Global Ship Lease, Inc 6-K, filed Jan 4, 2023
Global Ship Lease, Inc. (GSL)
About this 6-K
Global Ship Lease, Inc filed this 6-K on January 4, 2023.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of January 2023
Commission File Number: 001-34153
GLOBAL SHIP LEASE, INC.
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited
25 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1LW
United Kingdom
(Address of principal executive office)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ☐
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)7: ☐
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT
On December 29, 2022, Global Ship Lease, Inc. (the “Company”) re-launched an “at the market” offering program (the “Program”), pursuant to which the Company may sell up to $150,000,000 of its Depositary Shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each of which represents 1/100th of one share of the Company’s 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, with a liquidation preference of $2,500 per share (equivalent to $25.00 per Depositary Share) (the “Series B Preferred Shares”). In connection with the Program, the Company has entered into a new At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with B. Riley Securities, Inc., as sales agent (the “Agent”). The Sales Agreement terminated and replaced, in its entirety, the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement between the Agent and the Company, dated as of December 10, 2019. The Series B Preferred Shares represented by Depositary Shares will be deposited with Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as applicable, as depositary (the “Depositary”), pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, dated August 20, 2014, among the Company, the Depositary and holders from time to time of the Depositary Shares issued thereunder.
In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, the Company may offer and sell its Depositary Shares at any time, and from time to time, through the Agent. Sales of the Depositary Shares, if any, will be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices. The Agent is not required to sell any specific number of Depositary Shares, but the Agent will make all sales using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices on mutually agreed terms between the Agent and the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from any sales under the Program for general corporate purposes.
The Depositary Shares are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GSL-B.”
Attached to this Report on Form 6-K (this “Report”) as Exhibit 1.1 is a copy of the Sales Agreement, dated December 29, 2022, by and between the Company and the Agent.
Attached to this Report as Exhibit 5.1 is the opinion of Watson Farley & Williams LLP relating to the legality and validity of the Series B Preferred Shares and related Depositary Shares.
Attached to this Report as Exhibit 8.1 is the opinion of Watson Farley & Williams LLP relating to certain tax matters.
The information contained in this Report is hereby incorporated by reference into the Company’s registration statements on Form F-3 (File Nos. 333-231509, 333-258800 and 333-267468) and Form S-8 (File Nos. 333-258992 and 333-264113).
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| GLOBAL SHIP LEASE, INC. (Registrant) | ||||||
| Dated: January 4, 2023 | ||||||
| By: | /s/ Ian J. Webber | |||||
| Ian J. Webber Chief Executive Officer | ||||||
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
GLOBAL SHIP LEASE, INC.
Depositary Shares, each of which represents a 1/100th interest in a share of 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares
At Market Issuance Sales Agreement
December 29, 2022
B. Riley Securities, Inc.
299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10171
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Global Ship Lease, Inc., a Republic of the Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with B. Riley Securities, Inc. (the “Agent”) as follows:
1. Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through or to the Agent, as sales agent and/or principal, shares (the “Placement Shares”) of the Company’s Depositary Shares (“Depositary Shares”), each of which represents a 1/100th interest in a share of the Company’s 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares (the “Series B Preferred Shares”); provided, however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Agent such number of Placement Shares that (a) exceeds the number of shares or dollar amount of Depositary Shares registered on the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) exceeds the number of shares or dollar amount of Depositary Shares registered on the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below) (the lesser of (a) or (b), the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the number of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that the Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and sale of Placement Shares through or to the Agent will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue any Placement Shares. The Depositary Shares will be issued pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2014, by and among the Company, Computershare Inc and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the “Depositary”), and all owners and holders of the Depositary Shares issued thereunder (the “Deposit Agreement”).
The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), a registration statement on Form F-3 (No. 333-267468), including a related base prospectus relating to the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company
has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). The Company has prepared and will file a prospectus supplement to the prospectus included as part of such registration statement specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The Company will furnish to the Agent, for use by the Agent, copies of the prospectus relating to the Placement Shares included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act, or any subsequent registration statement on Form F-3 filed pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act by the Company to cover any Placement Shares or any subsequent registration statement on Form F-3 filed pursuant to 462(b) under the Securities Act, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The prospectus specifically relating to the Placement Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference to the extent such information has not been superseded or modified in accordance with Rule 412 under the Securities Act (as qualified by Rule 430B(g) of the Securities Act), included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”).
For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic Application system when used by the Commission (collectively, “EDGAR”).
2. Placements. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Agent by electronic mail (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of the number of Placement Shares, the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a “Placement Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Agent set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective immediately upon receipt by the Agent unless and until (i) the Agent declines in writing to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, (ii) the entire amount
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of the Placement Shares thereunder has been sold, (iii) the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice, which suspension and termination rights may be exercised by the Company in its sole discretion, or (iv) this Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 13. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Agent and the Agent does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of Sections 2 or 3 of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.
3. Sale of Placement Shares by the Agent. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for the period specified in a Placement Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Agent (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of a Placement Notice, the Agent may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted by law. “Trading Day” means any day on which Depositary Shares may be purchased and sold on the Exchange.
4. Suspension of Sales. The Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of Placement Shares (a “Suspension”); provided, however, that such Suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. While a Suspension is in effect, any obligation under 7(l), 7(m), and 7(n) with respect to the delivery of certificates, opinions, or comfort letters to the Agent, shall be waived. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.
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5. Sale and Delivery to the Agent; Settlement.
(a) Sale of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Agent’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Agent may, but has no obligations to, purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement based on terms agreed by the Agent and the Company.
(b) Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). The Agent shall notify the Company of each sale of Placement Shares no later than opening of trading the day following the Trading Day that the Agent sold Placement Shares. The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Agent, after deduction for (i) the Agent’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 1 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.
(c) Delivery of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause the transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the Agent’s or its designee’s account (provided the Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee and such designee’s account information at least two Trading Days prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered Shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date through no fault of the Agent, then in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 11(a) hereto, it will (i) hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or reasonable, documented expense (including reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to the Agent (without duplication) any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
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(d) Limitations on Offering Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate number of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the Maximum Amount. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Agent in writing.
6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents), the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with the Agent that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 25 below), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different date or time:
(a) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form F-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission and is automatically effective under the Securities Act. The Prospectus will name the Agent as the agent in the Section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule. Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed, as applicable. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to the Agent and its counsel. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) to which the Agent has consented, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, or that is required by applicable law or the listing maintenance requirements of the Exchange. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Exchange to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of the Exchange. To the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements.
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(b) No Misstatement or Omission. At each Settlement Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became or becomes effective, did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each Applicable Time (defined below), did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated in such document or necessary to make the statements in such document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by the Agent specifically for use in the preparation thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the representations and warranties set forth in this Section 6(b) shall not be made by the Company as of the date of this Agreement.
(c) Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Incorporated Documents, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.
(d) Ineligible Issuer. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the Offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with this offering other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(e) The Company has the full right, power and authority to execute and deliver, and perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(f) The terms of the Depositary Shares, Series B Preferred Shares and the Deposit Agreement conform in all material respect as to legal matters to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus.
(g) All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and the requirements of the Exchange and were not issued in violation of any preemptive, right of first refusal, or similar right. Attached as Schedule 4 is a true and complete list of each entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect majority equity or voting interest that is (i) consolidated with the Company for financial reporting purposes under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and (ii) a significant subsidiary within the meaning of Regulation S-X (each, a “Subsidiary” and, together, “Subsidiaries”). All of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and were not issued in violation of any
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preemptive, right of first refusal, or similar right and, except as set forth in the Prospectus, or otherwise specified in Schedule 4, are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company free and clear of all liens. There are no outstanding options, warrants or other rights to acquire or purchase, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any equity interests of the Company or any Subsidiary, except as set forth in the Prospectus or held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(h) Corporate Status. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its property and to conduct its business, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(i) The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company, and, assuming due authorization, execution, delivery, validity, legally binding effect and enforceability hereof by you and thereof by the counterparties thereto, this Agreement constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder and thereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws or principles of public policy and subject to the qualification that the enforceability of the Company’s obligations hereunder may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, regardless whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
(j) The Company has all requisite corporate and legal authority to issue the Placement Shares (and the Series B Preferred Shares to be issued underlying the Placement Shares) and, (i) when the Placement Shares are issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly authorized executive committee, against payment therefor as provided herein, and further, upon deposit of the Series B Preferred Shares with the Depositary pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, the Placement Shares, as represented by receipts to be issued by the Depositary (the “Depositary Receipts”), will represent legal and valid interests in the Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to the Deposit Agreement; (ii) upon due execution by the Depositary, the Depositary Receipts will constitute valid evidence of such interests in the Placement Shares and the persons in whose name such Depositary Receipts are registered will be entitled to the rights of registered holders of Depositary Receipts specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement; and (iii) when the Series B Preferred Shares are issued and delivered by the Company to the Depositary pursuant to the Deposit Agreement and upon payment of the Placement Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement, the Series B Preferred Shares will be duly and validly authorized and issued
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and fully paid. When issued, the Placement Shares will be free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising from an act or omission of an Agent or a purchaser), including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
(k) Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge any of their respective directors, officers, representatives or affiliates, has taken, nor will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares in a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
(l) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective affiliates (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act, or (ii) directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or has any other association with any member firm of FINRA.
(m) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency or self-regulatory authority is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the Placement Shares, except as have been obtained or as may be required by (1) the federal securities laws or Blue Sky laws of the various states, and (2) the bylaws, rules and regulations of FINRA or the Exchange.
(n) Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (considered as one enterprise) has incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business.
(o) None of (1) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and (2) the issuance and sale of the Placement Shares by the Company (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) (i) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a breach of the charter, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company, (ii) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a breach of or a default under, any material agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except for such conflicts that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (iii) violates or will violate any material statute, law, regulation or filing or judgment, injunction, order or decree applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their properties or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject, except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(p) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, together with the related schedules and notes, included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein); the other financial information and data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurately derived from such financial statements and the books and records of the Company.
(q) Except as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or to which any property of the Company or any Subsidiary is the subject that, if determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing by any governmental or regulatory authority or by others.
(r) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its charter, bylaws or other organizational document, (ii) in breach or default in the performance of the terms of any material indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, except for such breaches or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (iii) in violation of any material law, ordinance, administrative or governmental rule or regulation applicable to any of their or of any decree of the Commission, any state securities commission, any national securities exchange, any arbitrator, any court or any other governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory or administrative agency or any official having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiaries, except for such violations, breaches or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(s) PricewaterhouseCoopers S.A., who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(t) The Company and each Subsidiary have good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property (including, without limitation, all rights, title and interest in insurances, freights and hires, and charters) and assets that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances or claims of any kind except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries, (ii) could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) those that are disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
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(u) On each Settlement Date, all material stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Placement Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with by the Company in all material respects.
(v) The Company and each Subsidiary have filed all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and tax returns which have been required to be filed, except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes required to be paid by them, whether or not shown as due on such returns, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided or with respect to which the failure to pay such taxes would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been asserted against the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties or assets, and there is no tax audit of Company of any Subsidiary that is pending or threatened in writing and is reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) (i) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; (ii) all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or their respective assets (including vessels) are in full force and effect; (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with the terms of such policies and instruments; (iv) there are no claims by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause that are reasonably expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries have been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and (v) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.
(x) The Company and each Subsidiary possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of its properties or the conduct of its businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess such authorizations or make such declarations and filings would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such revocation, modification or non-renewal would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(y) Each of the vessels owned by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is classed by any of Bureau Veritas, Lloyd’s Register, DNV-GL & RINA and American Bureau of Shipping or other classification society of recognized international standing and each such vessel is in class with valid class and trading certifications.
(z) Each of the vessels owned by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (each an “Owned Vessel”) has been duly registered as a vessel under the laws and regulations and flag of the applicable jurisdiction in the sole ownership of the Company or such Subsidiary (the “Vessel Owner”) and each such Vessel Owner has good and marketable title to the Owned Vessel, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests and claims except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and each such Owned Vessel is, as of the date hereof, in good standing with respect to the payment of past and current taxes, fees and other amounts payable under the laws of the jurisdiction where it is registered as would affect its registry with the ship registry of such jurisdiction except for failures to be in good standing which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(aa) No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or the Subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party.
(bb) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (i) the Company and the Subsidiaries (x) are, and have at all times been, in compliance with all, and have not violated any, applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws (including common law), rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and other legally enforceable requirements relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants applicable to the Company or an Owned Vessel, including, without limitation, the International Maritime Organization’s International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention, the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships and the Maritime Labor Convention (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are, and have at all times been, in compliance with all, and have not violated any, applicable permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under any Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability or obligation under or relating to, or any actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws, or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, of or relating to the Company or the Subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
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(iii) except as described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (x) there is no proceeding that is pending, or that is known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, which is, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (y) the Company and the Subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and the Subsidiaries, and (z) none of the Company or the Subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.
(cc) The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that are designed to comply with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(dd) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act). Such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to comply with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and the Subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(ee) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is or, after giving effect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will be required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
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(ff) The Company and the Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(gg) [Reserved.]
(hh) The Company and the Subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with, the operation of the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries as currently conducted, to the Company’s knowledge, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), that are in effect and which are applicable to the Company, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(jj) The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of the Subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
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(kk) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director or officer, or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary or any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is currently the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of the Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the target of Sanctions, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Crimea (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not knowingly directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Placement Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise knowingly make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to knowingly fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the target of Sanctions that would violate any Sanctions applicable to the Company or (ii) to knowingly fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country, which in funding or facilitation would be in violation of Sanctions applicable to the Company. For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country in violation of Sanctions applicable to the Company.
(ll) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor to the knowledge of the Company any director or officer of the Company or any employee of the Company or any director or officer of the Subsidiaries or any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any applicable provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and the Subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
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(mm) The Company and its subsidiaries do not maintain any “employee benefit plans” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) subject to Title I of ERISA.
(nn) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Subsidiary or the Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(oo) Except to the extent expressly set forth in the Prospectus as part of the offering contemplated hereby, neither the Company, its Subsidiaries nor any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ officers, directors or affiliates has bid for or purchased, for any account in which it or any of its affiliated purchasers has a beneficial interest, any Depositary Shares, or attempted to induce any person to purchase any Depositary Shares; and has not, and has not caused its affiliated purchasers to, make bids or purchase for the purpose of creating actual, or apparent, active trading in or of raising the price of the Depositary Shares.
(pp) No person or entity has the right to require registration of any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under the Securities Act because of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement, except as set forth in therein.
(qq) The Company is subject to, and in compliance in all material respects with, the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As of the filing date of the Registration Statement and as of any update of the Registration Statement pursuant to Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (including the filing of any Annual Report on Form 20-F), the Company was eligible to file a “shelf” Registration Statement on Form F-3 with the Commission.
(rr) No approval of shareholders of the Company under the rules and regulations of the Exchange is required for the Company to issue and deliver the Placement Shares.
(ss) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the completion of distribution of the Placement Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares other than the Prospectus.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Agent or counsel for the Agent pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, as to the matters set forth therein to the Agent.
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7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent that:
(a) Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”) (i) the Company will notify the Agent promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference or amendments not related to any Placement, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus related to the Placement or for additional information related to the Placement, (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Agent’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, upon the advice of the Company’s legal counsel, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by the Agent (provided, however, that the failure of the Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agent shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or supplement is filed); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares (other than an Incorporated Document) unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agent within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Agent has not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that (A) the failure of the Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and (B) the Company has no obligation to provide the Agent any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Agent an opportunity to object to such filing if the filing does not name the Agent or does not relate to the transaction herein provided; and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agent shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to obtain such consent shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Agent at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).
(b) Notice of Commission Stop Orders. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise the Agent promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
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(c) Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430A and to notify the Agent promptly of all such filings. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such Prospectus Delivery Period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay the filing of any amendment or supplement, if in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interest of the Company.
(d) Listing of Placement Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Agent reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities, file a general consent to service of process, or subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(e) Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agent and its counsel (at the reasonable expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Agent’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Agent to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.
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(f) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.
(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the Section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”
(h) Notice of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Depositary Shares (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Depositary Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Depositary Shares during the period beginning on the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the second (2nd) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination); and will not directly or indirectly in any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Depositary Shares (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Depositary Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Depositary Shares prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not apply in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Depositary Shares, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Depositary Shares, offered and sold in a privately negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, strategic partners or potential strategic partners or other investors conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Placement Shares hereby and (iv) Depositary Shares in connection with any acquisition, strategic investment or other similar transaction (including any joint venture, strategic alliance or partnership).
(i) Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice, advise the Agent promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required to be provided to the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
(j) Due Diligence Cooperation. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent or its representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request.
(k) Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every date a filing under Rule 424(b) is made, a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of
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Placement Shares sold through the Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.
(l) Representation Dates; Certificate. Each time during the term of this Agreement that the Company:
(i) amends or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares;
(ii) files an annual report on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act (including any Form 20-F/A containing amended audited financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 20-F);
(iii) files its quarterly or semi-annual financial statements on Form 6-K under the Exchange Act; or
(iv) files a report on Form 6-K containing amended financial information under the Exchange Act;
(Each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date.”)
the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form 6-K is material) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l). The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(l) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on Form 20-F. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) upon the delivery of the first Placement Notice hereunder and (ii) if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 7(l), then before the Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l), dated the date of the Placement Notice.
(m) Legal Opinion. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agent a written opinion and a negative assurance letter of Watson Farley & Williams LLP (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent. Thereafter, within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l)
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for which no waiver is applicable, and not more than once per calendar quarter, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agent a negative assurance letter of Company Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent; provided, however, that, in lieu of such negative assurance for subsequent periodic filings under the Exchange Act, counsel may furnish the Agent with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that the Agent may rely on the negative assurance letter previously delivered under this Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the Reliance Letter).
(n) Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder and within five (5) Trading Days after each subsequent Representation Date, other than pursuant to Section 7(l)(iii), the Company shall cause its independent accountant to furnish the Agent a letter (the “Comfort Letter”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n). The Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, (i) confirming that it is an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountant’s “comfort letter” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.
(o) Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or would constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of Depositary Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Depositary Shares in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Agent.
(p) Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor the Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
(q) No Offer to Sell. Other than an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved in advance by the Company and the Agent in its capacity as agent hereunder pursuant to Section 23, neither of the Agent nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agent in its capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder.
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(r) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company will maintain and keep accurate books and records reflecting its assets and maintain internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, (iii) that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with management’s and the Company’s directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. The Company will maintain disclosure controls and procedures that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
(s) The Company will reserve and keep available at all times such number of Series B Preferred Shares as shall be sufficient to provide for the issuance and sale of the Company’s securities up to the Maximum Amount.
8. Representations and Covenants of the Agent. The Agent represents and warrants that it is duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which the Agent is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required. The Agent shall continue, for the term of this Agreement, to be duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which it is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required, during the term of this Agreement. The Agent shall comply with all applicable law and regulations in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the issuance and sale through the Agent of the Placement Shares.
9. Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by the Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto and each Free Writing Prospectus, in such number as the Agent shall deem reasonably necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Agent of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to the Agent, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to the Agent, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants, trustee and other advisors to the Company, (v) reasonable expenses and out-of-pocket fees of the Agent, including reimbursement of fees of Agent’s counsel in an aggregate amount not to exceed $75,000.00 and an additional $5,000.00 per quarter so long as this Agreement remains in effect and excluding any period during which a Suspension is in place pursuant to Section 4 (provided that such additional fee shall be paid upon the resumption of sale upon the ending of any Suspension); (vi) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Placement Shares, (vii) the filing fees incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares, and (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange.
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10. Conditions to the Agent’s Obligations. The obligations of the Agent hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein (other than those representations and warranties made as of a specified date or time), to the due performance in all material respects by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the Agent of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing reasonable satisfaction (or waiver by the Agent in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall remain effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.
(b) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or receipt by the Company of notification of the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or receipt by the Company of notification of the initiation of, or a threat to initiate, any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
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(d) Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would cause a Material Adverse Effect, or a downgrading in or withdrawal of a public rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), if any, by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act (a “Rating Organization”), or a public announcement by any Rating Organization that it has under surveillance or review its public rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a Rating Organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of the Agent (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(e) Company Counsel Legal Opinion. The Agent shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion and negative assurance letter are required pursuant to Section 7(m).
(f) Agent Counsel Legal Opinion. Agents shall have received from Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP, counsel for the Agents, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company Counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(m), with respect to such matters as the Agents may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g) Comfort Letter. The Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such letter is required pursuant to Section 7(n).
(h) Representation Certificate. The Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(l).
(i) Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the first Representation Date, the Agent shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its corporate Secretary, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel.
(j) No Suspension. Trading in the Depositary Shares shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Depositary Shares shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.
(k) Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l), the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such appropriate further information, certificates and documents as the Agent may reasonably request and which are usually and customarily furnished by an issuer of securities in connection with a securities offering of the type contemplated hereby. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof.
(l) Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.
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(m) Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.
(n) No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Agent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a).
11. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 11(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above,
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
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(b) Indemnification by the Agent. the Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and officers, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 11(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent and furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein.
(c) Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 11 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 11, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 11 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provisions of this Section 11 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict of interest exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings
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in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 11 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or the Agent, the Company and the Agent will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than the Agent, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and the Agent may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Agent (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Agent, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 11(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, for
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the purpose of this Section 11(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 11(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(d), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 11(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of the Agent, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer who signed the Registration Statement and director of the Company will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 11(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 11(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 11(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof.
12. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 11 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.
13. Termination.
(a) the Agent may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would have a Material Adverse Effect that, in the sole judgment of the Agent, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) if trading in the Depositary Shares has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading
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have been fixed on the Exchange, (4) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing, (5) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If the Agent elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 13(a), the Agent shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 14 (Notices).
(b) The Company shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(c) the Agent shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(d) Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 13, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through the Agent on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(e) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) shall remain in full force and effect. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to the Agent for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by the Agent under this Agreement.
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(f) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
14. Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to the Agent, shall be delivered to:
B. Riley Securities, Inc.
299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10171
Attention: General Counsel
Email: atmdesk@brileyfin.com
with a copy to:
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1400 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Attention: Albert Lung
Telephone: (650) 843-7263
Email: albert.lung@morganlewis.com
and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:
Global Ship Lease, Inc.
25 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1LW, United Kingdom
Attention: Ian J. Webber
Email: ian.webber@globalshiplease.com
with a copy to:
Watson Farley & Williams LLP
250 West 55th Street, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10019
Attention: Filana Silberberg
Telephone: (212) 922-2225
Email: FSilberberg@wfw.com
Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally, by email, or by verifiable facsimile transmission on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if
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such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.
15. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and the Agent and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 11 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither the Company nor the Agent may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.
16. [Reserved.]
17. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto), constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. In addition, the parties agree that the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement and letter agreement between the Agent and the Company, each dated as of December 10, 2019, shall be terminated effective upon the execution of this Agreement. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and the Agent. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.
18. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. THE COMPANY AND THE AGENT EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
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19. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT, THAT SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF PROCESS AND CONSENTS TO PROCESS BEING SERVED IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS IN EFFECT FOR NOTICES TO IT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT SUCH SERVICE SHALL CONSTITUTE GOOD AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE OF PROCESS AND NOTICE THEREOF. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED TO LIMIT IN ANY WAY ANY RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.
20. Use of Information. the Agent may not use any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not expressly approved by the Company.
21. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission or email of a .pdf attachment.
22. Effect of Headings. The section, Schedule and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
23. Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Agent, and the Agent represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Agent or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in Exhibit 23 hereto are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.
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24. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) the Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not the Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and the Agent has no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;
(b) it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;
(d) it is aware that the Agent and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Agent has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and
(e) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Agent for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that the Agent shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company, other than in respect of the Agent’s obligations under this Agreement and to keep information provided by the Company to the Agent and its counsel confidential to the extent not otherwise publicly-available.
25. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date and (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Placement Shares that (1) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (2) is a “road show” that is a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (3) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Placement Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act.
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“Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” “Rule 430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by the Agent outside of the United States.
[Remainder of the page intentionally left blank]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the Agent, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Agent.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| GLOBAL SHIP LEASE, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Ian J. Webber | |
| Name: | Ian J. Webber | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written: | ||
| B. RILEY SECURITIES, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Patrice McNicoll | |
| Name: | Patrice McNicoll | |
| Title: | Co-Head Investment Banking | |
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Schedule 1
Form of Placement Notice
| From: |
Global Ship Lease, Inc. | |
| To: |
B. Riley Securities, Inc. | |
| Attention: |
[•] | |
| Subject: |
At Market Issuance – Placement Notice |
Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement between Global Ship Lease, Inc., a Republic of the Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company”), and B. Riley Securities, Inc. (the “Agent”), dated December [•], 2022, the Company hereby requests that the Agent sell up to [____] of the Company’s Depositary Shares, each of which represents a 1/100th interest in a share of the Company’s 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares, at a minimum market price of $ [___] per share, during the time period beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month, day, time].
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company shall not request the Agent to sell, and the Agent shall not sell, Placement Shares unless such Placement Shares are issued in a “qualified reopening” as provided for in Treasury Regulation Section 1.1275-2(k)(3).
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Schedule 2
Compensation
The Company shall pay to the Agent in cash, upon each sale of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 2.5% of the gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.
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Exhibit 7(l)
Form of Representation Date Certificate
___________, 20___
This Representation Date Certificate (this “Certificate”) is executed and delivered in connection with Section 7(l) of the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated [__________], 2022, and entered into between Global Ship Lease, Inc. (the “Company”) and B. Riley Securities, Inc. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Agreement.
The Company hereby certifies as follows:
1. As of the date of this Certificate (i) the Registration Statement does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (ii) neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iii) no event has occurred as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not untrue or misleading for this paragraph 1 to be true.
2. Each of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in the Agreement were, when originally made, and are, as of the date of this Certificate, true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties made as of a specific date or time, in which case such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of the time specified).
3. Except as waived by the Agent in writing, each of the covenants required to be performed by the Company in the Agreement on or prior to the date of the Agreement, this Representation Date, and each such other date prior to the date hereof as set forth in the Agreement, has been duly, timely and fully performed in all material respects and each condition required to be complied with by the Company on or prior to the date of the Agreement, this Representation Date, and each such other date prior to the date hereof as set forth in the Agreement has been duly, timely and fully complied with in all material respects.
4. Subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the Prospectus, and except as described in the Prospectus, including Incorporated Documents, there has been no Material Adverse Effect.
5. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof has been issued, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by any securities or other governmental authority (including, without limitation, the Commission).
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6. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the qualification or registration of the Placement Shares under the securities or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction are in effect and, to the Company’s knowledge, no proceeding for such purpose is pending before, or threatened by, any securities or other governmental authority (including, without limitation, the Commission).
7. Watson Farley & Williams LLP is entitled to rely upon this Certificate in connection with the opinions given pursuant to the Agreement.
The undersigned has executed this Representation Date Certificate as of the date first written above.
| GLOBAL SHIP LEASE, INC. | ||
| By: |
||
| Name: |
||
| Title: |
||
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Exhibit 23
Permitted Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
None.
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Exhibit 5.1
Global Ship Lease, Inc.
c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited
25 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1LW
United Kingdom
Our Reference 39226.50000/US/80846009v2
January 4, 2023
Global Ship Lease, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Global Ship Lease, Inc. (the “Company”), a Marshall Islands corporation, in connection with (i) the Company’s at-the-market offering (the “Offering”) of up to $150,000,000 of its Depositary Shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing a 1/100th interest in one share of the Company’s 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, with a liquidation preference of $2,500 per share (equivalent to $25.00 per Depositary Share) (the “Preferred Shares”); (ii) the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement, dated December 29, 2022 (the “Sales Agreement”), between the Company and B. Riley Securities, Inc., as sales agent (the “Agent”), including any amendments or supplements thereto, pursuant to which the Company may offer Depositary Shares through the Agent, from time to time; and (iii) the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-267468), under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which was filed and automatically declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on September 16, 2022 (the “Registration Statement”), a prospectus included therein (the “Base Prospectus”) and a prospectus supplement thereto dated December 29, 2022 (the “Prospectus Supplement” and together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). The Preferred Shares are to be deposited from time to time against delivery of one or more depositary receipts (the “Depositary Receipts”) representing the Depositary Shares to be issued by Computershare, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as applicable, as depositary, registrar and transfer agent (the “Depositary”), under a Deposit Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2014 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, the Depositary and holders from time to time of the Depositary Shares issued thereunder.
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Sales Agreement; (ii) the Registration Statement; (iii) the Prospectus; (iv) the Deposit Agreement; (v) the Certificate of Designation for the Preferred Shares filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on August 19, 2014, as subsequently amended on December 9, 2019, and as further amended on
|
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December 28, 2022; (vi) the form of Depositary Receipt; and (vii) such corporate documents and records of the Company and such other instruments, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. In such examinations, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or drafts of documents to be executed, the genuineness of all signatures and the legal competence or capacity of persons or entities to complete the execution of documents. As to various questions of fact that are material to the opinions hereinafter expressed, we have relied upon statements or certificates of public officials, directors and officers of the Company and others.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, and having regard to such other legal considerations which we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the State of New York:
| 1. | The Preferred Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, sold and paid for as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
| 2. | The Depositary Receipts have been duly authorized by the Company and, after due execution by the Depositary and when issued against deposit of the Preferred Shares in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, assuming that the Deposit Agreement is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Depositary, and when paid for by the Agent in accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, will be validly issued and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with the terms of the Depositary Receipts and the Deposit Agreement. |
| 3. | Assuming that the Deposit Agreement is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Depositary and assuming the due execution by the Depositary of the Depositary Receipts in accordance with the terms of the Deposit Agreement, upon the deposit of the Preferred Shares with the Depositary pursuant to the Deposit Agreement and payment for the Depositary Shares by the Agent pursuant to the Sales Agreement, the Depositary Shares will represent legal and valid interests in the Preferred Shares and the Depositary Receipts will constitute valid evidence of such interests in the Preferred Shares and will be entitled to the benefits of the Deposit Agreement. |
This opinion is limited to the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the State of New York as in effect on the date hereof.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Report on Form 6-K to be filed with the Commission on the date hereof and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, and to the reference to us under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus, without admitting we are “experts” within the meaning of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to any part of the Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
Watson Farley & Williams LLP
/s/ Watson Farley & Williams LLP
Exhibit 8.1
Global Ship Lease, Inc.
c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited
25 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1LW
United Kingdom
Our Reference 39226.50000/US/80846662v1
January 4, 2023
Global Ship Lease, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Global Ship Lease, Inc. (the “Company”), a Marshall Islands corporation, in connection with (i) the Company’s at-the-market offering of up to $150,000,000 of its Depositary Shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing a 1/100th interest in one share of the Company’s 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, with a liquidation preference of $2,500 per share (equivalent to $25.00 per Depositary Share) (the “Preferred Shares”); (ii) the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement, dated December 29, 2022 (the “Sales Agreement”), between the Company and B. Riley Securities, Inc., as sales agent (the “Agent”), including any amendments or supplements thereto, pursuant to which the Company may offer Depositary Shares through the Agent, from time to time; and (iii) the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-267468), under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which was filed and automatically declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on September 16, 2022 (the “Registration Statement”), a prospectus included therein (the “Base Prospectus”) and a prospectus supplement thereto dated December 29, 2022 (the “Prospectus Supplement” and together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). The Preferred Shares are to be deposited from time to time against delivery of one or more depositary receipts (the “Depositary Receipts”) representing the Depositary Shares to be issued by Computershare, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as applicable, as depositary, registrar and transfer agent (the “Depositary”), under a Deposit Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2014 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, the Depositary and holders from time to time of the Depositary Shares issued thereunder.
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Sales Agreement; (ii) the Registration Statement; (iii) the Prospectus; (iv) the Deposit Agreement; (v) the Certificate of Designation for the Preferred Shares filed with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on August 19, 2014, as subsequently amended on December 9, 2019, and as further amended on December 28, 2022; (vi) the form of Depositary Receipt; and (vii) such corporate documents and records of the
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Company and such other instruments, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. In such examinations, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or drafts of documents to be executed, the genuineness of all signatures and the legal competence or capacity of persons or entities to complete the execution of documents. As to various questions of fact that are material to the opinions hereinafter expressed, we have relied upon statements or certificates of public officials, directors and officers of the Company and others.
Based on the facts as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, and in particular, on the representations, covenants, assumptions, conditions and qualifications described under the caption “Tax Considerations” in the Prospectus Supplement, we hereby confirm that the opinions of Watson Farley & Williams LLP and the discussions of United States federal income tax and Marshall Islands tax matters expressed in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Tax Considerations” are our opinions and accurately state our views as to the tax matters discussed therein.
Our opinions are based on applicable Marshall Islands tax law, the current provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, published pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service, which may be cited or used as precedents, and case law, as in effect on the date hereof, any of which may be changed at any time with retroactive effect. No opinion is expressed on any matters other than those specifically referred to above.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Report on Form 6-K to be filed with the Commission on the date hereof and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, and to each reference to us and the discussions of advice provided by us in the Prospectus, without admitting we are “experts” within the meaning of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to any part of the Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
Watson Farley & Williams LLP
/s/ Watson Farley & Williams LLP