As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 2024.
Registration No. [*]
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM F-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Not Applicable
(Translation of Registrant’s Name into English)
| Cayman Islands | 5172 | Not Applicable | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07
Singapore
189677
+65 6027 1250
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
COGENCY
GLOBAL INC.
122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10168
+1-800-221-0102
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies of all communications, including communications sent to agent for service, should be sent to:
Lawrence
S. Venick, Esq. 2206-19
Jardine House Hong
Kong SAR |
Richard I. Anslow, Esq. Jonathan Deblinger, Esq. Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP 1345 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10105 Telephone: (212) 370-1300 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Emerging growth company. ☒
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS (SUBJECT TO COMPLETION) DATED OCTOBER 25, 2024 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares
This is the initial public offering of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited. Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares. It is currently estimated that the initial public offering price per share will be between $4.00 and $5.00. We have applied to list our Class A Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “UFG.”
Immediately after this offering, assuming an offering size as set forth above, Koh Kuan Hua will, through his wholly owned entity Garden City Private Capital Limited, own approximately 68.64% of our outstanding shares (or 67.71% of our outstanding shares if the underwriters option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full). As a result, we expect to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of rule 5615(c) of Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq Listing Rules”). For so long as we remain a “controlled company,” we are permitted to elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements. If we rely on these exemptions, you will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements. Although we currently do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemption under the Nasdaq listing rules, we could elect to rely on this exemption after we complete this offering. See section titled “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Controlled Company”.
The share capital of the Company consists of two classes of ordinary shares, Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares. We will issue 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares in this offering. The rights of the holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion rights. Each Class B Ordinary Share has ten votes per share and is convertible into one Class A Ordinary Share, whereas our Class A Ordinary Shares, which we are selling in this offering, have one vote per share. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Ordinary Shares — The dual-class structure of our Ordinary Shares has the effect of concentrating voting control with those shareholders who held our Class B Ordinary Shares prior to this offering. This ownership will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transactions requiring shareholder approval, and that may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.”
We are both an “emerging growth company” and a “foreign private issuer” under applicable U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules and will be eligible for reduced public company disclosure requirements. See section titled “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being an ‘Emerging Growth Company’ and a ‘Foreign Private Issuer’” for additional information.
Investing in our Class A Ordinary Shares involves risks. See section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12 of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
| PER SHARE | TOTAL | |||||||
| Initial public offering price(1) | $ | 4.50 | $ | 13,500,000 | ||||
| Underwriting discounts and commissions(2) | $ | 0.315 | $ | 945,000 | ||||
| Proceeds, before expenses, to us | $ | 4.185 | $ | 12,555,000 | ||||
| (1) | Initial public offering price per share is assumed as $4.50 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The table above assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option. |
| (2) | The underwriting discount is 7% of the public offering price. Does not include a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of this offering, payable to the representatives of the underwriters, as well as reimbursement of certain expenses of the underwriters. In addition to the underwriting discounts listed above and the non-accountable expense allowance described in the footnote, we have agreed to issue to the representatives of the underwriters upon the closing of this offering a warrant exercisable for a period of five years from the commencement of the sales of this offering entitling the representatives to purchase up to 5% of the number of shares sold in this offering at a per share exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price. The registration statement of which this prospectus is a part also covers such warrants and the shares issuable upon the exercise thereof. For a description of other terms of compensation to be received by the underwriters, see “Underwriting” beginning on page 105. |
We expect our total cash expenses for this offering (including cash expenses payable to our underwriters for their out-of-pocket expenses) to be approximately $928,202, exclusive of the above discounts and commissions. These payments will further reduce proceeds available to us before expenses. See “Underwriting.”
This offering is being conducted on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the Class A Ordinary Shares if any such shares are taken. We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of forty-five (45) days after the closing of this offering to purchase up to 15% of the total number of our Class A Ordinary Shares to be offered by us pursuant to this offering (excluding shares subject to this option), solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. If we complete this offering, net proceeds will be delivered to us on the closing date.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to purchasers against payment on , 2024.
R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc.
Prospectus dated , 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
For investors outside the United States: neither we nor the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction, other than the United States, where action for that purpose is required. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the Class A Ordinary Shares and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.
Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or in any free writing prospectus we have prepared, and neither we nor the underwriters take responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information others may give you. Neither we nor the underwriters are making an offer to sell, or seeking offers to buy, these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the cover page of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or the sale of the Class A Ordinary Shares. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since the date on the cover page of this prospectus.
This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our Class A Ordinary Shares. For a more complete understanding of us and this offering, you should read and carefully consider the entire prospectus, including the more detailed information set forth under “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes. Some of the statements in this prospectus are forward-looking statements. See section titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Our Business
We are a service provider of marine fuels solutions headquartered in Singapore. We market, resell and broker marine fuels products such as very low sulfur fuel oil (“VLSFO”), high sulfur fuel oil (“HSFO”), and marine gas oil (“MGO”). We offer these products to shipping companies and marine fuels suppliers worldwide in-port and offshore. In addition, we may from time to time provide shipping related services to our customers including but not limited to the arrangement of ship agents, ship provisions and marine fuels surveyors. We provide value to our customers by leveraging on our global supply network and market solutions facilitated by our integrated capabilities.
We operate an integrated business model where we serve our customers through two operating models, sales of marine fuels solutions and brokerage (i.e. acting as intermediary between marine fuels suppliers and customers for a commission). In the sales model, we control and manage the customer relationship throughout the entire transaction and provide value-added solutions such as trade credit, financing, risk management, market intelligence and operational expertise. In the broker model, we refer the customer to a third-party supplier in exchange for a brokerage fee. In a sales transaction, we manage and guarantee the supply of marine fuels to the customer while we procure the marine fuel, including its delivery, from a third-party supplier. In a brokerage transaction, the third-party supplier will manage and guarantee the supply of marine fuels to the customer.
During the two years ended December 31, 2023, we have arranged for marine fuel supply (under both our reselling and brokerage business) at 103 geographical ports worldwide, of which 35.9% of the supplies were carried out in South East Asia, 27.2% in North East Asia, 8.7% in South Asia, 8.7% in North America, 7.8% in Europe, 3.9% in South America, 3.9% in Middle East, 2.9% in Africa and 1.0% in Central America.
During the two years ended December 31, 2023, we have arranged for marine fuel supply to 88 customers, of which 77.3% are based in South East Asia, 15.9% in North East Asia, 4.6% in Europe and 2.3% in Middle East. Our customers are mainly shipping companies operating in market sectors such as bulk, tanker, offshore, container, general cargo, tug and barge, car carrier, cruise, yacht and dredging. Our customers also include other marine fuel suppliers operating in similar capacity as our Group.
Our Industry
Marine fuels supply, also commonly known as bunkering, is the process of supplying marine fuels products to ships. Bunkering is an essential aspect of the shipping industry that ensures a ship has the necessary fuel to operate at sea. Marine fuels supply is a fuel logistics business that operates within the broader framework of the maritime transportation sector. The supply of marine fuels plays a vital role is facilitating global trade by providing marine fuels to ships trading around the world. It is an industry that is closely influenced by factors such as global trade volumes, economic growth, shifting trade patterns, and regulatory changes that govern the marine fuels industry.
Marine fuel, also commonly known as bunker fuel(s) or bunker(s), refers to fuel consumed by ship engines. The process of supplying marine fuels is most frequently delivered by bunker barges to the receiving vessels. The supply of marine fuels can also be delivered by road trucks and less frequently by pipelines at berths.
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The marine fuels industry comprises a diverse range of stakeholders, ranging from marine fuels suppliers and shipping companies to port authorities and regulatory bodies. The supply chain infrastructure of the marine fuels industry includes refineries, oil tankers, storage terminal, and bunker barges.
The commercial participants in the marine fuels supply ecosystem generally include the following parties: (1) physical distributors, (2) resellers, and (3) brokers.
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe our main competitive strengths are as follows:
| ● | We operate in Singapore, a global major marine fuels hub and major shipping region in Asia Pacific | |
| ● | We have a scalable operating model to facilitate growth | |
| ● | We have an experienced management team with in-depth knowledge and expertise | |
| ● | We have an integrated global supply network | |
| ● | We adopt effective financial management | |
| ● | We are efficient and responsive when communicating with our customers | |
| ● | We are agile and flexible in our business operations |
Our Business Strategies and Future Plans
Our business strategies and future plans are as follows:
| ● | Strengthening and increasing our market share in existing markets | |
| ● | Increasing our market presence through expansion into new geographical locations | |
| ● | Competitive sourcing and diversification of suppliers in our supply network | |
| ● | Attract, develop and retain talented employees | |
| ● | Increasing financial resources available to us | |
| ● | Maintain high level of credit and compliance risk management processes | |
| ● | Selective acquisition of companies and/or formation of partnerships and/or joint ventures | |
| ● | Increasing our service offering in alternative fuels | |
| ● | Formation of new income streams and acquisition of assets |
Summary Risk Factors
Our prospectus should be considered in light of the risks, uncertainties, expenses, and difficulties frequently encountered by similar companies. Below please find a summary of the principal risks we face, organized under relevant headings. These risks are discussed more carefully in the section titled “Risk Factors.”
Risks Related to Our Business
| ● | Our Group does not have a long operating history as an integrated group. | |
| ● | Our historical financial and operating results are not a guarantee of our future performance. | |
| ● | Global economy and international trade conditions are critical factors affecting the demand for marine fuel, and a decline in international trade could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. |
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| ● | We may be exposed to the credit risks of our customers while we remain subject to satisfying payment obligations to our suppliers, which would adversely affect our financial condition. | |
| ● | The failure of timely delivery of marine fuels to our customers would adversely affect our Group’s reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations. | |
| ● | Material disruptions in the availability or supply of marine fuels would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. | |
| ● | If the marine fuels we purchase from our suppliers fails to meet the contractual quality specifications we have agreed to supply to our customers, it would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. | |
| ● | We may be exposed to the risk of our customers not fulfilling their performance obligations, which would adversely affect our Group’s reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations. | |
| ● | We are exposed to risks in connection with our use of derivatives, which, if not properly managed, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. | |
| ● | Our business is dependent on our ability to obtain financing to meet our working capital requirements and fund our future growth. | |
| ● | Failure to adapt to market trends in the marine fuels industry would adversely affect our business. | |
| ● | The risk of disintermediation in the marine fuels industry chain could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and business prospects. | |
| ● | Our future strategic acquisitions, investments and partnerships could pose various risks, increase our leverage, dilute existing shareholders and significantly impact our ability to expand our overall profitability. | |
| ● | Our revenue generated from brokerage services heavily relies on one-off commission income, and there is no guarantee of recurring sales from our existing customers. | |
| ● | Our brokerage income is tied to the successful completion of transactions between suppliers and buyers, the process of which we have no control over. | |
| ● | Information technology failures and data security breaches could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. | |
| ● | Increased dependence on technology may hinder the Company’s business operations and adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations if such technologies fail. |
Risks Related to Doing Business in Singapore
| ● | We are subject to the laws of Singapore, which differ in certain material respects from the laws of the United States. | |
| ● | We are subject to risks associated with operating in the rapidly evolving Southeast Asia, and we might therefore be exposed to various risks inherent in operating and investing in the region. |
Risks Related to Our Ordinary Shares
| ● | An active trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares may not develop and could affect the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. | |
| ● | Our Class A Ordinary Shares price may never trade at or above the price in this offering. | |
| ● | The initial public offering price for our Class A Ordinary Shares may not reflect their actual value. | |
| ● | Our share price may fluctuate significantly in the future and you may lose all or part of your investment, and litigation may be brought against us. |
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| ● | Certain recent initial public offerings of companies with public floats comparable to our anticipated public float have experienced extreme volatility that was seemingly unrelated to the underlying performance of the respective company. We may experience similar volatility, which may make it difficult for prospective investors to assess the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares. | |
| ● | Investors in our Class A Ordinary Shares will face immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value per share and may experience future dilution. | |
| ● | We may have conflicts of interest with our Major Shareholders and, because of our Major Shareholders’ significant ownership interest in our company, we may not be able to resolve such conflicts on terms favorable to us. | |
| ● | Our Class A Ordinary Shares may trade under $4.00 per share and thus would be known as “penny stock”. Trading in penny stocks has certain restrictions and these restrictions could negatively affect the price and liquidity of our Ordinary Shares. | |
| ● | We may require additional funding in the form of equity or debt for our future growth which will cause dilution in Shareholders’ equity interest. | |
| ● | Investors may not be able to participate in future issues or certain other equity issues of our Class A Ordinary Shares. | |
| ● | We have no immediate plans to pay dividends. | |
| ● | If we fail to meet applicable listing requirements, Nasdaq may delist our Class A Ordinary Shares from trading, in which case the liquidity and market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares could decline. | |
| ● | We will incur significant expenses and devote other significant resources and management time as a result of being a public company, which may negatively impact our financial performance and could cause our results of operations and financial condition to suffer. | |
| ● | If we fail to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal controls over financial reporting, our ability to timely produce accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired. | |
| ● | Investors may have difficulty enforcing judgments against us, our directors and management. | |
| ● | The laws of the Cayman Islands relating to the protection of the interest of minority shareholders are different from those in the United States. | |
| ● | We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements. | |
| ● | We qualify as a foreign private issuer and, as a result, we will not be subject to U.S. proxy rules and will be subject to Exchange Act reporting obligations that permit less detailed and less frequent reporting than that of a U.S. domestic public company. | |
| ● | We may lose our foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses. | |
| ● | We do not expect to be subject to certain Nasdaq corporate governance rules applicable to U.S. listed companies. | |
| ● | There can be no assurance that we will not be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, which could subject U.S. investors in the Class A Ordinary Shares to significant adverse U.S. income tax consequences. | |
| ● | We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively. | |
| ● | We may regularly encounter potential conflicts of interest, and our failure to identify and address such conflicts of interest could adversely affect our business. | |
| ● | If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if the publish a negative report regarding our Class A Ordinary Shares, the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and trading volume could decline. |
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Our Corporate Structure and History
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited, the issuer in this offering, was incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on March 8, 2024. Our operating subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd., or Uni-Fuels Singapore, was incorporated in Singapore on October 12, 2021.
The Company adopted a dual-class share structure. Each Class B Ordinary Share has ten votes per share whereas each Class A Ordinary Share has one vote per share. The following diagram illustrates the ownership structure of the Company before giving effect to this offering:

Note: There are five minority shareholders (namely Braden Ong Wei Cong, Lai Yen Fen, Thong Mei Sze, Wong Chee How and iCapital Holdings (SG) Pte. Ltd.), each holding 1,470,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, representing 4.90% of the total issued share capital of the Company and 0.63% voting power over the Company. None of these minority shareholders is a related party of the Company.
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The following diagram illustrates the ownership structure of the Company after giving effect to this offering:

Note: Immediately upon consummation of this offering, assuming the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment options, our public shareholders will own a total of 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, representing 1.27% of voting power over the Company; and Mr. Koh Kuan Hua, the Company’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director, through Garden City Private Capital Limited, will own 22,650,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, representing 95.63% of voting power over the Company. There are five minority shareholders (namely Braden Ong Wei Cong, Lai Yen Fen, Thong Mei Sze, Wong Chee How and iCapital Holdings (SG) Pte. Ltd.), each holding 1,470,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, which will immediately upon consummation of this offering represent 4.45% of the total issued share capital of the Company and 0.62% voting power over the Company. None of these minority shareholders is a related party of the Company.
Corporate Information
Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at the offices of Ogier Global (Cayman) Limited, whose physical and postal address is 89 Nexus Way, Camana Bay, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands KY1-9009. Our principal place of business is 15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07, Singapore 189677. The telephone number of our principal office is +65 6027 1250. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Cogency Global Inc., located at 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168. Our corporate website is https://uni-fuels.com. Information contained on our website does not constitute part of this prospectus.
Implications of Being an “Emerging Growth Company” and a “Foreign Private Issuer”
As a company with less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our most recently completed fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure and requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to U.S. public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These provisions include:
● the option to include in an initial public offering registration statement only two years of audited financial statements and selected financial data and only two years of related disclosure;
● reduced executive compensation disclosure; and
● an exemption from the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting.
The JOBS Act also permits an emerging growth company, such as us, to delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards are applicable to private companies. We have not elected to “opt out” of this provision, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we will have the discretion to adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard and our discretion will remain until such time that we either (i) irrevocably elect to “opt out” of such extended transition period or (ii) no longer qualify as an emerging growth company.
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We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of:
| ● | the last day of our fiscal year during which we have total annual revenue of at least $1.235 billion; | |
| ● | the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the closing of this offering; | |
| ● | the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; or | |
| ● | the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the Exchange Act, which, among other things, would occur if the market value of our Class A Shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter. |
We have taken advantage of reduced reporting requirements in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies.
In addition, upon closing of this offering, we will report under the Exchange Act as a “foreign private issuer.” As a foreign private issuer, we may take advantage of certain provisions under the Nasdaq rules that allow us to follow Cayman Islands law for certain corporate governance matters. Even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, as long as we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we will be exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including:
| ● | the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; | |
| ● | the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their share ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; | |
| ● | the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K, upon the occurrence of specified significant events; and | |
| ● | Regulation Fair Disclosure (“Regulation FD”), which regulates selective disclosures of material information by issuers. |
We are also a foreign private issuer. Foreign private issuers, like emerging growth companies, are also exempt from certain more stringent executive compensation disclosure rules. Thus, if we remain a foreign private issuer, even if we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, we will continue to be exempt from the more stringent compensation disclosures required of public companies that are neither an emerging growth company nor a foreign private issuer.
We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time as we are no longer a foreign private issuer. We are required to determine our status as a foreign private issuer on an annual basis at the end of our second fiscal quarter. We would cease to be a foreign private issuer at such time as more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are held by U.S. residents and any of the following three circumstances apply:
| ● | the majority of our executive officers or directors are U.S. citizens or residents; | |
| ● | more than 50% of our assets are located in the United States; or | |
| ● | our business is administered principally in the United States. |
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Implications of Being a Controlled Company
Upon the completion of this offering, we will be a “controlled company” as defined under the Nasdaq Listing Rules because Koh Kuan Hua will, through his wholly-owned entity Garden City Private Capital Limited, hold 68.64% of our total issued and outstanding shares and will be able to exercise 95.63% of the total voting power of our issued and outstanding share capital. For so long as we remain a “controlled company,” we are permitted to elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements. If we rely on these exemptions, you will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements. Although we currently do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemption under the Nasdaq listing rules, we could elect to rely on this exemption after we complete this offering. See section titled “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Class A Ordinary Shares — We will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market listing rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.”
Even if we cease to be a controlled company, we may still rely on exemptions available to foreign private issuers.
Conventions Which Apply to this Prospectus
Throughout this prospectus, we use a number of key terms and provide a number of key performance indicators used by management. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions apply throughout where the context so admits:
Other Companies, Organizations and Agencies
| “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” | : | Marcum Asia CPAs LLP | ||
| “Underwriters” | : | The underwriters for the Offering, of which R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc. is serving as representative. |
General
| “amended and restated memorandum and articles of association” | : | The amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of our Company which was adopted on April 29, 2024. | ||
| “Audit Committee” | : | The audit committee of our Board of Directors. | ||
| “Board” or “Board of Directors” | : | The board of Directors of our Company. | ||
| “Clear Day” or “clear day” | : | Has the meaning given to that term in the amended and restated articles of association of the Company which was adopted on April 29, 2024. | ||
| “Companies Act” | : | The Companies Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands. | ||
| “Company” | : | Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands company. | ||
| “Compensation Committee” | : | The compensation committee of our Board of Directors. | ||
| “COVID-19” | : | Coronavirus disease 2019. | ||
| “Directors” | : | The directors of our Company. | ||
| “Executive Officers” | : | The executive officers of our Company. See section titled “Management.” | ||
| “Fiscal Year” or “FY” | : | Financial year ended or, as the case may be, ending December 31. | ||
| “Group” | : | Our Company and our subsidiaries. | ||
| “HSFO” | High sulfur fuel oil. | |||
| “Listing” | : | The listing and quotation of our Class A Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq. | ||
| “LNG” | : | Liquefied natural gas. | ||
| “Major Shareholder(s)” | : | A person who has an interest or interests (whether by record or beneficial ownership) in one or more voting shares (excluding treasury shares) in our Company, and the total votes attached to that share, or those shares, is not less than 5.0% of the total votes attached to all the voting shares (excluding treasury shares) in our Company. Each of Mr. Koh Kuan Hua (our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director) and Garden City Private Capital Limited (his wholly-owned investment holding company) is a Major Shareholder. |
| 8 |
| “MGO” | Marine gas oil. | |||
| “Nasdaq” | : | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. | ||
| “Nasdaq Listing Rules” | : | The Nasdaq rules governing listed companies. | ||
| “Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee” | : | The nominating and corporate governance committee of our Board of Directors. | ||
| “Offer Price” | : | In the range of US$4.00 and US$5.00 for each Class A Ordinary Share being offered in this offering. | ||
| “Offering” | : | The Offering of Class A Ordinary Shares by the Underwriter on behalf of our Company for subscription at the Offer Price, subject to and on the terms and conditions set out in this prospectus. | ||
| “ordinary resolution” | A resolution passed by a simple majority of the Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at a general meeting of our Company and includes a unanimous written resolution. | |||
| “Share(s),” “ordinary share(s)” or “Ordinary Share(s)” | : | Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares in the capital of our Company. | ||
| “Shareholders” | : | Registered holders of our Shares. | ||
| “special resolution” | A resolution passed by at least two-thirds of the Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at a general meeting of our Company and includes a unanimous written resolution. | |||
| “Underwriting Agreement” | : | The Underwriting Agreement dated [ ], 2024 entered into between our Company and R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc., pursuant to which the Underwriter have agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, 3,000,000 of our Class A Ordinary Shares at the Offer Price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, as described in the sections titled “Underwriting” of this prospectus | ||
| “Uni-Fuels Group” | : | Uni-Fuels Group Inc., a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. | ||
| “Uni-Fuels Singapore” | : | Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. | ||
| “U.S. GAAP” | : | Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. | ||
| “VLSFO” | : | Very low sulfur fuel oil. |
Currencies, Units and Others
| “SGD” | : | The Singapore dollar, the legal currency of Singapore. | ||
| “US$,” “US dollars,” “USD” or “$” | : | U.S. dollars and cents respectively, the lawful currency of the U.S. | ||
| “%” or “per cent.” | : | Per centum. | ||
| “sq. m.” | : | Square meters. |
The expressions “associated company”, “related corporation” and “subsidiary” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Companies Act, as the case may be.
Any discrepancies in tables included herein between the total sum of amounts listed and the totals thereof are due to rounding. Accordingly, figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.
Unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to “we”, “our”, “us” or “our Group” or their other grammatical variations is a reference to our Company and our subsidiaries taken as a whole.
Certain of our customers and suppliers are referred to in this prospectus by their trade names. Our contracts with these customers and suppliers are typically with an entity or entities in the relevant customer or supplier’s group of companies.
Internet site addresses in this prospectus are included for reference only and the information contained in any website, including our website, is not incorporated by reference into, and does not form part of, this prospectus.
| 9 |
Market and Industry Data
We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. This prospectus includes statistical and other industry and market data that we obtained from industry publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties, as well estimates by our management based on such data. The market data and estimates used in this prospectus involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such data and estimates. While we believe that the information from these industry publications, surveys and studies is reliable, the industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of important factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.
Presentation of Financial and Other Information
Unless otherwise indicated, all financial information contained in this prospectus is prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
All references in this prospectus to “U.S. dollars,” “US$,” “$” and “USD” refer to the currency of the United States of America and all references to “SGD” or “Singapore Dollar” refer to the currency of Singapore. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to currency amounts in this prospectus are in USD. The Company is a holding company with operations exclusively conducted in Singapore through its Singapore operating subsidiary, of whose reporting currency is USD.
We have made rounding adjustments to some of the figures contained in this prospectus. Accordingly, numerical figures shown as totals in some tables may not be exact arithmetic aggregations of the figures that preceded them.
| Shares offered by us: | 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares (or 3,450,000 Class A Ordinary Shares if the Underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional Class A Ordinary Shares within 45 days of the date of this prospectus from us in full). | |
| Offer Price: | Between $4.00 and $5.00 per Class A Ordinary Share. | |
| Number of Shares outstanding before this offering: | 7,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 22,650,000 Class B Ordinary Shares are outstanding as of the date of this prospectus. | |
| Shares to be outstanding immediately after this offering: | 10,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 22,650,000 Class B Ordinary Shares (or 10,800,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 22,650,000 Class B Ordinary Shares if the Underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional Class A Ordinary Shares within 45 days of the date of this prospectus from us in full). | |
| Over-allotment option to purchase additional Shares: | We have granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 450,000 additional Class A Ordinary Shares from us within 45 days of the date of this prospectus. | |
| Voting Rights | We have adopted a dual-class share structure. Holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares and holders of our Class B Ordinary Shares will have different voting rights. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company, and each Class B Ordinary Shares shall entitle the holder thereof to ten (10) votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company. | |
| Use of proceeds: | We intend to use the proceeds from this offering for:
(i) scaling up our reselling activities to gain market share from existing and new markets;
(ii) for strengthening our workforce and expanding our market presence in new geographical locations; and
(iii) cash reserve and general corporate purposes.
See “Use of Proceeds” on page 35 for more information. | |
| Representative warrants | We have agreed to sell to the representative of the underwriters warrants to purchase up to a total of 172,500 Class A Ordinary Shares (equal to 5% of the aggregate number of Class A Ordinary Shares sold in the offering, including shares issued pursuant to the exercise of the over-allotment option) at a price equal to 125% of the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares offered hereby. | |
| Lock-up: | All of our directors and officers and our Major Shareholders (i.e. Mr. Koh Kuan Hua (our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director) and Garden City Private Capital Limited (his wholly-owned investment holding company)) have agreed with the Underwriter, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, transfer, or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of our Class A Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A Ordinary Shares for a period of six (6) months from the closing date of this offering.
See sections titled “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and “Underwriting” for more information. | |
| Nasdaq Capital Market symbol: | We intend to list the Class A Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “UFG.” | |
| Risk factors: | See section titled “Risk Factors” and other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in the Class A Ordinary Shares. |
| 10 |
The following summary presents consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and summary consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, which have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus; and consolidated balance sheet data as of June 30, 2024 and 2023 and summary consolidated statements of operations data for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, which have been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. You should read this “Selected Consolidated Financial And Operating Data” section together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section included elsewhere in this prospectus.
Selected Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income Data
For the Six Month Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Revenues | 74,192,974 | 14,309,111 | ||||||
| Cost of revenue | (72,733,991 | ) | (13,298,177 | ) | ||||
| Gross profit | 1,458,983 | 1,010.934 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | (1,349,675 | ) | (138,853 | ) | ||||
| Income from operations | 109,308 | 872,081 | ||||||
| Net income | 101,972 | 743,411 | ||||||
Selected Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income Data
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Revenues | 70,785,528 | 30,818,471 | ||||||
| Cost of revenue | (68,505,327 | ) | (28,414,153 | ) | ||||
| Gross profit | 2,280,201 | 2,404,318 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | (883,088 | ) | (45,678 | ) | ||||
| Income from operations | 1,397,113 | 2,358,640 | ||||||
| Net income | 1,211,787 | 1,977,132 | ||||||
Selected Consolidated Statements of Financial Position Data
As of 30 June 2024 | As of 31 December 2023 | As of 31 December 2022 | ||||||||||
| US$ | US$ | US$ | ||||||||||
| Cash | 4,004,202 | 2,564,850 | 3,297,725 | |||||||||
| Restricted cash | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | - | |||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 8,554,331 | 12,807,009 | 386,074 | |||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net, -related party | - | - | 709,734 | |||||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 166,526 | 120,910 | 9,133 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 14,225,059 | 16,992,769 | 4,402,666 | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 364,532 | 395,056 | - | |||||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 156,926 | 197,863 | - | |||||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 28,794 | 30,576 | - | |||||||||
| Deferred initial public offering (“IPO”) costs | 298,619 | 112,900 | - | |||||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | - | - | 919 | |||||||||
| Total assets | 15,073,930 | 17,729,164 | 4,403,585 | |||||||||
| Accounts payable | 8,802,768 | 11,196,384 | 443,352 | |||||||||
| Accounts payable -related party | - | - | 979,568 | |||||||||
| Short-term bank loans | 1,203,938 | 1,195,149 | - | |||||||||
| Amounts due to related parties | 276,155 | 278,001 | - | |||||||||
| Income tax payables | 5,503 | 272,437 | 445,449 | |||||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, current | 87,355 | 85,382 | - | |||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 121,087 | 177,737 | 173,883 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 10,496,806 | 13,205,090 | 2,042,252 | |||||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, non-current | 83,658 | 127,834 | - | |||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities, non-current | 9,924 | 9,700 | - | |||||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities, net | 8,450 | 13,420 | - | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | 10,598,838 | 13,356,044 | 2,042,252 | |||||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 4,475,092 | 4,373,120 | 2,361,333 | |||||||||
Selected Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow Data
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 1,624,481 | (410,049 | ) | |||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (6,353 | ) | (126,457 | ) | ||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (178,776 | ) | 800,000 | |||||
| Cash and restricted cash, beginning of period | 4,064,850 | 3,297,725 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, end of period | 5,504,202 | 3,561,219 | ||||||
Selected Consolidated Cash Flow Data
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities | (965,794 | ) | 3,026,856 | |||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (427,331 | ) | - | |||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 2,160,250 | - | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, beginning of year | 3,297,725 | 270,869 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, end of year | 4,064,850 | 3,297,725 | ||||||
| 11 |
Prospective investors should carefully consider and evaluate each of the following considerations and all other information set forth in this prospectus before deciding to invest in our Class A Ordinary Shares. The following section describes some of the significant risks known to us now that could directly or indirectly affect us and the value or trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and should not be construed as a comprehensive listing of all risk factors. The following section does not state risks unknown to us now but which could occur in the future and risks which we currently believe to be not material but may subsequently turn out to be so. Should these risks occur and/or turn out to be material, they could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. To the best of our Directors’ knowledge and belief, the risk factors that are material to investors in making an informed judgment have been set out below. If any of the following considerations and uncertainties develops into actual events, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In such cases, the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares could decline and investors may lose all or part of their investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares. Prospective investors are advised to apprise themselves of all factors involving the risks of investing in our Class A Ordinary Shares from their professional advisers before making any decision to invest in our Class A Ordinary Shares.
This prospectus also contains forward-looking statements having direct and/or indirect implications on our future performance. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties faced by us described below and elsewhere in this prospectus.
Risks Related to Our Business
Our Group does not have a long operating history as an integrated group.
Our Company was incorporated as a holding company on March 8, 2024. While the businesses of our subsidiary have been in operation since October 2021, we do not have a long history of running an integrated group with standardized policies and procedures as compared to our competitors and on which our past performance may be judged. Given our limited operating history and the rapidly evolving market in which we compete, we may encounter operational, financial and other difficulties as we establish and expand our operations, product and service developments, sales and marketing, technology and general and administrative capabilities.
We may incur losses in the future.
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company recorded net income of $1,211,787 and $1,977,132, respectively. We anticipate that our operating expenses, together with the increased general administrative expenses of a public company, will increase in the foreseeable future as we seek to maintain and continue to grow our business, attract potential customers and further enhance our service offerings. These efforts may prove more expensive than we currently anticipate, and we may not succeed in increasing our revenue sufficiently to offset these higher expenses. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, we may incur net losses in the future and may be unable to achieve or maintain sufficient cash flows or profitability on a quarterly or annual basis for the foreseeable future.
Our historical financial and operating results are not a guarantee of our future performance.
Our annual and periodic financial results vary from year to year and from period to period, in response to a number of factors that we cannot predict, such as general business outlook and sentiment, economic market conditions, employment rates, inflation and interest rates and consumer confidence. As such, we believe that our annual and periodic financial results are not a guarantee of our future economic performance and undue reliance should not be placed on such results for future speculative purposes.
| 12 |
Global economy and international trade conditions are critical factors affecting the demand for marine fuel, and a decline in international trade could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Global demand for marine fuels is primarily driven by the level of activity in the shipping industry, in particular the number of active vessels at sea. Economic downturns in one or more countries or regions, particularly in Asia, the United States, European Union and other countries or regions with consumer-oriented economies, have in the past, and could in the future, reduce international trade volumes, which directly affects the demand for shipping services, and, in turn, the demand for marine fuel. The downturns in global economy or reductions in international trade volume may reduce the demand for marine fuels which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may not be successful in expanding our business operations consistent with our strategies.
Our future growth will depend on our ability to successfully implement our strategies and there can be no assurance that we will be able to grow our business as currently anticipated. Our future growth depends on a number of factors, including our ability to identify and capitalize on business opportunities that are in line with our strategies. We may decide to alter or discontinue aspects of our business strategies should the market develop differently than we have anticipated. As a result, our failure to execute our strategies successfully could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Marine fuels prices may fluctuate due to factors out of our control. Any significant increase in marine fuels price may adversely affect our working capital requirements and financial condition. These factors include, among others, global economic conditions, changes in global crude oil prices, expected and actual supply of and demand for marine fuel, political conditions, changes in laws and regulations related to environmental matters (including those mandating or incentivizing alternative energy sources or otherwise addressing global climate change), changes in pricing or production controls by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), technological advances affecting energy consumption and supply, energy conservation efforts, price and availability of alternative fuels, and weather.
The fluctuations in marine fuels prices, which are out of our control, may affect our working capital requirements. Since our operation scale is limited by our working capital, for a given period of time, if the marine fuels prices increase substantially as a result of policies or controls imposed by the relevant regulatory authorities, we could purchase lesser marine fuels from our suppliers with the same level of financial resources and same trade credit offered by our suppliers. We are therefore vulnerable to such unfavorable changes in government policies or controls on marine fuels prices. In the event that there is a significant increase in the price of marine fuel, we might require additional working capital in order to fulfil our customers’ purchasing requirements.
To ensure a positive gross profit for each transaction for our marine fuels reselling business, we price our sales on a “cost plus mark-up” basis, i.e. our sales margin, being the difference between the selling price per metric ton of marine fuels sold to our customers and the corresponding purchase cost from our suppliers. Therefore, we will be able to generate more profit when we resell more marine fuels products in terms of quantity. If the marine fuels price increases significantly and we cannot obtain sufficient financial resources and improve our cash flow in time to ensure we can procure similar amount of marine fuels from our suppliers, we may not be able to deliver as much marine fuels to customers as we could when the marine fuels price is at a relatively low level and our profitability may be adversely affected, and the requirement for additional working capital may tighten our operating cash flows, which may in turn adversely affect our financial condition.
We are exposed to the risk that our competitors may undercut marine fuels prices, which would adversely affect our Group’s business and financial results.
If our competitors undercut marine fuels prices to increase their market share and we fail to effectively compete with them, customers may choose to procure marine fuels supply from such competitors, causing a shortfall in our revenue that would adversely affect our business and financial results due to such intensified competitive environment.
| 13 |
We may be exposed to the credit risks of our customers while we remain subject to satisfying payment obligations to our suppliers, which would adversely affect our financial condition.
Our financial position and profitability are dependent to a large extent on the creditworthiness of our customers and their ability to settle the outstanding amount owed to our Group in accordance with the credit periods we have granted to them. The payment terms of our customers typically range from 30 to 60 days. Meanwhile, the payment terms to our suppliers range from cash on delivery to 30 days.
Should we experience any delays or difficulties in collecting payments from our customers, while remaining obligated to satisfy our ongoing payment obligations to our suppliers, we may be required to consider alternative sources of financing and/or defer on our own payment obligations. This may have a negative impact on the cash flow of our Group and we may have insufficient working capital to run our day-to-day operations.
The failure of timely delivery of marine fuels to our customers would adversely affect our Group’s reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.
Marine fuels suppliers are responsible for handling the physical distribution of marine fuels to customers. The failure of third parties to physically deliver the marine fuels in accordance with the contractual terms would arise from various causes, including but not limited to, interruption of their business, such as, bunker barge engine failure with no alternative bunker barges available. We might need to arrange another supplier to handle the physical delivery of marine fuel, which may cause delay in meeting our customer’s requirements. In the event that no other supplier is available to handle the physical delivery, our relationship with our customers may be adversely affected and we may be subject to claims and other liabilities, which, in turn, would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We believe that the reputation we have built over the years serves a significant role in attracting customers and securing our customers’ orders. Whether or not we can maintain or promote our reputation depends largely on our ability to provide marine fuels supply to our customers in a timely manner. If we fail to meet their needs or are unable to deliver marine fuels requested by them at the designated port in a timely manner, our customers may no longer perceive our services to be of a high quality and our reputation would be adversely affected. This will, in turn, adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Material disruptions in the availability or supply of marine fuels would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our business depends on our ability to successfully source and arrange physical delivery of marine fuels to our customers’ vessels. There are a number of factors out of our control that would materially disrupt the availability or supply of marine fuels or our ability to arrange physical delivery in a timely manner. If our suppliers do not have sufficient supply of marine fuels at designated ports to meet our customers’ needs and we cannot find any alternative suppliers, we may lose our customers, which may adversely affect the profitability of our business.
If the marine fuels we purchase from our suppliers fail to meet the contractual quality specifications we have agreed to supply to our customers, it would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We source marine fuels from various suppliers. Although we take measures to ensure the quality of the marine fuels that we supply, if the marine fuels that we arrange for supplying our customers’ vessels fail to meet the specifications we have agreed to with our customers, we would incur significant liabilities should a customer initiate a claim or a lawsuit against us and we are unable to initiate a claim or a lawsuit against our suppliers. We may not always have effective remedies available to us against our suppliers if they supply marine fuels that fail to meet contractual specifications, and any attempt to enforce our rights would be costly and time consuming. It would also harm our relationships with our customers, jeopardize our reputation and expose our Group to potential claims. As a result, our financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.
We may be exposed to the risk of our customers not fulfilling their performance obligations, which would adversely affect our Group’s reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.
We derive our profits from our reselling business by charging a sales margin on top of our costs of purchase for each ton of marine fuels we supply to our customers. There may be instances where we may be exposed to unwarranted risk because our customers default on their performance obligations, such as in the event of a cancellation of supply. In such circumstances, we will pass the costs associated with the non-performance to our customers as per the terms of our sales agreement. However, there is no guarantee that our customers will compensate us in accordance with the terms of our sales agreement. In the event we are unable to collect compensation from our customers, we may seek alternative remedies to resolve such issues with our customers, which may include legal action. In this instance, if the market price of marine fuels drops below the price we paid to our supplier, we could incur losses. Depending on the severity of our customers’ non-performance, our relationship with our suppliers and our reputation in the marine fuels market may be jeopardized. To mitigate this, we may need to compensate our suppliers, even if it means incurring losses, thus, adversely affect our Group’s reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.
| 14 |
We are exposed to concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable.
As of December 31, 2023, there was one customer whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of our total balances of accounts receivable and it accounted for approximately 15% of the total balances of receivables from customers. As of December 31, 2022, two customers collectively accounted for a significant portion of the Group’s total balances of accounts receivable, representing approximately 65% and 29% of the total balances of receivables from customers, respectively. All accounts receivable for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 had been collected subsequently. The aforementioned single customer from 2023 was not one of the two customers from 2022. Of these three customers, only the customer who accounted for 65% of the total balances of receivables from customers as of December 31, 2022 is a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd). See “Related Party Transactions.” Dependence on a limited number of customers for a substantial portion of receivables increases our vulnerability to credit risk. Any adverse developments, such as deterioration in the financial health of these key customers, payment delays, or defaults, could negatively impact our cash flows, liquidity, and financial performance. We also cannot assure you that we will not see less concentration of accounts receivable in the future. In such case, if any of these customers defaults on its payment obligations to us, we will not be able to recover the related accounts receivable, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
We source marine fuels from a limited number of third-party vendors, and the loss of any of these vendors would negatively impact our business.
We did not enter into any long-term written agreements or supply contracts with our vendors for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Instead, our transactions are executed through individual purchase orders on a per-transaction basis. As such, there is no long-term supply commitments from our vendors and they are not contractually obligated to supply to us a fixed quantity of marine fuels over any specific period. Although we do not enter into written agreements or supply contracts, we source marine fuels from a limited number of third-party vendors. For the year ended December 31, 2023, one vendor accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by the vendor for the year ended December 31, 2023 represented 13% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that year. For the year ended December 31, 2022, two vendors accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these two vendors for the year ended December 31, 2022 represented 60% and 25% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that year, respectively. Due to concentration of vendors, any interruption of the operations of our vendors, any failure of our vendors to accommodate our fast growing business scale, any termination or suspension of our supply arrangements, any change in cooperation terms, or the deterioration of cooperative relationships with these vendors may materially and adversely affect our results of operations. We cannot assure you that we would be able to find replacement vendors on commercially reasonable terms or a timely basis.
We are exposed to risks in connection with our use of derivatives, which, if not properly managed, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be exposed to fluctuating marine fuels prices primarily arising from varying derivative instruments such as hedging an index related swap for certain transactions that we enter with our customers and our suppliers. These swaps allow us to manage price risk by locking in future prices based on market indices. However, we may be exposed to risks when the physical marine fuels products that we buy or sell do not correspond exactly with the underlying swap such as the product type, tenor and quantity. For instance, we may be exposed to losses in the event the actual delivered quantity of the physical marine fuels product is lesser than the quantity of the swap position we have originally traded, and the current value of the swap is lower than the price we originally entered into. We may also be subjected to margin calls in the event of excessive price movements that is trading against our favor, thus, negatively impact our operating cash flow. As a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.
Our business is dependent on our ability to obtain financing to meet our working capital requirements and fund our future growth.
We require a significant amount of working capital to operate our business and fund our future growth. We rely on credit arrangements with financial institutions and suppliers as a significant source of liquidity for our working capital requirements beyond our operating cash flow. Our principal sources of liquidity to finance our day-to-day operations are from the financing provided by a financing institution, our Major Shareholders and cashflow from operating activities. We have obtained facilities from Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited Singapore Branch with an aggregate limit of US$1,500,000. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, only the trade financing facilities were drawn down, which amounted to US$1,203,938 and US$1,195,149, respectively. As of October 2024, the facility we received from Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited Singapore Branch is no longer active and we have obtained a banking facility with United Overseas Bank Limited for an aggregate limit of US$4,000,000. We believe that substantial tightening of credit available from our suppliers or the global credit markets could affect our ability to obtain credit as and when we need it on commercially reasonable terms or at all and, consequently, could require us to scale back our operations and negatively affect our future development and growth. Even if we are able to obtain financing, the restrictions creditors may place on our operations and our increased level of indebtedness could limit our operational freedom, adversely affecting our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Failure to adapt to market trends in the marine fuels industry would adversely affect our business.
Alternative fuels, such as liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), biofuel, methanol and ammonia are almost free of sulfur or sulfur free and can be used alone or either in combination with conventional marine fuels to achieve decarbonization of shipping transportation and the enhancement of environmental protection. Governments could enact legislation or regulations that attempt to control or limit greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide. Such laws or regulations could impose costs tied to carbon emissions, operational requirements or restrictions, or additional charges to fund energy efficiency activities. They could also provide a cost advantage to alternative fuels, impose costs or restrictions on end users of marine fuel, or result in other costs or requirements, such as costs associated with the adoption of new infrastructure and technology to respond to new mandates. The options to comply with tightened environmental protection laws may include switching to alternative fuels such as LNG, biofuel, methanol and ammonia.
If alternative fuels such as LNG, biofuel, methanol and ammonia become the major marine fuels in the future, there is no assurance that we would be able to adapt to such trends and our business and financial results would be adversely affected.
Greenhouse gas emissions or other legislation or regulations intended to address climate change could increase our operating costs, adversely affecting our financial results, growth, cash flows and results of operations.
National, regional and/or state legislative and/or regulatory initiatives may attempt to control or limit the causes of climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide and methane. Such laws or regulations could impose costs tied to greenhouse gas emissions, operational requirements or restrictions, or additional charges to fund energy efficiency activities. They could also provide a cost advantage to alternative energy sources, impose costs or restrictions on end users of marine fuel, or result in other costs or requirements, such as costs associated with the adoption of new infrastructure and technology to respond to new mandates. The focus on climate change could adversely impact the reputation of fossil fuel products or services. The occurrence of the foregoing events could put upward pressure on the cost of marine fuels relative to other energy sources, increase our costs and the prices we charge to customers, reduce the demand for marine fuels or cause fuel switching to other energy or energy saving sources, and impact the competitive position of marine fuels and the ability to serve new or existing customers, adversely affecting our business, results of operations and cash flows.
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The risk of disintermediation in the marine fuels industry chain could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and business prospects.
We operate as an integrated service provider of marine fuels solutions through our reselling and brokering operating models, where we provide one-stop marine fuels solutions through our global supply network for customers who purchase marine fuels products in different regions around the world. We believe we play an important role in the supply chain of the marine fuels industry primarily because we are able to aggregate the demand of marine fuels products in different regions around the world, which allows our suppliers, in particular physical distributors, to focus on their core business activities of transacting larger volumes of recurring transactions in the areas where they operate, while we manage the complicated downstream marine fuels distribution activities of reselling and marketing to numerous shipping companies located in different countries of varying scales and sizes, granting trade credit to customers, providing market intelligence, and operational expertise.
However, there is no guarantee that such industry landscape will continue to persist or that our suppliers or customers will continue to rely on us as a reseller and broker to sell or procure the desired marine fuels products. If, for whatever reasons, our customers decide to bypass us to buy marine fuels products directly from our marine fuels suppliers, disintermediation would be created and our value as a reseller and broker in the supply chain would be diminished. Our business, results of operations, financial condition and business prospects would be materially and adversely affected should there emerge such trend of disintermediation.
Industry consolidation may give our competitors advantage over us, which could result in a loss of customers and/or a reduction of our revenue.
Some of our competitors have made or may make acquisitions or enter into partnerships or other strategic relationships in order to offer more comprehensive services or achieve greater economies of scale. In addition, new entrants not currently considered competitors may enter our market through acquisitions, partnerships or strategic relationships. Many potential entrants may have competitive advantages over us, such as greater name recognition, longer operating histories, more varied services and larger marketing budgets, as well as greater financial, technical and other resources. Industry consolidation may result in practices that make it more difficult for us to compete effectively, including on the basis of price, sales and marketing programs or services functionality. These pressures could result in a reduction in our revenue.
Significant fluctuations in foreign exchange rates could materially affect our results of operations.
Nearly all of our revenues and costs of sales are denominated in U.S. dollars. However, payments of local operating costs, office rental, local taxes and local employee compensation may be denominated in the local currency. From time to time, we may also pay certain of our suppliers in the local currency. As our consolidated financial statements are prepared in U.S. dollars, we face a currency translation risk to the extent that the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of our subsidiaries are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Our largest exposure is Singapore dollars since our operating expenses are denominated in Singapore dollars. Significant fluctuations in foreign exchange rates could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our suppliers may source their marine fuels products from sanctioned countries, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We are a reseller and broker of marine fuels products based in Singapore and we source our marine fuels products from physical distributors located in different regions around the world. However, although we have conducted and will continue to conduct due diligence on our suppliers, there is no guarantee that our suppliers will not source their marine fuels products from sanctioned countries. Sanctions are typically imposed as a tool of foreign policy and may target countries that engage in activities that are perceived as a threat to international peace and security. These activities may include, but are not limited to, human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, or other illegal activities. Such sanctions may be imposed by the United Nations, the European Union, or the United States government, among others, and may prohibit or restrict trade with certain countries or entities, including those engaged in human rights abuses, terrorism, or other illegal activities. If our suppliers violate such sanctions by sourcing marine fuels products from sanctioned countries, it may cause adverse impact on the stability of our marine fuels supply, which could adversely affect our overall results of operations and financial condition. In addition to the operational and financial consequences, violations of sanctions can also lead to reputational damage. Our customers, investors, shareholders and other stakeholders may perceive us as a company that engages in unethical or illegal activities, which could have a negative impact on our business operations and relationships. This, in turn, could lead to a loss of customers, a decline in revenue, and a decrease in our share price. We have adopted various measures to mitigate this risk. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to completely eliminate this risk.
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Any lack of requisite approvals, licenses or permits applicable to our business, or any non-compliance with relevant laws and regulations, may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Our business is subject to governmental supervision and regulation by various Singapore governmental authorities including, but not limited to, Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 of Singapore, Workplace Safety and Health (General Provisions) Regulations of Singapore, Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) regulations of Singapore, amongst others. Such government authorities promulgate and enforce laws and regulations that cover a variety of business activities that our operations concern, such as trading of marine fuel, among other things. These regulations in general regulate the entry into, the permitted scope of, as well as approvals, licenses and permits for, the relevant business activities.
In addition to obtaining necessary approvals, licenses and permits for conducting our business, we must comply with relevant laws and regulations. Our businesses are subject to various and complex laws and regulations, extensive government regulations and supervision. We may not be fully informed of all and new requirements under relevant laws and regulations in a timely manner, and even if we become aware of new requirements, due to uncertainties in their interpretations and implementation, it will be difficult for us to determine what actions or omissions would be deemed as violations of applicable laws and regulations. We may also not be able to respond to evolving laws and regulations and take appropriate action in time to adjust our business model. As a result, we may be in violation or non-compliance with such laws and regulations.
Due to the uncertainties in the regulatory environment of the industries in which we operate, there can be no assurance that we have obtained or applied for all the approvals, permits and licenses required for conducting our business and all activities in Singapore, or that we would be able to maintain our existing approvals, permits and licenses or obtain any new approvals, permits and licenses if required by any future laws or regulations. If we fail to obtain and maintain approvals, licenses or permits required for our business, or to comply with relevant laws and regulations, we could be subject to liabilities, fines, penalties and operational disruptions, or we could be required to modify our business model, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Also, failure of the Company to comply with industry regulations, such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”), even if not mandatory, could result in reputational damage. Non-compliance may also lead to increased regulatory scrutiny, operational disruptions, and loss of customer trust. These consequences could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and reputation.
Any damage to the reputation and recognition of our brand name, including negative publicity against us, may materially and adversely affect our business operations and prospects.
We use our trade name “Uni-Fuels” as our brand, which plays a critical role in our business operations. It serves as our unique identifier in the market and represents not only our products and services but also the goodwill and network we have built over time. We depend on our reputation and brand name in many aspects of our business operations. As “Uni-Fuels” gains recognition, we believe it would create a network effect – customers would recommend us to others, suppliers would recognize our brand, and industry partners would collaborate more readily. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain a positive reputation or brand name for all of our products and services in the future. Our reputation and brand name may be materially and adversely affected by a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:
| ● | adverse associations with third party suppliers from whom we procure marine fuels, including with respect to the quality of their marine fuels; |
| ● | lawsuits and regulatory investigations against us or otherwise relating to our services or industry; |
| ● | improper or illegal conduct by our employees, suppliers and others parties, that is not authorized by us; and |
| ● | adverse publicity associated with us, our services or our industry, whether founded or unfounded. |
Moreover, fuel spills by other industry participants or other environmental incidents may garner negative press, potentially casting a shadow over the entire marine fuel industry. Such incidents could lead to heightened regulatory scrutiny, increased operational costs, and damage to the industry’s reputation, all of which may adversely affect our financial performance and stock price.
Any damage to our brand name or reputation as a result of these or other factors may cause our services to be perceived unfavorably by customers and the existing and prospective employees, suppliers and others parties, and our business operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected as a result.
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Our insurance may not provide adequate coverage for all potential losses and claims relating to our business operations and/or assets, and any uninsured losses incurred, may be substantial and therefore adversely affect our operations and financial results.
We maintain insurance coverage against, among other things, physical property of the Company, public liability insurance such as fire insurance, insurance for work injury that also includes third party bodily injury that occurs within our office premises, medical insurance policies that cover outpatient, hospitalization, surgical and dental, personal accident insurance, as well as business travel insurance for our employees. For more details, please refer to the section headed “Business — Insurance” in this prospectus. However, our insurance coverage may not adequately protect us against all potential claims, damages and liabilities that we may incur in the course of our business operations, which may result in an adverse effect on our business. If we are held responsible for any damages, liabilities or losses and our insurance is insufficient or unavailable to cover the claims, there would be an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.
In addition, there is no guarantee that insurance coverage will always be available to us at economically favorable premiums (or at all) or that, in the event of a claim, the level of insurance currently maintained by us or in the future is or will be adequate or cover the entire claim/liability. We may be subject to liabilities which have not been insured adequately at all. Any uninsured risks may result in substantial costs and the diversion of resources, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
With respect to losses which are covered by our insurance policies, it may be a difficult and lengthy process to recover such losses from insurers. In addition, we may be unable to recover the amount from the insurer. Even we are able to recover certain losses from our insurers, our premiums might increase and it might be hard for us to renew our insurance policies. Therefore, if we are held liable for uninsured losses or amounts and claims for insured losses exceeding our insurance coverage, our operations and financial results may be adversely affected.
Our future strategic acquisitions, investments and partnerships could pose various risks, increase our leverage, dilute existing shareholders and significantly impact our ability to expand our overall profitability.
Acquisitions involve inherent risks, such those relating to increased leverage and debt service requirements and post-acquisition integration challenges, which could have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations and/or cash flow and could strain our human resources. We may be unable to successfully implement effective cost controls or achieve expected synergies as a result of a future acquisition. Acquisitions may result in our assumption of unexpected liabilities and the diversion of management’s attention from the operation of our business. Acquisitions may also result in our having greater exposure to the industry risks of the businesses underlying the acquisition. Strategic investments and partnerships with other companies expose us to the risk that we may not be able to control the actions of our investees or partners, which could decrease the amount of benefits we realize from a particular relationship. We are also exposed to the risk that our partners in strategic investments and infrastructure may encounter financial difficulties that could lead to a disruption of investee or partnership activities, or an impairment of assets acquired, which could adversely affect future reported results of operations and shareholders’ equity. Acquisitions may subject us to new or different regulations or tax consequences which could have an adverse effect on our operations.
In addition, we may be unable to obtain the financing necessary to complete acquisitions on attractive terms or at all. If we raise additional funds through future issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing shareholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares. Future equity financings would also decrease our earnings per share and the benefits derived by us from such new ventures or acquisitions might not outweigh or exceed their dilutive effect. Any additional debt financing we secure could involve restrictive covenants relating to our capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital or to pursue business opportunities. Realization of any of the foregoing risks associated with future strategic acquisitions, investments and partnerships could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
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Our ability to operate effectively could be impaired if we fail to attract and retain our key management and employees.
Our success depends, in part, upon the continuing contributions of key management and employees and our continuing ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled personnel. The loss of the services of any of our key management and employees or the failure to attract or replace qualified personnel may have a material and adverse effect on our business.
Negative publicity relating to our Group or our Directors, Executive Officers or Major Shareholders may materially and adversely affect our reputation and Share price.
Negative publicity or announcements relating to our Group or any of our Directors, Executive Officers or Major Shareholders, whether with or without merit, may materially and adversely affect the reputation and goodwill of our Group in our industry, consequently affecting our relationships with our customers and car dealers. In addition, such negative publicity may affect market perception of our Group and the performance of our Share price.
Negative publicity or announcements may include, among others, newspaper reports of accidents at our work places, unsuccessful attempts in joint ventures, acquisitions or take-overs, any involvement we may have in litigation or insolvency proceedings, and unfavorable or negative articles on any of our Directors, Executive Officers or Major Shareholders. Any claims and legal actions brought forward by our customers may also have a negative impact on our brand image. If our customers, suppliers or sub-contractors subsequently lose confidence in us, this could result in the termination of business relationships or fewer referrals or invitations to tender or quote for the services we provide or other contracts. To this end, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be adversely impacted.
We may be involved in legal proceedings arising from our business operations from time to time which adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are currently not involved in any legal proceedings. We may be subject to disputes with and subject to claims from our customers, suppliers, employees or third parties from time to time through the ordinary course of our business. There is no assurance that we may resolve every instance of a dispute through negotiation and/or mediation with the relevant parties involved. Legal proceedings can involve substantial costs, including the costs associated with defending ourselves or initiating legal proceedings against other parties in the interests of our Group. In the event of an unfavorable outcome from such legal proceedings, we may be liable to incur significant costs and damages which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Regional or global conflicts may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
The outbreak of war in Ukraine in early 2022 has already affected global economic markets, including a dramatic increase in the price of oil and gas, and the uncertain resolution of this conflict could result in protracted and/or severe damage to the global economy. Russia’s military interventions in Ukraine have led to, and may lead to, additional sanctions being levied by the United States, European Union and other countries against Russia. Russia’s military incursion and the resulting sanctions could adversely affect global energy and financial markets and thus could affect the global markets, our customers’ businesses and potentially our business. As at the date of this prospectus, to the best knowledge of the Company, we (i) do not have any direct business or contracts with any Russian or Ukraine entity as a supplier or customer, (ii) do not have any knowledge whether any our customers or suppliers have any direct business or contracts with any Russian entity, (iii) our business segments, lines of service, projects, or operations are not materially impacted by supply chain disruptions by the war in Ukraine, and (iv) have not been financially affected by the war in Ukraine.
Similarly, the war in Gaza is unpredictable and may expand into a regional or even possibly a global conflict. To date, this newest chapter in the long Middle East conflict has not resulted in any material adverse impact on the Company, but a prolonged conflict and/or significant escalation of hostilities would likely cause disruption in international relations and global trade, which in turn would likely adversely affect our business and the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial. Any such disruptions caused by regional or global conflicts or resulting sanctions may magnify the impact of other risks described in this section. We cannot predict the progress or outcome of the situation in any regional or global conflicts, as conflicts and governmental reactions are rapidly developing and beyond their control. Prolonged unrest, intensified military activities or more extensive sanctions could have a material adverse effect on the global economy, and such effect could in turn have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.
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We do not anticipate any new or heightened risk of potential cyberattacks by state actors or others due to these regional or global conflicts, and we have not taken any actions to mitigate such potential risks. Our board of directors will continue to monitor any potential risks that might arise due to regional or global conflicts which are specific to the Company, including but not limited to risks related to cybersecurity, sanctions, and supply chain, suppliers, or service providers in affected regions as well as risks connected with ongoing or halted operations or investments in affected regions.
Risks specific to our brokerage services
Our revenue generated from brokerage services heavily relies on one-off commission income, and there is no guarantee of recurring sales from our existing customers.
Our revenue generated from brokerage services is primarily generated through commission for acting as intermediary between marine fuels suppliers and customers. This commission is largely one-off, and tied to each individual transaction. We have developed various marketing channels to generate recurring business from existing customers, referrals, and direct marketing. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to generate increasing commission from recurring customers or successfully arrange marine fuels supply between new suppliers and customers. Our commission income is vulnerable to fluctuations given the one-off nature of a large portion of our commissions, and our financial position may be negatively affected if we are unable to maintain or grow our commission income.
Our brokerage income is tied to the successful completion of transactions between suppliers and buyers, the process of which we have no control over.
The Company’s brokerage revenue hinges entirely on facilitating successful transactions between marine fuels buyers and suppliers. Any disruption in this transactional process poses a significant risk to us. For instance, if a customer encounters financial difficulties and fails to complete a transaction, the company may not receive its brokerage fee despite having invested time and resources in facilitating the deal. Similarly, if a fuel supplier experiences logistical challenges or fails to meet contractual obligations, transactions may be delayed or canceled, resulting in lost brokerage opportunities for the Company.
Moreover, the brokerage process itself can be complex and time-consuming, involving negotiation, documentation, and coordination between multiple parties. Any delays or inefficiencies in this process can not only strain customer relationships but also impact the Company’s ability to generate timely revenue. Additionally, disputes between customers and suppliers, whether related to pricing, quality, or delivery, can lead to transactional breakdowns and potential legal entanglements, further complicating the brokerage process and jeopardizing the company’s income stream.
We are subject to counterparty risks.
As an intermediary between marine fuels suppliers and customers, our brokerage business relies heavily on establishing and maintaining relationships with both suppliers and customers. There is inherent risk associated with the creditworthiness, reliability and integrity of these counterparties. Failure of a customer to fulfil payment obligations or of a supplier to deliver contracted marine fuels quantities could lead to financial losses, contractual disputes and damage to the Company’s reputation. Additionally, unforeseen events such as supplier insolvency or customer default could impact the Company’s ability to facilitate transactions effectively, thereby affecting revenue generation.
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Technology and Cybersecurity Risks
Information technology failures and data security breaches could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely upon our information technology and communications systems to support key business functions and the efficient operation of these systems is critical to our business. Our information technology systems, including our back-up systems and external cloud services, could be damaged or interrupted by power outages, computer or telecommunications failures, viruses, security breaches, natural disasters, and/or errors by our employees, service providers or vendors. A significant disruption in the functioning of these systems could damage our reputation, impair our ability to conduct our business, impact our credit and risk exposure decisions, cause us to lose customers, subject us to litigation and/or require us to incur significant expense to address and remediate or otherwise resolve these issues, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Increased dependence on technology may hinder the Company’s business operations and adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations if such technologies fail.
The Company has implemented or acquired a variety of technological tools including both Company-owned information technology and technological services provided by outside parties. These tools and systems support critical functions including customer relationship management, contractual documentation and financial reporting, among others. The failure of these or other similarly important technologies, or the Company’s inability to have these technologies supported, updated, expanded, or integrated into other technologies, could hinder its business operations and adversely impact its financial condition and results of operations.
Although the Company has, when possible, developed alternative sources of technology and built redundancy into its computer networks and tools, there can be no assurance that these efforts would protect against all potential issues related to the loss of any such technologies.
Cyber-attacks or acts of cyber-terrorism could disrupt our business operations and information technology systems or result in the loss or exposure of confidential or sensitive customer, employee or Company information.
Our business operations and information technology systems may be vulnerable to an attack by individuals or organizations intending to disrupt our business operations and information technology systems, even though the Company has implemented policies, procedures and controls to prevent and detect these activities. We use our information technology systems to manage our marine fuels trading and brokerage operations and other business processes. Disruption of those systems could adversely impact our ability to safely deliver marine fuels to our customers or serve our customers timely. Accordingly, if such an attack or act of terrorism were to occur, our operations and financial results could be adversely affected.
In addition, we use our information technology systems to protect confidential or sensitive customer, employee and Company information developed and maintained in the normal course of our business. Any attack on such systems that would result in the unauthorized release of customer, employee or other confidential or sensitive data could have a material adverse effect on our business reputation, increase our costs and expose us to additional material legal claims and liability. If such an attack or act of terrorism were to occur, our operations and financial results could be adversely affected.
Risks Related to Doing Business in Singapore
We are subject to the laws of Singapore, which differ in certain material respects from the laws of the United States.
We are required to comply with the laws of Singapore, certain of which are capable of extra-territorial application, as well as the constitution of our Singapore operating subsidiary. In particular, we are required to comply with certain provisions of the Securities and Futures Act 2001 of Singapore (the “SFA”), which prohibit certain forms of market conduct and information disclosures, and impose criminal and civil penalties on corporations, directors and officers in respect of any breach of such provisions.
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The laws of Singapore and of the United States differ in certain significant respects. The application of Singapore law, in particular, the Companies Act may, in certain circumstances, impose more restrictions on us, our directors and officers than would otherwise be applicable to U.S. corporations, including those incorporated in Delaware. For example, the Companies Act requires a director to act with reasonable degree of diligence in the discharge of the duties of his or her office and, in certain circumstances, imposes liability for specified contraventions of particular statutory requirements or prohibitions. Additionally, under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 of Singapore, we are also required to ensure that each foreign worker employed by us has a valid work pass, and in particular, the number of foreign workers employed under certain work passes (e.g. Work Permits and S Pass holders) are subject to a quota and certain other limitations. Generally, we are also required to take out mandatory insurance for accidents which arise in the course of an employee’s employment under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 of Singapore.
Any adverse material changes to the Singapore market (whether localized or resulting from global economic or other conditions) such as the occurrence of an economic recession, pandemic or widespread outbreak of an infectious disease (such as COVID-19), could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, all of our revenue was derived from our operations in Singapore. Any adverse circumstances affecting the Singapore market, such as an economic recession, epidemic outbreak or natural disaster or other adverse incident, may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any downturn in the industry which we operate in resulting in the postponement, delay or cancellation of contracts and delay in recovery of receivables is likely to have an adverse impact on our business and profitability.
Uncertain global economic conditions have had and may continue to have an adverse impact on our business in the form of lower net sales due to weakened demand, unfavorable changes in product price/mix, or lower profit margins. For example, global economic downturns may adversely impact some of our customers who are particularly sensitive to business and consumer spending.
During economic downturns or recessions, there can be a heightened competition and increased pressure to reduce brokerage and trading fees as our customers may reduce their demand for our services. If we reduce brokerage and trading fees significantly, the result could be a negative impact on our financial condition or results of operations, profitability and cash flows.
An epidemic or outbreak of communicable diseases may also adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. The COVID-19 epidemic resulted in a global health crisis, causing disruptions to social and economic activities, business operations and supply chains worldwide, including in Singapore. Measures taken by the Singapore government to tackle the spread of COVID-19 have included, among others, border closures, quarantine measures and lockdown measures. As of the date of this prospectus, the COVID-19 outbreak and related government measures did not adversely affect our business.
However, in the event of a resurgence of COVID-19, if a substantial number of our employees are infected with and/or are suspected of having COVID-19, and our employees are required to be quarantined and/or hospitalized, this may disrupt our ability to render services which may have a material adverse effect on our business operations and reputation of our Group.
We are subject to risks associated with operating in the rapidly evolving Southeast Asia, and we might therefore be exposed to various risks inherent in operating and investing in the region.
We derive majority of our revenue from our operations in countries located in Southeast Asia, and we intend to continue to develop and expand our business and penetration in the region. Our operations in Southeast Asia are subject to various risks related to the economic, political and social conditions of the countries in which we operate, including risks related to the following:
| ● | currencies may be devalued or may depreciate or currency restrictions or other restraints on transfer of funds may be imposed; |
| ● | the effects of inflation within Southeast Asia generally and/or within any specific country in which we operate may increase our cost of operations; |
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| ● | health epidemics, pandemics or disease outbreaks (including the COVID-19 outbreak) may affect our operations and demand for our services. For example, if the ports in certain Southeast Asia regions do not operate, no orders will be received from customers with vessels based in those ports, which could affect our revenue; and |
| ● | political changes may lead to changes in the business, legal and regulatory environments in which we operate. Volatile political situations in certain Southeast Asian countries could impact our business. For example, in Myanmar, following the military taking power in February 2021, there have been and continue to be mass protests and instability disrupting business activities. In Thailand, the risk of protest movements continues to exist and may increase political instability. In addition, presidential elections are due to take place Indonesia in 2024, where elections in the past have led to uncertainty, impacting markets and leading to unrest. In Malaysia, there have been several changes in the governing party in the past few years. |
Any disruptions in our business activities or volatility or uncertainty in the economic, political or regulatory conditions in the markets we operate in could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We may be exposed to liabilities under applicable anti-corruption laws and any determination that we violated these laws could have a materially adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to various anti-corruption laws, including the Prevention of Corruption Act 1960, which prohibits any person from making improper gratification as an inducement to or reward for any person doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction, or any member, officer or servant of a public body doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction in which such public body is concerned. We may conduct business in countries and regions that are generally recognized as potentially more corrupt business environments. Activities in these countries create the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by one of our employees or agents that could be in violation of various anti-corruption laws. We cannot provide assurance that our internal controls and compliance systems will always protect us from acts committed by our employees or agents. If our employees or agents violate our policies or we fail to maintain adequate record keeping and internal accounting practices to accurately record our transactions, we may be subject to regulatory sanctions. Violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1960 or other anti-corruption laws, or allegations of any such acts, could damage our reputation and subject us to civil or criminal investigations in the United States and in other jurisdictions. Those and any related shareholder lawsuits could lead to substantial civil and criminal, monetary and nonmonetary penalties and cause us to incur significant legal and investigatory fees which could adversely affect our business, consolidated financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Ordinary Shares
An active trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares may not develop and could affect the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
Prior to the Offering, there has been no public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares. Although an application has been made to Nasdaq Capital Market for the listing and quotation of our Class A Ordinary Shares, there can be no assurance that there will be an active, liquid public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares after the Offering. The lack of an active market may impair your ability to sell your Class A Ordinary Shares at the time you wish to sell them or at a price that you consider reasonable. The lack of an active market may also reduce the fair market value of your Class A Ordinary Shares. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund operations by selling Class A Ordinary Shares and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using our Class A Ordinary Shares as consideration. The initial public offering price was determined by negotiations between us and the underwriters and may not be indicative of the future prices of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
Our Class A Ordinary Shares price may never trade at or above the price in this offering.
Stock markets generally have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. Broad market and industry factors may significantly affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares, regardless of our actual operating performance. These fluctuations may be even more pronounced in the trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares shortly following this offering. If the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares after this offering does not ever exceed the initial public offering price, you may not realize any return on your investment in us and may lose some or all of your investment.
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The initial public offering price for our Class A Ordinary Shares may not reflect their actual value.
The initial public offering price for our Class A Ordinary Shares is and will be determined through negotiations between us and representatives of the underwriters. The price of our Class A Ordinary Shares may not be indicative of their actual value or any future market price for our securities. This price may not accurately reflect the value of the Class A Ordinary Shares or the value that potential investors will realize upon their disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares. The price does not necessarily bear any relationship to our assets, earnings, book value per Class A Ordinary Share or other generally accepted criteria of value.
The dual-class structure of our Ordinary Shares has the effect of concentrating voting control with those shareholders who held our Class B Ordinary Shares prior to this offering. This ownership will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transactions requiring shareholder approval, and that may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
Each Class B Ordinary Share has ten votes per share, and our Class A Ordinary Shares, which we are selling in this offering, have one vote per share. Following this offering, our Major Shareholders, which together hold 100% of our issued and outstanding Class B Ordinary Shares, will own shares representing approximately 95.63 of the voting power of our outstanding Ordinary Shares following this offering. In addition, because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between our Class B and Class A Ordinary Shares, the holders of our Class B Ordinary Shares could continue to control a majority of the combined voting power of our Ordinary Shares and therefore control all matters submitted to our shareholders for approval until converted by the holders of our Class B Ordinary Shares. This concentrated control may limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other major corporate transactions requiring shareholder approval. In addition, this concentrated control may prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our capital stock that you may feel are in your best interest as one of our shareholders. As a result, such concentrated control may adversely affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
Future transfers by holders of Class B Ordinary Shares will generally result in those shares converting to Class A Ordinary Shares, subject to limited exceptions as specified in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, such as transfers to family members and certain transfers effected for estate planning purposes. The conversion of Class B Ordinary Shares to Class A Ordinary Shares will have the effect, over time, of increasing the relative voting power of those holders of Class B Ordinary Shares who retain their shares in the long term. As a result, it is possible that one or more of the persons or entities holding our Class B Ordinary Shares could gain significant voting control as other holders of Class B Ordinary Shares sell or otherwise convert their shares into Class A Ordinary Shares.
We cannot predict the effect that our dual-class structure may have on the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
We cannot predict whether our dual-class structure will result in a lower or more volatile market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares, adverse publicity or other adverse consequences. For example, certain index providers have announced and implemented restrictions on including companies with multiple-class share structures in certain of their indices. In July 2017, FTSE Russell announced that it would require new constituents of its indices to have greater than 5% of the company’s voting rights in the hands of public stockholders, and S&P Dow Jones announced that it would no longer admit companies with multiple-class share structures to certain of its indices. Affected indices include the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500, S&P MidCap 400 and S&P SmallCap 600, which together make up the S&P Composite 1500. Also in 2017, MSCI, a leading stock index provider, opened public consultations on its treatment of no-vote and multi-class structures and temporarily barred new multi-class listings from certain of its indices; however, in October 2018, MSCI announced its decision to include equity securities “with unequal voting structures” in its indices and to launch a new index that specifically includes voting rights in its eligibility criteria. Under such announced and implemented policies, the dual-class structure of our Ordinary Shares would make us ineligible for inclusion in certain indices and, as a result, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles that attempt to passively track those indices would not invest in our Class A Ordinary Shares. These policies are relatively new and it is unclear what effect, if any, they will have on the valuations of publicly-traded companies excluded from such indices, but it is possible that they may adversely affect valuations, as compared to similar companies that are included. Due to the dual-class structure of our Ordinary Shares, we will likely be excluded from certain indices and we cannot assure you that other stock indices will not take similar actions. Given the sustained flow of investment funds into passive strategies that seek to track certain indices, exclusion from certain stock indices would likely preclude investment by many of these funds and could make our Class A Ordinary Shares less attractive to other investors. As a result, the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares could be adversely affected.
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Our share price may fluctuate significantly in the future and you may lose all or part of your investment, and litigation may be brought against us.
There is no assurance that the market price for our Class A Ordinary Shares will not decline below the Offer Price. The Offer Price was determined after consultation between our Company and the underwriter, after taking into consideration, among others, market conditions and estimated market demand for our Class A Ordinary Shares. The Offer Price may not necessarily be indicative of the market price for our Class A Ordinary Shares after the completion of the Offering. Investors may not be able to sell their Class A Ordinary Shares at or above the Offer Price. The prices at which our Class A Ordinary Shares will trade after the Offering may fluctuate significantly and rapidly as a result of, among others, the following factors, some of which are beyond our control:
| ● | variation in our results of operations; |
| ● | perceived prospects and future plans for our business and the general outlook of our industry; |
| ● | changes in securities analysts’ estimates of our results of operations and recommendations; |
| ● | announcements by us of significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic alliances or joint ventures or capital commitments; |
| ● | the valuation of publicly-traded companies that are engaged in business activities similar to ours; |
| ● | additions or departures of key personnel; |
| ● | fluctuations in stock market prices and volume; |
| ● | involvement in litigation; |
| ● | general economic and stock market conditions; and |
| ● | discrepancies between our actual operating results and those expected by investors and securities analysts. |
There is no guarantee that our Class A Ordinary Shares will appreciate in value after this offering or even maintain the price at which you purchased the Class A Ordinary Shares. You may not realize a return on your investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares and you may even lose your entire investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares.
In addition, the stock markets have from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that have affected the market prices of securities. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of publicly-traded companies. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a particular company’s securities, an investor may lose all or part of his or her investment, and litigation has sometimes been brought against that company. If similar litigation is instituted against us, it could result in substantial costs and divert our senior management’s attention and resources from our core business.
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Certain recent initial public offerings of companies with public floats comparable to our anticipated public float have experienced extreme volatility that was seemingly unrelated to the underlying performance of the respective company. We may experience similar volatility, which may make it difficult for prospective investors to assess the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
In addition to the risks addressed above in “— Our Class A Ordinary Share price may fluctuate significantly in the future and you may lose all or part of your investment, and litigation may be brought against us,” our Class A Ordinary Shares may be subject to extreme volatility that is seemingly unrelated to the underlying performance of our business. Recently, companies with comparable public floats and initial public offering sizes have experienced instances of extreme stock price run-ups followed by rapid price declines, and such stock price volatility was seemingly unrelated to the respective company’s underlying performance. Although the specific cause of such volatility is unclear, our anticipated public float may amplify the impact the actions taken by a few shareholders have on the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares, which may cause our share price to deviate, potentially significantly, from a price that better reflects the underlying performance of our business. Should our Class A Ordinary Shares experience run-ups and declines that are seemingly unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, prospective investors may have difficulty assessing the rapidly changing value of our Class A Ordinary Shares. In addition, investors of our Class A Ordinary Shares may experience losses, which may be material, if the price of our Ordinary Shares declines after this offering or if such investors purchase shares of our Class A Ordinary Shares prior to any price decline.
Holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares may also not be able to readily liquidate their investment or may be forced to sell at depressed prices due to low volume trading. Broad market fluctuations and general economic and political conditions may also adversely affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. As a result of this volatility, investors may experience losses on their investment in our Ordinary Shares. Furthermore, the potential extreme volatility may confuse the public investors of the value of our stock, distort the market perception of our stock price and our Company’s financial performance and public image and negatively affect the long-term liquidity of our Class A Ordinary Shares, regardless of our actual or expected operating performance. If we encounter such volatility, including any rapid stock price increases and declines seemingly unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, it will likely make it difficult and confusing for prospective investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our Class A Ordinary Shares and understand the value thereof.
Investors in our Class A Ordinary Shares likely will face immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value per share and may experience future dilution.
The Offer Price is likely to substantially higher than our Group’s current net tangible book value per share. If we were liquidated immediately following this offering, each investor subscribing for this offering would receive less than the price they paid for their Class A Ordinary Shares. Please refer to the section titled “Dilution” of this prospectus for more information.
We may have conflicts of interest with our Major Shareholders and, because of our Major Shareholders’ significant ownership interest in our company, we may not be able to resolve such conflicts on terms favorable to us.
Immediately upon the completion of this offering, our Major Shareholders will beneficially own 68.64% of our outstanding Shares, representing 95.63% of our total voting power in the aggregate, assuming the underwriters of this offering do not exercise their option to purchase additional Shares. Accordingly, our Major Shareholders will continue to be our controlling shareholder immediately upon the completion of this offering and may have significant influence in determining the outcome of any corporate actions or other matters that require shareholder approval, such as mergers, consolidations, change of our name, and amendments of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
The concentration of ownership and voting power may cause transactions to occur in a way that may not be beneficial to you as a holder of our Class A Ordinary Shares in this offering and may prevent us from doing transactions that would be beneficial to you. Conflicts of interest may arise between our Major Shareholders or any of its controlling shareholders and us in a number of areas relating to our past and ongoing relationships. Potential conflicts of interest that we have identified include the following:
| ● | Our board members or executive officers may have conflicts of interest. Koh Kuan Hua is also the Company’s CEO and Director. As a result, these overlapping relationships could create or appear to create conflicts of interest when he is faced with decisions with potentially different implications for either or both of them and us. |
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| ● | Sale of Class A Ordinary Shares or assets in our company. Upon expiration of the lock-up period and subject to certain restrictions under relevant securities laws and stock exchange rules, as well as other relevant restrictions, our Major Shareholders may decide to sell all or a portion of our Class A Ordinary Shares that they hold to a third party, thereby giving that third party substantial influence over our business and our affairs. In addition, our Major Shareholders may decide to sell all or a portion of our Shares in the event of default of our Major Shareholders under any applicable debt or other obligations or otherwise becomes insolvent. Such a sale of our Shares or our assets could be contrary to the interests of our employees or our other shareholders. In addition, our Major Shareholders may also discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of our company, which could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their Shares as part of a sale of our Company and might reduce the price of our Shares. |
Our Class A Ordinary Shares may trade under $4.00 per share and thus would be known as “penny stock”. Trading in penny stocks has certain restrictions and these restrictions could negatively affect the price and liquidity of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
Our Class A Ordinary Shares may trade below $4.00 per share. As a result, our Class A Ordinary Shares would be known as “penny stock”, which is subject to various regulations involving disclosures to be given to you prior to the purchase of any penny stock. The SEC has adopted regulations which generally define a “penny stock” to be any equity security that has a market price of less than $4.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. Depending on market fluctuations, our Class A Ordinary Shares could be considered to be “penny stock”. A penny stock is subject to rules that impose additional sales practice requirements on broker/dealers who sell these securities to persons other than accredited investors. For transactions covered by these rules, the broker/dealer must make a special suitability determination for the purchase of these securities. In addition, a broker/dealer must receive the purchaser’s written consent to the transaction prior to the purchase and must also provide certain written disclosures to the purchaser. Consequently, the “penny stock” rules may restrict the ability of broker/dealers to sell our Class A Ordinary Shares, and may negatively affect the ability of holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares to resell them. These disclosures require you to acknowledge that you understand the risks associated with buying penny stocks and that you can absorb the loss of your entire investment. Penny stocks generally do not have a very high trading volume. Consequently, the price of the shares is often volatile and you may not be able to buy or sell your shares when you want to.
We may require additional funding in the form of equity or debt for our future growth which will cause dilution in Shareholders’ equity interest.
We may pursue opportunities to grow our business through joint ventures, strategic alliance, acquisitions or investment opportunities, following the Offering. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional funding on terms that are acceptable to us or at all. If we are unable to do so, our future plans and growth may be adversely affected.
An issue of Class A Ordinary Shares or other securities to raise funds will dilute Shareholders’ equity interests and may, in the case of a rights issue, require additional investments by Shareholders. Further, an issue of Class A Ordinary Shares below the then prevailing market price will also affect the value of the Class A Ordinary Shares then held by investors.
Dilution in Shareholders’ equity interests may occur even if the issue of shares is at a premium to the market price. In addition, any additional debt funding may restrict our freedom to operate our business as it may have conditions that:
| ● | limit our ability to pay dividends or require us to seek consents for the payment of dividends; |
| ● | increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions; |
| ● | require us to dedicate a portion of our cash flow from operations to repayments of our debt, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow for capital expenditures, working capital and other general corporate purposes; and |
| ● | limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and our industry. |
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Volatility or uncertainty of the credit markets could limit our ability to borrow funds or cause our borrowings to be more expensive in the future. As such, we may be forced to pay unattractive interest rates, thereby increasing our interest expense, decreasing our profitability and reducing our financial flexibility if we take on additional debt financing.
Investors may not be able to participate in future issues or certain other equity issues of our Shares.
In the event that we issue new Shares, we will be under no obligation to offer those Shares to our existing Shareholders at the time of issue, except where we elect to conduct a rights issue. However, in electing to conduct a rights issue or certain other equity issues, we will have the discretion and may also be subject to certain regulations as to the procedures to be followed in making such rights available to Shareholders or in disposing of such rights for the benefit of such Shareholders and making the net proceeds available to them. In addition, we may not offer such rights to our existing Shareholders having an address in jurisdictions outside of Singapore.
Accordingly, certain Shareholders may be unable to participate in future equity offerings by us and may experience dilution in their shareholdings as a result.
We have no immediate plans to pay dividends.
We plan to reinvest all of our future earnings, to the extent we have earnings, in order to expand our product and services offerings and to cover operating costs and capital needs, and to otherwise become and remain competitive. We do not plan to pay any cash dividends with respect to our securities in the foreseeable future. As we are a company with a limited operating history, we may not be able to generate, at any time, sufficient surplus cash that would be available for distribution to the holders of our Shares as a dividend. Therefore, you should not expect to receive immediate cash dividends on the Shares we are offering. Consequently, investors may need to rely on sales of their Shares after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment. In addition, the laws of the Cayman Islands impose restrictions on our ability to declare and pay dividends.
If we fail to meet applicable listing requirements, Nasdaq may delist our Class A Ordinary Shares from trading, in which case the liquidity and market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares could decline.
Assuming our Class A Ordinary Shares are listed on Nasdaq on the closing of the Offering, we cannot assure you that we will be able to meet the continued listing standards of Nasdaq in the future. If we fail to comply with the applicable listing standards and Nasdaq delists our Class A Ordinary Shares, we and our Shareholders could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
| ● | a limited availability of market quotations for our Class A Ordinary Shares; |
| ● | reduced liquidity for our Class A Ordinary Shares; |
| ● | a determination that our Class A Ordinary Shares are “penny stock”, which would require brokers trading in our Class A Ordinary Shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares; |
| ● | a limited amount of news about us and analyst coverage of us; and |
| ● | a decreased ability for us to issue additional equity securities or obtain additional equity or debt financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or pre-empts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our Class A Ordinary Shares will be listed on Nasdaq, such securities will be covered securities. Although the states are pre-empted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulations in each state in which we offer our securities.
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We will incur significant expenses and devote other significant resources and management time as a result of being a public company, which may negatively impact our financial performance and could cause our results of operations and financial condition to suffer.
We will incur significant legal, accounting, insurance and other expenses as a result of being a public company. Laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure for public companies, including the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, regulations related thereto and the rules and regulations of the SEC and Nasdaq, will significantly increase our costs as well as the time that must be devoted to compliance matters. We expect that compliance with these laws, rules, regulations and standards will substantially increase our expenses, including our legal and accounting costs, and make some of our operating activities more time-consuming and costly. These new public company obligations also will require attention from our senior management and could divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of our business. We also expect these laws, rules, regulations and standards to make it more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our Board of Directors or as officers. As a result of the foregoing, we expect a substantial increase in legal, accounting, insurance and certain other expenses in the future, which will negatively impact our financial performance and could cause our results of operations and financial condition to suffer. Furthermore, if we are unable to satisfy our obligations as a public company, we could be subject to delisting of our Shares, fines, sanctions and other regulatory actions and potential civil litigation.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal controls over financial reporting, our ability to timely produce accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal disclosure controls and procedures over our financial reporting. We are continuing to develop and refine our disclosure controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our reports that we will file with the SEC will be recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods and as otherwise specified in SEC rules, and that information required to be disclosed in reports under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our principal Executive Officers and financial officers. We are also continuing to improve our internal controls over financial reporting.
Ensuring that we have effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting in place so that we can produce accurate financial statements on a timely basis is a costly and time-consuming effort that will need to be re-evaluated frequently. Our internal controls over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Beginning with our second annual report on Form 20-F after we become a company whose securities are publicly listed in the United States, we will be required, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to make a formal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, and once we cease to be an emerging growth company, we will be required to include an attestation report on internal controls over financial reporting issued by our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. During our evaluation of our internal controls, if we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting, we will be unable to assert that our internal controls over financial reporting are effective. We cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to maintain internal controls over financial reporting could severely inhibit our ability to accurately report our financial condition, or results of operations.
We and our auditor have identified the following material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting: (a) lack of sufficient full-time personnel with appropriate levels of accounting knowledge and experience to monitor the daily recording of transactions, address complex U.S. GAAP accounting issues and to prepare and review financial statements and related disclosures under U.S. GAAP; (b) lack of a functional internal audit department or personnel that monitors the consistencies of the preventive internal control procedures as well as adequate policies and procedures in internal audit function; (c) lack of a functioning audit committee and a lack of independent directors; and (d) lack of proper IT control environment, risk assessment and control activities related to Access/Logical Security, Change Management, Operation Security, Cyber Security and Service Organization Management. We intend to implement measures designed to improve our internal control over financial reporting and IT control to address the underlying causes of these material weaknesses, including i) hiring more qualified staff to fill up the key roles in the operations; ii) setting up a financial and system control framework with formal documentation of polices and controls in place; iii) setting up an IT team and implement a set of IT control; and iv) appointing independent directors, establishing an audit committee and strengthening corporate governance. However, the implementation of these measures may not fully address these deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting. Our failure to correct these control deficiencies or our failure to discover and address any other control deficiencies could result in inaccuracies in our financial statements and impair our ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and related regulatory filings on a timely basis. Moreover, ineffective internal control over financial reporting could significantly hinder our ability to prevent fraud.
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Furthermore, it is possible that, had our independent registered public accounting firm conducted an audit of our internal control over financial reporting, such firm might have identified additional material weaknesses and deficiencies. Upon completing this offering, we will become a public company in the United States subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or Section 404, will require that we include a report of management’s assessment on our internal control over financial reporting in our annual report on Form 20-F, beginning with our annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. In addition, once we cease to be an “emerging growth company” as such term is defined in the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm may be required to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Our management may conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is not effective.
Investors may have difficulty enforcing judgments against us, our directors and management.
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited is incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and substantially all of our directors and officers reside outside the United States. Moreover, many of these persons do not have significant assets in the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons, or to recover against us or them on judgments of U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws.
Ogier, our counsel with respect to the laws of the Cayman Islands, has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands would (i) recognize or enforce against us, judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State in the United States; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State in the United States. Although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands may recognize and enforce in certain circumstances without any re-examination or re-litigation of matters adjudicated upon, provided such judgement: (i) is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction; (ii) imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given; (iii) is final; (iv) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; and (v) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or public policy of the Cayman Islands. Subject to the aforementioned limitations, in appropriate circumstances, a Cayman Islands court may give effect in the Cayman Islands to other kinds of final foreign judgments such as declaratory orders, orders for performance of contracts and injunctions.
Also, our principal executive offices and substantially all of our assets are located in Singapore. It is possible that the Singapore courts may not (i) recognize and enforce judgments of courts in the United States, based upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state or territory of the United States (ii) enter judgments in original actions brought in the Singapore courts based solely on the civil liability provisions of these securities laws. An in personam final and conclusive judgment in the federal or state courts of the United States under which a fixed or ascertainable sum of money is payable may generally be enforced as a debt in the Singapore courts under the common law as long as it is established that the Singapore courts have jurisdiction over the judgment debtor. Additionally, the court where the judgment was obtained must have had international jurisdiction over the party sought to be bound in the local proceedings. However, the Singapore courts are unlikely to enforce a foreign judgment if (a) the foreign judgment is inconsistent with a prior local judgment that is binding on the same parties; (b) the enforcement of the foreign judgment would contravene the public policy of Singapore; (c) the proceedings in which the foreign judgment was obtained were contrary to principles of natural justice; (d) the foreign judgment was obtained by fraud; or (e) the enforcement of the foreign judgment amounts to the direct or indirect enforcement of a foreign penal, revenue or other public law.
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The laws of the Cayman Islands relating to the protection of the interest of minority shareholders are different from those in the United States.
Our corporate affairs are governed by the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company (as may be amended from time to time), by the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, action by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under the Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States.
The laws of the Cayman Islands relating to the protection of the interests of minority shareholders differ in certain respects from those established under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in the United States and other jurisdictions. Such differences may mean that the remedies available to our minority shareholders may be different from those they would have under the laws of other jurisdictions, including the United States. Potential investors should be aware that there is a risk that provisions of the Companies Act may not offer the same protection as the relevant laws and regulations in the United States may offer, and should consider obtaining independent legal advice on the implications of investing in foreign-incorporated companies.
We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including, most significantly, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for so long as we remain an emerging growth company. As a result, if we elect not to comply with such auditor attestation requirements, our investors may not have access to certain information they may deem important.
The JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company does not need to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards until such date that a private company is otherwise required to comply with such new or revised accounting standards. We do not plan to “opt out” of such exemptions afforded to an emerging growth company. As a result of this election, our financial statements may not be comparable to those of companies that comply with public company effective dates.
We qualify as a foreign private issuer and, as a result, we will not be subject to U.S. proxy rules and will be subject to Exchange Act reporting obligations that permit less detailed and less frequent reporting than that of a U.S. domestic public company.
Upon the closing of this offering, we will report under the Exchange Act as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. Because we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including (i) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; (ii) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and (iii) the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K upon the occurrence of specified significant events. In addition, our officers, Directors and principal Shareholders are exempt from the reporting and “short-swing” profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder. Therefore, our Shareholders may not know on a timely basis when our officers, directors and principal Shareholders purchase or sell our Class A Ordinary Shares. In addition, foreign private issuers are not required to file their annual report on Form 20-F until one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year, while U.S. domestic issuers that are accelerated filers are required to file their annual report on Form 10-K within seventy-five (75) days after the end of each fiscal year. Foreign private issuers also are exempt from Regulation Fair Disclosure, aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information. As a result of the above, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are not foreign private issuers.
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If we lose our status as a foreign private issuer, we would be required to comply with the Exchange Act reporting and other requirements applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, which are more detailed and extensive than the requirements for foreign private issuers. We may also be required to make changes in our corporate governance practices in accordance with various SEC and Nasdaq rules. The regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws if we are required to comply with the reporting requirements applicable to a U.S. domestic issuer may be significantly higher than the cost we would incur as a foreign private issuer. As a result, we expect that a loss of foreign private issuer status would increase our legal and financial compliance costs and would make some activities highly time consuming and costly. We also expect that if we were required to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, it would make it more difficult and expensive for us to obtain and maintain directors and officers liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These rules and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our Board of Directors.
We may lose our foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses.
As discussed above, we are a foreign private issuer, and therefore, we are not required to comply with all of the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The determination of foreign private issuer status is made annually on the last business day of an issuer’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. We would lose our foreign private issuer status if, for example, more than 50% of our Shares are directly or indirectly held by residents of the United States and we fail to meet additional requirements necessary to maintain our foreign private issuer status. If we lose our foreign private issuer status on this date, we will be required to file with the SEC periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms, which are more detailed and extensive than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. We will also have to mandatorily comply with U.S. federal proxy requirements, and our officers, Directors, Executive Officers and Major Shareholders will become subject to the short-swing profit disclosure and recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements under the Nasdaq rules. As a U.S. listed public company that is not a foreign private issuer, we will incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we will not incur as a foreign private issuer, and accounting, reporting and other expenses in order to maintain a listing on a U.S. securities exchange.
We do not expect to be subject to certain Nasdaq corporate governance rules applicable to U.S. listed companies.
As a foreign private issuer, we are entitled to rely on a provision in Nasdaq’s corporate governance rules that allows us to follow Cayman Islands corporate law with regards to certain aspects of corporate governance. This allows us to follow certain corporate governance practices that differ in significant respects from the corporate governance requirements applicable to U.S. companies listed on Nasdaq.
In addition, our Audit Committee is not subject to additional Nasdaq requirements applicable to listed U.S. companies, including an affirmative determination that all members of the audit committee are “independent,” using more stringent criteria than those applicable to the Company under relevant SEC rules. Nasdaq’s corporate governance rules require listed U.S. companies to, among other things, seek shareholder approval for the implementation of certain equity compensation plans and issuances of shares, which the Company is not required to follow as a foreign private issuer. However, following this offering, we will voluntarily have a majority of independent directors and our audit committee will consist of three independent directors.
We will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market listing rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.
We will be a “controlled company” as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market listing rules because Koh Kuan Hua will, through his wholly owned entity Garden City Private Capital Limited, own approximately 68.64% of our outstanding shares (or 67.71% of our outstanding shares if the underwriters option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full) immediately after the completion of this offering. Pursuant to our post-offering memorandum and articles of association, an ordinary resolution to be passed at a shareholders’ meeting requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast at a meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes cast attaching to the outstanding and issued ordinary shares cast at a meeting. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as making changes to our post-offering memorandum and articles of association. As a result, Koh Kuan Hua will have the ability to control or significantly influence the outcome of matters requiring approval by shareholders. In addition, for so long as we remain a controlled company under that definition, we are permitted to elect to rely on, and may rely on, certain exemptions from corporate governance rules, including an exemption from the rule that a majority of our board of directors must be independent directors. We do not currently plan to utilize the exemptions available for controlled companies after we complete this offering, but instead, we plan to rely on the exemption available for foreign private issuers to follow our home country governance practices. If we cease to be a foreign private issuer or if we cannot rely on the home country governance practice exemptions for any reason, we may decide to invoke the exemptions available for a controlled company as long as we remain a controlled company. As a result, you will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.
There can be no assurance that we will not be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, which could subject U.S. investors in the Class A Ordinary Shares to significant adverse U.S. income tax consequences.
In general, we will be treated as a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) for any taxable year in which either (1) at least 75% of our gross income (looking through certain 25% or more-owned subsidiaries) is passive income or (2) at least 50% of the average value of our assets (looking through certain 25% or more-owned subsidiaries) is attributable to assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income. Passive income generally includes, without limitation, dividends, interest, rents, royalties, and gains from the disposition of passive assets. If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder (as defined in the Section of this prospectus captioned “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”) of our securities, the U.S. Holder may be subject to increased U.S. federal income tax liability and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. The determination of whether we are a PFIC is a fact-intensive determination made on an annual basis applying principles and methodologies that in some circumstances are unclear and subject to varying interpretation. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Accordingly, there can be no assurance with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. We urge U.S. Holders to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules in light of their individual circumstances.
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We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, including for any of the purposes described in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds” and in such order of priority as our management may determine in its discretion, and you will not have the opportunity as part of your investment decision to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business.
We may regularly encounter potential conflicts of interest, and our failure to identify and address such conflicts of interest could adversely affect our business.
We face the possibility of actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest in the ordinary course of our business operations. Conflicts of interest may exist between (i) our different businesses; (ii) us and our clients; (iii) our clients; (iv) us and our employees; (v) our clients and our employees, (vi) us and our Major Shareholders and their controlling entities, or (vii) our dealer-shareholders and our other shareholders. As we expand the scope of our business and our client base, it is critical for us to be able to timely address potential conflicts of interest, including situations where two or more interests within our businesses naturally exist but are in competition or conflict. We have put in place internal control and risk management procedures that are designed to identify and address conflicts of interest, including a procedure for presenting potential conflicts of interest to the audit committee of our Board of Directors. However, appropriately identifying and managing actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest is complex and difficult, and our reputation and our clients’ confidence in us could be damaged if we fail, or appear to fail, to deal appropriately with one or more actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest. It is possible that actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest could also give rise to client dissatisfaction, litigation, or regulatory enforcement actions. Regulatory scrutiny of, or litigation in connection with, conflicts of interest could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, which could materially and adversely affect our business in a number of ways, including a reluctance of some potential clients and counterparties to do business with us. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition, and results of operations.
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual’s private interest (or the interest of a member of his or her family or close friend(s) or business associate(s)) interferes, or even appears to interfere, with the interests of our company as a whole. A conflict of interest can arise when an employee, officer or director (or a member of his or her family or a close friend(s) or business associate(s)) takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work for our Company objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest also arise when an employee, officer or director (or a member of his or her family or close friend(s) or business associate(s)) receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position in our Company.
Directors and executive officers must seek determinations and prior authorizations or approvals of potential conflicts of interest exclusively from our audit committee. All other employees are required to approach our Chief Executive Officer or our Chief Financial Officer if they have any questions about reporting a suspected conflict of interest.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if the publish a negative report regarding our Class A Ordinary Shares, the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares may depend in part on the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade us, the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and the trading volume to decline.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of current or historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those listed under “Risk Factors,” that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “potential,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “likely to” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include statements about:
| ● | changes in political, social and economic conditions, the regulatory environment, laws and regulations and interpretation thereof in the jurisdictions where we conduct business or expect to conduct business; |
| ● | the risk that we may be unable to realize our anticipated growth strategies and expected internal growth; |
| ● | changes in the availability and cost of professional staff which we require to operate our business; |
| ● | changes in customers’ preferences and needs; |
| ● | changes in competitive conditions and our ability to compete under such conditions; |
| ● | changes in our future capital needs and the availability of financing and capital to fund such needs; |
| ● | changes in currency exchange rates or interest rates; |
| ● | projections of revenue, profits, earnings, capital structure and other financial items; |
| ● | changes in our plan to enter into certain new business sectors; and |
| ● | other factors beyond our control. |
You should read this prospectus and the documents that we refer to in this prospectus with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. Other sections of this prospectus include additional factors which could adversely impact our business and financial performance. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this prospectus. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should read this prospectus and the documents that we refer to in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.
This prospectus also contains statistical data and estimates that we obtained from industry publications and reports generated by government or third-party providers of market intelligence. Although we have not independently verified the data, we believe that the publications and reports are reliable.
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We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $ million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. These estimates are based upon an assumed initial Offer Price of $ per share, the midpoint of the estimated range of the initial public Offer Price shown on the front cover of this prospectus.
We plan to use the net proceeds of this offering in the following order of priority:
| ● | Approximately 80% for scaling up our reselling activities to gain market share from existing and new markets; |
| ● | Approximately 15% for strengthening our workforce and expanding our market presence in new geographical locations; and |
| ● | Approximately 5% for cash reserve and general corporate purposes. |
To the extent that our actual net proceeds is not sufficient to fund all of the proposed purposes, we will decrease our allocation of the net proceeds for the purposes set out above on a pro rata basis. We would anticipate raising additional capital through equity or debt financing sufficient to fund our proposed uses above.
The amounts and timing of any expenditures will vary depending on the amount of cash generated by our operations, and the rate of growth, if any, of our business, and our plans and business conditions. The foregoing represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business conditions to use and allocate the net proceeds of this offering. Our management will have significant flexibility in applying and discretion to apply the net proceeds of the offering. If an unforeseen event occurs or business conditions change, we may use the proceeds of this offering differently than as described in this prospectus.
Pending deployment of the net proceeds for the uses described above, the funds may be placed in short-term deposits with financial institutions or used to invest in short-term money market instruments.
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We have no formal dividend policy. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business and to repay any indebtedness and, therefore, we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Additionally, our ability to pay dividends on our Shares is limited by various factors such as our future financial performance and bank covenants. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors, subject to compliance with covenants in current and future agreements governing our and our subsidiaries’ indebtedness, and will depend on our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors that our Board of Directors may deem relevant. Under Cayman Islands law, a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend on its shares out of either profit or share premium, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if following such payment the company would be unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business.
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The following tables set forth our capitalization as of June 30, 2024:
| ● | on an actual basis; | |
| ● | on a pro forma basis to reflect the conversion of 6,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 6,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares effected on September 4, 2024 and conversion of additional 1,350,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 1,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares effected on September 25, 2024; and |
| ● | on a pro forma as adjusted basis to reflect the issuance and sale of 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares at an assumed initial public Offer Price of US$4.50 per share after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated Offering expenses payable by us. |
The Company adopted a dual-class share structure. Its authorized share capital is US$50,000 divided into 450,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares of par value US$0.0001 each and 50,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares of par value US$0.0001 each.
You should read the tables together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and the information under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
| As of June 30, 2024 | Pro forma | |||||||||||
| Actual | Pro forma(1) | as adjusted(2) | ||||||||||
| (in US$) | (in US$) | (in US$) | ||||||||||
| Current liabilities: | ||||||||||||
| Short-term bank loans | 1,203,938 | 1,203,938 | 1,203,938 | |||||||||
| Equity: | ||||||||||||
| Class A Ordinary Shares, US$0.0001 par value, 450,000,000 shares authorized as of June 30, 2024; nil issued and outstanding on an actual basis as of June 30, 2024; 7,350,000 shares issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis; 10,350,000 shares issued and outstanding on a pro forma as adjusted basis | - | 735 | 1,035 | |||||||||
| Class B Ordinary Shares, US$0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized as of June 30, 2024; 30,000,000 shares issued and outstanding on an actual basis as of June 30, 2024; 22,650,000 shares issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis; 22,650,000 issued and outstanding on a pro forma as adjusted basis | 3,000 | 2,265 | 2,265 | |||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 3,997,000 | 3,997,000 | 15,623,498 | |||||||||
| Retained earnings | 475,092 | 475,092 | 475,092 | |||||||||
| Total equity | 4,475,092 | 4,475,092 | 16,101,890 | |||||||||
| Total capitalization | 5,679,030 | 5,679,030 | 17,305,828 | |||||||||
| (1) | Reflects the conversion of 6,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 6,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares effected on September 4, 2024 and the conversion of additional 1,350,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 1,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares effected on September 25, 2024. |
| (2) | Reflects the allotment of 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares in this Offering (excluding any Ordinary Shares that may be allotted as a result of the underwriters exercising their over-allotment option) at an assumed initial public Offer Price of US$4.50 per Ordinary Share, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated Offering expenses payable by us. The pro forma as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and is subject to adjustments based on the actual net proceeds to be received by us from this Offering. |
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If you invest in our Shares, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public Offer Price per share and our net tangible book value per share after this Offering. Dilution results from the fact that the initial public Offer Price per share is substantially in excess of the book value per Ordinary Share attributable to the existing Shareholders for our presently outstanding shares.
Net tangible book value represents the amount of our total assets, excluding operating lease right-of-use assets and deferred IPO costs, less our total liabilities. Our net tangible book value as of June 30, 2024 was US$0.13 per Ordinary Share (including both Classes A and B Ordinary Shares).
After giving effect to the issuance and sale of 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares in this Offering at an assumed initial public Offer Price of US$4.50 per share, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated Offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2024 would have been US$0.48 per outstanding Ordinary Share (including both Classes A and B Ordinary Shares). This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of US$11,925,417 to existing shareholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of US$4.02 per Ordinary Share to investors purchasing Shares in this Offering. The following table illustrates such dilution:
| Per Ordinary Share (both Classes A and B) | ||||
| Assumed initial public Offer Price | $ | 4.50 | ||
| Net tangible book value as of June 30, 2024 | 0.13 | |||
| Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value after giving effect to this Offering | 0.48 | |||
| Amount of dilution in net tangible book value to investors in this offering | $ | 4.02 | ||
Each US$1 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public Offer Price of US$4.50 per Class A Ordinary Share would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2024, after this Offering by approximately US$0.08 per Ordinary Share, and would increase (decrease) dilution to new investors by approximately US$0.92 per Ordinary Share, assuming that the number of Ordinary Shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated Offering expenses payable by us.
An increase (decrease) of 1 million in the number of Ordinary Shares we are offering would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2024 after this Offering by approximately US$0.11 per Ordinary Share, and would decrease (increase) dilution to new investors by approximately US$0.11 per Ordinary Share, assuming the assumed initial public Offer Price per Ordinary Share, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus remains the same, and after deducting the estimate underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated Offering expenses payable by us. The pro forma as adjusted information is illustrative only, and we will adjust this information based on the actual initial public Offer Price and other terms of this Offering determined at pricing.
The following table summarizes, on a pro forma as adjusted basis as of June 30, 2024, the total number of Shares purchased from us, the total cash consideration paid to us, and the average price per share paid by existing shareholders and by investors in this Offering. The table below reflects an assumed initial public Offer Price of US$4.50 per share, for shares purchased in this Offering and excludes underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated Offering expenses payable by us.
| Shares Purchased | Total Consideration | Average Price per Share | ||||||||||||||||||
| Number | % | US$ | % | US$ | ||||||||||||||||
| Existing Shareholders | 30,000,000 | 91 | 4,000,000 | 25 | 0.13 | |||||||||||||||
| Investors in this Offering | 3,000,000 | 9 | 13,500,000 | 75 | 4.50 | |||||||||||||||
| Total | 33,000,000 | 100 | 17,500,000 | 100 | 0.53 | |||||||||||||||
The dilution information in this section is presented for illustrative purposes only. Our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value following the consummation of this Offering is subject to adjustment based on the actual initial public Offer Price of our Shares and other terms of this Offering determined at pricing.
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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA
The following selected consolidated financial data for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 have been derived from our audited financial statements, and the financial data for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 have been derived from our unaudited interim financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. You should read this “Selected Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” section together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section included elsewhere in this prospectus.
Selected Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income Data
For the Six Month Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Revenues | 74,192,974 | 14,309,111 | ||||||
| Cost of revenue | (72,733,991 | ) | (13,298,177 | ) | ||||
| Gross profit | 1,458,983 | 1,010.934 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | (1,349,675 | ) | (138,853 | ) | ||||
| Income from operations | 109,308 | 872,081 | ||||||
| Net income | 101,972 | 743,411 | ||||||
Selected Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income Data
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Revenues | 70,785,528 | 30,818,471 | ||||||
| Cost of revenue | (68,505,327 | ) | (28,414,153 | ) | ||||
| Gross profit | 2,280,201 | 2,404,318 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | (883,088 | ) | (45,678 | ) | ||||
| Income from operations | 1,397,113 | 2,358,640 | ||||||
| Net income | 1,211,787 | 1,977,132 | ||||||
Selected Consolidated Statements of Financial Position Data
As of 30 June 2024 | As of 31 December 2023 | As of 31 December 2022 | ||||||||||
| US$ | US$ | US$ | ||||||||||
| Cash | 4,004,202 | 2,564,850 | 3,297,725 | |||||||||
| Restricted cash | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | - | |||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 8,554,331 | 12,807,009 | 386,074 | |||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net, -related party | - | - | 709,734 | |||||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 166,526 | 120,910 | 9,133 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 14,225,059 | 16,992,769 | 4,402,666 | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 364,532 | 395,056 | - | |||||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 156,926 | 197,863 | - | |||||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 28,794 | 30,576 | - | |||||||||
| Deferred initial public offering (“IPO”) costs | 298,619 | 112,900 | - | |||||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | - | - | 919 | |||||||||
| Total assets | 15,073,930 | 17,729,164 | 4,403,585 | |||||||||
| Accounts payable | 8,802,768 | 11,196,384 | 443,352 | |||||||||
| Accounts payable -related party | - | - | 979,568 | |||||||||
| Short-term bank loans | 1,203,938 | 1,195,149 | - | |||||||||
| Amounts due to related parties | 276,155 | 278,001 | - | |||||||||
| Income tax payables | 5,503 | 272,437 | 445,449 | |||||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, current | 87,355 | 85,382 | - | |||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 121,087 | 177,737 | 173,883 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 10,496,806 | 13,205,090 | 2,042,252 | |||||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, non-current | 83,658 | 127,834 | - | |||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities, non-current | 9,924 | 9,700 | - | |||||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities, net | 8,450 | 13,420 | - | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | 10,598,838 | 13,356,044 | 2,042,252 | |||||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 4,475,092 | 4,373,120 | 2,361,333 | |||||||||
Selected Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow Data
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 1,624,481 | (410,049 | ) | |||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (6,353 | ) | (126,457 | ) | ||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (178,776 | ) | 800,000 | |||||
| Cash and restricted cash, beginning of period | 4,064,850 | 3,297,725 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, end of period | 5,504,202 | 3,561,219 | ||||||
Selected Consolidated Cash Flow Data
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities | (965,794 | ) | 3,026,856 | |||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (427,331 | ) | - | |||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 2,160,250 | - | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, beginning of year | 3,297,725 | 270,869 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, end of year | 4,064,850 | 3,297,725 | ||||||
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the section of this prospectus titled “Summary Financial Information” and the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to historical information, this discussion and analysis here and throughout this prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company’s actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.
Overview
We are a service provider of marine fuels solutions headquartered in Singapore. We market, resell and broker marine fuels products such as VLSFO, HSFO and MGO. We offer these products to shipping companies and marine fuels suppliers worldwide in-port and offshore. We provide value to our customers by leveraging on our global supply network and advanced market solutions facilitated by our integrated capabilities.
We operate an integrated business model where we serve our customers through two operating models, sales of marine fuels and marine fuels brokerage (i.e. acting as intermediary between marine fuels suppliers and customers for a commission). In the sales model, we control and manage the customer relationship throughout the entire transaction and provide value-added solutions such as trade credit, financing, risk management, market intelligence and operational expertise. In the broker model, we refer the customer to a third-party supplier in exchange for a brokerage fee. In a sales transaction, we guarantee the supply of marine fuels to the customer while we procure the marine fuels, including its delivery, from a third-party supplier. In a brokerage transaction, the third-party supplier will manage and guarantee the supply of marine fuels to the buyer. Starting in July 2023, we revised our strategic plan to focus more intensively on our core business activities within the sales sector. Our business is carried out through our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Pte Ltd, or Uni-Fuels Singapore.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is prepared based on the financial data which is derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, and our audited consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, included in this prospectus.
Our revenues were US$74.2 million and US$14.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and US$70.8 million and US$30.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We, recorded net income of US$0.1 million and US$0.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and US$1.2 million and US$2.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We plan to keep our business growing by strengthening and increasing our market share in existing markets, increasing our market presence through expansion into new geographical locations, competitive sourcing and diversification of suppliers in our supply network, increasing our service offering in alternative fuels, and formation of new income streams and acquisition of assets.
Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
Marine fuels supply is a logistic business that is influenced by general factors such as global trade volumes, global economic growth, shifting global trade patterns, and regulatory changes that govern the marine fuels industry. Our profits are driven by the supply volume of marine fuels products where we act as a reseller and broker and the sales margin we charge our customers for each ton of marine fuels which we supply as a reseller and broker. Our reselling business is financed by our working capital that is derived from financial institutions, our Major Shareholder and cashflow from operating activities. We plan to obtain additional trade financing facilities from financial institutions to further grow our business. The associated financing costs, such as interest, will be charged to our customers by incorporating a financing cost structure mark-up in the sales margin we charge our customers for our reselling business. We believe our business performance for each financial year can be measured by our supply volume of marine fuels products for our reselling and brokerage business, gross profit and gross profit per ton for our reselling business, and gross profit for our brokerage business.
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Our results of operations have been affected in the periods under review, and are expected to continue to be affected, by the following factors relating to our operations:
Supply volume
Our supply volume is driven by our customers’ demand for marine fuels and our market share of the marine fuels and brokerage service market. The calculations are derived from the quantity of marine fuels products that we have arranged to supply to our customers for our reselling and brokerage business. The products include VLSFO, HSFO and MGO products, for the relevant periods, and are measured in metric tons.
Gross profit
Our sales margin is typically influenced by market conditions on supply and demand, cost structure related to the purchase of marine fuels, credit risk associated to our customer’s creditworthiness, competition faced for each business opportunity, the quality of our business relationships with customers, our ability to manage post transactional matters related to potential claims or disputes and the collection of trade receivables in a timely manner. We conduct our operations with the targeting of maximizing our gross profit for each transaction. Depending on the opportunity on hand, we manage each business opportunity by constantly evaluating and adjusting our gross profit based on real-time market conditions.
Operating cost structure
Our operating cost structure is made up of our sales and marketing expenses and general and administrative expenses. The largest component of our operating expenses is the compensation and benefits of our employees. The overall operating expenses for the compensation and benefits of our employees have increased during our six months ended June 30, 2024. This is largely driven by our continued investment in skilled personnel to support our growth and expansion plan. To further support our continued growth and expansion plan under our scalable business model, we may continue to hire new employees with majority of them being our sales and marketing employees and minority being our general and administrative employees in the future.
Fluctuations in interest rates
The financing costs related to our working capital including our borrowings from financial institutions are factored in the sales margin we charge our customers for each transaction, The effect on our results due to the fluctuation of interest rates are expected to be limited. However, it may take a few weeks for us to adjust the sales margins we charge our customers in response to movements in interest rates. Therefore, any significant changes in interest rates may have a short term effect on our results of operations.
Impact of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine and Related Supply Chain Issues
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, the resulting sanctions, and the potential for future market disruptions, including volatilities in stock markets, disruptions to the global supply chain, and worsening global inflation, are impossible to predict but could be significant. Any such disruptions stemming from Russian military action, as well as other actions (including cyberattacks and espionage), or the actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts, changes in consumer or purchaser preferences, sanctions, tariffs, or cyberattacks, could have a significant collateral impact on the global economy and our business model and revenue stream. Nevertheless, as of the date of this prospectus, given that (i) we principally operate in Singapore and do not have a business presence in Russia or Ukraine; and (ii) although the global supply chains of crude oil and other petroleum products including marine fuels have been significantly disrupted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we have managed to maintain our supply network, there has been no material impact on our cash flows, liquidity, capital resources, cash requirements, financial position, or results of operations due to the global disruption stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Impact of Tensions in the Middle East
On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian political and military organization Hamas launched an attack on Israel, reigniting years of conflict between Palestine and Israel. In response, Israel has been conducting military operations in the Palestinian Gaza region. The escalating violence has raised concerns in the Middle East and impacted the commodities market. Despite these tensions, the effect on oil prices has been relatively muted. The Company has managed to maintain its supply network without any significant disruption. There has been no material impact on our cash flows, liquidity, capital resources, cash requirements, financial position, or results of operations due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
Key Components of Results of Operations
Revenues
Our revenues consist of sales of marine fuels and brokerage commission. The following table sets forth the breakdown of our total revenues, both in absolute amount and as a percentage of our total revenues, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, and the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | For the Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US$ | % of total revenues | US$ | % of total revenues | US$ | % of total revenues | US$ | % of total revenues | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels | 74,192,974 | 100.0 | 11,490,452 | 80.3 | 67,966,869 | 96.0 | 19,137,919 | 62.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels-related party | - | - | 2,184,911 | 15.3 | 2,184,911 | 3.1 | 10,424,827 | 33.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74,192,974 | 100.0 | 13,675,363 | 95.6 | 70,151,780 | 99.1 | 29,562,746 | 95.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brokerage commissions | - | - | 142,479 | 1.0 | 142,479 | 0.2 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brokerage commissions-related party | - | - | 491,269 | 3.4 | 491,269 | 0.7 | 1,255,725 | 4.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | - | 633,748 | 4.4 | 633,748 | 0.9 | 1,255,725 | 4.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 74,192,974 | 100.0 | 14,309,111 | 100.0 | 70,785,528 | 100.0 | 30,818,471 | 100.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sales of marine fuels
These revenues represent proceed from sales of marine fuels which are priced at a fixed amount per unit of volume sold in each transaction. When selling marine fuels to our customers, sales income is recognized upon the physical delivery of the marine fuels to the customers. The weighted average selling price offered to customers varies and may be influenced by factors such as the supply location, supply date, and the quantity of the supply. Sales of marine fuels accounted for 100.0% and 95.6% of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and 99.1% and 95.9% of our total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, respectively.
Brokerage commissions
Brokerage commissions represent fees and commissions from referring shipping companies to our customers based on a fixed rate for each transaction. When referring shipping companies to our customers for transaction of marine fuel, brokerage commission is recognized upon the completion of the transaction between the shipping companies and our customers. The income derived from our customers varies and may be influenced by the overall sales margin and quantity of the supply for each transaction. Brokerage commissions represented nil and 4.4% of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and 0.9% and 4.1% of our total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Cost of revenues
Cost of revenues mainly represents costs directly incurred in sourcing goods and services related to our revenues, such as the purchase of marine fuels and associated commission expenses. Cost of revenues represented 98.0% and 92.9% of our total revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and 96.8% and 92.2% of our total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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Gross profit and gross profit margin
The following table sets forth our gross profit and gross profit margin by revenue streams for the periods indicated.
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | For the Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross Profit | Gross Profit Margin | Gross Profit | Gross Profit Margin | Gross Profit | Gross Profit Margin | Gross Profit | Gross Profit Margin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US$ | % | US$ | % | US$ | % | US$ | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels | 1,458,983 | 2.0 | 308,289 | 2.7 | 1,578,724 | 2.3 | 784,532 | 4.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels-related party | - | - | 68,897 | 3.2 | 67,729 | 3.1 | 364,061 | 3.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1,458,983 | 2.0 | 377,186 | 2.8 | 1,646,453 | 2.3 | 1,148,593 | 3.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brokerage commissions | - | - | 142,479 | 100 | 142,479 | 100 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brokerage commissions-related party | - | - | 491,269 | 100 | 491,269 | 100 | 1,255,725 | 100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | - | 633,748 | 100 | 633,748 | 100 | 1,255,725 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total gross profit | 1,458,983 | 2.0 | 1,010,934 | 7.1 | 2,280,201 | 3.2 | 2,404,318 | 7.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross profit represents our revenues less cost of revenues. Our gross profit margin represents our gross profit as a percentage of our revenues. Our gross profit was US$1.5 million and US$1.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and US$2.3 million and US$2.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our gross profit margin was 2.0% and 7.1% for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and 3.2% and 7.8% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Operating expenses
Selling and marketing expenses
Selling and marketing expenses include salaries and contributions to retirement benefit schemes for our sales and marketing employees, travel and business development expenses covering both domestic and international travel, as well as other expenditures incurred in the pursuit of business development and expanding our business network. Selling and marketing expenses accounted for 0.3% and 0.1% of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and 0.3% and nil of our total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses mainly comprise (i) salaries and contributions to retirement benefit schemes for our administration and operation employees; (ii) services fee for audit, company secretary, legal, tax reporting, and other professional services; (iii) rental and related expenses for leasing of our office premises; (iv) IT support software subscription and telecommunication support for daily administration work; and (v) depreciation of our property and equipment and other office operating expenses. General and administrative expenses accounted for 1.5% and 0.9% of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and 0.9% and 0.1% of our total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Other income, net
Other income, net represents net interest expenses and other ancillary service income, which are not within the scope of ASC 606. Other income, net amounted to US$5,477 and US$3,037 for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and US$9,037 and US$4,813 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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Income Tax
Our operating subsidiary in Singapore is subjected to Singapore Corporate Income Tax. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, and the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we were eligible under the tax exemption scheme for new start-up companies introduced under Section 43 of the Income Tax Act 1947 of Singapore. For eligible entities under the tax exemption scheme, a 75% exemption on the first SG$100,000 (equivalent to US$73,611) of normal chargeable income and a further 50% exemption on the next SG$100,000 (equivalent to US$73,611) of normal chargeable income was granted for their first three consecutive years of assessment. The other entity will be subject to tax rate of 17% on the entire chargeable income, if any. Income tax accounted for nil and 0.9% of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and 0.3% and 1.3% of our total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Under relevant Singapore tax laws, tax cases are normally subject to investigation by the tax authority for up to 4 years of assessment prior to the current year of assessment for Corporate Income Tax, and 5 years from the end of the prescribed accounting period for Goods and Services Tax. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we had no open tax investigations from the tax authority and we do not consider that there was any uncertain tax position as of those dates.
Results of Operations
The following table sets forth a summary of our results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, and the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 as indicated. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The operating results in any year are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future trends.
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | For the Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US$ | % of total revenues | US$ | % of total revenues | US$ | % of total revenues | US$ | % of total revenues | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels | 74,192,974 | 100.0 | 11,490,452 | 80.3 | 67,966,869 | 96.0 | 19,137,919 | 62.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels-related party | - | - | 2,184,911 | 15.3 | 2,184,911 | 3.1 | 10,424,827 | 33.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brokerage commissions | - | - | 142,479 | 1.0 | 142,479 | 0.2 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brokerage commissions-related party | - | - | 491,269 | 3.4 | 491,269 | 0.7 | 1,255,725 | 4.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 74,192,974 | 100.0 | 14,309,111 | 100.0 | 70,785,528 | 100.0 | 30,818,471 | 100.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of revenue | (72,733,991 | ) | 98.0 | (13,298,177 | ) | 92.9 | (68,505,327 | ) | 96.8 | (28,414,153 | ) | 92.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | 1,458,983 | 2.0 | 1,010,934 | 7.1 | 2,280,201 | 3.2 | 2,404,318 | 7.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling and marketing expenses | (259,282 | ) | 0.3 | (7,909 | ) | 0.1 | (210,957 | ) | 0.3 | (146 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||||
| General and administrative expenses | (1,090,393 | ) | 1.5 | (130,944 | ) | 0.9 | (672,131 | ) | 0.9 | (45,532 | ) | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | (1,349,675 | ) | 1.8 | (138,853 | ) | 1.0 | (883,088 | ) | 1.2 | (45,678 | ) | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Income from operations | 109,308 | 0.2 | 872,081 | 6.1 | 1,397,113 | 2.0 | 2,358,640 | 7.7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (8,972 | ) | - | - | - | (1,907 | ) | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income | 14,449 | - | 3,037 | - | 10,944 | - | 4,813 | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total other income, net | 5,477 | - | 3,037 | - | 9,037 | - | 4,813 | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income before income tax expense | 114,785 | 0.2 | 875,118 | 6.1 | 1,406,150 | 2.0 | 2,363,453 | 7.7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expenses | (12,813 | ) | - | (131,707 | ) | 0.9 | (194,363 | ) | 0.3 | (386,321 | ) | 1.3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 101,972 | 0.2 | 743,411 | 5.2 | 1,211,787 | 1.7 | 1,977,132 | 6.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
Revenues
Total revenues increased significantly by 419% from approximately US$14.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to approximately US$74.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The substantial increase in total revenues was primarily driven by a significant rise in sales of marine fuels, partially offset by a decrease in brokerage commissions, reflecting a shift in our revenue mix.
Sales of marine fuels – Sales of marine fuels increased by approximately US$60.5 million, or 443%, from approximately US$13.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, to approximately US$74.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024. This growth resulted from our strategic efforts to enhance our core business activities within the sales sector. We expanded our team and directly engaged in the sales of marine fuels using our own internal capabilities, rather than relying on brokerage activities. In addition, with more resources allocating to the sales and marketing department, we were better equipped to meet customer needs that we were previously unable to handle. This led to a significant expansion of our customer base and an increase in the number of ports served during the six months ended June 30, 2024. The number of customers and ports related to the sales of marine fuels increased significantly from 16 customers and 19 ports during the six months ended June 30, 2023 to 87 customers and 52 ports during the six months ended June 30, 2024. Our successful expansion into new customer base and ports served resulted in a substantial increase in our revenues.
Prices for marine fuels fluctuated during the six months ended June 30, 2023, and 2024, with our weighted average selling price for marine fuels decreasing from US$696 per metric ton to US$635 per metric ton. The average prices for VLSFO in Singapore increased from US$606 to US$628 per metric ton, while MGO slightly decreased from US$774 to US$773 per metric ton during the same period. Despite the increase in the average price for VLSFO in Singapore, which accounted for our largest sales by location, our strategic decision to offer more competitive pricing helped us capture a greater market share. This pricing approach allowed us to maintain a strong market position, as evidenced by the substantial growth in our revenue during the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Brokerage commissions – Brokerage commissions decreased to nil for the six months ended June 30, 2024, from approximately US$0.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023. This decline was primarily attributed to our strategic shift towards increasing direct sales activities. Beginning in July 2023, we made a deliberate decision to execute sales transactions directly, leveraging our expanded sales and support resources without referring shipping companies to our customers for commissions. As a result, there were no brokerage commissions for the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Cost of revenues
Cost of revenues increased by approximately US$59.4 million or 446.9% from approximately US$13.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$72.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024. Such increase was mainly attributable to the growth in sales of marine fuels with increasing cost to acquire marine fuels for sales.
Gross profit
Our gross profit increased by approximately US$0.4 million, or 44.3%, from approximately US$1.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, to approximately US$1.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024. However, the total gross profit margin for the six months ended June 30, 2024, decreased to approximately 2.0%, compared to approximately 7.1% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
The gross profit margin from the sales of marine fuels declined to 2.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, from 2.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2023. This decrease was primarily due to our strategic decision to offer more competitive pricing, aiming to enhance our market presence and secure a greater market share. Consequently, we accepted orders for transactions within market range, even with lower gross profit margin than those achieved during the six months ended June 30, 2023.
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Additionally, the reduction in the total gross profit margin can be attributed to a decrease in brokerage commissions, which traditionally yield a 100% gross profit margin. By executing our strategic plans and focusing our efforts on direct sales of marine fuels using our own resources, we dedicated all our efforts to this area during the six months ended June 30, 2024. This shift in our revenue mix further contributed to the decline in the total gross profit margin.
Despite the decrease in gross profit margin, our strategy of dedicating additional resources and offering more competitive pricing allowed us to expand our customer base and market reach. This approach enabled us to adapt to evolving market dynamics and ultimately increase our gross profit.
Operating expenses
Selling and marketing expenses increased to US$0.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, from US$7,909 for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily driven by the expansion of our sales activities. To enhance our sales efforts, we significantly expanded our sales and marketing team, increasing from 1 employee during the six months ended June 30, 2023, to 7 employees during the six months ended June 30, 2024. Additionally, we dedicated efforts in building and nurturing relationships with our customers and business partners, and more business travel and marketing activities were undertaken, contributing to this substantial increase.
General and administrative expenses increased by US$1.0 million to US$1.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to US$0.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023. A significant factor contributing to this increase was the expansion of our workforce through the recruitment of additional administrative staff and key management personnel, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency. Additionally, there was a notable rise in professional fees, primarily due to expenses related to the audit of our consolidated financial statements. Furthermore, the leasing of a new office premises, with the tenancy agreement signed in March 2023, led to an increase in occupancy costs as well as expenses related to communication and technology services required to support daily administrative tasks and streamline workflow processes. These factors collectively drove the sharp increase in total general and administrative expenses during the six months ended June 30, 2024, reflecting our concerted efforts to support operational growth and strategic initiatives.
Other income
Other income increased by US$2,440 from US$3,037 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$5,477 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. This increase was primarily due to the Productivity Solutions Grant of US$12,467 provided by the Singapore Government during the six months ended June 30, 2024, aimed at supporting productivity improvements for local enterprises. This increase was partially offset by an increase in interest expenses related to our short-term bank loans.
Income before income taxes
We had an income before income taxes of US$0.9 million and US$0.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2024, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to lower profit margin resulting from our increased sales activities and a reduction in brokerage commissions. Additionally, the expansion of our operations through the recruitment of staff and the incurrence of additional operating expenses to support our growth initiatives and enhance our overall capabilities also contributed significantly to the decrease in income before income taxes during the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Income tax expense
Income tax expense decreased from US$0.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$12,813 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease primarily corresponded with the decrease in our income before income taxes.
Net income
As a result of the foregoing factors, net income decreased by 86.3% from US$0.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$0.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024.
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Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2022
Revenues
Total revenues increased significantly by 130% from US$30.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to US$70.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The substantial increase in total revenues was primarily driven by a significant rise in sales of marine fuel. This growth was partially offset by a decrease in brokerage commissions, reflecting a shift in our revenue mix.
Sales of marine fuels – Sales of marine fuels increased by approximately US$40.6 million, or 137%, from approximately US$29.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, to approximately US$70.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. This increase was due to our strategic efforts to enhance our core business activities within the sales sector. We successfully expanded our team by increasing the number of employees in our sales and marketing department to conduct sales of marine fuels using our own resources, which led to a significant expansion of our customer base and an increase in the number of ports served during the year ended December 31, 2023. The number of customers and ports related to the sales of marine fuels increased significantly from 13 customers and 30 ports in the year ended December 31, 2022 to 83 customers and 51 ports during the year ended December 31, 2023. Our successful expansion into new customer base and supply ports led to in an increase in the number of customers and ports where we arrange marine fuels supply for our customers, and resulted in a substantial increase in our revenues.
On the other hand, prices for marine fuels experienced a decline during the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2023. As an indicator, the global average marine fuels price of VLSFO and MGO fell from US$878 and US$1,157 per metric ton, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2022, to US$683 and US$950 per metric ton, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2023. In line with the general market conditions as highlighted by the two indicators thereof, our weighted average selling price was reduced from US$902 per metric ton during the year ended December 31, 2022, to US$674 per metric ton during the year ended December 31, 2023, reflecting the market trend. Despite the downward trend in marine fuels prices, our effective response to market conditions has allowed us to maintain a strong market position and continue to provide value to our customers, as evidenced by a significant increase in our revenues.
Brokerage commissions – Brokerage commissions decreased by approximately US$0.6 million or 50% to approximately US$0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, from approximately US$1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. This decline was primarily attributed to a strategic pivot towards increasing our sales activities. With more resources allocated by recruiting sales and marketing employees and other personnel, we strategically decided to execute more sales by leveraging our internal resources instead of referring deals to other parties for brokerage commissions during the year ended December 31, 2023. The considerable decrease in the number of brokerage transactions we referred, which significantly dropped to 85 for the year ended December 31, 2023, from 236 for the year ended December 31, 2022, suggested a decrease in our brokerage commissions.
Cost of revenues
Cost of revenues increased by approximately US$40.1 million or 141% from approximately US$28.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to US$68.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Such increase was mainly attributable to the growth in sales of marine fuels with increasing cost to acquire marine fuels for sales.
Gross profit
Our gross profit decreased by approximately US$0.1 million or 5%, from approximately US$2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to approximately US$2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The total gross profit margin for the year ended December 31, 2023, was approximately 3.2%, compared to approximately 7.8% for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Gross profit margin of sales of marine fuels decreased to 2.3% for the year ended December 31, 2023 from 3.9% for the year ended December 31, 2022. This decline was primarily due to our strategic focus on expanding market presence and capturing additional market share for our reselling business. As part of our growth strategy, we dedicated our resources to acquiring new customers by offering competitive prices that are in line with market conditions with a view to increasing our market share. Gross profit margin from sales of marine fuels to third parties and related parties was 4.1% and 3.5%, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2022. In comparison, for the year ended December 31, 2023, gross profit margin was 2.3% and 3.1%, respectively. There was no significant difference in gross profit margin between the sales to our third-party customers and related parties.
Additionally, the decrease in total gross profit margin was also attributed to the decline in brokerage commissions, which traditionally yield a 100% gross profit margin. In executing our strategic plans and focusing on transactions using our own resources, we chose to dedicate most of our resources to the sales of marine fuels during the year ended December 31, 2023. This shift in our revenue mix resulted in a decrease in the total gross profit margin.
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Although the decrease in gross profit and gross profit margin was noted, these decisions were made as part of a deliberate strategy to drive sales, expand market share, and adapt to prevailing market dynamics. By offering more competitive pricing and strategically allocating resources, we could strengthen our market position and enhance long-term profitability.
Operating expenses
Selling and marketing expenses increased to US$0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, from US$146 for the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily driven by the expansion of our sales activities. To manage sales more effectively, we hired more employees in our sales and marketing department to strengthen our customer relationships. Additionally, our staff undertook increased efforts in building and nurturing relationships with our customers and business partners, and more business travel and marketing activities were undertaken, contributing to this substantial increase.
General and administrative expenses increased by US$0.6 million to US$0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to US$45,532 for the year ended December 31, 2022. One significant factor was the expansion of our workforce through the recruitment of administrative staff and key management personnel, aiming at enhancing operational efficiency. There was also a notable rise in professional fees resulting from expenses related to auditing our consolidated financial statements and consulting services regarding leasing the new office premises and negotiating banking facilities for business financing. Furthermore, the leasing of a new office premise located at 15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07, Singapore 189677, with the tenancy agreement signed in March 2023, necessitated increased operating expenses in communication and technology services to support daily administrative tasks and streamline workflow processes. Moreover, the addition of depreciation expense was due to the introduction or expansion of property and equipment. These factors collectively drove a sharp increase in total general and administrative expenses compared to the preceding year, reflecting our concerted efforts to support operational growth and strategic initiatives.
Other income
Other income increased by US$4,224 from US$4,813 for the year ended December 31, 2022 to US$9,037 for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was mainly due to interest income earned from fixed deposit and increase in other ancillary service income which is not within the scope ASC 606.
Income before income taxes
We had an income before income taxes of US$1.4 million and US$2.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The decrease in income before income taxes was primarily due to the lower margin resulting from our increased sales activities and a decrease in brokerage commissions. Additionally, the expansion of our operations through the recruitment of staff and the incurrence of additional operating expenses to support our growth initiatives and enhance our overall capabilities also contributed to this decrease during the year ended December 31, 2023.
Income tax expense
Income tax expense decreased from US$0.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to US$0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The change was primarily due to the decrease in income before income taxes and corporate income tax rebate received amounted to SG$38,000 (equivalent to US$28,818) together with benefit from tax allowance claim in Singapore, which further reduced our income tax expense.
Net income
As a result of the foregoing factors, net income decreased by 39% from US$2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to US$1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Prior to this offering, our principal sources of liquidity to finance our day-to-day operations are from the financing provided by a financing institution, our Major Shareholder and cashflow from operating activities (please refer to the details set out in the analysis of our cash flows below).
On September 22, 2023, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited Singapore Branch extended to us banking facilities comprising (i) trade financing, with an interest rate of 3.25% per annum above the bank’s cost of funds, and (ii) a revolving short-term loan, with an interest rate of 3.75% per annum above the bank’s cost of funds, with a combined limit of US$1.5 million. Both facilities have a tenor of up to 60 days from the date of drawdown.
On July 11, 2024, United Overseas Bank Limited, another financial institution in Singapore, granted us banking facilities comprising (i) a trade financing facility of US$2 million, with an interest rate of 1.65% per annum over the bank’s cost of funds and a financing period of up to 45 days for supplier invoices, and (ii) a foreign exchange facility of US$2 million, with a maximum tenor of 3 months. With the availability of the banking facilities from United Overseas Bank Limited, on September 24, 2024, we terminated our original banking facilities with Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited Singapore Branch.
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, only the trade financing facilities were drawn down, which amounted to US$1,203,938 and US$1,195,149, respectively.
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In addition to the bank financing, we also obtained advances from our Major Shareholder, Koh Kuan Hua, which are unsecured, non-interest bearing, and repayable on demand, to fund our day-to-day operations. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we had advances from Koh Kuan Hua amounted to US$276,155 and US$278,001, respectively. See “Related Party Transactions.”
The availability of cash flow from operating activities, access to banking facilities and advances from our Major Shareholder together provide us with sufficient liquidity to meet our ongoing working capital requirements.
We recorded net cash inflow in operating activities of US$1.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, net cash outflow in operating activities of US$0.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, net cash outflow in operating activities of US$1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and net cash inflow from operating activities of US$3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
As of June 30, 2024, we had positive working capital of US$3.7 million, US$4.0 million in cash and US$1.5 million in restricted cash, out of which US$0.2 million was held in Singapore Dollars, and the rest was held in U.S. Dollars and other currencies. As of December 31, 2023, we had positive working capital of US$3.8 million, US$2.6 million in cash and US$1.5 million in restricted cash, out of which US$7,859 was held in Singapore Dollars, and the rest was held in U.S. Dollars. Our cash and restricted cash primarily consist of balances maintained with banks in Singapore. Our restricted cash represents a fixed deposit amounting to US$1.5 million, which is required to be maintained with a bank in Singapore and is used as collateral for banking facilities extended to the Company. This deposit is set to mature on October 15, 2024.
In assessing our liquidity, we monitor and analyze our cash on-hand and our operating and capital expenditure commitments. Our liquidity needs are to meet our working capital requirements, operating expenses and capital expenditure obligations. Equity financing in form of shares allotment and capital contribution from shareholders, and cash generated from operations have been utilized to finance our working capital requirements.
Considering all facts and information on hand, we expect our cash on hand is sufficient to finance our working capital requirements within the normal operating cycle of a twelve-months period from the date of our financial statements are issued.
If we are unable to have sufficient fund to finance our working capital requirements within the normal operating cycle of a twelve-months period from the date of these financial statements are issued, we may consider supplementing our available sources of funds through the following sources:
| ● | addition equity financing from Major Shareholders or third-party investors; and/or | |
| ● | financial support from financial institutions, our Major Shareholders and related parties. |
Based on the above considerations, we are of the opinion that we have sufficient funds to meet our working capital requirements and current liabilities as they become due within twelve months from the date of our financial statements are issued. However, there is no assurance that we will be successful in implementing our plans. There are a number of factors that could potentially arise and could undermine our plans, such as changes in the demand for our products, general market conditions and the broader capital market climate in Singapore, etc.
Cash Flows
The following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 and the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 as indicated.
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | For the Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||
| US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | |||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 1,624,481 | (410,049 | ) | (965,794 | ) | 3,026,856 | ||||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (6,353 | ) | (126,457 | ) | (427,331 | ) | - | |||||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (178,776 | ) | 800,000 | 2,160,250 | - | |||||||||||
| Net increase in cash and restricted cash | 1,439,352 | 263,494 | 767,125 | 3,026,856 | ||||||||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, beginning of period / year | 4,064,850 | 3,297,725 | 3,297,725 | 270,869 | ||||||||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, end of period / year | 5,504,202 | 3,561,219 | 4,064,850 | 3,297,725 | ||||||||||||
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Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2024 was US$1.6 million, as compared to the net income of US$0.1 million. The difference was primarily attributable to (i) a decrease of US$4.3 million in accounts receivable due to reduced billing to our customers with fewer sales activities towards the end of the period; (ii) a decrease of US$2.4 million in accounts payable as most invoices from the vendors had been settled before the period ended; and (iii) a decrease of income tax payable of US$0.3 million due to the settlement of Corporate Income Tax.
Net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was US$0.4 million, as compared to the net income of US$0.7 million. The difference was primarily attributable to (i) an increase of US$0.6 million in accounts receivable due to intensified sales activities with our customers near the period ended; (ii) a decrease of US$0.3 million in accounts payable with most invoices from the vendors had been settled before the period ended; and (iii) a decrease of income tax payable of US$0.2 million due to the settlement of Corporate Income Tax.
Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was US$1.0 million, as compared to the net income of US$1.2 million. The difference was primarily attributable to (i) an increase of US$11.7 million in accounts receivable due to intensified sales activities, necessitating the granting of a general 30-day credit term to customers; (ii) an increase of US$9.8 million in accounts payable, which aligned with the expansion in sales activities, leading to an increase in purchase of marine fuels to support operations; (iii) an increase of US$0.1 million in prepayment and other assets, due to our proactive approach to smoothen business operations by paying certain operating expenses in advance; and (iv) a decrease of income tax payable of US$0.2 million with payment of Corporate Income Tax.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was US$3.0 million, as compared to the net profit of US$2.0 million. The difference was primarily attributable to (i) a decrease of US$0.3 million in accounts receivable, attributed to fewer sales towards the end of the year, resulting in a reduced amount billed to our customers; (ii) an increase of US$0.4 million for the provision of Corporate Income Tax and (iii) an increase of US$0.1 million in accounts payables and US$0.2 million in accrued expenses and other liabilities due to the delays in settling procurement costs and other operating expenses.
Investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2023 was US$6,353, US$0.1 million and US$0.4 million, respectively, which was entirely spent on the purchase of property and equipment.
Financing activities
Net cash used in financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2024 was US$0.2 million, which was primarily due to payment of offering costs related to IPO.
Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was US$0.8 million, which was solely related to proceeds from the capital injection from shareholder of US$0.8 million.
Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was US$2.2 million. This was primarily due to (i) net drawdowns from banking facilities of US$1.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2023; (ii) proceeds from the capital injection from shareholder of US$0.8 million; (iii) deposit of US$0.3 million received from a related party; and (iv) payment of cost related to this offering of US$0.1 million.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risks
Currency risk
The function currency of the Company is US$ and the financial statements are presented in US$. Our business activities and our assets and liabilities are predominately denominated in the function currency. Therefore, we are not exposed to significant foreign currency risk as majority of the operations and transactions are denominated in the functional currency.
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Concentration and credit risks
Financial instruments that potentially subject us to the credit risks consist of cash, restricted cash, accounts receivable and other assets. The maximum exposures of such assets to credit risk are their carrying amounts as of the balance sheet dates.
We primarily deposit our cash and restricted cash with reputable banks located in Singapore. As of June 30, 2024, US$5,499,482 was deposited with these banks. Balances maintained with banks in Singapore are insured under the Deposit Insurance Scheme introduced by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation Limited. The maximum insured amount was SG$75,000 (equivalent to $55,208) until March 31, 2024, after which it was increased to SG$100,000 (equivalent to $73,611) commenced from April 1, 2024, whilst the balances maintained by us may at times exceed the insured limits. Cash balances maintained with banks in Singapore are not otherwise insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or other programs. We have not experienced any losses in these bank accounts and we believe that we are not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and restricted cash.
Assets that potentially subject us to a significant concentration of credit risk primarily consist of accounts receivable and other assets. We perform regular and ongoing credit assessments of the counterparts’ financial conditions and credit histories. We also assess historical collection, aging of receivables and general economic conditions. We consider that we have adequate controls over these receivables in order to minimize the related credit risk. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the balances of allowance for expected credit losses were US$12,148 and US$13,881, respectively.
For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 and the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, most of our assets were located in Singapore. At the same time, we consider that we were exposed to the following concentrations of risk:
| (a) | Major customers |
For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there was one customer accounted for 10% or more of our revenues. Revenue from that customer for the six months ended June 30, 2024 represented 15% of our total revenues for that period. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were two customers accounting for 10% or more of our revenues. Revenues from these customers for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented 36% and 19% of our total revenues for that period, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, no customer accounted for 10% or more of our revenues. For the year ended December 31, 2022, there were four customers accounting for 10% or more of our revenues. Revenues from these four customers for the year ended December 31, 2022 represented 38%, 15%, 11%, and 11% of our total revenues for that year, respectively.
Of these customers, only the customer who accounted for 19% of our revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 38% of our revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 is a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd). See “Related Party Transactions”.
As of June 30, 2024, there were three customers whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of our total balances of accounts receivable and accounted for approximately 15%, 12% and 10% of the total balances of receivables from customers, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, there was one customer whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of our total balances of accounts receivable and it accounted for approximately 15% of the total balances of receivables from customers.
| (b) | Major vendors |
For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were three vendors accounted for 10% or more of our cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these vendors for the six months ended June 30, 2024 represented 15%, 13% and 13% of our cost of revenues for that period, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were two vendors accounted for 10% or more of our cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these vendors for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented 66% and 10% of our cost of revenues for that period, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, one vendor accounted for 10% or more of our cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by the vendor for the year ended December 31, 2023 represented 13% of our cost of revenues for that year. For the year ended December 31, 2022, two vendors accounted for 10% or more of our cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these two vendors for the year ended December 31, 2022 represented 60% and 25% of our cost of revenues for that year, respectively.
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Of these vendors, only the vendor who accounted for 66% of our cost of revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2023, 13% of our cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 60% of our cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 is a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd). See “Related Party Transactions”.
As of June 30, 2024, there were four vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of our total balances of accounts payable and accounted for approximately 22%, 11%, 11% and 10% of the total balances of accounts payables, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, there were two vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of our total balances of accounts payable and they accounted for approximately 28% and 12% of the total balances of accounts payables, respectively.
Interest rate risk
Fluctuations in market interest rates may negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. We are exposed to floating interest rate risk on bank deposits and bank borrowings, particularly during periods when the interest rate is expected to significant changes. Nevertheless, given the amounts of bank deposits and bank borrowings in question, we consider our interest rate risk to be manageable and not likely to cause significant disruption to the business. As of June 30, 2024, we had an outstanding principal of $1,203,938. We estimate that a 1% increase in the bank’s Cost of Funds against bank borrowings outstanding on June 30, 2024 would result in an increase in interest expense of $12,039 per annum whilst we estimate a 1% decrease in the bank’s Cost of Funds against bank borrowings outstanding on June 30, 2024 would result in a decrease in interest expense of $12,039 per annum. We have not used any derivatives to manage or hedge our interest rate risk exposure.
Off-Balance Sheet Commitments and Arrangements
We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet financing arrangements or any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, including entities sometimes referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, that were established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.
Specifically, we have not entered into any financial guarantees, commitments or other arrangements to guarantee payment obligations of any parties. In addition, we have not entered into any derivative contracts that are indexed to our shares and classified as shareholders’ equity or that are not reflected in our consolidated financial statements. Moreover, we do not have any retained or contingent interest in assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity that serves as credit, liquidity or market risk support to such entity. We do not have any variable interest in any unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit support to us or engages in leasing, hedging or product development services with us.
Commitments and Contingencies
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of June 30, 2024:
Less than 1 year | Between 1-2 years | Total | ||||||||||
| Contractual obligations | US$ | US$ | US$ | |||||||||
| Repayment of short-term bank loans | 1,203,938 | - | 1,203,938 | |||||||||
| Operating lease commitment | 93,365 | 85,584 | 178,949 | |||||||||
| Total | 1,297,303 | 85,584 | 1,382,887 | |||||||||
Other than as shown above, we did not have any significant financial and capital commitments, long-term obligations, or guarantees as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we were not a party to any legal or administrative proceedings. In addition, there were no legal or regulatory proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, that could have resulted in an unfavorable outcome with a material adverse effect on our results of operations, consolidated financial condition, or cash flows.
As of the date of this prospectus, we did not have any loss contingencies which require to be recognized or disclosed in our consolidated financial statements.
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Seasonality
The nature of our business does not appear to be affected by seasonal variations. We may experience fluctuations in demand due to heightened or weakened economic conditions, geopolitical events, and shifts in trade patterns in areas where we operate.
Inflation
Whilst inflation has been a global issue impacting many countries around the globe, inflation in Singapore has not materially affected our results of operations in recent years. According to Singapore Department of Statistics, consumer price index of Singapore increased from 113 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to 116 for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and the core inflation rate slightly increased from 4.1% for the year ended December 31, 2022 to 4.2% for the year ended December 31, 2023. Although we have not been significantly affected by inflation at this point in time, we may be affected if Singapore and any other jurisdiction where we operate in the future experience higher rates of inflation in the future.
Significant Accounting Policies and Critical Accounting Judgments and Estimates
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect (i) the reported amounts of our assets and liabilities; (ii) the disclosure of our contingent assets and liabilities at the end of each reporting period; and (iii) the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during each reporting period. We continually evaluate these judgments, estimates and assumptions based on our own historical experience, knowledge and assessment of current business and other conditions and our expectations regarding the future based on available information, which together form our basis for making judgments about matters that are not readily apparent from other sources. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, our actual results could differ from those estimates. Some of our accounting policies require a higher degree of judgment than others in their application.
When reading our consolidated financial statements, you should consider our selection of critical accounting policies, the judgment and other uncertainties affecting the application of such policies and the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions. Our critical accounting policies and practices include the following: (i) revenue recognition; (ii) operating leases; and (iii) accounts receivable, net. See Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our consolidated financial statements for the disclosure of these accounting policies. We believe the following accounting estimate involves the most significant judgments used in the preparation of our financial statements.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Allowance for expected credit losses against financial assets
We assess the allowance by pooling relevant financial assets that have similar risk characteristics and evaluates receivable individually when specific assets no longer share those risk characteristics. We determine the expected credit losses based on aging data, historical collection experience, customer specific facts current economic conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, and other factors that may affect our ability to collect form counterparties. Balances are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. We continue to evaluate the reasonableness of the allowance policy and update it if necessary. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the balance of allowance for expected credit losses against financial assets were US$12,148 and $13,881, respectively.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See the discussion of the recent accounting pronouncements contained in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”.
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QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Inflation Risk
Inflationary factors, such as increases in personnel and overhead costs, could impair our operating results. Although we do not believe that inflation has had a material impact on our financial position or results of operations to date, a high rate of inflation in the future may have an adverse effect on our ability to maintain current levels of gross margin and operating expenses as a percentage of sales revenue if the revenues do not increase with such increased costs.
Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to cash flow interest rate risk in relation to bank loans with variable interest rates which is partially offset by bank balances held at variable rates. It is the Group’s policy to keep its borrowings at variable rates at a minimum so as to minimize the fair value interest rate risk.
Credit Risk
Credit risk is controlled by the application of credit approvals, limits and monitoring procedures. We manage credit risk through regularly evaluating the collectability of financial assets, based on a combination of factors such as credit worthiness, past transaction history, current economic industry trends and changes in payment patterns. We identify credit risk collectively based on industry and customer type. In measuring the credit risk of our sales to our customers, we mainly reflect the “probability of default” by the customer on its contractual obligations and consider the current financial position of the customer and the current and likely future exposures to the customer.
Liquidity Risk
We are also exposed to liquidity risk, which is risk that we will be unable to provide sufficient capital resources and liquidity to meet our commitments and business needs. Liquidity risk is controlled by the application of financial position analysis and monitoring procedures. To manage liquidity risk, the Group monitors and maintains a level of cash and cash equivalents deemed adequate by the management to finance the Group’s operations and mitigate the effects of fluctuations in cash flows.
As of the date of this prospectus, the Group has no outstanding long-term debt. Management monitors the Company’s liquidity position regularly.
Foreign Exchange Risk
While substantially all of our revenues and costs of sales are denominated in in the U.S. dollar, our operating expenses are denominated in Singapore Dollar. All of our fixed assets are denominated in Singapore Dollar. As a result, we are exposed to foreign exchange risk as our operating expense may be affected by fluctuations in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Singapore Dollar.
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OUR CORPORATE STRUCTURE AND HISTORY
Corporate History
The Group’s history can be traced back to October 2021 when Goh Wee Huan, our former director and CEO, established our operating subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Pte Ltd in Singapore. In December 2023, Koh Kuan Hua acquired 100% of Uni-Fuels Pte Ltd from Goh Wee Huan. We have been providing marine fuels supply as a reseller and broker to our customers consisting of shipping companies operating in market sectors such as bulk carriers, tanker vessels, offshore support vessels, container ships, general cargo vessels, tugs and barges, car carriers, cruise liners, yachts, and dredging vessels since the incorporation of our Singapore subsidiary.
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”), the issuer in this offering, was incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on March 8, 2024. As of the date of this prospectus, the Company owns 100% of Uni-Fuels Group Inc. (“Uni-Fuels Group”), a Cayman Island intermediate holding company with no business operations that was incorporated on February 5, 2024, which in turn holds 100% of the sole operating subsidiary within the Group, namely Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd. (“Uni-Fuels Singapore”). Uni-Fuels Singapore was incorporated in Singapore on October 12, 2021 and has commenced business operations on that date.
For the purpose of this offering, the Group has undergone a reorganization of its corporate structure pursuant to which Uni-Fuels Singapore became a subsidiary of the Company: the then sole shareholder of Uni-Fuels Singapore, namely Koh Kuan Hua, (i) through his wholly-owned British Virgin Islands holding company, Garden City Private Capital Limited, was transferred one Class B Ordinary Share of the Company, representing 100% issued share capital of the Company, on March 14, 2024; and (ii) transferred his 100% ownership in Uni-Fuels Singapore to Uni-Fuels Group on April 18, 2024.
On September 3, 2024, the Company resolved to allot 29,999,999 Class B Ordinary Shares to Garden City Private Capital Limited, who then converted 6,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 6,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares on September 4, 2024 and further converted 1,350,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 1,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares on September 25, 2024. As a result of such allotment and conversions, the Company has 7,350,000 Class A ordinary shares and 22,650,000 Class B ordinary shares in issue. Subsequently in September 2024, Garden City Private Capital Limited transferred an aggregate of 7,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares to five minority shareholders.
Corporate Structure
The following diagram illustrates the ownership structure of the Company before giving effect to this offering:

Note: There are five minority shareholders (namely Braden Ong Wei Cong, Lai Yen Fen, Thong Mei Sze, Wong Chee How and iCapital Holdings (SG) Pte. Ltd.), each holding 1,470,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, representing 4.90% of the total issued share capital of the Company and 0.63% voting power over the Company. None of these minority shareholders is a related party of the Company.
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The following diagram illustrates the ownership structure of the Company after giving effect to this offering:

Note: Immediately upon consummation of this offering, assuming the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment options, our public shareholders will own a total of 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, representing 1.27% of voting power over the Company; and Mr. Koh Kuan Hua, the Company’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director, through Garden City Private Capital Limited, will own 22,650,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, representing 95.63% of voting power over the Company. There are five minority shareholders (namely Braden Ong Wei Cong, Lai Yen Fen, Thong Mei Sze, Wong Chee How and iCapital Holdings (SG) Pte. Ltd.), each holding 1,470,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, which will immediately upon consummation of this offering represent 4.45% of the total issued share capital of the Company and 0.62% voting power over the Company. None of these minority shareholders is a related party of the Company.
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Marine fuels supply, also commonly known as bunkering, is the process of supplying marine fuels products to ships. Bunkering is an essential aspect of the shipping industry that ensures a ship has the necessary fuel to operate at sea. Marine fuels supply is a fuel logistics business that operates within the broader framework of the maritime transportation sector. The supply of marine fuels plays a vital role is facilitating global trade by providing marine fuels to ships trading around the world. It is an industry that is closely influenced by factors such as global trade volumes, economic growth, shifting trade patterns, and regulatory changes that govern the marine fuels industry.
Marine fuels, also commonly known as bunker fuel(s) or bunker(s), refers to fuel consumed by ship engines. The process of supplying marine fuels is most frequently delivered by bunker barges to the receiving vessels. The supply of marine fuels can also be delivered by road trucks and less frequently by pipelines at berths.
Marine fuels are produced by the blending of marine fuels components that are produced during the refining process. These marine fuels components may include various forms of residues and distillates which are blended to meet industry and regulatory quality standards.
Marine fuels prices fluctuate in accordance with factors such as supply and demand. The main underlying factor affecting marine fuels price is the price of crude oil. This is because marine fuels products consist of components derived from the refining process of crude oil.
The marine fuels industry comprises a diverse range of stakeholders, ranging from marine fuels suppliers and shipping companies to port authorities and regulatory bodies. The supply chain infrastructure of the marine fuels industry includes refineries, oil tankers, storage terminals, and bunker barges. The commercial participants within the supply chain are illustrated as per the following figure:

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The commercial participants in the marine fuels supply ecosystem generally include the following parties:
The physical distributor in a marine fuels supply chain is generally involved in the sourcing of marine fuels in breakbulk, loading and transporting marine fuels in breakbulk, as well as sales and marketing of marine fuels products, following by the physical delivery to the receiving vessels nominated by end customers. Some of the physical distributor participants may also be involved in the storage and blending process.
The key active participants within the physical distribution of marine fuels include national oil companies such as PetroChina, Sinopec, Chimbusco, Petronas, Petrobras, Pertamina, PTT, etc, oil majors such as Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, Total, etc, commodity trading companies such as Vitol, Trafigura, Mercuria, Glencore, etc, and local independent marine fuels companies such as Equatorial Marine fuels in Singapore port, Seven Seas Oil in Hong Kong port, Oil Marketing & Trading International in Fujairah port, etc.
The reseller manages and guarantees the delivery of marine fuels to the customer and purchases both the marine fuels and delivery service from a third-party physical distributor or reseller.
The key active participants within the reselling of marine fuels include companies like Bunker Holding (Dan-Bunkering, KPI Oceanconnect, Glander International, Baseblue, etc), World Fuel Services, Peninsula, Monjasa, Integr8 Fuels, Fratelli Cosulich, Alpha Trading, etc. Some of these companies also act as a physical distributor in certain geographical locations in different parts of the world or as a broker as part of their service offerings to customers.
The broker does not manage or guarantee the delivery of marine fuels to the customer but relies on the seller which can be a physical distributor or reseller to manage and guarantee the physical supply of both the marine fuels and delivery of the marine fuels to the customer.
They key active participants within the brokerage of marine fuels come in various forms. These companies may function as a pure broker outright or as a marine fuels buying alliance that offers marine fuels procurement management of some sort as part of their offerings. These companies include Nautical Supply International, Liberty Marine Fuels, Hafnia Bunkers, etc.
The global marine fuels supply chain process is illustrated as follows:

Marine fuels suppliers, in the form of physical distributors or resellers, generate profits by adding a sales margin to each ton of marine fuels they supply. The profitability of a marine fuels supplier is driven by the volume supplied and the sales margin that the marine fuels supplier can add to each ton of marine fuels supplied.
Marine fuels customers are predominantly end users comprising shipping companies that operate in their respective market segments such as bulk, tanker, offshore, container, general cargo, tug and barge, car carrier, cruise, yacht, dredging, fishing, and navy. In a transaction, a shipping company may buy from a reseller who buys from a physical distributor or another reseller, or a shipping company may buy from the physical distributor. Because for our shipping company customers, the cost of marine fuels is a key component of their operational cost, marine fuels price becomes a critical factor in their decision-making process when selecting a supplier. The other factors that play a role during a customer’s decision-making process include the availability of supply at the desired time, accessibility of the required marine fuels product at different geographical location, reliability of the physical distribution, quality of the marine fuels product to be delivered, availability of trade credit, quality of customer service, and the reseller’s or physical distributor’s ability to manage operational issues such as resolving a claim.
The shipping industry is directly connected to international trade, with around 90% of the world’s internationally traded goods carried by sea. It was reported by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (“UNCTAD”) that the world’s seaborne trade reached 11 billion tons in 2021, which equates to an estimated 58,988 billion ton-miles of maritime distance, based on a report by Clarksons Research quoted by UNCTAD. It was also reported by UNCTAD that the world’s shipping fleet consisted of 105,493 ships of at least 100 gross tons and reached a carrying capacity of 2.27 billion dead weight tons as of January 2023. However, the exact size of the marine fuels market is not easily determined. Based on data published by International Maritime Organization (“IMO”) which requires all international vessels over 5000 metric tons in gross tonnage to report their fuel consumption, the estimated volume of the global marine fuels market based on over 94% of vessels who reported was around 225 million metric tons in 2021. The standard industry assumption is that 30 million metric tons are consumed annually by smaller vessels. Based on the assumption, the global marine fuels market was around 255 million metric tons in 2021. The bulk of the volume was consumed by container ships, bulk carriers and tankers, accounting for around 80% of the total market volume.
The majority of marine fuels sales are concentrated in various strategically located ports. These ports are generally in areas with high traffic and trade volumes. The largest marine fuels supply locations in 2022 include Singapore, Amsterdam–Rotterdam–Antwerp (“ARA”), Fujairah, Gibraltar Straits, US Gulf, amongst others as illustrated in a figure below.
The global marine fuels volumes in 2022 is illustrated in the figure as follows:

The marine fuels industry is undergoing a transition towards cleaner fuels and technologies to reduce emission and comply with regulatory requirements. Based on the UNCATD’s review of maritime transport 2023, international shipping is responsible for around 3% of global Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) emissions. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”) is among the most important legal instruments relating to international shipping. Developed under the guidance of IMO, MARPOL Technical Annex VI includes key regulatory measures for decarbonizing the shipping industry and reducing GHG emissions from ships. These short-term decarbonization measures include the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (“EEXI”) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (“CII”) under Annex VI of MARPOL which were implemented from 2023 onwards.
In July 2023, the IMO adopted a revised version of its GHG emissions strategy, which targets emissions from international shipping to reach net-zero by or around 2050 (compared to the 2018 strategy target of a 50% reduction in emissions with respect to 2008 levels). Member states agreed to “indicative checkpoints” that call for reducing total GHG emissions by 20% and striving for 30% by 2030 and 70% and striving for 80% by 2040, both relative to 2008. Emissions will now be considered on a life cycle (or well-to-wake) basis.
The shipping industry needs to replace fossil fuels with alternative fuels that emit little or no GHG across their entire life cycle. As the transition in shipping is still in its early stage, there is some progress under way, with one third of the newly built ships on order in 2022 capable of using alternative fuels. Implementing alternative fuels on a large scale requires significantly transforming fuel production and distribution supply chains. It also involves multiple stakeholders across shipping, port, energy, and finance sectors. Swift intervention at policy and regulatory level is needed to stimulate demand for alternative fuels, green technologies, and new shipping fleets, to encourage the relevant participants in the shipping industry to invest. Some of the alternative marine fuels products that are viewed as promising solutions include biofuel, LNG, methanol and ammonia amongst other alternative marine fuels products mix.
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Overview
We are a service provider of marine fuels solutions headquartered in Singapore. We market, resell and broker marine fuels products such as VLSFO, HSFO, and MGO. We offer these products to shipping companies and marine fuels suppliers worldwide in-port and offshore. In addition, we may from time to time provide shipping related services to our customers including but not limited to the arrangement of ship agents, ship provisions and marine fuels surveyors. We provide value to our customers by leveraging on our global supply network and market solutions facilitated by our integrated capabilities.
We operate an integrated business model where we serve our customers through two operating models, sales of marine fuels solutions and brokerage (i.e. acting as intermediary between marine fuels suppliers and customers for a commission). In the sales model, we control and manage the customer relationship throughout the entire transaction and provide value-added solutions such as trade credit, financing, risk management, market intelligence and operational expertise. In the broker model, we refer the customer to a third-party supplier in exchange for a brokerage fee. In a sales transaction, we manage and guarantee the supply of marine fuels to the customer while we procure the marine fuel, including its delivery, from a third-party supplier. In a brokerage transaction, the third-party supplier will manage and guarantee the supply of marine fuels to the customer.
During the two years ended December 31, 2023, we have arranged for marine fuels supply (under both our reselling and brokerage business) at 103 geographical ports worldwide, of which 35.9% of the supplies were carried out in South East Asia, 27.2% in North East Asia, 8.7% in South Asia, 8.7% in North America, 7.8% in Europe, 3.9% in South America, 3.9% in Middle East, 2.9% in Africa and 1.0% in Central America.

During the two years ended December 31, 2023, we have arranged for marine fuels supply to 88 customers, of which 77.3% are based in South East Asia, 15.9% in North East Asia, 4.6% in Europe and 2.3% in Middle East. Our customers are mainly shipping companies operating in market sectors such as bulk, tanker, offshore, container, general cargo, tug and barge, car carrier, cruise, yacht and dredging. Our customers also include other marine fuel suppliers operating in similar capacity as our Group.
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Our operating subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Singapore, was founded and established on October 12, 2021 by Ms. Goh Wee Huan, as the sole owner. In December 2023, Mr. Koh Kuan Hua, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director, acquired 100% ownership in Uni-Fuels Singapore.
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”), the issuer in this offering, was incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on March 8, 2024. As of the date of this prospectus, the Company owns 100% of Uni-Fuels Group, a Cayman Island intermediate holding company with no business operations that was incorporated on February 5, 2024, which in turn holds 100% of the sole operating subsidiary within the Group, namely Uni-Fuels Singapore. Uni-Fuels Singapore was incorporated in Singapore on October 12, 2021 and has commenced business operations since then.
Our Cash Management System
We utilize internal working capital generated from our capital, cash flow generated by our operating activities, and financing from financial institution.
We keep track of our ageing receivables and ageing payables and monitor our cash flow statements to ensure that we receive timely payments, follow up on outstanding payments as well as make timely payments on due dates to our suppliers.
Our Corporate Vision and Mission
Our Vision is to deliver sustainable fuel solutions for the world’s shipping fleet. Our Mission is to provide efficient and responsive access to marine fuels supply covering all ports worldwide, across all time zones.
Our Products and Services
We serve our customers through two operating models: sales of marine fuels and marine fuels brokerage (i.e. acting as intermediary between marine fuels suppliers and customers for a commission).
Sales of Marine Fuels
The marine fuels products that we offer to our customers consist of the following:
| ▪ | Very low sulfur fuel oil (“VLSFO”) |
| ▪ | High sulfur fuel oil (“HSFO”) |
| ▪ | Marine gas oil (“MGO”) |
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We buy and resell marine fuels as a counterparty to customers. The sales terms are typically governed by our standard terms and conditions or to a lesser extent other mutually agreed terms, for instance, published by The Baltic and International Maritime Council. The process generally starts with customers informing us of their request for quotation based on their requirements. We will then source the marine fuels products based on the requirements of our customers from various marine fuels suppliers. We generate our income from reselling the marine fuels products from our suppliers to our customers and generate our profit by adding a sales margin on top of the cost of purchase. For each sales transaction, we will assume the trade credit risk on each credit rated customer that we work with. We are also responsible for the financing of each sales transaction including managing the financial mismatch in our accounts receivables and accounts payable terms. In this process, we will collect our accounts receivables directly from our customers and pay our suppliers directly for our accounts payables. As a reseller of marine fuels products, we are not exposed to marine fuels price volatility. The volatility of marine fuels prices is passed to our customers.
Marine Fuels Solutions
As part of our service offering to our customers, we provide marine fuels at the designated time and location through the following marine fuels solutions:
Agile and flexible pricing: Depending on the preference of the customer, we can offer fixed pricing on the spot market for single or multiple physical deliveries up to a period of three months ahead, an index related floating price on the spot market for single physical delivery or on term contract with multiple physical deliveries, or a hybrid of both such as an index related floating price with trigger pricing options to convert an index related floating price to a fixed price. Our agility and flexibility in managing various pricing options enables our customers to better control and manage their marine fuels exposures and achieve protection against volatile marine fuels price fluctuations.
Fuel management: Depending on the business nature and aggregate committed volume of our customers, we may offer selected customers an open book marine fuels procurement solution (i.e. transparent procurement in our account and selling to our customers at the purchase price we purchase from our suppliers, for which we would charge our customers a pre-agreed fee which will be added to the purchase price) backed by in-house capabilities where we act as procurement desk at a pre-agreed fee that is fixed for the period of the framework agreement.
Trade credit and financing: As part of industry practice, we may offer trade credit to selected customers after concluding our due diligence on such customers to assess their creditworthiness. We believe trade credit is an essential factor that a customer will consider when selecting a marine fuels supplier due to the significant amount of capital required to finance their marine fuels purchases. As part of our offerings to our customers, we will also from time to time purchase from our marine fuels suppliers at varying payment terms including shorter payment terms such as 7 days from the date of delivery and resell to our customers based on an agreed payment term such as on 30 days from the date of delivery.
Market intelligence: Unlike single sourced marine fuels suppliers (i.e. physical distributors and/or resellers who only supply marine fuels at a single location or locations within a particular country), we are well positioned to provide market intelligence in different marine fuels hubs around the world because we have access to different suppliers that cover different market regions. To enable our customers to make informed decisions, the information we provide may include but not limited to information pertaining to the product availability at different supply locations, specifications of various marine fuels products, price indications of different supply locations, latest regulatory or compliance guidelines, as well as latest market updates.
Operational expertise: We believe that our ability to provide efficient and responsive solutions due to operational changes or unforeseen circumstances are critical factors that customers take into consideration when working with us. Depending on the challenges (e.g. delay on arrival, quantity shortage, change of route, reduction of quantity, etc.) faced by our customers, we provide real time support and leverage on our deep knowledge of the different supply locations and relationships with our suppliers to resolve operational issues, enhancing our relationships with our customers.
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For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023, our revenue derived from the sales of marine fuels was $29,562,745.93 and $70,151,779.57, respectively. The breakdown of our sales of marine fuels by product type is set forth below:
Marine Fuels Brokerage
We also act as broker between marine fuels suppliers and shipping companies where we introduce potential business opportunities from prospective buyers to prospective sellers. The credit risk is undertaken by the sellers who deal with the customers directly. The transactions between the buyers and sellers are also governed by the terms and conditions of the sellers instead of our terms and conditions. For the brokerage transactions, we will receive commissions from the sellers for the transactions that are referred by us. The amount of the commissions are agreed between the sellers and us on a transactional basis. We do not finance the purchase of the products. The buyers will pay directly to the sellers. We consider the sellers our customers as we receive commissions from them.
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For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023, our revenue derived from marine fuels brokerage was $1,255,724.49 and $633,748.09, respectively. The breakdown of marine fuel brokerage in revenue by product type is set forth below:
Our Supply Network
We provide extensive global coverage for our customers’ marine fuels needs through our broad supply network. This extensive network ensures convenient and reliable access to marine fuels across ports worldwide, spanning different time zones. Depending on our customer’s requirements, such as the port of call, product type, delivery time, and quantity, we source marine fuels products from different marine fuels suppliers located in different regions, allowing us to tailor our offerings to meet customer demands. These marine fuels products are typically sourced, stored and blended into the desired specifications by cargo sellers such as major oil companies, national oil companies, and independent oil companies at their designated blending facilities. The physical distributor will source and purchase the marine fuels products from cargo sellers and load the marine fuels product onto the nominated marine fuels barges of the physical distributors or barge operator at the cargo seller’s designated storage facilities who will then perform the actual delivery to our customer’s receiving vessel. There may be instances where the delivery is made by road tankers, in this case the road tanker will load the marine fuels product at the designated shore storage facility designated by the cargo seller. In situations where only direct supply from pipelines at shore is available, our customer’s vessel will berth alongside a jetty to receive marine fuels directly from the shore tank by pipeline delivery.
For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023, the total volume of marine fuels supply that we arranged (under both our reselling and brokerage business) amounted to 142,050,237 metric tons and 162,528,209 metric tons, respectively. Set forth below is a breakdown of the ports where we arranged for the supply marine fuels for our customers:
| FY 2022 | FY 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
| Port Name | Volume (metric tons) | Percentage (%) | Port Name | Volume (metric tons) | Percentage (%) | |||||||||||||
| Singapore | 56,924.954 | 40.07 | Singapore | 72,074.453 | 44.35 | |||||||||||||
| Singapore EOPL | 11,259.255 | 7.93 | Hong Kong | 11,774.122 | 7.24 | |||||||||||||
| Fujairah | 9,397.188 | 6.62 | Pasir Gudang | 8,136.649 | 5.01 | |||||||||||||
| Yosu | 6,175.000 | 4.35 | Port Tanjung Pelepas | 5,594.698 | 3.44 | |||||||||||||
| Ko Sichang | 4,229.451 | 2.98 | Zeebrugge | 4,477.421 | 2.75 | |||||||||||||
| Freeport | 3,612.416 | 2.54 | Lian Yun Gang | 4,362.000 | 2.68 | |||||||||||||
| Shanghai | 3,194.310 | 2.25 | Singapore EOPL | 3,545.458 | 2.18 | |||||||||||||
| Ulsan | 2,880.000 | 2.03 | Port Klang | 3,196.643 | 1.97 | |||||||||||||
| Busan | 2,745.000 | 1.93 | Flushing | 3,196.610 | 1.97 | |||||||||||||
| Santos | 1,990.806 | 1.40 | Ningbo | 2,980.200 | 1.83 | |||||||||||||
| Others | 39,641.857 | 27.91 | Others | 43,189.954 | 26.57 | |||||||||||||
| Total | 142,050.237 | 100.00 | Total | 162,528.209 | 100.00 | |||||||||||||
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The regions where we have arranged for marine fuels supply for our customers are illustrated below:
South East Asia

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North East Asia

Middle East and South Asia

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Europe

Africa

North, Central and South America

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Our Competitive Strengths
Our main competitive strengths are as follows:
We operate in Singapore, a global major marine fuels hub and major shipping region in Asia Pacific
Our operations are strategically positioned within the largest global marine fuels hub of Singapore, which is also a pivotal location within the Asia Pacific’s major shipping routes. According to IMO’s fuel consumption data for vessels above 5000 metric tons in gross tonnage and standard industry assumption of 30 million metric tons are consumed by smaller vessels, the global marine fuels market reached an estimated size of 255 million metric tons in 2021. Singapore, recognized as the world’s largest marine fuels port, commands a significant market share, accounting for 19.62% of the estimated global volume. Official data from the Maritime Port Authority (“MPA”) reveals a total supply volume of 50.04 million metric tons in 2021. Leveraging our presence and operational model in Singapore, we believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for marine fuels within this regional market. Moreover, we believe that our market presence in the Asia Pacific region gives us direct access to the growth opportunities in the region. According to statistics provided by UNCTAD, Asia Pacific shipping ports handled about 42% of the total goods loaded worldwide and about 64% of total goods discharged worldwide in 2021, and we believe that the Asia Pacific region is expected to continue this dominant position in the marine fuels market which is supported by demands in North Eastern Asian ports such as Hong Kong, Zhoushan, and surrounding ports in Korea.
We have a scalable operating model to facilitate growth
We have established an efficient operating model with scalable advantages that positions us for market growth. Our operating model allows us to grow our business with limited additional investments and has low profitability breakeven thresholds in new geographical locations. By leveraging on our operating model, we will be able to scale our operations to generate additional income to drive profitability.
We have an experienced management team with in-depth knowledge and expertise
Our management team, consisting of Mr. Koh Kuan Hua, our Chairman of Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Ms. Stefanie Tay, our Chief Operating Officer and Director, Ms. Lee Ling Li, our Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Alan Tan, our Senior Vice President, Commercial, and Mr. Tan Guan Kai, our Vice President, Operations, have extensive experience in the marine fuels industry, averaging over 17 years. The team possess an in-depth knowledge of the industry as well as the expertise to manage and operate the business in their relevant capacities to develop and execute our business strategies to capture market opportunities.
We have an integrated global supply network
Unlike local marine fuels suppliers who only supply marine fuels at a single location or locations within a particular country, we provide extensive global coverage to our customers’ marine fuels requirements. Through our broad supply network, we offer our customers convenience and reliable access to marine fuels supply covering ports worldwide, across different time zones.
We adopt effective financial management
We optimize the financial resources that we possess to ensure liquidity, minimize financial risks, and maximize returns on investment. The designs of these processes ensure that we are efficient in our day-to-day business operations, that we have sufficient liquidity to make timely payments to our suppliers, avoid unnecessary losses in foreign exchange fluctuations, and that we be in a position to maximize potential business opportunities.
We are efficient and responsive when communicating with our customers
We take pride in our efficient and responsive approach to customer communication, recognizing that clarity and efficiency are paramount in meeting the operational requirements of our valued customers. We provide real-time support and 24/7 availability so that our customers receive the information they need promptly to support their operational decisions.
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We are agile and flexible in our business operations
Our business model as a reseller and broker of marine fuels products enables us to stay agile and flexible during market disruptions, fluctuations in market demands, and changes in market conditions. Our agile approach enables us to read market signals, anticipate changes, and adapt our strategies promptly such as being able to provide alternative sources of supply during shortages of product availability in the market. Our flexible approach enables us to allocate our working capital and credit resources opportunistically and promptly to business opportunities with better returns, especially in a higher-priced marine fuels environment.
Our Business Strategies and Future Plans
Strengthening and increasing our market share in existing markets
We plan to continue to work closely with our customers through regular customer engagements to ensure that we are offering marine fuels products and solutions that meet their specific requirements. Apart from delivering quality marine fuels at the agreed price, location, and terms to our customers, we will continue to offer our customers advanced market solutions such as fixed pricing (e.g. spot pricing, fixed forward pricing or floating pricing formula), financing that corresponds to the needs of selected customers, and fuel management that is backed by our in-house procurement capabilities. In addition, we will continue to incorporate value added solutions such as trade credit, market intelligence, and operational expertise as part of our offerings to our customers. We aim to strengthen our customer relationships to become their preferred marine fuels supplier and broaden our customer base by offering our services as a comprehensive one-stop shop that provides efficient and responsive access to uninterrupted marine fuels supply worldwide.
Increasing our market presence through expansion into new geographical locations
We plan to expand our geographical presence at key shipping hubs around the world to gain access to new markets and further increase and strengthen our market positions in these areas. Depending on the resources available to us, our immediate plan is to build upon our presence in Asia by continuing to expand our sales operations and supply network. During our expansion process, we may hire local employees with suitable backgrounds to establish our brand in new markets. As we expand our geographical coverage, we will be able to better serve our existing and new customers at closer proximity and offer comprehensive marine fuels solutions and benefits through the scale of our operations. At the same time, we also will continue to strengthen our relationships with existing local suppliers and establish new relationships with local suppliers to secure and diversify our supplier concentration mix so that we can continue to obtain attractive terms through our sourcing to optimize our margins.
We have established a branch office in South Korea in March 2024. Going forward, we may consider setting up subsidiaries, branch offices or representative offices in different regions around the world across different time zones such as Houston in the United States, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, London in the United Kingdom, to support our sales and marketing activities. The decision and timing of setting up these entities or offices including the exact locations is dependent on the availability of financial resources, commercial viability at the time of execution and human resources to the Company.
Competitive sourcing and diversification of suppliers in our supply network
We believe that the diversification of suppliers in our supply network is crucial for mitigating our operational risks, ensuring operational continuity, and improving our competitive sourcing capabilities. By maintaining a diverse base of suppliers, we will be able to be more competent in our offerings to our customers. We are also able to remain resilient during market disruptions, where we will have the options to source from multiple suppliers, thus increasing our chances of securing the supply for our customers. By working with an enlarged pool of suppliers, we will be able to optimize our sourcing capabilities such as varying options for benchmarking our buying prices, optionality to appoint suitable suppliers to maintain high delivery standards, at the most competitive pricing available.
Attract, develop and retain talented employees
We believe that a significant part of our success is attributable to our ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain our talented employees. We plan to continue to strengthen our team by proactively recruiting, retaining, and training talents in the sales and marketing department. We intend to develop a compelling employer brand that reflects our commitment to innovation, diversity, and positive work culture. We also plan to continuously improve and invest on our trainee trader program to cultivate a sustainable revenue-generating workforce. We will continue to focus on retaining and attracting talented employees through competitive compensation packages, well-being programs, career advancement opportunities, and recognition and rewards programs for qualified employees.
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Increasing financial resources available to us
Our working capital dictates how much revenue we can generate. Our principal sources of liquidity to finance our day-to-day operations are from the financing provided by a financing institution, our Major Shareholders and cashflow from operating activities. We have obtained facilities from Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited Singapore Branch with an aggregate limit of US$1,500,000. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, only the trade financing facilities were drawn down, which amounted to US$1,203,938 and US$1,195,149, respectively. As of October 2024the facility we received from Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited Singapore Branch is no longer active and we have obtained a banking facility with United Overseas Bank Limited for an aggregate limit of US$4,000,000. As part of our daily operations, we also negotiate for favorable credit terms from our suppliers to enhance our cash flow liquidity. Going forward, we plan to increase our trade financing facility with financial institutions so that we can conclude more business resulting in higher revenue streams. Part of the net proceeds of this offering will be applied to our working capital. We intend to gain further access to trade financing from financial institutions which will allow us to drive our growth and maximize value to our shareholders.
Maintain high level of credit and compliance risk management processes
Credit and compliance risk management are integral components of our financial well-being, sustainability, and reputation. The upkeeping of efficient and robust risk management processes will foster trust amongst our stakeholders, ensure regulatory compliance, and safeguard the integrity of our daily operations. We will continue to employ a dynamic credit risk management approach that involves continuous assessment of our credit exposures to promptly identify and mitigate potential risks associated with our credit portfolio. By meticulously evaluating the creditworthiness of our customers, we aim to minimize default risk and optimize the quality of our customer portfolio. We will continue to strategically diversify our credit exposure across different shipping market sectors to reduce our concentration risk to remain resilient in the face of economic fluctuations. We will continue to uphold the highest standards of regulatory compliance. Our compliance risk management processes are meticulously designed to ensure adherence to all applicable laws, regulations, and industry best practices. The established framework integrates comprehensive policies, procedures, and internal controls by serving as a guide for our teams to navigate complex regulatory landscapes with diligence.
Selective acquisition of companies and/or formation of partnerships and/or joint ventures
We may acquire stakes in companies and/or forming partnerships and/or joint ventures with potential business partners within the value chain of the shipping and marine fuels industry, with a view to support the business growth of our company and diversify our revenue streams. While we have not identified any specific targets, we may plan to selectively pursue acquisitions and formation of partnerships and/or joint ventures that complement our existing operations, facilitate our business strategies as well as strengthening our market solutions, enhancing our market capabilities and/or expanding our market presence in our core markets, in order to maximize the potential value and capability of our company. Our potential targets for acquisition and formation of partnerships and/or joint ventures will focus on companies with operations that will enhance our profitability, market share and bring synergy to our business. The choice of potential targets is subject to the candidate’s ability to complement and value add to our existing business. As of the date of this prospectus, we have not identified any targets for acquisition of companies and/or formation of joint ventures.
Increasing our service offering in alternative fuels
Due to changes to ongoing regulatory guidelines, the shipping industry is witnessing a shift towards exploring and adopting alternative fuels where we foresee a growth in LNG and biofuel demand in the coming years. We plan to engage our existing and potential customers to understand their potential requirements for LNG and biofuel as we go along. By understanding their potential requirements, we will be able to provide relevant solutions to potentially increase our sales volume for this product segment when there is demand.
In the near term, we plan to apply for ISCC EU and ISCC Plus certificates from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (“ISCC”), a global certification system that sets standards for sustainable production, sourcing and trade of all kinds of bio-based feedstock and biofuel, in line with Renewable Energy Directive (“RED II”). Biofuel suppliers and operators must provide a Proof of Sustainability (“PoS”) to verify the sustainability of feedstock and energy inputs. A PoS follows a fuel batch throughout its whole supply chain with GHG estimates. The certification will enable us to pass on PoS for liquid and gaseous biofuel, including fatty acid methyl ester (“FAME”), hydrotreated vegetable oil (“HVO”) and liquefied biomethane (“LBM”).
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Formation of new income streams
We may pursue potential business opportunities beyond the reselling and brokering of marine fuels supply. These business opportunities may include activities within the upstream marine fuels supply chain such as the storage, blending and/or transportation of marine fuels products, and expansion into new customer market sectors such as fishing and naval vessels. The formation of these new income streams may be carried out in conjunction with the selective acquisition of companies and/or formation of partnerships and/or joint ventures or may be developed separately for its sole intention depending on the financial and commercial resources that are available to us. We believe these new income streams will generate additional income for our business, thus increasing our overall profitability.
Our Major Customers
Our major customers of the Group are shipping companies and marine fuels suppliers. Most of our customers are based in South East Asia. Our shipping company customers operate across various market sectors, including bulk carriers, tanker vessels, offshore support vessels, container ships, general cargo vessels, tugs and barges, car carriers, cruise liners, yachts, and dredging vessels. Our comprehensive suite of services caters to the unique fueling needs of each sector, ensuring efficient and reliable fuel procurement and delivery processes.
We did not enter into any long-term written agreements or sales contracts with our customers for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Instead, our transactions are executed through individual sales orders on a per-transaction basis. As such, there are no long-term purchase commitments from our customers, and they are not contractually obligated to purchase a fixed quantity of oil from us over any specific period.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, no customer accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s revenues. For the year ended December 31, 2022, there were four customers accounting for 10% or more of the Group’s revenues. These four customers were Customer A, Customer B, Customer C and Customer D, which accounted for 38%, 15%, 11%, and 11%, respectively, of the Group’s total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022.
For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there was one customer accounted for 10% or more of our revenues. Revenue from that customer for the six months ended June 30, 2024 represented 15% of our total revenues for that period. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were two customers accounting for 10% or more of our revenues. Revenues from these customers for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented 36% and 19% of our total revenues for that period, respectively.
As of December 31, 2023, there was one customer whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts receivable and it accounted for approximately 15% of the total balances of receivables from customers. As of December 31, 2022, there were two customers whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts receivable and they accounted for approximately 65% and 29% of the total balances of receivables from customers, respectively.
As of June 30, 2024, there were three customers whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of our total balances of accounts receivable and accounted for approximately 15%, 12% and 10% of the total balances of receivables from customers, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, there was one customer whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of our total balances of accounts receivable and it accounted for approximately 15% of the total balances of receivables from customers.
Except for Customer A, i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd, which is a related party, none of the customers referenced above is a related party of the Company. See “Related Party Transactions.”
Our Major Vendors
We generally source marine fuels from physical distributors or resellers. We did not enter into any long-term written agreements or supply contracts with our vendors for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Instead, our transactions are executed through individual purchase orders on a per-transaction basis. As such, there is no long-term supply commitments from our vendors and they are not contractually obligated to supply to us a fixed quantity of oil over any specific period.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, one vendor accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by the vendor for the year ended December 31, 2023 represented 13% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that year. For the year ended December 31, 2022, two vendors accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these two vendors for the year ended December 31, 2022 represented 60% and 25% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that year, respectively.
As of December 31, 2023, there were two vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts payable and they accounted for approximately 28% and 12% of the total balance of accounts payables, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, there were two vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts payable and they accounted for approximately 69% and 31% of the total balances of accounts payables, respectively.
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Sales and Marketing
We segment our customers based into end users (e.g. shipping companies including ship owners, operators and charterers) and marine fuels suppliers (e.g. physical distributors and resellers). Our customers may be further classified into market sectors delineated by type of vessel, such as bulk, tanker, offshore, container, general cargo, tug and barge, car carrier, cruise, yacht and dredging.
Our sales and marketing strategy revolves around our global integrated supply network where we consistently market our services to existing and prospective customers. We foster mutual rapport and long-term relationships with our customers by providing quality marine fuels and reliable solutions based on our customers’ specific requirements.
We maintain our customer relationships through regular customer engagements such as emails, calls, instant messaging, frequent meetings, and business trips. We pay close attention to their needs and preferences to better relate and understand their purchasing requirements. We also respond in a timely manner as and when required by our customers where we provide collaborative problem-solving solutions as well as providing operational expertise and sharing up to date market intelligence to help them navigate their operational processes. In the process, we may get referrals from existing customers and suppliers from time to time. We will also participate in industry events, conferences and exhibitions to network with industry participants where we may meet existing customers or potential business partners who may in time become our customers. As part of our marketing campaign, we may also engage in social media marketing, advertise on industry related publications as well as sponsor customer’s and supplier’s events from time to time.
We believe our leadership’s years of experience in the industry, reputation, and level of customer service are significant factors in retaining our customers and attracting new customers.
We do not expect any changes to our target customer base going forward unless we expand into a new business line.
Presently, we are operating our sales and marketing arm from our head office in Singapore and marketing arm from our Korea branch office which was recently set up in March 2024.
Our sales and marketing team is led by Alan Tan, Senior Vice-President, Commercial. He manages a team of senior bunker traders and bunker traders including the branch manager of our Korean branch office who joined the Group in March 2024. The major role and responsibilities of our sales and marketing team include developing strong relationships with customers, identifying and pursuing new business opportunities by actively prospecting and acquisition of new customers, onboarding new customers to conduct potential business, sourcing and negotiating marine fuels prices and terms with customers and suppliers, execute transactions related to the sale and purchase of marine fuel, providing real time operational support and market intelligence based on customer requirements, and following up on receivables collections.
Our Pricing Policy and Strategy
The key factors that influence our pricing include market conditions on supply and demand, cost structure related to the purchase of marine fuel, credit risk associated to our customer’s creditworthiness, competition faced for each business opportunity, and the quality of our business relationships with customers.
Receivables and Credit Terms
Our receivables credit terms are typically 30 days from the date of delivery. There may also be instances where we granted extended credit terms such as 45 days or 60 days from date of delivery to our customers or shorter credit terms like cash on delivery, 7 days or 14 days from the date of delivery, etc, to our customers. We will request for cash in advance payment terms from customers where we are unable to grant trade credit. In this instance, delivery will only be arranged after receiving payment from our customer.
We have not encountered difficulty in trade receivables collection till date since our inception.
Brokers and Commissions
We may work with third parties i.e. broker who refers a potential transaction to us. If the event we work with such parties, we will pay broker fee to the designated third party.
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Quality Control
As part of our sourcing process, we will ensure that the marine fuels products supplied by us fulfil the standards that comply with industry specifications.
These standards may include but not limited to International Organization for Standardization (“ISO”) standards such as:
| ■ | ISO 8217:2005 (E) – specifies the requirements for petroleum fuels for use in marine diesel engines and boilers, prior to appropriate treatment before use. It specifies four categories of distillate fuel, one of which is for diesel engines for emergency purposes. It also specifies ten categories of residual fuel. | |
| ■ | ISO 8217:2010 (E) – specifies the requirements for petroleum fuels for use in marine diesel engines and boilers, prior to appropriate treatment before use. The specifications for fuels in ISO 8217:2010 can also be applicable to fuels for stationary diesel engines of the same or similar make and type as those used for marine purposes. It specifies four categories of distillate fuel, one of which is for diesel engines for emergency purposes. It also specifies six categories of residual fuel. | |
| ■ | ISO 8217:2012 (E) - specifies the requirements for petroleum fuels for use in marine diesel engines and boilers, prior to appropriate treatment before use. The specifications for fuels in ISO 8217:2012 can also be applicable to fuels for stationary diesel engines of the same or similar make and type as those used for marine purposes. It specifies four categories of distillate fuel, one of which is for diesel engines for emergency purposes. It also specifies six categories of residual fuel. | |
| ■ | ISO 8217:2017 (E) - specifies the requirements for fuels for use in marine diesel engines and boilers, prior to conventional onboard treatment (settling, centrifuging, filtration) before use. It specifies seven categories of distillate fuels, one of which is for diesel engines used for emergency purposes. It also specifies six categories of residual fuels |
In the event where ISO standards are unavailable, we will provide our customer with a specification standard that is available. In this instance, we will conclude the transaction with our customer after their acceptance of the available specification standard.
In addition, subject to the requirements of our customers, we may also arrange for testing of the quality of the marine fuels pre- or post-delivery to our customers at an extra cost. We may appoint independent third-party surveyors to conduct laboratory testing of the marine fuels to determine if the supplied product meets the agreed specification.
As part of our agreement with our suppliers, we will require our suppliers to collect a minimum of two samples during the delivery of marine fuel, where one will be retained by the marine fuels barge and the other will be retained by the receiving vessel. The seal numbers of these samples will be documented on the bunker delivery note and signed off by the parties involved of the delivery. In the event our customer raises any discrepancies over the quality of the marine fuels that has been supplied, we will notify our supplier and investigate by performing a mutually agreed joint laboratory analysis as per the terms of the delivery where the test results shall be deemed as final and binding. The party at fault shall bear the cost of the testing and compensate the other party. In this case, our customer may seek compensation from us, and we will in turn, seek compensation from our supplier.
Research and Development
We did not conduct any research and development activities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 and the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Competition
The marine fuels supply chain is highly fragmented, with many different types of companies involved in the marine fuels supply ecosystem. We face competition from different marine fuels participants operating in each of the geographic markets in which operate. These include national oil companies, oil majors, oil independents, commodity trading houses, oil traders, storage terminals, international bunker traders, online procurement platforms, brokers, smaller regional bunker traders, bunkering pools servicing shipping fleets and bunker buying alliances. They are involved at different stages – from production, transportation, and storage through to procurement, sales and marketing, and delivery to the end customers.
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We consider our major competitors to be marine fuels suppliers that transact directly with end user customers. We generally compete in areas such as pricing, sufficient access to trade credit, working capital, supply network, market intelligence, operational expertise, as well as the ability to upkeep stakeholders’ relationships.
Seasonality
Our Group’s business activities are generally not directly affected by factors associated with seasonality. We may experience fluctuation in demand due to heightened or weakened economic conditions, geopolitical events, and shifts in trade patterns in areas where we operate.
Insurance
Our Group maintains various forms of insurance coverage for all risks on contents related to physical property of the Company, public liability insurance such as fire insurance, insurance for work injury that also includes third party bodily injury that occurs within our office premises, medical insurance policies that cover outpatient, hospitalization, surgical and dental, personal accident insurance, as well as business travel insurance for our employees.
Intellectual Property
Trademark
We have registered the following trademark with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore:
| Trademark | Application Number | Proprietor | Classes | |||
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40202405063W | Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd. | 04,36 |
We have also filed an application to register the following trademark with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore on September 10, 2024:
| Trademark | Application Number | Applicant | Classes | |||
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40202420741Y | Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd. | 04,36 |
Domain
We have a registered domain, www.uni-fuels.com. The information contained on this website is not a part of this prospectus.
Marine fuels trading primarily involves the buying and selling of physical commodities. Unlike technology-intensive industries where patents and trade secrets play a significant role, marine fuels trading relies less on proprietary technology or processes. We use the trade name “Uni-Fuels” as our brand, for which we have applied for trademark registration. Due to the nature of our business, we believe our exposure to intellectual property risk in our business is limited, and therefore we have not implemented any measures to protect our intellectual property. Since our inception, there have not, to our knowledge, been any infringements of intellectual property rights owned by the Company, including but not limited to any claims and threatened claims or proceedings initiated by us; and we have not been subject to any third party claims relating to intellectual property made against us.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have not entered into any licensing agreements relating to our intellectual property with any third parties; and except for off-the-shelf software, we do not license intellectual property from any third party.
Employees
As of August 31, 2024, we had a workforce of 16 employees who are located in Singapore and 1 employee who is located in Korea. The following table sets forth the number of our employees as of August 31, 2024 by function:
| Number | % of Total | |||||||
| Management | 5 | 33 | % | |||||
| Finance, Accounting, Human Resource and Administration | 4 | 27 | % | |||||
| Sales and Marketing | 8 | 40 | % | |||||
| Total | 17 | 100 | % | |||||
Our success depends on our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees that share our values. We place great emphasis on our corporate culture to ensure that we maintain consistently high standards where we operate. We believe that we maintain a good working relationship with our employees and we have not experienced any significant labor disputes.
We provide training to new sales and marketing employees with no experience in the marine fuels industry working in the sales and marketing department.
We enter into standard labor contracts and confidentiality agreements with our employees.
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Properties
Our principal place of business is located at 15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07, Singapore 189677, where we lease approximately 1,442.38 square feet of office space. Our Singapore office is leased under one lease which will expire on May 31, 2026. We believe that our facilities are adequate to meet our needs for the immediate future, and that, should it be needed, suitable additional space will be available on commercially reasonable terms to accommodate any expansion of our operations.
Legal Proceedings
We may from time to time be subject to various legal or administrative claims and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. The Company is and has not been a party to any litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings that we believe would, individually or taken as a whole, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations, and, insofar as we are aware, no such litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings are pending, threatened, or contemplated.
Our Social Responsibilities
Our Group is dedicated to conducting business with a strong commitment to ethics, sustainability, and social responsibility, while ensuring compliance with all relevant rules and regulations. The discussions below outline our core areas of focus for corporate social responsibility:
Employee health and safety. We are dedicated to establishing satisfactory and optimal working conditions for our employees across our operational areas. We place great importance on creating a safe work environment and continuously strive to improve our procedures to ensure the health and safety of our staff, aiming to foster a happy, healthy, and productive workforce.
Employee development. We value professional growth and development of our employees. We encourage employees to enhance their professional and personal competencies through internal and external education and training programs.
Equal opportunities. When hiring new team members, we carefully assess candidates based on their professional and personal skills, without regard to gender, nationality, skin color, religion, or sexual orientation. Our focus is on recruiting competent professionals. Equal career and management opportunities are available to all employees.
Environment. As a service provider of marine fuels to the global shipping companies, we prioritize minimizing our environmental impact. We are committed to complying with applicable environmental regulations to ensure lower emissions. Our aim is to provide environmentally better alternatives while meeting the needs of our business partners. We expect all our partners to fulfil regulatory requirements, maintain safe working conditions and equipment, and demonstrate environmentally responsible practices.
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We are subject to all relevant laws and regulations of Singapore and may be affected by policies which may be introduced by their respective governments from time to time. We have identified the main laws and regulations (apart from those pertaining to general business requirements) that materially affect our operations, including the licenses, permits and approvals typically required for the conduct of our business, and the relevant regulatory bodies, below.
As of the date of this prospectus, our Directors believe that we are not in breach of any laws or regulations applicable to our business operations that would materially affect our business operations, and our Group is in compliance with all the applicable laws and regulations that are material to our business operations. The Group may be subject to certain fines/penalties arising from its ordinary course of business from time to time.
Singapore
Laws and regulations relating to employment
Employment Act 1968 of Singapore (“EA 1968”)
The EA 1968 covers every employee who is under a contact of service with an employer and includes a workman (as defined under the EA 1968) subject to exceptions. The definition of “employee” under the EA 1968 does not extend to, among others, freelance contractors who have entered into a contract for service. Accordingly, freelance contractors would not be considered as employees of our Group. The EA 1968 prescribes certain minimum conditions of service that employers are required to provide to their employees, including (i) minimum days of statutory annual and sick leave (Sections 88A and 89 of the EA 1968 respectively); (ii) paid public holidays (Section 88 of the EA 1968); (iii) statutory protection against wrongful dismissal (Section 14 of the EA 1968); (iv) provision of key employment terms in writing (Section 95A of the EA 1968); and (v) statutory maternity leave and childcare leave benefits (Sections 76 and Section 87A of the EA 1968 respectively).
A workman is defined under Section 2 of the EA 1968 as including, among others, (a) any person, skilled or unskilled, who has entered into a contract of service with an employer in pursuance of which he is engaged in manual labor, including any apprentice; and (b) any person employed partly for manual labor and partly for the purpose of supervising in person any workman in and throughout the performance of his work.
The main employment provisions of the EA 1968, which includes public holiday and sick leave entitlements, minimum days of annual leave, payment of salary and allowable deductions and release for wrongful dismissal, cover all employees, including persons employed in a managerial or executive position, except public servants, domestic workers, seafarers and those who are covered separately.
In addition to the main employment provisions of the EA 1968, Part 4 of the Employment Act contains provisions relating to, among other things, working hours, overtime, rest days, holidays, annual leave, payment of retrenchment benefit, priority of retirement benefit, annual wage supplements and other conditions of work or service (“Part 4”). However, such Part 4 provisions only apply to: (a) workmen earning basic monthly salaries of not more than S$4,500; and (b) employees (excluding workmen or a person employed in a managerial or an executive position) earning basic monthly salaries of not more than S$2,600. An employer who breaches any provision of Part 4 of the EA 1968 is guilty of an offense and is liable on conviction for a fine not exceeding S$5,000, and for a second or subsequent offense a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.
From April 1, 2016, employers are required to issue to their employees who are covered by the EA 1968 and who are employed for 14 days or more a written record of the key employment terms of the employee. The key employment terms required to be provided (unless inapplicable to such employee) include, among other things, working arrangements (such as daily working hours, number of working days per week and rest day(s)), salary period, basic salary, fixed allowances and deductions, over time rate of pay, types of leave and other medical benefits.
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Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 of Singapore (“EFMA 1990”)
The employment of foreign employees in Singapore is governed by EFMA 1990 and is regulated by the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore (“MOM”).
Section 5 of the EFMA 1990 provides that no person shall employ a foreign employee unless the foreign employee has obtained a valid work pass from the MOM in accordance with the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations 2012, which allows the foreign employee to work for him. Any person who fails to comply with or contravenes this provision of the EFMA 1990 is guilty of an offense and will: (a) be liable on conviction for a fine not less than S$5,000 and not more than S$30,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both; and (b) on a second or subsequent conviction: (i) in the case of an individual, be liable for a fine of not less than S$10,000 and not more than S$30,000 and imprisonment for a term of not less than one month and not more than 12 months; or (ii) in any other case, be punished with a fine of not less than S$20,000 and not more than S$60,000.
The work pass to be issued to a foreigner is contingent on, among other things, the type of work and salary being received by the foreigner. Foreign professionals, managers and executives earning a fixed monthly salary of at least S$5,000 (in all sectors except the financial services sector) and at least $5,500 (in the financial sector), with acceptable qualifications (such as a good university degree, professional qualifications or specialist skills) are eligible for an employment pass. The qualifying salaries increase for older and more experienced candidates. From 1 September 2023, in addition to meeting qualifying salary, employment pass candidates must also pass a points-based Complementarity Assessment Framework (“COMPASS”). From 1 September 2023, new applications for mid-level skilled staff earning a fixed monthly salary of at least S$3,150 (in all sectors except the financial services) and $3,650 (in the financial services sector) who possess a degree, diploma or technical certificate and have the relevant work experience may apply for an S-pass; and semi-skilled foreign workers from approved source countries working in, among others, the manufacturing sector may apply for a work permit.
Further, under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations 2012, an employer of a Work Permit or S-Pass holder is required to purchase and maintain medical insurance with coverage of at least S$15,000 per 12-month period of a foreign workers’ employment (or for such shorter period where the foreign workers’ period of employment is less than 12 months) for the foreign workers’ in-patient care and day surgery except as the Controller of Work Passes may otherwise provide by notification in writing.
On 4 March 2022, the MOM announced the enhanced medical insurance coverage to better protect employers from bearing large unexpected medical bills. The medical insurance coverage will apply to all new Work Permit and S Pass applications and renewals. Some of the key features of the said enhanced medical insurance coverage include (a) introduction of a co-payment element for employers and insurers for amounts above $15,000, up to an annual claim limit of at least $60,000, (b) standardization of allowable exclusion clauses (c) introduction of age-differentiated premiums (d) requirement for insurers to reimburse hospitals directly upon the admissibility of the claim. This has since come into effect from 1 July 2023.
In addition, the employment of foreign workers is also subject to sector-specific rules regulated by the MOM achieved via various policy instruments including: (a) business activity; (b) approved source countries; (c) the imposition of security bonds and levies; and (d) quota (or dependency ratio ceilings) based on the ratio of local to foreign workers.
Central Provident Fund Act 1953 of Singapore (“CPFA 1953”)
Pursuant to Section 7 of the CPFA 1953, an employer is obliged to make CPF contributions for all employees who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents who are employed in Singapore by an employer (save for employees who are employed as a master, a seaman or an apprentice in any vessel, subject to an exception for non-exempted owners). CPF contributions are not applicable for foreigners who hold employment passes, S passes or work permits. CPF contributions are required for both ordinary wages and additional wages (subject to an ordinary wage ceiling and a yearly additional wage ceiling) of employees at the applicable prescribed rates which is dependent on, among other things, the amount of monthly wages and the age of the employee. An employer must pay both the employer’s and employee’s share of the monthly CPF contribution. However, an employer can recover the employee’s share of CPF contributions by deducting it from their wages.
Where the amount of the contributions which an employer is liable to pay under Section 9 of the CPFA 1953 in respect of any month is not paid within the prescribed period, the employer shall be liable for the payment of interest on the amount for everyday the amount remains unpaid commencing from the first day of the month succeeding the month in respect of which the amount is payable and the interest shall be calculated at the rate of 1.5% per month or the sum of S$5, whichever is greater. Where any employer who has recovered any amount from the monthly wages of an employee in accordance with the CPFA 1953 fails to pay the contributions to the CPF within the prescribed time, he will be guilty of an offense and will be liable on conviction for a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or both. Where an offense has been committed under the CPFA 1953 but there are no specific penalties provided, the offender may be liable for a fine not exceeding S$5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both, and where the offense is repeated by the same offender, the offender may be liable for a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.
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Laws and regulations relating to workplace health and safety
Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 of Singapore (“WSHA 2006”)
Sections 12(1) and 12(2) of the WSHA 2006 provide that every employer has the duty to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, such measures as are necessary to ensure the safety and health of its employees at work. These measures include providing and maintaining for the employees a work environment that is safe, without risk to health, and adequate with regards to facilities and arrangements for employees’ welfare at work, ensuring that adequate safety measures are taken in respect of any machinery, equipment, plant, article or process used by the employees, ensuring that the employees are not exposed to hazards arising out of the arrangement, disposal, manipulation, organization, processing, storage, transport, working or use of things in or near their workplace and under the control of the employer, developing and implementing procedures for dealing with emergencies that may arise while those persons are at work and ensuring that the employees at work have adequate instruction, information, training and supervision as is necessary for them to perform their work. The relevant regulatory body is the MOM.
Any person who breaches his duty under the WSHA 2006 is guilty of an offense and will be liable on conviction, for situations where no penalty is expressly provided, in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding S$500,000 and if the contravention continues after the conviction, the body corporate shall be guilty of a further offense and will be liable to a fine not exceeding S$5,000 for every day or part thereof during which the offense continues after conviction. For repeat offenders, where a person has on at least one previous occasion been convicted of an offense under the WSHA 2006 that causes the death of any person and that person is subsequently convicted of the same offense that causes the death of another person, the court may, in addition to any imprisonment, if prescribed, punish the person, in the case of a body corporate, with a fine not exceeding S$1 million and, in the case of a continuing offense, with a further fine not exceeding S$5,000 for every day or part thereof during which the offense continues after conviction.
Under Section 16 of the WSHA 2006, it is the duty of any person who manufactures any machinery, equipment or hazardous substance (“MEHS”), which includes, among other things, welding equipment, for use at work to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that (a) information regarding the safe use of the MEHS is supplied for use at work (which should include precautions to be taken for the proper use and maintenance of such MEHS, the health hazards associated with the MEHS and the information relating to and the results of any examinations or tests of the MEHS that are relevant to its safe use); (b) the MEHS are safe, and without risk to health, when properly used; and (c) the MEHS are examined and tested in compliance with the obligation imposed by paragraph (b). The duties imposed on any person in respect of the aforementioned shall (i) apply only if the MEHS are manufactured or supplied in the course of a trade or business carried on by the person (whether for profit or not); (ii) apply whether or not the MEHS are exclusively manufactured or supplied for use by persons at work; (iii) extend to the supply of the MEHS by way of sale, transfer, lease or hire and whether as principal or agent, and to the supply of the MEHS to a person for the purpose of supply to others; and (iv) not apply to a person by reason only that the person supplies the machinery or equipment under a lease-purchase agreement, conditional sale agreement or credit-sale agreement to another (“customer”) in the course of a business of financing the acquisition of the machinery or equipment by the customer from others. In the event any person contravenes the relevant provision in the WSHA 2006 that imposes the aforementioned duty on such person, that person is guilty of an offense, and liable on conviction (in the case of a natural person) for a fine not exceeding S$200,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both, or (in the case of a body corporate) for a fine not exceeding S$500,000.
Under Section 21(1), read with Section 21(2) of the WSHA 2006, the Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health (the “CWSH”) may serve a remedial order or a stop-work order in respect of a workplace if he is satisfied that (a) the workplace is in such condition, or is so located, or any part of the machinery, equipment, plant or article in the workplace is soused, that any work or process carried on in the workplace cannot be carried on with due regard to the safety, health and welfare of persons at work; (b) any person has contravened any duty imposed by the WSHA 2006; or (c) any person has done any act, or has refrained from doing any act which, in the opinion of the CWSH, poses or is likely to pose a risk to the safety, health and welfare of persons at work.
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The remedial order shall direct the person served with the order to take such measures, to the satisfaction of the CWSH, to, among other things, remedy any danger so as to enable the work or process in the workplace to be carried on with due regard to the safety, health and welfare of the persons at work, whereas a stop-work order will direct the person served with the order to immediately cease to carry on any work or process indefinitely or until such measures as are required by the CWSH have been taken, to the satisfaction of the CWSH, to remedy any danger so as to enable the work or process in the workplace to be carried on with due regard to the safety, health and welfare of the persons at work, and shall specify the date on which such order is to take effect.
Pursuant to the Workplace Safety and Health (Noise) Regulations 2011 of Singapore (the “WSHNR 2011”), the occupier of a workplace must take reasonably practicable measures to reduce or control the noise from any machinery or equipment used or from any process, operation or work carried out by him in the workplace, so that no person at work in the workplace is exposed or likely to be exposed to excessive noise. This may include replacing noisy machinery, equipment, processes, operations or work with less noisy machinery, equipment, processes, operations or work, and such other measures as prescribed under the WSHNR 2011. Where it is not practicable to reduce the noise, the occupier of a workplace shall limit the duration of time persons at work are exposed to the noise in accordance with the time limits prescribed in the Schedule under the WSHNR 2011. Any person who contravenes the aforementioned is guilty of an offense and is liable on conviction for a fine not exceeding S$20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, for a fine not exceeding S$50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both.
Pursuant to the Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations 2006 (“Risk Management Regulations 2006”), the employer in a workplace is supposed to, among other things, conduct a risk assessment in relation to the safety and health risks posed to any person who may be affected by his undertaking in the workplace, take all reasonably practicable steps to eliminate or minimize foreseeable risks, implement measures or safety procedures to address the risks. A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes the aforementioned requirements shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both. Every employer is also required to maintain records of such risk assessments and measures/safety procedures and submit such records to the CWSH when required by the CWSH from time to time. Any employer who fails to comply with the requirement to maintain records is guilty of an offense and is liable on conviction for a fine not exceeding S$20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both for the first offense, and for a fine not exceeding S$50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both for a subsequent offense. Such records are to be kept for a period of not less than three years. Any employer who fails to do so without reasonable excuse shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 for the first offense, and a fine not exceeding S$20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both for a subsequent offense.
Workplace Safety and Health (General Provisions) Regulations of Singapore (“WSHR”)
More specific duties imposed by MOM as laid out in the WSHR include taking effective measures to protect persons at work from the harmful effects of any exposure to any biohazardous material which may constitute a risk to their health and ensuring that the employee has the necessary expertise for the work that he is engaged for and implemented adequate safety and health measures.
Pursuant to the WSHR, the following equipment, among others, are required to be tested and examined by an examiner (the “Authorized Examiner”), who is authorized by the CWSH, before they can be used in a factory and thereafter, at specified intervals:
| ● | hoist or lift; |
| ● | lifting gears; and/or |
| ● | lifting appliances and lifting machines. |
Upon examination, the Authorized Examiner will issue and sign a certificate of test and examination, specifying the safe working load of the equipment. Such certificate of test and examination shall be kept available for inspection. Under Regulation 22 of the WSHR, it is the duty of the owner of the equipment/occupier of a workplace to keep a register containing the requisite particulars with respect to the lifting gears, lifting appliances and lifting machines. In addition to the above, under the WSHA 2006, inspectors appointed by the CWSH may, among others, enter, a workplace, to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary to ascertain whether the provisions of the WSHA 2006 are complied with, to take samples of any material or substance found in a workplace or being discharged from any workplace for the purpose of analysis or test, to assess the levels of noise, illumination, heat or harmful or hazardous substances in any workplace and the exposure levels of persons at work therein and to take into custody any article in a workplace which is required for the purpose of an investigation or inquiry under the WSHA 2006.
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Risk Management Regulations
Pursuant to the Risk Management Regulations, employers and principal must in every workplace conduct a risk assessment in relation to the safety and health risks posed to any person who may be affected by his undertaking in the workplace. Thereafter, employers should take all reasonably practicable steps to eliminate any foreseeable risk to any person who may be affected by his undertaking in the workplace. Where it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate such risk, the employer or principal is required to implement reasonably practicable measures to minimize the risk, such as substitution, engineering control, administrative control and provision and use of suitable personal protective equipment, and safe work procedures to control the risk. All reasonably practicable steps should also be taken by the employer to ensure that any person in the workplace who may be exposed to a risk to his safety and health is informed of the nature of the risk involved, and any measure of safe work procedures implemented.
Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 of Singapore (“WICA 2019”)
The WICA 2019, which is regulated by the MOM, applies to all employees who are engaged under a contract of service or apprenticeship with an employer regardless of their level of earnings. The WICA 2019 does not cover self-employed persons or independent contractors. However, as Section 13(1) of the WICA 2019 provides that, where any person (referred to as the principal) in the course of or for the purpose of his trade or business contracts with any other person (referred to as the subcontractor employer), the principal may be liable to compensate those employees of the subcontractor employer who were injured while employed in the execution of work for the principal. In addition, the WICA 2019 provides that if an employee dies or sustains injuries in a work-related accident or contracts occupational diseases in the course of the employment, the employer shall be liable to pay compensation in accordance with the provisions of the WICA 2019. An injured employee is entitled to claim medical leave wages, medical expenses and lump sum compensation for permanent incapacity or death, subject to certain limits stipulated in the WICA 2019.
Should an employee suffer an injury arising out of and in the course of his employment, he can choose to either:
(a) report the accident to his employer in order to submit a claim for compensation through the MOM without needing to prove fault or negligence on anyone’s part. There is a fixed formula in the WICA 2019 for the amount of compensation to be awarded; or
(b) commence legal proceedings to claim damages under common law against the employer for breach of duty or negligence.
Under the WICA 2019, every employer is required to insure and maintain insurance under approved policies with an insurer against all liabilities which he may incur under the provisions of the WICA 2019 in respect of all employees employed by him, unless specifically exempted. Failure to provide adequate insurance is an offense carrying a fine of up to S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term of up to 12 months, or both for a first time offender. For further information on our Group’s insurance policies, please refer to the section headed “Business – Insurance”.
Laws and regulations relating to COVID-19 and infectious diseases
Infectious Diseases Act 1976 of Singapore (“IDA 1976”)
Under the IDA 1976, if the Director-General of Health (“DGH”) has reason to believe that there exist on any premises conditions that are likely to lead to the outbreak or spread of any infectious disease, he may, among other things, by written notice, order the closure of the premises for a period not exceeding 14 days, and require the owner or occupier of the premises to cleanse or disinfect the premises in the manner and within the time specified in the notice or carry out such additional measures as the DGH may require in the manner and within the time specified in the notice. Such notice directing the owner or the occupier of the premises to close the premises may be renewed by the DGH from time to time for such period, not exceeding 14 days, as the DGH may, by written notice, specify.
In addition, pursuant to Section 15 of the IDA 1976, the DGH may order the following persons to be detained and isolated in a hospital or other place for such period of time and subject to such conditions as the DGH may determine: (a) any person who is a case or an at-risk individual of an infectious disease; (b) any class of persons mentioned in paragraph (a); (c) any person who is suspected to be a case or an at-risk individual of an infectious disease. Under Section 21(1) of the IDA 1976, the DGH may also direct (a) any person who is a case or an at-risk individual of an infectious disease and is carrying on or may carry on any business, undertaking or work; (aa) any class of persons mentioned in paragraph (a); (ab) any person who is suspected to be a case or an at-risk individual of an infectious disease and is carrying on or may carry on any business, undertaking or work; (b) any person carrying on any business, undertaking or work in a manner as is likely to cause the spread of any infectious disease; or (ba) any class of persons mentioned in paragraph (b), to take preventative action that the DGH reasonably believes is necessary to prevent the possible outbreak or prevent or reduce the spread of the infectious disease. Under Section 21(2) of the IDA 1976, “preventative action” in the case of such direction, includes, among other things, requiring the person to stop carrying on, or not carry on, the business, undertaking or work during a period of time specified in the direction, take specified steps within a period of time specified in the direction, to ensure that the business, undertaking or work is conducted in compliance with conditions specified in the direction.
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Any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any requirement of such notice or direction given to that person by the DGH is guilty of an offense. Where there are no specific penalties for such offense, any person guilty of an offense under the IDA 1976 for which no penalty is expressly provided shall (a) in the case of a first offense, be liable on conviction for a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both; and (b) in the case of a second or subsequent offense, be liable on conviction for a fine not exceeding S$20,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.
Environmental Public Health Act 1987 of Singapore (“EPHA 1987”)
The EPHA 1987 is administered by the National Environmental Agency (“NEA”) and regulates, among other things, the disposal and treatment of industrial waste and public nuisances. Under Section 45 of the EPHA, the Director-General of Public Health of Singapore (the “DGPH”) may, upon receipt of any information with respect to the existence of a nuisance liable to be dealt with summarily under the EPHA 1987 and if satisfied of the existence of a nuisance, serve a nuisance order on the person by whose act, default or sufferance the nuisance arises or continues, or if the person cannot be found, on the owner or occupier of the premises on which the nuisance arises. Some of the nuisances which are liable to be dealt with summarily under the EPHA 1987 include any premises or part of the premises of such a construction or in such a state as to be a nuisance or injurious or dangerous to health, any factory or work place which is not kept in a clean state, any place where there exists or is likely to exist any condition giving rise, or capable of giving rise to the breeding of flies or mosquitoes, any place where there occurs, or from which there emanates noise or vibration as to amount to a nuisance and any machinery, plant or any method or process used in any premises which causes a nuisance or is dangerous to public health and safety. If the DGPH receives any information in respect of the existence of a nuisance liable to be dealt with under the EPHA 1987, a nuisance order may be served on the person responsible for the nuisance prescribing the measures to be taken to remedy the nuisance. Any failure to comply with the nuisance order served is an offense and such person is liable upon conviction for a fine not exceeding S$10,000 for the first offense and to a further fine not exceedingS$1,000 for every day during which the offense continues after conviction.
International Environmental Regulations
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”)
The IMO adopted MARPOL, which imposes environmental standards on the shipping industry relating to marine pollution, including oil spills, management of garbage, the handling and disposal of noxious liquids, sewage and air emissions. The IMO has also issued the Guidance for Best Practice for Member State/Coastal State (the “Guidance”) to provide recommendations and standards for member states and coastal states to enhance maritime safety, security, and environmental protection, with an aim to assist member states in fulfilling their responsibilities under MARPOL Annex VI. Best practices suggested in the Guidance that relate to our operations include, among other things the following:
| ● | Member states/coastal States should promote the availability of fuel oils which comply with MARPOL Annex VI and require suppliers under their jurisdiction to provide fuel oils that comply with the requirements of regulation 14 and regulation 18.3 of MARPOL Annex VI. |
| ● | Regulation 18.3 requires fuel delivered to ships to comply with a number of qualitative requirements. However, no specifications (i.e. ISO 8217) or routine testing scheme exists, which would guarantee that a fuel complies with such qualitative requirements. In cases where it is documented that the fuel delivered does not comply with those qualitative requirements of the regulation the port State/coastal State should take action against the supplier; and member states/coastal States should encourage fuel oil suppliers under their jurisdiction to use detailed fuel specifications, as well as the Guidance on best practice for fuel oil suppliers for assuring the quality of fuel oil delivered to ships. |
| ● | Member states/port States should verify the availability of bunker delivery notes on board and their compliance with MARPOL Annex VI, appendix V during all port State control inspections. |
| ● | Member states/coastal states have an obligation under MARPOL Annex VI to require those fuel oil suppliers to provide a bunker delivery note containing at least the information specified in appendix V to MARPOL Annex VI, accompanied by a MARPOL delivered sample of the fuel oil delivered that has been sealed and signed by the supplier’s representative and the master or officer in charge of the bunker operation on completion of bunkering operations. |
| ● | The member state/coastal State should implement provisions in their national regulation that enables them to address situations where suppliers are found to deliver fuel oil that does not comply with the associated bunker delivery note. |
| ● | Member states/coastal States that receive documentation of delivery of fuel oil to a ship that does not comply with that stated on the bunker delivery note by a fuel oil supplier within their jurisdiction should verify whether any action as appropriate needs to be taken regarding the fuel oil supplier. |
We, as a reseller of marine fuels, are committed to adhering these best practices in order to fulfil our responsibilities under MARPOL.
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The following table sets forth information regarding our Directors and Executive Officers as at the date of this prospectus:
| Name | Age | Position | ||
| Koh Kuan Hua | 39 | Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director | ||
| Zheng Wenling Stefanie Tay | 45 | Chief Operating Officer and Director | ||
| Lee Ling Li | 49 | Chief Financial Officer | ||
Chay Yiowmin* |
50 | Independent Director Nominee | ||
Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn* |
53 | Independent Director Nominee | ||
Shirley Tan Sey Liy* |
48 | Independent Director Nominee |
| * | Has accepted an independent director appointment, which will be effective immediately after effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. |
The business and working experience and areas of responsibility of our Directors and Executive Officers are set out below:
Mr. Koh Kuan Hua, aged 39, is our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director. He is responsible for providing overall direction, leadership and formulating business strategies for our Group. He joined our operating subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Singapore, in November 2023 and has been appointed as a Director of the Company in March 2024. Mr. Koh has over 14 years of experience in the marine fuels industry. Prior to joining us, from October 2015 to October 2023, Mr. Koh worked at Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd in Singapore, where he was responsible for the day-to-day operations, formulating business strategies and overall performance of the company. He was a shareholder and Director of that company. From October 2010 to December 2014, he worked as a Bunker Trader at A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd, Shanghai Representative Office in China and Senior Bunker Trader at Dan-Bunkering (Singapore) Pte Ltd in Singapore. From February 2010 to September 2010, he worked as a Bunker Trader at Praxis Energy Agents Pte Ltd in Singapore. Mr. Koh completed his Diploma in Film and Media Studies, Film, Sound & Video at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2006. Mr. Koh is the spouse of Ms. Tay, our Chief Operating Officer and Director.
Ms. Zheng Wenling Stefanie Tay, aged 45, is our Chief Operating Officer and Director. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of our Group. She joined our operating subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Singapore, as its Chief Operating Officer in November 2023. She has been appointed as a Director of the Company in March 2024. Ms. Tay has over 18 years of experience in the marine fuels industry. Prior to joining us, from October 2015 to September 2023, Ms. Tay worked at Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd in Singapore, where she was responsible for the sales and operational performance of the company. She was the Commercial Director of that company. From August 2010 to December 2014, she worked as a Senior Bunker Trader and then as a Trading Manager and Team Leader at Dan-Bunkering (Singapore) Pte Ltd in Singapore. From October 2006 to August 2010, she worked as a Bunker Trader before promoting to the role of Senior Bunker Trader and Team Leader at United Bunkering & Trading (Asia) Pte Ltd in Singapore. Ms. Tay completed her Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science in Management at University College Dublin in 2009. She is the spouse of Mr. Koh, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director.
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Ms. Lee Ling Li, aged 49, is our Chief Financial Officer. She is responsible for the overall finance and accounting functions, trade finance, treasury, payroll, tax and corporate secretarial matters for our Group. She joined our operating subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Singapore, in January 2024. She is also a Director of our subsidiary, Uni-Fuels Group Inc. Ms. Lee has over 27 years of experience in finance and accounting working for various organizations in the marine fuels industry. From February 2022 to December 2023, Ms. Lee worked as a Head of Finance and Accounting at Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd in Singapore. From September 2015 to September 2021, she worked as the Group Chief Accountant at AFCO Energy Pte Ltd in Singapore. From September 2010 to July 2015, she worked as a Chief Accountant at Opet Trade (Singapore) Pte Ltd in Singapore. From September 2005 to June 2010, she worked as the Group Chief Accountant at United Bunkering & Trading (Asia) Pte Ltd in Singapore. In all of the positions in the various companies aforementioned, Ms. Lee was responsible for the finance, accounting, administrative, HR, tax reporting and treasury functions of those companies. From September 1996 to September 2005, she worked as an Accountant for Bomin Bunker Oil Pte Ltd in Singapore, where she was responsible for the finance and accounting, payroll and tax reporting functions. Ms. Lee completed her Master of Business in Professional Accounting and Graduate Certificate in Accounting at Victoria University of Technology in 2003 and 2001 respectively. She obtained a Higher Diploma in Accounting from London of Chamber Commerce and Industry (Singapore) in 1995 and a Diploma in Accounting from Thames School of Commerce Singapore in 1995.
Mr. Chay Yiowmin, aged 50, will, immediately after effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, be appointed as our Independent Director. He is currently the CEO of Chay Corporate Advisory Pte Ltd and serves as the lead independent and non-executive director of Ntegrator Holdings Limited and Mary Chia Holdings Limited. His past roles include lead independent and non-executive director of UMS Holdings Ltd, Advance SCT Limited, Metech International Limited, Raffles Infrastructure Holdings Limited, and a non-executive director of Libra Group Limited and 8I Holdings Limited. With extensive experience in public accounting in Singapore and the United Kingdom, Mr. Chay has held senior positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Moore Stephens LLP, and BDO LLP, where he led the Corporate Finance Practice from 2012 to 2019. He specialized in financial services and shipping during his tenure as an assurance partner from 2010 to 2012. Mr. Chay holds a Bachelor of Accountancy (Hons) and a Master of Business from Nanyang Technological University, as well as an MBA from the University of Birmingham. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA Singapore), an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA), and a Chartered Valuer and Appraiser (CVA). He is actively involved in various professional and community roles, including serving on the Singapore steering committee of the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA) and the Standards and Technical Committee of IVAS, where he is also a programme instructor. Mr. Chay is an associate lecturer at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and an active Grassroots Leader, holding several leadership positions within local community committees. He was honored with the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal) (PBM) by the President of Singapore in 2016.
Ms. Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn, aged 53, will, immediately after effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, be appointed as our Independent Director. She is an Equity Partner at Shook Lin & Bok LLP, where she has over 20 years of experience as a Corporate Lawyer specializing in corporate finance and capital markets across Singapore and the Asian region. Ms. Gn actively advises SGX Main Board and Catalist listed companies, SMEs, MNCs, and financial institutions on a range of areas including fund raising, IPOs, RTOs, dual listings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring, and corporate governance. Her extensive expertise has positioned her as a leading advisor in these fields. She graduated with an LLB (Hons) (Second Upper) from the National University of Singapore in 1994 and was called to the Singapore bar as an Advocate and Solicitor in 1995. Ms. Gn has received the International Law Office and Lexology Client Choice Award 2014 for Capital Markets in Singapore and is recognized by Asialaw Leading Lawyers as a leading capital markets and corporate finance lawyer. She is also featured in Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law and World’s Leading Capital Markets Lawyers.
Ms. Shirley Tan Sey Liy, aged 48, will, immediately after effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, be appointed as our Independent Director. She is the Founder and CEO of ST Corporate Advisory Pte Ltd and serves as an Independent Director of Rectitude Holdings Ltd. With over 20 years of experience, Ms. Tan is a qualified Chartered Secretary specializing in corporate secretarial work and compliance advisory. Her expertise spans private and publicly listed companies, SMEs, foreign and offshore companies, and academic institutions in Singapore. She has significant experience in corporate secretarial due diligence for IPOs, dual listings in Singapore and Hong Kong, secondary listings on SGX, Nasdaq listings, REITs, RTOs, M&As, company restructuring, liquidation, and immigration applications for expatriates. Additionally, she offers advisory services on compliance matters in Singapore. Ms. Tan holds a Master of Science in Management with Distinction from the National University of Ireland, Dublin. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore (CSIS) and holds a Practicing Certificate from CSIS. She is also a member of the CSIS Secretarial Practice Sub-Committee, the Singapore Institute of Directors, and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Family Relationship
Mr. Koh (our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director) and Ms. Tay (our Chief Operating Officer and Director) are spouses. Otherwise, there are no family relationships among our directors and executive officers.
Corporate Governance Practices
Foreign Private Issuer
After the consummation of this offering, we will qualify as a “foreign private issuer” under the SEC rules and Nasdaq rules. As a foreign private issuer, we will be exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act related to the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our officers, directors, and principal shareholders will be exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Also, we are not required to comply with Regulation FD, which restricts the selective disclosure of material information. However, we will file with the SEC, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, or such applicable time as required by the SEC, an annual report on Form 20-F containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm, and we will submit to the SEC from time to time, on Form 6-K, reports of information that would likely be material to an investment decision in our Shares.
Furthermore, Nasdaq Rule 5615(a)(3) provides that a foreign private issuer, such as us, may rely on our home country corporate governance practices in lieu of certain of the rules in the Nasdaq Rule 5600 Series and Rule 5250(d), except that we must comply with Nasdaq’s Notification of Noncompliance requirement (Rule 5625), the Voting Rights requirement (Rule 5640), and that we have an audit committee that satisfies Rule 5605(c)(3), including having committee members that meet the independence requirements of Rule 5605(c)(2)(A)(ii). The exemptions are subject to our disclosure of which requirements we are not following and the equivalent Cayman Islands requirements. Below are some of the exemptions afforded to foreign private issuers under the Nasdaq rules:
| ● | Exemption from the requirement that we disclose within four business days of any determination to grant a waiver of the code of business conduct and ethics to directors and officers. |
| ● | Exemption from the requirement that our board of directors be composed of independent directors. |
| ● | Exemption from the requirement that our audit committee have a minimum of three members. |
| ● | Exemption from the requirement that we hold annual shareholders’ meetings. |
| ● | Exemption from the requirement that our board of directors have a remuneration committee composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities. |
| ● | Exemption from the requirement that director nominees are selected, or recommended for selection by our board of directors, either by (i) independent directors constituting a majority of our board of directors’ independent directors in a vote in which only independent directors participate, or (ii) a committee comprised solely of independent directors and governed by a formal written charter or board resolution, as applicable, addressing the nomination process as adopted. |
We intend to comply with all of the rules generally applicable to U.S. domestic companies listed on the Nasdaq. We may in the future decide to use the foreign private issuer exemption with respect to some or all of the other Nasdaq corporate governance rules. We also intend to comply with Cayman Islands corporate governance requirements under the Companies Act applicable to us at the same time. If we rely on our home country corporate governance practices in lieu of certain of the rules of Nasdaq, our shareholders may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq. We may utilize these exemptions for as long as we continue to qualify as a foreign private issuer.
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Board of Directors
Our board of directors will consist of five directors upon the SEC’s declaration of effectiveness of our registration statement on Form F-1, of which this prospectus is a part. A director who is, directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction with our company shall declare the nature of his or her interest at a meeting of our directors. A director may vote in respect of any contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction notwithstanding that he or she may be interested therein and if he or she does so his or her vote shall be counted and he or she may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of our directors at which any such contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction is considered. Our directors may exercise all the powers of our Company to issue debentures, debenture stock, bonds, and other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of our company or of any third party. None of our non-executive directors have a service contract with us that provides for benefits upon termination of service.
We recognize the importance and benefit of having a board of directors composed of highly talented and experienced individuals having regard to the need to foster and promote diversity among board members with respect to attributes such as gender, ethnicity and other factors. In support of this goal, we will consider criteria that promote diversity, including with regard to gender, ethnicity, and other dimensions; and consider the level of representation of women on our board of directors along with other markers of diversity.
Committees of the Board of Directors
We will establish three committees under the board of directors immediately upon the effectiveness of our registration statement on Form F-1, of which this prospectus is a part: an audit committee, a compensation committee, and a nominating and corporate governance committee. We expect to adopt a charter for each of the three committees. Each committee’s members and functions are described below.
Audit Committee. Our audit committee will consist of Mr. Chay Yiowmin, Ms. Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn, and Ms. Shirley Tan Sey Liy. Mr. Chay Yiowmin will be the chairman of our audit committee. We have determined that each of our audit committee members satisfies the “independence” requirements of Rule 5605(c)(2) of the Nasdaq rules and meets the independence standards under Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. We have determined that Mr. Chay Yiowmin qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of the SEC rules and possesses financial sophistication within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules. The audit committee will oversee our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the financial statements of our company. The audit committee will be responsible for, among other things:
| ● | appointing the independent auditors and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by the independent auditors; |
| ● | reviewing with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response; |
| ● | discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditors; |
| ● | reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our accounting and internal control policies and procedures and any steps taken to monitor and control major financial risk exposures; |
| ● | reviewing and approving all proposed related-party transactions; |
| ● | meeting separately and periodically with management and the independent auditors; and |
| ● | monitoring compliance with our code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our procedures to ensure proper compliance. |
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Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee will consist of Ms. Shirley Tan Sey Liy, Mr. Chay Yiowmin, and Ms. Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn. Ms. Shirley Tan Sey Liy will be the chairwoman of our compensation committee. We have determined that each of our compensation committee members satisfies the “independence” requirements of Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq rules. The compensation committee will assist the board in reviewing and approving the compensation structure, including all forms of compensation, relating to our directors and executive officers. Our chief executive officer may not be present at any committee meeting during which his compensation is deliberated. The compensation committee will be responsible for, among other things:
| ● | reviewing and approving, or recommending to the board for its approval, the compensation for our chief executive officer and other executive officers; |
| ● | reviewing and recommending to the board for determination with respect to the compensation of our non-employee directors; |
| ● | reviewing periodically and approving any incentive compensation or equity plans, programs, or similar arrangements; and |
| ● | selecting compensation consultant, legal counsel, or other adviser only after taking into consideration all factors relevant to that person’s independence from management. |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our nominating and corporate governance committee will consist of Ms. Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn, Ms. Shirley Tan Sey Liy, and Mr. Chay Yiowmin. Ms. Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn will be the chairwoman of our nominating and corporate governance committee. We have determined that each of our nominating and corporate governance committee members satisfies the “independence” requirements of Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq rules. The nominating and corporate governance committee will assist the board of directors in selecting individuals qualified to become our directors and in determining the composition of the board and its committees. The nominating and corporate governance committee will be responsible for, among other things:
| ● | selecting and recommending to the board nominees for election by the shareholders or appointment by the board; |
| ● | reviewing annually with the board the current composition of the board in regard to characteristics such as independence, knowledge, skills, experience, and diversity; |
| ● | making recommendations on the frequency and structure of board meetings and monitoring the functioning of the committees of the board; and |
| ● | advising the board periodically in regard to significant developments in the law and practice of corporate governance, as well as our compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and making recommendations to the board on all matters of corporate governance and on any remedial action to be taken. |
Duties of Directors
Under Cayman Islands law, the fiduciary duties owed by a director and officer include (a) a duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole, (b) a duty to exercise their powers for the purposes for which they were conferred and not for a collateral purpose, (c) a duty to avoid improperly fettering the exercise of future discretion, (d) a duty to avoid any conflict of interest between the director’s duty to the company and the director’s personal interests, and (e) a duty to exercise independent judgment. In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience of that director.
As set out above, our directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the memorandum and articles of association of a company or alternatively by shareholder approval at general meetings.
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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
In connection with this offering, we have adopted a code of business conduct and ethics, which is applicable to all of our directors, executive officers and employees and is publicly available.
Terms of Directors and Officers
Our directors may be elected by a resolution of our board of directors or by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders. An appointment of a director may be on terms that the director will automatically retire from office (unless he has sooner vacated office) at the next or a subsequent annual general meeting or upon any specified event or after any specified period in a written agreement between our Company and the director, if any, but no such term will be implied in the absence of express provision. It is expected that, whether by ordinary resolution or by the directors, each director will be appointed on the terms that the director will hold office until the appointment of the director’s successor or the director’s re-appointment at the next annual general meeting, unless the director has sooner vacated office.
Employment Agreements with Executive Officers
We will enter into employment agreements with each of our executive officers. Under these agreements, each of our executive officers is employed for a specified time period. We may terminate, at any time, without advance notice or remuneration, for certain acts of the executive officer, such as conviction or plea of guilty to a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude, negligent or dishonest acts to our detriment, or misconduct or a failure to perform agreed duties. An executive officer may terminate his or her employment at any time with a three-month prior written notice.
Each executive officer has agreed to hold, both during and after the termination or expiry of his employment agreement, in strict confidence and not to use, except as required in the performance of his duties in connection with the employment or pursuant to applicable law, any of our confidential or proprietary information or the confidential or proprietary information of any third party received by us and for which we have confidential obligations. Each executive officer has also agreed to disclose in confidence to us all inventions, designs and trade secrets which he conceives, develops or reduces to practice during his employment with us and to assign all right, title and interest in them to us, and assist us in obtaining and enforcing patents, copyrights and other legal rights for these inventions, designs and trade secrets.
In addition, each executive officer has agreed to be bound by non-competition and non-solicitation restrictions during the term of the employment and for one year following the last date of employment. Specifically, each executive officer has agreed not to: (i) engage or assist others in engaging in any business or enterprise that is competitive with our business, (ii) solicit, divert or take away the business of our clients, customers or business partners, or (iii) solicit, induce or attempt to induce any employee or independent contractor to terminate his or her employment or engagement with us. The employment agreements also contain other customary terms and provisions.
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
To the best of our knowledge, none of our directors or executive officers has, during the past 10 years, been involved in any legal proceedings described in subparagraph (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K.
Board diversity
We seek to achieve board diversity through the consideration of a number of factors when selecting the candidates to our Board, including but not limited to gender, skills, age, professional experience, knowledge, cultural, education background, ethnicity and length of service. The ultimate decision of the appointment will be based on merit and the contribution which the selected candidates will bring to our board.
Our directors have a balanced mix of knowledge and skills. We have three independent directors with different industry backgrounds, representing a majority of the members of our board. We also achieved gender diversity by having two female directors out of the total of five directors (including independent directors). Our board is well balanced and diversified in alignment with the business development and strategy of the Company.
Compensation
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we paid an aggregate of approximately $176,160 and nil, respectively in cash and benefits in-kind granted to or accrued on behalf of all of our Directors and members of senior management for their services, in all capacities, and we did not pay any additional compensation to our Directors and members of senior management. We have not set aside or accrued any amount to provide pension, retirement or other similar benefits to our Executive Officers and Directors.
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The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our Shares as of the date of this prospectus by our officers, directors, and 5% or greater beneficial owners of Shares. There is no other person or group of affiliated persons known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our Shares. The following table assumes that none of our officers, directors or 5% or greater beneficial owners of our Shares will purchase shares in this offering. In addition, the following table assumes that the over-allotment option has not been exercised. Except as may otherwise be required by law, each Class B Ordinary Share has ten votes per share and is convertible into one Class A Ordinary Share, whereas our Class A Ordinary Shares, which we are selling in this offering, have one vote per share.
We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. These rules generally attribute beneficial ownership of securities to persons who possess sole or shared voting power or investment power with respect to those securities. The person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any security of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Unless otherwise indicated, the person identified in this table has sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by him, subject to applicable community property laws.
| Name of Beneficial Owners(1) | Class A Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned Prior to This Offering(2) | Class B Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned Prior to This Offering(2) | Class A Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned After This Offering(3) | Class B Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned After This Offering(3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Directors and Executive Officers: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Koh Kuan Hua(4) | — | — | 22,650,000 | 100.0 | % | — | — | 22,650,000 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zheng Wenling Stefanie Tay | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lee Ling Li | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chay Yiowmin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shirley Tan Sey Liy | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All directors and executive officers as a group | — | — | 22,650,000 | 100.0 | % | — | — | 22,650,000 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5% shareholders: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Garden City Private Capital Limited(4) | — | — | 22,650,000 | 100.0 | % | 22,650,000 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Braden Ong Wei Cong | 1,470,000 | 20.0 | % | — | — | 1,470,000 | 14.20 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lai Yen Fen | 1,470,000 | 20.0 | % | — | — | 1,470,000 | 14.20 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thong Mei Sze | 1,470,000 | 20.0 | % | — | — | 1,470,000 | 14.20 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wong Chee How | 1,470,000 | 20.0 | % | — | — | 1,470,000 | 14.20 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| iCapital Holdings (SG) Pte. Ltd.(5) | 1,470,000 | 20.0 | % | — | — | 1,470,000 | 14.20 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| * | Less than 1%. |
| (1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is 15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07, Singapore 189677. |
| (2) | Applicable percentage of ownership is based on 7,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 22,650,000 Class B Ordinary Shares outstanding as of the date of this prospectus. |
| (3) | Applicable percentage of ownership is based on 10,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 22,650,000 Class B Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after the offering. |
| (4) | Represents Shares held of record by Garden City Private Capital Limited, a British Virgin Islands investment holding company wholly owned by Mr. Koh Kuan Hua. |
| (5) | Represents Shares held of record by iCapital Holdings (SG) Pte. Ltd. (“iCapital”), a Singapore company. Toe Teow Heng is the major shareholder and a director of iCapital, and therefore has voting and dispositive power over the shares owned by iCapital. |
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The following is a summary of transactions since 2022 to which we have been a party and in which any members of our Board of Directors, any Executive Officers, or Major Shareholders had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than compensation arrangements which are described under the section of this prospectus captioned “Management”:
Nature of relationships with related parties
| Name | Relationship with the Company | |
| Goh Wee Huan | Controlling shareholder who held a controlling interest in Uni-Fuels Singapore from January 1, 2022 to December 8, 2023, and served as director of Uni-Fuels Singapore from December 22, 2022 to December 8, 2023 | |
| Koh Kuan Hua | Controlling shareholder and director of the Company | |
| Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd (“Sea Oil Petroleum”) | Under the significant influence of Koh Kuan Hua, who held a minority interest in Sea Oil Petroleum from January 1, 2022 to October 31, 2023, and served as its director from January 1, 2022, to September 26, 2023 |
Transactions with related parties
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| Name | Nature | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Sales of marine fuels | $ | 2,184,911 | $ | 10,424,827 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (2) | Brokerage commissions | $ | 491,269 | $ | 1,255,725 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Purchase of marine fuels | $ | 8,839,579 | $ | 17,145,449 | ||||||
| Goh Wee Huan | (3) | Advances from a related party | $ | 678,259 | $ | - | ||||||
| (1) | The amounts for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 represented proceeds from sales of marine fuels to and cost of marine fuels purchased from the related party. The Group engaged in reciprocal transactions with the related party, encompassing both the sale and purchase of marine fuels. These transactions were conducted based on advantageous positioning, with each party utilizing their relative strengths in specific marine fuels products across various ports for each transaction at the time. |
| (2) | The amounts for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 represented brokerage commissions generated from the related party. |
| (3) | The transactions represented advances from the shareholder for operational purposes during the year ended December 31, 2023. The advances were unsecured, non-interest bearing, and repayable on demand. Out of the total advances of $678,259, $400,258 was repaid by the Group during the year, leaving $278,001 outstanding as at December 31, 2023. Balances were then assigned by Goh Wee Huan to Koh Kuan Hua, coinciding with the transfer of ownership in the Uni-Fuels from Goh Wee Huan to Koh Kuan Hua on December 8, 2023. |
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||
| Name | Nature | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Sales of marine fuels | $ | - | $ | 2,184,911 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (2) | Brokerage commissions | $ | - | $ | 491,269 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Purchase of marine fuels | $ | - | $ | 8,839,579 | ||||||
| (1) | The amounts for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented proceeds from sales of marine fuels to and cost of marine fuels purchased from the related party. The Group engaged in reciprocal transactions with the related party, encompassing both the sale and purchase of marine fuels. These transactions were conducted based on advantageous positioning, with each party utilizing their relative strengths in specific marine fuels products across various ports for each transaction at the time. |
| (2) | The amounts for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented brokerage commissions generated from the related party. |
Balance with related parties
| As of June 30, | As of December 31, | |||||||||||||||
| Name | Nature | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Accounts receivable | $ | - | $ | - | $ | 709,734 | ||||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Accounts payable | $ | - | $ | - | $ | 979,568 | ||||||||
| Koh Kuan Hua | (2) | Amounts due to a related party | $ | 276,155 | $ | 278,001 | $ | - | ||||||||
| (1) | The balances as of December 31, 2022 represented sales income and brokerage commission receivables from and purchase costs payable to the related party. The balances were fully settled subsequently. |
| (2) | The balances as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 and 2022 represented the advances from the shareholder for operational purposes and was assigned by Goh Wee Huan to Koh Kuan Hua on December 8, 2023. The balances were unsecured, non-interest bearing and repayable on demand. |
Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions
Our board of directors will, immediately upon the effectiveness of our registration statement on Form F-1 of which this prospectus forms a part, establish an audit committee in connection with this offering which will be tasked with review and approval of all related party transactions.
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We are an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (as may be amended from time to time, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands.
The share capital of the Company consists of ordinary shares. As of the date hereof, our authorized share capital is US$50,000 divided into 450,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares of par value US$0.0001 each and 50,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares of par value US$0.0001 each. As of the date of this prospectus, 22,650,000 class B ordinary shares were issued and outstanding. We will issue 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares in this offering. The following are summaries of material provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (referred to as “memorandum” and “articles of association” below) and the Companies Act insofar as they relate to the material terms of our Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares.
Ordinary Shares
General. Upon the completion of this offering, our authorized share capital is US$50,000 divided into 450,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares of par value US$0.0001 each and 50,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares of par value US$0.0001 each. All of our outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares are fully paid and non-assessable, and are issued in registered form, and are issued when registered in our register of members. Unless the board of directors determine otherwise, each holder of our Class A Ordinary Shares will not receive a certificate in respect of such ordinary shares. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their class A ordinary shares. We may not issue shares or warrants to bearer.
Dividends. The holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors (in relation to interim dividends); and (ii) our shareholders by ordinary resolution (in relation to final dividends), but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our board of directors. Our articles of association provide that our board of directors may declare and pay interim dividends if justified by our financial position and permitted by law.
Voting Rights. Holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares may vote on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, except as may otherwise be required by law. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company, and each Class B Ordinary Shares shall entitle the holder thereof to ten (10) votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided by a poll. A poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman of the meeting directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting. A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders who hold shares that represent not less than one-third of the outstanding shares in issue and entitled to vote at such general meeting, present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative. General meetings may be held annually. Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be an extraordinary general meeting. The chairman of our board of directors or our directors may by board resolutions call general meetings and they must on a shareholders’ requisition forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary general meeting of our Company. A shareholders’ requisition is a requisition of shareholders holding not less than one-third of all votes attaching to all the issued and paid up share capital of our company that as at the date of the deposit carry the right to vote at general meetings. The requisition must state the purpose of the meeting and must be signed by or on behalf of each requisitioner (and for this purpose each joint holder shall be obliged to sign) and delivered in accordance with the notice provisions of our amended and restated articles of association. If directors do not within 21 days from the receipt of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting, the requisitioners, or any of them may themselves convene a general meeting.
Any ordinary resolution is a resolution passed by a simple majority of the shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at a general meeting of our Company and includes a unanimous written resolution, while a special resolution is a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at our general meeting duly constituted in accordance with our articles of association and includes a unanimous written resolution.
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A special resolution will be required for important matters such as amending our memorandum and articles of association or changing the name of the Company.
There are no limitations on non-residents or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on the ordinary shares imposed by foreign law or by the memorandum and articles of association or other constitutional document of our company.
Winding Up; Liquidation.
If we are wound up, the shareholders may, subject to our articles of association and any other sanction required by the Companies Act, pass a special resolution allowing the liquidator to do either or both of the following:
| ● | to divide in specie among the holders of the Class A Ordinary Shares and the holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares the whole or any part of our assets and, for that purpose, to value any assets and to determine how the division shall be carried out as among the Class A Ordinary Shares and the holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares; and | |
| ● | to vest the whole or any part of the assets in trustees for the benefit of the holders of the Class A Ordinary Shares and the holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares and those liable to contribute to the winding up. |
Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares. Subject to terms of allotment, our directors may from time to time make calls on our shareholders in respect of any moneys unpaid on their shares including any premium in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 clear days prior to the specified time of payment. Any ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.
Redemption of Ordinary Shares. Subject to the terms of the Companies Act and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association we may purchase our own shares. In accordance with our amended and restated articles of association, provided the necessary shareholders or board approval have been obtained and requirements under the Companies Act have been satisfied and subject to any rights for the time being conferred on the shareholders holding a particular class of shares, we may issue shares on terms that are subject to redemption at our option or at the option of our shareholders on such terms and in such manner as may be determined by our board of directors.
Inspection of Books and Records. Holders of our ordinary shares have no general right under our post-offering amended and restated articles of association to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, we will provide our shareholders with annual audited financial statements. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
Issuance of Additional Shares. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares from time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares. Issuance of these shares may dilute the voting power of holders of ordinary shares.
Anti-Takeover Provisions. Some provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable. Our authorized, but unissued ordinary shares are available for future issuance without shareholders’ approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise addition capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved ordinary shares could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Exempted Company. We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. A Cayman Islands exempted company:
| ● | does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies; | |
| ● | is not required to open its register of members for inspection by shareholders of that company; | |
| ● | does not have to hold an annual general meeting; |
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| ● | may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance); | |
| ● | may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; | |
| ● | may register as an exempted limited duration company; and | |
| ● | may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on the shares of the company.
Anti-Money Laundering — Cayman Islands
If any person resident in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects or has reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or is involved with terrorism or terrorist property and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of their business in the regulated sector, or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (i) a nominated officer (appointed in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands) or the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act (Revised), if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering or (ii) to the Financial Reporting Authority or a police constable or a nominated officer (pursuant to the Terrorism Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands) or the Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to the Terrorism Act (Revised), if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and terrorist property. Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.
By subscribing for shares, the subscriber consents to the disclosure of any information about them to regulators and others upon request in connection with money laundering and similar matters both in the Cayman Islands and in other jurisdictions.
In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering, we are required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers to provide evidence to verify their identity and source of funds. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, we may also delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.
We reserve the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber. In some cases the directors may be satisfied that no further information is required since an exemption applies under the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, as amended and revised from time to time (the “Regulations”) or any other applicable law. Depending on the circumstances of each application, a detailed verification of identity might not be required where:
| (a) | the subscriber makes the payment for their investment from an account held in the subscriber’s name at a recognized financial institution; or | |
| (b) | the subscriber is regulated by a recognized regulatory authority and is based or incorporated in, or formed under the law of, a recognized jurisdiction; or | |
| (c) | the application is made through an intermediary which is regulated by a recognized regulatory authority and is based in or incorporated in, or formed under the law of a recognized jurisdiction and an assurance is provided in relation to the procedures undertaken on the underlying investors. |
For the purposes of these exceptions, recognition of a financial institution, regulatory authority or jurisdiction will be determined in accordance with the Regulations by reference to those jurisdictions recognized by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority as having equivalent anti-money laundering regulations.
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Data Protection in the Cayman Islands – Privacy Notice
This privacy notice explains the manner in which the company collects, processes and maintains personal data about investors of the company pursuant to the Data Protection Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, as amended from time to time and any regulations, codes of practice or orders promulgated pursuant thereto (“DPA”).
The company is committed to processing personal data in accordance with the DPA. In its use of personal data, the company will be characterized under the DPA as a “data controller”, while certain of the company’s service providers, affiliates and delegates may act as “data processors” under the DPA. These service providers may process personal information for their own lawful purposes in connection with services provided to the company.
This privacy notice puts our shareholders on notice that, by virtue of making an investment in the company, the company and certain of the company’s service providers may collect, record, store, transfer and otherwise process personal data by which individuals may be directly or indirectly identified.
Your personal data will be processed fairly and for lawful purposes, including (a) where the processing is necessary for the company to perform a contract to which you are a party or for taking pre-contractual steps at your request (b) where the processing is necessary for compliance with any legal, tax or regulatory obligation to which the company is subject or (c) where the processing is for the purposes of legitimate interests pursued by the company or by a service provider to whom the data are disclosed. As a data controller, we will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it. If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will contact you.
We anticipate that we will share your personal data with the company’s service providers for the purposes set out in this privacy notice. We may also share relevant personal data where it is lawful to do so and necessary to comply with our contractual obligations or your instructions or where it is necessary or desirable to do so in connection with any regulatory reporting obligations. In exceptional circumstances, we will share your personal data with regulatory, prosecuting and other governmental agencies or departments, and parties to litigation (whether pending or threatened), in any country or territory including to any other person where we have a public or legal duty to do so (e.g. to assist with detecting and preventing fraud, tax evasion and financial crime or compliance with a court order).
Your personal data shall not be held by the company for longer than necessary with regard to the purposes of the data processing.
We will not sell your personal data. Any transfer of personal data outside of the Cayman Islands shall be in accordance with the requirements of the DPA. Where necessary, we will ensure that separate and appropriate legal agreements are put in place with the recipient of that data.
The company will only transfer personal data in accordance with the requirements of the DPA, and will apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of the personal data and against the accidental loss, destruction or damage to the personal data.
If you are a natural person, this will affect you directly. If you are a corporate investor (including, for these purposes, legal arrangements such as trusts or exempted limited partnerships) that provides us with personal data on individuals connected to you for any reason in relation to your investment into the company, this will be relevant for those individuals and you should inform such individuals of the content.
You have certain rights under the DPA, including (a) the right to be informed as to how we collect and use your personal data (and this privacy notice fulfills the Company’s obligation in this respect); (b) the right to obtain a copy of your personal data; (c) the right to require us to stop direct marketing; (d) the right to have inaccurate or incomplete personal data corrected; (e) the right to withdraw your consent and require us to stop processing or restrict the processing, or not begin the processing of your personal data; (f) the right to be notified of a data breach (unless the breach is unlikely to be prejudicial); (g) the right to obtain information as to any countries or territories outside the Cayman Islands to which we, whether directly or indirectly, transfer, intend to transfer or wish to transfer your personal data, general measures we take to ensure the security of personal data and any information available to us as to the source of your personal data; (h) the right to complain to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Cayman Islands; and (i) the right to require us to delete your personal data in some limited circumstances.
If you consider that your personal data has not been handled correctly, or you are not satisfied with the company’s responses to any requests you have made regarding the use of your personal data, you have the right to complain to the Cayman Islands’ Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can be contacted by email at info@ombudsman.ky.
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Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of some of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. The Companies Act permits merger and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies provided that the laws of foreign jurisdiction permit such merger or consolidation. For these purposes, a “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company, and a “consolidation” means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a new consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company.
In order to effect a merger or consolidation, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by a special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company, and such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. A merger between a Cayman Islands parent company and its Cayman Islands subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a resolution of shareholders of that Cayman Islands subsidiary if a copy of the plan of merger is given to every member of that Cayman Islands subsidiary to be merged unless that member agrees otherwise. For this purpose, a subsidiary is a company of which at least ninety percent (90%) of the issued shares entitled to vote are owned by the parent company.
The plan of merger or consolidation must be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a list of the assets and liabilities of each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the members and creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. Dissenting shareholders have the right to be paid the fair value of their shares if they follow the required procedures under the Companies Act subject to certain exceptions. The fair value of the shares will be determined by the Cayman Islands court if it cannot be agreed among the parties. Court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the arrangement is approved by either (i) a majority in number of each class of creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made, and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of creditors, or (ii) three-fourths in value of each class of shareholders with whom the arrangement is to be made, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:
(a) the statutory provisions as to the required majority vote have been met;
(b) the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class;
(c) the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his interest; and
(d) the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act.
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When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of not less than 90% of the shares within four months after the making of the offer, the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four month period, give notice to require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands by a dissenting shareholder within one month from the date on which the notice was given.
If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, or if a takeover offer is made and accepted, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
Shareholders’ Suits. In the Cayman Islands, the decision to institute proceedings on behalf of a company is generally taken by the company’s board of directors. A shareholder may be entitled to bring a derivative action on behalf of the company, but only in certain limited circumstances.
Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability. Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against the consequences of committing a crime, or against the indemnified person’s own fraud or dishonesty.
Our amended and restated articles of association provide that, to the extent permitted by law, we will indemnify every director, or former director secretary, or other officer for the time being and from time to time of our Company (but not including our auditors) and the personal representatives of the same and from: (a) all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages, or liabilities incurred or sustained by such person, other than by reason of such person’s own dishonesty; and (b) without limitation to paragraph (a) above, all costs, expenses, losses, or liabilities incurred by such person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative proceedings (whether threatened, pending or completed) concerning us or our affairs in any court, whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. To the extent permitted by Cayman Islands law, we may make a payment, or agree to make a payment, whether by way of advance, loan or otherwise, for any legal costs incurred by an existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary or any of our officers in respect of any matter identified in above on condition that the existing director or former director (including alternate director), secretary or officer must repay the amount paid by us to the extent that we are ultimately found not liable to indemnify the director or former director (including alternate director), the secretary or the officer for those legal costs. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation. Insofar as indemnification for holder to a refund, provided that certain required information is timely furnished to the IRS. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of backup withholding and the availability of a procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding in their particular circumstances.
Directors’ Fiduciary Duties. Under Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director acts in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
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Under Cayman Islands law, the fiduciary duties owed by a director and officer include (a) a duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole, (b) a duty to exercise their powers for the purposes for which they were conferred and not for a collateral purpose, (c) a duty to avoid improperly fettering the exercise of future discretion, (d) a duty to avoid any conflict of interest between the director’s duty to the company and the director’s personal interests, a©(e) a duty to exercise independent judgment. In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience of that director.
Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. The Companies Act and our amended and restated articles of association provide that shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.
Shareholder Proposals. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.
Cayman Islands law does not provide shareholders any right to put proposals before a meeting or requisition a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in articles of association. Our articles of association allow our shareholders holding not less than one-third of all voting power of our share capital in issue to requisition a shareholder’s meeting. Other than this right to requisition a shareholders’ meeting, our articles of association do not provide our shareholders other right to put proposal before a meeting. As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
Cumulative Voting. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the Companies Act but our articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting.
Removal of Directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our articles of association, directors may be removed with or without cause, by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders.
Transactions with Interested Shareholders. The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting share within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.
The Cayman Islands has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and for a proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.
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Dissolution; Winding up. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board. Under the Companies Act, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so. Under the Companies Act and our amended and restated articles of association, our company may be dissolved, liquidated or wound up by a special resolution of our shareholders.
Variation of Rights of Shares. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under the Companies Act and our amended and restated articles of association, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may vary the rights attached to any class with the written consent of not less than two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.
Amendment of Governing Documents. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by the Companies Act, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution of our shareholders.
Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders. There are no limitations imposed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Upon the completion of this offering, 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares sold in this offering will be freely transferable by persons other than our “affiliates” without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares, and while we plan to apply to list our Class A Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq, we cannot assure you that a regular trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares will develop or be sustained after this offering. Future sales of substantial amounts of Class A Ordinary Shares in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. Further, since a large number of our Class A Ordinary Shares will not be available for sale shortly after this offering because of the contractual and legal restrictions on resale described below, sales of substantial amounts of our Class A Ordinary Shares in the public market after these restrictions lapse, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.
Lock-Up Agreements
We have agreed not to, for a period of six (6) months from the closing date of this offering, offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, except in this offering, any of our Ordinary Shares or securities that are substantially similar to our Ordinary Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase our Ordinary Shares, or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, our Ordinary Shares or any such substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date such lock-up agreement was executed), without the prior written consent of the Underwriter.
Furthermore, each of our directors, executive officers, and principal shareholders (5% or more shareholders) of our Ordinary Shares has also entered into a similar lock-up agreement for a period of six (6) months from the closing date of this offering, subject to certain exceptions, with respect to our Ordinary Shares and securities that are substantially similar to our Ordinary Shares. All of our other shareholders have agreed with the Underwriter, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, transfer, or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any our Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Ordinary Shares for a period of six (6) months from the closing date of this offering. These parties collectively own all of our outstanding Ordinary Shares, without giving effect to this offering.
Other than this offering, we are not aware of any plans by any significant shareholders to dispose of significant numbers of our Class A Ordinary Shares. However, one or more existing shareholders or owners of securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for our Class A Ordinary Shares may dispose of significant numbers of our Class A Ordinary Shares in the future. We cannot predict what effect, if any, future sales of our Class A Ordinary Shares, or the availability of Class A Ordinary Shares for future sale, will have on the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares from time to time. Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A Ordinary Shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
Rule 144
All of our Shares outstanding prior to this offering are “restricted shares” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act and may be sold publicly in the United States only if they are subject to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements. Under Rule 144 as currently in effect, a person who has beneficially owned our Shares for at least six months is generally entitled to sell the restricted securities without registration under the Securities Act beginning 90 days after the date of this prospectus, subject to certain additional restrictions.
Subject to the Lock-Up Agreements, our affiliates may sell within any three-month period a number of Shares that does not exceed the greater of the following:
| ● | 1% of the then outstanding Shares of the same class, which will equal approximately 103,500 Class A Ordinary Shares immediately after this offering assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised and 108,000 Class A Ordinary Shares assuming the over-allotment option is exercised in full; or |
| ● | the average weekly trading volume of our Shares on Nasdaq during the four calendar weeks preceding the date on which notice of the sale is filed with the SEC. |
Affiliates who sell restricted securities under Rule 144 may not solicit orders or arrange for the solicitation of orders, and they are also subject to notice requirements and the availability of current public information about us.
Persons who are not our affiliates are only subject to one of these additional restrictions, the requirement of the availability of current public information about us, and this additional restriction does not apply if they have beneficially owned our restricted shares for more than one year.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act as currently in effect, each of our employees, consultants or advisors who purchases our Shares from us in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement relating to compensation is eligible to resell such Shares 90 days after we became a reporting company under the Exchange Act in reliance on Rule 144, but without compliance with some of the restrictions, including the holding period, contained in Rule 144.
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EXCHANGE CONTROLS AND LIMITATIONS AFFECTING SHAREHOLDERS
Singapore
There are no foreign exchange control restrictions in Singapore.
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The following are material Cayman Islands tax, Singapore tax and U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to an investment in our Class A Shares. This discussion does not address all of the tax consequences that may be relevant in light of the investor’s particular circumstances. Potential investors should consult their tax advisers regarding Singapore, U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences of owning and disposing of our Class A Shares in their particular circumstances.
Cayman Islands Taxation
The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains, or appreciation and there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty. There are no other taxes likely to be material to us levied by the Government of the Cayman Islands except for stamp duties which may be applicable on instruments executed in, or, after execution, brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands. No stamp duty is payable in the Cayman Islands on the issue of shares by, or any transfers of shares of, Cayman Islands companies (except those which hold interests in land in the Cayman Islands). There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman Islands.
Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our Class A Ordinary Shares will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of our Class A Ordinary Shares, as the case may be, nor will gains derived from the disposal of our Class A Ordinary Shares be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporation tax.
The Cayman Islands enacted the International Tax Co-operation (Economic Substance) Act (Revised) together with the Guidance Notes published by the Cayman Islands Tax Information Authority from time to time. Our company is required to comply with the economic substance requirements from July 1, 2019 and make an annual report in the Cayman Islands as to whether or not it is carrying on any relevant activities and if it is, it must satisfy an economic substance test.
Singapore Taxation
The statements made herein regarding taxation are general in nature and based on certain aspects of current tax laws of Singapore and administrative guidelines issued by the relevant authorities in force as of the date of this prospectus and are subject to any changes in such laws or administrative guidelines, or in the interpretation of these laws or guidelines, occurring after such date, which could be made on a retrospective basis. These laws and guidelines are also subject to various interpretations and the relevant tax authorities or the courts could later disagree with the explanations or conclusions set out below. The statements below are not to be regarded as advice on the tax position of any holder of our Shares or of any person acquiring, selling or otherwise dealing with our Shares or on any tax implications arising from the acquisition, sale or other dealings in respect of our Shares. The statements made herein do not purport to be a comprehensive or exhaustive description of all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to a decision to purchase, own or dispose of our Shares and do not purport to deal with the tax consequences applicable to all categories of investors, some of which (such as dealers in securities) may be subject to special rules. Prospective holders of our Shares are advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the Singapore or other tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership of or disposal of our Shares. The statements below regarding the Singapore tax treatment of dividends received in respect of our Shares are based on the assumption that the Company is tax resident in Singapore for Singapore income tax purposes. It is emphasized that neither the Company nor any other persons involved in this prospectus accepts responsibility for any tax consequences or liabilities resulting from the subscription for, purchase, holding or disposal of our Shares.
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Corporate Income Tax
A company established outside Singapore but whose governing body, being the board of directors, usually exercises de facto control and management of its business in Singapore could be considered tax resident in Singapore. However, such control and management of the business should not be deemed to be in Singapore if physical board meetings are conducted outside of Singapore. Where board resolutions are passed in the form of written consent signed by the directors each acting in their own jurisdictions, it is possible that the place of de facto control and management will be considered to be where the majority of the board are located when they sign such consent.
A Singapore tax resident company is subject to Singapore income tax on income accruing in or derived from Singapore and on foreign-sourced income received or deemed to be received in Singapore, unless certain exemptions apply.
Foreign-sourced income in the form of dividends, branch profits and service income received or deemed to be received in Singapore by a Singapore tax resident company is exempt from Singapore income tax if the following conditions are met:
| (i) | such income is subject to tax of a similar character to income tax (by whatever name called) under the law of the territory from which such income is received; |
| (ii) | at the time the income is received in Singapore, the highest rate of tax of a similar character to income tax (by whatever name called) levied under the law of the territory from which the income is received on any gains or profits from any trade or business carried on by any company in that territory at that time is not less than 15%; and |
| (iii) | the Comptroller is satisfied that the tax exemption would be beneficial to the Singapore tax resident company. |
The corporate tax rate in Singapore is currently 17%. From YA 2020 onwards, three-quarters of a company’s first S$10,000 of normal chargeable income, and half of its next S$190,000 of normal chargeable income are exempt from corporate tax.
Newly incorporated companies will also, subject to certain conditions and exceptions, be eligible for tax exemption on three-quarters of the company’s first S$100,000 of normal chargeable income, and half of its next $100,000 of normal chargeable income, for each of the company’s first three YAs falling in or after YA 2020.
Dividend Distributions
Under Singapore’s one-tier corporate tax system, dividends paid by a Singapore tax resident company are exempt from Singapore income tax in the hands of its shareholders, regardless of whether the shareholder is a company or an individual and whether or not the shareholder is a Singapore tax resident.
Gains on Disposal of our Shares
Singapore does not impose tax on capital gains. There are no specific laws or regulations which deal with the characterization of whether a gain is income or capital in nature. Gains arising from the disposal of our Shares may be construed to be of an income nature and subject to Singapore income tax, especially if they arise from activities which the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore regards as the carrying on of a trade or business in Singapore.
Holders of our Shares should consult their accounting and tax advisers regarding the Singapore income tax consequences of their acquisition, holding and disposal of our Shares.
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Stamp Duty
There is no stamp duty payable on the subscription for our Shares.
Estate Duty
Singapore estate duty was abolished with respect to all deaths occurring on or after February 15, 2008.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following discussion is a summary of U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the ownership and disposition of our Shares. This summary applies only to U.S. Holders that hold our Shares as capital assets (generally, property held for investment) and that have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. This summary is based on U.S. tax laws in effect as of the date of this prospectus, on U.S. Treasury regulations in effect or, in some cases, proposed as of the date of this prospectus, and judicial and administrative interpretations thereof available on or before such date. All of the foregoing authorities are subject to change, which could apply retroactively and could affect the tax consequences described below. No ruling has been sought from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) with respect to any U.S. federal income tax considerations described below, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position. Moreover, this summary does not address the Medicare tax on certain investment income, U.S. federal estate, gift, backup withholding, and alternative minimum tax considerations, or any state, local, and non-U.S. tax considerations, relating to the ownership and disposition of our Shares. The following summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to particular investors in light of their individual circumstances or to persons in special tax situations such as:
| ● | financial institutions or financial services entities; | |
| ● | underwriters; | |
| ● | insurance companies; | |
| ● | pension plans; | |
| ● | cooperatives; | |
| ● | regulated investment companies; | |
| ● | real estate investment trusts; | |
| ● | grantor trusts; | |
| ● | broker-dealers; | |
| ● | traders that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting; | |
| ● | governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof; | |
| ● | certain former U.S. citizens or long-term residents; | |
| ● | tax-exempt entities (including private foundations); | |
| ● | persons liable for alternative minimum tax; | |
| ● | persons holding stock as part of a straddle, hedging, conversion or other integrated transaction; |
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| ● | persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; | |
| ● | passive foreign investment companies; | |
| ● | controlled foreign corporations; | |
| ● | persons that actually or constructively own 5% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our voting stock; | |
| ● | partnerships or other entities taxable as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or persons holding Shares through such entities; | |
| ● | the Company’s officers or directors; or | |
| ● | holders who are not U.S. Holders. | |
| For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of our Shares that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes: | ||
| ● | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; | |
| ● | a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; | |
| ● | an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or | |
| ● | a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and the control of one or more U.S. persons for all substantial decisions, or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is a beneficial owner of our Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding our Shares and their partners are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding an investment in our Shares.
Persons considering an investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares should consult their own tax advisors as to the particular tax consequences applicable to them relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Class A Ordinary Shares including the applicability of U.S. federal, state and local tax laws and non-U.S. tax laws.
Taxation of Dividends and Other Distributions on Our Shares
As discussed under “Dividend Policy” above, we do not anticipate that any dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will be required to include in gross income, in accordance with such U.S. Holder’s method of accounting for United States federal income tax purposes, as dividends the amount of any distribution paid on the Shares to the extent the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under United States federal income tax principles). Such dividends paid by us will be taxable to a corporate U.S. Holder as dividend income and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to domestic corporations in respect of dividends received from other domestic corporations. Dividends received by certain non-corporate U.S. Holders (including individuals) may be “qualified dividend income,” which is taxed at the lower capital gains rate, provided that our Shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States and the U.S. Holder satisfies certain holding periods and other requirements. In this regard, shares generally are considered to be readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States if they are listed on Nasdaq, as our Shares are expected to be.
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Distributions in excess of such earnings and profits generally will be applied against and reduce the U.S. Holder’s basis in its Shares (but not below zero) and, to the extent in excess of such basis, will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such Shares. In the event that we do not maintain calculations of our earnings and profits under United States federal income tax principles, a U.S. Holder should expect that all cash distributions will be reported as dividends for United States federal income tax purposes. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability of the lower rate for any cash dividends paid with respect to our Shares.
Dividends will generally be treated as income from foreign sources for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes and will generally constitute passive category income. Depending on the U.S. Holder’s individual facts and circumstances, a U.S. Holder may be eligible, subject to a number of complex limitations, to claim a foreign tax credit not in excess of any applicable treaty rate in respect of any foreign withholding taxes imposed on dividends received on our Shares. A U.S. Holder who does not elect to claim a foreign tax credit for foreign tax withheld may instead claim a deduction, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in respect of such withholding, but only for a year in which such U.S. Holder elects to do so for all creditable foreign income taxes. The rules governing the foreign tax credit are complex and their outcome depends in large part on the U.S. Holder’s individual facts and circumstances. Accordingly, U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.
Taxation of Sale or Other Disposition of Shares
Subject to the discussion below under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules,” a U.S. Holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of Shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized upon the disposition and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such Shares. Any capital gain or loss will be long term if the Shares have been held for more than one year and will generally be U.S.-source gain or loss for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Long-term capital gains of non-corporate taxpayers are currently eligible for reduced rates of taxation. The deductibility of a capital loss may be subject to limitations. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences if a foreign tax is imposed on a disposition of our Shares, including the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
A non-U.S. corporation, such as our company, will be classified as a PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, if either (i) 75% or more of its gross income for such year consists of certain types of “passive” income or (ii) 50% or more of the value of its assets (determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. For this purpose, cash and cash equivalents are categorized as passive assets and the company’s goodwill and other unbooked intangibles are taken into account as non-passive assets. Passive income generally includes, among other things, dividends, interest, rents, royalties, and gains from the disposition of passive assets. We will be treated as owning a proportionate share of the assets and earning a proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly, more than 25% (by value) of the stock.
No assurance can be given as to whether we may be or may become a PFIC, as this is a factual determination made annually that will depend, in part, upon the composition of our income and assets. Furthermore, the composition of our income and assets may also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets and the cash raised in this offering. Under circumstances where our revenue from activities that produce passive income significantly increase relative to our revenue from activities that produce non-passive income, or where we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes, our risk of becoming classified as a PFIC may substantially increase. In addition, because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules, it is possible that the Internal Revenue Service may challenge our classification of certain income and assets as non-passive or our valuation of our tangible and intangible assets, each of which may result in our becoming a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years. If we were classified as a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder held our Shares, we generally would continue to be treated as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which such U.S. Holder held our Shares even if we cease to be a PFIC in subsequent years, unless certain elections are made. Our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status for any taxable year.
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If we are classified as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds our Shares, and unless the U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election (as described below), the U.S. Holder will generally be subject to special tax rules that have a penalizing effect, regardless of whether we remain a PFIC, on (i) any excess distribution that we make to the U.S. Holder (which generally means any distribution paid during a taxable year to a U.S. Holder that is greater than 125 percent of the average annual distributions paid in the three preceding taxable years or, if shorter, the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Shares), and (ii) any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of Shares. Under these rules,
● the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Shares;
● the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable years in the U.S. Holder’s holding period prior to the first taxable year in which we are classified as a PFIC (each, a “pre-PFIC year”), will be taxable as ordinary income;
● the amount allocated to each prior taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year, will be subject to tax at the highest tax rate in effect for individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that year; and
● an additional tax equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed in respect of the tax attributable to each prior taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year, of the U.S. Holder.
If we are treated as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds our Shares, or if any of our subsidiaries is also a PFIC, such U.S. Holder would be treated as owning a proportionate amount (by value) of the shares of any lower-tier PFICs for purposes of the application of these rules. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to any of our subsidiaries.
As an alternative to the foregoing rules, a U.S. Holder of “marketable stock” in a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such stock, provided that such stock is “regularly traded” within the meaning of applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. If our Shares qualify as being regularly traded, and an election is made, the U.S. Holder will generally (i) include as ordinary income for each taxable year that we are a PFIC the excess, if any, of the fair market value of Shares held at the end of the taxable year over the adjusted tax basis of such Shares and (ii) deduct as an ordinary loss the excess, if any, of the adjusted tax basis of the Shares over the fair market value of such Shares held at the end of the taxable year, but such deduction will only be allowed to the extent of the amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. The U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Shares would be adjusted to reflect any income or loss resulting from the mark-to-market election. If a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election in respect of a corporation classified as a PFIC and such corporation ceases to be classified as a PFIC, the U.S. Holder will not be required to take into account the gain or loss described above during any period that such corporation is not classified as a PFIC. If a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election, any gain such U.S. Holder recognizes upon the sale or other disposition of our Shares in a year when we are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as ordinary loss, but such loss will only be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election.
Because a mark-to-market election cannot be made for any lower-tier PFICs that we may own, a U.S. Holder may continue to be subject to the PFIC rules with respect to such U.S. Holder’s indirect interest in any investments held by us that are treated as an equity interest in a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
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Furthermore, as another alternative to the foregoing rules, a U.S. Holder that owns stock of a PFIC generally may make a “qualified electing fund” election regarding such corporation to elect out of the PFIC rules described above regarding excess distributions and recognized gains. However, we do not intend to provide information necessary for U.S. Holders to make qualified electing fund elections which, if available, would result in tax treatment different from the general tax treatment for PFICs described above.
If a U.S. Holder owns our Shares during any taxable year that we are a PFIC, the U.S. Holder must generally file an annual Internal Revenue Service Form 8621 and provide such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department, whether or not a mark-to-market election is or has been made. If we are or become a PFIC, you should consult your tax advisor regarding any reporting requirements that may apply to you.
You should consult your tax advisors regarding how the PFIC rules apply to your investment in our Shares.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Certain U.S. Holders are required to report information to the Internal Revenue Service relating to an interest in “specified foreign financial assets,” including shares issued by a non-United States corporation, for any year in which the aggregate value of all specified foreign financial assets exceeds $50,000 (or a higher dollar amount prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service), subject to certain exceptions (including an exception for shares held in custodial accounts maintained with a U.S. financial institution). These rules also impose penalties if a U.S. Holder is required to submit such information to the Internal Revenue Service and fails to do so.
In addition, dividend payments with respect to our Shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of our Shares may be subject to additional information reporting to the IRS and possible U.S. backup withholding. Backup withholding will not apply, however, to a U.S. Holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number and makes any other required certification on IRS Form W-9 or who is otherwise exempt from backup withholding. U.S. Holders who are required to establish their exempt status generally must provide such certification on IRS Form W-9. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the U.S. information reporting and backup withholding rules.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, and you may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by filing the appropriate claim for refund with the IRS and furnishing any required information. We do not intend to withhold taxes for individual Shareholders. However, transactions effected through certain brokers or other intermediaries may be subject to withholding taxes (including backup withholding), and such brokers or intermediaries may be required by law to withhold such taxes.
EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-U.S. TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF OUR SHARES, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.
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We are offering the Class A Ordinary Shares described in this prospectus through the underwriters listed below. Subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters named below have agreed to buy, severally and not jointly, the number of Class A Ordinary Shares listed opposite their names below. The underwriters are committed to purchase and pay for all of the shares if any are purchased, other than those shares covered by the over-allotment option described below. R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc. is acting as the lead managing underwriter of this offering and representative of the underwriters (the “Representative”).
| Name | Number of Shares | |||
| R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc. | [●] | |||
| [●] | [●] | |||
| Total: | 3,000,000 | |||
The underwriters propose to initially offer the Class A Ordinary Shares to the public at a price of $[●] per share. The underwriters propose to offer the Class A Ordinary Shares to certain dealers at the same price less a concession of not more than $[●] per share, of which up to $[●] per share may be reallowed to other dealers. After the initial offering, these figures may be changed by the underwriters.
The shares sold in this offering are expected to be ready for delivery against payment in immediately available funds on or about [●], subject to customary closing conditions. The underwriters may reject all or part of any order.
We have granted to the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 450,000 Class A Ordinary Shares from us at the same price to the public, and with the same underwriting discount, as set forth in the table below. The underwriters may exercise this option any time during the 45-day period after the date of this Prospectus, but only to cover over-allotments, if any. To the extent the underwriters exercise the option, the underwriters will become obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase the shares for which they exercise the option.
Commissions and Discounts
The table below shows the public offering price per ordinary share, underwriting discounts to be paid by us, and the proceeds before expenses to us. The underwriting discount is of 7% of the public offering price on each of the Class A Ordinary Shares being offered. In addition to the underwriting discount, we have agreed to reimburse the Representative for its expenses relating to the offering up to $177,000, including, but not limited to, expenses and disbursements relating to travel, due diligence expenses, fees and expenses of underwriter’s legal counsel, roadshow and background checks of the Company’s officers and directors. The fees and expenses of the underwriters that we have agreed to reimburse are not included in the underwriting discounts set forth in the table below.
We have agreed to pay an expense deposit of $50,000 to (or on behalf of) the underwriters, which will be applied against the out-of-pocket accountable expenses that will be paid by us to the underwriters in connection with this offering, and will be reimbursed to us to the extent not incurred. We have also agreed to pay a non-accountable expense allowance to the underwriters equal to 1.0% of the gross proceeds received in this offering (excluding any proceeds from the exercise of the over-allotment option).
Except as disclosed in this prospectus, the underwriters have not received and will not receive from us any other item of compensation or expense in connection with this offering considered by FINRA to be underwriting compensation under FINRA Rule 5110. The underwriting discount was determined through an arms’ length negotiation between us and the underwriters.
| Total | No | Full | ||||||||||
| Per Share | Exercise | Exercise | ||||||||||
| Public offering price | $ | 4.5 | $ | 13,500,000 | $ | 15,525,000 | ||||||
| Underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by us | $ | 0.315 | $ | 945,000 | $ | 1,086,750 | ||||||
| Proceeds, before expenses, to us | $ | 4.185 | $ | 12,555,000 | $ | 14,438,250 | ||||||
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We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, excluding underwriting discounts, will be $928,202.
Representative’s Warrants
We have agreed, upon the closing of this offering, including upon the closing of any offering of Class A Ordinary Shares sold to cover over allotments, to issue to the representative warrants, or the representative’s warrants, to purchase a number of Class A Ordinary Shares equal to 5% of the total number of Class A Ordinary Shares sold in this public offering. The representative’s warrants will be exercisable at a price equal to 125% of the public offering price per share and may be exercised on a cashless basis. The representative’s warrants are exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the period commencing from six months after the closing of this public offering, and expiring seven years from the closing of this public offering. The representative’s warrant also provides for customary anti-dilution provisions and demand and “piggyback” registration rights with respect to the registration of the Class A Ordinary Shares underlying the representative’s warrants. The representative’s warrants will contain provisions for one demand registration of the underlying Class A Ordinary Shares at the Company’s expense, an additional demand registration at the warrant holders’ expense, and unlimited “piggyback” registration rights for a period of five (5) years from the commencement of sales of this offering at the Company’s expense.
The representative’s warrants and the Class A Ordinary Shares underlying the representative’s warrants have been deemed compensation by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e). The representative, or permitted assignees under such rule, may not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate the representative’s warrants or the securities underlying the representative’s warrants, nor will the representative engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the representative’s warrants or the underlying shares for a period of 180 days from the effective date of the registration statement except as permitted under FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). The representative’s warrants will provide for adjustment in the number and price of the representative’s warrants and the Class A Ordinary Shares underlying such representative’s warrants in the event of recapitalization, merger, stock split or other structural transaction, or a future financing undertaken by us to the extent permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(E).
Right of First Refusal
Until twelve (12) months from the closing of this offering, the representative shall have a right of first refusal to act as a sole managing underwriter and dealer manager, book runner or sole placement agent for any and all future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings of the Company.
Indemnification
We also have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
No Sales of Class A Ordinary Shares
We, have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to offer, pledge, sell, transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of our Class A Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of our Class A Ordinary Shares during the six-month period following the closing of this offering.
Members of our board of directors, our executive officers and all shareholders beneficially owning more than 5% of our outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares, subject to certain exceptions, as of the effective date of this prospectus have agreed during the six-month period following the effective date of this prospectus to substantially similar lock-up provisions, subject to certain exceptions.
These lock-up agreements provide limited exceptions, and their restrictions may be waived at any time by the representative.
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Determination of Offering Price
The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the Class A Ordinary Shares directly to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The initial public offering price is subject to change as a result of market conditions and other factors. Prior to this offering, no public market exists for our Class A Ordinary Shares. The initial public offering price of the shares was determined by negotiation between us and the underwriters. The principal factors considered in determining the initial public offering price of the shares included, among others:
| ● | the information in this prospectus and otherwise available to the underwriters, including our financial information; | |
| ● | the history and the prospects for the industry in which we compete; | |
| ● | the ability and experience of our management; | |
| ● | the prospects for our future earnings; | |
| ● | the present state of our development and our current financial condition; | |
| ● | the general condition of the economy and the securities markets in the United States at the time of this initial public offering; | |
| ● | the recent market prices of, and the demand for, publicly-traded securities of generally comparable companies; and | |
| ● | other factors as were deemed relevant. |
We cannot be sure that the initial public offering price will correspond to the price at which our Class A Ordinary Shares will trade in the public market following this offering or that an active trading market for or Class A Ordinary Shares will develop or continue after this offering.
Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids
To facilitate this offering, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares during and after the offering. Specifically, the underwriters may create a short position in our Class A Ordinary Shares for their own accounts by selling more Class A Ordinary Shares than we have sold to the underwriters. The underwriters may close out any short position by purchasing shares in the open market.
In addition, the underwriters may stabilize or maintain the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares by bidding for or purchasing shares in the open market and may impose penalty bids. If penalty bids are imposed, selling concessions allowed to broker-dealers participating in this offering are reclaimed if shares previously distributed in this offering are repurchased, whether in connection with stabilization transactions or otherwise. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. The imposition of a penalty bid may also affect the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares to the extent that it discourages resales of our Class A Ordinary Shares. The magnitude or effect of any stabilization or other transactions is uncertain. These transactions may be effected on the Nasdaq Capital Market or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
In connection with this offering, the underwriters and selling group members may also engage in passive market making transactions in our Class A Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Passive market making consists of displaying bids on the Nasdaq Capital Market limited by the prices of independent market makers and effecting purchases limited by those prices in response to order flow. Rule 103 of Regulation M promulgated by the SEC limits the amount of net purchases that each passive market maker may make and the displayed size of each bid. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. In addition, neither we nor the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in these transactions or that any transaction, if commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares
The underwriters or syndicate members may facilitate the marketing of this offering online directly or through one of their respective affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms and a prospectus online and place orders online or through their financial advisors. Such websites and the information contained on such websites, or connected to such sites, are not incorporated into and are not a part of this Prospectus.
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Other Relationships
The underwriters and their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters may in the future engage in investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. The underwriters may in the future receive customary fees and commissions for these transactions.
In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of the issuer. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
Listing
We intend to apply to have our Class A Ordinary Shares approved for listing on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UFG.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our Class A Ordinary Shares is VStock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is VStock Transfer, LLC.
Selling Restrictions
No action has been taken in any jurisdiction except the United States that would permit a public offering of our Class A Ordinary Shares, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this Prospectus or any other material relating to us or our Class A Ordinary Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, the shares may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this Prospectus nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the shares may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.
This document does not constitute a public offer of, or an invitation to the public to purchase Class A Ordinary Shares in the company, whether by way of sale or subscription, in the Cayman Islands. Class A Ordinary Shares have not been offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the Cayman Islands.
Set forth below is an itemization of the total expenses, excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions and non-accountable expense allowance, which are expected to be incurred in connection with the sale of Class A Ordinary Shares in this offering. With the exception of the registration fee payable to the SEC, the Nasdaq Capital Market listing fee and the filing fee payable to Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, all amounts are estimates.
| SEC registration fee | $ | 1,771 | ||
| The Nasdaq Capital Market listing fee | 75,000 | |||
| FINRA filing fee | 650 | |||
| Printing and engraving expenses | 6,995 | |||
| Legal fees and expenses | 634,037 | |||
| Accounting fees and expenses | 67,000 | |||
| Transfer agent and registrar fee and expenses | 3,000 | |||
| Miscellaneous | 4,749 | |||
| Total | $ | 793,202 |
* To be filed by amendment
The validity of the Class A Ordinary Shares offered in the IPO and certain other legal matters as to Cayman Islands law will be passed upon for us by Ogier, our Cayman Islands counsel. Certain legal matters as to Singapore law will be passed upon for us by Shook Lin & Bok LLP, our Singapore counsel. Certain other legal matters as to United States Federal and New York State law in connection with this offering will be passed upon for us by Loeb & Loeb LLP, New York, New York. Certain legal matters as to U.S. federal law in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP.
The consolidated financial statements of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for the years then ended, have been audited by Marcum Asia CPAs LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, as set forth in their report elsewhere herein. Such consolidated financial statements have been so included in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Service of process upon us and upon our directors and officers, many of whom reside outside of the United States, may be difficult to obtain within the United States. Furthermore, because substantially all of our assets and substantially all of our directors and officers are located outside the United States, any judgment obtained in the United States against us or any of our directors and officers may be difficult to collect within the United States.
We have irrevocably appointed Cogency Global Inc. as our agent to receive service of process in any action against us in any U.S. federal or state court arising out of this offering or any purchase or sale of securities in connection with this offering. The address of our agent is 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168.
Ogier, our counsel as to Cayman Islands law, has advised us that it is uncertain whether the courts of the Cayman Islands will (i) recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. Although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands may recognize and enforce
in certain circumstances without any re-examination or re-litigation of matters adjudicated upon, provided such judgement: (i) is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction; (ii) imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given; (iii) is final; (iv) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; and (v) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or public policy of the Cayman Islands.
Subject to the above limitations, in appropriate circumstances, a Cayman Islands court may give effect in the Cayman Islands to other kinds of final foreign judgments such as declaratory orders, orders for performance of contracts and injunctions.
Also, our principal executive offices and substantially all of our assets are located in Singapore. In addition, most of our directors and officers are nationals or residents of Singapore and all or a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
An investor may or may not be able to commence an original action against us or our directors or officers, or any person, before the courts outside the United States to enforce liabilities under United States federal securities laws, depending on the nature of the action.
Our Singapore counsel, Shook Lin & Bok LLP, has further advised us that it is possible that the Singapore courts may not (i) recognize and enforce judgments of courts in the United States, based upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state or territory of the United States (ii) enter judgments in original actions brought in the Singapore courts based solely on the civil liability provisions of these securities laws. An in personam final and conclusive judgment in the federal or state courts of the United States under which a fixed or ascertainable sum of money is payable may generally be enforced as a debt in the Singapore courts under the common law as long as it is established that the Singapore courts have jurisdiction over the judgment debtor. Additionally, the court where the judgment was obtained must have had international jurisdiction over the party sought to be bound in the local proceedings. However, the Singapore courts are unlikely to enforce a foreign judgment if (a) the foreign judgment is inconsistent with a prior local judgment that is binding on the same parties; (b) the enforcement of the foreign judgment would contravene the public policy of Singapore; (c) the proceedings in which the foreign judgment was obtained were contrary to principles of natural justice; (d) the foreign judgment was obtained by fraud; or (e) the enforcement of the foreign judgment amounts to the direct or indirect enforcement of a foreign penal, revenue or other public law.
In particular, the Singapore courts may potentially not allow the enforcement of any foreign judgment for a sum payable in respect of taxes, fines, penalties or other similar charges, including the judgments of courts in the United States based upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state or territory of the United States. In respect of civil liability provisions of the United States federal and state securities law which permit punitive damages against us and our Directors and/or our Executive Officers, we are unaware of any reported decision by the Singapore courts which has considered the specific issue of whether a judgment of a United States court based on such civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state or territory of the United States is enforceable in Singapore.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form F-1 under the Securities Act, including amendments and relevant exhibits and schedules, covering the Class A Ordinary Shares to be sold in this offering.
Our SEC filings, including the Registration Statement on Form F-1, are also available to you on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
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INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Consolidated Financial Statements for the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
| F-1 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Marcum Asia CPAs llp
Marcum Asia CPAs llp
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2024.
New York, New York
May 3, 2024, except for Note 9, as to which the date is October 3, 2024
| F-2 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
(Expressed in U.S. Dollars, except for the number of shares)
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Assets | ||||||||
| Current Assets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | 2,564,850 | $ | 3,297,725 | ||||
| Restricted cash | 1,500,000 | - | ||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 12,807,009 | 386,074 | ||||||
| Accounts receivable, net, -related party | - | 709,734 | ||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 120,910 | 9,133 | ||||||
| Total current assets | 16,992,769 | 4,402,666 | ||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 395,056 | - | ||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 197,863 | - | ||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 30,576 | - | ||||||
| Deferred initial public offering (“IPO”) costs | 112,900 | - | ||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | - | 919 | ||||||
| Total assets | $ | 17,729,164 | $ | 4,403,585 | ||||
| Liabilities and shareholders’ equity | ||||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||
| Current liabilities | ||||||||
| Accounts payable | $ | 11,196,384 | $ | 443,352 | ||||
| Accounts payable -related party | - | 979,568 | ||||||
| Short-term bank loans | 1,195,149 | - | ||||||
| Amounts due to related parties | 278,001 | - | ||||||
| Income tax payables | 272,437 | 445,449 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, current | 85,382 | - | ||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 177,737 | 173,883 | ||||||
| Total current liabilities | 13,205,090 | 2,042,252 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, non-current | 127,834 | - | ||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities, non-current | 9,700 | - | ||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities, net | 13,420 | - | ||||||
| Total liabilities | 13,356,044 | 2,042,252 | ||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | ||||||||
| Shareholders’ equity | ||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares (US$0.0001 par value, 450,000,000 shares authorized; nil share issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022)* | - | - | ||||||
| Class B ordinary shares (US$0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized; 30,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022)* | 3,000 | 3,000 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital* | 3,997,000 | 97,001 | ||||||
| Retained earnings | 373,120 | 2,261,332 | ||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 4,373,120 | 2,361,333 | ||||||
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 17,729,164 | $ | 4,403,585 | ||||
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the ordinary shares issuance and share split.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-3 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(Expressed in U.S. dollar, except for the number of shares)
| For the Years Ended | ||||||||
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Revenues | ||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels | $ | 67,966,869 | $ | 19,137,919 | ||||
| Sales of marine fuels -related party | 2,184,911 | 10,424,827 | ||||||
| Brokerage commissions | 142,479 | - | ||||||
| Brokerage commissions -related parties | 491,269 | 1,255,725 | ||||||
| Total revenues | 70,785,528 | 30,818,471 | ||||||
| Cost of revenues | (68,505,327 | ) | (28,414,153 | ) | ||||
| Gross profit | 2,280,201 | 2,404,318 | ||||||
| Operating expenses | ||||||||
| Selling and marketing | (210,957 | ) | (146 | ) | ||||
| General and administrative | (672,131 | ) | (45,532 | ) | ||||
| Total operating expenses | (883,088 | ) | (45,678 | ) | ||||
| Income from operations | 1,397,113 | 2,358,640 | ||||||
| Other income | ||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (1,907 | ) | - | |||||
| Other income | 10,944 | 4,813 | ||||||
| Total other income, net | 9,037 | 4,813 | ||||||
| Income before income tax expense | 1,406,150 | 2,363,453 | ||||||
| Income tax expense | (194,363 | ) | (386,321 | ) | ||||
| Net income | 1,211,787 | 1,977,132 | ||||||
| Total comprehensive income | $ | 1,211,787 | $ | 1,977,132 | ||||
| Earnings per share* | ||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares – basic and diluted | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
| Class B ordinary shares – basic and diluted | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.07 | ||||
| Weighted average shares outstanding used in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share* | ||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares – basic and diluted | - | - | ||||||
| Class B ordinary shares – basic and diluted | 30,000,000 | 30,000,000 | ||||||
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the ordinary shares issuance and share split.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-4 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
(Expressed in U.S. dollar, except for the number of shares)
Class A ordinary share | Class B ordinary share* | Additional Paid-In | Retained | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share | Amount | Share | Amount | Capital* | earnings | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2021 | - | $ | - | 30,000,000 | $ | 3,000 | $ | 97,001 | $ | 284,200 | $ | 384,201 | ||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | - | - | - | - | 1,977,132 | 1,977,132 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2022 | - | - | 30,000,000 | 3,000 | 97,001 | 2,261,332 | 2,361,333 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | - | - | - | - | 1,211,787 | 1,211,787 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital contribution from shareholder | - | - | - | - | 3,899,999 | - | 3,899,999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividend distribution | - | - | - | - | - | (3,099,999 | ) | (3,099,999 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2023 | - | $ | - | 30,000,000 | $ | 3,000 | $ | 3,997,000 | $ | 373,120 | $ | 4,373,120 | ||||||||||||||||
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the ordinary shares issuance and share split.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-5 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Expressed in U.S. dollar)
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||||||||
| Net income | $ | 1,211,787 | $ | 1,977,132 | ||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net profit to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities: | ||||||||
| Depreciation | 32,275 | - | ||||||
| Allowance for credit losses | 8,473 | 4,221 | ||||||
| Non-cash operating lease expenses | 61,406 | - | ||||||
| Deferred tax expenses (benefits) | 14,339 | (717 | ) | |||||
| Change in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | (11,719,074 | ) | 347,634 | |||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | (133,851 | ) | (725 | ) | ||||
| Accounts payable | 9,773,464 | 144,080 | ||||||
| Income tax payables | (173,012 | ) | 387,038 | |||||
| Operating lease liabilities | (46,053 | ) | - | |||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 4,452 | 168,193 | ||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities | (965,794 | ) | 3,026,856 | |||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: | ||||||||
| Purchases of property and equipment | (427,331 | ) | - | |||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (427,331 | ) | - | |||||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||||||||
| Proceeds from short-term bank loans | 7,551,546 | - | ||||||
| Repayments of short-term bank loans | (6,356,397 | ) | - | |||||
| Payment of offering costs related to Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) | (112,900 | ) | - | |||||
| Capital contribution from shareholder | 800,000 | - | ||||||
| Borrowings from a related party | 678,259 | - | ||||||
| Repayment of borrowings from a related party | (400,258 | ) | - | |||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 2,160,250 | - | ||||||
| Net increase in cash and restricted cash | 767,125 | 3,026,856 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, beginning of year | 3,297,725 | 270,869 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, end of year | $ | 4,064,850 | $ | 3,297,725 | ||||
| Reconciliation of cash and restricted cash to the consolidated balance sheets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | 2,564,850 | $ | 3,297,725 | ||||
| Restricted cash | 1,500,000 | - | ||||||
| Total cash and restricted cash | $ | 4,064,850 | $ | 3,297,725 | ||||
| Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: | ||||||||
| Income tax paid | $ | 361,841 | $ | - | ||||
| Interest expenses paid | $ | 18,280 | $ | - | ||||
| Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: | ||||||||
| Dividend distribution against capital contribution from shareholder | $ | 3,099,999 | $ | - | ||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities | $ | 259,269 | $ | - | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-6 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
1. Organization and Description of Business
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (“Uni-Fuels Holdings”) (“the Company”) is a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability on March 8, 2024. Uni-Fuels Holdings is a parent holding company with no operations.
Uni-Fuels Group Inc (“Uni-Fuels Group”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, is a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability on February 5, 2024. Uni-Fuels Group has a share capital of $0.0001 and is an investment holding company with no operations.
Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd. (“Uni-Fuels”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uni-Fuels Group, is a private company limited by shares incorporated in the Singapore on October 12, 2021. Uni-Fuels had a share capital of $100,001 and $4,000,000 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. Uni-Fuels’ primary business activity is in ship bunkering as marine fuels supplier and broker.
Uni-Fuels Holdings together with its subsidiaries (collectively, “the Group”) is primarily operating in Singapore whose primary business activity is in ship bunkering. The Group is a marine fuels supplier and broker that provides marine fuels supply to shipping companies and other marine fuels suppliers worldwide in-port and offshore. The Group primarily generates sales income by selling marine fuels to its customers and receives brokerage commissions by referring shipping companies to its customers.
Reorganization
The Reorganization was completed on April 18, 2024 through a series of planned transactions. As a result of the Reorganization, the Company has become the holding company for all previously mentioned entities. The primary objective of the Reorganization was to transfer 100% ownership of Uni-Fuels to the Company, enabling the Company to serve as the issuer for its planned initial public offering in the United States.
Immediately before the Reorganization, Uni-Fuels was wholly owned and controlled by Koh Kuan Hua and functioned as the operational entity for all the Group’s business activities. The Company and Uni-Fuels Group were established on March 8, 2024, and February 5, 2024, respectively, by a registered agent in the Cayman Islands, with the sole purpose of acting as holding companies for the Group. On March 14, 2024, 100% ownership of Uni-Fuels Holdings, which at the time also held 100% ownership interest in Uni-Fuels Group, was transferred from the registered agent to Garden City Private Capital Limited, which is controlled by Koh Kuan Hua. Both the Company and Uni-Fuels Gorup had not engaged in any business activities before the transfer. On April 18, 2024, Koh Kuan Hua transferred 100% ownership interest in Uni-Fuels to Uni-Fuels Group, thereby completing the Reorganization.
Immediately before and after the Reorganization, the Company, Uni-Fuels Group, and Uni-Fuels remained under the complete ownership and control of Koh Kuan Hua. Consequently, the Reorganization is classified as a common control transaction under ASC 805-50.
Following this, the consolidation of the Company and its subsidiaries has been accounted for at historical cost and prepared on the basis as if the aforementioned transactions had become effective as of the beginning of the first period presented in these consolidated financial statements. Results of operations for the periods presented comprise those of the previously separate entities combined from the beginning of the period to the end of the period, eliminating the effects of intra-entity transactions.
| F-7 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of presentation and principle of consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
These consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances among the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.
A subsidiary is an entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, controls more than one half of the voting power; or has the power to govern the financial and operating policies, to appoint or remove the majority of the members of the board of directors, or to cast a majority of votes at the meeting of directors.
Use of estimates and assumptions
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. These estimates and judgments are based on historical information, information that is currently available to the Group and on various other assumptions that the Group believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Significant estimates required to be made by management include, but not limited to, allowance for expected credit losses against financial assets, income tax, accounting of operating lease right-of-use assets, and operating lease liabilities. Actual results could differ from the estimates, and as such, differences could be material to these consolidated financial statements.
Cash
Cash includes balances maintained with banks in Singapore which are unrestricted and immediately available for withdrawal and use.
Restricted cash
Restricted cash consists of a fixed deposit amounting to $1,500,000, which is required to be maintained with a bank in Singapore and is used as collateral for banking facilities extended to the Group. This deposit is set to mature on October 15, 2024.
Accounts receivable, net
Accounts receivable are recognized and carried at the original invoiced amount less an allowance for credit losses and do not bear interest. Customers who owed accounts receivables, are granted credit terms based on their credit metrics. The Group adopted ASU No.2016-13 “Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (“ASC Topic 326”) on its accounts receivable, starting from the incorporation date of Uni-Fuels as of October 12, 2021, and records the allowance for credit losses as an offset to accounts receivable, and the estimated credit losses charged to the allowance is classified as “general and administrative” in these consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. The Group assesses collectability by reviewing accounts receivable on a collective basis where similar characteristics exist, primarily based on similar business line, service or product offerings and on an individual basis when the Group identifies specific customers with known disputes or collectability issues. In determining the amount of the allowance for credit losses, the Group considers historical collectability based on past due status, the age of the accounts receivable balances, credit quality of the Group’s customers based on ongoing credit evaluations, current economic conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, and other factors that may affect the Group’s ability to collect from customers. Under this accounting guidance, the Group measures credit losses on its accounts receivable using the current expected credit loss model under ASC 326. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company provided allowance for expected credit losses of $13,281 and $5,408, respectively.
Prepayments and other assets, net
Prepayments and other assets are comprised of other receivables and prepaid expenses, including rental deposit, interest receivables and prepaid office supplies. Since the incorporation of Uni-Fuels on October 12, 2021, the Group adopted ASC Topic 326 on its other receivables. The new credit loss guidance replaces the old model for measuring the allowance for credit losses with a model that is based on the expected losses. Under this accounting guidance, the Group measures credit losses on its prepayment and other assets using the current expected credit loss model under ASC 326. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the balance of allowance for expected credit loss against prepayments and other assets was $600 and $nil, respectively.
| F-8 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Leases
Since the incorporation of Uni-Fuels on October 12, 2021, the Group adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as amended, which supersedes the lease accounting guidance under Topic 840, and generally requires lessees to recognize operating and financing lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets on the balance sheet and to provide enhanced disclosures surrounding the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leasing arrangements.
The Group is a lessee of non-cancellable operating leases for corporate office premises. The Group determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. A lease for which substantially all the benefits and risks incidental to ownership remain with the lessor is classified by the lessee as an operating lease. All leases of the Group are currently classified as operating leases. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, operating lease liabilities on the Group’s consolidated balance sheets.
ROU assets represent the Group’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and operating lease liabilities represent its obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized at lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term.
When determining the lease term, at lease commencement date, the Group considers options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that it will exercise or not exercise that option. The interest rate used to determine the present value of future lease payments is the Group’s incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the lease commencement date.
The lease standard (ACS 842) provides practical expedients for an entity’s ongoing accounting. The Group elects to apply short-term lease exception for leases with a lease term of 12 months or less at commencement. Accordingly, ROU assets and operating lease liabilities do not include leases with a lease term of 12 months or less.
The Group also elects to adopt the practical expedient that allows lessee to treat the lease and non-lease components of a lease as a single lease component. Non-lease components include building management fees, utility expenses and property taxes included and payable in the lease contract. These non-lease components are not separated from the lease components to which they relate.
The Group evaluates the impairment of its ROU assets consistently with the approach applied for its other long-lived assets. The Group reviews the recoverability of its long-lived assets when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. The assessment of possible impairment is based on its ability to recover the carrying value of the assets from the expected undiscounted future pre-tax cash flows of the related operations. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Group did not recognize any impairment loss against its ROU assets.
Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method based on the estimated useful life. The estimated useful lives of property and equipment are as follows:
| Leasehold improvements | Shorter of lease term or 3 years | |
| Furniture and fixture | 5 years | |
| Computer equipment | 3 years | |
| Motor vehicle | 10 years | |
| Office equipment | 5 years |
Expenditures for repairs and maintenance, which do not materially extend the useful lives of the assets, are expensed as incurred. Expenditures for major renewals and betterments which substantially extend the useful life of assets are capitalized. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of assets disposed of or retired are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income under other income or expenses.
| F-9 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Impairment of long-lived assets
The Group reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment and ROU assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the undiscounted future pre-tax cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. Fair value is generally determined by discounting the cash flows expected to be generated by the asset (asset group), when the market prices are not readily available. The adjusted carrying amount of the asset is the new cost basis and is depreciated over the asset’s remaining useful life. Long-lived assets are grouped with other assets and liabilities at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, no impairment of long-lived assets was recognized.
Deferred IPO costs
Deferred IPO costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Initial Public Offering and that were charged to shareholders’ equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Group had deferred IPO costs of $112,900 and $nil, respectively.
Revenue recognition
The Group follows the rules and guidance set out under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), when recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. The core principle of ASC 606 requires an entity to recognize revenues to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that it expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services recognized as performance obligations are satisfied. In according with ASC 606, revenues are recognized when the Group satisfies the performance obligations by delivering the promised goods or services to the customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Group expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The following five steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the contract with the customer
Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract
Step 3: Determine the transaction price
Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract
Step 5: Recognize revenue when the company satisfies a performance obligation.
The Group identifies each distinct service as a performance obligation. The recognition and measurement of revenues is based on the assessment of individual contract terms. The Group applies a practical expedient to expense costs as incurred for those suffered in order to obtain a contract with a customer when the amortization period would have been one year or less. The Group has no material incremental costs of obtaining contracts with customers that the Group expects the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year, which need to be recognized as assets.
| F-10 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
The Group’s principal revenue streams include:
Sales of marine fuels
The Group enters into a distinct agreement with its customer, through an order confirmation, to sell marine fuels in exchange for sales proceeds. The Group’s promise to sell marine fuels to its customer is considered distinct and is identified as one performance obligation. The Group charges its customer sales proceed at a fixed amount, which is explicitly stated in the contract through order confirmation and is based on the volume of marine fuels supplied to the customer.
Customer does not simultaneously receive and consume the benefits provided by the Group prior to the delivery of marine fuels. No other services are provided by the Group, and benefits are only realized upon receiving marine fuels. Before the delivery of marine fuels, no assets are created nor is there an enforceable right to payment for completed performance by the Group, as evidenced by the order confirmation. Sales income does not qualify to be recognized over time but is recognized at a point in time.
Customer’s obligation to make payment upon fuels delivery and physical possession of marine fuels indicates control over the assets is transferred to customer upon delivery. Furthermore, upon delivery, customer takes on the risks and rewards associated with ownership of the marine fuels and is ready to derive benefits from the assets. Consequently, revenue from the sales of marine fuels is recognized at a point in time when the transaction and the Group’s performance obligation is completed, as evidenced by the delivery of marine fuels.
The Group follows the rules and guidance set out under ASC 606 when determining whether it is acting as a principal or an agent in the contract with its customers. The core principle of ASC 606 requires an entity to determine whether the nature of its promise is a performance obligation to provide the goods or services itself (that is, the entity is a principal) or to arrange for those goods or services to be provided by the other party (that is, the entity is an agent). The following steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the specified goods or services to be provided to the customer
Step 2: Assess whether it controls each specified good or service before that good or service is transferred to the customer
Under the order confirmation, the Group is solely responsible for the sales of marine fuels it committed to by providing marine fuels with the required grades set out in the agreements with the customers, procuring the relevant supplier, and supplying the required fuels at the designated ports and time, while ensuring the specifications of the marine fuels sold are met to fulfill the promise in the order confirmation. The Group controls the whole process and has an obligation to procure the fulfillment of the conditions. Moreover, the Group controls who the marine fuels may be sold to and has full authority in negotiating and determining the commercial terms with both customers and suppliers on each trade without the consent from other parties. The Group also considers elements of inventory risk that it assumes when assessing whether it controls the marine fuels before they are transferred to the customers.
Accordingly, the Group holds the sole primary responsibility for fulfilling the performance obligation and has full discretion over setting prices with its customer in the sales of marine fuels. As the principal in the contract, the Group recognizes revenue at the gross amount to which it is entitled from its customer.
Brokerage commissions
The Group enters into arrangements with its customer by referring marine companies for the sales of marine fuels in exchange for a brokerage commission. These brokerage services that the Group promises to refer marine companies to its customer are considered distinct and constitute a single performance obligation. The commission earned from the brokerage services is fixed and determined at a fixed rate against the volume of marine fuels supplied by its customer to marine companies referred.
Customer does not simultaneously receive and consume the benefits provided by the Group prior to the completion of the transaction. Before the completion of the transaction, no assets are created, nor is there an enforceable right to payment for completed performance by the Group. Brokerage commissions do not qualify to be recognized over time. Revenue from brokerage services is recognized at a point in time, specifically when the transaction is completed and evidenced by the delivery of marine fuels from its customer to marine companies.
The Group follows the rules and guidance set out under ASC 606 when determining whether it is acting as a principal or an agent in the contract with its customers. The core principle of ASC 606 requires an entity to determine whether the nature of its promise is a performance obligation to provide the goods or services itself (that is, the entity is a principal) or to arrange for those goods or services to be provided by the other party (that is, the entity is an agent). The following steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the specified goods or services to be provided to the customer
Step 2: Assess whether it controls each specified good or service before that service is transferred to the customer
Under the brokerage service arrangements, the Group’s primary responsibility is to refer marine companies to its customer in exchange for a brokerage commission. The customer fully manages sales proceeds from the supply of marine fuels to these companies, with the Group having neither authority over the use of marine fuels nor the ability to influence the terms of trade between marine companies and its customer. Therefore, the supply of marine fuels is directly executed between marine companies and the customer, with the Group playing a limited role, acting solely as an intermediary without control over the trade proceedings.
The Group determines that it does not bear inventory risk. In addition, the Group’s role is restricted to making referrals in exchange for a brokerage fee, and has no authority over pricing of trade between marine companies and its customer, which is predominantly controlled by its customer.
As such, the Group does not control the brokerage services provided and acts solely as an agent in the arrangement. It recognizes revenue in the net amount of the brokerage commissions it expects to receive for referring marine companies to its customer.
Sources of revenues
Both sales of marine fuels and brokerage commissions were recognized at a point in time for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
The Group carried out all its business activities and operations in Singapore. Disaggregated information of revenues by geographic locations, which is based on the locations at which the marine fuels are delivered to the customers is as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Geographic locations | ||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels | ||||||||
| China | $ | 3,958,669 | $ | 355,646 | ||||
| Hong Kong | 3,886,888 | - | ||||||
| Malaysia | 8,577,514 | 1,314,947 | ||||||
| Singapore | 38,692,637 | 18,145,791 | ||||||
| South Korea | 1,533,270 | 2,866,080 | ||||||
| United Arab Emirates | 548,177 | 1,786,931 | ||||||
| Vietnam | 1,549,407 | 2,845,212 | ||||||
| Others | 11,405,218 | 2,248,139 | ||||||
| Subtotal | $ | 70,151,780 | $ | 29,562,746 | ||||
| Brokerage commissions | ||||||||
| China | $ | 211,930 | $ | 84,801 | ||||
| Singapore | 209,221 | 538,107 | ||||||
| South Korea | 39,895 | 244,810 | ||||||
| Others | 172,702 | 388,007 | ||||||
| Subtotal | $ | 633,748 | $ | 1,255,725 | ||||
| Total | $ | 70,785,528 | $ | 30,818,471 | ||||
| F-11 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Warranty
Under ASC 460, at the time a sale is recognized, the Group shall record estimated future warranty costs. Such estimated costs for warranties are estimated at completion and these warranties are not warranties separately sold by the Group. Generally, the estimated claim rates of warranty are based on actual warranty experience or Group’s best estimate. There were no such reserves for the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022 because the Group considered that the claim rates of warranty had been immaterial historically and are expected to remain immaterial for the years in concern.
Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities
The Group classifies its right to consideration in exchange for goods or services transferred to a customer as either a receivable or a contract asset. A receivable is a right to consideration that is unconditional as compared to a contract asset which is a right to consideration that is conditional upon factors other than the passage of time. The Group recognizes accounts receivable in its consolidated balance sheets when it transfers the goods or performs services in advance of receiving consideration and it has the unconditional right to receive consideration. A contract asset is recorded when the Group has transferred the goods or services to the customer before payment is received or is due, and the Group’s right to consideration is conditional on future performance or other factors in the contract. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Group did not have any contract assets.
Contract liabilities are recognized if the Group receives consideration prior to satisfying the performance obligations, which include customer advances and deferred revenue under service arrangements. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Group did not have any contract liabilities.
Cost of revenues
Cost of revenue primarily consists of the cost of marine fuels and commission fees incurred during the sales and distribution of marine fuels.
Employee benefit plan
Employees of the Group located in Singapore participate in a compulsory retirement benefit scheme, as mandated by local laws. Contributions to this scheme are made by both the Group and its employees, based on certain percentages of the employees’ relevant salary income, which varies by age bracket. These contributions are subject to a monthly income cap, which was 6,000 Singapore Dollars (SG$) (equivalent to $4,550) for the year ended December 31, 2022. The cap was increased to SG$6,300 (equivalent to $4,778) effective from September 1, 2023. For the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, the total amounts charged to the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the Group’s contributions were $51,692 and $nil, respectively.
Borrowing costs
All borrowing costs are recognized as interest expense in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income in the period in which they are incurred.
Income taxes
The Group accounts for income taxes under ASC 740, Income Taxes. Provision for income taxes consists of current taxes and deferred taxes.
Current tax is recognized based on the results for the year as adjusted for items which are non-assessable or disallowed. It is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date.
Deferred tax is recognized in respect of temporary differences arising from differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements and the corresponding tax basis. Deferred tax is calculated using tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realized, or the liability is settled. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it is related to items credited or charged directly to equity. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
An uncertain tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as income tax expense in the period incurred. The Group did not have any significant uncertain tax positions nor interest and penalty associated with tax positions as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Segment reporting
ASC 280, “Segment Reporting”, establishes standards for reporting information about operating segments on a basis consistent with the Group’s internal organizational structure as well as information about geographical areas, business segments and major customers in financial statements for details on the Group’s business segments.
The Group uses the management approach to determine reportable operating segments. The management approach considers the internal organization and reporting used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) for making decisions, allocating resources and assessing performance. The Group does not distinguish revenues, costs and expenses between segments in its internal reporting, but instead reports costs and expenses by nature as a whole.
| F-12 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive income is defined as the changes in equity of the Group during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances excluding transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Comprehensive income consists of two components, net income and other comprehensive income. Other comprehensive income refers to revenue, expenses, gains and losses that under U.S. GAAP are recorded as an element of shareholders’ equity but are excluded from net income. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Group did not recognize any other comprehensive income.
Earnings per share
Earnings per share is calculated in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings Per Share. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to each class of ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of that particular class outstanding during the year.
Diluted earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income attributable to each class of ordinary shareholders, as adjusted for the effect of dilutive ordinary equivalent shares of that class, if any, by the weighted average number of that particular class of ordinary and dilutive ordinary equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Ordinary equivalent shares consist of the ordinary shares issuable upon the conversion of one class of ordinary shares to another in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company. Ordinary share equivalents are excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share if their effects would be anti-dilutive. Basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share are presented in the Group’s consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, each Class B ordinary share could be converted any time at the holder’s option into one Class A ordinary share whilst Class A ordinary shares could not be converted into Class B ordinary shares. In addition, holders of both Class A and Class B ordinary shares were entitled to receive dividends paid by the Company at the same rate and had equal rights to the surplus assets of the Company upon its liquidation, as stipulated in the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association. These shares ranked pari passu in all other respects. Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated by referring to the rights and characteristics of these two classes of ordinary shares respectively.
Translation of foreign currencies
The Group’s principal place of operations is Singapore. The financial position and results of its operations are determined using the U.S. Dollars (“US$” or “$”), as the functional currency. The Company’s consolidated financial statements are presented in US$. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized upon settlement of foreign currency transactions. In addition, for unsettled foreign currency transactions, foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized for changes between the transaction exchange rates and month-end exchange rates. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in other expense (income) in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income in the period incurred.
Fair value of financial instruments
The fair value of a financial instrument is defined as the exchange price that would be received from an asset or paid to transfer a liability (as exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. A three-level fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:
Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.
Level 2 – Quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, or other inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets and liabilities. This includes certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, financial instruments of the Group comprised primarily cash, restricted cash, accounts receivable, prepayment and other assets, short-term bank loans, accounts payable, amounts due to related parties, accrued expenses and other liabilities. The Group concludes that the carrying amounts of these financial instruments approximate their fair values because of the short-term nature of these instruments.
| F-13 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Related parties
Parties are considered to be related if one party has the ability, directly or indirectly, to control the other party or exercise significant influence over the other party in making financial and operating decisions. Parties are also considered to be related if they are subject to common control or significant influence of the same party, such as a family member or relative, shareholder, or a related corporation.
Commitments and contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Group is subject to contingencies, such as legal proceedings and claims arising out of its business, which cover a wide range of matters. Liabilities for contingencies are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the assessment can be reasonably estimated.
If the assessment of a contingency indicates that it is probable that a material loss is incurred and the amount of the liability can be estimated, then the estimated liability is accrued in the Group’s consolidated financial statements. If the assessment indicates that a potentially material loss contingency is not probable, but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss, if determinable and material, would be disclosed.
Loss contingencies considered remote are generally not disclosed unless they involve guarantees, in which case the nature of the guarantee would be disclosed.
Recent accounting pronouncements
The Group considers the applicability and impact of all accounting standards updates (“ASUs”). Management periodically reviews new accounting standards that are issued. Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended (the “JOBS Act”), the Group meets the definition of an emerging growth company, or EGC, and has elected the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, which delays the adoption of these accounting standards until they would apply to private companies.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements adopted
In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments, which amends and clarifies several provisions of Topic 326. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326) Targeted Transition Relief, which amends Topic 326 to allow the fair value option to be elected for certain financial instruments upon adoption. ASU 2019-10 extended the effective date of ASU 2016-13 until December 15, 2022. This standard replaces the incurred loss methodology with an expected loss methodology that is referred to as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) methodology. CECL requires an estimate of credit losses for the remaining estimated life of the financial asset using historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts and generally applies to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables and held-to-maturity debt securities, and some off-balance sheet credit exposures such as unfunded commitments to extend credit. Financial assets measured at amortized cost will be presented at the net amount expected to be collected by using an allowance for credit losses. The Group adopted this standard since the incorporation of Uni-Fuels on October 12, 2021, and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Group’s consolidated financial statements.
Recent accounting pronouncements not yet adopted
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280)” (“ASU 2023-07”). The amendments in ASU 2023-07 improve financial reporting by requiring disclosure of incremental segment information on an annual and interim basis for all public entities to enable investors to develop more decision useful financial analyses. Topic 280 requires a public entity to report a measure of segment profit or loss that the chief operating decision maker (CODM) uses to assess segment performance and make decisions about allocating resources. Topic 280 also requires other specified segment items and amounts, such as depreciation, amortization, and depletion expense, to be disclosed under certain circumstances. The amendments in ASU 202307 do not change or remove those disclosure requirements. The amendments in ASU 2023-07 also do not change how a public entity identifies its operating segments, aggregates those operating segments, or applies the quantitative thresholds to determine its reportable segments. The amendments in ASU 2023-07 are effective for years beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, adopted retrospectively. Management considers that the guidance does not have a significant impact on the disclosures set out in these consolidated financial statements.
In December 2023, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740)” (“ASU 2023-09”). The amendments in ASU 2023-09 address investor requests for more transparency about income tax information through improvements to income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information. One of the amendments in ASU 2023-09 includes disclosure of, on an annual basis, a tabular rate reconciliation of (i) the reported income tax expense (or benefit) from continuing operations, to (ii) the product of the income (or loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and the applicable statutory federal income tax rate of the jurisdiction of domicile using specific categories, including separate disclosure for any reconciling items within certain categories that are equal to or greater than a specified quantitative threshold of 5%. ASU 2023-09 also requires disclosure of, on an annual basis, the year to date amount of income taxes paid (net of refunds received) disaggregated by federal, state, and foreign jurisdictions, including additional disaggregated information on income taxes paid (net of refunds received) to an individual jurisdiction equal to or greater than 5% of total income taxes paid (net of refunds received). The amendments in ASU2023-09 are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024, and should be applied prospectively. The Group is currently evaluating the impact of the update on the Group’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
The Group does not believe other recently issued but not yet effective accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the consolidated financial position, statements of operations and cash flows.
| F-14 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
3. Significant Risks
Currency risk
The function currency of the Group is US$ and these consolidated financial statements are presented in US$. The Group’s business activities and its assets and liabilities are predominately denominated in the function currency. Therefore, the Group is not exposed to significant foreign currency risk as majority of the operations and transactions are denominated in the functional currency.
Concentration and credit risks
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Group to the credit risks consist of cash, restricted cash, accounts receivable and other assets. The maximum exposures of such assets to credit risk are their carrying amounts as of the balance sheet dates.
The Group deposits its cash and restricted cash with reputable banks located in Singapore. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $4,064,850 and $3,297,725 were deposited with these banks, respectively. Balances maintained with banks in Singapore are insured under the Deposit Insurance Scheme introduced by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation Limited for a maximum amount of SG$75,000 (equivalent to $56,879) for each depositor at one bank, whilst the balances maintained by the Group may at times exceed the insured limits. Cash balances maintained with banks in Singapore are not otherwise insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or other programs. The Group has not experienced any losses in these bank accounts and management believes that the Group is not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and restricted cash.
Assets that potentially subject the Company to significant credit risks primarily consist of accounts receivable and other assets. The Group performs regular and ongoing credit assessments of the counterparts’ financial conditions and credit histories. The Group also assesses historical collection trends, aging of receivables and general economic conditions. The Group considers that it has adequate controls over these receivables in order to minimize the related credit risk. As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the balances of allowance for expected credit losses were $13,881 and $5,408, respectively.
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, most of the Group’s assets were located in Singapore. At the same time, the Group considers that it is exposed to the following concentrations of risk:
| (a) | Major customers |
For the year ended December 31, 2023, no customer accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s revenues. For the year ended December 31, 2022, there were four customers accounting for 10% or more of the Group’s revenues. Revenues from these four customers for the year ended December 31, 2022 represented 38%, 15%, 11%, and 11% of the Group’s total revenues for that year. Of these four customers, only the customer who accounted for 38% of the Group’s revenues for that year was a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd (“Sea Oil Petroleum”)). For further details, please refer to Note 11 on related party transactions and balances.
As of December 31, 2023, there was one customer whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts receivable and it accounted for approximately 15% of the total balances of receivables from customers. As of December 31, 2022, there were two customers whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts receivable and they accounted for approximately 65% and 29% of the total balances of receivables from customers, respectively. Of these two customers, only the customer who accounted for 65% of the total balances of receivables from customers for that year was a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum). For further details, please refer to Note 11 on related party transactions and balances.
| (b) | Major vendors |
For the year ended December 31, 2023, one vendor accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by the vendor for the year ended December 31, 2023 represented 13% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that year. For the year ended December 31, 2022, two vendors accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these two vendors for the year ended December 31, 2022 represented 60% and 25% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that year, respectively. Of these vendors, only the vendor who accounted for 13% of the Group’s cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 60% of the Group’s cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022, was a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum). For further details, please refer to Note 11 on related party transactions and balances.
As of December 31, 2023, there were two vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts payable and they accounted for approximately 28% and 12% of the total balance of accounts payables, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, there were two vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts payable and they accounted for approximately 69% and 31% of the total balances of accounts payables, respectively. Of these two vendors, only the vendor who accounted for 69% of the total balances of accounts payables for that year was a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum). For further details, please refer to Note 11 on related party transactions and balances.
Interest rate risk
Fluctuations in market interest rates may negatively affect the Group’s financial condition and results of operations. The Group is exposed to floating interest rate risk on bank deposits and bank borrowings, particularly during periods when the interest rate is expected to significant changes. Nevertheless, given the amounts of bank deposits and bank borrowings in question, the Group considers its interest rate risk not material, and the Group has not used any derivatives to manage or hedge its interest rate risk exposure.
| F-15 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
4. Accounts Receivable, Net
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, accounts receivable consisted of the following balances:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Third parties | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable related to sales of marine fuels | $ | 12,820,290 | $ | 386,632 | ||||
| Accounts receivable related to brokerage commissions | - | - | ||||||
| 12,820,290 | 386,632 | |||||||
| Less: allowance for expected credit losses | (13,281 | ) | (558 | ) | ||||
| Total accounts receivable – third parties, net | $ | 12,807,009 | $ | 386,074 | ||||
| Related party | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable related to sales of marine fuels | $ | - | $ | 467,600 | ||||
| Accounts receivable related to brokerage commissions | - | 246,984 | ||||||
| - | 714,584 | |||||||
| Less: allowance for expected credit losses | - | (4,850 | ) | |||||
| Total accounts receivable – related party, net | $ | - | $ | 709,734 | ||||
The movement of allowance for expected credit losses is as follow:
| For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at January 1 | $ | 5,408 | $ | 1,117 | ||||
| Provision of expected credit losses | 7,873 | 4,291 | ||||||
| Balance at December 31 | $ | 13,281 | $ | 5,408 | ||||
5. ROU Assets and Operating Lease Liabilities
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Group subsisted of the following non-cancellable lease contract.
| Description of lease | Lease term | |
| Office at Beach Centre, Singapore | 3 years and 2 months from April 1, 2023 to May 31, 2026 |
| a) | Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets: |
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Right-of-use assets | $ | 197,863 | $ | - | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities | ||||||||
| Current | $ | 85,382 | $ | - | ||||
| Non-current | 127,834 | - | ||||||
| $ | 213,216 | $ | - | |||||
| Weighted average remaining lease terms (in years) | 2.42 | - | ||||||
| b) | Information related to operating lease activities during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 are as follows: |
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| ROU assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities | $ | 259,269 | $ | - | ||||
| Amortization of ROU assets | 61,406 | - | ||||||
| Accretion of operating lease liabilities | 8,410 | - | ||||||
| Total operating lease expenses | $ | 69,816 | $ | - | ||||
| c) | The following table summarizes the remaining contractual maturities of lease liabilities, categorized by the years in which such lease liabilities are required to be settled, under operating leases as of December 31, 2023: |
| During the year ended December 31, | ||||
| 2024 | $ | 93,365 | ||
| 2025 | 93,365 | |||
| 2026 | 38,902 | |||
| Total future lease payments | $ | 225,632 | ||
| Less: imputed interest | (12,416 | ) | ||
| Present value of lease obligations | $ | 213,216 | ||
The weighted-average discount rate used to determine the operating lease liabilities as of December 31, 2023 was 4.6%.
| F-16 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
6. Property and Equipment, Net
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, property and equipment, net, consisted of the following:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Leasehold improvements | $ | 87,687 | $ | - | ||||
| Furniture and office equipment | 26,050 | - | ||||||
| Computer equipment | 28,984 | - | ||||||
| Motor vehicle | 284,610 | - | ||||||
| Less: accumulated depreciation | (32,275 | ) | - | |||||
| Total property and equipment, net | $ | 395,056 | $ | - | ||||
Depreciation expenses were $32,275 and $nil for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
7. Prepayments and Other Assets, Net
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Prepaid expenses | $ | 88,703 | $ | 9,132 | ||||
| Other assets | 63,383 | 1 | ||||||
| Less: allowance for expected credit losses | (600 | ) | - | |||||
| Other assets, net | 62,783 | 1 | ||||||
| Total prepayments and other assets, net | 151,486 | 9,133 | ||||||
| Less: amounts classified as non-current assets | (30,576 | ) | - | |||||
| Amounts classified as current assets | $ | 120,910 | $ | 9,133 | ||||
The movement of allowances for expected credit losses is as follow:
| For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at January 1 | $ | - | $ | 70 | ||||
| Provision (recovery of) for expected credit losses | 600 | (70 | ) | |||||
| Balance at December 31 | $ | 600 | $ | - | ||||
8. Short-term Bank Loans
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, short-term bank loans consisted of the following:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Trade financing at annual interest of 8.9% | $ | 1,195,149 | $ | - | ||||
On September 22, 2023, a bank in Singapore extended to the Group banking facilities comprising (i) trade financing, with an interest rate of 3.25% per annum above the bank’s Cost of Funds, and (ii) a revolving short-term loan, with an interest rate of 3.75% per annum above the bank’s Cost of Funds, with a combined limit of $1,500,000. Both facilities had a tenor of up to 60 days from the date of drawdown. As of December 31, 2023, only the trade financing facilities were drawn down, with an outstanding balance of $1,195,149. No bank loans were outstanding as of December 31, 2022.
The security for the short-term bank loans included a fixed charge against the Group’s restricted cash.
No other significant covenants were noted in the Group’s banking facilities.
On January 22, 2024, the short-term bank loans were fully repaid.
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the weighted average annual interest rates for the short-term bank loans were approximately 9.0% and nil, respectively. Interest expenses for the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, was $18,280 and $nil, respectively.
9. Shareholders’ Equity
Ordinary shares
The Company was established under the laws of Cayman Islands on March 8, 2024. The authorized number of ordinary shares was 500,000,000 shares, par value of US$0.0001 per share, consisting of (i) 450,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each; and (ii) 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each. On March 8, 2024, the Company issued 1 Class B ordinary share with a par value of US$0.0001 each.
Each holder of Class A ordinary share is entitled to exercise one vote for each Class A ordinary held on any and all matters to be voted thereon in a general meeting of shareholders, and each holder of Class B ordinary share is entitled to exercise ten votes for each Class B ordinary share held on any and all matters to be voted thereon in a general meeting of shareholders. Each Class B ordinary share can be converted at the holder’s option into one Class A ordinary share whilst Class A ordinary shares cannot be converted into Class B ordinary shares. Holders of both Class A and Class B ordinary shares are entitled to receive dividends paid by the Company at the same rate and have equal rights to the surplus assets of the Company upon its liquidation, as stipulated in the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association. These shares rank pari passu in all other respects.
On September 3, 2024, the shareholder of the Company resolved to allot 29,999,999 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each. Further on September 4, 2024, the holder of Class B ordinary shares converted 6,000,000 Class B ordinary shares into 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with par value of US$0.0001 each. Then on September 25, 2024, the holder of Class B ordinary shares further converted 1,350,000 Class B ordinary shares into 1,350,000 Class A ordinary shares with par value of US$0.0001 each. After the allotment of Class B ordinary shares and subsequent conversions into Class A ordinary shares, the Company has 7,350,000 Class A ordinary shares and 22,650,000 Class B ordinary shares in issue.
The Company considered the above allotment of 29,999,999 Class B ordinary shares part of its recapitalization prior to the completion of its initial public offering. This allotment was solely intended to increase the number of shares and represented an adjustment to the Company’s share structure, aimed at realigning its capital structure to facilitate the subsequent issuance of new shares for the IPO. The shares were issued at par value, with no consideration paid. Therefore, the Company considers the allotment of 29,999,999 Class B ordinary shares to be a share split. The Company believed that it is appropriate to reflect the above transactions on a retroactive basis pursuant to ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, ASC 505, Equity and SAB Topic 4C. All shares and per share amounts used herein and in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been retroactively restated to reflect the above transactions. By recognizing the above transactions on a retroactive basis, 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares were issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Contrary to the allotment, the conversions of 6,000,000 and 1,350,000 Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares were accounted for prospectively and were recognized by the Company on September 4, 2024 and September 25, 2024 respectively.
Capital contribution
Capital contributions constitute the capital transactions from shareholders that affected the shareholders’ equity of Uni-Fuels prior to the Reorganization during the year ended December 31, 2023. On June 6, 2023, Uni-Fuels issued and allotted additional 3,899,999 ordinary shares, each with a par value of $1, amounting to a total of $3,899,999. From the total consideration of $3,899,999 derived from this share allotment, $3,099,999 was offset by netting against the dividend distribution of $3,099,999 made by Uni-Fuels to its shareholder at that time. Meanwhile, the remaining balance of $800,000 was received in cash from the shareholder. The whole balance of $3,899,999 has been accounted for as capital contribution from shareholder in these consolidated financial statements.
Dividend distribution
On June 6, 2023, the Group resolved to distribute a dividend of $30.9997 per ordinary share, totaling $3,099,999, to its shareholder. The declared dividend was settled by offsetting against the capital contribution from its shareholder accordingly.
| F-17 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
10. Income Taxes
Cayman Islands
Under the current and applicable laws of Cayman Islands, the Group is not subject to tax on income or capital gains under this jurisdiction.
Singapore
Uni-Fuels is incorporated in Singapore and is subject to Singapore Corporate Income Tax on the taxable income as reported in their respective statutory financial statements, adjusted in accordance with relevant Singapore tax laws. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, Uni-Fuels was eligible under the tax exemption scheme for new start-up companies introduced under Section 43 of the Income Tax Act 1947 of Singapore. For eligible entities under the tax exemption scheme, a 75% exemption on the first SG$100,000 (equivalent to $75,838) of normal chargeable income and a further 50% exemption on the next SG$100,000 (equivalent to $75,838) of normal chargeable income were granted for their first three consecutive years of assessment. For any other entities, the applicable income tax rate is 17% on the entire chargeable income.
The current and deferred portions of the income tax expense included in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income as determined in accordance with ASC 740 are as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Current taxes | $ | 180,024 | $ | 387,038 | ||||
| Deferred taxes | 14,339 | (717 | ) | |||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 194,363 | $ | 386,321 | ||||
A reconciliation of the difference between the expected income tax expense computed at Singapore income tax rate of 17% and the Group’s reported income tax expense is shown in the following table:
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Income before income tax expense | $ | 1,406,150 | $ | 2,363,453 | ||||
| Applicable income tax rate | 17 | % | 17 | % | ||||
| Income tax expense at applicable income tax rate | $ | 239,046 | $ | 401,787 | ||||
| Non-deductible expenses | 2,039 | - | ||||||
| Income not subject to tax | (2,777 | ) | - | |||||
| Effect of tax exemption scheme and tax reduction | (43,945 | ) | (15,466 | ) | ||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 194,363 | $ | 386,321 | ||||
Deferred tax
The Group measures deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities at the applicable tax rates. Components of the Group’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets: | ||||||||
| Allowance for credit loss | $ | 2,360 | $ | 919 | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities | 36,247 | - | ||||||
| Others | 1,649 | - | ||||||
| Total deferred tax assets | $ | 40,256 | $ | 919 | ||||
| Deferred tax liabilities: | ||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | (18,776 | ) | - | |||||
| ROU assets | (33,637 | ) | - | |||||
| Others | (1,263 | ) | - | |||||
| Total deferred tax liabilities | $ | (53,676 | ) | $ | - | |||
| Deferred tax (liabilities) assets, net | $ | (13,420 | ) | $ | 919 | |||
Movement of the Group’s deferred tax (liabilities) assets during the years is as follows:
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at January 1 | $ | 919 | $ | 202 | ||||
| (Charged) credited to the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income | (14,339 | ) | 717 | |||||
| Balance at December 31 | $ | (13,420 | ) | $ | 919 | |||
Under relevant Singapore tax laws, tax cases are normally subject to investigation by the tax authority for up to 4 years of assessment prior to the current year of assessment for Corporate Income Tax, and 5 years from the end of the prescribed accounting period for Goods and Services Tax. As of December 31, 2023, Corporate Income Tax returns for the years of assessment 2023 and 2024 remain open for statutory examination and the Group had no open tax investigations from the tax authority.
| F-18 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
11. Related Party Transaction and Balance
a. Nature of relationships with related parties
| Name | Relationship with the Company | |
Goh Wee Huan
|
Controlling shareholder who held a controlling interest in Uni-Fuels from January 1, 2022 to December 8, 2023, and served as director of Uni-Fuels from December 22, 2022 to December 8, 2023 | |
| Koh Kuan Hua | Controlling shareholder and director of the Company | |
| Sea Oil Petroleum | Under the significant influence of Koh Kuan Hua, who held a minority interest in Sea Oil Petroleum from January 1, 2022 to October 31, 2023, and served as its director from January 1, 2022, to September 26, 2023 |
b. Transactions with related parties
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| Name | Nature | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Sales of marine fuels | $ | 2,184,911 | $ | 10,424,827 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (2) | Brokerage commissions | $ | 491,269 | $ | 1,255,725 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Purchase of marine fuels | $ | 8,839,579 | $ | 17,145,449 | ||||||
| Goh Wee Huan | (3) | Advances from a related party | $ | 678,259 | $ | - | ||||||
| (1) | The amounts for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 represented proceeds from sales of marine fuels to and cost of marine fuels purchased from the related party. The Group engaged in reciprocal transactions with the related party, encompassing both the sale and purchase of marine fuels. These transactions were conducted based on advantageous positioning, with each party utilizing their relative strengths in specific marine fuels products across various ports for each transaction at the time. |
| (2) | The amounts for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 represented brokerage commissions generated from the related party. |
| (3) | The transactions represented advances from the shareholder for operational purposes during the year ended December 31, 2023. The advances were unsecured, non-interest bearing, and repayable on demand. Out of the total advances of $678,259, $400,258 was repaid by the Group during the year, leaving $278,001 outstanding as at December 31, 2023. Balances were then assigned by Goh Wee Huan to Koh Kuan Hua, coinciding with the transfer of ownership in the Uni-Fuels from Goh Wee Huan to Koh Kuan Hua on December 8, 2023. |
c. Balance with related parties
| As of December 31, | ||||||||||||
| Name | Nature | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Accounts receivable | $ | - | $ | 709,734 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Accounts payable | $ | - | $ | 979,568 | ||||||
| Koh Kuan Hua | (2) | Amounts due to a related party | $ | 278,001 | $ | - | ||||||
|
(1) | The balances as of December 31, 2022 represented sales income and brokerage commission receivables from and purchase costs payable to the related party. The balances were fully settled subsequently. |
| (2) | The balances as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 represented the advances from the shareholder for operational purposes and was assigned by Goh Wee Huan to Koh Kuan Hua. The balances were unsecured, non-interest bearing and repayable on demand. |
| F-19 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
12. Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Group had neither significant financial nor capital commitment.
Contingencies
As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the Group was not a party to any legal or administrative proceedings. The Group further concludes that there were no legal or regulatory proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, that could have resulted in an unfavorable outcome with a material adverse effect on the Group’s results of operations, consolidated financial condition, or cash flows.
13. Segment information
The Group uses the management approach to determine reportable operating segments. The management approach considers the internal organization and reporting used by the Company’s CODM, specifically the Group’s CEO and CFO, for making decisions, allocating resources and assessing performance.
The Group does not distinguish revenues, costs and expenses between segments in its internal reporting, but instead reports costs and expenses by nature as a whole. Based on the management’s assessment, the Group determines that it has only one operating segment and therefore one reportable segment as defined by ASC 280. Furthermore, the majority of the Group’s revenue are derived in or from Singapore with all operation being carried out in Singapore. Therefore, no geographical segments are presented. The Group concludes that it has only one reportable segment. As such, all financial segment information required by the authoritative guidance can be found in these consolidated financial statements.
14. Subsequent Events
The Group evaluates all events and transactions that occur after December 31, 2023 up through May 3, 2024. Other than the event disclosed elsewhere in these consolidated financial statements, there is no other subsequent event occurred that would require recognition or disclosure in the Group’s consolidated financial statements.
| F-20 |
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Expressed in U.S. Dollars, except for the number of shares)
| As of | ||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||
| Assets | ||||||||
| Current Assets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | 4,004,202 | $ | 2,564,850 | ||||
| Restricted cash | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | ||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 8,554,331 | 12,807,009 | ||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 166,526 | 120,910 | ||||||
| Total current assets | 14,225,059 | 16,992,769 | ||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 364,532 | 395,056 | ||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 156,926 | 197,863 | ||||||
| Prepayments and other assets, net | 28,794 | 30,576 | ||||||
| Deferred initial public offering (“IPO”) costs | 298,619 | 112,900 | ||||||
| Total assets | $ | 15,073,930 | $ | 17,729,164 | ||||
| Liabilities and shareholders’ equity | ||||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||
| Current liabilities | ||||||||
| Accounts payable | $ | 8,802,768 | $ | 11,196,384 | ||||
| Short-term bank loans | 1,203,938 | 1,195,149 | ||||||
| Amounts due to related parties | 276,155 | 278,001 | ||||||
| Income tax payables | 5,503 | 272,437 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, current | 87,355 | 85,382 | ||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 121,087 | 177,737 | ||||||
| Total current liabilities | 10,496,806 | 13,205,090 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, non-current | 83,658 | 127,834 | ||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities, non-current | 9,924 | 9,700 | ||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities, net | 8,450 | 13,420 | ||||||
| Total liabilities | 10,598,838 | 13,356,044 | ||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | ||||||||
| Shareholders’ equity | ||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares (US$0.0001 par value, 450,000,000 shares authorized; nil share issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023)* | - | - | ||||||
| Class B ordinary shares (US$0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized; 30,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023)* | 3,000 | 3,000 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital* | 3,997,000 | 3,997,000 | ||||||
| Retained earnings | 475,092 | 373,120 | ||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 4,475,092 | 4,373,120 | ||||||
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 15,073,930 | $ | 17,729,164 | ||||
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the ordinary shares issuance and share split.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
| F-21 |
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(Expressed in U.S. dollar, except for the number of shares)
| For the Six Months Ended | ||||||||
| June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Revenues | ||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels | $ | 74,192,974 | $ | 11,490,452 | ||||
| Sales of marine fuels -related party | - | 2,184,911 | ||||||
| Brokerage commissions | - | 142,479 | ||||||
| Brokerage commissions -related party | - | 491,269 | ||||||
| Total revenues | 74,192,974 | 14,309,111 | ||||||
| Cost of revenues | (72,733,991 | ) | (13,298,177 | ) | ||||
| Gross profit | 1,458,983 | 1,010,934 | ||||||
| Operating expenses | ||||||||
| Selling and marketing | (259,282 | ) | (7,909 | ) | ||||
| General and administrative | (1,090,393 | ) | (130,944 | ) | ||||
| Total operating expenses | (1,349,675 | ) | (138,853 | ) | ||||
| Income from operations | 109,308 | 872,081 | ||||||
| Other income | ||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (8,972 | ) | - | |||||
| Other income | 14,449 | 3,037 | ||||||
| Total other income, net | 5,477 | 3,037 | ||||||
| Income before income tax | 114,785 | 875,118 | ||||||
| Income tax expense | (12,813 | ) | (131,707 | ) | ||||
| Net income | 101,972 | 743,411 | ||||||
| Total comprehensive income | $ | 101,972 | $ | 743,411 | ||||
| Earnings per share* | ||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares – basic and diluted | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
| Class B ordinary shares – basic and diluted | $ | - | $ | 0.02 | ||||
| Weighted average shares outstanding used in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share* | ||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares – basic and diluted | - | - | ||||||
| Class B ordinary shares – basic and diluted | 30,000,000 | 30,000,000 | ||||||
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the ordinary shares issuance and share split.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
| F-22 |
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2023 and 2024
(Expressed in U.S. dollar, except for the number of shares)
Class A ordinary share | Class B ordinary share* | Additional paid-in | Retained earnings (accumulated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share | Amount | Share | Amount | capital* | deficit) | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2022 | - | $ | - | 30,000,000 | $ | 3,000 | $ | 97,001 | $ | 2,261,332 | $ | 2,361,333 | ||||||||||||||||
| Capital contribution from shareholder | - | - | - | - | 3,899,999 | - | 3,899,999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividend distribution | - | - | - | - | - | (3,099,999 | ) | (3,099,999 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | - | - | - | - | 743,411 | 743,411 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of June 30, 2023 (unaudited) | - | $ | - | 30,000,000 | $ | 3,000 | $ | 3,997,000 | $ | (95,256 | ) | $ | 3,904,744 | |||||||||||||||
Class A ordinary share | Class B ordinary share* | Additional paid-in | Retained | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share | Amount | Share | Amount | capital* | earnings | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2023 | - | $ | - | 30,000,000 | $ | 3,000 | $ | 3,997,000 | $ | 373,120 | $ | 4,373,120 | ||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | - | - | - | - | 101,972 | 101,972 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of June 30, 2024 (unaudited) | - | $ | - | 30,000,000 | $ | 3,000 | $ | 3,997,000 | $ | 475,092 | $ | 4,475,092 | ||||||||||||||||
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the ordinary shares issuance and share split.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
| F-23 |
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Expressed in U.S. dollar)
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||||||||
| Net income | $ | 101,972 | $ | 743,411 | ||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net profit to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: | ||||||||
| Depreciation | 36,877 | 6,794 | ||||||
| (Recovery of) allowance for credit losses | (1,733 | ) | 24,993 | |||||
| Non-cash operating lease expenses | 40,937 | 20,469 | ||||||
| Deferred tax (benefits) expenses | (4,970 | ) | 13,334 | |||||
| Change in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable | 4,255,536 | (602,764 | ) | |||||
| Prepayments and other assets | (44,953 | ) | (53,409 | ) | ||||
| Accounts payable | (2,393,616 | ) | (278,553 | ) | ||||
| Income tax payables | (266,934 | ) | (234,663 | ) | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities | (42,203 | ) | (4,802 | ) | ||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | (56,432 | ) | (44,859 | ) | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 1,624,481 | (410,049 | ) | |||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: | ||||||||
| Purchases of property and equipment | (6,353 | ) | (126,457 | ) | ||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (6,353 | ) | (126,457 | ) | ||||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||||||||
| Proceeds from short-term bank loans | 6,820,315 | - | ||||||
| Repayments of short-term bank loans | (6,811,526 | ) | - | |||||
| Payment of offering costs related to Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) | (185,719 | ) | - | |||||
| Capital contribution from shareholder | - | 800,000 | ||||||
| Repayment of borrowings from a related party | (1,846 | ) | - | |||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (178,776 | ) | 800,000 | |||||
| Net increase in cash and restricted cash | 1,439,352 | 263,494 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, beginning of period | 4,064,850 | 3,297,725 | ||||||
| Cash and restricted cash, end of period | 5,504,202 | 3,561,219 | ||||||
| Reconciliation of cash and restricted cash to the consolidated balance sheets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | 4,004,202 | $ | 3,561,219 | ||||
| Restricted cash | 1,500,000 | - | ||||||
| Total cash and restricted cash | $ | 5,504,202 | $ | 3,561,219 | ||||
| Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: | ||||||||
| Income tax paid | $ | 284,717 | $ | 361,841 | ||||
| Interest expenses paid | $ | 46,130 | $ | - | ||||
| Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: | ||||||||
| Dividend distribution against capital contribution from shareholder | $ | - | $ | 3,099,999 | ||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities | $ | - | $ | 259,269 | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
| F-24 |
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
1. Organization and Description of Business
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (“Uni-Fuels Holdings”) (“the Company”) is a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability on March 8, 2024. Uni-Fuels Holdings is a parent holding company with no operations.
Uni-Fuels Group Inc (“Uni-Fuels Group”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, is a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability on February 5, 2024. Uni-Fuels Group has a share capital of $0.0001 and is an investment holding company with no operations.
Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd. (“Uni-Fuels”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uni-Fuels Group, is a private company limited by shares incorporated in the Singapore on October 12, 2021. Uni-Fuels had a share capital of $4,000,000 and its primary business activity is in ship bunkering as marine fuels supplier and broker. On March 21, 2024, Uni-Fuels established a branch office in South Korea with its principal business activities as ship bunkering and marine fuels solution and related services.
Uni-Fuels Holdings together with its subsidiaries (collectively, “the Group”) is primarily operating in Singapore whose primary business activity is in ship bunkering. The Group is a marine fuels supplier and broker that provides marine fuels supply to shipping companies and other marine fuels suppliers worldwide in-port and offshore. The Group primarily generates sales income by selling marine fuels to its customers and receives brokerage commissions by referring shipping companies to its customers.
Reorganization
The Reorganization was completed on April 18, 2024 through a series of planned transactions. As a result of the Reorganization, the Company has become the holding company for all previously mentioned entities. The primary objective of the Reorganization was to transfer 100% ownership of Uni-Fuels to the Company, enabling the Company to serve as the issuer for its planned initial public offering in the United States.
Immediately before the Reorganization, Uni-Fuels was wholly owned and controlled by Koh Kuan Hua and functioned as the operational entity for all the Group’s business activities. The Company and Uni-Fuels Group were established on March 8, 2024, and February 5, 2024, respectively, by a registered agent in the Cayman Islands, with the sole purpose of acting as holding companies for the Group. On March 14, 2024, 100% ownership of Uni-Fuels Holdings, which at the time also held 100% ownership interest in Uni-Fuels Group, was transferred from the registered agent to Garden City Private Capital Limited, which is controlled by Koh Kuan Hua. Both the Company and Uni-Fuels Gorup had not engaged in any business activities before the transfer. On April 18, 2024, Koh Kuan Hua transferred 100% ownership interest in Uni-Fuels to Uni-Fuels Group, thereby completing the Reorganization.
Immediately before and after the Reorganization, the Company, Uni-Fuels Group, and Uni-Fuels remained under the complete ownership and control of Koh Kuan Hua. Consequently, the Reorganization is classified as a common control transaction under ASC 805-50.
Following this, the consolidation of the Company and its subsidiaries has been accounted for at historical cost and prepared on the basis as if the aforementioned transactions had become effective as of the beginning of the first period presented in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. Results of operations for the periods presented comprise those of the previously separate entities combined from the beginning of the period to the end of the period, eliminating the effects of intra-entity transactions.
| F-25 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of presentation and principle of consolidation
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for such interim periods. The results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2024 and 2023. Accordingly, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances among the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.
A subsidiary is an entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, controls more than one half of the voting power; or has the power to govern the financial and operating policies, to appoint or remove the majority of the members of the board of directors, or to cast a majority of votes at the meeting of directors.
Use of estimates and assumptions
The preparation of unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. These estimates and judgments are based on historical information, information that is currently available to the Group and on various other assumptions that the Group believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Significant estimates required to be made by management include, but not limited to, allowance for expected credit losses against financial assets, accounting of operating lease right-of-use assets, and operating lease liabilities. Actual results could differ from the estimates, and as such, differences could be material to these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
Cash
Cash includes balances maintained with banks in Singapore and South Korea which are unrestricted and immediately available for withdrawal and use.
Restricted cash
Restricted cash consists of a fixed deposit amounting to $1,500,000, which is required to be maintained with a bank in Singapore and is used as collateral for banking facilities extended to the Group. This deposit is set to mature on October 15, 2024.
Accounts receivable, net
Accounts receivable are recognized and carried at the original invoiced amount less an allowance for credit losses and do not bear interest. Customers who owed accounts receivables, are granted credit terms based on their credit metrics. The Group adopted ASU No.2016-13 “Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (“ASC Topic 326”) on its accounts receivable, starting from the incorporation date of Uni-Fuels as of October 12, 2021, and records the allowance for credit losses as an offset to accounts receivable, and the estimated credit losses charged to the allowance is classified as “general and administrative” in these unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. The Group assesses collectability by reviewing accounts receivable on a collective basis where similar characteristics exist, primarily based on similar business line, service or product offerings and on an individual basis when the Group identifies specific customers with known disputes or collectability issues. In determining the amount of the allowance for credit losses, the Group considers historical collectability based on past due status, the age of the accounts receivable balances, credit quality of the Group’s customers based on ongoing credit evaluations, current economic conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, and other factors that may affect the Group’s ability to collect from customers. Under this accounting guidance, the Group measures credit losses on its accounts receivable using the current expected credit loss model under ASC 326. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company provided allowance for expected credit losses of $10,423 and $13,281, respectively.
Prepayments and other assets, net
Prepayments and other assets are comprised of other receivables and prepaid expenses, including rental deposit, interest receivables and prepaid office supplies. Since the incorporation of Uni-Fuels on October 12, 2021, the Group adopted ASC Topic 326 on its other receivables. The new credit loss guidance replaces the old model for measuring the allowance for credit losses with a model that is based on the expected losses. Under this accounting guidance, the Group measures credit losses on its prepayment and other assets using the current expected credit loss model under ASC 326. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the balance of allowance for expected credit loss against prepayments and other assets was $1,725 and $600, respectively.
| F-26 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Leases
Since the incorporation of Uni-Fuels on October 12, 2021, the Group adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as amended, which supersedes the lease accounting guidance under Topic 840, and generally requires lessees to recognize operating and financing lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets on the balance sheet and to provide enhanced disclosures surrounding the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leasing arrangements.
The Group is a lessee of non-cancellable operating leases for corporate office premises. The Group determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. A lease for which substantially all the benefits and risks incidental to ownership remain with the lessor is classified by the lessee as an operating lease. All leases of the Group are currently classified as operating leases. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, operating lease liabilities on the Group’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.
ROU assets represent the Group’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and operating lease liabilities represent its obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized at lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term.
When determining the lease term, at lease commencement date, the Group considers options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that it will exercise or not exercise that option. The interest rate used to determine the present value of future lease payments is the Group’s incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the lease commencement date.
The lease standard (ACS 842) provides practical expedients for an entity’s ongoing accounting. The Group elects to apply short-term lease exception for leases with a lease term of 12 months or less at commencement. Accordingly, ROU assets and operating lease liabilities do not include leases with a lease term of 12 months or less.
The Group also elects to adopt the practical expedient that allows lessee to treat the lease and non-lease components of a lease as a single lease component. Non-lease components include building management fees, utility expenses and property taxes included and payable in the lease contract. These non-lease components are not separated from the lease components to which they relate.
The Group evaluates the impairment of its ROU assets consistently with the approach applied for its other long-lived assets. The Group reviews the recoverability of its long-lived assets when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. The assessment of possible impairment is based on its ability to recover the carrying value of the assets from the expected undiscounted future pre-tax cash flows of the related operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, the Group did not recognize any impairment loss against its ROU assets.
Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method based on the estimated useful life. The estimated useful lives of property and equipment are as follows:
| Leasehold improvements | Shorter of lease term or 3 years | |
| Furniture and fixture | 5 years | |
| Computer equipment | 3 years | |
| Motor vehicle | 10 years | |
| Office equipment | 5 years |
Expenditures for repairs and maintenance, which do not materially extend the useful lives of the assets, are expensed as incurred. Expenditures for major renewals and betterments which substantially extend the useful life of assets are capitalized. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of assets disposed of or retired are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income under other income or expenses.
| F-27 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Impairment of long-lived assets
The Group reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment and ROU assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the undiscounted future pre-tax cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. Fair value is generally determined by discounting the cash flows expected to be generated by the asset (asset group), when the market prices are not readily available. The adjusted carrying amount of the asset is the new cost basis and is depreciated over the asset’s remaining useful life. Long-lived assets are grouped with other assets and liabilities at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, no impairment of long-lived assets was recognized.
Deferred IPO costs
Deferred IPO costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Initial Public Offering and that were charged to shareholders’ equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Group had deferred IPO costs of $298,619 and $112,900, respectively.
Revenue recognition
The Group follows the rules and guidance set out under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), when recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. The core principle of ASC 606 requires an entity to recognize revenues to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that it expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services recognized as performance obligations are satisfied. In according with ASC 606, revenues are recognized when the Group satisfies the performance obligations by delivering the promised goods or services to the customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Group expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The following five steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the contract with the customer
Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract
Step 3: Determine the transaction price
Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract
Step 5: Recognize revenue when the company satisfies a performance obligation.
The Group identifies each distinct service as a performance obligation. The recognition and measurement of revenues is based on the assessment of individual contract terms. The Group applies a practical expedient to expense costs as incurred for those suffered in order to obtain a contract with a customer when the amortization period would have been one year or less. The Group has no material incremental costs of obtaining contracts with customers that the Group expects the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year, which need to be recognized as assets.
| F-28 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
The Group’s principal revenue streams include:
Sales of marine fuels
The Group enters into a distinct agreement with its customer, through an order confirmation, to sell marine fuels in exchange for sales proceeds. The Group’s promise to sell marine fuels to its customer is considered distinct and is identified as one performance obligation. The Group charges its customer sales proceed at a fixed amount, which is explicitly stated in the contract through order confirmation and is based on the volume of marine fuels supplied to the customer.
Customer does not simultaneously receive and consume the benefits provided by the Group prior to the delivery of marine fuels. No other services are provided by the Group, and benefits are only realized upon receiving marine fuels. Before the delivery of marine fuels, no assets are created nor is there an enforceable right to payment for completed performance by the Group, as evidenced by the order confirmation. Sales income does not qualify to be recognized over time but is recognized at a point in time.
Customer’s obligation to make payment upon fuels delivery and physical possession of marine fuels indicates control over the assets is transferred to customer upon delivery. Furthermore, upon delivery, customer takes on the risks and rewards associated with ownership of the marine fuels and is ready to derive benefits from the assets. Consequently, revenue from the sales of marine fuels is recognized at a point in time when the transaction and the Group’s performance obligation is completed, as evidenced by the delivery of marine fuels.
The Group follows the rules and guidance set out under ASC 606 when determining whether it is acting as a principal or an agent in the contract with its customers. The core principle of ASC 606 requires an entity to determine whether the nature of its promise is a performance obligation to provide the goods or services itself (that is, the entity is a principal) or to arrange for those goods or services to be provided by the other party (that is, the entity is an agent). The following steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the specified goods or services to be provided to the customer
Step 2: Assess whether it controls each specified good or service before that good or service is transferred to the customer
Under the order confirmation, the Group is solely responsible for the sales of marine fuels it committed to by providing marine fuels with the required grades set out in the agreements with the customers, procuring the relevant supplier, and supplying the required fuels at the designated ports and time, while ensuring the specifications of the marine fuels sold are met to fulfill the promise in the order confirmation. The Group controls the whole process and has an obligation to procure the fulfillment of the conditions. Moreover, the Group controls who the marine fuels may be sold to and has full authority in negotiating and determining the commercial terms with both customers and suppliers on each trade without the consent from other parties. The Group also considers elements of inventory risk that it assumes when assessing whether it controls the marine fuels before they are transferred to the customers.
Accordingly, the Group holds the sole primary responsibility for fulfilling the performance obligation and has full discretion over setting prices with its customer in the sales of marine fuels. As the principal in the contract, the Group recognizes revenue at the gross amount to which it is entitled from its customer.
Brokerage commissions
The Group enters into arrangements with its customer by referring marine companies for the sales of marine fuels in exchange for a brokerage commission. These brokerage services that the Group promises to refer marine companies to its customer are considered distinct and constitute a single performance obligation. The commission earned from the brokerage services is fixed and determined at a fixed rate against the volume of marine fuels supplied by its customer to marine companies referred.
| F-29 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Customer does not simultaneously receive and consume the benefits provided by the Group prior to the completion of the transaction. Before the completion of the transaction, no assets are created, nor is there an enforceable right to payment for completed performance by the Group. Brokerage commissions do not qualify to be recognized over time. Revenue from brokerage services is recognized at a point in time, specifically when the transaction is completed and evidenced by the delivery of marine fuels from its customer to marine companies.
The Group follows the rules and guidance set out under ASC 606 when determining whether it is acting as a principal or an agent in the contract with its customers. The core principle of ASC 606 requires an entity to determine whether the nature of its promise is a performance obligation to provide the goods or services itself (that is, the entity is a principal) or to arrange for those goods or services to be provided by the other party (that is, the entity is an agent). The following steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the specified goods or services to be provided to the customer
Step 2: Assess whether it controls each specified good or service before that service is transferred to the customer
Under the brokerage service arrangements, the Group’s primary responsibility is to refer marine companies to its customer in exchange for a brokerage commission. The customer fully manages sales proceeds from the supply of marine fuels to these companies, with the Group having neither authority over the use of marine fuels nor the ability to influence the terms of trade between marine companies and its customer. Therefore, the supply of marine fuels is directly executed between marine companies and the customer, with the Group playing a limited role, acting solely as an intermediary without control over the trade proceedings.
The Group determines that it does not bear inventory risk. In addition, the Group’s role is restricted to making referrals in exchange for a brokerage fee, and has no authority over pricing of trade between marine companies and its customer, which is predominantly controlled by its customer.
As such, the Group does not control the brokerage services provided and acts solely as an agent in the arrangement. It recognizes revenue in the net amount of the brokerage commissions it expects to receive for referring marine companies to its customer.
Sources of revenues
Both sales of marine fuels and brokerage commissions were recognized at a point in time for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023.
The Group carried out all its business activities and major operations in Singapore. Disaggregated information of revenues by geographic locations, which is based on the locations at which the marine fuels are delivered to the customers is as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Geographic locations | ||||||||
| Sales of marine fuels | ||||||||
| China | $ | 6,200,371 | $ | 397,120 | ||||
| Hong Kong | 2,452,932 | 381,248 | ||||||
| India | 681,609 | 500,822 | ||||||
| Indonesia | 2,914,180 | - | ||||||
| Malaysia | 18,520,199 | 989,825 | ||||||
| Singapore | 31,118,940 | 9,452,884 | ||||||
| South Korea | 2,740,362 | 684,000 | ||||||
| Thailand | 2,770,840 | - | ||||||
| Vietnam | 340,174 | 690,049 | ||||||
| Others | 6,453,367 | 579,415 | ||||||
| Subtotal | $ | 74,192,974 | $ | 13,675,363 | ||||
| Brokerage commissions | ||||||||
| China | $ | - | $ | 211,930 | ||||
| Singapore | - | 209,221 | ||||||
| South Korea | - | 39,895 | ||||||
| Others | - | 172,702 | ||||||
| Subtotal | $ | - | $ | 633,748 | ||||
| Total | $ | 74,192,974 | $ | 14,309,111 | ||||
| F-30 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Warranty
Under ASC 460, at the time a sale is recognized, the Group shall record estimated future warranty costs. Such estimated costs for warranties are estimated at completion and these warranties are not warranties separately sold by the Group. Generally, the estimated claim rates of warranty are based on actual warranty experience or Group’s best estimate. There were no such reserves as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 because the Group considered that the claim rates of warranty had been immaterial historically and are expected to remain immaterial for the periods in concern.
Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities
The Group classifies its right to consideration in exchange for goods or services transferred to a customer as either a receivable or a contract asset. A receivable is a right to consideration that is unconditional as compared to a contract asset which is a right to consideration that is conditional upon factors other than the passage of time. The Group recognizes accounts receivable in its unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets when it transfers the goods or performs services in advance of receiving consideration and it has the unconditional right to receive consideration. A contract asset is recorded when the Group has transferred the goods or services to the customer before payment is received or is due, and the Group’s right to consideration is conditional on future performance or other factors in the contract. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Group did not have any contract assets.
Contract liabilities are recognized if the Group receives consideration prior to satisfying the performance obligations, which include customer advances and deferred revenue under service arrangements. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Group did not have any contract liabilities.
Cost of revenues
Cost of revenue primarily consists of the cost of marine fuels and commission fees incurred during the sales and distribution of marine fuels.
Employee benefit plan
Employees of the Group located in Singapore participate in a compulsory retirement benefit scheme, as mandated by local laws. Contributions to this scheme are made by both the Group and its employees, based on certain percentages of the employees’ relevant salary income, which varies by age bracket. These contributions are subject to a monthly income cap, which was 6,000 Singapore Dollars (SG$) (equivalent to $4,417) from January 1, 2016, increased to SG$6,300 (equivalent to $4,637) from September 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 and further increased to SG$6,800 (equivalent to $5,006) effective from January 1, 2024. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, the total amounts charged to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the Group’s contributions were $53,939 and $3,492, respectively.
Borrowing costs
All borrowing costs are recognized as interest expense in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income in the period in which they are incurred.
Income taxes
The Group accounts for income taxes under ASC 740, Income Taxes. Provision for income taxes consists of current taxes and deferred taxes.
Current tax is recognized based on the results for the year as adjusted for items which are non-assessable or disallowed. It is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date.
Deferred tax is recognized in respect of temporary differences arising from differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the corresponding tax basis. Deferred tax is calculated using tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realized, or the liability is settled. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it is related to items credited or charged directly to equity. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
An uncertain tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as income tax expense in the period incurred. The Group did not have any significant uncertain tax positions nor interest and penalty associated with tax positions as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Segment reporting
ASC 280, “Segment Reporting”, establishes standards for reporting information about operating segments on a basis consistent with the Group’s internal organizational structure as well as information about geographical areas, business segments and major customers in financial statements for details on the Group’s business segments.
The Group uses the management approach to determine reportable operating segments. The management approach considers the internal organization and reporting used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) for making decisions, allocating resources and assessing performance. The Group does not distinguish revenues, costs and expenses between segments in its internal reporting, but instead reports costs and expenses by nature as a whole.
| F-31 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive income is defined as the changes in equity of the Group during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances excluding transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Comprehensive income consists of two components, net income and other comprehensive income. Other comprehensive income refers to revenue, expenses, gains and losses that under U.S. GAAP are recorded as an element of shareholders’ equity but are excluded from net income. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, the Group did not recognize any other comprehensive income.
Earnings per share
Earnings per share is calculated in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings Per Share. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to each class of ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of that particular class outstanding during the year.
Diluted earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income attributable to each class of ordinary shareholders, as adjusted for the effect of dilutive ordinary equivalent shares of that class, if any, by the weighted average number of that particular class of ordinary and dilutive ordinary equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Ordinary equivalent shares consist of the ordinary shares issuable upon the conversion of one class of ordinary shares to another in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company. Ordinary share equivalents are excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share if their effects would be anti-dilutive. Basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share are presented in the Group’s unaudited condensed consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, each Class B ordinary share could be converted any time at the holder’s option into one Class A ordinary share whilst Class A ordinary shares could not be converted into Class B ordinary shares. In addition, holders of both Class A and Class B ordinary shares were entitled to receive dividends paid by the Company at the same rate and had equal rights to the surplus assets of the Company upon its liquidation, as stipulated in the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association. These shares ranked pari passu in all other respects. Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated by referring to the rights and characteristics of these two classes of ordinary shares respectively.
Translation of foreign currencies
The Group’s principal place of operations is Singapore. The financial position and results of its operations are determined using the U.S. Dollars (“US$” or “$”), as the functional currency. The Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are presented in US$. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized upon settlement of foreign currency transactions. In addition, for unsettled foreign currency transactions, foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized for changes between the transaction exchange rates and month-end exchange rates. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in other expense (income) in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income in the period incurred.
Fair value of financial instruments
The fair value of a financial instrument is defined as the exchange price that would be received from an asset or paid to transfer a liability (as exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. A three-level fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:
Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.
Level 2 – Quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, or other inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets and liabilities. This includes certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, financial instruments of the Group comprised primarily cash, restricted cash, accounts receivable, prepayment and other assets, short-term bank loans, accounts payable, amounts due to related parties, accrued expenses and other liabilities. The Group concludes that the carrying amounts of these financial instruments approximate their fair values because of the short-term nature of these instruments.
| F-32 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Related parties
Parties are considered to be related if one party has the ability, directly or indirectly, to control the other party or exercise significant influence over the other party in making financial and operating decisions. Parties are also considered to be related if they are subject to common control or significant influence of the same party, such as a family member or relative, shareholder, or a related corporation.
Commitments and contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Group is subject to contingencies, such as legal proceedings and claims arising out of its business, which cover a wide range of matters. Liabilities for contingencies are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the assessment can be reasonably estimated.
If the assessment of a contingency indicates that it is probable that a material loss is incurred and the amount of the liability can be estimated, then the estimated liability is accrued in the Group’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. If the assessment indicates that a potentially material loss contingency is not probable, but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss, if determinable and material, would be disclosed.
Loss contingencies considered remote are generally not disclosed unless they involve guarantees, in which case the nature of the guarantee would be disclosed.
Recent accounting pronouncements
The Group considers the applicability and impact of all accounting standards updates (“ASUs”). Management periodically reviews new accounting standards that are issued. Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended (the “JOBS Act”), the Group meets the definition of an emerging growth company, or EGC, and has elected the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, which delays the adoption of these accounting standards until they would apply to private companies.
Recent accounting pronouncements not yet adopted
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280)” (“ASU 2023-07”). The amendments in ASU 2023-07 improve financial reporting by requiring disclosure of incremental segment information on an annual and interim basis for all public entities to enable investors to develop more decision useful financial analyses. Topic 280 requires a public entity to report a measure of segment profit or loss that the chief operating decision maker (CODM) uses to assess segment performance and make decisions about allocating resources. Topic 280 also requires other specified segment items and amounts, such as depreciation, amortization, and depletion expense, to be disclosed under certain circumstances. The amendments in ASU 202307 do not change or remove those disclosure requirements. The amendments in ASU 2023-07 also do not change how a public entity identifies its operating segments, aggregates those operating segments, or applies the quantitative thresholds to determine its reportable segments. The amendments in ASU 2023-07 are effective for years beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, adopted retrospectively. Management considers that the guidance does not have a significant impact on the disclosures set out in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
In December 2023, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740)” (“ASU 2023-09”). The amendments in ASU 2023-09 address investor requests for more transparency about income tax information through improvements to income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information. One of the amendments in ASU 2023-09 includes disclosure of, on an annual basis, a tabular rate reconciliation of (i) the reported income tax expense (or benefit) from continuing operations, to (ii) the product of the income (or loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and the applicable statutory federal income tax rate of the jurisdiction of domicile using specific categories, including separate disclosure for any reconciling items within certain categories that are equal to or greater than a specified quantitative threshold of 5%. ASU 2023-09 also requires disclosure of, on an annual basis, the year to date amount of income taxes paid (net of refunds received) disaggregated by federal, state, and foreign jurisdictions, including additional disaggregated information on income taxes paid (net of refunds received) to an individual jurisdiction equal to or greater than 5% of total income taxes paid (net of refunds received). The amendments in ASU2023-09 are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024, and should be applied prospectively. The Group is currently evaluating the impact of the update on the Group’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
The Group does not believe other recently issued but not yet effective accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the unaudited condensed consolidated financial position, statements of operations and cash flows.
| F-33 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
3. Significant Risks
Currency risk
The function currency of the Group is US$ and these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are presented in US$. The Group’s business activities and its assets and liabilities are predominately denominated in the function currency. Therefore, the Group is not exposed to significant foreign currency risk as majority of the operations and transactions are denominated in the functional currency.
Concentration and credit risks
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Group to the credit risks consist of cash, restricted cash, accounts receivable and other assets. The maximum exposures of such assets to credit risk are their carrying amounts as of the balance sheet dates.
The Group primarily deposits its cash and restricted cash with reputable banks located in Singapore. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, $5,499,482 and $4,064,850 were deposited with these banks, respectively. Balances maintained with banks in Singapore are insured under the Deposit Insurance Scheme introduced by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation Limited. The maximum insured amount was SG$75,000 (equivalent to $55,208) until March 31, 2024, after which it was increased to SG$100,000 (equivalent to $73,611) commenced from April 1, 2024, for each depositor at one bank, whilst the balances maintained by the Group may at times exceed the insured limits. Cash balances maintained with banks in Singapore are not otherwise insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or other programs. The Group has not experienced any losses in these bank accounts and management believes that the Group is not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and restricted cash.
Assets that potentially subject the Company to significant credit risks primarily consist of accounts receivable and other assets. The Group performs regular and ongoing credit assessments of the counterparts’ financial conditions and credit histories. The Group also assesses historical collection trends, aging of receivables and general economic conditions. The Group considers that it has adequate controls over these receivables in order to minimize the related credit risk. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the balances of allowance for expected credit losses were $12,148 and $13,881, respectively.
For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, most of the Group’s assets were located in Singapore. At the same time, the Group considers that it is exposed to the following concentrations of risk:
| (c) | Major customers |
For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there was one customer accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s revenues. Revenues from that customer for the six months ended June 30, 2024 represented 15% of the Group’s total revenues for that period. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were two customers accounting for 10% or more of the Group’s revenues. Revenues from these customers for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented 36% and 19% of the Group’s total revenues for that period, respectively. Of these two customers, the customer who accounted for 19% of the Group’s revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum Pte Ltd (“Sea Oil Petroleum”)). For further details, please refer to Note 11 on related party transactions and balances.
As of June 30, 2024, there were three customers whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts receivable and accounted for approximately 15%, 12% and 10% of the total balances of receivables from customers, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, there was one customer whose receivables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts receivable and it accounted for approximately 15% of the total balances of receivables from customers.
| (d) | Major vendors |
For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were three vendors accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these vendors for the six months ended June 30, 2024 represented 15%, 13% and 13% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that period, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were two vendors accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s cost of revenues. Cost of revenues charged by these vendors for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented 66% and 10% of the Group’s cost of revenues for that period, respectively. Of these two vendors, the vendor who accounted for 66% of the Group’s cost of revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was a related party (i.e. Sea Oil Petroleum). For further details, please refer to Note 11 on related party transactions and balances.
As of June 30, 2024, there were four vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts payable and accounted for approximately 22%, 11%, 11% and 10% of the total balance of accounts payables, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, there were two vendors whose payables accounted for 10% or more of the Group’s total balances of accounts payable and they accounted for approximately 28% and 12% of the total balance of accounts payables, respectively.
Interest rate risk
Fluctuations in market interest rates may negatively affect the Group’s financial condition and results of operations. The Group is exposed to floating interest rate risk on bank deposits and bank borrowings, particularly during periods when the interest rate is expected to significant changes. Nevertheless, given the amounts of bank deposits and bank borrowings in question, the Group considers its interest rate risk to be manageable and not likely to cause significant disruption to the business. As of June 30, 2024, the Group had an outstanding principal of $1,203,938. The Group estimates that a 1% increase in the bank’s Cost of Funds against bank borrowings outstanding on June 30, 2024 would result in an increase in interest expense of $12,039 per annum whilst the Group estimates a 1% decrease in the bank’s Cost of Funds against bank borrowings outstanding on June 30, 2024 would result in a decrease in interest expense of $12,039 per annum. The Group has not used any derivatives to manage or hedge its interest rate risk exposure.
| F-34 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
4. Accounts Receivable, Net
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, accounts receivable consisted of the following balances:
| As of | ||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||
| Accounts receivable related to sales of marine fuels | $ | 8,564,754 | $ | 12,820,290 | ||||
| Less: allowance for expected credit losses | (10,423 | ) | (13,281 | ) | ||||
| Total accounts receivable, net | $ | 8,554,331 | $ | 12,807,009 | ||||
The movement of allowance for expected credit losses is as follow:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Beginning balance at January 1, 2024 and 2023 | $ | 13,281 | $ | 5,408 | ||||
| (Recovery of) provision for expected credit losses | (2,858 | ) | 24,642 | |||||
| Ending balance at June 30, 2024 and 2023 | $ | 10,423 | $ | 30,050 | ||||
5. ROU Assets and Operating Lease Liabilities
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Group subsisted of the following non-cancellable lease contract.
| Description of lease | Lease term | |
| Office at Beach Centre, Singapore | 3 years and 2 months from April 1, 2023 to May 31, 2026 |
| a) | Amounts recognized in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets: |
| As of | ||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||
| Right-of-use assets | $ | 156,926 | $ | 197,863 | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities | ||||||||
| Current | $ | 87,355 | $ | 85,382 | ||||
| Non-current | 83,658 | 127,834 | ||||||
| $ | 171,013 | $ | 213,216 | |||||
| Weighted average remaining lease terms (in years) | 1.92 | 2.42 | ||||||
| b) | Information related to operating lease activities during the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 are as follows: |
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| ROU assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities | $ | - | $ | 259,269 | ||||
| Amortization of ROU assets | 40,937 | 20,469 | ||||||
| Accretion of operating lease liabilities | 4,479 | 2,978 | ||||||
| Total operating lease expenses | $ | 45,416 | $ | 23,447 | ||||
| c) | The following table summarizes the remaining contractual maturities of lease liabilities, categorized by the years in which such lease liabilities are required to be settled, under operating leases as of June 30, 2024: |
| Twelve months ended June 30, | ||||
| 2025 | $ | 93,365 | ||
| 2026 | 85,584 | |||
| Total future lease payments | $ | 178,949 | ||
| Less: imputed interest | (7,936 | ) | ||
| Present value of lease obligations | $ | 171,013 |
The weighted-average discount rate used to determine the operating lease liabilities as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was 4.6%.
| F-35 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
6. Property and Equipment, Net
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, property and equipment, net, consisted of the following:
| As of | ||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||
| Leasehold improvements | $ | 87,687 | $ | 87,687 | ||||
| Furniture and office equipment | 26,050 | 26,050 | ||||||
| Computer equipment | 35,337 | 28,984 | ||||||
| Motor vehicle | 284,610 | 284,610 | ||||||
| Less: accumulated depreciation | (69,152 | ) | (32,275 | ) | ||||
| Total property and equipment, net | $ | 364,532 | $ | 395,056 | ||||
Depreciation expenses were $36,877 and $6,794 for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
7. Prepayments and Other Assets, Net
| As of | ||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||
| Other assets | $ | 144,836 | $ | 63,383 | ||||
| Less: allowance for expected credit losses | (1,725 | ) | (600 | ) | ||||
| Other assets, net | 143,111 | 62,783 | ||||||
| Prepaid expenses | 52,209 | 88,703 | ||||||
| Total prepayments and other assets, net | 195,320 | 151,486 | ||||||
| Less: amounts classified as non-current assets | (28,794 | ) | (30,576 | ) | ||||
| Amounts classified as current assets | $ | 166,526 | $ | 120,910 | ||||
The movement of allowances for expected credit losses is as follow:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Beginning balance at January 1, 2024 and 2023 | $ | 600 | $ | - | ||||
| Provision for expected credit losses | 1,125 | 351 | ||||||
| Ending balance at June 30, 2024 and 2023 | $ | 1,725 | $ | 351 | ||||
8. Short-term Bank Loans
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, short-term bank loans consisted of the following:
| As of | ||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||
| Trade financing | $ | 1,203,938 | $ | 1,195,149 | ||||
On September 22, 2023, a bank in Singapore extended to the Group banking facilities comprising (i) trade financing, with an interest rate of 3.25% per annum above the bank’s Cost of Funds, and (ii) a revolving short-term loan, with an interest rate of 3.75% per annum above the bank’s Cost of Funds, with a combined limit of $1,500,000. Both facilities had a tenor of up to 60 days from the date of drawdown. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, only the trade financing facilities were drawn down, with an outstanding balance of $1,203,938 and $1,195,149, respectively.
The security for the short-term bank loans included a fixed charge against the Group’s restricted cash.
No other significant covenants were noted in the Group’s banking facilities.
The short-term bank loans as of June 30, 2024 were fully repaid in July 2024.
For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, the weighted average annual interest rates for the short-term bank loans were approximately 8.8% and nil, respectively. Interest expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, was $46,130 and nil, respectively.
| F-36 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
9. Shareholders’ Equity
Ordinary shares
The Company was established under the laws of Cayman Islands on March 8, 2024. The authorized number of ordinary shares was 500,000,000 shares, par value of US$0.0001 per share, consisting of (i) 450,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each; and (ii) 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each. On March 8, 2024, the Company issued 1 Class B ordinary share with a par value of US$0.0001 each.
Each holder of Class A ordinary share is entitled to exercise one vote for each Class A ordinary held on any and all matters to be voted thereon in a general meeting of shareholders, and each holder of Class B ordinary share is entitled to exercise ten votes for each Class B ordinary share held on any and all matters to be voted thereon in a general meeting of shareholders. Each Class B ordinary share can be converted at the holder’s option into one Class A ordinary share whilst Class A ordinary shares cannot be converted into Class B ordinary shares. Holders of both Class A and Class B ordinary shares are entitled to receive dividends paid by the Company at the same rate and have equal rights to the surplus assets of the Company upon its liquidation, as stipulated in the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association. These shares rank pari passu in all other respects.
On September 3, 2024, the shareholder of the Company resolved to allot 29,999,999 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each. Further on September 4, 2024, the holder of Class B ordinary shares converted 6,000,000 Class B ordinary shares into 6,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with par value of US$0.0001 each. Then on September 25, 2024, the holder of Class B ordinary shares further converted 1,350,000 Class B ordinary shares into 1,350,000 Class A ordinary shares with par value of US$0.0001 each. After the allotment of Class B ordinary shares and subsequent conversions into Class A ordinary shares, the Company has 7,350,000 Class A ordinary shares and 22,650,000 Class B ordinary shares in issue.
The Company considered the above allotment of 29,999,999 Class B ordinary shares part of its recapitalization prior to the completion of its initial public offering. This allotment was solely intended to increase the number of shares and represented an adjustment to the Company’s share structure, aimed at realigning its capital structure to facilitate the subsequent issuance of new shares for the IPO. The shares were issued at par value, with no consideration paid. Therefore, the Company considers the allotment of 29,999,999 Class B ordinary shares to be a share split. The Company believed that it is appropriate to reflect the above transactions on a retroactive basis pursuant to ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, ASC 505, Equity and SAB Topic 4C. All shares and per share amounts used herein and in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been retroactively restated to reflect the above transactions. By recognizing the above transactions on a retroactive basis, 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares were issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
Contrary to the allotment, the conversions of 6,000,000 and 1,350,000 Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares were accounted for prospectively and were recognized by the Company on September 4, 2024 and September 25, 2024 respectively.
Capital contribution
Capital contributions constitute the capital transactions from shareholders that affected the shareholders’ equity of Uni-Fuels prior to the Reorganization during the year ended December 31, 2023. On June 6, 2023, Uni-Fuels issued and allotted additional 3,899,999 ordinary shares, each with a par value of $1, amounting to a total of $3,899,999. From the total consideration of $3,899,999 derived from this share allotment, $3,099,999 was offset by netting against the dividend distribution of $3,099,999 made by Uni-Fuels to its shareholder at that time. Meanwhile, the remaining balance of $800,000 was received in cash from the shareholder. The whole balance of $3,899,999 has been accounted for as capital contribution from shareholder in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
Dividend distribution
On June 6, 2023, the Group resolved to distribute a dividend of $30.9997 per ordinary share, totaling $3,099,999, to its shareholder. The declared dividend was settled by offsetting against the capital contribution from its shareholder accordingly.
| F-37 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
10. Income Taxes
Cayman Islands
Under the current and applicable laws of Cayman Islands, the Group is not subject to tax on income or capital gains under this jurisdiction.
Singapore
Uni-Fuels is incorporated in Singapore and is subject to Singapore Corporate Income Tax on the taxable income as reported in their respective statutory financial statements, adjusted in accordance with relevant Singapore tax laws. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, Uni-Fuels was eligible under the tax exemption scheme for new start-up companies introduced under Section 43 of the Income Tax Act 1947 of Singapore. For eligible entities under the tax exemption scheme, a 75% exemption on the first SG$100,000 (equivalent to $73,611) of normal chargeable income and a further 50% exemption on the next SG$100,000 (equivalent to $73,611) of normal chargeable income were granted for their first three consecutive years of assessment. For any other entities, the applicable income tax rate is 17% on the entire chargeable income.
The current and deferred portions of the income tax expense included in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income as determined in accordance with ASC 740 are as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Current taxes | $ | 17,783 | $ | 118,373 | ||||
| Deferred taxes | (4,970 | ) | 13,334 | |||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 12,813 | $ | 131,707 | ||||
A reconciliation of the difference between the expected income tax expense computed at Singapore income tax rate of 17% and the Group’s reported income tax expense is shown in the following table:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Income before income tax expense | $ | 114,785 | $ | 875,118 | ||||
| Applicable income tax rate | 17 | % | 17 | % | ||||
| Income tax expense at applicable income tax rate | $ | 19,513 | $ | 148,770 | ||||
| Non-deductible expenses | 1,167 | 514 | ||||||
| Income not subject to tax | (1 | ) | - | |||||
| Effect of tax exemption scheme and tax reduction | (7,866 | ) | (17,577 | ) | ||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 12,813 | $ | 131,707 | ||||
Deferred tax
The Group measures deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities at the applicable tax rates. Components of the Group’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
| As of | ||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets: | ||||||||
| Allowance for credit loss | $ | 2,065 | $ | 2,360 | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities | 29,072 | 36,247 | ||||||
| Others | 1,687 | 1,649 | ||||||
| Total deferred tax assets | $ | 32,824 | $ | 40,256 | ||||
| Deferred tax liabilities: | ||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | (13,587 | ) | (18,776 | ) | ||||
| ROU assets | (26,677 | ) | (33,637 | ) | ||||
| Others | (1,010 | ) | (1,263 | ) | ||||
| Total deferred tax liabilities | $ | (41,274 | ) | $ | (53,676 | ) | ||
| Deferred tax liabilities, net | $ | (8,450 | ) | $ | (13,420 | ) | ||
Movement of the Group’s deferred tax (liabilities) assets during the periods is as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Beginning balance at January 1, 2024 and 2023 | $ | (13,420 | ) | $ | 919 | |||
| Credited (charged) to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income | 4,970 | (13,334 | ) | |||||
| Ending balance at June 30, 2024 and 2023 | $ | (8,450 | ) | $ | (12,415 | ) | ||
Under relevant Singapore tax laws, tax cases are normally subject to investigation by the tax authority for up to 4 years of assessment prior to the current year of assessment for Corporate Income Tax, and 5 years from the end of the prescribed accounting period for Goods and Services Tax. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, Corporate Income Tax returns for the years of assessment 2023 and 2024 remain open for statutory examination and the Group had no open tax investigations from the tax authority.
| F-38 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
11. Related Party Transaction and Balance
a. Nature of relationships with related parties
| Name | Relationship with the Company | |
| Goh Wee Huan | Controlling shareholder who held a controlling interest in Uni-Fuels from January 1, 2022 to December 8, 2023, and served as director of Uni-Fuels from December 22, 2022 to December 8, 2023 | |
| Koh Kuan Hua | Controlling shareholder and director of the Company | |
| Sea Oil Petroleum | Under the significant influence of Koh Kuan Hua, who held a minority interest in Sea Oil Petroleum from January 1, 2022 to October 31, 2023, and served as its director from January 1, 2022, to September 26, 2023 |
b. Transactions with related parties
For the Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||
| Name | Nature | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Sales of marine fuels | $ | - | $ | 2,184,911 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (2) | Brokerage commissions | $ | - | $ | 491,269 | ||||||
| Sea Oil Petroleum | (1) | Purchase of marine fuels | $ | - | $ | 8,839,579 | ||||||
| (3) | The amounts for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented proceeds from sales of marine fuels to and cost of marine fuels purchased from the related party. The Group engaged in reciprocal transactions with the related party, encompassing both the sale and purchase of marine fuels. These transactions were conducted based on advantageous positioning, with each party utilizing their relative strengths in specific marine fuels products across various ports for each transaction at the time. |
| (4) | The amounts for the six months ended June 30, 2023 represented brokerage commissions generated from the related party. |
c. Balance with related parties
| As of | ||||||||||||
June 30, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||||||
| Name | Nature | (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||||||
| Koh Kuan Hua | (1) | Amounts due to a related party | $ | 276,155 | $ | 278,001 | ||||||
| (1) | The balances as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 represented the advances from the shareholder for operational purposes and was assigned by Goh Wee Huan to Koh Kuan Hua on December 8, 2023. The balances were unsecured, non-interest bearing and repayable on demand. |
| F-39 |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
12. Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Group had neither significant financial nor capital commitment.
Contingencies
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Group was not a party to any legal or administrative proceedings. The Group further concludes that there were no legal or regulatory proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, that could have resulted in an unfavorable outcome with a material adverse effect on the Group’s results of operations, unaudited condensed consolidated financial condition, or cash flows.
13. Segment information
The Group uses the management approach to determine reportable operating segments. The management approach considers the internal organization and reporting used by the Company’s CODM, specifically the Group’s CEO and CFO, for making decisions, allocating resources and assessing performance.
The Group does not distinguish revenues, costs and expenses between segments in its internal reporting, but instead reports costs and expenses by nature as a whole. Based on the management’s assessment, the Group determines that it has only one operating segment and therefore one reportable segment as defined by ASC 280. Furthermore, the majority of the Group’s revenue are derived in or from Singapore with major operation being carried out in Singapore. Therefore, no geographical segments are presented. The Group concludes that it has only one reportable segment. As such, all financial segment information required by the authoritative guidance can be found in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
14. Subsequent Events
On July 11, 2024, a financial institution in Singapore, granted the Group another banking facilities comprising (i) a trade financing facility of US$2,000,000, with an interest rate of 1.65% per annum over the bank’s cost of funds and a financing period of up to 45 days for supplier invoices, and (ii) a foreign exchange facility of US$2,000,000, with a maximum tenor of 3 months. With the availability of the banking facilities from United Overseas Bank Limited, on September 24, 2024, the Group terminated its original banking facilities, comprising trade financing and a revolving short-term loan with a combined limit of $1,500,000.
The Group evaluates all events and transactions that occur after June 30, 2024, other than the event disclosed above and elsewhere in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, there is no other subsequent event occurred that would require recognition or disclosure in the Group’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
| F-40 |
3,000,000
Class A Ordinary Shares
PROSPECTUS
[ ] , 2024
No dealer, salesperson or any other person is authorized to give any information or make any representations in connection with this offering other than those contained in this prospectus and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security other than the securities offered by this prospectus, or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities by anyone in any jurisdiction in which the offer or solicitation is not authorized or is unlawful.
Part II — Information Not Required in the Prospectus
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to the public interest, such as providing indemnification against wilful default, fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our articles of association provide that each officer or director of the registrant shall be indemnified out of the assets of the registrant from and against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or any of them, shall or may incur or sustain by or by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in or about the execution of their duty, or supposed duty, in their respective offices or trust unless such actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses arise from wilful default, wilful neglect or fraud which may attach to such directors or officers.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 7. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
Set forth below is information regarding Ordinary Shares issued by us during the last three years. None of the below described transactions involved any underwriters, underwriting discounts and commissions or commissions, or any public offering.
| ● | One Class B Ordinary Share was issued as subscriber share to Ogier Global Subscriber (Cayman) Limited as subscriber on March 8, 2024 upon incorporation of the Company. Such subscriber share was subsequently transferred to Garden City Private Capital Limited on March 14, 2024. | |
| ● | On September 3, 2024, the Company resolved to allot 29,999,999 Class B Ordinary Shares to Garden City Private Capital Limited, who subsequently converted 6,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 6,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares on September 4, 2024, and further converted 1,350,000 Class B Ordinary Shares into 1,350,000 Class A Ordinary Shares on September 25, 2024. |
We believe that the offers, sales and issuances of the securities described in the preceding paragraph were exempt from registration either (a) under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, in that the transactions were between an issuer and sophisticated investors or members of its senior executive management and did not involve any public offering within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2), (b) under Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act in that offers, sales and issuances were not made to persons in the United States and no directed selling efforts were made in the United States, or (c) under Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act in that the transactions were underwritten compensatory benefit plans or written compensatory contracts.
Item 8. Exhibits.
| (a) | The following documents are filed as part of this registration statement: |
* To be filed by amendment.
(b) Financial Statement Schedules
None.
| II-1 |
Item 9. Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
| (a) | to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser; | |
| (b) | insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue; | |
| (c) | for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and | |
| (d) | for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| II-2 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-1 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Singapore, on October 25, 2024.
| Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Koh Kuan Hua | |
| Name: | Koh Kuan Hua | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Director | |
KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Koh Kuan Hua his or her true and lawful agent, proxy and attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to (1) act on, sign and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement together with all schedules and exhibits thereto and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with all schedules and exhibits thereto, (2) act on, sign and file such certificates, instruments, agreements and other documents as may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith, (3) act on and file any supplement to any prospectus included in this Registration Statement or any such amendment or any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and (4) take any and all actions which may be necessary or appropriate to be done, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby approving, ratifying and confirming all that such agent, proxy and attorney-in-fact or any of his or her substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Name | Position | Date | ||
| /s/ Koh Kuan Hua | Chief Executive Officer | October 25, 2024 | ||
| Koh Kuan Hua | (Principal executive officer) and Director | |||
| /s/ Lee Ling Li | Chief Financial Officer | October 25, 2024 | ||
| Lee Ling Li | (Principal financial and accounting officer) | |||
| /s/ Zheng Wenling Stefanie Tay | Director | October 25, 2024 | ||
| Zheng Wenling Stefanie Tay |
| II-3 |
Authorized U.S. Representative
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited, has signed this registration statement in New York, on October 25, 2024.
| Authorized U.S. Representative Cogency Global Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Colleen A. De Vries | |
| Name: | Colleen A. De Vries | |
| Title: | Senior Vice-President on behalf of Cogency Global Inc. | |
| II-4 |
Exhibit 3.1
Exhibit 3.2
Companies Act (Revised)
Company Limited by Shares | ||
Amended and restated memorandum of association OF UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED
|
||
| (Adopted by special resolution passed on 29 April 2024) | ||

Companies Act (Revised)
Company Limited by Shares
Amended and Restated
Memorandum of Association
of
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
(Adopted by special resolution passed on 29 April 2024)
| 1 | The name of the Company is Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited. |
| 2 | The Company’s registered office will be situated at the office of Ogier Global (Cayman) Limited, 89 Nexus Way, Camana Bay, Grand Cayman, KY1-9009, Cayman Islands or at such other place in the Cayman Islands as the directors may at any time decide. |
| 3 | The Company’s objects are unrestricted. As provided by section 7(4) of the Companies Act (Revised), the Company has full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by any law of the Cayman Islands. |
| 4 | The Company has unrestricted corporate capacity. Without limitation to the foregoing, as provided by section 27 (2) of the Companies Act (Revised), the Company has and is capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit. |
| 5 | Nothing in any of the preceding paragraphs permits the Company to carry on any of the following businesses without being duly licensed, namely: |
| (a) | the business of a bank or trust company without being licensed in that behalf under the Banks and Trust Companies Act (Revised); or |
| (b) | insurance business from within the Cayman Islands or the business of an insurance manager, agent, sub-agent or broker without being licensed in that behalf under the Insurance Act (Revised);or |
| (c) | the business of company management without being licensed in that behalf under the Companies Management Act (Revised). |
| 6 | The Company will not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of its business carried on outside the Cayman Islands. Despite this, the Company may effect and conclude contracts in the Cayman Islands and exercise in the Cayman Islands any of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside the Cayman Islands. |
| 7 | The Company is a company limited by shares and accordingly the liability of each member is limited to the amount (if any) unpaid on that member’s shares. |
| 8 | The authorised share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into 450,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares of US$0.0001 each and 50,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares of US$0.0001 each. Other than as set out in the preceding sentence, there is no limit on the number of shares of any class which the Company is authorised to issue. However, subject to the Companies Act (Revised) and the Company’s articles of association, the Company has power to do any one or more of the following: |
| (a) | redeem or repurchase any of its shares; |
| (b) | increase or reduce its capital; |
| (c) | issue any part of its capital (whether original, redeemed, increased or reduced): |
| (i) | with or without any preferential, deferred, qualified or special rights, privileges or conditions; or |
| (ii) | subject to any limitations or restrictions |
and unless the condition of issue expressly declares otherwise, every issue of shares (whether declared to be ordinary, preference or otherwise) is subject to this power; and
| (d) | alter any of those rights, privileges, conditions, limitations or restrictions. |
| 9 | The Company has power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands. |
Companies Act (Revised)
Company Limited By Shares | ||
AMENDED AND RESTATED articles of association of UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED
|
||
| (Adopted by special resolution passed on 29 April 2024) | ||

CONTENTS
| 1 | Definitions, interpretation and exclusion of Table A | 1 |
| Definitions | 1 | |
| Interpretation | 4 | |
| Exclusion of Table A Articles | 5 | |
| 2 | Shares | 5 |
| Power to issue Shares and options, with or without special rights | 5 | |
| Power to pay commissions and brokerage fees | 5 | |
| Trusts not recognised | 6 | |
| Security interests | 6 | |
| Power to vary class rights | 6 | |
| Effect of new Share issue on existing class rights | 7 | |
| No bearer Shares or warrants | 7 | |
| Treasury Shares | 7 | |
| Rights attaching to Treasury Shares and related matters | 7 | |
| Register of Members | 8 | |
| Annual Return | 8 | |
| 3 | Share certificates | 8 |
| Issue of share certificates | 8 | |
| Renewal of lost or damaged share certificates | 9 | |
| 4 | Lien on Shares | 9 |
| Nature and scope of lien | 9 | |
| Company may sell Shares to satisfy lien | 10 | |
| Authority to execute instrument of transfer | 10 | |
| Consequences of sale of Shares to satisfy lien | 10 | |
| Application of proceeds of sale | 11 | |
| 5 | Calls on Shares and forfeiture | 11 |
| Power to make calls and effect of calls | 11 | |
| Time when call made | 11 | |
| Liability of joint holders | 12 | |
| Interest on unpaid calls | 12 | |
| Deemed calls | 12 | |
| Power to accept early payment | 12 | |
| Power to make different arrangements at time of issue of Shares | 12 | |
| Notice of default | 12 | |
| Forfeiture or surrender of Shares | 13 | |
| Disposal of forfeited or surrendered Share and power to cancel forfeiture or surrender | 13 | |
| Effect of forfeiture or surrender on former Member | 13 | |
| Evidence of forfeiture or surrender | 14 | |
| Sale of forfeited or surrendered Shares | 14 | |
| 6 | Transfer of Shares | 14 |
| Right to transfer | 14 | |
| Form of Transfer | 14 | |
| Power to refuse registration for Shares not listed on a Designated Stock Exchange | 15 | |
| Suspension of transfers | 15 | |
| Company may retain instrument of transfer | 15 | |
| Notice of refusal to register | 15 | |
| 7 | Transmission of Shares | 16 |
| Persons entitled on death of a Member | 16 | |
| Registration of transfer of a Share following death or bankruptcy | 16 | |
| Indemnity | 16 | |
| Rights of person entitled to a Share following death or bankruptcy | 17 | |
| 8 | Alteration of capital | 17 |
| Increasing, consolidating, converting, dividing and cancelling share capital | 17 | |
| Dealing with fractions resulting from consolidation of Shares | 17 | |
| Reducing share capital | 18 | |
| 9 | Conversion, redemption and purchase of own Shares | 18 |
| Power to issue redeemable Shares and to purchase own Shares | 18 | |
| Power to pay for redemption or purchase in cash or in specie | 18 | |
| Effect of redemption or purchase of a Share | 19 | |
| Conversion rights | 19 | |
| Share conversion | 19 | |
| 10 | Meetings of Members | 20 |
| Annual and extraordinary general meetings | 20 | |
| Power to call meetings | 20 | |
| Content of notice | 21 | |
| Period of notice | 21 | |
| Persons entitled to receive notice | 22 | |
| Accidental omission to give notice or non-receipt of notice | 22 | |
| 11 | Proceedings at meetings of Members | 22 |
| Quorum | 22 | |
| Lack of quorum | 23 | |
| Chairman | 23 | |
| Right of a Director to attend and speak | 23 | |
| Accommodation of Members at meeting | 23 | |
| Security | 24 | |
| Adjournment | 24 | |
| Method of voting | 24 | |
| Taking of a poll | 24 | |
| No casting vote | 25 | |
| Written resolutions | 25 | |
| Sole-Member Company | 26 | |
| 12 | Voting rights of Members | 26 |
| Right to vote | 26 | |
| Voting Rights | 26 | |
| Rights of joint holders | 26 | |
| Representation of corporate Members | 26 | |
| Member with mental disorder | 27 | |
| Objections to admissibility of votes | 27 | |
| Form of proxy | 28 | |
| How and when proxy is to be delivered | 28 | |
| Voting by proxy | 30 | |
| 13 | Number of Directors | 30 |
| 14 | Appointment, disqualification and removal of Directors | 30 |
| First Directors | 30 | |
| No age limit | 30 | |
| Corporate Directors | 31 | |
| No shareholding qualification | 31 | |
| Appointment of Directors | 31 | |
| Board’s power to appoint Directors | 31 | |
| Eligibility | 31 | |
| Removal of Directors | 32 | |
| Resignation of Directors | 32 | |
| Termination of the office of Director | 32 | |
| 15 | Alternate Directors | 33 |
| Appointment and removal | 33 | |
| Notices | 33 | |
| Rights of alternate Director | 33 | |
| Appointment ceases when the appointor ceases to be a Director | 34 | |
| Status of alternate Director | 34 | |
| Status of the Director making the appointment | 34 | |
| 16 | Powers of Directors | 34 |
| Powers of Directors | 34 | |
| Directors below the minimum number | 35 | |
| Appointments to office | 35 | |
| Provisions for employees | 36 | |
| Exercise of voting rights | 36 | |
| Remuneration | 36 | |
| Disclosure of information | 36 | |
| 17 | Delegation of powers | 37 |
| Power to delegate any of the Directors’ powers to a committee | 37 | |
| Local boards | 37 | |
| Power to appoint an agent of the Company | 38 | |
| Power to appoint an attorney or authorised signatory of the Company | 38 | |
| Borrowing Powers | 38 | |
| Corporate Governance | 39 | |
| 18 | Meetings of Directors | 39 |
| Regulation of Directors’ meetings | 39 | |
| Calling meetings | 39 | |
| Notice of meetings | 39 | |
| Use of technology | 39 | |
| Quorum | 39 | |
| Chairman or deputy to preside | 40 | |
| Voting | 40 | |
| Recording of dissent | 40 | |
| Written resolutions | 40 | |
| Validity of acts of Directors in spite of formal defect | 41 | |
| 19 | Permissible Directors’ interests and disclosure | 41 |
| 20 | Minutes | 42 |
| 21 | Accounts and audit | 42 |
| Financial year | 42 | |
| Auditors | 43 | |
| 22 | Record dates | 43 |
| 23 | Dividends | 43 |
| Source of dividends | 43 | |
| Declaration of dividends by Members | 44 | |
| Payment of interim dividends and declaration of final dividends by Directors | 44 | |
| Apportionment of dividends | 45 | |
| Right of set off | 45 | |
| Power to pay other than in cash | 45 | |
| How payments may be made | 45 | |
| Dividends or other monies not to bear interest in absence of special rights | 46 | |
| Dividends unable to be paid or unclaimed | 46 | |
| 24 | Capitalisation of profits | 46 |
| Capitalisation of profits or of any share premium account or capital redemption reserve; | 46 | |
| Applying an amount for the benefit of Members | 47 | |
| 25 | Share Premium Account | 47 |
| Directors to maintain share premium account | 47 | |
| Debits to share premium account | 47 | |
| 26 | Seal | 47 |
| Company seal | 47 | |
| Duplicate seal | 48 | |
| When and how seal is to be used | 48 | |
| If no seal is adopted or used | 48 | |
| Power to allow non-manual signatures and facsimile printing of seal | 48 | |
| Validity of execution | 48 | |
| 27 | Indemnity | 49 |
| Release | 49 | |
| Insurance | 50 | |
| 28 | Notices | 50 |
| Form of notices | 50 | |
| Electronic communications | 50 | |
| Persons entitled to notices | 51 | |
| Persons authorised to give notices | 52 | |
| Delivery of written notices | 52 | |
| Joint holders | 52 | |
| Signatures | 52 | |
| Giving notice to a deceased or bankrupt Member | 52 | |
| Date of giving notices | 53 | |
| Saving provision | 53 | |
| 29 | Authentication of Electronic Records | 53 |
| Application of Articles | 53 | |
| Authentication of documents sent by Members by Electronic means | 53 | |
| Authentication of document sent by the Secretary or Officers of the Company by Electronic means | 54 | |
| Manner of signing | 54 | |
| Saving provision | 54 | |
| 30 | Transfer by way of continuation | 55 |
| 31 | Winding up | 55 |
| Distribution of assets in specie | 55 | |
| No obligation to accept liability | 56 | |
| 32 | Amendment of Memorandum and Articles | 56 |
| Power to change name or amend Memorandum | 56 | |
| Power to amend these Articles | 56 | |
Companies Act (Revised)
Company Limited by Shares
Amended and Restated
Articles of Association
of
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
(Adopted by special resolution passed on 29 April 2024)
| 1 | Definitions, interpretation and exclusion of Table A |
Definitions
| 1.1 | In these Articles, the following definitions apply: |
Articles means, as appropriate:
| (a) | these articles of association as amended from time to time: or |
| (b) | two or more particular articles of these Articles; |
and Article refers to a particular article of these Articles;
Auditors means the auditor or auditors for the time being of the Company;
Board means the board of Directors from time to time;
Board Resolution means (a) a resolution approved at a duly convened and constituted meeting of the Directors by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors present at the meeting who voted on the matter, or (b) a written resolution of the Directors passed in accordance with Article 18.14.
Business Day means a day when banks in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands are open for the transaction of normal banking business and for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday in the Cayman Islands;
Cayman Islands means the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands;
Class A Ordinary Share means an Ordinary Share designated by the directors as a Class A Ordinary Share;
Class B Ordinary Share means an Ordinary Share designated by the directors as a Class B Ordinary Share;
| 1 |
Clear Days, in relation to a period of notice, means that period excluding:
| (a) | the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given; and |
| (b) | the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect; |
Commission means Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America or other federal agency for the time being administering the U.S. Securities Act;
Company means the above-named company;
Default Rate means ten per cent per annum;
Designated Stock Exchanges means the Nasdaq Capital Market in the United States of America for so long as the Company’s Shares are there listed and any other stock exchange on which the Company’s Shares are listed for trading;
Designated Stock Exchange Rules means the relevant code, rules and regulations, as amended, from time to time, applicable as a result of the original and continued listing of any Shares on the Designated Stock Exchanges;
Directors means the directors for the time being of the Company and the expression Director shall be construed accordingly;
Electronic has the meaning given to that term in the Electronic Transactions Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands;
Electronic Record has the meaning given to that term in the Electronic Transactions Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands;
Electronic Signature has the meaning given to that term in the Electronic Transactions Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands;
Founder means Mr. Koh Kuan Hua;
Fully Paid Up means:
| (a) | in relation to a Share with par value, means that the par value for that Share and any premium payable in respect of the issue of that Share, has been fully paid or credited as paid in money or money’s worth; and |
| (b) | in relation to a Share without par value, means that the agreed issue price for that Share has been fully paid or credited as paid in money or money’s worth; |
General Meeting means a general meeting of the Company duly constituted in accordance with the Articles;
| 2 |
Independent Director means a Director who is an independent director as defined in the Designated Stock Exchange Rules as determined by the Board by Board Resolution;
Law means the Companies Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, including any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;
Member means any person or persons entered on the register of Members from time to time as the holder of a Share;
Memorandum means the memorandum of association of the Company as amended from time to time;
month means a calendar month;
Officer means a person appointed to hold an office in the Company including a Director, alternate Director or liquidator and excluding the Secretary;
Ordinary Resolution means a resolution of a General Meeting passed by a simple majority of Members who (being entitled to do so) vote in person or by proxy at that meeting. The expression includes a unanimous written resolution;
Ordinary Share means an ordinary share in the capital of the Company having the rights set out in these Articles and issued as either a Class A Ordinary Share or as a Class B Ordinary Share. In these Articles the term Ordinary Share shall embrace all classes of Ordinary Share except where reference is made to a specific class;
Partly Paid Up means:
| (a) | in relation to a Share with par value, that the par value for that Share and any premium payable in respect of the issue of that Share, has not been fully paid or credited as paid in money or money’s worth; and |
| (b) | in relation to a Share without par value, means that the agreed issue price for that Share has not been fully paid or credited as paid in money or money’s worth; |
Register of Members means the register of Members maintained in accordance with the Law and includes (except where otherwise stated) any branch or duplicate register of the Members;
Secretary means a person appointed to perform the duties of the secretary of the Company, including a joint, assistant or deputy secretary;
Share means a share in the capital of the Company and the expression:
| (a) | includes stock (except where a distinction between shares and stock is expressed or implied); and |
| (b) | where the context permits, also includes a fraction of a Share; |
| 3 |
Special Resolution means a resolution of a General Meeting or a resolution of a meeting of the holders of any class of Shares in a class meeting duly constituted in accordance with the Articles in each case passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of Members who (being entitled to do so) vote in person or by proxy at that meeting. The expression includes a unanimous written resolution;
Treasury Shares means Shares held in treasury pursuant to the Law and Article 2.13; and
U.S. Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States of America, as amended, or any similar federal statute and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.
Interpretation
| 1.2 | In the interpretation of these Articles, the following provisions apply unless the context otherwise requires: |
| (a) | A reference in these Articles to a statute is a reference to a statute of the Cayman Islands as known by its short title, and includes: |
| (i) | any statutory modification, amendment or re-enactment; and |
| (ii) | any subordinate legislation or regulations issued under that statute. |
Without limitation to the preceding sentence, a reference to a revised Law of the Cayman Islands is taken to be a reference to the revision of that Law in force from time to time as amended from time to time.
| (b) | Headings are inserted for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of these Articles, unless there is ambiguity. |
| (c) | If a day on which any act, matter or thing is to be done under these Articles is not a Business Day, the act, matter or thing must be done on the next Business Day. |
| (d) | A word which denotes the singular also denotes the plural, a word which denotes the plural also denotes the singular, and a reference to any gender also denotes the other genders. |
| (e) | A reference to a person includes, as appropriate, a company, trust, partnership, joint venture, association, body corporate or government agency. |
| (f) | Where a word or phrase is given a defined meaning another part of speech or grammatical form in respect to that word or phrase has a corresponding meaning. |
| (g) | All references to time are to be calculated by reference to time in the place where the Company’s registered office is located. |
| 4 |
| (h) | The words written and in writing include all modes of representing or reproducing words in a visible form, but do not include an Electronic Record where the distinction between a document in writing and an Electronic Record is expressed or implied. |
| (i) | The words including, include and in particular or any similar expression are to be construed without limitation. |
| 1.3 | The headings in these Articles are intended for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation of these Articles. |
Exclusion of Table A Articles
| 1.4 | The regulations contained in Table A in the First Schedule of the Law and any other regulations contained in any statute or subordinate legislation are expressly excluded and do not apply to the Company. |
| 2 | Shares |
Power to issue Shares and options, with or without special rights
| 2.1 | Subject to the provisions of the Law and these Articles about the redemption and purchase of the Shares, the Directors have general and unconditional authority to allot (with or without confirming rights of renunciation), grant options over or otherwise deal with any unissued Shares to such persons, at such times and on such terms and conditions as they may decide. No Share may be issued at a discount except in accordance with the provisions of the Law. |
| 2.2 | Without limitation to the preceding Article, the Directors may so deal with the unissued Shares: |
| (a) | either at a premium or at par; or |
| (b) | with or without preferred, deferred or other special rights or restrictions, whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise. |
| 2.3 | Without limitation to the two preceding Articles, the Directors may refuse to accept any application for Shares, and may accept any application in whole or in part, for any reason or for no reason. |
Power to pay commissions and brokerage fees
| 2.4 | The Company may pay a commission to any person in consideration of that person: |
| (a) | subscribing or agreeing to subscribe, whether absolutely or conditionally; or |
| (b) | procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions, whether absolute or conditional, |
for any Shares. That commission may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the allotment of Fully Paid Up or Partly Paid Up Shares or partly in one way and partly in another.
| 5 |
| 2.5 | The Company may employ a broker in the issue of its capital and pay him any proper commission or brokerage. |
Trusts not recognised
| 2.6 | Except as required by Law: |
| (a) | no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any Share on any trust; and |
| (b) | no person other than the Member shall be recognised by the Company as having any right in a Share. |
Security interests
| 2.7 | Notwithstanding the preceding Article, the Company may (but shall not be obliged to) recognise a security interest of which it has actual notice over shares. The Company shall not be treated as having recognised any such security interest unless it has so agreed in writing with the secured party. |
Power to vary class rights
| 2.8 | If the share capital is divided into different classes of Shares then, unless the terms on which a class of Shares was issued state otherwise, the rights attaching to a class of Shares may only be varied if one of the following applies: |
| (a) | the Members holding not less than 50% of the issued Shares of that class consent in writing to the variation; or |
| (b) | the variation is made with the sanction of a Special Resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the Members holding the issued Shares of that class. |
| 2.9 | For the purpose of Article 2.8(b), all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings apply, mutatis mutandis, to every such separate meeting except that: |
| (a) | the necessary quorum shall be one or more persons holding, or representing by proxy, not less than one third of the issued Shares of the class; and |
| (b) | any Member holding issued Shares of the class, present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a corporate Member, by its duly authorised representative, may demand a poll. |
| 2.10 | For the purposes of a separate class meeting, the Directors may treat two or more or all the classes of Shares as forming one class of Shares if the Directors consider that such classes of Shares would be affected in the same way by the proposals under consideration, but in any other case shall treat them as separate classes of Shares. |
| 6 |
Effect of new Share issue on existing class rights
| 2.11 | Unless the terms on which a class of Shares was issued state otherwise, the rights conferred on the Member holding Shares of any class shall not be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further Shares ranking pari passu with the existing Shares of that class. |
No bearer Shares or warrants
| 2.12 | The Company shall not issue Shares or warrants to bearers. |
Treasury Shares
| 2.13 | Shares that the Company purchases, redeems or acquires by way of surrender in accordance with the Law shall be held as Treasury Shares and not treated as cancelled if: |
| (a) | the Directors so determine prior to the purchase, redemption or surrender of those shares; and |
| (b) | the relevant provisions of the Memorandum and Articles and the Law are otherwise complied with. |
Rights attaching to Treasury Shares and related matters
| 2.14 | No dividend may be declared or paid, and no other distribution (whether in cash or otherwise) of the Company’s assets (including any distribution of assets to Members on a winding up) may be made to the Company in respect of a Treasury Share. |
| 2.15 | The Company shall be entered in the register of Members as the holder of the Treasury Shares. However: |
| (a) | the Company shall not be treated as a Member for any purpose and shall not exercise any right in respect of the Treasury Shares, and any purported exercise of such a right shall be void; and |
| (b) | a Treasury Share shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting of the Company and shall not be counted in determining the total number of issued shares at any given time, whether for the purposes of these Articles or the Law. |
| 2.16 | Nothing in Article 2.15 prevents an allotment of Shares as Fully Paid Up bonus shares in respect of a Treasury Share and Shares allotted as Fully Paid Up bonus shares in respect of a Treasury Share shall be treated as Treasury Shares. |
| 2.17 | Treasury Shares may be disposed of by the Company in accordance with the Law and otherwise on such terms and conditions as the Directors determine. |
| 7 |
Register of Members
| 2.18 | The Directors shall keep or cause to be kept a register of Members as required by the Law and may cause the Company to maintain one or more branch registers as contemplated by the Law, provided that where the Company is maintaining one or more branch registers, the Directors shall ensure that a duplicate of each branch register is kept with the Company’s principal register of Members and updated within such number of days of any amendment having been made to such branch register as may be required by the Law. |
| 2.19 | The title to Shares listed on a Designated Stock Exchange may be evidenced and transferred in accordance with the laws applicable to the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange and, for these purposes, the register of Members may be maintained in accordance with Article 40B of the Act. |
Annual Return
| 2.20 | The Directors in each calendar year shall prepare or cause to be prepared an annual return and declaration setting forth the particulars required by the Law and shall deliver a copy thereof to the registrar of companies for the Cayman Islands. |
| 3 | Share certificates |
Issue of share certificates
| 3.1 | A Member shall only be entitled to a share certificate if the Directors resolve that share certificates shall be issued. Share certificates representing Shares, if any, shall be in such form as the Directors may determine. If the Directors resolve that share certificates shall be issued, upon being entered in the register of Members as the holder of a Share, the Directors may issue to any Member: |
| (a) | without payment, one certificate for all the Shares of each class held by that Member (and, upon transferring a part of the Member’s holding of Shares of any class, to a certificate for the balance of that holding); and |
| (b) | upon payment of such reasonable sum as the Directors may determine for every certificate after the first, several certificates each for one or more of that Member’s Shares. |
| 3.2 | Every certificate shall specify the number, class and distinguishing numbers (if any) of the Shares to which it relates and whether they are Fully Paid Up or Partly Paid Up. A certificate may be executed under seal or executed in such other manner as the Directors determine. |
| 3.3 | Every certificate shall bear legends required under the applicable laws, including the U.S. Securities Act. |
| 8 |
| 3.4 | The Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate for Shares held jointly by several persons and delivery of a certificate for a Share to one joint holder shall be a sufficient delivery to all of them. |
Renewal of lost or damaged share certificates
| 3.5 | If a share certificate is defaced, worn-out, lost or destroyed, it may be renewed on such terms (if any) as to: |
| (a) | evidence; |
| (b) | indemnity; |
| (c) | payment of the expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in investigating the evidence; and |
| (d) | payment of a reasonable fee, if any for issuing a replacement share certificate, |
as the Directors may determine, and (in the case of defacement or wearing-out) on delivery to the Company of the old certificate.
| 4 | Lien on Shares |
Nature and scope of lien
| 4.1 | The Company has a first and paramount lien on all Shares (whether Fully Paid Up or not) registered in the name of a Member (whether solely or jointly with others). The lien is for all monies payable to the Company by the Member or the Member’s estate: |
| (a) | either alone or jointly with any other person, whether or not that other person is a Member; and |
| (b) | whether or not those monies are presently payable. |
| 4.2 | At any time the Board may by Board Resolution declare any Share to be wholly or partly exempt from the provisions of this Article. |
| 9 |
Company may sell Shares to satisfy lien
| 4.3 | The Company may sell any Shares over which it has a lien if all of the following conditions are met: |
| (a) | the sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable; |
| (b) | the Company gives notice to the Member holding the Share (or to the person entitled to it in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of that Member) demanding payment and stating that if the notice is not complied with the Shares may be sold; and |
| (c) | that sum is not paid within fourteen Clear Days after that notice is deemed to be given under these Articles, |
and Shares to which this Article 4.3 applies shall be referred to as Lien Default Shares.
| 4.4 | The Lien Default Shares may be sold in such manner as the Board determines by Board Resolution. |
| 4.5 | To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Directors shall incur no personal liability to the Member concerned in respect of the sale. |
Authority to execute instrument of transfer
| 4.6 | To give effect to a sale, the Directors may authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Lien Default Shares sold to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser. |
| 4.7 | The title of the transferee of the Lien Default Shares shall not be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in respect of the sale. |
Consequences of sale of Shares to satisfy lien
| 4.8 | On a sale pursuant to the preceding Articles: |
| (a) | the name of the Member concerned shall be removed from the register of Members as the holder of those Lien Default Shares; and |
| (b) | that person shall deliver to the Company for cancellation the certificate (if any) for those Lien Default Shares. |
| 10 |
| 4.9 | Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 4.8, such person shall remain liable to the Company for all monies which, at the date of sale, were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of those Lien Default Shares. That person shall also be liable to pay interest on those monies from the date of sale until payment at the rate at which interest was payable before that sale or, failing that, at the Default Rate. The Board may by Board Resolution waive payment wholly or in part or enforce payment without any allowance for the value of the Lien Default Shares at the time of sale or for any consideration received on their disposal. |
Application of proceeds of sale
| 4.10 | The net proceeds of the sale, after payment of the costs, shall be applied in payment of so much of the sum for which the lien exists as is presently payable. Any residue shall be paid to the person whose Lien Default Shares have been sold: |
| (a) | if no certificate for the Lien Default Shares was issued, at the date of the sale; or |
| (b) | if a certificate for the Lien Default Shares was issued, upon surrender to the Company of that certificate for cancellation |
but, in either case, subject to the Company retaining a like lien for all sums not presently payable as existed on the Lien Default Shares before the sale.
| 5 | Calls on Shares and forfeiture |
Power to make calls and effect of calls
| 5.1 | Subject to the terms of allotment, the Board may by Board Resolution make calls on the Members in respect of any monies unpaid on their Shares including any premium. The call may provide for payment to be by instalments. Subject to receiving at least 14 Clear Days’ notice specifying when and where payment is to be made, each Member shall pay to the Company the amount called on his Shares as required by the notice. |
| 5.2 | Before receipt by the Company of any sum due under a call, that call may be revoked in whole or in part and payment of a call may be postponed in whole or in part. Where a call is to be paid in instalments, the Company may revoke the call in respect of all or any remaining instalments in whole or in part and may postpone payment of all or any of the remaining instalments in whole or in part. |
| 5.3 | A Member on whom a call is made shall remain liable for that call notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the Shares in respect of which the call was made. He shall not be liable for calls made after he is no longer registered as Member in respect of those Shares. |
Time when call made
| 5.4 | A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising the call was passed. |
| 11 |
Liability of joint holders
| 5.5 | Members registered as the joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of the Share. |
Interest on unpaid calls
| 5.6 | If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the person from whom it is due and payable shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day it became due and payable until it is paid: |
| (a) | at the rate fixed by the terms of allotment of the Share or in the notice of the call; or |
| (b) | if no rate is fixed, at the Default Rate. |
The Directors may waive payment of the interest wholly or in part.
Deemed calls
| 5.7 | Any amount payable in respect of a Share, whether on allotment or on a fixed date or otherwise, shall be deemed to be payable as a call. If the amount is not paid when due the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if the amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call. |
Power to accept early payment
| 5.8 | The Company may accept from a Member the whole or a part of the amount remaining unpaid on Shares held by him although no part of that amount has been called up. |
Power to make different arrangements at time of issue of Shares
| 5.9 | Subject to the terms of allotment, the Directors may make arrangements on the issue of Shares to distinguish between Members in the amounts and times of payment of calls on their Shares. |
Notice of default
| 5.10 | If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Directors may give to the person from whom it is due not less than 14 Clear Days’ notice requiring payment of: |
| (a) | the amount unpaid; |
| (b) | any interest which may have accrued; |
| (c) | any expenses which have been incurred by the Company due to that person’s default. |
| 5.11 | The notice shall state the following: |
| (a) | the place where payment is to be made; and |
| 12 |
| (b) | a warning that if the notice is not complied with the Shares in respect of which the call is made will be liable to be forfeited. |
Forfeiture or surrender of Shares
| 5.12 | If the notice given pursuant to Article 5.10 is not complied with, the Directors may, before the payment required by the notice has been received, resolve that any Share the subject of that notice be forfeited. The forfeiture shall include all dividends or other monies payable in respect of the forfeited Share and not paid before the forfeiture. Despite the foregoing, the Board may by Board Resolution determine that any Share the subject of that notice be accepted by the Company as surrendered by the Member holding that Share in lieu of forfeiture. |
Disposal of forfeited or surrendered Share and power to cancel forfeiture or surrender
| 5.13 | A forfeited or surrendered Share may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Board by Board Resolution determine either to the former Member who held that Share or to any other person. The forfeiture or surrender may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit at any time before a sale, re-allotment or other disposition. Where, for the purposes of its disposal, a forfeited or surrendered Share is to be transferred to any person, the Directors may by Board Resolution authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Share to the transferee. |
Effect of forfeiture or surrender on former Member
| 5.14 | On forfeiture or surrender: |
| (a) | the name of the Member concerned shall be removed from the register of Members as the holder of those Shares and that person shall cease to be a Member in respect of those Shares; and |
| (b) | that person shall surrender to the Company for cancellation the certificate (if any) for the forfeited or surrendered Shares. |
| 5.15 | Despite the forfeiture or surrender of his Shares, that person shall remain liable to the Company for all monies which at the date of forfeiture or surrender were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of those Shares together with: |
| (a) | all expenses; and |
| (b) | interest from the date of forfeiture or surrender until payment: |
| (i) | at the rate of which interest was payable on those monies before forfeiture; or |
| (ii) | if no interest was so payable, at the Default Rate. |
The Directors, however, may waive payment wholly or in part.
| 13 |
Evidence of forfeiture or surrender
| 5.16 | A declaration, whether statutory or under oath, made by a Director or the Secretary shall be conclusive evidence of the following matters stated in it as against all persons claiming to be entitled to forfeited Shares: |
| (a) | that the person making the declaration is a Director or Secretary of the Company, and |
| (b) | that the particular Shares have been forfeited or surrendered on a particular date. |
Subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer, if necessary, the declaration shall constitute good title to the Shares.
Sale of forfeited or surrendered Shares
| 5.17 | Any person to whom the forfeited or surrendered Shares are disposed of shall not be bound to see to the application of the consideration, if any, of those Shares nor shall his title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity in, or invalidity of the proceedings in respect of, the forfeiture, surrender or disposal of those Shares. |
| 6 | Transfer of Shares |
Right to transfer
Form of Transfer
| 6.1 | Subject to the following Articles about the transfer of Shares, and provided that such transfer complies with applicable rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, a Member may freely transfer Shares (except Class B Ordinary Shares which shall not be transferrable) to another person by completing an instrument of transfer in a common form or in a form prescribed by the Designated Stock Exchange or in any other form approved by the directors, executed: |
| (a) | where the Shares (except Class B Ordinary Shares which shall not be transferrable) are Fully Paid, by or on behalf of that Member; and |
| (b) | where the Shares (except Class B Ordinary Shares which shall not be transferrable) are partly paid, by or on behalf of that Member and the transferee. |
| 6.2 | The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of a Share (except Class B Ordinary Shares which shall not be transferrable) until the name of the transferee is entered into the Register of Members. |
| 14 |
Power to refuse registration for Shares not listed on a Designated Stock Exchange
| 6.3 | Where the Shares in question are not listed on or subject to the rules of any Designated Stock Exchange, registration of any transfer of shares must be approved by the Directors by Board Resolution, and the Directors may in their absolute discretion decline to register any transfer of such Shares which are not Fully Paid Up or on which the Company has a lien. The Directors may also, but are not required to, decline to register any transfer of any such Share unless: |
| (a) | the instrument of transfer is lodged with the Company, accompanied by the certificate (if any) for the Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; |
| (b) | the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of Shares; |
| (c) | the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; |
| (d) | in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the Share is to be transferred does not exceed four; |
| (e) | the Shares transferred are Fully Paid Up and free of any lien in favour of the Company; and |
| (f) | any applicable fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchanges may determine to be payable, or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require, related to the transfer is paid to the Company. |
Suspension of transfers
| 6.4 | The registration of transfers may, on 14 days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by electronic means, be suspended and the register of Members closed at such times and for such periods as the Directors may, in their absolute discretion, from time to time determine, provided always that such registration of transfer shall not be suspended nor the register of Members closed for more than 30 days in any year. |
Company may retain instrument of transfer
| 6.5 | All instruments of transfer that are registered shall be retained by the Company. |
Notice of refusal to register
| 6.6 | If the Directors refuse to register a transfer of any Shares not listed on a Designated Stock Exchange, they shall within one month after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged with the Company send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of the refusal. |
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| 7 | Transmission of Shares |
Persons entitled on death of a Member
| 7.1 | If a Member dies, the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to the deceased Members’ interest are the following: |
| (a) | where the deceased Member was a joint holder, the survivor or survivors; and |
| (b) | where the deceased Member was a sole holder, that Member’s personal representative or representatives. |
| 7.2 | Nothing in these Articles shall release the deceased Member’s estate from any liability in respect of any Share, whether the deceased was a sole holder or a joint holder. |
Registration of transfer of a Share following death or bankruptcy
| 7.3 | A person becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member may elect to do either of the following: |
| (a) | to become the holder of the Share; or |
| (b) | to transfer the Share to another person. |
| 7.4 | That person must produce such evidence of his entitlement as the Directors may properly require. |
| 7.5 | If the person elects to become the holder of the Share, he must give notice to the Company to that effect. For the purposes of these Articles, that notice shall be treated as though it were an executed instrument of transfer. |
| 7.6 | If the person elects to transfer the Share to another person then: |
| (a) | if the Share is Fully Paid Up, the transferor must execute an instrument of transfer; and |
| (b) | if the Share is nil or Partly Paid Up, the transferor and the transferee must execute an instrument of transfer. |
| 7.7 | All the Articles relating to the transfer of Shares shall apply to the notice or, as appropriate, the instrument of transfer. |
Indemnity
| 7.8 | A person registered as a Member by reason of the death or bankruptcy of another Member shall indemnify the Company and the Directors against any loss or damage suffered by the Company or the Directors as a result of that registration. |
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Rights of person entitled to a Share following death or bankruptcy
| 7.9 | A person becoming entitled to a Share by reason of the death or bankruptcy of a Member shall have the rights to which he would be entitled if he were registered as the holder of the Share. But, until he is registered as Member in respect of the Share, he shall not be entitled to attend or vote at any meeting of the Company or at any separate meeting of the holders of that class of Shares. |
| 8 | Alteration of capital |
Increasing, consolidating, converting, dividing and cancelling share capital
| 8.1 | To the fullest extent permitted by the Law, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution do any of the following and amend its Memorandum for that purpose: |
| (a) | increase its share capital by new Shares of the amount fixed by that Ordinary Resolution and with the attached rights, priorities and privileges set out in that Ordinary Resolution; |
| (b) | consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into Shares of larger amount than its existing Shares; |
| (c) | convert all or any of its Paid Up Shares into stock, and reconvert that stock into Paid Up Shares of any denomination; |
| (d) | sub-divide its Shares or any of them into Shares of an amount smaller than that fixed by the Memorandum, so, however, that in the sub-division, the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced Share shall be the same as it was in case of the Share from which the reduced Share is derived; and |
| (e) | cancel Shares which, at the date of the passing of that Ordinary Resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person, and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the Shares so cancelled or, in the case of Shares without nominal par value, diminish the number of Shares into which its capital is divided. |
Dealing with fractions resulting from consolidation of Shares
| 8.2 | Whenever, as a result of a consolidation of Shares, any Members would become entitled to fractions of a Share the Directors may on behalf of those Members deal with the fractions as it thinks fit, including (without limitation): |
| (a) | either round up or down the fraction to the nearest whole number, such rounding to be determined by the Directors acting in their sole discretion; or |
| (b) | sell the Shares representing the fractions for the best price reasonably obtainable to any person (including, subject to the provisions of the Law, the Company); and |
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| (c) | distribute the net proceeds in due proportion among those Members. |
| 8.3 | For the purposes of Article 8.2, the Directors may authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Shares to, in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser. The transferee shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor shall the transferee’s title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity in, or invalidity of, the proceedings in respect of the sale. |
Reducing share capital
| 8.4 | Subject to the Law and to any rights for the time being conferred on the Members holding a particular class of Shares, the Company may, by Special Resolution, reduce its share capital in any way. |
| 9 | Conversion, redemption and purchase of own Shares |
Power to issue redeemable Shares and to purchase own Shares
| 9.1 | Subject to the Law and to any rights for the time being conferred on the Members holding a particular class of Shares, the Company may by its Directors: |
| (a) | issue Shares that are to be redeemed or liable to be redeemed, at the option of the Company or the Member holding those redeemable Shares, on the terms and in the manner its Directors determine before the issue of those Shares; |
| (b) | with the consent by Special Resolution of the Members holding Shares of a particular class, vary the rights attaching to that class of Shares so as to provide that those Shares are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company on the terms and in the manner which the Directors determine at the time of such variation; and |
| (c) | purchase all or any of its own Shares of any class including any redeemable Shares on the terms and in the manner which the Directors determine at the time of such purchase. |
The Company may make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own Shares in any manner authorised by the Law, including out of any combination of the following: capital, its profits and the proceeds of a fresh issue of Shares.
Power to pay for redemption or purchase in cash or in specie
| 9.2 | When making a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of Shares, the Directors may make the payment in cash or in specie (or partly in one and partly in the other) if so authorised by the terms of the allotment of those Shares or by the terms applying to those Shares in accordance with Article 9.1, or otherwise by agreement with the Member holding those Shares. |
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Effect of redemption or purchase of a Share
| 9.3 | Upon the date of redemption or purchase of a Share: |
| (a) | the Member holding that Share shall cease to be entitled to any rights in respect of the Share other than the right to receive: |
| (i) | the price for the Share; and |
| (ii) | any dividend declared in respect of the Share prior to the date of redemption or purchase; |
| (b) | the Member’s name shall be removed from the register of Members with respect to the Share; and |
| (c) | the Share shall be cancelled or held as a Treasury Share, as the Directors may determine. |
| 9.4 | For the purpose of Article 9.3, the date of redemption or purchase is the date when the Member’s name is removed from the register of Members with respect to the Shares the subject of the redemption or purchase. |
Conversion rights
| 9.5 | Each Class B Ordinary Share shall be convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time after the date of issuance of such Share, at the office of the Company or any transfer agent for such Shares, into one fully paid and non-assessable Class A Ordinary Share. |
| 9.6 | The Directors shall at all times reserve and keep available out of the Company’s authorised but unissued Class A Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Class B Ordinary Shares, such number of its Class A Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding Class B Ordinary Shares; and if at any time the number of authorised but unissued Class A Ordinary Shares shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding Class B Ordinary Shares, in addition to such other remedies as shall be available to the holders of such Class B Ordinary Shares, the Directors will take such action as may be necessary to increase its authorised but unissued Class A Ordinary Shares to such number of Shares as shall be sufficient for such purposes. |
Share conversion
| 9.7 | All conversions of Class B Ordinary Shares to Class A Ordinary Shares shall be effected by way of redemption or repurchase by the Company of the relevant Class B Ordinary Shares and the simultaneous issue of Class A Ordinary Shares in consideration for such redemption or repurchase. The Members and the Company will procure that any and all necessary corporate actions are taken to effect such conversion. |
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| 10 | Meetings of Members |
Annual and extraordinary general meetings
| 10.1 | The Company may, but shall not (unless required by the Designated Stock Exchange Rules) be obligated to, in each year hold a general meeting as an annual general meeting, which, if held, shall be convened by the chairman of the Board, or the Directors by Board Resolution, in accordance with these Articles. |
| 10.2 | All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. |
Power to call meetings
| 10.3 | The chairman of the Board, or the Directors may by Board Resolution, call a general meeting at any time. |
| 10.4 | If there are insufficient Directors to constitute a quorum and the remaining Directors are unable to agree on the appointment of additional Directors, the Directors must call a general meeting for the purpose of appointing additional Directors. |
| 10.5 | The Directors must also call a general meeting if requisitioned in the manner set out in the next two Articles. |
| 10.6 | Any one or more Members holding not less than one-third of all votes attaching to the total issued and paid up share capital of the Company at the date of deposit of the requisition shall at all times have the right, by written requisition to the Board or the Secretary, to require an extraordinary general meeting to be called by the Board for the transaction of any business specified in such requisition; and such meeting shall be held within two (2) months after the deposit of such requisition. If within twenty one (21) days of such deposit the Board fails to proceed to convene such meeting the requisitionist(s) himself (themselves) may do so in the same manner, and all reasonable expenses incurred by the requisitionist(s) as a result of the failure of the Board shall be reimbursed to the requisitionist(s) by the Company. |
| 10.7 | The requisition must also: |
| (a) | specify the purpose of the meeting. |
| (b) | be signed by or on behalf of each requisitioner (and for this purpose each joint holder shall be obliged to sign). The requisition may consist of several documents in like form signed by one or more of the requisitioners; and |
| (c) | be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions. |
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| 10.8 | Without limitation to the foregoing, if there are insufficient Directors to constitute a quorum and the remaining Directors are unable to agree on the appointment of additional Directors, any one or more Members who together hold at least five per cent of the rights to vote at a general meeting may call a general meeting for the purpose of considering the business specified in the notice of meeting which shall include as an item of business the appointment of additional Directors. |
| 10.9 | If the Members call a meeting under the above provisions, the Company shall reimburse their reasonable expenses. |
Content of notice
| 10.10 | Notice of a general meeting shall specify each of the following: |
| (a) | the place, the date and the hour of the meeting; |
| (b) | if the meeting is to be held in two or more places, the technology that will be used to facilitate the meeting; |
| (c) | subject to paragraph (d) and the requirements of (to the extent applicable) the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, the general nature of the business to be transacted; and |
| (d) | if a resolution is proposed as a Special Resolution, the text of that resolution. |
| 10.11 | In each notice there shall appear with reasonable prominence the following statements: |
| (a) | that a Member who is entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend and vote instead of that Member; and |
| (b) | that a proxyholder need not be a Member. |
Period of notice
| 10.12 | At least seven Clear Days’ notice of an annual general meeting must be given to Members. For any other general meeting, at least seven Clear Days’ notice must be given to Members. |
| 10.13 | Subject to the Law, a meeting may be convened on shorter notice, subject to the Law with the consent of the Member or Members who, individually or collectively, hold at least ninety per cent of the voting rights of all those who have a right to vote at that meeting. |
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Persons entitled to receive notice
| 10.14 | Subject to the provisions of these Articles and to any restrictions imposed on any Shares, the notice shall be given to the following people: |
| (a) | the Members |
| (b) | persons entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member; and |
| (c) | the Directors. |
| 10.15 | The Board may by Board Resolution determine that the Members entitled to receive notice of a meeting are those persons entered on the register of Members at the close of business on a day determined by the Board. |
Accidental omission to give notice or non-receipt of notice
| 10.16 | Proceedings at a meeting shall not be invalidated by the following: |
| (a) | an accidental failure to give notice of the meeting to any person entitled to notice; or |
| (b) | non-receipt of notice of the meeting by any person entitled to notice. |
| 10.17 | In addition, where a notice of meeting is published on a website proceedings at the meeting shall not be invalidated merely because it is accidentally published: |
| (a) | in a different place on the website; or |
| (b) | for part only of the period from the date of the notification until the conclusion of the meeting to which the notice relates. |
| 11 | Proceedings at meetings of Members |
Quorum
| 11.1 | Save as provided in the following Article, no business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum is present in person or by proxy. A quorum is as follows: |
| (a) | if the Company has only one Member: that Member; |
| (b) | if the Company has more than one Member: one or more Members holding Shares that represent not less than one-third of the outstanding Shares carrying the right to vote at such general meeting. |
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Lack of quorum
| 11.2 | If a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes of the time appointed for the meeting, or if at any time during the meeting it becomes inquorate, then the following provisions apply: |
| (a) | If the meeting was requisitioned by Members, it shall be cancelled. |
| (b) | In any other case, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same time and place seven days hence, or to such other time or place as is determined by the Directors. If a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes of the time appointed for the adjourned meeting, then the Members present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum. |
Chairman
| 11.3 | The chairman of a general meeting shall be the chairman of the Board appointed by Board Resolution, or such other Director as the Directors have nominated to chair Board meetings in the absence of the chairman of the Board. Absent any such person being present within fifteen minutes of the time appointed for the meeting, the Directors present shall elect one of their number to chair the meeting. |
| 11.4 | If no Director is present within fifteen minutes of the time appointed for the meeting, or if no Director is willing to act as chairman, the Members present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall choose one of their number to chair the meeting. |
Right of a Director to attend and speak
| 11.5 | Even if a Director is not a Member, he shall be entitled to attend and speak at any general meeting and at any separate meeting of Members holding a particular class of Shares. |
Accommodation of Members at meeting
| 11.6 | lf it appears to the chairman of the meeting that the meeting place specified in the notice convening the meeting is inadequate to accommodate all Members entitled and wishing to attend, the meeting will be duly constituted and its proceedings valid if the chairman is satisfied that adequate facilities are available to ensure that a Member who is unable to be accommodated is able (whether at the meeting place or elsewhere): |
| (a) | to participate in the business for which the meeting has been convened; |
| (b) | to hear and see all persons present who speak (whether by the use of microphones, loud-speakers, audio-visual communications equipment or otherwise); and |
| (c) | to be heard and seen by all other persons present in the same way. |
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Security
| 11.7 | In addition to any measures which the Board may be required to take due to the location or venue of the meeting, the Board may make any arrangement and impose any restriction it considers appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances to ensure the security of a meeting including, without limitation, the searching of any person attending the meeting and the imposing of restrictions on the items of personal property that may be taken into the meeting place. The Board may refuse entry to, or eject from, a meeting a person who refuses to comply with any such arrangements or restrictions. |
Adjournment
| 11.8 | The chairman may at any time adjourn a meeting with the consent of the Members constituting a quorum. The chairman must adjourn the meeting if so directed by the meeting. No business, however, can be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than business which might properly have been transacted at the original meeting. |
| 11.9 | Should a meeting be adjourned for more than 7 Clear Days, whether because of a lack of quorum or otherwise, Members shall be given at least seven Clear Days’ notice of the date, time and place of the adjourned meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. Otherwise it shall not be necessary to give any notice of the adjournment. |
Method of voting
| 11.10 | A resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a poll duly demanded. Subject to the Law, a poll may be demanded: |
| (a) | by the chairman of the meeting; or |
| (b) | by at least one Member having the right to vote on the resolutions. |
Taking of a poll
| 11.11 | A poll demanded on the question of adjournment shall be taken immediately. |
| 11.12 | A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken either immediately or at an adjourned meeting at such time and place as the chairman directs, not being more than thirty Clear Days after the poll was demanded. |
| 11.13 | The demand for a poll shall not prevent the meeting continuing to transact any business other than the question on which the poll was demanded. |
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| 11.14 | A poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman directs. He may appoint scrutineers (who need not be Members) and fix a place and time for declaring the result of the poll. If, through the aid of technology, the meeting is held in more than place, the chairman may appoint scrutineers in more than place; but if he considers that the poll cannot be effectively monitored at that meeting, the chairman shall adjourn the holding of the poll to a date, place and time when that can occur. |
No casting vote
| 11.15 | In the case of an equality of votes on a poll, the chairman of the meeting at which the poll is demanded shall not be entitled to a second or casting vote. |
Written resolutions
| 11.16 | Members may pass a resolution in writing without holding a meeting if the following conditions are met: |
| (a) | all Members entitled to vote are given notice of the resolution as if the same were being proposed at a meeting of Members; |
| (b) | all Members entitled so to vote; |
| (i) | sign a document; or |
| (ii) | sign several documents in the like form each signed by one or more of those Members; and |
| (c) | the signed document or documents is or are delivered to the Company, including, if the Company so nominates, by delivery of an Electronic Record by Electronic means to the address specified for that purpose. |
| (d) | Such written resolution shall be as effective as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Members entitled to vote duly convened and held. |
| 11.17 | If a written resolution is described as a Special Resolution or as an Ordinary Resolution, it has effect accordingly. |
| 11.18 | The Directors may determine the manner in which written resolutions shall be put to Members. In particular, they may provide, in the form of any written resolution, for each Member to indicate, out of the number of votes the Member would have been entitled to cast at a meeting to consider the resolution, how many votes he wishes to cast in favour of the resolution and how many against the resolution or to be treated as abstentions. The result of any such written resolution shall be determined on the same basis as on a poll. |
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Sole-Member Company
| 11.19 | If the Company has only one Member, and the Member records in writing his decision on a question, that record shall constitute both the passing of a resolution and the minute of it. |
| 12 | Voting rights of Members |
Right to vote
| 12.1 | Subject to the following, unless their Shares carry no right to vote, or unless a call or other amount presently payable has not been paid, all Members are entitled to vote at a general meeting, on a poll, and all Members holding Shares of a particular class of Shares are entitled to vote at a meeting of the holders of that class of Shares. |
Voting Rights
| 12.2 | The holder of an Ordinary Share shall (in respect of such Ordinary Share) have the right to receive notice of, attend at and vote as a Member at any general meeting of the Company. |
| 12.3 | Each holder of Class A Ordinary Shares shall, on a poll, be entitled to exercise one (1) vote for each Class A Ordinary Share he or she holds on any and all matters. |
| 12.4 | Each holder of Class B Ordinary Shares shall, on a poll, be entitled to exercise ten (10) votes for each Class B Ordinary Share he or she holds on any and all matters. |
| 12.5 | Members may vote in person or by proxy. |
| 12.6 | No Member is bound to vote on his Shares or any of them; nor is he bound to vote each of his Shares in the same way. |
Rights of joint holders
| 12.7 | If Shares are held jointly, only one of the joint holders may vote. If more than one of the joint holders tenders a vote, the vote of the holder whose name in respect of those Shares appears first in the register of Members shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holder. |
Representation of corporate Members
| 12.8 | Save where otherwise provided, a corporate Member must act by a duly authorised representative. |
| 12.9 | A corporate Member wishing to act by a duly authorised representative must identify that person to the Company by notice in writing. |
| 12.10 | The authorisation may be for any period of time, and must be delivered to the Company before the commencement of the meeting at which it is first used. |
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| 12.11 | The Directors of the Company may require the production of any evidence which they consider necessary to determine the validity of the notice. |
| 12.12 | Where a duly authorised representative is present at a meeting that Member is deemed to be present in person; and the acts of the duly authorised representative are personal acts of that Member. |
| 12.13 | A corporate Member may revoke the appointment of a duly authorised representative at any time by notice to the Company; but such revocation will not affect the validity of any acts carried out by the duly authorised representative before the Directors of the Company had actual notice of the revocation. |
Member with mental disorder
| 12.14 | A Member in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction (whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere) in matters concerning mental disorder may vote on a poll, by that Member’s receiver, curator bonis or other person authorised in that behalf appointed by that court. |
| 12.15 | For the purpose of the preceding Article, evidence to the satisfaction of the Directors of the authority of the person claiming to exercise the right to vote must be received not less than 24 hours before holding the relevant meeting or the adjourned meeting in any manner specified for the delivery of forms of appointment of a proxy, whether in writing or by Electronic means. In default, the right to vote shall not be exercisable. |
Objections to admissibility of votes
| 12.16 | An objection to the validity of a person’s vote may only be raised at the meeting or at the adjourned meeting at which the vote is sought to be tendered. Any objection duly made shall be referred to the chairman whose decision shall be final and conclusive. |
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Form of proxy
| 12.17 | An instrument appointing a proxy shall be in any common form or in any other form approved by the Directors. |
| 12.18 | The instrument must be in writing and signed in one of the following ways: |
| (a) | by the Member; or |
| (b) | by the Member’s authorised attorney; or |
| (c) | if the Member is a corporation or other body corporate, under seal or signed by an authorised officer, secretary or attorney. |
If the Directors so resolve, the Company may accept an Electronic Record of that instrument delivered in the manner specified below and otherwise satisfying the Articles about authentication of Electronic Records.
| 12.19 | The Directors may require the production of any evidence which they consider necessary to determine the validity of any appointment of a proxy. |
| 12.20 | A Member may revoke the appointment of a proxy at any time by notice to the Company duly signed in accordance with Article 12.18. |
| 12.21 | No revocation by a Member of the appointment of a proxy made in accordance with Article 12.20 will affect the validity of any acts carried out by the relevant proxy before the Directors of the Company had actual notice of the revocation. |
How and when proxy is to be delivered
| 12.22 | Subject to the following Articles, the Directors may, in the notice convening any meeting or adjourned meeting, or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, specify the manner by which the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited and the place and the time (being not later than the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting to which the proxy relates) at which the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited. In the absence of any such direction from the Directors in the notice convening any meeting or adjourned meeting or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, the form of appointment of a proxy and any authority under which it is signed (or a copy of the authority certified notarially or in any other way approved by the Directors) must be delivered so that it is received by the Company before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the form of appointment of proxy proposes to vote. They must be delivered in either of the following ways: |
| (a) | In the case of an instrument in writing, it must be left at or sent by post: |
| (i) | to the registered office of the Company; or |
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| (ii) | to such other place within the Cayman Islands specified in the notice convening the meeting or in any form of appointment of proxy sent out by the Company in relation to the meeting. |
| (b) | If, pursuant to the notice provisions, a notice may be given to the Company in an Electronic Record, an Electronic Record of an appointment of a proxy must be sent to the address specified pursuant to those provisions unless another address for that purpose is specified: |
| (i) | in the notice convening the meeting; or |
| (ii) | in any form of appointment of a proxy sent out by the Company in relation to the meeting; or |
| (iii) | in any invitation to appoint a proxy issued by the Company in relation to the meeting. |
| (c) | Notwithstanding Article 12.22(a) and Article 12.22(b), the chairman of the Company may, in any event at his discretion, direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited. |
| 12.23 | Where a poll is taken: |
| (a) | if it is taken more than seven Clear Days after it is demanded, the form of appointment of a proxy and any accompanying authority (or an Electronic Record of the same) must be delivered in accordance with Article 12.22 before the time appointed for the taking of the poll; |
| (b) | if it to be taken within seven Clear Days after it was demanded, the form of appointment of a proxy and any accompanying authority (or an Electronic Record of the same) must be delivered in accordance with Article 12.22 before the time appointed for the taking of the poll. |
| 12.24 | If the form of appointment of proxy is not delivered on time, it is invalid. |
| 12.25 | When two or more valid but differing appointments of proxy are delivered or received in respect of the same Share for use at the same meeting and in respect of the same matter, the one which is last validly delivered or received (regardless of its date or of the date of its execution) shall be treated as replacing and revoking the other or others as regards that Share. lf the Company is unable to determine which appointment was last validly delivered or received, none of them shall be treated as valid in respect of that Share. |
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| 12.26 | The Board may at the expense of the Company send forms of appointment of proxy to the Members by post (that is to say, pre-paying and posting a letter), or by Electronic communication or otherwise (with or without provision for their return by pre-paid post) for use at any general meeting or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of Shares, either blank or nominating as proxy in the alternative any one or more of the Directors or any other person. lf for the purpose of any meeting invitations to appoint as proxy a person or one of a number of persons specified in the invitations are issued at the Company’s expense, they shall be issued to all (and not to some only) of the Members entitled to be sent notice of the meeting and to vote at it. The accidental omission to send such a form of appointment or to give such an invitation to, or the non-receipt of such form of appointment by, any Member entitled to attend and vote at a meeting shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting |
Voting by proxy
| 12.27 | A proxy shall have the same voting rights at a meeting or adjourned meeting as the Member would have had except to the extent that the instrument appointing him limits those rights. Notwithstanding the appointment of a proxy, a Member may attend and vote at a meeting or adjourned meeting. If a Member votes on any resolution a vote by his proxy on the same resolution, unless in respect of different Shares, shall be invalid. |
| 12.28 | The instrument appointing a proxy to vote at a meeting shall be deemed also to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll, and, for the purposes of Article 11.11, a demand by a person as proxy for a Member shall be the same as a demand by a Member. Such appointment shall not confer any further right to speak at the meeting, except with the permission of the chairman of the meeting. |
| 13 | Number of Directors |
| 13.1 | There shall be a Board consisting of not less than one person provided however that the Company may by Ordinary Resolution increase or reduce the limits in the number of Directors. Unless fixed by Ordinary Resolution, the maximum number of Directors shall be unlimited. |
| 14 | Appointment, disqualification and removal of Directors |
First Directors
| 14.1 | The first Directors shall be appointed in writing by the subscriber or subscribers to the Memorandum, or a majority of them. |
No age limit
| 14.2 | There is no age limit for Directors save that they must be at least eighteen years of age. |
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Corporate Directors
| 14.3 | Unless prohibited by law, a body corporate may be a Director. If a body corporate is a Director, the Articles about representation of corporate Members at general meetings apply, mutatis mutandis, to the Articles about Directors’ meetings. |
No shareholding qualification
| 14.4 | Unless a shareholding qualification for Directors is fixed by Ordinary Resolution, no Director shall be required to own Shares as a condition of his appointment. |
Appointment of Directors
| 14.5 | A Director may be appointed by Ordinary Resolution or by the Directors. Any appointment may be to fill a vacancy or as an additional Director. |
| 14.6 | A remaining Director may appoint a Director even though there is not a quorum of Directors. |
| 14.7 | No appointment can cause the number of Directors to exceed the maximum (if one is set); and any such appointment shall be invalid. |
| 14.8 | For so long as Shares are listed on a Designated Stock Exchange, the Directors shall include at least such number of Independent Directors as applicable law, rules or regulations or the Designated Stock Exchange Rules require as determined by the Board by Board Resolution. |
Board’s power to appoint Directors
| 14.9 | Without prejudice to the Company’s power to appoint a person to be a Director pursuant to these Articles, the Board shall have power at any time to appoint any person who is willing to act as a Director, either to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing Board, subject to the total number of Directors not exceeding any maximum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles. |
Eligibility
| 14.10 | No person (other than a Director retiring in accordance with these Articles) shall be appointed or re-appointed a Director at any general meeting unless: |
| (a) | he is recommended by the Board; or |
| (b) | not less than seven nor more than forty-two Clear Days before the date appointed for the meeting, a Member (other than the person to be proposed) entitled to vote at the meeting has given to the Company notice of his intention to propose a resolution for the appointment of that person, stating the particulars which would, if he were so appointed, be required to be included in the Company’s register of Directors and a notice executed by that person of his willingness to be appointed. |
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Removal of Directors
| 14.11 | A Director may be removed by Board Resolution. |
Resignation of Directors
| 14.12 | A Director may at any time resign office by giving to the Company notice in writing or, if permitted pursuant to the notice provisions, in an Electronic Record delivered in either case in accordance with those provisions. |
| 14.13 | Unless the notice specifies a different date, the Director shall be deemed to have resigned on the date that the notice is delivered to the Company. |
Termination of the office of Director
| 14.14 | A Director may retire from office as a Director by giving notice in writing to that effect to the Company at the registered office, which notice shall be effective upon such date as may be specified in the notice, failing which upon delivery to the registered office. |
| 14.15 | Without prejudice to the provisions in these Articles for retirement (by rotation or otherwise), a Director’s office shall be terminated forthwith if: |
| (a) | he is prohibited by the law of the Cayman Islands from acting as a Director; or |
| (b) | he is made bankrupt or makes an arrangement or composition with his creditors generally; or |
| (c) | he resigns his office by notice to the Company; or |
| (d) | he only held office as a Director for a fixed term and such term expires; or |
| (e) | in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner by whom he is being treated he becomes physically or mentally incapable of acting as a Director; or |
| (f) | he is given notice by the majority of the other Directors (not being less than two in number) to vacate office (without prejudice to any claim for damages for breach of any agreement relating to the provision of the services of such Director); or |
| (g) | he is made subject to any law relating to mental health or incompetence, whether by court order or otherwise; or |
| (h) | without the consent of the other Directors, he is absent from meetings of Directors for a continuous period of six months. |
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| 15 | Alternate Directors |
Appointment and removal
| 15.1 | Any Director may appoint any other person, including another Director, to act in his place as an alternate Director. No appointment shall take effect until the Director has given notice of the appointment to the Board. |
| 15.2 | A Director may revoke his appointment of an alternate at any time. No revocation shall take effect until the Director has given notice of the revocation to the Board. |
| 15.3 | A notice of appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be effective only if given to the Company by one or more of the following methods: |
| (a) | by notice in writing in accordance with the notice provisions contained in these Articles; |
| (b) | if the Company has a facsimile address for the time being, by sending by facsimile transmission to that facsimile address a facsimile copy or, otherwise, by sending by facsimile transmission to the facsimile address of the Company’s registered office a facsimile copy (in either case, the facsimile copy being deemed to be the notice unless Article 29.7 applies), in which event notice shall be taken to be given on the date of an error-free transmission report from the sender’s fax machine; |
| (c) | if the Company has an email address for the time being, by emailing to that email address a scanned copy of the notice as a PDF attachment or, otherwise, by emailing to the email address provided by the Company’s registered office a scanned copy of the notice as a PDF attachment (in either case, the PDF version being deemed to be the notice unless Article 29.7 applies), in which event notice shall be taken to be given on the date of receipt by the Company or the Company’s registered office (as appropriate) in readable form; or |
| (d) | if permitted pursuant to the notice provisions, in some other form of approved Electronic Record delivered in accordance with those provisions in writing. |
Notices
| 15.4 | All notices of meetings of Directors shall continue to be given to the appointing Director and not to the alternate. |
Rights of alternate Director
| 15.5 | An alternate Director shall be entitled to attend and vote at any Board meeting or meeting of a committee of the Directors at which the appointing Director is not personally present, and generally to perform all the functions of the appointing Director in his absence. An alternate Director, however, is not entitled to receive any remuneration from the Company for services rendered as an alternate Director. |
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Appointment ceases when the appointor ceases to be a Director
| 15.6 | An alternate Director shall cease to be an alternate Director if: |
| (a) | the Director who appointed him ceases to be a Director; or |
| (b) | the Director who appointed him revokes his appointment by notice delivered to the Board or to the registered office of the Company or in any other manner approved by the Board; or |
| (c) | in any event happens in relation to him which, if he were a Director of the Company, would cause his office as Director to be vacated. |
Status of alternate Director
| 15.7 | An alternate Director shall carry out all functions of the Director who made the appointment. |
| 15.8 | Save where otherwise expressed, an alternate Director shall be treated as a Director under these Articles. |
| 15.9 | An alternate Director is not the agent of the Director appointing him. |
| 15.10 | An alternate Director is not entitled to any remuneration for acting as alternate Director. |
Status of the Director making the appointment
| 15.11 | A Director who has appointed an alternate is not thereby relieved from the duties which he owes the Company. |
| 16 | Powers of Directors |
Powers of Directors
| 16.1 | Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Memorandum and these Articles the business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors who may for that purpose exercise all the powers of the Company. |
| 16.2 | No prior act of the Directors shall be invalidated by any subsequent alteration of the Memorandum or these Articles. However, to the extent allowed by the Law, Members may, by Special Resolution, validate any prior or future act of the Directors which would otherwise be in breach of their duties. |
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Directors below the minimum number
| 16.3 | If the number of Directors is less than the minimum prescribed in accordance with these Articles, the remaining Director or Directors shall act only for the purposes of appointing an additional Director or Directors to make up such minimum or of convening a general meeting of the Company for the purpose of making such appointment. lf there are no Director or Directors able or willing to act, any two Members may summon a general meeting for the purpose of appointing Directors. Any additional Director so appointed shall hold office (subject to these Articles) only until the dissolution of the annual general meeting next following such appointment unless he is re-elected during such meeting. |
Appointments to office
| 16.4 | The Directors may by Board Resolution appoint a Director: |
| (a) | as chairman of the Board; |
| (b) | as managing Director; |
| (c) | to any other executive office, |
for such period, and on such terms, including as to remuneration as they think fit.
| 16.5 | The appointee must consent in writing to holding that office. |
| 16.6 | Where a chairman is appointed he shall, unless unable to do so, preside at every meeting of Directors. |
| 16.7 | If there is no chairman, or if the chairman is unable to preside at a meeting, that meeting may select its own chairman; or the Directors may nominate one of their number to act in place of the chairman should he ever not be available. |
| 16.8 | Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Directors may also appoint and remove any person, who need not be a Director: |
| (a) | as Secretary; and |
| (b) | to any office that may be required |
for such period and on such terms, including as to remuneration, as they think fit. In the case of an Officer, that Officer may be given any title the Directors decide.
| 16.9 | The Secretary or Officer must consent in writing to holding that office. |
| 16.10 | A Director, Secretary or other Officer of the Company may not the hold the office, or perform the services, of auditor. |
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Provisions for employees
| 16.11 | The Board may make provision for the benefit of any persons employed or formerly employed by the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings (or any member of his family or any person who is dependent on him) in connection with the cessation or the transfer to any person of the whole or part of the undertaking of the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings. |
Exercise of voting rights
| 16.12 | The Board may exercise the voting power conferred by the Shares in any body corporate held or owned by the Company in such manner in all respects as it thinks fit (including, without limitation, the exercise of that power in favour of any resolution appointing any Director as a Director of such body corporate, or voting or providing for the payment of remuneration to the Directors of such body corporate). |
Remuneration
| 16.13 | Every Director may be remunerated by the Company for the services he provides for the benefit of the Company, whether as Director, employee or otherwise, and shall be entitled to be paid for the expenses incurred in the Company’s business including attendance at Directors’ meetings. |
| 16.14 | Until otherwise determined by the Company by Ordinary Resolution, the Directors (other than alternate Directors) shall be entitled to such remuneration by way of fees for their services in the office of Director as the Directors may determine. |
| 16.15 | Remuneration may take any form and may include arrangements to pay pensions, health insurance, death or sickness benefits, whether to the Director or to any other person connected to or related to him. |
| 16.16 | Unless his fellow Directors determine otherwise, a Director is not accountable to the Company for remuneration or other benefits received from any other company which is in the same group as the Company or which has common shareholdings. |
Disclosure of information
| 16.17 | The Directors may release or disclose to a third party any information regarding the affairs of the Company, including any information contained in the register of Members relating to a Member, (and they may authorise any Director, Officer or other authorised agent of the Company to release or disclose to a third party any such information in his possession) if: |
| (a) | the Company or that person, as the case may be, is lawfully required to do so under the laws of any jurisdiction to which the Company is subject; or |
| (b) | such disclosure is in compliance with the Designated Stock Exchange Rules; or |
| (c) | such disclosure is in accordance with any contract entered into by the Company; or |
| (d) | the Directors are of the opinion such disclosure would assist or facilitate the Company’s operations. |
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| 17 | Delegation of powers |
Power to delegate any of the Directors’ powers to a committee
| 17.1 | The Directors may delegate any of their powers to any committee consisting of one or more persons who need not be Members. Persons on the committee may include non-Directors so long as the majority of those persons are Directors. Any such committee shall be made up of such number of Independent Directors as required from time to time by the Designated Stock Exchange Rules or otherwise required by applicable law. |
| 17.2 | The delegation may be collateral with, or to the exclusion of, the Directors’ own powers. |
| 17.3 | The delegation may be on such terms as the Directors think fit, including provision for the committee itself to delegate to a sub-committee; save that any delegation must be capable of being revoked or altered by the Directors at will. |
| 17.4 | Unless otherwise permitted by the Directors, a committee must follow the procedures prescribed for the taking of decisions by Directors. |
| 17.5 | The Board shall by Board Resolution establish an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Each of these committees shall be empowered to do all things necessary to exercise the rights of such committee set forth in these Articles. Each of the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee shall consist of at least three Directors (or such larger minimum number as may be required from time to time by the Designated Stock Exchange Rules). The majority of the committee members on each of the compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee shall be Independent Directors. The audit committee shall be made up of such number of Independent Directors as required from time to time by the Designated Stock Exchange Rules or otherwise required by applicable law. |
Local boards
| 17.6 | The Board may by Board Resolution establish any local or divisional board or agency for managing any of the affairs of the Company whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere and may appoint any persons to be members of a local or divisional Board, or to be managers or agents, and may fix their remuneration. |
| 17.7 | The Board may by Board Resolution delegate to any local or divisional board, manager or agent any of its powers and authorities (with power to sub-delegate) and may authorise the members of any local or divisional board or any of them to fill any vacancies and to act notwithstanding vacancies. |
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| 17.8 | Any appointment or delegation under this Article 17.8 may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board thinks fit and the Board may by Board Resolution remove any person so appointed, and may revoke or vary any delegation. |
Power to appoint an agent of the Company
| 17.9 | The Directors may appoint any person, either generally or in respect of any specific matter, to be the agent of the Company with or without authority for that person to delegate all or any of that person’s powers. The Directors may make that appointment: |
| (a) | by causing the Company to enter into a power of attorney or agreement; or |
| (b) | in any other manner they determine. |
Power to appoint an attorney or authorised signatory of the Company
| 17.10 | The Directors may appoint any person, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or the authorised signatory of the Company. The appointment may be: |
| (a) | for any purpose; |
| (b) | with the powers, authorities and discretions; |
| (c) | for the period; and |
| (d) | subject to such conditions |
as they think fit. The powers, authorities and discretions, however, must not exceed those vested in, or exercisable, by the Directors under these Articles. The Directors may do so by power of attorney or any other manner they think fit.
| 17.11 | Any power of attorney or other appointment may contain such provision for the protection and convenience for persons dealing with the attorney or authorised signatory as the Directors think fit. Any power of attorney or other appointment may also authorise the attorney or authorised signatory to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in that person. |
| 17.12 | The Board may by Board Resolution remove any person appointed under Article 17.10 and may revoke or vary the delegation. |
Borrowing Powers
| 17.13 | The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and assets both present and future and uncalled capital, or any part thereof, and to issue debentures and other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or its parent undertaking (if any) or any subsidiary undertaking of the Company or of any third party. |
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Corporate Governance
| 17.14 | The Board may by Board Resolution, from time to time, and except as required by applicable law or the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, adopt, institute, amend, modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives of the Company, which shall be intended to set forth the guiding principles and policies of the Company and the Board on various corporate governance related matters as the Board shall determine by Board Resolution from time to time. |
| 18 | Meetings of Directors |
Regulation of Directors’ meetings
| 18.1 | Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Directors may regulate their proceedings as they think fit. |
Calling meetings
| 18.2 | Any Director may call a meeting of Directors at any time. The Secretary must call a meeting of the Directors if requested to do so by a Director. |
Notice of meetings
| 18.3 | Notice of a Board meeting may be given to a Director personally or by word of mouth or given in writing or by Electronic communications at such address as he may from time to time specify for this purpose (or, if he does not specify an address, at his last known address). A Director may waive his right to receive notice of any meeting either prospectively or retrospectively. |
Use of technology
| 18.4 | A Director may participate in a meeting of Directors through the medium of conference telephone, video or any other form of communications equipment providing all persons participating in the meeting are able to hear and speak to each other throughout the meeting. |
| 18.5 | A Director participating in this way is deemed to be present in person at the meeting. |
Quorum
| 18.6 | The quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of Directors shall be one unless the Directors fix some other number. |
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Chairman or deputy to preside
| 18.7 | The Board may by Board Resolution appoint a chairman and one or more deputy chairman or chairmen and may at any time revoke any such appointment. |
| 18.8 | The chairman, or failing him any deputy chairman (the longest in office taking precedence if more than one is present), shall preside at all Board meetings. If no chairman or deputy chairman has been appointed, or if he is not present within five minutes after the time fixed for holding the meeting, or is unwilling to act as chairman of the meeting, the Directors present shall choose one of their number to act as chairman of the meeting. |
Voting
| 18.9 | A question which arises at a Board meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. If votes are equal the Founder may, if he wishes, exercise a casting vote. |
Recording of dissent
| 18.10 | A Director present at a meeting of Directors shall be presumed to have assented to any action taken at that meeting unless: |
| (a) | his dissent is entered in the minutes of the meeting; or |
| (b) | he has filed with the meeting before it is concluded signed dissent from that action; or |
| (c) | he has forwarded to the Company as soon as practical following the conclusion of that meeting signed dissent. |
A Director who votes in favour of an action is not entitled to record his dissent to it.
Written resolutions
| 18.11 | The Directors may pass a resolution in writing without holding a meeting if all Directors sign a document or sign several documents in the like form each signed by one or more of those Directors. |
| 18.12 | A written resolution signed by a validly appointed alternate Director need not also be signed by the appointing Director. |
| 18.13 | A written resolution signed personally by the appointing Director need not also be signed by his alternate. |
| 18.14 | A resolution in writing passed pursuant to Article 18.11, Article 18.12 and/or Article 18.13 shall be as effective as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Directors duly convened and held; and it shall be treated as having been passed on the day and at the time that the last Director signs (and for the avoidance of doubt, such day may or may not be a Business Day). |
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Validity of acts of Directors in spite of formal defect
| 18.15 | All acts done by a meeting of the Board, or of a committee of the Board, or by any person acting as a Director or an alternate Director, shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any Director or alternate Director or member of the committee, or that any of them were disqualified or had vacated office or were not entitled to vote, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and qualified and had continued to be a Director or alternate Director and had been entitled to vote. |
| 19 | Permissible Directors’ interests and disclosure |
| 19.1 | A Director shall not, as a Director, vote in respect of any contract, transaction, arrangement or proposal in which he has an interest which (together with any interest of any person connected with him) is a material interest (otherwise then by virtue of his interests, direct or indirect, in Shares or debentures or other securities of, or otherwise in or through, the Company) and if he shall do so his vote shall not be counted, nor in relation thereto shall he be counted in the quorum present at the meeting, but (in the absence of some other material interest than is mentioned below) none of these prohibitions shall apply to: |
| (a) | the giving of any security, guarantee or indemnity in respect of: |
| (i) | money lent or obligations incurred by him or by any other person for the benefit of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or |
| (ii) | a debt or obligation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries for which the Director himself has assumed responsibility in whole or in part and whether alone or jointly with others under a guarantee or indemnity or by the giving of security; |
| (b) | where the Company or any of its subsidiaries is offering securities in which offer the Director is or may be entitled to participate as a holder of securities or in the underwriting or sub-underwriting of which the Director is to or may participate; |
| (c) | any contract, transaction, arrangement or proposal affecting any other body corporate in which he is interested, directly or indirectly and whether as an officer, shareholder, creditor or otherwise howsoever, provided that he (together with persons connected with him) does not to his knowledge hold an interest representing one per cent or more of any class of the equity share capital of such body corporate (or of any third body corporate through which his interest is derived) or of the voting rights available to members of the relevant body corporate (any such interest being deemed for the purposes of this Article 19.1 to be a material interest in all circumstances); |
| (d) | any act or thing done or to be done in respect of any arrangement for the benefit of the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under which he is not accorded as a Director any privilege or advantage not generally accorded to the employees to whom such arrangement relates; or |
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| (e) | any matter connected with the purchase or maintenance for any Director of insurance against any liability or (to the extent permitted by the Law) indemnities in favour of Directors, the funding of expenditure by one or more Directors in defending proceedings against him or them or the doing of any thing to enable such Director or Directors to avoid incurring such expenditure. |
| 19.2 | A Director may, as a Director, vote (and be counted in the quorum) in respect of any contract, transaction, arrangement or proposal in which he has an interest which is not a material interest or which falls within Article 19.1. |
| 20 | Minutes |
| 20.1 | The Company shall cause minutes to be made in books of: |
| (a) | all appointments of Officers and committees made by the Board and of any such Officer’s remuneration; and |
| (b) | the names of Directors present at every meeting of the Directors, a committee of the Board, the Company or the holders of any class of shares or debentures, and all orders, resolutions and proceedings of such meetings. |
| 20.2 | Any such minutes, if purporting to be signed by the chairman of the meeting at which the proceedings were held or by the chairman of the next succeeding meeting or the Secretary, shall be prima facie evidence of the matters stated in them. |
| 21 | Accounts and audit |
| 21.1 | The Directors must ensure that proper accounting and other records are kept, and that accounts and associated reports are distributed in accordance with the requirements of the Law. |
| 21.2 | The books of account shall be kept at the registered office of the Company and shall always be open to inspection by the Directors. No Member (other than a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by the Law or as authorised by the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution. |
Financial year
| 21.3 | Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on 31 December in each year and begin on 1 January in each year. |
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Auditors
| 21.4 | The Directors may appoint an Auditor of the Company who shall hold office on such terms as the Directors determine. |
| 21.5 | At any general meeting convened and held at any time in accordance with these Articles, the Members may, by Ordinary Resolution, remove the Auditor before the expiration of his term of office. If they do so, the Members shall, by Ordinary Resolution, at that meeting appoint another Auditor in his stead for the remainder of his term. |
| 21.6 | The Auditors shall examine such books, accounts and vouchers; as may be necessary for the performance of their duties. |
| 21.7 | The Auditors shall, if so requested by the Directors, make a report on the accounts of the Company during their tenure of office at the next annual general meeting following their appointment, and at any time during their term of office, upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Company. |
| 22 | Record dates |
| 22.1 | Except to the extent of any conflicting rights attached to Shares, the resolution declaring a dividend on Shares of any class, whether it be an Ordinary Resolution of the Members or a Board Resolution, may specify that the dividend is payable or distributable to the persons registered as the holders of those Shares at the close of business on a particular date, notwithstanding that the date may be a date prior to that on which the resolution is passed. |
| 22.2 | If the resolution does so specify, the dividend shall be payable or distributable to the persons registered as the holders of those Shares at the close of business on the specified date in accordance with their respective holdings so registered, but without prejudice to the rights inter se in respect of the dividend of transferors and transferees of any of those Shares. |
| 22.3 | The provisions of this Article apply, mutatis mutandis, to bonuses, capitalisation issues, distributions of realised capital profits or offers or grants made by the Company to the Members. |
| 23 | Dividends |
Source of dividends
| 23.1 | Dividends may be declared and paid out of any funds of the Company lawfully available for distribution. |
| 23.2 | Subject to the requirements of the Law regarding the application of a company’s Share premium account and with the sanction of an Ordinary Resolution, dividends may also be declared and paid out of any share premium account. |
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Declaration of dividends by Members
| 23.3 | Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution declare dividends, and the holders of the Class A Ordinary Shares and holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares shall have equal rights to dividends at the same rate, but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the Directors. |
Payment of interim dividends and declaration of final dividends by Directors
| 23.4 | The Directors may by Board Resolution declare and pay interim dividends or recommend final dividends in accordance with the respective rights of the Members (including the holders of the Class A Ordinary Shares and holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares who shall have equal rights to dividends at the same rate) if it appears to them that they are justified by the financial position of the Company and that such dividends may lawfully be paid. |
| 23.5 | Subject to the provisions of the Law, in relation to the distinction between interim dividends and final dividends, the following applies: |
| (a) | Upon determination to pay a dividend or dividends described as interim by the Directors in the dividend Board Resolution, no debt shall be created by the declaration until such time as payment is made. |
| (b) | Upon declaration of a dividend or dividends described as final by the Directors in the dividend Board Resolution, a debt shall be created immediately following the declaration, the due date to be the date the dividend is stated to be payable in the Board Resolution. |
If the Board Resolution fails to specify whether a dividend is final or interim, it shall be assumed to be interim.
| 23.6 | In relation to Shares carrying differing rights to dividends or rights to dividends at a fixed rate, the following applies: |
| (a) | If the share capital is divided into different classes, the Directors may pay dividends on Shares which confer deferred or non-preferred rights with regard to dividends as well as on Shares which confer preferential rights with regard to dividends but no dividend shall be paid on Shares carrying deferred or non-preferred rights if, at the time of payment, any preferential dividend is in arrears. |
| (b) | The Directors may also pay, at intervals settled by them, any dividend payable at a fixed rate if it appears to them that there are sufficient funds of the Company lawfully available for distribution to justify the payment. |
| (c) | If the Directors act in good faith, they shall not incur any liability to the Members holding Shares conferring preferred rights for any loss those Members may suffer by the lawful payment of the dividend on any Shares having deferred or non-preferred rights. |
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Apportionment of dividends
| 23.7 | Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to Shares all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts Paid Up on the Shares on which the dividend is paid. All dividends shall be apportioned and paid proportionately to the amount Paid Up on the Shares during the time or part of the time in respect of which the dividend is paid. But if a Share is issued on terms providing that it shall rank for dividend as from a particular date, that Share shall rank for dividend accordingly. |
Right of set off
| 23.8 | The Directors may deduct from a dividend or any other amount payable to a person in respect of a Share any amount due by that person to the Company on a call or otherwise in relation to a Share. |
Power to pay other than in cash
| 23.9 | If the Directors so determine, any Board Resolution declaring a dividend may direct that it shall be satisfied wholly or partly by the distribution of assets. If a difficulty arises in relation to the distribution, the Directors may settle that difficulty in any way they consider appropriate. For example, they may do any one or more of the following: |
| (a) | issue fractional Shares; |
| (b) | fix the value of assets for distribution and make cash payments to some Members on the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of Members; and |
| (c) | vest some assets in trustees. |
How payments may be made
| 23.10 | A dividend or other monies payable on or in respect of a Share may be paid in any of the following ways: |
| (a) | if the Member holding that Share or other person entitled to that Share nominates a bank account for that purpose by wire transfer to that bank account; or |
| (b) | by cheque or warrant sent by post to the registered address of the Member holding that Share or other person entitled to that Share. |
| 23.11 | For the purposes of Article 23.10(a), the nomination may be in writing or in an Electronic Record and the bank account nominated may be the bank account of another person. For the purposes of Article 23.10(b), subject to any applicable law or regulation, the cheque or warrant shall be made to the order of the Member holding that Share or other person entitled to the Share or to his nominee, whether nominated in writing or in an Electronic Record, and payment of the cheque or warrant shall be a good discharge to the Company. |
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| 23.12 | If two or more persons are registered as the holders of the Share or are jointly entitled to it by reason of the death or bankruptcy of the registered holder (Joint Holders), a dividend (or other amount) payable on or in respect of that Share may be paid as follows: |
| (a) | to the registered address of the Joint Holder of the Share who is named first on the register of Members or to the registered address of the deceased or bankrupt holder, as the case may be; or |
| (b) | to the address or bank account of another person nominated by the Joint Holders, whether that nomination is in writing or in an Electronic Record. |
| 23.13 | Any Joint Holder of a Share may give a valid receipt for a dividend (or other amount) payable in respect of that Share. |
Dividends or other monies not to bear interest in absence of special rights
| 23.14 | Unless provided for by the rights attached to a Share, no dividend or other monies payable by the Company in respect of a Share shall bear interest. |
Dividends unable to be paid or unclaimed
| 23.15 | If a dividend cannot be paid to a Member or remains unclaimed within six weeks after it was declared or both, the Directors may pay it into a separate account in the Company’s name. If a dividend is paid into a separate account, the Company shall not be constituted trustee in respect of that account and the dividend shall remain a debt due to the Member. |
| 23.16 | A dividend that remains unclaimed for a period of six years after it became due for payment shall be forfeited to, and shall cease to remain owing by, the Company. |
| 24 | Capitalisation of profits |
Capitalisation of profits or of any share premium account or capital redemption reserve;
| 24.1 | The Directors may resolve to capitalise: |
| (a) | any part of the Company’s profits not required for paying any preferential dividend (whether or not those profits are available for distribution); or |
| (b) | any sum standing to the credit of the Company’s share premium account or capital redemption reserve, if any. |
| 24.2 | The amount resolved to be capitalised must be appropriated to the Members who would have been entitled to it had it been distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions. The benefit to each Member so entitled must be given in either or both of the following ways: |
| (a) | by paying up the amounts unpaid on that Member’s Shares; |
| 46 |
| (b) | by issuing Fully Paid Up Shares, debentures or other securities of the Company to that Member or as that Member directs. The Directors may resolve that any Shares issued to the Member in respect of Partly Paid Up Shares (Original Shares) rank for dividend only to the extent that the Original Shares rank for dividend while those Original Shares remain Partly Paid Up. |
Applying an amount for the benefit of Members
| 24.3 | The amount capitalised must be applied to the benefit of Members in the proportions to which the Members would have been entitled to dividends if the amount capitalised had been distributed as a dividend. |
| 24.4 | Subject to the Law, if a fraction of a Share, a debenture or other security is allocated to a Member, the Directors may issue a fractional certificate to that Member or pay him the cash equivalent of the fraction. |
| 25 | Share Premium Account |
Directors to maintain share premium account
| 25.1 | The Directors shall establish a share premium account in accordance with the Law. They shall carry to the credit of that account from time to time an amount equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any Share or capital contributed or such other amounts required by the Law. |
Debits to share premium account
| 25.2 | The following amounts shall be debited to any share premium account: |
| (a) | on the redemption or purchase of a Share, the difference between the nominal value of that Share and the redemption or purchase price; and |
| (b) | any other amount paid out of a share premium account as permitted by the Law. |
| 25.3 | Notwithstanding the preceding Article, on the redemption or purchase of a Share, the Directors may pay the difference between the nominal value of that Share and the redemption purchase price out of the profits of the Company or, as permitted by the Law, out of capital. |
| 26 | Seal |
Company seal
| 26.1 | The Company may have a seal if the Directors so determine by Board Resolution. |
| 47 |
Duplicate seal
| 26.2 | Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Company may also have a duplicate seal or seals for use in any place or places outside the Cayman Islands. Each duplicate seal shall be a facsimile of the original seal of the Company. However, if the Directors so determine by Board Resolution, a duplicate seal shall have added on its face the name of the place where it is to be used. |
When and how seal is to be used
| 26.3 | A seal may only be used by the authority of the Directors. Unless the Directors otherwise determine by Board Resolution, a document to which a seal is affixed must be signed in one of the following ways: |
| (a) | by a Director (or his alternate) and the Secretary; or |
| (b) | by a single Director (or his alternate). |
If no seal is adopted or used
| 26.4 | If the Directors do not adopt a seal, or a seal is not used, a document may be executed in the following manner: |
| (a) | by a Director (or his alternate) and the Secretary; or |
| (b) | by a single Director (or his alternate); or |
| (c) | in any other manner permitted by the Law. |
Power to allow non-manual signatures and facsimile printing of seal
| 26.5 | The Directors may determine by Board Resolution that either or both of the following applies: |
| (a) | that the seal or a duplicate seal need not be affixed manually but may be affixed by some other method or system of reproduction; |
| (b) | that a signature required by these Articles need not be manual but may be a mechanical or Electronic Signature. |
Validity of execution
| 26.6 | If a document is duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company, it shall not be regarded as invalid merely because, at the date of the delivery, the Secretary, or the Director, or other Officer or person who signed the document or affixed the seal for and on behalf of the Company ceased to be the Secretary or hold that office and authority on behalf of the Company. |
| 48 |
| 27 | Indemnity |
| 27.1 | To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify each existing or former Director (including alternate Director), Secretary and other Officer of the Company (including an investment adviser or an administrator or liquidator) and their personal representatives against: |
| (a) | all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by the existing or former Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or Officer in or about the conduct of the Company’s business or affairs or in the execution or discharge of the existing or former Director’s (including alternate Director’s), Secretary’s or Officer’s duties, powers, authorities or discretions; and |
| (b) | without limitation to paragraph (a), all costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by the existing or former Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or Officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative proceedings (whether threatened, pending or completed) concerning the Company or its affairs in any court or tribunal, whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. |
No such existing or former Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or Officer, however, shall be indemnified in respect of any matter arising out of his own dishonesty.
| 27.2 | To the extent permitted by Law, the Company may make a payment, or agree to make a payment, whether by way of advance, loan or otherwise, for any legal costs incurred by an existing or former Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or Officer of the Company in respect of any matter identified in Article 27.1 on condition that the Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or Officer must repay the amount paid by the Company to the extent that it is ultimately found not liable to indemnify the Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or that Officer for those legal costs. |
Release
| 27.3 | To the extent permitted by Law, the Company may by Special Resolution release any existing or former Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or other Officer of the Company from liability for any loss or damage or right to compensation which may arise out of or in connection with the execution or discharge of the duties, powers, authorities or discretions of his office; but there may be no release from liability arising out of or in connection with that person’s own dishonesty. |
| 49 |
Insurance
| 27.4 | To the extent permitted by Law, the Company may pay, or agree to pay, a premium in respect of a contract insuring each of the following persons against risks determined by the Directors, other than liability arising out of that person’s own dishonesty: |
| (a) | an existing or former Director (including alternate Director), Secretary or Officer or auditor of: |
| (i) | the Company; |
| (ii) | a company which is or was a subsidiary of the Company; |
| (iii) | a company in which the Company has or had an interest (whether direct or indirect); and |
| (b) | a trustee of an employee or retirement benefits scheme or other trust in which any of the persons referred to in paragraph (a) is or was interested. |
| 28 | Notices |
Form of notices
| 28.1 | Save where these Articles provide otherwise, and subject to the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, any notice to be given to or by any person pursuant to these Articles shall be: |
| (a) | in writing signed by or on behalf of the giver in the manner set out below for written notices; or |
| (b) | subject to the next Article, in an Electronic Record signed by or on behalf of the giver by Electronic Signature and authenticated in accordance with Articles about authentication of Electronic Records; or |
| (c) | where these Articles expressly permit, by the Company by means of a website. |
Electronic communications
| 28.2 | A notice may only be given to the Company in an Electronic Record if: |
| (a) | the Directors so resolve; |
| (b) | the resolution states how an Electronic Record may be given and, if applicable, specifies an email address for the Company; and |
| (c) | the terms of that resolution are notified to the Members for the time being and, if applicable, to those Directors who were absent from the meeting at which the resolution was passed. |
| 50 |
If the resolution is revoked or varied, the revocation or variation shall only become effective when its terms have been similarly notified.
| 28.3 | A notice may not be given by Electronic Record to a person other than the Company unless the recipient has notified the giver of an Electronic address to which notice may be sent. |
| 28.4 | Subject to the Law, the Designated Stock Exchange Rules and to any other rules which the Company is bound to follow, the Company may also send any notice or other document pursuant to these Articles to a Member by publishing that notice or other document on a website where: |
| (a) | the Company and the Member have agreed to his having access to the notice or document on a website (instead of it being sent to him); |
| (b) | the notice or document is one to which that agreement applies; |
| (c) | the Member is notified (in accordance with any requirements laid down by the Law and, in a manner for the time being agreed between him and the Company for the purpose) of: |
| (i) | the publication of the notice or document on a website; |
| (ii) | the address of that website; and |
| (iii) | the place on that website where the notice or document may be accessed, and how it may be accessed; and |
| (d) | the notice or document is published on that website throughout the publication period, provided that, if the notice or document is published on that website for a part, but not all of, the publication period, the notice or document shall be treated as being published throughout that period if the failure to publish that notice of document throughout that period is wholly attributable to circumstances which it would not be reasonable to have expected the Company to prevent or avoid. For the purposes of this Article 28.4 “publication period” means a period of not less than seven days, beginning on the day on which the notification referred to in Article 28.4(c) is deemed sent. |
Persons entitled to notices
| 28.5 | Any notice or other document to be given to a Member may be given by reference to the register of Members as it stands at any time within the period of seven days before the day that the notice is given or (where and as applicable) within any other period permitted by, or in accordance with the requirements of, (to the extent applicable) the Designated Stock Exchange Rules and/or the Designated Stock Exchanges. No change in the register of Members after that time shall invalidate the giving of such notice or document or require the Company to give such item to any other person. |
| 51 |
Persons authorised to give notices
| 28.6 | A notice by either the Company or a Member pursuant to these Articles may be given on behalf of the Company or a Member by a Director or company secretary of the Company or a Member. |
Delivery of written notices
| 28.7 | Save where these Articles provide otherwise, a notice in writing may be given personally to the recipient, or left at (as appropriate) the Member’s or Director’s registered address or the Company’s registered office, or posted to that registered address or registered office. |
Joint holders
| 28.8 | Where Members are joint holders of a Share, all notices shall be given to the Member whose name first appears in the register of Members. |
Signatures
| 28.9 | A written notice shall be signed when it is autographed by or on behalf of the giver, or is marked in such a way as to indicate its execution or adoption by the giver. |
| 28.10 | An Electronic Record may be signed by an Electronic Signature. |
Evidence of transmission
| 28.11 | A notice given by Electronic Record shall be deemed sent if an Electronic Record is kept demonstrating the time, date and content of the transmission, and if no notification of failure to transmit is received by the giver. |
| 28.12 | A notice given in writing shall be deemed sent if the giver can provide proof that the envelope containing the notice was properly addressed, pre-paid and posted, or that the written notice was otherwise properly transmitted to the recipient. |
| 28.13 | A Member present, either in person or by proxy, at any meeting of the Company or of the holders of any class of Shares shall be deemed to have received due notice of the meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for which it was called. |
Giving notice to a deceased or bankrupt Member
| 28.14 | A notice may be given by the Company to the persons entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member by sending or delivering it, in any manner authorised by these Articles for the giving of notice to a Member, addressed to them by name, or by the title of representatives of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt or by any like description, at the address, if any, supplied for that purpose by the persons claiming to be so entitled. |
| 28.15 | Until such an address has been supplied, a notice may be given in any manner in which it might have been given if the death or bankruptcy had not occurred. |
| 52 |
Date of giving notices
| 28.16 | A notice is given on the date identified in the following table: |
| Method for giving notices | When taken to be given | |
| (A) Personally | At the time and date of delivery | |
| (B) By leaving it at the Member’s registered address | At the time and date it was left | |
| (C) By posting it by prepaid post to the street or postal address of that recipient | 48 hours after the date it was posted | |
| (D) By Electronic Record (other than publication on a website), to recipient’s Electronic address | 48 hours after the date it was sent | |
| (E) By publication on a website | 24 hours after the date on which the Member is deemed to have been notified of the publication of the notice or document on the website |
Saving provision
| 28.17 | None of the preceding notice provisions shall derogate from the Articles about the delivery of written resolutions of Directors and written resolutions of Members. |
| 29 | Authentication of Electronic Records |
Application of Articles
| 29.1 | Without limitation to any other provision of these Articles, any notice, written resolution or other document under these Articles that is sent by Electronic means by a Member, or by the Secretary, or by a Director or other Officer of the Company, shall be deemed to be authentic if either Article 29.2 or Article 29.4 applies. |
Authentication of documents sent by Members by Electronic means
| 29.2 | An Electronic Record of a notice, written resolution or other document sent by Electronic means by or on behalf of one or more Members shall be deemed to be authentic if the following conditions are satisfied: |
| (a) | the Member or each Member, as the case may be, signed the original document, and for this purpose Original Document includes several documents in like form signed by one or more of those Members; and |
| (b) | the Electronic Record of the Original Document was sent by Electronic means by, or at the direction of, that Member to an address specified in accordance with these Articles for the purpose for which it was sent; and |
| 53 |
| (c) | Article 29.7 does not apply. |
| 29.3 | For example, where a sole Member signs a resolution and sends the Electronic Record of the original resolution, or causes it to be sent, by facsimile transmission to the address in these Articles specified for that purpose, the facsimile copy shall be deemed to be the written resolution of that Member unless Article 28.7 applies. |
Authentication of document sent by the Secretary or Officers of the Company by Electronic means
| 29.4 | An Electronic Record of a notice, written resolution or other document sent by or on behalf of the Secretary or an Officer or Officers of the Company shall be deemed to be authentic if the following conditions are satisfied: |
| (a) | the Secretary or the Officer or each Officer, as the case may be, signed the original document, and for this purpose Original Document includes several documents in like form signed by the Secretary or one or more of those Officers; and |
| (b) | the Electronic Record of the Original Document was sent by Electronic means by, or at the direction of, the Secretary or that Officer to an address specified in accordance with these Articles for the purpose for which it was sent; and |
| (c) | Article 29.7 does not apply. |
This Article 29.4 applies whether the document is sent by or on behalf of the Secretary or Officer in his own right or as a representative of the Company.
| 29.5 | For example, where a sole Director signs a resolution and scans the resolution, or causes it to be scanned, as a PDF version which is attached to an email sent to the address in these Articles specified for that purpose, the PDF version shall be deemed to be the written resolution of that Director unless Article 29.7 applies. |
Manner of signing
| 29.6 | For the purposes of these Articles about the authentication of Electronic Records, a document will be taken to be signed if it is signed manually or in any other manner permitted by these Articles. |
Saving provision
| 29.7 | A notice, written resolution or other document under these Articles will not be deemed to be authentic if the recipient, acting reasonably: |
| (a) | believes that the signature of the signatory has been altered after the signatory had signed the original document; or |
| 54 |
| (b) | believes that the original document, or the Electronic Record of it, was altered, without the approval of the signatory, after the signatory signed the original document; or |
| (c) | otherwise doubts the authenticity of the Electronic Record of the document |
and the recipient promptly gives notice to the sender setting the grounds of its objection. If the recipient invokes this Article, the sender may seek to establish the authenticity of the Electronic Record in any way the sender thinks fit.
| 30 | Transfer by way of continuation |
| 30.1 | The Company may, by Special Resolution, resolve to be registered by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside: |
| (a) | the Cayman Islands; or |
| (b) | such other jurisdiction in which it is, for the time being, incorporated, registered or existing. |
| 30.2 | To give effect to any resolution made pursuant to the preceding Article, the Directors may cause the following: |
| (a) | an application be made to the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands to deregister the Company in the Cayman Islands or in the other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing; and |
| (b) | all such further steps as they consider appropriate to be taken to effect the transfer by way of continuation of the Company. |
| 31 | Winding up |
Distribution of assets in specie
| 31.1 | If the Company is wound up the Members may, subject to these Articles and any other sanction required by the Law, pass a Special Resolution allowing the liquidator to do either or both of the following: |
| (a) | to divide in specie among the Members (including the holders of the Class A Ordinary Shares and holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares which rank pari passu in all aspects) the whole or any part of the assets of the Company and, for that purpose, to value any assets and to determine how the division shall be carried out as among the Members; and/or |
| (b) | to vest the whole or any part of the assets in trustees for the benefit of the Members (including the holders of the Class A Ordinary Shares and holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares which rank pari passu in all aspects) and those liable to contribute to the winding up. |
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| 31.2 | Subject to these Articles and any other sanction required by the Law, the holders of the Class A Ordinary Shares and holders of the Class B Ordinary Shares shall have equal rights to distribution of assets in specie if the Company is wound up. |
No obligation to accept liability
| 31.3 | No Member shall be compelled to accept any assets if an obligation attaches to them. |
| 31.4 | The Directors are authorised to present a winding up petition |
| 31.5 | The Directors have the authority to present a petition for the winding up of the Company to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands on behalf of the Company without the sanction of a resolution passed at a general meeting. |
| 32 | Amendment of Memorandum and Articles |
Power to change name or amend Memorandum
| 32.1 | Subject to the Law, the Company may, by Special Resolution: |
| (a) | change its name; or |
| (b) | change the provisions of its Memorandum with respect to its objects, powers or any other matter specified in the Memorandum. |
Power to amend these Articles
| 32.2 | Subject to the Law and as provided in these Articles, the Company may, by Special Resolution, amend these Articles in whole or in part. |
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Exhibit 5.1

| Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited | D +852 3656 6054 | |
| E nathan.powell@ogier.com | ||
| Reference: NMP/JTC/507830.00001 |
25 October 2024
Dear Sirs
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the Company)
We have acted as Cayman Islands counsel to the Company in connection with the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1, including all amendments or supplements thereto (the Registration Statement), as filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act). The Registration Statement relates to the offering (the Offering) of an aggregate of 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares (as defined in below) (the Public Offering Shares), plus an over-allotment option for a period of 45 days from the date of the Registration Statement for the underwriters of the Company to purchase additional Class A Ordinary Shares in the amount up to fifteen percent (15%) of the Public Offering Shares sold in the Offering (together with the Public Offering Shares, the IPO Shares).
The Company will also be issuing warrants to the representative of the Underwriters (the Representative) with respect to the IPO Shares (the Representative’s Warrants) to purchase such number of Class A Ordinary Shares equal to an aggregate of 5% of the IPO Shares sold in the Offering (the Warrant Shares) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement (as defined in below).
We are furnishing this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 and Exhibit 23.2 to the Registration Statement.
Unless a contrary intention appears, all capitalised terms used in this opinion have the respective meanings set forth in the Documents.
| 1 | Documents examined |
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined originals, copies, or drafts of the following documents: (the Documents):
| (a) | the certificate of incorporation of the Company dated 8 March 2024 issued by the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands (the Registrar); |
| (b) | the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company as adopted by special resolution passed on 29 April 2024 (respectively, the Memorandum and the Articles); |
Ogier Providing advice on British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Guernsey laws
Floor 11 Central Tower 28 Queen’s Road Central Central Hong Kong
T +852 3656 6000 F +852 3656 6001 ogier.com |
Partners Nicholas Plowman Nathan Powell Anthony Oakes Oliver Payne Kate Hodson David Nelson Justin Davis Joanne Collett Dennis Li |
Florence Chan* Lin Han† Cecilia Li** Rachel Huang** Yuki Yan** Richard Bennett**‡ James Bergstrom‡ Marcus Leese‡
|
* admitted in New Zealand † admitted in New York ** admitted in England and Wales ‡ not ordinarily resident in Hong Kong |
| Page 2 of 5 |
| (c) | a certificate of good standing dated 24 October 2024 (the Good Standing Certificate) issued by the Registrar in respect of the Company; |
| (d) | a certificate of incumbency dated 24 October 2024 (the Certificate of Incumbency) issued by the registered office provider of the Company in respect of the Company; |
| (e) | the register of directors and officers of the Company as provided to us on 22 October 2024 (the ROD); |
| (f) | the register of members of the Company as provided to us on 22 October 2024 (the ROM, and together with the ROD, the Registers); |
| (g) | a certificate from a director of the Company dated 25 October 2024 as to certain matters of facts (the Director’s Certificate); |
| (h) | a copy of the written resolutions of all of the directors of the Company dated 24 October 2024 approving the Company’s filing of the Registration Statement and issuance and sale of the IPO Shares and the Warrant Shares (the Board Resolutions); |
| (i) | a draft copy of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the party named therein (the Underwriting Agreement); and |
| (j) | the Registration Statement. |
| 2 | Assumptions |
In giving this opinion we have relied upon the assumptions set forth in this paragraph 2 without having carried out any independent investigation or verification in respect of those assumptions:
| (a) | all original documents examined by us are authentic and complete; |
| (b) | all copy documents examined by us (whether in facsimile, electronic or other form) conform to the originals and those originals are authentic and complete; |
| (c) | all signatures, seals, dates, stamps and markings (whether on original or copy documents) are genuine; |
| (d) | each of the Good Standing Certificate, the Certificate of Incumbency, the Registers and the Director’s Certificate is accurate and complete as at the date of this opinion; |
| (e) | the Memorandum and Articles provided to us are in full force and effect and have not been amended, varied, supplemented or revoked in any respect; |
| (f) | all copies of the Registration Statement are true and correct copies and the Registration Statement conform in every material respect to the latest drafts of the same produced to us and, where the Registration Statement has been provided to us in successive drafts marked-up to indicate changes to such documents, all such changes have been so indicated; |
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| (g) | the Board Resolutions remain in full force and effect and have not been, and will not be, rescinded or amended, and each of the directors of the Company has acted in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company and has exercised the standard of care, diligence and skill that is required of him or her in approving the Offering and the transactions set out in the Board Resolutions and no director has a financial interest in or other relationship to a party of the transactions contemplated by the Offering and the Board Resolutions which has not been properly disclosed in the Board Resolutions; |
| (h) | the Company will duly execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement in the draft form provided to us for review in accordance with Board Resolutions; |
| (i) | no invitation has been or will be made by or on behalf of the Company to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for any Ordinary Shares (as defined in below) and none of the Ordinary Shares have been offered or issued to residents of the Cayman Islands; |
| (j) | the Company is, and after the allotment and issuance of the IPO Shares and Warrant Shares, will be able to pay its liabilities as they fall due; and |
| (k) | there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein. |
| 3 | Opinions |
On the basis of the examinations and assumptions referred to above and subject to the limitations and qualifications set forth in paragraph 4 below, we are of the opinion that:
Corporate status
| (a) | The Company has been duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability and is validly existing and in good standing with the Registrar. |
Authorised share capital
| (b) | The authorised share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into 450,000,000 class A ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each (the Class A Ordinary Shares) and 50,000,000 class B ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each (collectively, the Ordinary Shares). |
Corporate authorisation
| (c) | The Company has taken all requisite corporate action to authorise the issuance of the IPO Shares and the Warrant Shares under the Registration Statement. |
| Page 4 of 5 |
Valid Issuance of IPO Shares and Warrant Shares
| (d) | The IPO Shares to be offered and issued by the Company as contemplated by the Registration Statement have been duly authorised for issue and when: |
| (i) | issued by the Company against payment in full of the consideration therefor in accordance with the terms set out in the Registration Statement, the terms in the Underwriting Agreement and the Memorandum and Articles; and |
| (ii) | such issuance of IPO Shares have been duly registered in the Company’s register of members as fully paid shares, |
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
| (e) | The Warrant Shares which are to be issued pursuant to the Representative’s Warrants when the Representative’s Warrants are exercisable under the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, have been duly authorised for issue and, when: |
| (i) | issued and allotted by the Company upon due exercise of the Representative’s Warrants in accordance with the terms of the Representative’s Warrants and in accordance with the Company’s then effective memorandum and articles of association; and |
| (ii) | such issuance of Warrant Shares has been duly registered in the Company’s register of members as fully paid shares, |
will be, subject to payment of the exercise price therefor under the terms of the Representative’s Warrants, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Registration Statement - Taxation
| (f) | The statements contained in the Registration Statement in the section headed “Cayman Islands Taxation”, in so far as they purport to summarise the laws or regulations of the Cayman Islands, are accurate in all material respects and that such statements constitute our opinion. |
| 4 | Limitations and Qualifications |
| 4.1 | We offer no opinion: |
| (a) | as to any laws other than the laws of the Cayman Islands, and we have not, for the purposes of this opinion, made any investigation of the laws of any other jurisdiction, and we express no opinion as to the meaning, validity, or effect of references in the Documents to statutes, rules, regulations, codes or judicial authority of any jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands; or |
| (b) | except to the extent that this opinion expressly provides otherwise, as to the commercial terms of, or the validity, enforceability or effect of the Registration Statement, the accuracy of representations, the fulfilment of warranties or conditions, the occurrence of events of default or terminating events or the existence of any conflicts or inconsistencies among the Registration Statement and any other agreements into which the Company may have entered or any other documents. |
| Page 5 of 5 |
| 4.2 | Under the Companies Act (Revised) (Companies Act) of the Cayman Islands annual returns in respect of the Company must be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands, together with payment of annual filing fees. A failure to file annual returns and pay annual filing fees may result in the Company being struck off the Register of Companies, following which its assets will vest in the Financial Secretary of the Cayman Islands and will be subject to disposition or retention for the benefit of the public of the Cayman Islands. |
| 4.3 | In good standing means only that as of the date of this opinion the Company is up-to-date with the filing of its annual returns and payment of annual fees with the Registrar of Companies. We have made no enquiries into the Company’s good standing with respect to any filings or payment of fees, or both, that it may be required to make under the laws of the Cayman Islands other than the Companies Act. |
| 5 | Governing law of this opinion |
| 5.1 | This opinion is: |
| (a) | governed by, and shall be construed in accordance with, the laws of the Cayman Islands; |
| (b) | limited to the matters expressly stated in it; and |
| (c) | confined to, and given on the basis of, the laws and practice in the Cayman Islands at the date of this opinion. |
| 5.2 | Unless otherwise indicated, a reference to any specific Cayman Islands legislation is a reference to that legislation as amended to, and as in force at, the date of this opinion. |
| 6 | Reliance |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the headings “Risk Factors”, “Enforcement of Civil Liabilities” and “Legal Matters” of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not believe that we are “experts” within the meaning of such term used in the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder with respect to any part of the Registration Statement, including this opinion as an exhibit or otherwise.
This opinion may be used only in connection with the offer and sale of the IPO Shares and the Warrant Shares and while the Registration Statement is effective.
Yours faithfully
/s/ Ogier
Ogier
Exhibit 5.2

Our reference: GJY/2240028
Date: 25 October 2024
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
15 Beach Road
#05-07 Beach Centre
Singapore 189677
Attention: The Board of Directors
Dear Sirs
UNI-FUELS PTE. LTD. (THE “COMPANY”) – REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM F-1 OF THE COMPANY
| A. | Introduction |
| 1. | We have acted as Singapore legal counsel to the Company in connection with the Offering (as defined below) and we refer to the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (“Registration Statement”) filed by Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “ListCo”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), of the public offering (“Offering”) of 3,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares in the capital of the Listco. We have taken instructions solely from the Company. |
| B. | Scope of legal opinion |
| 2. | This legal opinion is given only as to the laws of general application of Singapore as at the date of this legal opinion and as currently applied by the Singapore Courts. In giving this legal opinion, we have relied upon the completeness and accuracy (and assumed the continuing completeness and accuracy as at the date of this legal opinion) of the documents reviewed as set out in Section C below without further verification and have relied upon the assumptions as set out in Section D below, which we have not independently verified. We express no opinion on the following matters: |
| (a) | any financial statements or other financial data, or any other financial, business, statistical, operational, audit or taxation issues (including matters relating to the prospects and future performance of the Company); and |
| (b) | any statements or opinions as to the prospects, projections or the occurrence of matters in the future. |
| Shook Lin & Bok LLP | 旭龄及穆律师事务所 |
1 Robinson Road #18-00 AIA Tower Singapore 048542 Tel: +65 6535 1944 Fax: +65 6535 8577 Email: slb@shooklin.com Website: www.shooklin.com
Shook Lin & Bok LLP (Unique Entity No. T07LL0924K) is registered in Singapore under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2005 with limited liability.
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| C. | Documents examined |
| 3. | In such capacity, we have examined the following: |
| (a) | a copy of the Registration Statement on Form F-1; |
| (b) | a copy of the Constitution of the Company; |
| (c) | a copy of the Certificate Confirming Incorporation of the Company dated 14 October 2021 issued by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (“ACRA”); |
| (d) | results of the following electronic searches of public record (through BizFile, being the business service portal of the ACRA in Singapore, the relevant computerised search facilities of the Insolvency Office of the Ministry of Law in Singapore and the relevant computerised search facilities of eLitigation provided by CrimsonLogic Pte Ltd): |
| (i) | instant information search (“ACRA Search”) of the Company with ACRA, comprising the business profile of the Company; |
| (ii) | insolvency search on the Company with the Insolvency Office of the Ministry of Law in Singapore (“Insolvency Search”) for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024; and |
| (iii) | cause book searches in the Supreme Court and State Courts of Singapore (“Cause Book Searches”) on the Company for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 (up to the date stated in the table below), |
and in each case, conducted on the dates as set out below:
| Search | Search as of | ||
| 1. | ACRA Search | 25 October 2024 | |
| 2. | Insolvency Search | 25 October 2024 | |
| 3. | Cause Book Searches | 25 October 2024 |
(and the documents set out under Paragraphs 3(a) to 3(d) above shall collectively be referred to as the “Reviewed Documents”).
The Cause Book Searches include Appeal Cases (Supreme Court) – Appeal from Court of Appeal and Appellate Division; Appeal from Court of Appeal for SICC Matter; Appeal from District Judge; Appeal from District Judge in Chambers; Appeal from District Judge / Magistrate in Chambers; District Court Appeal; Originating Application for Appeal; Originating Application related to Appeal for SICC Matter; and Originating Summons for Appeal; Civil Cases (Supreme Court) – Originating Application for Supreme Court; Originating Claim for Supreme Court; Originating Summons, Originating Petitions, Originating Motions; Originating Summons for Protection from Harassment Act; and Writ of Summons; Enforcement (Supreme Court) – Enforcement Order; Writ of Delivery; Writ of Distress; Writ of Possession; and Writ of Seizure and Sale; Appeal Cases (State Courts) – Appeal from District Judge; Appeal from District Judge in Chambers; Appeal from District Judge / Magistrate in Chambers; District Court Appeal; and Originating Application for Appeal; Civil Cases (State Courts) – Originating Application for State Courts; Originating Application for State Courts – including Protection of Harassment cases; Originating Claim for Magistrate’s Court; Originating Claim for State Courts; Originating Claim for District Court including Protection from Harassment Court; Originating Summons; Originating Summons for Protection from Harassment Act; Writ of Summons for District Court including Protection from Harassment Court; and Writ of Summons for Magistrate Court; Enforcement (State Courts) – Enforcement Order; Originating Application for Enforcement Order; Writ of Delivery; Writ of Distress; Writ of Possession; and Writ of Seizure and Sale; Insolvency (Including Judicial Management) (Supreme Court) – Originating Summons, Originating Petitions, Originating Motions; and Companies Winding Up.
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| 4. | For the purpose of this legal opinion, we have not reviewed any other document other than the Documents referred to in Paragraph 3 above. We have also not undertaken or made any other enquiries, searches or investigations including, without limitation, any due diligence on the business, operations or corporate actions of the Company in connection with the preparation of this legal opinion. Accordingly, our legal opinion herein is subject to there not being any circumstances or matters of fact not disclosed to us, or anything contained in any document not reviewed by us that may require us to vary or amend this legal opinion. |
| D. | Assumptions |
| 5. | We have assumed: |
| (a) | that each of the parties (who are corporations) to the Reviewed Documents (other than the Company) is validly incorporated and existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has obtained all consents, approvals, authorisations required from any governmental or other regulatory authorities under the laws and regulations of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has complied with all such laws and regulations relating to its business; |
| (b) | that each of the Reviewed Documents is within the capacity and powers of, and has been validly authorised by, each party thereto (other than the Company), and has been validly executed and delivered by and on behalf of each party thereto in accordance with all relevant laws (other than the laws of the Republic of Singapore), including, in the case of each party that is a corporate entity, the laws of that party’s jurisdiction of incorporation and its constitutional documents; |
| (c) | that each party to the Reviewed Documents (other than the Company) has obtained all necessary consents and authorisations, and is otherwise qualified or empowered, to enter into and perform its or his obligations under each of the Reviewed Documents to which it or he is a party and that, so far as the laws of the Republic of Singapore and all other jurisdictions (except, in the case of the Company, the laws of the Republic of Singapore) are concerned, the Reviewed Documents constitute valid, legally binding and enforceable obligations of each party thereto; |
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| (d) | the genuineness of all signatures, stamps and seals on all documents, and the completeness and the conformity to original documents of all copies submitted to us; |
| (e) | the Reviewed Documents referred to in Paragraph 3 above are complete, up-to-date and no amendments, corrigenda, addenda, updates or other changes have been made or will be made to the Reviewed Documents; |
| (f) | all factual statements, including representations and warranties, contained in the Reviewed Documents are correct and not misleading due to omission, whether wilful or otherwise, of any material fact, save for those factual statements which relate to the matters opined on by us in Paragraph 7 below; |
| (g) | that there are no provisions of the laws of any jurisdiction (other than the laws of the Republic of Singapore) which may be contravened by the execution or delivery of any of the Reviewed Documents and that, insofar as any obligation expressed to be incurred or performed under any of the Reviewed Documents falls to be performed in or is otherwise subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the Republic of Singapore, its performance will not be illegal by virtue of the laws of that jurisdiction; |
| (h) | that all consents, approvals, authorisations, licences, exemptions or orders required from any governmental body or agency outside the Republic of Singapore and all other requirements outside the Republic of Singapore for the legality, validity and enforceability of each of the Reviewed Documents have been duly obtained or fulfilled and are and will remain in full force and effect and that any conditions to which they are subject have been satisfied; |
| (i) | that in exercising the Company’s power to enter into the Reviewed Documents, the directors of the Company are acting in good faith and in furtherance of the substantive objects and for the legitimate purpose of the Company, and that the entry into the Reviewed Documents may reasonably be considered to have been in the interests, and for the commercial benefit, of the Company; |
| (j) | none of the director(s) of the Company has been disqualified or restrained from acting as directors of a company under the Companies Act 1967 of the Republic of Singapore; |
| (k) | the shareholder of the Company as registered in the Register of Members of the Company are the beneficial owners of such shares and have not charged or created any encumbrance on its shares; |
| (l) | all allotments of shares in each of the Company which were for cash have been validly paid for and that any other consideration for allotments of shares have been validly performed or received in full by the Company; |
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| (m) | that none of the parties to the Reviewed Documents is, or will be, seeking to conduct any relevant transaction or any associated activity in a manner or for a purpose not evident on the face of any of the Reviewed Documents to which it or he is a party which might render any of them or any relevant transaction or associated activity illegal, void or voidable; |
| (n) | there have been no changes in the circumstances of the Company since the dates of our review of the Reviewed Documents; |
| (o) | that, (i) the information disclosed by the ACRA Search, Insolvency Search and Cause Book Searches of the electronic records against the Company is true and complete, (ii) such information has not since then been materially altered, and (iii) the ACRA Search, Insolvency Search and Cause Book Searches did not fail to disclose any material information which has been delivered for filing but did not appear on the public file at the time of the ACRA Search, Insolvency Search and Cause Book Searches; |
| (p) | save for the Reviewed Documents, there is no other agreement, instrument or other arrangement between any of the parties to the Reviewed Documents which modifies or supersedes any of the Reviewed Documents; and |
| (q) | there are no documents not examined by us which would affect or have any implication on this legal opinion and no documents which would affect or have any implication on this legal opinion have been withheld from us, whether deliberately or inadvertently. |
| 6. | We have not undertaken or made enquires, searches or investigations to independently verify any assumptions set out in Paragraph 5 above, and none of the assumptions set out in Paragraph 5 above are limited by reference to any other assumption. |
| E. | Legal Opinion |
| 7. | Based upon and subject to the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications set forth below and any matters not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that: |
| (a) | based on the ACRA Search, Uni-Fuels Group Inc is the sole member of the Company and holds the entire issued and paid-up share capital of the Company as at the date of this opinion; and |
| (b) | the statements set forth in the Registration Statement under the caption “Regulations – Singapore” (“Relevant Section”), insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the Singapore legal matters referred therein as of the date hereof, fairly summarise the matters referred to therein as the date hereof. |
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| F. | Qualifications |
| 8. | The qualifications to which this legal opinion is subject are as follows: |
| (a) | in preparing the Relevant Section, we have relied on the material, documents, information and confirmations provided to us by the Company and have not separately conducted any on-site visit, operational due diligence or other verification; |
| (b) | this opinion does not imply that a court of the Republic of Singapore will necessarily grant any remedy, the availability of which is subject to equitable considerations or which is otherwise in the discretion of the court. In particular, orders for specific performance and injunctions are, in general, discretionary remedies under the laws of the Republic of Singapore and specific performance is not available where damages are considered by the court to be an adequate alternative remedy; |
| (c) | the courts of the Republic of Singapore may not give effect to an indemnity for legal costs incurred by an unsuccessful litigant or where the court of the Republic of Singapore has itself made an order for costs; |
| (d) | where under any of the Reviewed Documents, any person is vested with discretion or may determine a matter in its opinion, the laws of the Republic of Singapore may require that such discretion is exercised reasonably or that such opinion is based upon reasonable grounds; |
| (e) | we neither give nor imply any opinion as to any tax consequences of any transactions contemplated by the Offering; |
| (f) | by virtue of the Limitation Act 1959 of the Republic of Singapore, failure to bring an action for more than six (6) years from the date on which the cause of action accrued will operate as a bar to the exercise of such right and failure to exercise such a right may result in such right being waived; |
| (g) | provisions in the Reviewed Documents as to severability may not be binding under the laws of the Republic of Singapore and the question of whether or not provisions which are illegal, invalid or unenforceable may be severed from other provisions in order to save such other provisions depends on the nature of the illegality, invalidity or unenforceability in question and would be determined by a court of the Republic of Singapore at its discretion; |
| (h) | the term “enforceable” as used in this opinion means that the obligations expressed to be assumed by the parties under the Reviewed Documents are of a type which the courts of the Republic of Singapore enforce. The use of such term in this opinion does not mean, and should not be construed as meaning, that these obligations will necessarily be enforced in accordance with their terms. In particular: |
| (i) | enforcement may be limited or affected by prescription or lapse of time, applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganisation, liquidation or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally; |
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| (ii) | enforcement may be limited by general principles of equity - for example, equitable remedies may not be available where damages are considered to be an adequate remedy; |
| (iii) | claims may become subject to defences of set-off or counterclaim; |
| (iv) | where any obligation is to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Republic of Singapore, such obligation may not be enforceable in the Republic of Singapore in the event and to the extent that such performance would be illegal, unlawful or contrary to public policy under the laws of that jurisdiction; |
| (v) | enforcement may be limited by the provisions of Singapore law applicable to agreements held to have been frustrated by events happening after its execution; and |
| (vi) | a party to a contract may be able to avoid its obligations under that contract (and may have other remedies) where it has been induced to enter into that contract by a misrepresentation and the courts of the Republic of Singapore will generally not enforce an obligation if there has been fraud; |
| (i) | any term of an agreement may be amended orally by all the parties notwithstanding provisions to the contrary in the Reviewed Documents; |
| (j) | this opinion is given on the basis that there will be no amendment to or termination or replacement of the documents, authorisations and approvals referred to in Paragraph 3 to this opinion and on the basis of the laws of the Republic of Singapore in force as at the date of this opinion; |
| (k) | we have made no investigation of, and do not express or imply any opinion on, the laws of any jurisdiction other than Singapore; |
| (l) | disclaimers or limitations may not be enforceable to the extent that the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 of the Republic of Singapore, is applicable and such disclaimers and/or limitations are in contravention of such statute; |
| (m) | except as may be provided for under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 2001 of the Republic of Singapore, a person who is not a contracting party to an agreement is not entitled to the benefits of the agreement and may not enforce the agreement; |
| (n) | if a person for whose benefit our legal opinion is given is actually aware of or believes there to be a false or misleading statement or an omission of the information requested to be provided to us in connection with the work performed by us in rendering this legal opinion, that person may not rely on this legal opinion in relation to that statement or omission and should seek legal advice on the specific matter concerned; |
| (o) | we have not undertaken or made any independent investigation to determine the existence or absence of any circumstances or matters of fact and no inference as to our knowledge or the existence or absence of such circumstances or matters of fact should be drawn against us in giving this legal opinion; and |
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| (p) | this legal opinion is given on the basis that we undertake no responsibility to: |
| (i) | notify any addressee of this legal opinion of any change in the laws of Singapore after the date of this legal opinion; and |
| (ii) | advise any addressee of this legal opinion of any changes in respect of the matters stated herein which may occur subsequent to the date of this legal opinion or which may be discovered subsequent to the date of this legal opinion from circumstances or matters of fact not previously disclosed to us whether occurring on or prior to the date of this legal opinion. |
| 9. | We hold ourselves out as only having legal expertise and our statements in this legal opinion are made only to the extent that a law firm practising Singapore law in Singapore, having our role in connection with the Offering, would reasonably be expected to have become aware of relevant facts and/or to have identified the implications of those facts. |
| G. | Governing Law |
| 10. | This legal opinion is limited to the laws of Singapore as applied by the Singapore Courts and is given on the basis that it will be governed by and construed in accordance with, and any liability which may arise in respect of it is to be governed by, the laws of Singapore. We do not purport to be experts on, or generally familiar with, any laws other than the laws of the Republic of Singapore. We have made no investigation, and express no opinion as to, the laws of any jurisdiction outside Singapore. |
| H. | Conclusion |
| 11. | Our opinion is strictly limited to the matters stated herein and is not to be read as extending by implication to any other matter in connection with the Offering or otherwise including, but without limitation, any other document signed in connection with the Offering. Subject to the foregoing, we consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to all references to us, if any, in the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder. |
| 12. | Save for the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, this opinion is not to be circulated to, or relied upon by, any other person (other than persons entitled to rely on it pursuant to applicable federal securities laws in the United States, if applicable) or quoted or referred to in any public document or filed with any governmental body or agency without our prior written consent. |
Yours faithfully
/s/ Shook Lin & Bok LLP
Shook Lin & Bok LLP
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Exhibit 5.3
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Loeb & Loeb LLP 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154-1895 |
Main 212.407.4000 Fax 212.407.4990 |
[*], 2024
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07
Singapore 189677
| Re: | Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands company (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), for the registration of (i) [3,000,000] Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”), (ii) up to an additional 450,000 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of an over-allotment option granted to R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc. (the “Underwriter Representative”) by the Company, and (iii) up to 172,500 Class A Ordinary Shares underlying warrants issuable to the Underwriter Representative upon exercise of such warrants (the “Warrants”), pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement to be entered into between the Company and the underwriters named therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”).
We have examined such documents and considered such legal matters as we have deemed necessary and relevant as the basis for the opinion set forth below. With respect to such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as reproduced or certified copies, and the authenticity of the originals of those latter documents. As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have, to the extent deemed appropriate, relied upon certain representations of certain officers of the Company. Because the agreements governing the Warrants contain provisions stating that they are to be governed by the laws of the State of New York, we are rendering this opinion as to New York law. We are admitted to practice in the State of New York, and we express no opinion as to any matters governed by any law other than the law of the State of New York. In particular, we do not purport to pass on any matter governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Warrants, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
Los Angeles New York Chicago Nashville Washington, DC San Francisco Beijing Hong Kong www.loeb.com
For the United States offices, a limited liability partnership including professional corporations. For Hong Kong office, a limited liability partnership.
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Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited [*], 2024 Page 2 |
In addition, the foregoing opinions are qualified to the extent that (a) enforceability may be limited by and be subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including, without limitation, concepts of notice and materiality), and by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ and debtors’ rights generally (including, without limitation, any state or federal law in respect of fraudulent transfers); and (b) no opinion is expressed herein as to compliance with or the effect of federal or state securities or blue sky laws.
We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, to the use of our name as your U.S. counsel and to all references made to us in the Registration Statement and in the prospectus forming a part thereof. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
| Very truly yours, | |
| /s/ Loeb & Loeb LLP | |
| Loeb & Loeb LLP |
Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTIVE OFFICER AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE OFFICER AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [ ], 2024, is by and between Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), and [ ], an individual (the “Executive Officer”).
AGREEMENT
1. Appointment. The Executive Officer was appointed as [Position] on [ ]. This Agreement serves to regulate the employment relationship between the Company and the Executive Officer from the closing date of the Company’s initial public offering. For the avoidance of doubt, this Agreement shall not affect the effectiveness of the appointment of the Executive Officer on [ ]. The Company shall employ the Executive Officer and the Executive Officer shall diligently and faithfully serve the Company chief financial officer pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and subject to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company, the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (to the extent applicable) and other applicable laws and regulations.
2. Term. The term of such appointment shall commence from the closing date of the Company’s initial public offering and shall continue until the Executive Officer’s successor is duly elected or appointed and qualified or until the Executive Officer’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal from office, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, the Company’s then current memorandum and articles of association, as may be amended from time to time, or any applicable laws, rules, or regulations (the “Expiration Date”). In the event that the Executive Officer’s successor has not been duly elected or appointed as of the Expiration Date, the Executive Officer agrees to continue to serve hereunder until such successor has been duly elected or appointed and qualified.
3. Compensation. Upon the closing date of the Company’s initial public offering and during the term of this Agreement, the Executive Officer shall receive a monthly remuneration of $[ ] which shall accrue on a day to day basis payable in arrears on the last day of each calendar month provided that if the Appointment is terminated prior to the end of a calendar month, the Executive Officer shall only be entitled to a proportionate part of such salary in respect of the period of service during the relevant month up to the date of termination (the “Compensation”). The Compensation may be reviewed during the term of this Agreement by the Compensation Committee pursuant to its terms of reference after the closing date of the Company’s initial public offering. Any adjustment of the Compensation shall be recommended by the Compensation Committee (when applicable) and approved by the Board duly convened pursuant to the then current Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company.
4. Duties. The Executive Officer shall exercise all powers in good faith and in the best interests of the Company, including but not limited to, the following:
(a) devote a sufficient amount of time and attention to the interests and affairs of the Company in the discharge of duties of his/her office as a chief financial officer of the Company and, where relevant, as an officer of such other members of the Group as are necessary for the proper and efficient administration, supervision, and management of the strategic planning, corporate management and business development of the Group;
(b) faithfully and diligently perform such duties and exercise such powers as are consistent with his/her office in relation to the Company and/or the Group;
(c) in the discharge of such duties and in the exercise of such powers observe and comply with all reasonable and lawful resolutions, instructions, regulations and directions from time to time passed, made or given by the Board according to the best of his/her skills and ability;
(d) perform such services for the Group and (without further remuneration unless otherwise agreed) accept such offices in the Group as the Board may from time to time reasonably require provided the same are consistent with his/her office;
(e) at all times keep the Board promptly and fully informed (in writing if so requested) in connection with the performance of such powers and duties and provide such explanations as the Board may require in connection with his/her office in relation to the Company and/or the Group;
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(f) act in accordance with his/her powers and obligations as a chief financial officer of the Company and use his/her best endeavours to comply with and to cause the Company to comply with (a) this Agreement; (b) every rule or law applicable to any member of the Group, whether in the United States, Hong Kong, or elsewhere; (c) the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange; (d) amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company; (e) shareholders’ and board resolutions of the Company; (f) the Securities Act of 1933; and (g) all other relevant securities regulations, rules, instructions and guidelines as issued by the relevant regulatory authorities from time to time, in relation to dealings in shares or other securities of the Company or any other member of the Group, and in relation to insider information or unpublished inside information affecting the shares, debentures or other securities of any member of the Group.
The Executive Officer shall carry out his/her duties and exercise his/her powers jointly with any other executive officers, senior management or directors of the Group as may from time to time be appointed by the Board. The Board may at any time require the Executive Officer to cease performing any of his/her duties or exercising any of his/her power under this Agreement.
5. Conflicts of Interest/Applicable Law. In the event that the Executive Officer has a direct or indirect financial or personal interest in a contract or transaction to which the Company is a party, or the Executive Officer is contemplating entering into a transaction that involves use of corporate assets or competition against the Company, the Executive Officer shall promptly disclose such potential conflict to the applicable Board committee or the Board and proceed as directed by such committee or the Board, as applicable. The Executive Officer acknowledges the duty of loyalty and the duty of care owed to the Company pursuant to applicable law and agrees to act in all cases in accordance with applicable law.
6. Corporate Opportunities. Whenever the Executive Officer becomes aware of a business opportunity related to the Company’s business, which one could reasonably expect the Executive Officer to make available to the Company, the Executive Officer shall promptly disclose such opportunity to the applicable Board committee or the Board and proceed as directed by such committee or the Board, as applicable.
7. Confidentiality. The Executive Officer agrees and acknowledges that, by reason of the nature of the Executive Officer’s duties on the Board, the Executive Officer will have or may have access to and become informed of proprietary, confidential and secret information which is a competitive asset of the Company (the “Confidential Information”), including, without limitation, any lists of customers or suppliers, distributors, financial statistics, research data or any other statistics and plans or operation plans or other trade secrets of the Company and any of the foregoing which belong to any person or company but to which the Executive Officer has had access by reason of the Executive Officer’s relationship with the Company. The term “Confidential Information” shall not include information which: (i) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by the Executive Officer or the Executive Officer’s representatives; or (ii) is required to be disclosed by the Executive Officer due to governmental regulatory or judicial process. The Executive Officer agrees faithfully to keep in strict confidence, and not, either directly or indirectly, to make known, divulge, reveal, furnish, make available or use (except for use in the regular course of employment duties) any such Confidential Information. The Executive Officer acknowledges that all manuals, instruction books, price lists, information and records and other information and aids relating to the Company’s business, and any and all other documents containing Confidential Information furnished to the Executive Officer by the Company or otherwise acquired or developed by the Executive Officer, shall at all times be the property of the Company. Upon termination of the Executive Officer’s services hereunder, the Executive Officer shall return to the Company any such property or documents which are in the Executive Officer’s possession, custody or control, but this obligation of confidentiality shall survive such termination until and unless any such Confidential Information shall have become, through no fault of the Executive Officer, generally known to the public. The obligations of the Executive Officer under this subsection are in addition to, and not in limitation or preemption of, all other obligations of confidentiality which the Executive Officer may have to the Company under general legal or equitable principles.
8. Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. The Executive Officer agrees to abide by and follow all such procedures set forth in the Company’s code of business conduct and ethics, as may be in existence now or at any time during the term of this Agreement, and any other policy, code or document governing the conduct of executive officers of the Company as may be in existence now or at any time during the term of this Agreement.
9. Expenses. Upon submission of adequate documentation by the Executive Officer to the Company, the Executive Officer shall be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the Executive Officer’s positions as a member of the Board and for services as a member of each committee of the Board to which the Executive Officer may be appointed.
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10. Indemnity. The Company and the Executive Officer agree that indemnification with respect to the Executive Officer’s service shall be governed by that certain Indemnification Agreement attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Indemnification Agreement”).
11. Withholding. The Executive Officer agrees to cooperate with the Company to take all steps necessary or appropriate for the withholding of taxes by the Company required under law or regulation in connection herewith, and the Company may act unilaterally in order to comply with such laws.
12. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns.
13. Recitals. The recitals to this Agreement are true and correct and are incorporated herein, in their entirety, by this reference.
14. Validity. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.
15. Headings and Captions. The titles and captions of paragraphs and subparagraphs contained in this Agreement are provided for convenience of reference only, and shall not be considered terms or conditions of this Agreement.
16. Neutral Construction. Neither party hereto may rely on any drafts of this Agreement in any interpretation of the Agreement. Both parties to this Agreement have reviewed this Agreement and have participated in its drafting and, accordingly, neither party shall attempt to invoke the normal rule of construction to the effect that ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party in any interpretation of this Agreement.
17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.
18. Miscellaneous. This Agreement shall be construed under the laws of the State of New York, without application to the principles of conflicts of laws. This Agreement and the Indemnification Agreement constitute the entire understanding between the parties with respect to the Executive Officer’s service and there are no prior or contemporaneous written or oral agreements, understandings, or representations, express or implied, directly or indirectly related to this Agreement that are not set forth or referenced herein. This Agreement supersedes all negotiations, preliminary agreements, and all prior and contemporaneous discussions and understandings of the parties hereto and/or their affiliates with respect to the Executive Officer’s service. The Executive Officer acknowledges that he/she has not relied on any prior or contemporaneous discussions or understanding in entering into this Agreement. The terms and provisions of this Agreement may be altered, amended or discharged only by the signed written agreement of the parties hereto.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
| 3 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Executive Officer Agreement as of the date first above written.
| UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| EXECUTIVE OFFICER | ||
| [ ] | ||
| Name: | [ ] | |
Signature Page to Executive Officer Agreement
EXHIBIT A
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
(Attached)
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [ ], 2024, is by and between Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) and [ ] (the “Indemnitee”) and shall become effective on the closing date of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company and in such capacity renders valuable services to the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of public companies;
WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that enhancing the ability of the Company to retain and attract as directors and officers the most capable persons is in the best interests of the Company and that the Company therefore should seek to assure such persons that indemnification is available; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the need to provide Indemnitee with substantial protection against personal liability, in order to procure Indemnitee’s continued service as a director or officer of the Company and to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in an effective manner, and in order to provide such protection pursuant to express contract rights (intended to be enforceable irrespective of, among other things, any amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Memorandum and Articles of Association (collectively, the “Constituent Documents”), any change in the composition of the Board or any change in control or business combination transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of, and the advancement of Expenses (as defined in Section 1 below) to, Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the Indemnitee’s agreement to continue to provide services to the Company, the parties agree as follows:
AGREEMENT
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Beneficial Owner” has the meaning given to the term “beneficial owner” in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
(b) “Change in Control” means the occurrence after the Effective Date of any of the following events:
(i) any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 51% or more of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities;
(ii) the consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, unless immediately following such reorganization, merger or consolidation, all of the Beneficial Owners of the Voting Securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the outstanding Voting Securities of the entity resulting from such transaction;
(iii) during any period of two consecutive years, not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (including for this purpose any new directors whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; or
(iv) the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets.
(c) “Claim” means:
(i) any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative or other, and whether made pursuant to federal, state or other law; or
(ii) any inquiry, hearing or investigation that the Indemnitee determines might lead to the institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
(d) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Claim in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(e) “Expenses” means any and all expenses, including attorneys’ and experts’ fees, court costs, transcript costs, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, and all other costs and expenses incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Claim, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersede as bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 4 only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(f) “Expense Advance” means any payment of Expenses advanced to Indemnitee by the Company pursuant to Section 3 or Section 4 hereof.
(g) “Indemnifiable Event” means any event or occurrence, whether occurring before, on or after the Effective Date, related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise (collectively with the Company, “Enterprise”) or by reason of an action or inaction by Indemnitee in any such capacity (whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Loss is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement).
(h) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently performs, nor in the past five years has performed, services for either: (i) the Company or Indemnitee (other than in connection with matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement or of other indemnitees under similar agreements) or (ii) any other party to the Claim giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(i) “Losses” means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or other), ERISA excise taxes, amounts paid or payable in settlement, including any interest, assessments, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement and all other charges paid or payable in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim.
(j) “Person” means any individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, estate, trust, business association, organization, governmental entity or other entity and includes the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act.
(k) “Standard of Conduct Determination” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 8(b) below.
(l) “Voting Securities” means any securities of the Company that vote generally in the election of directors.
2. Indemnification. Subject to Section 8 and Section 9 of this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of New York in effect on the Effective Date, or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted indemnification, against any and all Losses if Indemnitee was or is or becomes a party to or participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or participant in, any Claim by reason of or arising in part out of an Indemnifiable Event, including, without limitation, Claims brought by or in the right of the Company, Claims brought by third parties, and Claims in which the Indemnitee is solely a witness.
3. Advancement of Expenses. Indemnitee shall have the right to advancement by the Company, prior to the final disposition of any Claim by final adjudication to which there are no further rights of appeal, of any and all Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Claim arising out of an Indemnifiable Event at the written request of Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall set forth in such request reasonable evidence that such Expenses have been paid or incurred by Indemnitee. Indemnitee’s right to such advancement is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct. Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within thirty days after any request by Indemnitee, the Company shall, in accordance with such request, (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses. In connection with any request for Expense Advances, Indemnitee shall not be required to provide any documentation or information to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. The Company’s obligation to pay Expense Advances to Indemnitee is contingent upon Indemnitee’s execution and delivery to the Company of an undertaking to repay any amounts paid, advanced, or reimbursed by the Company for such Expenses to the extent that it is ultimately determined, following the final disposition of such Claim, that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification hereunder. Indemnitee’s obligation to reimburse the Company for Expense Advances shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon.
4. Indemnification for Expenses in Enforcing Rights. To the fullest extent allowable under applicable law, the Company shall also indemnify Indemnitee against, and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall advance to Indemnitee subject to and in accordance with Section 3, any Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action or proceeding by Indemnitee for (a) indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company under any provision of this Agreement, or under any other agreement or provision of the Constituent Documents now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims relating to Indemnifiable Events, and/or (b) recovery under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company. However, in the event that Indemnitee is ultimately determined not to be entitled to such indemnification or insurance recovery, as the case may be, then all amounts advanced under this Section 4 shall be repaid.
5. Partial Indemnity. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of any Losses in respect of a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event but not for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.
6. Notification and Defense of Claims.
(a) Notification of Claims. Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing as soon as practicable of any Claim which could relate to an Indemnifiable Event or for which Indemnitee could seek Expense Advances, including a brief description (based upon information then available to Indemnitee) of the nature of, and the facts underlying, such Claim. The failure by Indemnitee to timely notify the Company hereunder shall not relieve the Company from any liability hereunder unless the Company’s ability to participate in the defense of such claim was materially and adversely affected by such failure. If at the time of the receipt of such notice, the Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect under which coverage for Claims related to Indemnifiable Events is potentially available, the Company shall give prompt written notice to the applicable insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall provide to Indemnitee a copy of such notice delivered to the applicable insurers, and copies of all subsequent correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Claim, in each case substantially concurrently with the delivery or receipt thereof by the Company.
(b) Defense of Claims. The Company shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event at its own expense and, except as otherwise provided below, to the extent the Company so wishes, it may assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. After notice from the Company to Indemnitee of its election to assume the defense of any such Claim, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise for any Expenses subsequently directly incurred by Indemnitee in connection with Indemnitee’s defense of such Claim other than reasonable costs of investigation or as otherwise provided below. Indemnitee shall have the right to employ its own legal counsel in such Claim, but all Expenses related to such counsel incurred after notice from the Company of its assumption of the defense shall be at Indemnitee’s own expense; provided, however, that if (i) Indemnitee’s employment of its own legal counsel has been authorized by the Company, (ii) Indemnitee has reasonably determined that there may be a conflict of interest between Indemnitee and the Company in the defense of such Claim, (iii) after a Change in Control, Indemnitee’s employment of its own counsel has been approved by the Independent Counsel or (iv) the Company shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such Claim, then Indemnitee shall be entitled to retain its own separate counsel (but not more than one law firm) and all Expenses related to such separate counsel shall be borne by the Company.
7. Procedure upon Application for Indemnification. In order to obtain indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, including in such request such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of the Claim. Indemnification shall be made insofar as the Company determines Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification in accordance with Section 8 below.
8. Determination of Right to Indemnification.
(a) Mandatory Indemnification.
(i) To the extent that Indemnitee shall have been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event or any portion thereof or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including without limitation dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses relating to such Claim in accordance with Section 2 to the fullest extent allowable by law, and no Standard of Conduct Determination (as defined in Section 8(b)) shall be required.
(ii) To the extent that Indemnitee’s involvement in a Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event is to prepare to serve and serve as a witness, and not as a party, the Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses incurred in connection therewith to the fullest extent allowable by law and no Standard of Conduct Determination (as defined in Section 8(b)) shall be required.
(b) Standard of Conduct. To the extent that the provisions of Section 8(a) are inapplicable to a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event that shall have been finally disposed of, any determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under New York law that is a legally required condition to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Losses relating to such Claim and any determination that Expense Advances must be repaid to the Company (a “Standard of Conduct Determination”) shall be made as follows:
(i) if no Change in Control has occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum or (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; and
(ii) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, (A) if the Indemnitee so requests in writing, by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board or (B) otherwise, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee.
(c) Making the Standard of Conduct Determination. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause any Standard of Conduct Determination required under Section 8(b) to be made as promptly as practicable. If the person or persons designated to make the Standard of Conduct Determination under Section 8(b) shall not have made a determination within thirty days after the later of (A) receipt by the Company of a written request from Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 7 (the date of such receipt being the “Notification Date”) and (B) the selection of an Independent Counsel, if such determination is to be made by Independent Counsel, then Indemnitee shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct; provided that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, if the person or persons making such determination in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate information relating thereto. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of any Claim.
(d) Payment of Indemnification. If, in regard to any Losses:
(i) Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 8(a);
(ii) no Standard Conduct Determination is legally required as a condition to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder; or
(iii) Indemnitee has been determined or deemed pursuant to Section 8(b) or Section 8(c) to have satisfied the Standard of Conduct Determination,
then the Company shall pay to Indemnitee, within thirty days after the later of (A) the Notification Date or (B) the earliest date on which the applicable criterion specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) is satisfied, an amount equal to such Losses.
(e) Selection of Independent Counsel for Standard of Conduct Determination. If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b)(i), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b)(ii), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee, and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either case, Indemnitee or the Company, as applicable, may, within five days after receiving written notice of selection from the other, deliver to the other a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not satisfy the criteria set forth in the definition of “Independent Counsel” in Section 1, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person or firm so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is properly and timely made and substantiated, (i) the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit; and (ii) the non-objecting party may, at its option, select an alternative Independent Counsel and give written notice to the other party advising such other party of the identity of the alternative Independent Counsel so selected, in which case the provisions of the two immediately preceding sentences, the introductory clause of this sentence and numbered clause (i) of this sentence shall apply to such subsequent selection and notice. If applicable, the provisions of clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to successive alternative selections. If no Independent Counsel that is permitted under the foregoing provisions of this Section 8(e) to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall have been selected within twenty days after the Company gives its initial notice pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 8(e) or Indemnitee gives its initial notice pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 8(e), as the case may be, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to resolve any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or to appoint as Independent Counsel a person to be selected by such court or such other person as the court shall designate, and the person or firm with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person or firm so appointed will act as Independent Counsel. In all events, the Company shall pay all of the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel incurred in connection with the Independent Counsel’s determination pursuant to Section 8(b).
(f) Presumptions and Defenses.
(i) Indemnitee’s Entitlement to Indemnification. In making any Standard of Conduct Determination, the person or persons making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee has satisfied the applicable standard of conduct and is entitled to indemnification, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption and establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled. Any Standard of Conduct Determination that is adverse to Indemnitee may be challenged by the Indemnitee in a court of competent jurisdiction. No determination by the Company (including by its directors or any Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not satisfied any applicable standard of conduct may be used as a defense to any legal proceedings brought by Indemnitee to secure indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company hereunder or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct.
(ii) Reliance as a Safe Harbor. For purposes of this Agreement, and without creating any presumption as to a lack of good faith if the following circumstances do not exist, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company if Indemnitee’s actions or omissions to act are taken in good faith reliance upon the records of the Company, including its financial statements, or upon information, opinions, reports or statements furnished to Indemnitee by the officers or employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the course of their duties, or by committees of the Board or by any other Person (including legal counsel, accountants and financial advisors) as to matters Indemnitee reasonably believes are within such other Person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failures to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnity hereunder.
(iii) No Other Presumptions. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, will not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any applicable standard of conduct or have any particular belief, or that indemnification hereunder is otherwise not permitted.
(iv) Defense to Indemnification and Burden of Proof. It shall be a defense to any action brought by Indemnitee against the Company to enforce this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for Losses incurred in defending against a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in advance of its final disposition) that it is not permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In connection with any such action or any related Standard of Conduct Determination, the burden of proving such a defense or that the Indemnitee did not satisfy the applicable standard of conduct shall be on the Company.
(v) Resolution of Claims. The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful on the merits or otherwise for purposes of Section 8(a)(i) if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with our without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise for purposes of Section 8(a)(i). The Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome this presumption.
9. Exclusions from Indemnification. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated to:
(a) indemnify or advance funds to Indemnitee for Expenses or Losses with respect to proceedings initiated by Indemnitee, including any proceedings against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees and not by way of defense, except:
(i) proceedings referenced in Section 4 above (unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous); or
(ii) where the Company has joined in or the Board has consented to the initiation of such proceedings;
(b) indemnify Indemnitee if a final decision by a court of competent jurisdiction determines that such indemnification is prohibited by applicable law;
(c) indemnify Indemnitee for the disgorgement of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or any similar successor statute; or
(d) indemnify or advance funds to Indemnitee for Indemnitee’s reimbursement to the Company of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation previously received by Indemnitee or payment of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements under Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in connection with an accounting restatement of the Company or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act).
10. Settlement of Claims. The Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any threatened or pending Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company shall not settle any Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in any manner that would impose any Losses on the Indemnitee without the Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
11. Duration. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period that Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company (or is serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, trustee or agent of another Enterprise) and shall continue thereafter (i) so long as Indemnitee may be subject to any possible Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event (including any rights of appeal thereto) and (ii) throughout the pendency of any proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto) commenced by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret his or her rights under this Agreement, even if, in either case, he or she may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any such Claim or proceeding.
12. Non-Exclusivity. The rights of Indemnitee hereunder will be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Constituent Documents, the New York Business Corporation Law, any other contract or otherwise (collectively, “Other Indemnity Provisions”); provided, however, that (a) to the extent that Indemnitee otherwise would have any greater right to indemnification under any Other Indemnity Provision, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder and (b) to the extent that any change is made to any Other Indemnity Provision which permits any greater right to indemnification than that provided under this Agreement as of the Effective Date, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder.
13. Liability Insurance. The Company shall from time to time make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance providing the officers and directors of the Company with coverage for losses incurred in connection with their services to the Company or to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. To the extent the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any of the Company’s directors or officers, as applicable. Upon reasonable request, the Company will provide to Indemnitee copies of all directors’ and officers’ liability insurance applications, binders, policies, declarations and endorsements.
14. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment to Indemnitee in respect of any Losses to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise received payment under any insurance policy, the Constituent Documents, Other Indemnity Provisions or otherwise of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable by the Company hereunder.
15. Subrogation. In the event of payment to Indemnitee under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall execute all documents required and shall do everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
16. Amendments. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding unless in the form of a writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of the waiver is sought, and no such waiver shall operate as a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver. Except as specifically provided herein, no failure to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall constitute a waiver thereof.
17. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement, to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
18. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any portion thereof) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
19. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given and made if (i) delivered by hand; (ii) otherwise delivered against receipt therefor; (iii) mailed by postage prepaid, certified or registered mail; (iv) sent by a recognized courier with next-day or second-day delivery to the last known address of the other party; or (v) sent by e-mail with confirmation of receipt:
(a) if to Indemnitee, to the email address set forth on the signature page hereto.
(b) if to the Company:
| Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited | |
| 15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07 | |
| Singapore 189677 | |
| +65 6027 1250 |
Notice of change of address shall be effective only when given in accordance with this Section. All notices complying with this Section shall be deemed to have been received on the date of delivery or on the third business day after mailing.
20. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such state without giving effect to its principles of conflicts of laws.
21. Headings. The headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction or interpretation thereof.
22. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
| UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| INDEMNITEE | ||
| Name: | [ ] | |
| Email: | [ ] | |
Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement
Exhibit 14.1
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS
1. Introduction
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”) has adopted this code of ethics (this “Code”), which is applicable to all directors, officers, and employees (to the extent that employees are hired in the future) (each a “person,” as used herein) of the Company, with the intent to:
| ● | promote honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships; |
| ● | promote the full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as well as in other public communications made by or on behalf of the Company; |
| ● | promote compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules, and regulations; |
| ● | deter wrongdoing; and |
| ● | require prompt internal reporting of breaches of, and accountability for adherence to, this Code. |
This Code may be amended only by resolution of the Board. In this Code, references to the “Company” mean Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited, and include, in appropriate context, the Company’s subsidiaries.
2. Honest, Ethical and Fair Conduct
Each person owes a duty to the Company to act with integrity. Integrity requires, among other things, being honest, fair, and candid. Deceit, dishonesty, and subordination of the Company’s interests to personal interests are inconsistent with integrity. Service to the Company should never be subordinated to personal gain or advantage.
Each person must:
| ● | Act with integrity, including being honest and candid while still maintaining the confidentiality of the Company’s information where required or in the Company’s interests. |
| ● | Observe all applicable governmental laws, rules, and regulations. |
| ● | Comply with the requirements of applicable accounting and auditing standards, as well as Company policies, in order to maintain a high standard of accuracy and completeness in the Company’s financial records and other business-related information and data. |
| ● | Adhere to a high standard of business ethics and not seek competitive advantage through unlawful or unethical business practices. |
| ● | Deal fairly with the Company’s customers, suppliers, competitors, and employees. |
| ● | Refrain from taking advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair-dealing practice. |
| ● | Protect the assets of the Company and ensure their proper use. |
| ● | Refrain from (i) taking for themselves corporate or business opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate assets, (ii) using corporate assets, information, or position for personal gain, and (iii) competing with the Company. |
| ● | Avoid conflicts of interest, wherever possible, except as may be allowed under guidelines or resolutions approved by the Board (or the appropriate committee of the Board). Anything that would be a conflict for a person subject to this Code also will be a conflict if it is related to a member of his or her family or a close relative. Examples of conflict of interest situations include, but are not limited to, the following: |
| ● | any significant ownership interest in any supplier or customer; |
| ● | any consulting or employment relationship with any customer, supplier, or competitor; |
| ● | any outside business activity that detracts from a person’s ability to devote appropriate time and attention to his or her responsibilities with the Company; |
| ● | the receipt of any money, non-nominal gifts, or excessive entertainment from any entity with which the Company has current or prospective business dealings; |
| ● | being in the position of supervising, reviewing, or having any influence on the job evaluation, pay, or benefit of any close relative; |
| ● | selling anything to the Company or buying anything from the Company, except on the same terms and conditions as comparable officers or directors are permitted to so purchase or sell; |
| ● | any other financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the Company; and |
| ● | any other circumstance, event, relationship, or situation in which the personal interest of a person subject to this Code interferes – or even appears to interfere – with the interests of the Company as a whole. |
3. Disclosure
The Company strives to ensure that the contents of and the disclosures in the reports and documents that the Company files with the SEC and other public communications shall be full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable in accordance with applicable disclosure standards, including standards of materiality, where appropriate. Each person must:
| ● | not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to misrepresent, facts about the Company to others, whether within or outside the Company, including to the Company’s independent auditors, governmental regulators, self-regulating organizations, and other governmental officials, as appropriate; and |
| ● | in relation to his or her area of responsibility, properly review and critically analyze proposed disclosure for accuracy and completeness. |
In addition to the foregoing, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and each subsidiary of the Company (or persons performing similar functions), and each other person that typically is involved in the financial reporting of the Company must familiarize himself or herself with the disclosure requirements applicable to the Company as well as the business and financial operations of the Company.
Each person must promptly bring to the attention of the Chairman of the audit committee of the Board (the “Audit Committee”) (or the Chairman of the Board if no Audit Committee exists) any information he or she may have concerning (a) significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal and/or disclosure controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data or (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s financial reporting, disclosures, or internal controls.
4. Compliance
It is the Company’s obligation and policy to comply with all applicable governmental laws, rules, and regulations. It is the personal responsibility of each person to, and each person must, adhere to the standards and restrictions imposed by those laws, rules, and regulations, including those relating to accounting and auditing matters.
5. Reporting and Accountability
The Board or Audit Committee, if one exists, is responsible for applying this Code to specific situations in which questions are presented to it and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation. Any person who becomes aware of any existing or potential breach of this Code is required to notify the Chairman of the Board or Audit Committee promptly. Failure to do so is itself a breach of this Code.
Specifically, each person must:
| ● | Notify the Chairman promptly of any existing or potential violation of this Code. |
| ● | Not retaliate against any other person for reports of potential violations that are made in good faith. The Company will follow the following procedures in investigating and enforcing this Code and in reporting on this Code: |
| ● | The Board or Audit Committee, if one exists, will take all appropriate action to investigate any breaches reported to it. |
| ● | If the Audit Committee, if one exists, determines by majority decision that a breach has occurred, it will inform the Board. |
| ● | Upon being notified that a breach has occurred, the Board by majority decision will take or authorize such disciplinary or preventive action as it deems appropriate, after consultation with the Audit Committee, if one exists, and/or the Company’s counsel, up to and including dismissal or, in the event of criminal or other serious violations of law, notification of the SEC or other appropriate law enforcement authorities. |
No person following the above procedure shall, as a result of following such procedure, be subject by the Company or any officer or employee thereof to discharge, demotion, suspension, threat, harassment, or, in any manner, discrimination against such person in terms and conditions of employment.
6. Waivers and Amendments
Any waiver (defined below) or an implicit waiver (defined below) from a provision of this Code for the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, and persons performing similar functions or any amendment (as defined below) to this Code is required to be disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC.
A “waiver” means the approval by the Board of a material departure from a provision of this Code. An “implicit waiver” means the Company’s failure to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of this Code that has been made known to an executive officer of the Company. An “amendment” means any amendment to this Code other than minor technical, administrative, or other non-substantive amendments hereto.
All persons should note that it is not the Company’s intention to grant or to permit waivers from the requirements of this Code. The Company expects full compliance with this Code.
7. Insider Trading And Dissemination Of Inside Information
Each person shall comply with the Company’s Policy Regarding Insider Trading and Dissemination of Inside Information.
8. Financial Statements and Other Records
All of the Company’s books, records, accounts and financial statements must be maintained in reasonable detail, must appropriately reflect the Company’s transactions and must both conform to applicable legal requirements and to the Company’s system of internal controls. Unrecorded or “off the books” funds or assets should not be maintained unless permitted by applicable law or regulation. Records should always be retained or destroyed according to the Company’s record retention policies. In accordance with those policies, in the event of litigation or governmental investigation, please consult the Board or the Company’s internal or external legal counsel.
9. Improper Influence on Conduct of Audits
No director, officer or employee, or any other person acting under the direction thereof, shall directly or indirectly take any action to coerce, manipulate, mislead or fraudulently influence any public or certified public accountant engaged in the performance of an audit or review of the financial statements of the Company or take any action that such person knows or should know that if successful could result in rendering the Company’s financial statements materially misleading. Any person who believes such improper influence is being exerted should report such action to such person’s supervisor, or if that is impractical under the circumstances, to any of our directors.
Types of conduct that could constitute improper influence include, but are not limited to, directly or indirectly:
| ● | Offering or paying bribes or other financial incentives, including future employment or contracts for non-audit services; |
| ● | Providing an auditor with an inaccurate or misleading legal analysis; |
| ● | Threatening to cancel or canceling existing non-audit or audit engagements if the auditor objects to the Company’s accounting; |
| ● | Seeking to have a partner removed from the audit engagement because the partner objects to the Company’s accounting; |
| ● | Blackmailing; and |
| ● | Making physical threats. |
10. Anti-Corruption Laws
The Company complies with the anti-corruption laws of the countries in which it does business, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. To the extent prohibited by applicable law, directors, officers and employees will not directly or indirectly give anything of value to government officials, including employees of state-owned enterprises or foreign political candidates. These requirements apply both to Company employees and agents, such as third party sales representatives, no matter where they are doing business. If you are authorized to engage agents, you are responsible for ensuring they are reputable and for obtaining a written agreement to uphold the Company’s standards in this area.
11. Violations
Violation of this Code is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Such action is in addition to any civil or criminal liability which might be imposed by any court or regulatory agency.
12. Other Policies and Procedures
Any other policy or procedure set out by the Company in writing or made generally known to employees, officers, or directors of the Company prior to the date hereof or hereafter are separate requirements and remain in full force and effect.
13. Inquiries
All inquiries and questions in relation to this Code or its applicability to particular people or situations should be addressed to the Company’s Secretary.
Exhibit 21.1
List of Subsidiaries
| Subsidiary | Place of Incorporation | |
| Uni-Fuels Group Inc. | Cayman Islands | |
| Uni-Fuels Pte. Ltd. | Singapore |
Exhibit 23.1

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM’S CONSENT
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited on Form F-1 of our report dated May 3, 2024, except for Note 9 as to which the date is October 3, 2024 with respect to our audits of the consolidated financial statements of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, which report appears in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.
| /s/ Marcum Asia CPAs LLP | |
| Marcum Asia CPAs LLP | |
| New York, New York | |
| October 25, 2024 |
NEW YORK OFFICE ● 7 Penn Plaza ● Suite 830 ● New York, New York ● 10001
Phone 646.442.4845 ● Fax 646.349.5200 ● www.marcumasia.com
Exhibit 99.1
Adopted: ________ , 2024
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
OF
UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED
Purpose
The purposes of the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (“Company”) are to assist the Board in monitoring: (1) the integrity of the annual, quarterly, and other financial statements of the Company, (2) the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence, (3) the performance of the Company’s independent auditor, and (4) the compliance by the Company with legal and regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee also shall review and approve all related-party transactions.
The Audit Committee shall prepare the report required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement.
Committee Membership
The Audit Committee shall consist of no fewer than three members of the Board, absent a temporary vacancy. The Audit Committee shall meet with the applicable listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Nasdaq”) and the independence and experience requirements of Section 10A(m)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission.
The members of the Audit Committee shall be appointed by the Board. Audit Committee members may be replaced by the Board. There shall be a Chairman of the Audit Committee which shall also be appointed by the Board. The Chairman of the Audit Committee shall be a member of the Audit Committee and, if present, shall preside at each meeting of the Audit Committee. He shall advise and counsel with the executives of the Company, and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him by the Audit Committee or the Board of Directors.
Meetings
The Audit Committee shall meet as often as it determines, but not less frequently than quarterly. The Audit Committee shall meet periodically with management and the independent auditor in separate executive sessions. The Audit Committee may request any officer or employee of the Company or the Company’s outside counsel or independent auditor to attend a meeting of the Audit Committee or to meet with any members of, or consultants to, the Audit Committee.
Committee Authority and Responsibilities
The Audit Committee shall have the sole authority to appoint or replace the independent auditor. The Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work. The independent auditor shall report directly to the Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee shall pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for the Company by its independent auditor, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act which are approved by the Audit Committee prior to the completion of the audit). The Audit Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees of the Audit Committee consisting of one or more members when appropriate, including the authority to grant pre-approvals of audit and permitted non-audit services, provided that decisions of such subcommittee to grant pre-approvals shall be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
The Audit Committee shall have the authority, to the extent it deems necessary or appropriate, to retain independent legal, accounting, or other advisors. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Audit Committee, for payment of compensation to (i) the independent auditor for the purpose of rendering or issuing an audit report and (ii) any advisors employed by the Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee shall make regular reports to the Board. The Audit Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter annually and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval. The Audit Committee annually shall review the Audit Committee’s own performance.
The Audit Committee shall:
Financial Statement and Disclosure Matters
| 1. | Meet with the independent auditor prior to the audit to review the scope, planning, and staffing of the audit. |
| 2. | Review and discuss with management and the independent auditor the annual audit report, the financial statements and related notes and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” or related disclosures proposed to be included in the Company’s Annual Report, and recommend to the Board whether the audited financial statements and related notes and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” or related disclosures should be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F (or the annual report to shareholders if distributed prior to the filing of the Form 20-F). |
| 3. | Review and discuss with management and the independent auditor the Company’s interim financial statements, including the results of the independent auditor’s review of the interim financial statements. |
| 4. | Discuss with management and the independent auditor, as appropriate, significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the Company’s financial statements, including: |
| (a) | any significant changes in the Company’s selection or application of accounting principles; | |
| (b) | the Company’s critical accounting policies and practices; | |
| (c) | all alternative treatments of financial information within GAAP that have been discussed with management and the ramifications of the use of such alternative accounting principles; | |
| (d) | any major issues as to the adequacy of the Company’s internal controls and any special steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies; and | |
| (e) | any material written communications between the independent auditor and management, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences. |
| 5. | Discuss with management and independent auditor and, prior to issuance, review and approve the Company’s earnings releases, including the use of “pro forma” or “adjusted” non-GAAP information, and any financial information and earnings guidance to be included in such releases and provided to analysts and rating agencies. Such discussion may be general and include the types of information to be disclosed and the types of presentations to be made. |
| 6. | Discuss with management and the independent auditor the effect on the Company’s financial statements of (i) regulatory and accounting initiatives and (ii) off-balance sheet structures. |
| 7. | Review and discuss with management and the independent auditor the Company’s major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures, including the Company’s risk assessment and risk management policies. |
| 8. | Discuss with the independent auditor the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 relating to the conduct of the audit, including any difficulties encountered in the course of the audit work, any restrictions on the scope of activities or access to requested information, and any significant disagreements with management. |
| 9. | Review disclosures made to the Audit Committee by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer (or individuals performing similar functions) during their certification process for the Annual Reports and Interim Reports (if necessary) about any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting and any fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. |
Oversight of the Company’s Relationship with the Independent Auditor
| 10. | At least annually, obtain and review a report from the independent auditor, consistent with the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, regarding (a) the independent auditor’s internal quality-control procedures, (b) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm, (c) any steps taken to deal with any such issues and (d) all relationships between the independent auditor and the Company. Evaluate the qualifications, performance and independence of the independent auditor, including whether the auditor’s quality controls are adequate and the provision of permitted non-audit services is compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence, and taking into account the opinions of management and the internal auditor. The Audit Committee shall present its conclusions with respect to the independent auditor to the Board. |
| 11. | Verify the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law. Consider whether, in order to assure continuing auditor independence, it is appropriate to adopt a policy of rotating the independent auditing firm on a regular basis. |
| 12. | Oversee the Company’s hiring of employees or former employees of the independent auditor who participated in any capacity in the audit of the Company. |
| 13. | Be available to the independent auditor during the year for consultation purposes. |
Compliance Oversight Responsibilities
| 14. | Obtain assurance from the independent auditor that Section 10A(b) of the Exchange Act has not been implicated. |
| 15. | Review and approve all related-party transactions. |
| 16. | Inquire and discuss with management the Company’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations and with the Company’s Code of Ethics in effect at such time, if any, and, where applicable, recommend policies and procedures for future compliance. |
| 17. | Establish procedures (which may be incorporated in the Company’s Code of Ethics, in effect at such time, if any) for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding the Company’s financial statements or accounting policies. Review requests for waivers under the Code of Ethics sought with respect to any executive officer or director. Review annually with the Chairman of the Board or outside counsel, as appropriate, the scope, implementation and effectiveness of the ethics and compliance program, and any significant deviations by officers and employees from the Code of Ethics or other compliance policies, and other matters pertaining to the integrity of management. |
| 18. | Discuss with management and the independent auditor any correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies and any published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company’s financial statements or accounting policies. |
| 19. | Discuss with the Company’s General Counsel legal matters that may have a material impact on the financial statements or the Company’s compliance policies. |
| 20. | Review and approve all payments made to the Company’s officers and directors or its or their affiliates. Any payments made to members of the Audit Committee will be reviewed and approved by the Board, with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval. |
Limitation of Audit Committee’s Role
While the Audit Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter, it is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company’s financial statements and disclosures are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable rules and regulations. These are the responsibilities of management and the independent auditor.
Exhibit 99.2
CHARTER
OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED
I. PURPOSES
The Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) is appointed by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”) for the purposes of, among other things, (a) discharging the Board’s responsibilities relating to the compensation of the Company’s chief executive officer (the “CEO”) and other executive officers of the Company, (b) administering or delegating the power to administer the Company’s incentive compensation and equity-based compensation plans, and (c) if required by applicable rules and regulations, issuing a “Compensation Committee Report” (if necessary) to be included in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F or proxy statement, as applicable.
II. RESPONSIBILITIES
In addition to such other duties as the Board may from time to time assign, the Committee shall:
| ● | Establish, review, and approve the overall executive compensation philosophy and policies of the Company, including the establishment, if deemed appropriate, of performance-based incentives that support and reinforce the Company’s long-term strategic goals, organizational objectives, and stockholder interests. | |
| ● | Review and approve the Company’s goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of the CEO, annually evaluate the CEO’s performance in light of those goals and objectives and, based on this evaluation, determine the CEO’s compensation level, including, but not limited to, salary, bonus or bonus target levels, long and short-term incentive and equity compensation, retirement plans, and deferred compensation plans as the Committee deems appropriate. In determining the long-term incentive component of the CEO’s compensation, the Committee shall consider, among other factors, the Company’s performance and relative stockholder return, the value of similar incentive awards to CEOs at comparable companies, and the awards given to the Company’s CEO in past years. The CEO shall not be present during voting and deliberations relating to CEO compensation. | |
| ● | Determine the compensation of all other executive officers, including, but not limited to, salary, bonus or bonus target levels, long and short-term incentive and equity compensation, retirement plans, and deferred compensation plans, as the Committee deems appropriate. Members of senior management may report on the performance of the other executive officers of the Company and make compensation recommendations to the Committee, which will review and, as appropriate, approve the compensation recommendations. | |
| ● | Receive and evaluate performance target goals for the senior officers and employees (other than executive officers) and review periodic reports from the CEO as to the performance and compensation of such senior officers and employees. | |
| ● | Administer or delegate the power to administer the Company’s incentive and equity-based compensation plans, including the grant of stock options, restricted stock, and other equity awards under such plans. | |
| ● | Review and make recommendations to the Board with respect to the adoption of, and amendments to, incentive compensation and equity-based plans and approve for submission to the stockholders all new equity compensation plans that must be approved by stockholders pursuant to applicable law. | |
| ● | Review and approve any annual or long-term cash bonus or incentive plans in which the executive officers of the Company may participate. | |
| ● | Review and approve for the CEO and the other executive officers of the Company any employment agreements, severance arrangements, and change in control agreements or provisions. | |
| ● | Review and discuss with the Company’s management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-K, Item 402, if required, and, based on such review and discussion, determine whether to recommend to the Board of Directors of the Company that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Company’s annual report or proxy statement for the annual meeting of stockholders. | |
| ● | Provide the Compensation Committee Report for the Company’s annual report or proxy statement for the annual meeting of stockholders, if required. |
| ● | Conduct an annual performance evaluation of the Committee. In conducting such review, the Committee shall evaluate and address all matters that the Committee considers relevant to its performance, including at least the following: (a) the adequacy, appropriateness, and quality of the information received from management or others; (b) the manner in which the Committee’s recommendations were discussed or debated; (c) whether the number and length of meetings of the Committee were adequate for the Committee to complete its work in a thorough and thoughtful manner; and (d) whether this Charter appropriately addresses the matters that are or should be within its scope. | |
| ● | Oversee shareholder communications relating to executive compensation and review and make recommendations with respect to shareholder proposals related to compensation matters. | |
| ● | Undertake such other responsibilities or tasks as the Board may delegate or assign to the Committee from time to time. |
III. COMPOSITION
The Committee shall be comprised of two or more members (including a chairperson) of the Board, all of whom shall be “independent directors,” as such term is defined in the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market (“the “Nasdaq”). At least two of the Committee members shall be “non-employee directors” as defined by Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). The members of the Committee and the chairperson shall be selected not less frequently than annually by the Board and serve at the pleasure of the Board. A Committee member (including the chairperson) may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board.
The Committee, by resolution approved by a majority of the Committee, may delegate any of its responsibilities to one or more subcommittees as the Committee may from time to time deem appropriate. If at any time the Committee includes a member who is not a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, then a subcommittee comprised entirely of individuals who are “non-employee directors” may be formed by the Committee for the purpose of ratifying any grants of awards under any incentive or equity-based compensation plan for the purposes of complying with the exemption requirements of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act; provided that any such grants shall not be contingent on such ratification.
IV. MEETINGS AND OPERATIONS
The Committee shall meet as often as necessary to enable it to fulfill its responsibilities. The Committee shall meet at the call of its chairperson or a majority of its members. The Committee may meet by telephone conference call or by any other means permitted by law. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall act on the affirmative vote of a majority of members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Committee may act by unanimous written consent of all members in lieu of a meeting. The Committee shall determine its own rules and procedures, including designation of a chairperson pro tempore in the absence of the chairperson, and designation of a secretary. The secretary need not be a member of the Committee and shall attend Committee meetings and prepare minutes. The Secretary of the Company shall be the Secretary of the Committee unless the Committee designates otherwise. The Committee shall keep written minutes of its meetings, which shall be recorded or filed with the books and records of the Company. Any member of the Board shall be provided with copies of such Committee minutes if requested.
The Committee may ask members of management, employees, outside counsel, or others whose advice and counsel are relevant to the issues then being considered by the Committee to attend any meetings (or a portion thereof) and to provide such pertinent information as the Committee may request.
The chairperson of the Committee shall be responsible for leadership of the Committee, including preparing the agenda which shall be circulated to the members prior to the meeting date, presiding over Committee meetings, making Committee assignments, and reporting the Committee’s actions to the Board. Following each of its meetings, the Committee shall deliver a report on the meeting to the Board, including a description of all actions taken by the Committee at the meeting.
If at any time during the exercise of his or her duties on behalf of the Committee, a Committee member has a direct conflict of interest with respect to an issue subject to determination or recommendation by the Committee, such Committee member shall abstain from participation, discussion, and resolution of the instant issue, and the remaining members of the Committee shall advise the Board of their recommendation on such issue. The Committee shall be able to make determinations and recommendations even if only one Committee member is free from conflicts of interest on a particular issue.
V. AUTHORITY
The Committee has the authority, to the extent it deems appropriate, to conduct or authorize investigations into or studies of matters within the Committee’s scope of responsibilities and to retain one or more compensation consultants to assist in the evaluation of CEO or executive compensation or other matters. The Committee shall have the sole authority to retain and terminate any such consulting firm, and to approve the firm’s fees and other retention terms. The Committee shall evaluate whether any compensation consultant retained or to be retained by it has any conflict of interest in accordance with Item 407(e)(3)(iv) of Regulation S-K. The Committee shall also have the authority, to the extent it deems necessary or appropriate, to retain legal counsel or other advisors. In retaining compensation consultants, outside counsel, and other advisors, the Committee must take into consideration factors specified in the Nasdaq listing rules. The Company will provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of any such investigations or studies and the compensation to any consulting firm, legal counsel, or other advisors retained by the Committee.
Effective as of________________, 2024.
Exhibit 99.3
Adopted: _______, 2024
NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER
OF
UNI-FUELS HOLDINGS LIMITED
The responsibilities and powers of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Nominating Committee”) of the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”), as delegated by the Board, are set forth in this charter. Whenever the Nominating Committee takes an action, it shall exercise its independent judgment on an informed basis that the action is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
I. PURPOSE
As set forth herein, the Nominating Committee shall, among other things, discharge the responsibilities of the Board relating to the appropriate size, functioning, and needs of the Board including, but not limited to, recruitment and retention of high quality Board members and committee composition and structure, as well as administration and oversight of all aspects of the Company’s corporate governance functions on behalf of the Board.
II. MEMBERSHIP
The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least two members of the Board as determined from time to time by the Board. Each member shall be “independent” in accordance with the listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Nasdaq”), as amended from time to time.
The Board shall elect the members of this Nominating Committee at the first Board meeting practicable following the annual meeting of shareholders and may make changes from time to time pursuant to the provisions below. Unless a chair is elected by the Board, the members of the Nominating Committee shall designate a chair by majority vote of the full Nominating Committee membership.
A Nominating Committee member may resign by delivering his or her written resignation to the chairman of the Board, or may be removed by majority vote of the Board by delivery to such member of written notice of removal, to take effect at a date specified therein, or upon delivery of such written notice to such member if no date is specified.
MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE ACTION
The Nominating Committee shall meet at such times as it deems necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. Meetings of the Nominating Committee shall be called by the chairman of the Nominating Committee upon such notice as is provided for in the Bylaws of the company with respect to meetings of the Board. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. Actions of the Nominating Committee may be taken in person at a meeting or in writing without a meeting. Actions taken at a meeting, to be valid, shall require the approval of a majority of the members present and voting. Actions taken in writing, to be valid, shall be signed by all members of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall report its minutes from each meeting to the Board.
The chairman of the Nominating Committee may establish such rules as may from time to time be necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business of the Nominating Committee. At each meeting, the chairman shall appoint as secretary a person who may, but need not, be a member of the Nominating Committee. A certificate of the secretary of the Nominating Committee or minutes of a meeting of the Nominating Committee executed by the secretary setting forth the names of the members of the Nominating Committee present at the meeting or actions taken by the Nominating Committee at the meeting shall be sufficient evidence at all times as to the members of the Nominating Committee who were present, or such actions taken.
IV. COMMITTEE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
| ● | Developing the criteria and qualifications for membership on the Board. | |
| ● | Recruiting, reviewing and nominating candidates for election to the Board or to fill vacancies on the Board. | |
| ● | Reviewing candidates proposed by shareholders, and conducting appropriate inquiries into the background and qualifications of any such candidates. | |
| ● | Establishing subcommittees for the purpose of evaluating special or unique matters. | |
| ● | Monitoring and making recommendations regarding committee functions, contributions, and composition. | |
| ● | Evaluating, on an annual basis, the Nominating Committee’s performance. | |
| ● | Administer and oversee all aspects of the Company’s corporate governance functions on behalf of the Board. | |
| ● | Make recommendations to the Board regarding corporate governance issues and related policies for risk assessment and risk management. | |
| ● | Review with management and the Board the adequacy of and compliance with the Company’s Code of Ethics and the results of management’s efforts to monitor compliance with the Company’s policies designed to ensure adherence to applicable laws and rules. | |
| ● | Performing any other activities consistent with this Charter, the Company’s by-laws and governing law, as the Committee or the Board deems appropriate. |
V. REPORTING
The Nominating Committee shall prepare a statement each year concerning its compliance with this charter for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement.
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Board of Director Candidate Guidelines
The Nominating Committee (the “Nominating Committee”) of the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”) will identify, evaluate, and recommend candidates to become members of the Board with the goal of creating a balance of knowledge and experience. Nominations to the Board may also be submitted to the Nominating Committee by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with the Company’s policy, a copy of which is attached hereto. Candidates will be reviewed in the context of current composition of the Board (including the diversity in background, experience, and viewpoints of the Board), the operating requirements of the Company, and the long-term interests of the Company’s shareholders. In conducting this assessment, the Nominating Committee will consider and evaluate each director-candidate based upon its assessment of the following criteria:
| ● | Whether the candidate is independent pursuant to the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange. |
| ● | Whether the candidate is accomplished in his or her field and has a reputation, both personal and professional, that is consistent with the image and reputation of the Company. |
| ● | Whether the candidate has the ability to read and understand basic financial statements. |
| ● | If a candidate satisfies the criteria for being an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
| ● | Whether the candidate has relevant experience and expertise and would be able to provide insights and practical wisdom based upon that experience and expertise. |
| ● | Whether the candidate has knowledge of the Company and issues affecting the Company. |
| ● | Whether the candidate is committed to enhancing shareholder value. |
| ● | Whether the candidate fully understands, or has the capacity to fully understand, the legal responsibilities of a director and the governance processes of a public company. |
| ● | Whether the candidate is of high moral and ethical character and would be willing to apply sound, objective, and independent business judgment, and to assume broad fiduciary responsibility. |
| ● | Whether the candidate has, and would be willing to commit, the required hours necessary to discharge the duties of Board membership. |
| ● | Whether the candidate has any prohibitive interlocking relationships or conflicts of interest. |
| ● | Whether the candidate is able to develop a good working relationship with other Board members and contribute to the Board’s working relationship with the senior management of the Company. |
| ● | Whether the candidate is able to suggest business opportunities to the Company. |
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
Shareholder Recommendations for Directors
Shareholders who wish to recommend to the Nominating Committee (the “Nominating Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”), a candidate for election to the Board should send a written recommendation to Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited of 15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07, Singapore 189677; Attention: Nominating Committee. The Corporate Secretary will promptly forward all such letters to the members of the Nominating Committee. Shareholders must follow certain procedures to recommend to the Nominating Committee candidates for election as directors. In general, in order to provide sufficient time to enable the Nominating Committee to evaluate candidates recommended by shareholders in connection with selecting candidates for nomination in connection with the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders, the Corporate Secretary must receive the shareholder’s recommendation no later than thirty (30) days after the end of the Company’s fiscal year.
The recommendation must contain the following information about the candidate:
| ● | Name; | |
| ● | Age; | |
| ● | Business and current residence addresses, as well as residence addresses for the past 20 years; | |
| ● | Principal occupation or employment and employment history (name and address of employer and job title) for the past 10 years (or such shorter period as the candidate has been in the workforce); | |
| ● | Educational background; | |
| ● | Permission for the Company to conduct a background investigation, including the right to obtain education, employment, and credit information; | |
| ● | The number of shares of common stock of the Company beneficially owned by the candidate; | |
| ● | The information that would be required to be disclosed by the Company about the candidate under the rules of the SEC in a Proxy Statement soliciting proxies for the election of such candidate as a director (which currently includes information required by Items 401, 404 and 405 of Regulation S-K); and | |
| ● | A signed consent of the nominee to serve as a director of the Company, if elected. |
Exhibit 99.4
___________, 2024
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07
Singapore 189677
Dear Sirs:
Pursuant to Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, I hereby consent to the references to my name in the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (the “Registration Statement”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”) and any amendments thereto, which indicate that I have accepted the nomination to become a director of the Company. I further agree that immediately upon the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s declaration of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, I will serve as a member of the board of directors of the Company.
| Sincerely yours, | ||
| Name: | Chay Yiowmin | |
Exhibit 99.5
___________, 2024
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07
Singapore 189677
Dear Sirs:
Pursuant to Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, I hereby consent to the references to my name in the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (the “Registration Statement”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”) and any amendments thereto, which indicate that I have accepted the nomination to become a director of the Company. I further agree that immediately upon the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s declaration of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, I will serve as a member of the board of directors of the Company.
| Sincerely yours, | |
| Name: Gn Jong Yuh Gwendolyn |
Exhibit 99.6
___________, 2024
Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited
15 Beach Road, Beach Centre #05-07
Singapore 189677
Dear Sirs:
Pursuant to Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, I hereby consent to the references to my name in the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (the “Registration Statement”) of Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (the “Company”) and any amendments thereto, which indicate that I have accepted the nomination to become a director of the Company. I further agree that immediately upon the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s declaration of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, I will serve as a member of the board of directors of the Company.
| Sincerely yours, | |
| Name: Shirley Tan Sey Liy |