it is and will, throughout the Security
Period,
remain a principal debtor for all amounts owing under this Agreement
and
the Finance Documents and no Obligor shall in any circumstances be
construed to be a surety for the obligations of any other Obligor
under
this Agreement.
|
23.4 |
Subordination.
Subject to Clause 23.5, during the Security Period, no Obligor
shall:
|
(a) |
claim
any amount which may be due to it from any other Obligor whether
in
respect of a payment made, or matter arising out of, this Agreement
or any
Finance Document, or any matter unconnected with this Agreement or
any
Finance Document; or
|
(b) |
take
or enforce any form of security from any other Obligor for such an
amount,
or in any other way seek to have recourse in respect of such an amount
against any asset of any other Obligor;
or
|
(c) |
set
off such an amount against any sum due from it to any other Obligor;
or
|
(d) |
prove
or claim for such an amount in any liquidation, administration,
arrangement or similar procedure involving any other Obligor or other
Security Party; or
|
(e) |
exercise
or assert any combination of the
foregoing.
|
23.5 |
Obligor's
required action.
If
during the Security Period, the Issuer, by notice to a Obligor, requires
it to take any action referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d) of Clause
23.4,
in relation to any other Obligor, that Obligor shall take that action
as
soon as practicable after receiving the Issuer’s
notice.
|
24 |
SUPPLEMENTAL
|
24.1 |
Rights
cumulative, non-exclusive.
The rights and remedies which the Finance Documents give to the Issuer
are:
|
(a) |
cumulative;
|
(b) |
may
be exercised as often as appears expedient;
and
|
(c) |
shall
not, unless a Finance Document explicitly and specifically states
so, be
taken to exclude or limit any right or remedy conferred by any
law.
|
24.2 |
Severability
of provisions.
If
any provision of a Finance Document is or subsequently becomes void,
unenforceable or illegal, that shall not affect the validity,
enforceability or legality of the other provisions of that Finance
Document or of the provisions of any other Finance
Document.
|
24.3 |
Counterparts.
A
Finance Document may be executed in any number of
counterparts.
|
24.4 |
Third
party rights.
A
person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the
Contracts (of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce or to enjoy the
benefit
of any term of this Agreement.
|
25 |
LAW
AND JURISDICTION
|
25.1 |
English
law.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with,
English law.
|
25.2 |
Exclusive
English jurisdiction.
Subject to Clause 25.3, the courts of England shall have exclusive
jurisdiction to settle any disputes which may arise out of or in
connection with this Agreement.
|
25.3 |
Choice
of forum for the exclusive benefit of the Issuer.
Clause 25.2 is for the exclusive benefit of the Issuer, which reserves
the rights:
|
(a) |
to
commence proceedings in relation to any matter which arises out of
or in
connection with this Agreement in the courts of any country other
than
England and which have or claim jurisdiction to that matter;
and
|
(b) |
to
commence such proceedings in the courts of any such country or countries
concurrently with or in addition to proceedings in England or without
commencing proceedings in England.
|
No
Obligor shall commence any proceedings in any country other than England in
relation to a matter which arises out of or in connection with this
Agreement.
25.4 |
Process
agent.
Each Obligor irrevocably appoints Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP at its
registered office for the time being, presently at Waterview House,
Roundwood Avenue, Stockley Park, Uxbridge UB11 1AU, to act as its
agent to
receive and accept on its behalf any process or other document relating
to
any proceedings in the English courts which are connected with this
Agreement.
|
25.5 |
Issuer’s
rights unaffected.
Nothing in this Clause 25 shall exclude or limit any right which
the
Issuer may have (whether under the law of any country, an international
convention or otherwise) with regard to the bringing of proceedings,
the
service of process, the recognition or enforcement of a judgment
or any
similar or related matter in any
jurisdiction.
|
25.6 |
Meaning
of “proceedings”.
In
this Clause 25, “proceedings”
means proceedings of any kind, including an application for a provisional
or protective measure.
|
THIS
AGREEMENT
has been
entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this
Agreement.
SCHEDULE
1
GUARANTEE
ISSUE REQUEST
To: The
Royal
Bank of Scotland plc
0-00
Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
London
EC3R 3HX
Attention:
[l]
[l]
2007
GUARANTEE
ISSUE REQUEST
1 |
We
refer to the facility agreement (the “Facility
Agreement”)
dated [l]
and made between Argyle Maritime Corp., Xxxxx Maritime Corp., Dorchester
Maritime Corp., Longwoods Maritime Corp., XxXxxxx Maritime Corp.
and
Sunswyck Maritime Corp., as Obligors, and yourselves, as Issuer,
in
connection with a guarantee facility of up to US$84,000,000. Terms
defined
in the Facility Agreement have their defined meanings when used in
this
Guarantee Issue Request.
|
2 We
request the issue of a Guarantee in the form attached as follows:
(a) |
Amount
of the Guarantee: [l];
|
(b) |
Guarantee
Issue Date: [l];
|
(c) |
Expiry
date of the Guarantee: [l];
|
(d) |
Delivery
Instructions: [l].
|
3 We
represent and warrant that:
(a) |
the
representations and warranties in Clause 8 of the Facility Agreement
would
remain true and not misleading if repeated on the date of this notice
with
reference to the circumstances now
existing;
|
(b) |
no
Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing or will result from the issue of the
Guarantee.
|
4 This
notice cannot be revoked without the prior consent of the Issuer.
[Name
of
Signatory]
For
and
on behalf of
[relevant
Obligor]
SCHEDULE
2
CONDITION
PRECEDENT DOCUMENTS
PART
A
The
following are the documents referred to in Clause 7.1(a) required before service
of the first Guarantee Issue Request
1 |
A
duly executed original of each Finance Document (and of each document
required to be delivered by each Finance Document) other than those
referred to in Part B
|
2 |
Copies
of the certificate of incorporation and constitutional documents
and
evidence of the goodstanding (or its equivalent) of each Obligor
and each
Security Party.
|
3 |
Copies
of resolutions of the directors of each Obligor and each Security
Party
and copies of the resolutions of the shareholders of each Obligor,
in each
case authorising the execution of each of the Finance Documents to
which
that Obligor or that Security Party is a party and, in the case of
each
Obligor, authorising named officers to make Guarantee Issue Requests
and
ratifying execution of the Shipbuilding
Contracts.
|
4 |
The
original of any power of attorney under which any Finance Document
is
executed on behalf of the Obligor or a Security
Party.
|
5 |
Copies
of all consents which any Obligor or any Security Party requires
to enter
into, or make any payment under, any Finance Document or the Shipbuilding
Contracts.
|
6 |
Copies
of the Shipbuilding Contracts of the Overall
Agreement.
|
7 |
Such
documentary evidence as the Issuer and its legal advisers may require
in
relation to the due authorisation and execution by the Seller of
the
Shipbuilding Contracts of the Overall
Agreement.
|
8 |
Documentary
evidence that the agent for service of process named in Clause 28
has
accepted its appointment.
|
9 |
Favourable
legal opinions from lawyers appointed by the Issuer on such matters
concerning the laws of Bermuda and Xxxxxxxx
Islands.
|
10 |
A
written statement from a person acceptable to the Issuer confirming
the
identity of the ultimate beneficial owner or owners of the shares
in the
Obligors, the Corporate Guarantor and each other Security Party and
of the
identity of the person or persons controlling the voting rights attached
to those shares.
|
11 |
Such
documents and evidence as the Issuer shall require in relation to
each
Security Party based on applicable law and regulations, and the Issuer’s
owner internal guidelines, relating to the Issuer’s knowledge of its
customers.
|
12 |
Such
documentary evidence as the Issuer and its legal advisers may require
in
relation to the due authorisation and execution by the parties to
the
Intercreditor Agreement (other than the
Issuer).
|
13 |
If
the Issuer so requires, in respect of any of the documents referred
to
above, a certified English translation prepared by a translator approved
by the Issuer.
|
Each
of the documents specified in paragraphs 2, 3, 5, 6 and every other
copy
document delivered under this Schedule shall be certified as a true
and up
to date copy by a director, representative director or the secretary
(or
equivalent officer) of the relevant
Obligor.
|
PART
B
The
following are the documents referred to in Clause 7.1(b) required before the
issue of a Guarantee:
1 |
the
Pre-delivery Security Assignment in respect of the Shipbuilding Contract
relating to such Ship (and of each document to be delivered thereunder);
and
|
2 |
favourable
legal opinions from lawyers appointed by the Issuer on such matters
concerning the laws of the Xxxxxxxx Islands and
China.
|
3 |
a
copy of the relevant Refund Guarantee together with such documentary
evidence as the Agent, and its legal advisers may require in relation
to
the due authorisation and execution by the Refund Guarantor of that
Refund
Guarantee and that such Refund Guarantee has been registered with
the
State Administration of Foreign Exchange in
China;
|
SCHEDULE
3
FINANCIAL
COVENANTS
Pursuant
to Clause 9.16 the Obligors undertake to comply at all times with the following
financial covenants:
(a) |
Minimum
Consolidated Tangible Net Worth. Permit Consolidated Tangible Net
Worth at
any time to be less than the sum of (i) $170,000,000, plus (ii) an
amount
equal to 75% of the Consolidated Net Income earned in each full fiscal
quarter ending after 30 June 2006 (with no deduction for a net loss
in any
such fiscal quarter) and (iii) an amount equal to 100% of the aggregate
increases in Shareholders’ Equity of Holdings and its Subsidiaries after
the date hereof by reason of the issuance and sale of Equity Interests
of
Holdings or any Subsidiary (other than issuances to Holdings or a
wholly-owned Subsidiary), including upon any conversion of debt securities
of Holdings into such Equity
Interests.
|
(b) |
Minimum
Cash Liquidity. For each calendar month ending on or after the date
hereof, Qualified Cash, plus Availability in an average daily amount
during such calendar month not less than
$10,000,000.
|
(c) |
Maximum
Consolidated Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio
at any
time during any period of four fiscal quarters of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries to be greater than
2.50:1.00.
|
(d) |
Minimum
Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated
Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of Holdings
to
be less than the ratio set forth below opposite such fiscal
quarter:
|
Trading
4 Financial Quarters
|
Minimum
Consolidated
Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio
|
Closing
Date through
30
September 2007
|
1.4
: 1.0
|
31
December 2007 and
each
fixed quarter thereafter
|
1.5
: 1.0
|
For
the
purposes of this Schedule 3 the following terms shall have the following
meanings.
“Cash
Equivalents”
means
any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by the Obligors
or any of their Subsidiaries free and clear of all Security Interests (other
than Permitted Security Interests):
(a) |
readily
marketable obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or
insured
by the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality
thereof
having maturities of not more than 360 days from the date of acquisition
thereof; provided that the full faith and credit of the United States
of
America is pledged in support
thereof;
|
(b) |
time
deposits with, or insured certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances
of, any commercial bank that (i) (A) is a Lender or (B) is organized
under
the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the
District of Columbia or is the principal banking subsidiary of a
bank
holding company organized under the laws of the United States of
America,
any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and is a member of
the
Federal Reserve System, (ii) issues (or the parent of which issues)
commercial paper rated as described in Clause (c) of this definition
and
(iii) has combined capital and surplus of at least $1,000,000,000,
in each
case with maturities of not more than 90 days from the date of acquisition
thereof;
|
(c) |
commercial
paper issued by any Person organised under the laws of any state
of the
United States of America and rated at least “Prime-1” (or the then
equivalent grade) by Xxxxx’x or at least “A-1” (or the then equivalent
grade) by S&P, in each case with maturities of not more than 180 days
from the date of acquisition thereof;
and
|
(d) |
Investments,
classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets of the Obligors
or
any of their Subsidiaries, in money market investment programs registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which are administered
by
financial institutions that have the highest rating obtainable from
either
Xxxxx’x or S&P, and the portfolios of which are limited solely to
Investments of the character, quality and maturity described in Clauses
(a), (b) and (c) of this
definition;
|
“Consolidated
EBITDA”
means,
at any date of determination, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income of
Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently
completed Measurement Period, plus
(a) |
the
following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated
Net
Income (and without duplication): (i) Consolidated Interest Charges,
(ii)
the provision for Federal, state, local and foreign income taxes
payable,
(iii) depreciation and amortisation expense and (iv) prepayment of
fees
and write-offs of deferred financing fees in connection with the
refinancing of the Existing Credit Agreements, (v) consulting fees
in
respect of the business re-engineering incurred in the second and
third
fiscal quarters of the 2006 fiscal year in an aggregate amount not
to
exceed $2,500,000 and (vi) net losses from the sales of Vessels as
permitted under this Agreement (in each case of or by Holdings and
its
Subsidiaries for such Measurement Period) and
minus
|
(b) |
the
following to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated
Net
Income, all net gains from the sales of Vessels as permitted under
this
Agreement (in each case of or by Holdings and its Subsidiaries for
such
Measurement Period);
|
“Consolidated
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio”
means,
at any date of determination, the ratio of:
(a) |
the
result of (i) Consolidated EBITDA, less (ii) the sum of (x) Federal,
state, local and foreign income taxes paid in cash and (y) Restricted
Payments made, in each case, for the most recently completed Measurement
Period, to
|
(b) |
the
sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for the most recently completed
Measurement Period, (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all regularly
scheduled principal payments or redemptions or similar acquisitions
for
value of outstanding debt for borrowed money for the period of twelve
(12)
consecutive months following such date of determination, but excluding
any
principal payments scheduled to be made in respect of the Revolving
Credit
Facility;
|
“Consolidated
Funded Indebtedness”
means,
as of any date of determination, for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, the sum of:
(a) |
the
outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether current
or
long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations hereunder) and
all
obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements
or
other similar instruments,
|
(b) |
all
purchase money Indebtedness,
|
(c) |
all
direct obligations arising under letters of credit (including standby
and
commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and
similar instruments,
|
(d) |
all
obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property
or
services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course
of
business),
|
(e) |
all
Attributable Indebtedness,
|
(f) |
without
duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness
of
the types specified in Clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other
than
the Obligors or any Subsidiary, and
|
(g) |
all
Indebtedness of the types referred to in Clauses (a) through (f)
above of
any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that
is
itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which a Obligor
or a
Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such
Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Obligor or such
Subsidiary; provided, however, for purposes of calculating the
“Consolidated Leverage Ratio”, Consolidated Funded Indebtedness shall not
include any portion of Permitted New Vessel Construction Indebtedness
in
an aggregate amount up to $75,000,000 at any time outstanding and
used to
finance a multi-purpose tweendeck or bulk carrier shipping vessel
so long
as such vessel remains in the construction phase (i.e., such vessel
has
not been delivered to Holdings or its Subsidiaries ready for fleet
service
and operation).
|
“Consolidated
Interest Charges”
means,
for any Measurement Period, the sum of:
(a) |
all
interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related
expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized
interest
but excluding capitalized interest on Permitted New Vessel Construction
Indebtedness) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of
assets,
in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with
GAAP,
|
(b) |
all
interest paid or payable with respect to discontinued operations
and,
|
(c) |
the
portion of rent expense under Capitalized Leases that is treated
as
interest in accordance with GAAP, in each case, of or by Holdings
and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed
Measurement Period.
|
“Consolidated
Leverage Ratio”
means,
as of any date of determination, the ratio of:
(a) |
Consolidated
Funded Indebtedness as of such date
to,
|
(b) |
Consolidated
EBITDA of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for
the
most recently completed Measurement
Period.
|
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means,
at any date of determination, the net income (or loss) of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Measurement
Period; provided that Consolidated Net Income shall exclude:
(a) |
extraordinary
gains and extraordinary losses for such Measurement
Period,
|
(b) |
the
net income of any Subsidiary during such Measurement Period to the
extent
that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions
by
such Subsidiary of such income is not permitted by operation of the
terms
of its Organisation Documents or any agreement, instrument or Law
applicable to such Subsidiary during such Measurement Period, except
that
Holdings’ equity in any net loss of any such Subsidiary for
such-Measurement
Period shall be included in determining Consolidated Net Income,
and
|
(c) |
any
income (or loss) for such Period of any Person if such Person is
not a
Subsidiary, except that Holdings’ equity in the net income of any such
Person for such Measurement Period shall be included in Consolidated
Net
Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by
such
Person during such Period to Holdings or a Subsidiary as a dividend
or
other distribution (and in the case of a dividend or other distribution
to
a Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not precluded from further distributing
such amount to Holdings as described in Clause (b) of this
proviso).
|
“Consolidated
Tangible Net Worth”
means,
as of any date of determination, for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, Shareholders’ Equity of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on
that date minus the Intangible Assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on that
date.
“GAAP”
means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in
the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements
of
the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be
approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United
States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of
determination, consistently applied.
“Holdings”
means
the Corporate Guarantor;
“Intangible
Assets”
means
assets that are considered to be intangible assets under GAAP, including
customer lists, goodwill, computer software, copyrights, trade names,
trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges,
unamortized debt discount and capitalized research and development
costs.
“Measurement
Period”
means,
at any date of determination, the most recently completed four fiscal quarters
of Holdings.
“Qualified
Cash”
means,
as of any date of determination, the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents which
is freely transferable and not subject to a Security Interest (other than a
Permitted Security Interest) pledge, security interest, encumbrance, escrow
or
cash collateral arrangement or any other restriction on its use.
“Shareholders’
Equity”
means,
as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of Holdings
and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“Subsidiary”
of
a
Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities
or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors
or
other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power
only
by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned,
or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise
specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary”
or
to
“Subsidiaries”
shall
refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of Holdings.
SCHEDULE
4
FORM
OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
To: The
Royal
Bank of Scotland plc
Shipping
Business Centre
0-00
Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
London
EC3P 3HX
Attention:
Ship Finance Portfolio Management
From: TSB
International Limited
OFFICER’S
CERTIFICATE
This
Certificate is rendered pursuant to clause 9.16(b) of the facility agreement
dated [l]
2007
(the “Facility
Agreement”)
and
entered into between (i) Argyle Maritime Corp, Xxxxx Maritime Corp, Dorchester
Maritime Corp, Longwood Maritime Corp, XxXxxxx Maritime Corp and Sunswyck
Maritime Corp and (ii) The Royal Bank of Scotland plc as Issuer relating to
a
guarantee facility of US$84,000,000. Words and expressions defined in the
Facility Agreement shall have the same meanings when used herein.
I,
the
Chief Financial Officer of the Corporate Guarantor, hereby certify
that:
1 |
Attached
to this Certificate are the latest [audited][unaudited] accounts
of the
Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries for the financial year
[quarter] ending on [l].
|
2 |
Set
out below are the respective amounts, in US Dollars, of Cash Equivalents,
Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated Interest Charges, Consolidated
Net
Income, Consolidated Tangible Net Worth and Qualified
Cash:
|
US
Dollars
|
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
[l]
|
Consolidated
EBITDA
|
[l]
|
Consolidated
Interest Charges
|
[l]
|
Consolidated
Net Income
|
[l]
|
Consolidated
Tangible Net Worth
|
[l]
|
Qualified
Cash
|
[l]
|
3 |
Accordingly,
as at the date of this Certificate the financial covenants set out
in
Appendix 8 of the Loan Agreement [are][are not] complied with, in
that as at [l]:
|
(a) |
Minimum
Consolidated Tangible Net WorthUS$[l];
|
(b) |
Minimum
Cash LiquidityUS$[l];
|
(c) |
Maximum
Consolidated Leverage Ratio[x.xx]
|
(d) |
Minimum
Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio[x.xx]
|
4 |
As
at [l]
no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing [or, specify /
identify
any Event of Default].
|
……………………………..
Chief
financial officer
TBS
International Limited
EXECUTION
PAGE
OBLIGORS
SIGNED
by
/s/Xxxx-Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Attorney-in-Fact
for
and
on behalf of
ARGYLE
MARITIME CORP.
in
the
presence of:
/s/
SIGNED
by
/s/Xxxx-Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Attorney-in-Fact
for
and
on behalf of
XXXXX
MARITIME CORP.
in
the
presence of:
/s/
SIGNED
by
/s/Xxxx-Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Attorney-in-Fact
for
and
on behalf of
DORCHESTER
MARITIME CORP.
in
the
presence of:
/s/
SIGNED
by
/s/Xxxx-Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Attorney-in-Fact
for
and
on behalf of
LONGWOODS
MARITIME CORP.
in
the
presence of:
/s/
SIGNED
by
/s/Xxxx-Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Attorney-in-Fact
for
and
on behalf of
XXXXXXX
MARITIME CORP.
in
the
presence of:
/s/
SIGNED
by
/s/Xxxx-Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Attorney-in-Fact
for
and
on behalf of
SUNSWYCK
MARITIME CORP.
in
the
presence of:
/s/
ISSUER
SIGNED
by
/s/
for
and
on behalf of
THE
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC
in
the
presence of:
/s/
APPENDIX
A
FORM
OF DELIVERY SECURITY ASSIGNMENT
APPENDIX
B
FORM
OF CORPORATE GUARANTEE
APPENDIX
C
FORM
OF GUARANTEE
APPENDIX
D
FORM
OF INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT